My trip on the Vidar with Viking:

My flight was changed three times due to the quarantine change with the Netherlands so I lost my flight on Icelandair. This made it difficult to get a PCR test on time for the flight as times kept changing; I had to reschedule four times! The flight I took had me going to Newark New Jersey one of the least vaccinated places for a long layover over six hours. The Air Canada flight there only had salmon as the meal or vegan quinoa neither I could eat. So I ate two pouches of pretzels and mineral water. United Airlines was not aware I had mobility issues so boarding was very stressful but a stewardess bought me a sandwich, drink and banana. After six hours on the bench I was a mess. The plane had maintenance issues so we deboarded then reboarded.

Once I arrived in Amsterdam we waited two hours for the bus stuck in traffic then we were transported to the ship. My mattress was only four inches thick atop a metal platform with no box spring and was very lumpy. It was extremely uncomfortable, with no fitted sheets and just a duvet covering. Very hard to sleep and left me very stiff in the morning. Someone had mashed a lady bug in the bathroom and the smell lingered for the whole trip. There was constant noise of a generator night and day in suite 337 even when on shore power. The ventilation system ingested diesel fumes and cigarette smoke from the upper sun deck smoking area and pumped it into my room. I have breathing issues due to ALS so for me it was a serious issue. This happened whenever a ship docked next to my ship (started and reported sept 24 in Passau continued daily/nightly), also whenever buses idled on the dock. I brought this to the attention of the concierge and nothing was done about it. Apparently housekeeping checked the room and said it was now clear. I spoke to the manager about people constantly coming into my room without knocking when I was undressed. Even if I yelled “wait” or “coming in a second.” They even ignored do not disturb signs. She explained that they needed a covid sample. I had tried to send the sample with housekeeping to the office but they had refused to take it. I called the office after dinner and asked for a bathrobe to be delivered so I could send my sample to reception. I waited over an hour and no one showed up. I rang reception 30 rings and no pickup this was common whenever I called. It was now late and I was jetlagged. I was naked and getting into the shower when someone began opening the door! I shouldered it closed because he ignored me yelling not to. The person said they would return soon. I put clothes on and waited for the returning person. An hour goes by so I hop in the shower. Then I put a do not disturb sign on my door and go to bed with BIPAP machine running. Two hours later I get phone calls. I get up and provided the sample to someone from reception. The issues with people coming into the room continued with people walking in late at night despite the do not disturb sign. I had to write notes to housekeeping to open the glass water bottles provided as I was unable to open them. I also wrote notes asking for the mattress coversheet to be changed. It was changed once in weeks. A sign on the bathroom wall said towels will only be changed if put in the sink for environmental reasons. Despite leaving soiled towels in the sink they were often put back on the rack even if wet or soiled. Leaving signs on doors asking for room cleaning often were not cleaned. Leaving tips did not make a difference. My attendant A**x even left his pass key in my room for a full day so I could rummage through others rooms! Lucky for them I turned it in at reception they did not seem to care. The Russian manager of the hotel part of the ship just kept saying “what can I do for you?” She never fixed the issues reported. Calls to the reception desk often were ignored despite 30 rings. Many of the concierge people had very poor English skills and seemed confused by my requests and concerns. B********a was particularly bad his behaviors were confusing and rarely solved the problem. For example he could not book a restaurant for me and gave me a printout on the Sacher Hotel but not in English. You got different information from different people they mostly did not know what was going on. These problems persisted until I left the Vidar. Read more