What clothes should I bring?
Viking River Cruises believes that travelers are able to appreciate their destination the most when they can dress comfortably. We recommend you bring comfortable walking shoes and modest, casual clothing for exploring ashore. Dinner attire is "evening casual": open-necked shirts, slacks, dresses and sport outfits; no suits or ties are required. Captain’s Welcome Dinners and Farewell Nights are dressier but not formal. Should you wish to dine ashore on your own, you should pack more dressy shoes/outfits as higher-end restaurants may require dressier clothing.

What time is disembarkation?
All passengers are requested to disembark by 10 am. If we’re providing your airport transfer on disembarkation day, we’ll make sure your transfer is at the appropriate time for your flight.

Is smoking allowed onboard?
Smoking is permitted in designated public areas only; this excludes the dining room.

How do I tip the crew? And what’s appropriate?
Tips are not included in your cruise price, but are your way of showing satisfaction directly to your staff for good service. You may tip onboard staff in cash, or charge your tips to your credit card at the end of the cruise. For local guides, you should tip at the end of each tour in cash. we suggest a gratuity of $7 to $10 per passenger per day which is distributed among the ship’s staff and your shore excursion guides; and $1 to $2 per person per day for your Cruise Manager. Additional tipping is at the passenger’s discretion.

How are onboard purchases handled?
For your convenience, all purchases or paid services aboard are billed with a guest check and added to your personal shipboard account. At the end of your cruise, your total can be paid with cash or charged to a credit card.

How can I get my clothes washed?
Laundry and pressing services are available onboard for a fee. We regret that clothes cannot be dry cleaned onboard. For safety reasons, we ask passengers not to iron in their cabins.

Are there phones on the ship?
All ships have in-room phones for calling cabin-to-cabin. The Reception Desk can also send a fax for you. Any charges for faxes and ship-to-shore calls will be added to your shipboard account.

Can I access the internet?
Internet access is available for a fee on all ships, although satellite reception can be limited at times during your cruise due to terrain.

Do I need an electrical converter while onboard?
You will need an adapter/converter to use small personal items such as a razor, curling iron or alarm clock. Onboard voltage is 220V on most plugs, with Chinese-style prongs.

How can I get medical help if I need it?
Staff members are trained to care for passengers in need of medical assistance. Viking China ships have a small medical clinic and an onboard physician; on Chinese ships, the doctor may not speak fluent English; a staff member fluent in English will assist you. Please review your medical coverage and consider purchasing travel insurance should you need additional coverage while traveling.

Can I bring a wheelchair or scooter?

Ships and destinations in China generally do not have facilities to accommodate wheelchairs or physically challenged passengers. Embarkation and disembarkation facilities are extremely steep and impossible to navigate with wheelchairs, scooters or any other mechanical devices.

How physically demanding are these shore excursions?
Viking China cruise shore excursions include walking tours, panoramic coach tours and sometimes a combination of both. They often require a fair amount of walking. To enjoy all of your excursions, you should be in good physical condition and able to walk easily over uneven pavement, cobblestone streets, or up and down stairs and inclines. You are free to skip a tour at any time.