Travel Agent is aboard Viking Mississippi this week cruising from St. Louis, MO, to St. Paul, MN. Below is the first article in a multi-part series about this Mississippi River cruise vessel and its itinerary. Each story will focus on different aspects of the onboard product, plus shore excursions.
Sailing through the heart of America, Travel Agent is exploring the Upper Mississippi River this week on a Viking river cruise. After a two-night stay in St. Louis, on Saturday we boarded the 386-passenger Viking Mississippi for a seven-night “America's Heartland” itinerary between St. Louis, MO, and St. Paul, MN. Ports on this itinerary include Alton, IL; Hannibal, MO; Burlington, Quad Cities (Davenport) and Dubuque, IA; La Crosse, WI; Red Wing, MN, and, finally, St. Paul, where guests will overnight prior to traveling home. This itinerary is being offered now through September 2024 and again in August 2025.
Meet Me in St. Louis
One big plus? Viking smartly set up this itinerary with two nights on land prior to embarkation of Viking Mississippi. For us, that proved a godsend, given unexpected air flight delays that we experienced. But with the two-night land "cushion," we never stressed over the possibility of missing the ship, a blessing during a tough travel day.
During our challenging air journey, we contacted Viking’s 24-hour hotline to advise them of the flight issues. We received excellent, friendly, one-on-one phone service on two occasions. The first resulted in the Viking agent setting up an alternate connecting flight. Then, later, we talked with a different Viking agent about replacing that flight with one at an even later time frame and also adding a note to our file about our missed transfer.
Upon arrival at St. Louis International Airport (STL), Viking's guests are normally met at the airport via Viking ground staff and transported by motorcoach to the line’s pre-cruise hotel. Had we arrived normally, Viking would have provided that motorcoach transfer to the hotel. But due to our late arrival, instead we took a taxi from the airport to the hotel.
Despite our late arrival at 11 p.m., our room at The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza, Viking's pre-cruise hotel, was waiting. Our luggage was handled promptly and the front-desk staffers were very friendly, helpful and jovial. Throughout our stay, we felt the service throughout this hotel—from housekeeping to the front desk staff and lounge and restaurant servers—was simply excellent.
For a casual meal and a drink, we'd suggest heading for the hotel's Chase Club, which serves gastropub fare. We ordered a freshly made flat bread topped with sliced tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. It proved tasty and we also enjoyed that venue's live entertainment.
Pre-Cruise Information
Upon check-in at The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza hotel, Travel Agent and other Viking guests received an envelope with information about what would happen on Days 1-3. That included a welcome briefing, details about the complimentary breakfast, where excursions would meet and how luggage would later be picked up (from inside the guest's hotel door) and automatically transferred to the ship.
During our time at the hotel, Viking's two "included" first-day tours were “St. Louis, the “Gateway to the West” tour, offered both in the morning and afternoon, and a "Missouri Botanical Garden" tour in the afternoon. Three other tours carrying an added fee were the "Anheuser-Busch Brewery" ($89), "National Blues Museum" ($99) or an evening option, “Favazza’s Dinner on The Hill” ($189).
The following day, guests could take that "Missouri Botanical Garden" tour, as well as new options that carried an added fee. For instance, “Inside Mississippi River Engineering” and “On the Trail of Lewis and Clark” excursions were each offered at $69 per person, while a “Forest Park & Missouri History Museum” excursion was $49.
Exploring the Great River Road
Travel Agent opted for the three-and-a-half-hour “Great River Road Exploration” at $99. Traveling on a Viking motorcoach with a guide, we crossed the Mississippi River, navigated along several highways and then motored along the Great River Road, a network of local, state and federal roads built in 1938. We gazed at green forested hills, quaint small towns, fields of corn and soybeans, and soaring limestone bluffs.
As our motorcoach entered downtown Alton, IL, we had our first glimpse of the docked 450-foot-long Viking Mississippi . The coach then drove through the downtown area with the guide pointing out one building where President Abraham Lincoln had overnighted. He'd come to Alton for the famed "Lincoln-Douglas Debate" in 1858.
While motoring through Alton, we also spotted several lovely downtown murals including one of a Mississippi steamboat. Heading out into the countryside, the tour then stopped for a visit to the vineyards of the Grafton Winery, nestled in the country just three miles from downtown Grafton. First, we toured Grafton's wine-making facility and learned about wine production. That was followed by a tasting of six different wines.
One was a dry white Vidal, another a dry red Harbor Red. Two semi-sweet wines were also provided to sip—Vignoles and Captain’s Blush, as well as two fruity sweet wines, an Apple Crisp (which most people absolutely loved) and a Blackberry. The winery also nicely provided one complimentary wine glass, which was distributed to each guest on the Viking coach.
Next, the tour continued on a short drive through Grafton to the Aerie’s Resort for the Grafton SkyTour. For the ski-lift-type ride to the top of a mountain, guests were seated on a typical chair-lift seat with their legs swinging freely; a forward bar also dropped down to secure them. A limited number of small, enclosed gondolas with bench seating on both sides were also available, perfect for people with canes or walkers.
That said, either way, the ride itself takes a bit of time up and back, with a some more time at the top for good river views. In 90-degree-plus weather, though, the heat was stifling for many guests. The coach then returned through Alton and dropped guests off for embarkation at Viking Mississippi.
Viking Mississippi Boarding
On Viking Mississippi's Deck 1, we checked in fairly quickly as four guest services agents were working the check-in desk. Guests had already entered much information pre-cruise. That helped smooth and shorten the check-in process.
The accommodations weren't yet ready (a PA system announcement was made when they were), so we ventured up to Deck 5's River Cafe for lunch. It's a spacious casual dining spot with several buffet areas. During our first time dining there, guests had a choice of everything from a tasty crunchy chicken filet to baked fish, hamburgers, freshly made pizza, sauteed fresh mushrooms, other cooked veggies, rice, salad items, fruits of various types, charcuterie, yummy desserts and much more.
Two facets we particularly liked? Floor-to-ceiling glass provides guests with superb river and land views. In addition, staffing for River Cafe seems quite good. Crew members proactively pour water, bring guests other drinks and assist in any way possible. Total staffing on this ship, by the way, is 146 crew members.
Our Deluxe Veranda Stateroom
Our staterooms were ready after 2:30 p.m. or so. We opened the stateroom door to find our suitcase on the bed. It had been transported from inside our stateroom at the St. Louis hotel onto a transport vehicle. From there, the luggage was trucked across the Mississippi River to Alton and delivered directly to each Viking Mississippi stateroom. It was easy-peasy in that manner for guests.
Viking Mississippi has seven categories of spacious accommodations, all with king-sized beds, large showers, heated bathroom floors, LCD TVs and a private veranda or French balcony. At the point of writing this article, we'd only been aboard two nights, but here's a quick look at our balcony stateroom, No. 237. Contemporary in design, the stateroom decor has soft hues accented by pops of darker coloring, such as on pillows or a throw blanket on the bed.
One unique facet is that this stateroom doesn’t have a couch. Instead, we discovered two nicely upholstered chairs with pillows. Since Viking has a no-kids policy, a pull-out couch really isn't needed in this type of accommodation, clearly designed for two people. From past cruises, we've also felt that many stateroom couches on other ships just aren't that comfortable, so we appreciated finding this two-chair configuration in our stateroom.
On embarkation day, guests will find a complimentary bottle of bubbly and trio of Ferrero Rocher chocolates atop an elongated coffee table. Directly opposite the seating is a user-friendly desk area. We liked the large surface for remote work. Alternatively, by pulling up one section of that desk surface, guests will discover a lighted makeup mirror and a few small storage areas that can hold keys, makeup and other small items.
Under the desk surface is a slide-out door for the mini-refrigerator. Chilling inside are several types of sodas, and there is space for storing a wine or champagne bottle on its side. The cabin steward will discuss beverage preferences with guests upon boarding. Viking offers complimentary soft drinks in the stateroom. But those seeking wine (beyond lunch and dinner when it's complimentary in bars and onboard dining venues) will need to either buy a bottle or add the line's premium beverage package.
Atop the desk surface, guests will discover a small holder with a notepad and pen; a container with QuietVox listening devices for taking on shore excursions; two beverage glasses; and a carafe of fresh water that's refilled during the cabin service each morning and evening. One nice touch was the cabin steward's question as to whether we'd prefer the carafe be refilled with chilled or regular water. In addition, in the hallway storage area, guests will discover a small coffee machine with individual coffee pods.
As for storage in this deluxe veranda stateroom, it's quite good for a river vessel. With two sliding doors, the closet has four drawers, a half-length area above those drawers for hanging blouses or shirts and a full-length side for hanging slacks, dresses and so on. In addition, accessible within the entry hallway are additional drawers. The stateroom's two nightstands also each offer one drawer and an open shelf. Most luggage can be stowed under the bed.
This stateroom also has a large, wall-mounted flat-screen HDTV that faces the bed. Plus, the stateroom offers a nice-sized covered balcony (not cramped) with two exterior, all-weather chairs and a table. We particularly liked that this table is bigger than many on other ships, so it has great al fresco dining potential.
The bathroom in our Deluxe Veranda Stateroom has a single sink. That said, it also has counter space and mirror space on both sides. So, conceivably, two people could be in this relatively compact bathroom getting ready at the same time. In addition, each side of the sink has one sliding drawer as well as a small amount of open space on a shelf below. Just below the sink is a pull-open cabinet with a trash can.
The walk-in shower is modest-sized, has an adjustable shower head and also offers a narrow, bench-like area. (It's not really wide enough for a guest to sit but it's a good spot to place any bottles or a washcloth.)
Mirror-wise, this stateroom has a lot of options in the bathroom and living area. First, the bathroom itself has a large mirror. Plus, there's a full-length mirror in the hall and a humongous, elongated one over the desk area.
Guests will also find a hair dryer, personal safe in the hallway cabinetry, and cloth laundry bag with a paper that lists pricing for laundry services. We gave a bag of laundry to the cabin steward in the morning and—despite saying that next day delivery was fine—we received it back very quickly on the same day.
Good to know? Strolling along Deck 2, we also discovered a self-service launderette with two washers and dryers.
The Safety Briefing
The ship's safety briefing was held in the late afternoon on our day of arrival. It began with an announcement asking guests to remain in their stateroom and asking them to locate their lifejacket. More information was then provided over the PA system and the ship's emergency alarm was demonstrated.
Guests were then informed that they must attend a mandatory briefing at 5 p.m. in the Living Room. During that briefing, conducted by the cruise director, the assistant cruise director demonstrated how to put on a life jacket. Plus, guests were asked to watch the safety video on their stateroom TV.
Following the safety information, the cruise director then offered a look at what guests could expect for dining, entertainment, activities and also outlined the following day's shore options. During this cruise, he added that similar briefings will be conducted every day in the Living Room at about 5:30 p.m.
Prime Public Space: The Living Room
Certainly, the top gathering spot on this river vessel is that Living Room. Sound familiar? Well, it's a successful lounge space concept that Viking has installed throughout its fleet on all types of vessels.
Guests can expect to find modern, Scandinavian-style design, reflecting Viking's Norwegian heritage. And in that regard, the ship fully delivers. Yet, this is the Mississippi River region. So, for guests seeking a bit of Americana, there are a few such design influences.
Most notably, we loved the stairwell wall near the guest services desk. It offers imagery/drawings that reflect Mark Twain and his writings, plus we noticed several other Twain images in the Living Room. Art throughout the ship focuses on both Scandinavian and American artists, and Viking places a paper guide to the notable art pieces in guest accommodations.
With floor-to-ceiling glass views, the Living Room is spacious and has many comfortable, separate seating enclaves. The decor uses neutral tones with pops of color and natural materials. While it can accommodate all guests for mandatory briefings, on those occasions, it's packed. During the safety briefing, one couple told us they opted instead to sit in the nearby Explorers' Lounge, telling Travel Agent they could still hear the PA system commentary from the Living Room, yet not feel they were part of a crowd. The Living Room also can become filled to the brim with guests during the late afternoon briefing.
At most times, though, as guests come and go, doing their own activities around and off the ship, the Living Room seems a lovely, relaxing spot. Guests head here to read, watch the scenery float by and socialize with fellow guests. Bottom line? Most times, it hasn't been crowded. In addition to the many types of seating areas, this venue offers a dance floor, a baby grand piano and space for entertainers to perform.
While walking to the aft section of the Living Room, guests will discover a Library brimming with books. As Viking characterizes its product at “the thinking person’s cruise," the wide variety and high quality of the books reflect that moniker. Separately, if board games or cards delight guests, they'll find tables, chairs and game equipment (chess, Scrabble, mahjong and other games) in the Living Room's board game area.
Separately, a long workspace table in the Living Room is perfect for those bringing a laptop or tablet, as it has outlets for plugging in techie devices. We watched one couple there, with the man telling passers-by that his wife works five to six hours a day remotely.
Nearby is a small ship boutique, which offers many Viking logo items, small gifts and Scandinavian products such as warm sweaters. While we thought that a bit odd in the U.S. South, one woman in the lounge a few hours later told us she was going back specifically to buy one of those.
We liked the Living Room’s positioning close to the guest services desk. One can easily pop into guest services to check on something while a friend, partner or spouse can remain in the Living Room to order drinks or admire the outside scenic views.
As for examples of Living Room entertainment, we enjoyed afternoon melodies with the Viking Trio, an evening classical harp performance, and on embarkation day, "St. Louis – a Ragtime Town" performance by Ethan and Valerie Leinwand.
Mark Twain’s Town
In terms of Viking Mississippi's itinerary, here's a look at the initial part of our cruise from Alton, IL, northward along the Mississippi River. During the evening, the river vessel navigated through several locks and guests also viewed forested riverbanks and passing barges. Ultimately, the ship arrived at Hannibal, MO, the former hometown of Samuel Clemens (1835-1910). He was the famed 19th century author writing under the pen name of Mark Twain.
So, not surprisingly, many Viking shore excursions tapped into the Twain heritage. “The World of Mark Twain,” an included shore excursion, offered multiple ways to explore. First, the line provided a schedule of rotating Viking motorcoach transfers into town; a print-out was provided to show guests all the departure times, as well as the time they needed to be back on the ship.
Second, guests alternatively chose to take a 15-minute walk to the included tour attractions. As the ship docked, guests could easily glimpse the downtown area just a short distance away. Or third, guests headed out for a fully guided walking tour from the ship.
Along the route, Viking guests perused Clemens’ boyhood home with the iconic white picket fence that the fictional Tom Sawyer was required to whitewash. At the Museum Gallery, tourgoers viewed 15 original Norman Rockwell paintings depicting scenes from Twain’s novels; that proved a big hit with many of Viking's guests.
Next, guests on "The World of Mark Twain" tour explored a museum complex that included the homes of Laura Hawkins and Tom Blankenship. Hawkins was Clemens’ childhood sweetheart who inspired the character of Becky Thatcher, while Blankenship was the real-life Huckleberry Finn.
A separate shore excursion offered to Viking guests was “Jim’s Journey: The Huck Finn Freedom Center.” Guests visited the center to learned about one of Twain’s most complex literary characters, the enslaved Jim who was also Finn's friend. He was actually inspired by Mark Twain’s friend Daniel Quarles. Tourgoers checked out the exhibits and learned more about the lifestyle of African Americans in the early 19th century when Hannibal was founded. Those on this tour also then toured Twain’s boyhood home.
Ship Size and More to Come
Finally, it's worth talking briefly about ship size. Viking Mississippi carries up to 386 guests, so for a Mississippi River cruise vessel, it's large. For instance, competitor American Cruise Lines has multiple smaller ships on the Mississippi, among them the 180-passenger American Serenade. As always, with any ocean or river cruise product, it's always a personal choice for guests as to which line and what size of river vessel best fits their vacation style and personality.
In other words, what's right for one person, may be totally the opposite for another. That said, for a large river vessel, thus far we're seeing that Viking does a good job of spreading out the people quite well.
In terms of clientele, we'd estimate that most guests on this cruise are 55 to 85 years of age, although some younger folks were also aboard, most traveling as part of a multi-generational family group. We've chatted with many guests who hail from California, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Utah, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York and elsewhere in the U.S. In addition, some guests hailed from Canada or New Zealand.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of our story coming soon. It's focused on other public spaces aboard Viking Mississippi, as well as a look at the Iowa experience.
For more information, visit www.vikingrivercruises.com.
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