Hey, just came back from an amazing Christmas cruise with Viking along the Seine. It was such a good experience, and I’d totally recommend it to anyone.
But here’s something weird: we didn’t get the unlimited drink package, yet after the first two days, the bar staff stopped asking us for our room number. All our drinks—beer, cocktails, everything—just became free. At the end of the trip, the bill only showed drink charges from the first two days.
I’ve got a couple of ideas:
Maybe it was the end of the season, and they were clearing out stock? But I did see them charging other people.
We’re younger than most Viking guests (late 30s), so maybe there’s some unwritten rule about encouraging younger customers? Another couple our age said they got the same treatment. But it still feels kind of random.
Has anyone else had a similar experience? Any thoughts on why this happened?
Either way, it was a fantastic trip, and I’d still recommend Viking even if you have to pay for your drinks.
"Hey, just came back from an amazing Christmas cruise with Viking along the Seine. It was such a good experience, and I’d totally recommend it to anyone.
But here’s something weird: we didn’t get the unlimited drink package, yet after the first two days, the bar staff stopped asking us for our room number. All our drinks—beer, cocktails, everything—just became free. At the end of the trip, the bill only showed drink charges from the first two days.
I’ve got a couple of ideas:
Maybe it was the end of the season, and they were clearing out stock? But I did see them charging other people.
We’re younger than most Viking guests (late 30s), so maybe there’s some unwritten rule about encouraging younger customers? Another couple our age said they got the same treatment. But it still feels kind of random.
Has anyone else had a similar experience? Any thoughts on why this happened?
Either way, it was a fantastic trip, and I’d still recommend Viking even if you have to pay for your drinks."
Zain said:
Maybe the staff just liked you and decided to give you a nice surprise! Sometimes being friendly goes a long way.
That’s what my wife thinks. We used to work in bars and restaurants back in the day, so we’re always nice to service staff. We also noticed some other passengers being pretty rude, which we’d never do. One lady actually complained to the manager because they were out of Aperol and blamed the bartender!
@Arlen
Being polite doesn’t cost anything, and it really makes a difference. My partner and I always try to be kind to anyone in service roles, even if something’s not perfect. A smile and a thank you can go a long way.
@Ren
Exactly! It’s frustrating when people take out their frustrations on staff. These workers already have tough jobs with long hours. Being kind shouldn’t be hard.
Indigo said: @Ren
Exactly! It’s frustrating when people take out their frustrations on staff. These workers already have tough jobs with long hours. Being kind shouldn’t be hard.
If there’s a problem, you can bring it up without being rude. It’s all about how you approach it.
We had a similar experience on a longer Viking cruise. After a few days, the staff started giving us free drinks too. I think if they like you, it just happens.
I always bring a stack of $5 bills to tip the bartenders generously in the first couple of days. It usually leads to free or discounted drinks for the rest of the trip. Worked like a charm on my last Disney cruise.
We’ve done Viking before, but probably won’t again. The staff and sights were amazing, but some of the other passengers were entitled and rude. It really spoiled the vibe for us. I bet the free drinks were because you were decent people.
@Scout
Yeah, I think you’re right. Some of the other guests on our cruise were honestly shocking. I’m starting to believe that’s why we got special treatment.
Arlen said: @Scout
Yeah, I think you’re right. Some of the other guests on our cruise were honestly shocking. I’m starting to believe that’s why we got special treatment.
We’ve done several Viking cruises and have mostly met lovely people. There were a few exceptions, but overall, the passengers have been great. Looking forward to our next trip in February!
We had a similar situation with upgraded wine on a Viking cruise. They said it was to clear out inventory, but it felt like a lucky perk. We tipped our waiter well at the end, just to show our appreciation.
Shai said:
Were you tipping the bartenders in the first couple of days?
Not really. There wasn’t an easy way to tip during the cruise unless you carried cash. At the end, though, I gave everyone in the bar area €50, and the main guy got €100 on top of the standard gratuity.
I wonder if the staff were just trying to use up certain items before the cruise ended? Maybe it’s a policy for some drinks to be free in certain cases.
Gale said:
I wonder if the staff were just trying to use up certain items before the cruise ended? Maybe it’s a policy for some drinks to be free in certain cases.
I’ve been on Viking and found the food to be great, though there’s only one main restaurant. They also include wine and beer at meals, so I never felt the need for a drink package.
Gale said:
I wonder if the staff were just trying to use up certain items before the cruise ended? Maybe it’s a policy for some drinks to be free in certain cases.
The food was incredible! We were cruising through Normandy, and the chef brought on local specialties and cheeses from markets. It added a special touch to the trip. I’ve also done an AMA Waterways cruise, and while it was good, Viking definitely wins on food and service.