Viva Viva One
I have never envied those American styled tours of Europe by coach where the saying goes; “If today is Monday, this must be Paris.”
I have never wanted to schlepp my suitcase on and off a bus each evening, camping out of it in a mid-range hotel for just one night then board the bus after a mediocre breakfast for another guided tour of our next city.
So when the chance to see European cities sailing in Viva One, a new build river cruise ship operated by Viva Cruises was offered, it proved too good an opportunity to be missed.
Sailing from Dusseldorf, we journeyed to Amsterdam, Enkhuizer, Rotterdam, Brussels, Antwerp and Nijmegen before returning one week later, to Dusseldorf.
We unpacked just once in our cabin on the ship’s Diamond Deck and were looked after extremely well.
Our cabin doubled-bedded cabins offered 16 m² of space and full length Juliet balcony that could be opened to enhance the feeling of space and luxury
It was also equipped with a flat screen TV, minibar, beauty products from Rituals, hairdryer, safe, air conditioning, shower and toilet.
Everything on board was all inclusive, meaning that before you sail, you know the final cost of the cruise.
This means you can enjoy all meals onboard including, the breakfast buffet and sit-down lunch. Dinner features multi-course gourmet menus, with flexible table seating and mealtimes.
Non-alcoholic beverages including mineral water, soft drinks, juices, a variety of coffee specialities, tea, cocoa are all included in the costs of the cruise.
As is an all-day selection of alcoholic beverages that includes sparkling wine, Aperol, white wine, red wine, rosé, champagne, various beers, long drinks, cocktails, spirits, and liqueurs.
Should you become hungry between lunch and dinnertime fear not! High Tea offers a fine selection of sweet and savoury delicacies. For example; scones, sandwiches, cupcakes, chocolates, macarons and diverse teas.
Equally without charge, there is a well-stocked minibar in the cabin that gets topped up every time you raid it! And there is even a bottle of sparkling wine left in your cabin as a Welcome On Board gift.
Another gift, is the reusable water bottle for guests to freely refill at any time at one of two water stations in the lobby and at the bar.
The Welcome Aboard cocktail reception and Captain’s Farewell gala dinner are always great features onboard ships and here onboard Viva One that is no exception.
All gratuities and WI-FI are complimentary as is the use of audio headsets for all the optional shore excursions. They are the only times you will be invited to part with hard earned cash!
From the technical and sustainable perspective, Viva One impresses with a number of special features and innovations. A total of 68 solar cells distributed on both sides of the sun deck support the ship’s electrical system.
The energy generated is also used primarily for the ship’s bow thruster and for high power consumption. In general, a lot of emphasis was placed on low energy consumption in lighting, pumps, air conditioning, heating, ventilation, and galley and laundry equipment during the design process.
The water treatment system is also state-of-the-art. Glass carafes are used in the restaurant.
To reduce fuel consumption, the ship features an efficient hull form, powertrain and fuel-saving autopilot to simplify navigation. Main and auxiliary engines are powered by clean synthetic GTL diesel, which reduces local emissions.
- Passengers: 176 Passengers
- Crew: 48 Persons
- Outside cabins: 88
- Year of Construction: 2022
- Length: 135 m
- Beam: 11,45 m
- Flag: Switzerland
