I'm on Homelands NOW Stockholm to Bergen and loving it!

Staying Afloat-- I spoke to one of the Viking staff on the pier today-- when a passenger needs assistance on the gangway, they determine on a case by case basis what is needed and then make it happen. I am sure they will work with you

Again teefine, thank you do much! I understand what your point was in starting this thread and I really appreciate it. Life is way too short....attitude is half the battle. Not saying people haven't had legitimate gripes but come on- surf's up.....let's all have fun on the STAR!!!! We leave in 9 days and I CAN'T wait!!!!

Staying Afloat-- I spoke to one of the Viking staff on the pier today-- when a passenger needs assistance on the gangway, they determine on a case by case basis what is needed and then make it happen. I am sure they will work with you

Thank you so much for taking the time to inquire and letting me know. My mind is now at ease. Super!:)

Teefine, thanks for posting! I am enjoying your comments and perspective. Hopefully one day I will be on the Star, too.

Hi! We are packing our bags to fly to Bergen next week and get ON the ship as you get off. We have been following the last several groups who have been on this itinerary (both directions) and have learned a LOT. I have two questions. We are bringing paper currency.

1. If anyone goes on the concentration camp excursion in Gdansk, please post about whether you had additional time in port AFTER the excursion. Also, did you have to use Polish coins for pay toilets en route or at the site? Also, how was the excursion?

2. Berlin included (long bus ride): same question about needing coins for pay toilets? We know this is a very long ride but are tolerating it to see at least a little of Berlin (and hope for more on another trip).

I know this seems tacky, but we were not sure about ways to obtain said coins before boarding a bus... so thought I'd ask!

Thanks...

Eaglewatchers-- we are doing the Stutthof Camp-- will report back

Eaglewatchers, I just buy a soda or something like that from a kiosk if I need to break a paper bill. Usually you can find something like that. If not and you're using pay toilets on an excursion maybe a few of you can work something out!

Elizabeth and vineyard, thanks for tender info. Still curious about availability of afternoon complimentary excursions.

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One more question that my TA cannot answer. Rick Steves site says MAG STRIPE debit cards (NO CHIP) will work in European ATMs-- as in the ports on Viking Homelands. PLEASE TELL ME if you have been successful with a MAG STRIPE ATM card at Viking Homelands ports.

We will not be using an ATM in SPB.

We have chip credit cards, so are fine with those.

If we need CHIP debit/ATM cards, I need to go beg a banker for a fast issue of new cards!!

Thanks,

Replied on your other thread...

I sent this to my TA after the first few days on board the 6/27 cruise, thought I'd share here:

The ship is very nice. She smells new. Very Scandinavian, like she was furnished from a high- end IKEA. Not warm and homey, but cool and incredibly comfortable. On the inside, feels more like a hotel than a ship. But plenty of connection to the sea with large walls of glass, open decks, and of course balconies in all cabins. Very nice public spaces, with even more variety than usual because there is no casino so that space is put to other public use. Nice size - not big but feels spacious anyway. She's a winner.

First night's dinner was excellent. I had linguini with clam sauce - I didn't expect a great dish but it was terrific. Wife had a perfectly done filet mignon. The head waiter was all over her diet issues (no gluten, dairy or soy). Supposed to get a menu for the next night delivered to our cabin over night, she makes her selections and returns to him before noon the next day. Didn't happen like that today so we will see how that works.

We slept in this morning by accident, missed breakfast upstairs so got room service (first time ever on a ship!). Came in 15 minutes and was pretty good.

Needed to cancel an extra-cost shore excursion in St. Petersburg that I had pre-booked for $79/person (realized we already did the same canal tour with Viking River a few years ago), missed the deadline for canceling by 5 minutes, but they let me cancel anyway. Nice!

Best muster drill ever. Assembled in the dining room, very orderly. No life jackets to drag around - you get those on deck if needed. Took a total of 15 minutes from the initial whistles to the end of the drill.

Cabin is smaller than I expected, but roomy enough. Could use a few more drawers. Great air con! Cooled cabin to 65 degrees. Had to ask for a top sheet on the bed, otherwise it's just the duvet. Great shower water pressure, and nice and hot too. One oddity: the map on the inside of the cabin door directed us to an aft stairway in the event of an emergency. There is no aft stairway! I showed this to a crew member, he made a note to correct this.

Gerry

Yay!!!!

Gerry,

Thank you for taking time on your cruise to post your personal observation of the ship design.

"The ship is very nice. She smells new. Very Scandinavian, like she was furnished from a high- end IKEA. Not warm and homey, but cool and incredibly comfortable. On the inside, feels more like a hotel than a ship. But plenty of connection to the sea with large walls of glass, open decks, and of course balconies in all cabins. Very nice public spaces, with even more variety than usual because there is no casino so that space is put to other public use. Nice size - not big but feels spacious anyway. She's a winner. "

It is "connection to the sea" that is the main attraction for me about the Viking ship. I end up spending most of my ship time on the aft of the Celebrity ships I have sailed. So looking forward to a cruise on a Viking ship in 2017 for this very reason.

Have you used your balcony a lot?

What is the mix of the passengers?

I love meeting people from all over the world on my European cruises.

Thanks again for your informative post.

Yay!!!!

Just in case you're wondering or thinking I've totally lost it - this 'yay!' was a reply to the post that started this thread. Am surprised it's not appearing in the 2nd position given that when I 'yayed' I really was in the #2 spot. Odd.

You must really love your iced tea. :)

Hint- per her profile she comes from a state where unsweetened ice tea is almost a state drink. You have to ask to get it sweetened. In which case they simply point at the sugar packets on the table. Of course when I first moved here from New England and asked for iced coffee the response I got was an incredulous "What?????"

Eaglewatchers, I just buy a soda or something like that from a kiosk if I need to break a paper bill. Usually you can find something like that. If not and you're using pay toilets on an excursion maybe a few of you can work something out!

 

Elizabeth and vineyard, thanks for tender info. Still curious about availability of afternoon complimentary excursions.

 

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On a recent trip to Ireland, there seemed to be an accepted "game" with these pay toilets where somebody earlier had actually paid the money but then held it open for the next person who then continued the practice. At some point of course it breaks down. But if you're with a group the same could be done so that only one of you actually needs the have the coin. Unless they have some nasty monitor/proctor parked there to quash such neighborly behavior.

Hint- per her profile she comes from a state where unsweetened ice tea is almost a state drink. You have to ask to get it sweetened. In which case they simply point at the sugar packets on the table. Of course when I first moved here from New England and asked for iced coffee the response I got was an incredulous "What?????"

You mean I would have to make my own sweetened ice tea? I guess it is much easier to add the sugar than to take it out, though.

When I first moved here from New England I had to remind myself to order subs and not grinders or I would get some really strange looks.

You mean I would have to make my own sweetened ice tea? I guess it is much easier to add the sugar than to take it out, though.

 

 

 

When I first moved here from New England I had to remind myself to order subs and not grinders or I would get some really strange looks.

Did you get these odd looks too when, as I did, you looked up at the McDonald's menu and asked innocently "Where's the coffee shake? Only vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate???".

We actually ran into more of the latter. Particularly in the Eastern Baltic and the Balkans in the Eastern Med, there tended to be ladies there collecting the coins. But they seemed willing to take Euros (just more value than the required local currency). In Stockholm we went to a local "charity soup kitchen" kind of lunch place where you had to insert coins next to the door of the toilets, but there must have been some sort of sensor. When folks tried to play the polite "game" you mentioned, the second lady couldn't get OUT. So if you want to try this, make sure there's a friendly someone still ouside with a coin who's willing to bail you OUT!

Id4elizabeth - excellent point.

On our one and only full sea day on Homelands cruise-- brilliant sunshine, maybe 70 degrees or just under, calm seas-- it can't be any better. Eating too well and too often- Manfredis for dinner again tonight. Relaxation is the word today after three hard days of touring

Did you get these odd looks too when, as I did, you looked up at the McDonald's menu and asked innocently "Where's the coffee shake? Only vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate???".

I got a funny look when I wanted iced tea (sweetened or not) in Washington state. My friend explained that hot tea and coffee were the norm due to the weather there. As for a coffee shake I've never seen that at a McD's but it sounds good to me! Of course in Germany you can get beer!

Just another tiny bit of info on tendering, as some people may not know this: On the itinerary you get from Viking, a little anchor indicates you'll tender. Very occasionally there will be a change in this situation after the itinerary is issued, as the decision to tender is not entirely up to Viking.

Have any of you taken any

paid excursions from Viking?

Gerry,

Thank you for taking time on your cruise to post your personal observation of the ship design.

"The ship is very nice. She smells new. Very Scandinavian, like she was furnished from a high- end IKEA. Not warm and homey, but cool and incredibly comfortable. On the inside, feels more like a hotel than a ship. But plenty of connection to the sea with large walls of glass, open decks, and of course balconies in all cabins. Very nice public spaces, with even more variety than usual because there is no casino so that space is put to other public use. Nice size - not big but feels spacious anyway. She's a winner. "

 

It is "connection to the sea" that is the main attraction for me about the Viking ship. I end up spending most of my ship time on the aft of the Celebrity ships I have sailed. So looking forward to a cruise on a Viking ship in 2017 for this very reason.

Have you used your balcony a lot?

What is the mix of the passengers?

I love meeting people from all over the world on my European cruises.

Thanks again for your informative post.

Azulann,

I've used the balcony for maybe an hour each day, to check weather and take in the action at the docks or simply to watch the sea. My wife and I spend a lot of time in the pool area, where there are comfortable lounge chairs facing the sea, almost like a balcony but without the breeze (which is her preference, and I'd rather be with her than alone on my balcony!).

Everyone I've met so far has been from the USA or Canada. I heard from someone (maybe a crew member, I can't recall) that Viking's sponsorship of the very popular "Downton Abbey" television show is responsible for so many Americans on board. I booked this trip long before I became addicted to that show, so that didn't sway me. But maybe it did others?

Gerry

Have any of you taken any

paid excursions from Viking?

We have taken a couple. One was a walking tour of Stockholm. That was probably a mistake - we only saw the old downtown, while the included tour was more of an overview, which for first timers like ourselves would have been better. The tour itself was good, with a good guide, the mistake was ours for not choosing the right extension.

We also took the Hermitage extension in St Petersburg. We had seen the city before, and there are many great extensions to take in addition to the included tour. In our two trips to St Petersburg with Viking, all the Russian guides have been very good.

That is encouraging. We are looking at the Malbork Castle tour in Poland. And possible some trips in Norway. Thanks for the info.