lackcreativity

Once we have all 21 finalized, perhaps we should start a tally of #1. Personal Favorite (So Far) #2. Top of Wish List Note that I am not volunteering for the task, just curious. My Choices: #1 Sweet and Salty #2 Indian

Yes, I think the focus is on flavors based on the history of the spice trade. We did enjoy it. I would certainly sign up for a Viking's Chef's Table version of Indian food! Viking, are you listening?

Thanks for the information. Since I usually focus on Viking Ocean, I would not likely have seen this. Not sure if I will go ahead, but this has been on my wish list for quite a while.

Do keep in mind that for a cruise booked while on the ship, Viking will agree to a six month final payment date. This is also true when you already have one cruise booked, then you can book another and request the six month payment date ( no need to be onboard for this one). Be sure to ask for the six month option, since they don't always offer it to you. Once you have booked, they generally will not change the final payment date. If you like Viking as much as we do, you may wish to book another while on your first cruise!

As has already been stressed, only you can decide if Viking sounds like a good fit for you now, or rather for a cruise to celebrate your 25th anniversary! If you do decide on the cruise mentioned above, you might consider adding on an extension at the beginning or end (or both), since both Barcelona and Rome deserve much more than a day. The Viking extensions make things very convenient, but you could probably do either one for less money on your own. Also, if you do that cruise, I highly recommend the Nice, Eze, and Monte Carlo all day excursion. It is a whirlwind day, with not enough time anywhere, but I still dream of the view from the Exotic Garden at the top of Eze. What ever you choose, wishing you all the best.

A great question! What happens when your mind thinks you're one age, but your body has a different opinion? 😉

I could live without a bathing suit, but every time we set out on another adventure I am amazed how much I can actually fit in my small carry on. I wear a pair of jeans, and stash spare tops, black dress pants, and a couple tunics along with some undergarments in the carryon. Throw in the meds and camera, squish in a pair of ballet flats, and I could manage for a while. People might wonder why I was wearing the same clothes every other day, but I would not have to confine myself to quarters. I have my friends here on Cruise Critic to thank for that advice, and I didn't even have to learn it the hard way!

Liz, Tell your friend I hope I get to travel with her one day. I would be happy to buy her a drink! I am sure she would be a pleasure to spend time with.

Sigh.

You may have been joking here, but I did see that with my own eyes on our one cruise post covid. I was truly disappointed. That crossed a line I had never imagined being crossed.

Just curious, are you saying that even during your cruises before Covid you found that many people were not that friendly? That surprises me. On our previous cruises I found people generally very friendly and easy to strike up a conversation with at a nearby table or on an excursion. We might often be the first ones to start a conversation, or even offer seats at our table to someone wandering through a somewhat crowded World Cafe. We have made a few travel buddies that way. I look forward to people warming up as time goes by and Covid becomes something we live with more easily.

There was also the debate over wine glasses ( with or without stems) and don't get me started on the firestorm over how water glasses should be place on the World Cafe placemats (up or down).

On our first post Covid cruise in April, I must admit there was a somewhat different vibe from our previous cruises. One member of the couple we befriended from Australia seemed to hit the nail on the head when she asked at dinner one night, "Why do people seem so grouchy?" She noted that a lot of people just weren't smiling very much. I can't say she was wrong in her observation. We personally were delighted with our trip, but I will acknowledge that it was a lot more stressful than previous trips. So many more things to do to prepare than normal and so many more things that could go wrong, but that did not keep us from having a good time. However, I was aware of those issues. There was even an undercurrent of some who were unhappy with the level of precautions that were required, and some were unhappy with the ignoring of rules by others. Being away from cruising, that so many of us love, may have left some people with unreasonable expectations upon their return. In the broader aspect, how many of us have seen behavior out in public lately very much out of proportion to the problem at hand? It is as if the two years of pandemic restrictions have left such frustration that some have forgotten how to behave. Sorry, rant over! Glenr, this was not a very gracious welcome to your post about your first Viking cruise. It just seemed that you were touching on something that has been on my mind since our return. Please give us another chance. Hopefully we will find our way back to happier times!

We sailed in April, at which point Verifly was deemed required, but in actuality not used as much as expected. Once set up, Verifly was easy to use with groups like British Airways and Viking who were set up to process just with a scan of your QR code. We did bring our original cards too just in case. As things are changing rapidly at the moment, I wouldn't know what advice to give for future cruises.

We were scheduled to go there in 2016, but as you indicated, the itinerary was altered. We lost a second chance during Covid, and now have pushed our October 2022 booked cruise forward to 2023 to be here for the birth of our first grandchild (!). Politically, I do hope things hold together, but I am starting to wonder if Istanbul just may not be in the cards for us. Fingers remain crossed, for multiple reasons!!

While this is a new itinerary, Viking has been visiting about half of these ports for a number of years (Athens, Rhodes, Kusadasi, Santorini, and Crete). That leaves you with really only three brand new ports. The potential shore excursions for the three new ports sound satisfactory. It's a bit of a gamble, but personally, it is a risk I would be willing to take!

Best wishes to all who are traveling on this reunion tour! May you enjoy every single minute of your trip. On a side note, this is the first time I have seen the itinerary listed. I dearly hope that Viking may be planning to introduce this as a new itinerary on a regular basis. It would certainly be the next one I would book!

Thanks everyone. This does not surprise me, as the published O-fares seamed reasonable, and I couldn't really believe that those were then 2 for 1. There are a number of interesting itineraries that would suit us, so hope to see you on board one day!

I have attempted to use the search feature to get my answer, but never have had success with that function on Cruise Critic. I realize that "2 for 1" cruise fare should seem obvious, but it seems too good to be true. As a potential future cruiser with Oceania in 2024, can you please let me know the details? Is it just the cruise cost that is two for one price, and airfare is charged for both passengers? How long will this promotion be offered? Are there special payment requirements, as in payment in full at time of booking? Thanks in advance for any advice.

I realize that internet speed on a ship must be affected by multiple factors, but on our April sailing from Barcelona to Ravenna, it did seem to be much more problematic than on our previous cruises. Not only was speed a problem, but often connectivity was not available at all. I was just using for travel related fun, so not a big problem since I had plenty other things to do. Needing to check in for work could be frustrating.

Everyone wants different things from a vacation and makes different choices for that reason. Though we are 69/70 years old, I still work part time and together we run a good size eBay business. When we take time for a vacation, we are happy to have Viking take care of the details for us. That does not mean we are "herded like sheep" or pressured to use Viking excursions. Using a mix of included excursions, optional excursions, free Viking shuttle bus service, and even an occasional private tour, we choose our own path. All of the things that make Viking different from megaship mainstream cruises are why we had never cruised before our first Viking cruise, and remain repeat passengers. I am glad there are a variety of cruise experiences. We have found ours.

I learned from a recent experience that when flights are canceled, there is a "computer program" that generates an alternate itinerary. This may not even be reviewed by a real person. The "program" recently changed our itinerary to one with us flying out of Baltimore International and returning to Dulles in Washington DC. That would have our car 60 miles from where we landed! We got that changed. Get a person involved. Good luck!

austinetc, I appreciate the time you have taken to provide this thread. We recently returned from the Barcelona to "Venice" portion of the trip, and are coming back for the Venice to Istanbul part in October. I am sorry that your visit to Istanbul was disappointing. Do you recall if Viking offered an optional tour of Hagia Sophia? It is too soon for our excursions to be listed, but I am interested for our planning purposes. Thanks.

Hello, Viking, are you listening?!?

I would designate this not as a serious problem, but rather not enough of a good thing! I tend to agree, and hope Viking will soon add some new stops. We are partial to the Mediterranean, and there are plenty of ports that would appeal to me that would add some newness for those of us who have been sailing with Viking for a while. Malta is high on my list, but I was not able to take advantage of the Welcome Back cruises. Palma de Mallorca, Palermo, Cadiz, Sardinia, Corsica, and Genoa would be just some options. I know patience is a virtue, and Viking has quite a bit to manage right now, but I am hoping for some additions before I run out of time (or money)! Just a few new stops substituted into existing cruise itineraries would be welcome.