les37b

Yes, it does make it significant to miss things. We were fortunate as I've mentioned and will stress that IMHO SS went over and above in the care of us once she diagnosed herself positive and gave herself up (apart from the first 2 days which were not good at all.) This continued on our departure when we were presented with a letter giving us a pro rata refund on the cruise price paid because she was in jail. We never asked for anything even though it did feel a bit an unfair loss and the letter was given without suggestion or request on our part. Indeed a pleasant surprise which worked well for all as it prompted me to book Jan 24 on the Dawn with our booty. With rising prices, restaurants closed, items unavailable and continuing flight problems, you need to optimistic it'll all be worth it. I've frequently challenged my sanity by thinking it'll all be ok. It certainly has me changing my preference and now frequently looking at no fly voyages. PS I think your being a bit optimistic with the title challenge! lol

Unfortunately I concur. Venice. is still is one of my favourite cities, but I will avoid it as a cruise destination... Unless on a tiddler like the Wind or Cloud, which is highly improbable. SS is still fortunate to dock relatively close. The journeys for others claiming to visit Venice are horrendous. That said, how Southampton or Dover gets described as London, I'll never know! lol

I guess the moral is, never be surprised by anything in the world now and your findings show how important it is to research. I do agree with your thoughts on who is influencing this madness. I'm still nodding my head in disbelief that it's real!

Hope you feel better soon. Completely concur with your thoughts in all aspects you mention. When my wife came down with it, there were only 220 on board and on the ship most did observe mask wearing. On excursions was a different ball game and felt extremely uncomfortable on a scuba trip from Cancun where the equipment handed out by the boats crew was most definitely not sterile. I commented on this in the cruise thread I started and did register my concerns, which definitely fell on deaf ears. Were your fellow guests kicked off on disembarkation day or allowed to continue quarantine on the ship? That was our saving grace and something we will be eternally grateful for, that we wasn't dumped off in Ecuador to do a further 14 days in clink, but allowed to stay on in relative comfort and a feeling of security. I still don't get how I got away with it, but finally succumbed after returning from a Norwegian cruise in May. Fortunately it was just a sniffle. The wife had zero symptoms. Now that all cruise lines seem to be striving once again for capacity sailings, I certainly won't be at ease, though I'm far more concerned about the effects on my vacation and aftermath of quarantine in foreign lands than I am of the virus itself. I know some more vulnerable won't share that outlook, so please appreciate that's just a personal take on things and is based on real encounters. PS.. we had the same thoughts about the SALT bar and only went in when it was empty. PPS.... An amazing stat from that cruise.... When we stayed on, there were only 120 guests left, of which only 10 were Brits Of which half were men... Of which 3 were fans of our team and season ticket holders. What's the odds on that! We will be meeting with one of them in December and his lovely wife who was the other unfortunate COVID victim on our sailing and flew home together with from out extended voyage in Santiago.

Just had a very quick browse. Love to do it, but £3000pp pn on some of them is way out of my league. I suspect you will have a wonderful voyage Wes..... Very envious I must admit.

I'm not sure anyone will know the answer to this, but I'm in the queue and waiting patiently! I'm sure I read a short while ago a guest was able to arrange a ship visit for friends,, but can't remember any details and can't confirm if it was how it sounded. My suspicion is it was wishful thinking on my part hoping it was a prelude to VS visits being allowed. That said, the 6 to 8 Tower Bridge turnarounds are so thin on the ground now I suspect visits will be over subscribed once (if at all) they return.

I must admit that the closures were becoming concerning. I chose the muse over a similar Whisper itinerary because Indochine is my Fav SS restaurant. Being shut wouldn't maybe be the end of the world and reluctantly I understand the logic if needs arise, but there is no getting away from the fact the new normal sucks and with so many stories of cruises not living up to expectations and not being enjoyable, you start to wonder if the gamble is worth it. With the news Japan is now finally lifting all restrictions and visa requirements, I'm starting to think I might be 4th time lucky next April.... Even if Indochine is closed...... But I truly hope it isn't.

Is this like the 1st rule of fight club?

Oh my days. That's terrible! Fancy admitting you partake in such a terrible habit! I jest. lol..... I'm amazed at this or why they would feel the need to ban and melt out such punishment. We all know how drug smuggling is dealt with in SE Asia (particularly Singapore) but I genuinely am shocked. I suspect there must be quite a haul of people being caught out. I found a thread on trip advisor on the subject where someone caught was fined $500 on the spot at the airport. The rest of the thread was made up by people saying he got away lightly and you should respect the law of the land. Fair point...to a degree... But this is hardly like taking alcohol into a Muslim country where you know it might be an issue to do so. Now I get researching. I always check ahead for countries that may be sensitive about bringing in my drone, so I get the need to check. But I genuinely am very surprised to read this. I've something booked for Bali to Bangkok in 2024.... I will check research everything in advance. Hope toothpaste and underwear will be ok! As you say, the health aspect is BS when they allow smoking, so I suspect the tobacco lobby is the sole reason this rule exists as you suspect. Crazy reason to have to cancel, but on the flip side, well done on researching. I wouldn't in a million years have seen this as a problem, apart from maybe airlines worrying e cigarettes might explode but not a country wide ban. But then after the past 2 1/2 years nothing shocks me too much now

As long as a full refund is an option offered. Changing itinerary is one thing, but if dates are amended, that is a big issue. You may work somewhere with flexible leave arrangements, but many don't. Had the amendment cut the cruise short of what had been bought, would that be ok too? I see you don't believe in travel compensation, so guessing you must really hate the €600 compensation for flights delayed by over 3 hours. Seems far less than what the OP has endured.

My apologies.... Not sure why I mentioned the 8th. Our start is Southampton on the 4th.

Why are you looking to test in Hamburg?

I just saw this on the Virtuosa FB page. I almost booked tests for my 8 Nov sailing and rang MSC yesterday with the cruise details to be 100% sure a home test was ok.... And was told yes provided you had a certificate. What she should have said was they e changed the rules, you no longer need one, but it's recommend you do. My fears with this news is that people will now travel knowing or suspecting they have COVID.

No one knows that answer specifically what's been agreed, but I'd be surprised if they do anything more than just managing based on the set of pricing rules given and selecting the winners based on bids and probably a countdown on ties with membership details or category booked. It's what I suspect, not what I know. But I doubt MSC would allow them to rip off its guests by adding an extra cut over and above what's agreed. But who knows in this day and age!

I am aware that this is run by a third party, but the suggestion MSC has no input or gives mandates on pricing based on how loaded the cruise is I don't think will be the case. I expect they are simply managing as per the criteria given. And if they aren't, there is something seriously wrong IMHO.

Many thanks..... I'm more "is it a good deal or not" and don't tend to get carried away! (Hence spotting what I thought was a strange situation), but as you say, they are relying on gullible people not realising they've been duped! I'm fine with what we have.... if it had been a good promotional bid price, I'd have gone for it.... As it stands, not a game I intend to taking part in. Guess we'll just buy a few speciality meals and still be quids in!

So have you pre-booked inside YC? I booked through a third party agent. I know Im allowed 1 cruise change, so Ive tried calling to check if its possible to amend. Not got through yet, but checking the MSC site again, its shown as sold out...... So I guess this did process of £210 is likely to end up even more than a 300% price difference! So balcony midships on Deck 9 it is! Got a good deal via the TA at £620 with premium drinks on fantastica so no complaints. Hopefully someone else also received the upgrade off who had booked an inside or ocean view (Or balcony bella).... Would certainly be interested to know what was offered.

Indeed. Never any guarantees and obviously things are different from cruise to cruise. Just curious what anyone on the 4th Nov sailing out of Southampton in an ocean view or inside got offered. If it's the same as my offer, then not exactly worthy to pay a premium for the best in category fantasia. Might just as well book the very cheapest option available and take advantage of you want to gamble. But as you say .. if it doesn't work...... then you are knackered!! lol Í have booked a decent mid ship unobscured balcony... Though I doubt it's gonna get opened in November! lol

The price of this "bargain" upgrade is a bigger increase than direct booking than even the cheapest Bella balcony to YC inside. You'd need to go back to ocean view or Inside before it's actually cheaper to bid..... But then I also expect that "favourable rate" would be more expensive as well

So I have up coming 8 night North Europe cruise on Virtuosa. Removing any discounts given, the full price on the MSC site for the Fantastica Balcony is £899. For £70 more, the YC inside was available and for £780 more YC balcony. The offer received, they want £210 more pp for a YC inside and £1085 for a YC balcony. So an increase of 300% on what is currently still available and bookable and we could request a change for with our 1 change available option(?) I assume MSC think it's guests are a bit dumb regarding the "offer" and it represents a discount? Such a shame as if the offer had represented a discount, I probably would have gone ahead and bid. All a bit of a con on my booking that's for sure. Is this the norm? Might be an idea for future reference if members add their offers compared with the direct booking price to see if its usual to discount with an increase!

My reply was not specific to any individual and the OP hasn't stated their departure point. Yes, Canada and Athens Greece, I'm aware still require a test pre embarkation. There may be some others too and rules change, but generically, for the rest of the world a pre test isn't required, my point stands. And yes for the record, I agree in the instance for the individual you have quoted, refusal of boarding would not be an instruction from Canada which Viking has no say in.

Which is why it's better to get on board without a test... Get quarantined.... Enjoy your food and booze on your balcony... Get your money back... Vice sorry no refund, speak to your insurance company. My wife caught it on day 10 of 16 nights on SS... As she said... There are worse places to isolate! She got 10 days pro rata back... I got 3 ... And we were on the ship for 25 nights in the end. (At the time, Ecuador wanted to quaranti e for 14 nights .. on top of the 6 shed already done, hence the overstay )

But they are not cancelling. Viking would be refusing boarding.

After seeing this thread, it prompted me to check on myvikingjourney for my sailing on 7 August 23. I wasn't expecting to see the flights there (just yet), but was alarmed to see a message saying flights will be allocated from May 9th 23. That prompts a further concern in respect of parking and crazy pricing nearer the date. Is that date purely a ticketing date, or are flights allocated sooner and just not ticked until that date. Getting very wary now on cruise line air having been allocated flights in Silversea for next April that has a connecting flight in Seattle and Tokyo (cruise is Osaka to Seward) of 1 hour, which baring in mind are international connections with passport checks, baggage reclaim and 2 lots of security, is an impossible connection. SS are refusing to speak to my TA in respect of these impossible flights that would likely mean me missing boarding and 16 night cruise lost. They have slipped in a condition which says they cannot be held responsible for third party carriers. I partly get that, but I've concerns they are suggesting "not our fault" if I miss a connection, which frankly on this occasion is 100% their fault as it's an impossible connection. Seattle recommends a minimum of 3 hours for international connections. (And having missed a 4h15m connection in Atlanta after landing on time, I'm more inclined to want more than 3 hours!) Luckily, the Viking flights are less complicated as they are just non stop (hopefully!) London to Reykjavik. Just a shame they only use Heathrow as that's a nightmare for parking. On a side note.... What is V+ ?

Congrats on the free laundry.... It's a very nice perk to reach plus the 5% is good too. 🙂 I agree with you that 7 nights is too short. It's over too quickly. I think 10 or 12 is my preferred number, though I wouldn't turn down 30, 75 or 150 either. Were all venues open on your sailing? Mr Silver is on Spirit ATM and it seems Indochine has been closed for some time now. My Muse sailing isn't until April which is a long way off, but would be gutted if it my Fav restaurant has been closed on the Muse too as I think that may signify something. Safe journey home.... And enjoy the free laundry.