LeRenardrouge

Hi, my DH and I sailed on the Seas last month and are looking forward to going on the Sky late this month. We're planning on booking the Mediterranean Odyssey for May 2019 while on board. I had read that for the 3rd Viking cruise, the Custom Air fee was waived. Does anyone have any info on that ? Also, does the custom air allow you to pick your flights (ie. there is a non stop from Barcelona to CLT), or just get better connections and earlier ticketing? Thanks so much in advance ;)

I booked Med Odyssey for Oct 2018 in August 2017. This will be our 9th Viking cruise and we did Custom Air on all that you can do it on (some itineraries are excluded). I too had heard someone recently say you got Custom Air fee waived after paying three times so I asked when talking with the Air Department rep and she said it was not true. So I paid the fee.

It does allow you to have a say in your flight choices but it still is usually limited to the carriers that Viking has contracts with. Also, some depends on the air fare you are getting as part of your package price. In other words, if you are getting free airfare, you may not be able to get what you want. They usually include major carriers and my experience has been good with choices. We have gotten custom air on British Airways and American which service CLT. In fact we had terrific flight arrangements on AA from CLT but most of the time fly out of ATL on Delta/Air France because we can have more nonstop options out of ATL.

Remember that I believe major airlines do not allow booking more than 10 months prior to flights so you may not be able to actually make selections at the time you book your cruise if it is more than a year beforehand.

I worry more about a nonstop at the start to minimize luggage loss than I do coming back home but nonstops are always a preference.

We are doing the post extension in Tuscany so have to return from Florence and no nonstop is available so will have to fly FLR to CDG to ATL with either a 2 1/2 or 3 1/2 hour layover in CDG?

Hi, I've posted all the shore excursions that we have been offered on the roll call. I hope this helps with planning your holiday.

Thank you so much! I have copied your posting. Big help--just have to run the costs through currency exchange calcutor.

Wishing you a Happy New Year and cruising adventures in 2018.

We are very excited to be on the Viking Sun's first voyage (Venice to Athens) on October 4th. It is upsetting to see all the info about the world cruise in December being the Viking Sun's initial voyage and other info about the Sun being "ready to sail in November 2017". Feel kind of overlooked like we'll be the guinea pigs to test everything on board for the later cruises.

 

One question I have for seasoned cruisers is how do you convert your $20 euros to smaller change for tipping tour guides, etc.

 

Again we are thrilled to be one of the first cruisers on the Viking Sun. When we booked we didn't know it was the first time out with paying passengers. We liked the early October date for the weather that time of year as well as fewer crowds in port.

I can answer your question about getting change for Euros. Guest services on board can give you smaller denominations if you already have Euros. They can not exchange dollars (or other currencies) for Euros.

I understand that several of the experienced senior staff from the Sky will be on the Sun to be sure things go smoothly.

Think positively that you are special as sailing on the first "real" cruise. I feel sure the staff will be enthusiastic.

Sun is launched from the shipyard in Italy on Oct 4, 2017 starting with an 8 day sailing from Venice to Athens (Venice, Adriatic, Greece). After that it's 8 days Venice to Rome (Italian Sojourn), 13 days Rome to Lisbon (Western Mediterranean Explorer),

Viking Sun is scheduled Athens to Venice Oct 11-18, 2017 (Venice, the Adriatic and Greece) on what I understand to be her second cruise. That leg is left out of the above listing. I would love to be on it but have not gotten very far in convincing hubby. :(

Shipwren,

What great info. Relieves my mind knowing what to expect and what to wear. I know getting out at a dock can still be "laughable." Must be why someone at Viking said take a sense of humor. What they didn't say was what my imagination filled in....

In Geiringer we got in and out of the kayaks from the dock - feet stayed dry and the guides helped as needed. I wore water sandals with wool socks which worked well. They give you a spray skirt, but I'd also recommend something waterproof like a rain jacket to wear under your life jacket.

 

The fjord was pretty smooth the day we were there - just a few boat wakes.

 

In Tromso they gave us waterproof booties and paddle jackets, in addition to life jackets and spray skirts. We launched from the beach, but basically had the bow person get in, scooted the kayak partway into the water, then loaded the back person and launched the boat the rest of the way. The Tromso paddle was a bit more challenging - the wind came up as we turned to come back and it felt a bit as if we were paddling uphill.

 

On both trips they had a place to safely store items you didn't want to take on the water - like my backpack with extra dry clothes that I wound up not needing. Better safe than sorry :)

Shipwren,

We are doing the kayaking in Geiranger and curious as to how they get in and out of the kayaks--do you have to get in the water to get in and out or do they do it from a dock.

My name starts with a "G" but for sure it is NOT Grace. We have been kayaking once before (two hours in the Intercoastal Waterway at Hilton Head Island which had pretty strong tides and some choppy water and boat wakes) and one canoing adventure that involved an unexpected capsizing. So I definitely class myself in the "no experience" category.

I am wondering how wet to anticipate getting and whether you should be wearing water shoes or sandles if you have to launch in the water.

Glad to hear the guides are accustomed to those of us who need help.

I thoroughly enjoyed the kayaking excursion in Geiringer. It's an upper body workout (good for those of us with a bum knee) but doable for folks who've never kayaked before. We were laughing that the toughest part of the whole trip was getting out of the kayak at the end - not a graceful process for most of us. The guides are great about helping folks in and out the kayak - accept their assistance!

jodi0553,

I am on the July 1 cruise on Sky with you. I have been monitoring everything I can find. Such helpful info being shared. I am a FB friend with someone on Star (June 17 ) doing same cruise we are doing. I have been monitoring live cams of the various ports and watching their weather.

Today in Molde it was gorgeous with bright sun. Geiranger was bright and sunny and people walking around in shorts and crops and short sleeves. Of course they may be northerners who are used to cold weather.

We will probably meet you at our M&M. Almost time to pack. Really looking forward to a great cruise and thank you everyone who posts to the roll calls and other forums!

All, I just found this thread two days ago searching Roll Calls other than my own (I'm on the July 1 sailing of the Sky and had been following the Star roll calls but was unaware of the Bergen - London Sky roll call). I can't even begin to tell you how excited for my trip you all have made me! Keep sharing and keep this thread alive for everyone who is cruising in the future. Carolyn, I've showed everyone who will listen to me your Instagram photos, you have an incredible eye! Thank you all for taking time out of your trip to share your experiences!

 

A friend told me yesterday that she hoped I'd have fabulous weather for my cruise and I just laughed. I explained a bit better what I'd be expecting and she was horrified. I told her it's ok, we went to the temperate rainforests in the Pacific Northwest for our honeymoon in the rainy season (October); I imagine the weather will be very similar! Goretex is your friend!

It was the Hilton Reykjavik Nordic. It's a bit of a walk into the main part of town but doable and there's also a bus that stops right in front.

Our documents show Viking has us in the Hilton Canopy for our post-extension. I will check and see where is compared to where the Hilton Reykjavik Nordic is.

Thanks.

We're on the Iceland ....

 

If you're like me and too jet lagged to make decisions your first night, a Caesar salad at the hotel lounge is not a bad option. We noticed on our after dinner stroll that just up the hill from the Hilton there were a variety of casual food places that might also have been options (and a bit less expensive) if you wanted heartier fare but didn't want a "full meal deal" at the hotel or elsewhere.

Shipwren, Were you in the Hilton Canopy?

I received a small tidbit of information on the Viking Sky's future cruises from what I consider a reliable source. It seems that Viking Oceans is making a major redeployment of the Sky and new cruising opportunities will be made public approximately mid-month January. My source couldn't reveal anymore than that except they expected I would be very pleased with the new offerings. I will be checking the Viking Cruises website frequently after the new year since I am looking for one or more new cruises for 2018.

Senior Gators,

Have you heard anything on the actual status of constuction of the Sky?

Anything in information you are seeing/hearing as to whether their Into the Midnight Sun cruise on the Sky for July 1, 2017 (London to Bergen) is going to be impacted?

Thanks Mark and mhb1757!

I suspect we will figure it out. We have gone through CDG several times and left from there once back in 2012 but each time there was construction going on and never the same twice.

I will call Viking and get a ship phone number in case we have a plane delay. Supposed to have a non-stop from Charlotte, NC airport but never know if plane will be on time.

In Paris they picked us up after immigration. There were just 6 of us in a van. We bought our air from them. I put the sticker on after we got our bags and went out (I hated to look like such a tourist!) and took it off as soon as we saw the guy with the Viking sign.

Caradara,

I replied to Mark T.' posting but looks like I probably should have replied to yours with my question as it looks like you were specifically referring to pick up at CDG.

If you don't mind, will you you check what I asked Mark so I don't bore people with repeating it?

I am mainly questioning whether at CDG we get our bags at baggage claim before immigration or what the order is. It seems there isn't a standard practice at all these overseas airports.

No, generally not at baggage claim as they cannot get air-side at the airport and will wait for you to clear immigration, collect your bags and exit the customs area.

 

So expect to find then just outside the final door you pass through into the public area of the airport.

 

They are usually very easy to spot due to the red jackets and their 'Viking' signs.

Mark,

Can you say a little more in detail as to the order of exiting at CDG to find the Viking pickup reps? We booked a very late last minute cruise with Viking flyng into CDG and doubt we will get travel documents before departure. Thus we likely will not get the instructions usually included as to where we should expect to find the Viking people. This is our 6th cruise with VRC so we are familiar in general with procedure and have luggage tags.

But, most of the time we have exited or met pick up reps just outside of baggage pickup. What you describe sounds a bit different. We flew into Brussels in May not long after the bombing there and the Viking reps were not able to get very close so it took a bit more looking to find them but still no real problem.

If we don't get travel docs we will likely not have phone numbers to call in case our flights are delayed. We know that the pickup people have a printed list of all people they are to pick up and the flights they arrive on.

I will check with Viking but thought since you have just gone through the process, you might clue me in as to where to expect to look for the pickup reps.

Each airport often has a slightly different order of the exiting.