CDNPolar

Agree - we have done this. In Canada however it is difficult to find a TA that gives monetary value back. There are a few, but I question with the amount they give, if it is worth the extra layer.

Yes, they have because technically you are on US soil when you are in pre-clearance. This however has nothing to do with the fact that you cannot have your Nexus US interview at Pearson unless you are flying to the USA the same day.

I don't think that anyone is saying - especially me - that this is too much or too little. I have no knowledge of the fees in the travel industry. All I know is that after gaining this information the next Viking cruise we asked if there was any benefit financially for booking direct and they said NO. We did not disclose that we had this information, we were just asking. We recently used a TA associated with a major retail chain and we got a shopping card for $1,500.00 and will receive a further year end rebate for a similar priced cruise. This TA does not represent Viking because they were giving too much away so Viking stopped working with them. The TA that got this - whether it went to the TA directly or to the company - gave us nothing. No OBC, nothing. We now just shop for what a TA will offer us and if we cannot find some value, then we are fully capable of booking and managing the trip on our own. In fact, most of the time a TA adds an unnecessary layer to our bookings, so unless there is financial benefit, we book solo.

Here are the options: Applicants can complete a joint interview at a U.S.-based enrollment center. They can choose a split option, in which they will complete an interview at a Canadian land enrollment center followed by a separate interview at a U.S. enrollment center located at the Canadian border. This is what I am doing in Buffalo They also have the option of a two-step process for air travelers. The Canadian airport enrollment centers will be staffed with CBSA officers who will complete the Canadian portion of the NEXUS interview, and the U.S. interview with CBP will follow at Canadian airport preclearance locations for applicants departing from Canada to the U.S. Conditionally-approved NEXUS applicants and renewing members who require an interview will be able to book the Canadian portion of their interview at one of these airports through the Trusted Traveler Programs scheduler when interview times become available. This option requires you to be flying to the USA same day.

When you complete and finalize the interview booking you receive a confirmation of the appointment. In the confirmation information, it then states that you must be flying to the USA that day to complete the US portion of the interview. You cannot do this on the Canadian side of the airport. This rings true to what is happening with my Buffalo appointment. I drive to Buffalo border crossing, meet with the Canadian side, then I have to physically drive across the border to Buffalo NY to be interviewed by the US side and complete the process. Then I turn around to reenter Canada.

Ok... my Nexus card has been expired for about 3 years now. It was due to be renewed just as the Pandemic took hold and my interview at Toronto Pearson was cancelled. The appointments at Toronto Pearson were fully booked and I could never get a date there. I FINALLY got a time at Buffalo land crossing to do the Canadian interview and then I have to drive across the border to have the American interview. I found a Toronto Pearson opening and booked it and then noticed in the write up that I have to be flying to the USA the same day as my Canadian interview? Does this mean that at Toronto Pearson, I cannot just drive there (15 minutes) park and do both CAN and USA interviews? I actually have to be flying to the USA? Makes no sense.

We mistakenly a few years ago were copied on the TA Commission invoice - direct from Viking. It was not the TA that messed up, it was sent to the TA and copied to us from Viking directly. Here is the breakdown: 16% on Cruise Fare 5% on Air 5% on Silver Spirits In total for this cruise, that had a cost to us of $12,366.00 Viking paid the TA $1,718.08

Anytime you have a series of flights booked, you must show up for all of the flights you risk cancelation of the rest of the trip. For instance: You like the connection but not the first flight, if you don't show for the first flight then the connection would be cancelled automatically as a no-show to the first flight. This is standard in the airlines. I don't know what would happen if you take the first flight but not the connection, but there could be a penalty there too. You may end up with the return cancelled. EVEN WITH FREE AIR, you can pay for the Viking Air Plus and pick your own flights. You don't have to accept what they give you. We have free air on our August River Cruise and we got the airline, aircraft, schedule and seats we wanted through Viking Air Plus.

Two favourites that I recall immediately: Lotus Softshell Crab Lamb Chops Asian Panorama Peking Duck These two were outstanding in my opinion.

Although I hate the term "Foodie" that is what we are. We book every menu throughout the cruise, and we don't look at the menu in advance. We don't even really look closely at the menu when we sit down. We more look at the paired wines as we love not knowing what is coming next. I understand where someone is vegetarian and asks for substitutions or if someone has an allergy, and Viking do a great job of accommodating these needs. To us, the Chef's Table is for those that are open to eating and trying any type of food and any type of flavour. The ONLY menu in Chef's Table that we have ever been disappointed with is the British Menu. We have probably eaten. 20+ Chef Table menus now, and this is the only one that was not up to par.

We emailed Viking and got a phone call response. Viking stated that they have and are revisiting their policy on this. They specifically stated that emotional support dogs are NOT allowed. We have no issue with a certified service dog on the ship WITH restrictions. The dog should NOT be on chairs or lounges that we sit on. The dog should NOT be on someones lap. If the dog is in the dining room, it is on the floor beside their person and is NOT being fed from the table. I have a lifelong friend that is blind and has a seeing eye dog. When this dog comes to visit with my friend, the dog is at his feet always. Never on furniture. This dog is never fed from the table and never begs. Seeing eye dogs are painstakingly trained to be there for their person and in my experience never are an issue except when we don't recognize that they are "working" dogs and we should not call to them, try to pet them, or in anyway interfere with them. I also get that people have allergies and some have fear of dogs. BUT, for a blind person this is their lifeline. They are as entitled to travel as we are regardless of allergy or fears from other people.

Until the person doing the flushing has their toilet out of commission for what they flushed, there will always be people that don't think before they flush - or just don't care. I live in a townhouse complex of 100 homes. We are constantly being reminded by our management company to NOT flush any kind of wipe and even the ones that are advertised as "Plumber Certified" for flushing. We have had numerous sewer backups to neighbours basements from wipes being flushed. Can you blame people when the package says Tested With Plumbers? In our townhomes, the s%&@ ends up in my basement. On the cruise ship, you just cannot flush for hours to days and have to go to the public toilet down the corridor or on another deck.

Based on what Clay is saying it would be worth boarding the ship, making the inquiry, and you would still have lots of time to book a hotel room for yourself if you wanted to... I would however hate to see you spend the money and then find out that Viking would take care of you. (Sorry Clay - called you Clayton by mistake.)

As Clayton mentioned, we also had a very late flight with the disembarkation at 8:30am. This was in Tokyo. We were transported to a hotel and given a space to rest and leave our luggage. We were provided food and drink. We chose to leave our luggage in the secure storage and take a walking tour of Tokyo. We came back later and were transported to the airport for our flights. I would call Viking and have them comment on what they plan to offer you. I personally would not leave the ship one night early and pay for a hotel when Viking typically takes care of you.

This is what is currently on the Viking web site.

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If my memory serves me you will have about 7 hours in Berlin from the arrival of the train to the departure of the train. The day was basically 7am - 7pm or something like that. The train was 2.5 hours (give or take) each way. Viking charter a train for JUST Viking guests to go into Berlin. This is the way that you would want to travel in and out of the city. You would not want to miss the train back or the ship if you are on a private tour. What I cannot remember is if the Berlin tours were all "Optional" or if one was included? If one is not included then you would have to pay for an optional to get on the train. I think arranging private transport from the port to the city and back would be risky. It is not like the city is walking distance from the ship. Is there a reason you want to book your own tour? There are two different tours that Viking do - if memory serves - and it was quite comprehensive including a full lunch in a German Pub.

If you are booking the same cruise we did, the first night is the package is a hotel stay. Hurtigruten basically stage everyone at the hotel the day before your charter flight to Ushuaia. We were at the Emperador Hotel. We went one night early and paid for that night. The hotel was okay. Mid-level. Nothing fancy. We stayed after and stayed at the Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel and Convention Centre. It was a better location and because we had club floor it was convenient. I would recommend going with the Hurtigruten hotel before unless you want to pay extra and also get yourself to the airport for your flight to Ushuaia.

I have been thinking about this discussion for a few days now and have to make another comment that may not be popular with all... I am 61 years old and went through the 80's and AIDS and all kinds of discrimination in my life. I survived and "it got better", it really did. I personally am out and proud, but I am out and proud in a quiet sense. I don't hide who I am, but I don't advertise it. I will talk openly about my husband in any conversation with anyone. I am all for someone being out and proud in their own way, but we have to understand that sometimes being too out and proud can garner attention that we don't want. We will never (I do hope that one day I don't have to say never) completely eliminate ignorance, bigotry, racism, and discrimination, so we have to be responsible for how we present ourselves to the world. Be out. Be proud. At some point however we have to understand that we are not always going to be accepted in open society.

As far as the ports of call, I would suggest that especially if you are participating in a cruise organized group excursion that you should get off the ship and experience the culture and the country. Eyes are on the group in these kinds of excursions and you blend in to the group and are safer in my opinion in that group. I have very strong opinions about certain countries and ports that are not open and inclusive, and although I would never travel there on our own as a gay couple, I will participate in group excursions and have always felt safe.

Don't know if you are willing to do this as there can be challenges, but we had a cruise booked for this coming August, and all of a sudden it offered free air. After calling Viking would not honour the deal because of the date of our original booking - that date was not inside the promo booking dates published. What we ended up doing was REVISING our cruise dates on the same booking number to the same cruise leaving 2 weeks earlier and we were then eligible for the free air. You have to be careful as you are not canceling, but revising. You have to understand the promo booking dates, but even if you are "revising" the dates, it is viewed as a new booking and eligible for the reduction in air or in our case the free air. You will have a struggle with the reservation agent understanding what you are trying to do, as we did, and we ended up with a supervisor and everything worked out well and we ended up saving overe $2,000.00.

We enjoyed it and then went and wandered ourselves after. It was a good introduction.

First of all everything that you might do is weather dependent. With Hurtigruten - and this will be different for other cruise lines depending on the size of the ship - you are entitled to ONE landing per day, again, weather dependent. Hurtigruten also may give you a zodiac boat cruise each day if time and weather cooperates. The lottery is for the "optional" excursions which are additional cost. These are snowshoeing, kayaking, and camping. You sign up for these, and if chosen they bill your onboard account for the cost and you are given a time to report for your optional excursion. The problem being that they cannot accommodate all 400 passengers on these optional excursions in the time they have. You will get your included landings - hikes on the frozen continent - weather permitting. It is possible that you will have a day, or more, with no landings... we had five days with potential landings, but the first day there were no landings because the weather did not cooperate. So we missed a day of landing.

Well the words you use certainly make it feel that way...

Sorry that I offended you.