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Kent, what exciting adventure did you and Pam book next? We will be interested to know how the Italy, Adriatic and Greece is! Arctic Explorer looks good too! I think we will look at Bergen to NYC if the boat sells and we can be gone in the summer. So many places to explore.

We also loved the star gazing on that cruise

looking forward to your review/comparisons our TA often encourages us to check into O and Seaburn...not sure why we are loyal other than familiarity is easy and comfortable.

Get the later train or better yet stay an extra day!

I think it is appropriate as a new thread on the Viking board. thanks for the research.

PRH...Did you go into the museum?

flowsue. thank you so very much! Will be on a River Ship in the fall and it will no doubt be my first drink!

no need for a dress!

I don't think they used egg whites when I had them. I would have worried about the raw egg thing! I will remember a double shake. Does that include most shaken cocktails like Cosmo's or Part 'n Parcels?

We will do a Viking Douro in October with both a pre/post so will enjoy the daytime cruising especially since we will be coming from Amsterdam after the European Sojourn ( Bucharest to Amsterdam). We are anticipating an incredible fall on European Rivers! Trying to figure out how to pack will be the challenge....layers will be our friend!

If anyone is currently in a Viking Bar, please ask one of the wonderful bartenders for THEIR recipe for a White Lady. Missing being on a ship I bought a bottle of Highclere Gin and need the perfect recipe.

Can you get eggs made to order elsewhere in the WC?

what was $80/day...what you spent? the SSP is $25/night

On a River Ship it is in Euros.

There are different levels of coverage with UsAA. Some options have changed recently that I was not aware of ( not covering bankruptcy on the lower cost package) that is my own fault for assuming it was the same. Even the agent was surprised when she went searching for bankruptcy coverage. I find the on-line booking process very counter- intuitive so I always call to get get quotes or purchase. I had a small medical claim $125 from a land trip to Mexico and it was covered quickly. We had a very large cancellation claim because of a health issue with TRIPMATE through Viking that took at least 90 days to process. Both required detailed information. TRIPMATE did eventually cover the costs except for the large voucher that paid for part of the trip. Viking thankfully did re-instate the voucher that we are using for an upcoming cruise. USAA has consistently been less expensive for better coverage until this year, we turned 73 and the premiums seem to be a bit more than Viking. USAA"s lower cost packages do not have "cancel for any reason" and do not cover vouchers. USAA lets you insure just your deposit to get the "pre-existing condition" coverage and then increase it when making full payment. They were great when we had to cancel 3 trips during covid and refunded our money. The agents have all been helpful.

But for a 14-21 day cruise that is a lot of wine to get to the ship! Kent, how are you going to transport it?

Thanks so much for doing this "live report" Safe and healthy rest of your travels!

not the answer I was hoping for either

Paul73...thanks for doing my "reading" for me. I will look into a "yearly" policy.

I am too lazy to read the policy right now so will ask here knowing I will verify for myself. Does the Trip Mate insurance offered by Viking include "bankruptcy" coverage? I have been following the Vantage Travel debacle and many are learning they have no coverage for the bankruptcy. I checked with a USAA policy we purchased and it does NOT cover bankruptcy ( it did before Covid) so I will have to purchase an upgraded policy the next trip we insure. For those who use Viking's Trip Mate coverage how do you cover pre/post days that are NOT part of the included cruise/or Viking's pre/post? Will Trip Mate sell extra days?

IF I eat in the WC that is always what I do...I have seen too many worrisome actions when people don't think or care!!! I am only a germmphobic on cruise ships!

One of the best things about our B2B cruises (4) on the Jupiter last year was we were able to try MANY of the Chef Table Menus and the great wines! The cruises were not full so we could rotate...Main Dining room, Manfredis, Chef Table with the occasional WC . We were so spoiled!

IMO not having "pre-existing" conditions covered is a mistake. Even a change in medication can invalidate a claim of a medical condition without the pre-existing coverage. Also if you have family that you would want to cancell if one of them became ill would be covered for a pre-existing conditions. this was very important to me when we had elderly parents alive.

this maybe a new itinerary for the Polaris....the Ocean Ships that do South America can't get into the nooks and crannies. On the polaris you should get outstanding opportunities in the fjords and to watch birds, whales....I hope you have a great naturalist. We loved our South American Cruise on the Jupiter and I think this will be much better for adventure!

Laurence was on the Jupiter last winter with us! Kent, was he not on when you were there, maybe he had gotten off by the time you joined the ship? Glad to see he is still with Viking! Thanks for all these wonderful live posts!!!