Peregrina651

I wouldn't mind spending a night in Vienna if Viking would pay for the hotel room.

But, it sounds like the 'custom air' is the way to go. When will I be given the opportunity to select the custom air fee? My cruise is in September, 2013. Are the air tickets booked 9 months before that? 10 hours from Poland to NYC sure sounds nice. Do you think that applies to other US cities, like DC or Baltimore or just NYC?

You can opt for custom air any time before the tickets are booked. Talk to your travel agent (or directly to Viking if you aren't using a TA) and they will tell you when you can start talking about flights for Sept, 2013. IMHO, don't wait; get the ball rolling even if it is just to find out when to call to book.

Before you do, go to one of the websites that does flights and get some ideas of what is available. It might not be what Viking is offering but it will give you an idea for possible routings.

Remember, the airfare offer does not cover every flight combination or every airlines; it covers only selected flights. You can deviate from those choices but it may raise the price of your airfare. You pay the custom air fee so that you can have some say in which flights you are booked on and Viking will not discuss those choices until you pay the fee.

For the record, we flew Boston to Dulles to Vienna to Odessa and then Kiev to Frankfurt to Boston.

I was going to call this nuts and bolts, but was afraid of starting WW3.

 

We have just returned from the Kiev to Odessa cruise and loved every second of it. Our return to NYC was via Poland. We left the ship at noon and were in our house at 10 PM. There were many sent via Vienna and they had a forced overnight. There were no vacant seats on our flight, but 3 infants were having a scream competition.

That is the advantage of choosing to pay the custom air fee; you can choose which flights you are on and you can avoid pre-dawn departures, too short connections and unwanted over-nights. Viking usually has a variety of flight combinations but unless you pay the custom air fee, you are stuck with what you are assigned. After spending so much already for the flights and cruise, why nickel and dime? Spend the $100 and get to choose.

Viking services several areas in Europe the level of service and ammenities vary across the fleet and expections vary.

Many of the cabins are below the standards Viking wants to demonstate and that is spelled out in the brochures for Ukraine.

I heard someone on board (maybe a crew member) comment that Viking does not market this cruise as a 'luxury' cruise. But let me point out that only applies to the design of the ship with its yacht-style bathrooms, Pullman beds and steep stairways. Otherwise, you can rest assured that you will be pampered in the same Viking bend-over-backwards-jump-through-hoops customer-centric style that you have experienced on other Viking ships.

As explained by the tour director, we may tip as much as we wish, but Vikings suggested tips in the info brochure is excessive in Ukraine.

 

we did tip additional amounts to those we felt went well over and above.

also your guide does share in the tip pool.

It is very confusing and I wish that they would up-date the "Itinerary and Departure Information" pamphlet to make this more clear.

I may be mistaken but I thought I read here somewhere that Viking lets you work with them directly for flight arrangements even if you booked with a TA. We booked with a TA and he just forwarded me an email from Viking saying that my air can now be arranged. He suggested that I look into it. So I called Viking and the Air Consultant said that I had to go through my TA because I booked with them. What are your experiences? Thanks.

First, in order to have any say on your flights, you have to pay the $50pp Custom Air fee. Some changes beyond the flights that Viking offers may also incur additional charges. IMHO, pay the fee. It is worth it just to avoid having to get up before dawn to catch a flight, especially on the return home. If you are planning on using FF miles to upgrade, then you certainly have to do this because the tickets that Viking books are generally not upgradable with miles.

Second, if you have booked through a TA, then the TA must make the call, although as suggested, you can be on the call.

And, of course, I forgot to mention the OP's original statement:

"Ukraine is not Europe or Russia."

Thus making Europe (only Western Europe, as you explained to us) and

Russia as something that goes together and much, much better than

Ukraine.

It has to be said.

Through all this discussion, no one has used the labels 'better' or 'worse' except you. You are the one who has chosen to read 'worse than' into this comment--and then you have proceeded to yell at us because you have completely misunderstood what is being said. It is not pleasant and it makes this thread an unpleasant place to visit.

All we want to do is take a pleasant vacation in your country and this constant political ranting is taking away from that pleasure. This is not a political forum. It is a travel forum and no one likes to listen to arguing and anger in a travel forum .

Let's keep the discussions here friendly and helpful. Let's make this thread pleasant and inviting--and by extension, that Ukraine and its people are as well.

Lou, Thom, sorry you got stomped on. You didn't deserve it; no one does. Lou, I actually thought that your description/warning hit the nail on the head. Ukraine is different and in so many ways, good and bad. You are right to remind us that Ukraine is a separate country from Russia these days; many of us have had a tough time remembering that fact. It was all Soviet Union for most of my life--one huge country with just one agenda. Even harder is having to remember to drop the 'the' that we have always appended to the name; it is not that we are trying to be insulting, it is just that sometimes we just don't remember. Old habits die hard--especially at our age. 'Not Europe' is a longer discussion and one that I think I'm going to postpone for another day and more time to gather my thoughts.

Please let us get back to what these boards are mainly for.Comments on the cruises and helpful hints and suggestions.

Right now I would like to know what bathroom amenties are supplied on this ship.Does it still have a sauna onboard and can anyone recommend a nice restaurant in Odessa?

Bathroom amenities include sink, toilet and shower head (stalls are optional and depend on room category). Also, towels (good sized ones at that), soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash and body lotion. I think I also remember a shower cap and maybe a sewing kit. Hair dryers are available from the front desk (but are already in the deluxe rooms). Any hair dryer borrowed from the front desk should be returned to the front desk before disembarkation; don't just stick it in a drawer. ALSO, there is always a 2 liter bottle of water in the room. Once you open the bottle, a new bottle will be placed in your room, ready for when you finish the opened one.

I can't answer about the sauna but maybe Lou and Marsha can check it out before they disembark (if we have caught them in time). Is there one and is it operational?

I'm no help on the restaurants. Sorry. But our guide Alla pointed out a couple of places that she likes to eat. Again, this might be a question for Lou and Marsha; they can get the name of the places Alla likes and be able to get the address, too.

This is what the outlet looked like in our cabin.

even street vendors had prices in US, Euros or UAH.

 

The street vendors were the exception to the rule--and maybe some souvenir shops; these were the only places accepting dollars. Every place else, it is no UAH, no sale. By quoting prices in other currencies, they agree up-front to accept foreign currencies and do enough volume in foreign currencies to make it worth their while to accept them.

 

Dollar bills do come in handy for when you want to leave a small tip. A 10 UAH note would do, but I've only had 1-2 at a time.

I really, really, really have to disagree with you on this one. Stick to UAH. The person you are trying to tip may have great difficulty in trying to exchange that single dollar bill. Think of it this way, how would your favorite waiter react if he received a tip in euros or pounds or even Canadian dollars?

Lou's comments above remind me to remind everyone to make sure that you don't leave home without all the chargers, cords, batteries and manuals that you need for all of your electronic devices. MAKE A LIST. When it doubt, take it.

There were a number of people with cameras they couldn't use after the first day because they left vital components home. Everyone tried to be very helpful (to no avail) and Guide Alla spent a lot of time taking folks to electronic or camera stores to try to find batteries or whatever was needed.

If you have a new camera, practice using it a lot before you go. If you have an old camera that you haven't used in a while, take time to re-familiarize yourself with it. You will be glad you did.

Someone borrowed a video camera. They didn't know how to use it and hadn't practiced. They didn't even have the manual with them and ran into trouble just a couple of days into the trip.

FYI, there is no resident geek on the ship; if you run into trouble with your electronic equipment, you are on your own--which really from a liability standpoint is the way it should be.

Marsha's the one with the "I'm with ..." t shirt.

 

Anyway- Jewish Kiev tour guide was not one of our staff. Outside, independant guide with one of our buses/driver.

 

My battery recharger is not working right, could be the voltage adapter??

Today I was a cossack, nice trick being Jewish.

Put my little bottle of water in freezer compartment of refrig, 3 hours later still water.

Noise of air conditioner drowns out any sounds from hallway/deck.

 

Having a wonderful, interesting time.

It's warm-bring light weight clothes TF.

It's 5:45 AM, no competition for internet band width.

Hasta manana.

Lou, you are confusing two terms. An adapter allows you to plug your American style plug into another style outlet. A voltage converter allows you to use your 110 volt appliance in a 220 outlet without frying the appliance.

Double check your battery charger to see if it actually needs a converter; most chargers are designed to work with 110 and 220, and therefore don't need a converter. Read what it says on the charger. If you are using a converter when all you need is an adapter, it may be what is causing your problem. You are looking for something like "110v-240v'' written somewhere in the fine print on the charger.

If your refrigerator doesn't work, first check to make sure it is actually turned on and then if that doesn't work, report it to the front desk. They will happily take care of the problem.

So, were you participant number one or number three?? DH was number one--one of those mixed emotions moments.

On board - as Andrea said, food is wonderful. Cabins spotless. Love the beverage station. So far only taken one optional tour, Jewish Kiev which included visit to ravine at Babi Yar, Very emotional. Our guide is Alla and she's terrific. We have 5 tour groups, all English speaking. City tours have been great. Really enjoyed Cossack Horse show. Sailing now for Kherson. After slow start, A/C in our room is exceptional as it is in the Kiev restaurant, but it is a little stuffy in other public areas. Weather has been good today - sunny and not too warm. Will answer questions and provide more details later. Marsha

Wait a minute. Did I miss something? We have loum and sitraveler both reporting from the same cruise. I was going to ask if you two had met one another yet but as I think about it, I'm going to bet that the answer to that question is, "Yes, some years ago." ;) You probably mentioned it months ago and I just don't remember it (lol, par for the course)

Marsha, who was the guide on the BabiYar tour?

Good to know theship is seaworthy.

Would you mind posting the cost of the optional tours you take? Do they get charged to your ship account?

Keep in mind that these are the prices for the 2012 season and could change for 2013.

Looking forward to hearing your reviews on the tours you do take.

 

Looking forward to our trip.We are getting anxious as we leave in just over 2 weeks but still no tickets.It does not leave much time if there is any problems with them.

 

How far in advance did everyone get their tickets?

You should have your tickets already. Call Viking or your TA and let them know.

We got an e-mail in advance of the tickets being delivered. Check your spam to see if perhaps it was misdirected.

Viking sends out a brochure before the cruise with options and approx cost, but here is the on board listing. Prices are in UAH, approx 8 to the US dollar.

Right the info included prices but they were quoted in euros, which is useless since 1) the shipboard currency is UAH and 2) my normal currency is USD. Prices should always be quoted in the shipboard currency since that number is not subject to change.

we sailed from kiev last night at 6. A thunderstorm started at 6:10.

Viking does seem to control everything.

lol!!!!!!!!!!!!! :d

Will try again to post this. All the dinners shows seem to be optional now. Please some advice about which shouldn't be missed. Pat

Honestly, if I had to choose just one, I would choose the Acrobats in Shanghai. They were amazingly beautiful and they work very, very hard at what they do. You have to in order to deliver a flawless performance show after show. The Tang Dynasty show was fun but just didn't represent the same level of difficulty as the gravity defying acrobats. Yes, I know that is kind of a strange way to compare to performances. This is not to say that the other two shows are bad or poorly done; they are not, they are beautiful and also worth your consideration. If you can't do them all, then IMHO, don't miss the acrobats.

thanks for the tip about people walking outside your room.

 

Would have been caught"\!!!!!!

 

Onboard 6/6

Especially since you can't really hear people as they walk by, even if they are talking, so you kind of forget that they do. :eek:

WOOHOO. More boots on the ground. Looking forward to your running commentary.

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is a link to an article about 'iconostasis' You might find this information helpful when you visit the churches in Kyiv or if you visit any on your own. DH and I were entirely ignorant on the subject and are now reading up a bit.

Thank you so much for posting these photos.

When they said it was a really old ship we did not know what to expect but we are pleasantly surprised how it looks.

 

And those photos of the food esp the desserts.My God I better take some looser fitting clothes for plane ride home.Breads and desserts are our weakness when on a trip.

Once again thanks for all your photos and tips.

Old or otherwise, they do a good job of keeping up the ship. Cleaning is a constant ongoing process. Walls are wiped down; exterior windows are washed; metal is painted; rugs are shampooed, etc. The ship is clean smelling. We had an odor problem in the bathroom. I told the front desk about it and I did not have a problem with it for the rest of the trip. But, also, we kept the bathroom door open unless it was in use. Also, there is a vent in the cabin door which we also made sure stayed open to keep air circulating (especially since we were not planning on opening the window).

I'm still working on getting those extra pounds off!!

I finally have all my pictures of the ship posted on Shutterfly.

We also finished DH's photobook of his pictures from the trip. Mine is still in the works because I am having trouble deciding on format. I actually could do half a dozen different books which is why I am having so much trouble.

On the all river cruises roll call thread, there are some fabulous pictures from the May 12 sailing Imperial Jewels. Check them out. Pat

Here is the link to the pictures Pat is talking about. Fabulous is an understatement!

I read a review where they mentioned flying bugs-mosquitos? on outdoor decks and that the sailing can get rough on Black sea

How did previous cruisers find these on their sailing?

Mid-May: Not much trouble with bugs on the Black Sea but once we got onto the river, it was a different story. They weren't bite-y bugs but they were everywhere!! We just kept our windows closed.

While I am thinking of it, most windows open up onto the deck promenade. FYI, even with the sheers pulled, folks can see right into your room. If you insist on parading around in your undies, please pull the room darkening shades first.

So am I as I will now have more room in the suitcase for more of my stuff.

That's right!! :D:D

Just want to make sure that if my husband does not take suit he is not going to be out of place at supper or theatre/opera?

He would rather leave suit at home.

There is absolutely no reason to take a suit on this cruise. IMHO, you don't even need a sports jacket or a tie. A button down (short or long sleeved) and dockers will get you through any situation including the opera/ballet and the captain's dinners.

i will be taking the Imperial Jewels trip in September this year. We arrive in Shanghai at 2:00 and are staying at the Ritz Carlton Portman hotel. Does anyone have any ideas of what to do or see for the remaining afternoon/evening (if we're not too tired)

Is the hotel within walking distance to the Bund ?

Thanks for your help

 

Ruth

We went shopping for pearls at Pearl City on the Nanjing Road. While still not cheap, we bought three strands for the price of one at one the name brand jewelers in the mall. We were buying gifts. It was quite an experience since each necklace that we bought was custom-made, bargained for and strung while we watched.