kctwinmommy

Wow! Not quite sure how my original post seems to have really gotten so far off track! A lot of posts are people in their own conversations, not really anything related to our particular cruise, planning things with our ports, etc.... Just kind of weird! Anyway, I'll be sure to read other posts for information related to the cruise we're taking. We're looking forward to this for sure!

Good to know! We noticed they are included in our cabin, but we didn't think we'd really need them anyway. And now that I've read this, I realize we shouldn't count on them either. LOL!

Soo... we already turned down the insurance through them, it asked us when we booked. We are booking our own air, I like to have that control. I don't like flying to begin with, so I want that to be handled myself so I know exactly what I've got. We do plan on flying in at least a day or two early, and then staying a day or two at least at the end. The pre & post excursions are all booked, which is fine. A little on our own will be good too. @L11- thanks for posting that, someone shared that with me about 2 months ago as well. I'll still be skimming through it. I also read someone's review that covered part of the cruise we're taking and that helped. We already know there's a big difference between Viking and Carnival. Carnival worked for us for many years, and for various reasons. We'll still cruise them again at some point I'm sure. We often go with friends of ours. This is totally different trip and different thing we want to experience. My parents have also cruise Viking a few times, both river and ocean, so they've given us lots of tips. I'm looking forward to planning things and researching what we really want to do. This is a very big trip for us, almost a month, the longest we've ever done, so we want to make sure it covers the things we really want to do. And still give us time to relax and enjoy it all.

For sure! We'll be looking and reading over the next month or so, and get hotels booked at least.

LOL! Very true! It was the grasshopper quote that did it. And unfortunately, can't really do another cruise in between. We actually have a dang college freshman in private school. 😜 Sooo... that's cutting into our finances right now. We'll do other things in the meantime though. It's all good. I like planning too, so this gives me time to read and research.

You bet! And you bet we will... now it's just a lot of waiting! And some planning too. We still have to figure out hotels before and after for Athens and Barcelona. I know we can't book flights yet though. So just lots of reading before then.

Just wanted to come back to you, and your posts. Since your review is one that I loved and had me ready to go right then. We ended up doing the 22 day one!! 😃 I'll definitely go back and read your review again, and share it with my husband.

Somehow, just based on the tone of your other posts, I had a feeling you would make me laugh/smile. LOL! Now I just have to count down 450ish days! LOL!

Wanted to come back to this, we booked today!! We went for the big one! Well, not the full 29 day one that starts in Istanbul, but we're doing the 22 day one, Athens to Barcelona! We did the Deluxe Veranda, so just up one category, just gave a few more perks. It's the Mediterranean & Adriatic Sojourn one. I'm very excited about this!!!

After nearly 20 years of cruising, MSC, Royal Caribbean, and Carnival - we decided we needed to up our standards a bit. LOL! I joke, but we really did want something a little different. We also decided we wanted to do a big one. So we are officially booked on the Viking Mars, doing the Athens - Barcelona (April 2024) - Mediterranean & Adriatic Sojourn! We did book a middle of the road Deluxe Veranda, gives us a few more perks, but not another $4000 in costs. I know I'll be back many times before that to get advice and learn from all the previous Viking cruisers. I did do a lot of reading of previous posts before booking too, so I had some help beforehand. Looking forward to planning this whole adventure and experiencing something amazing!

We always got it for our son, because he could get pineapple juice with it too, instead of the free juice on deck. When he first started cruising with us, around age 10, he wasn't much of a soda drinker. But he could easily go through 3-4 juices during the daytime. And like others mentioned, it was nice to have it at the table when we got to dinner. I also got it for myself as I'm not much of a alcohol drinker. I would easily drink 3-4 sodas just hanging out on deck during the day. Now, keep in mind, they had ice in them and would sometimes get watered down, so I'd get a fresh one. Meaning, I wasn't exactly drinking full 12 ounces of soda each time. They do seem to give you the can now more often, which they didn't pre-Covid. Again, for us, it was just easier not having to worry about it. Oh, and we never have a car pre-cruise, so we didn't feel like trying to walk or Uber somewhere for a 12-pack of soda.

Another vote for Caye Caulker! We did a Carnival excursion. We'd read a lot about some of the issues in Belize, and just felt it was safer for us to do a Carnival excursion. It was a long one, and so much fun! We had the tender to the port first, from the ship. Then we took a boat, clipped along at a pretty good speed at times, to Caye Caulker. It was nice, because on the ride out, our guides took our food orders. Then we stopped at The Split in Caye Caulker, where they dropped off our orders at the restaurant right there. Then we continued on, just past there, to do some snorkeling. Then we got back on the little boat and moved to the area where we could swim with the sharks. After that, we headed back to the Split and had our lunch, which then was ready like 5 minutes after we got back. We had a little time to walk around and such, then headed back to the port. It was without a doubt, one of our top excursions! In Mahogany Bay, we did a Catamaran snorkeling trip. They picked us up at the port, about a 20 minute drive, hopped on the Catamaran, did some snorkeling, then got back on and had some rum punch and lunch - which was quite good! These are from Belize... My son, looking out the front of the boat, where we did our snorkeling. The sharks to swim with. I only stayed in because I was tired from snorkeling, it was only my 2nd time doing it, and it was a lot more work than I though. LOL! We were out for a while. Plus I wanted to get pics! My son and husband, with the sharks The restaurant at Caye Caulker Lazy Lizard The Caye is split in half, so they have this ferry to get back and forth, it's like 200 feet. LOL! A "little" house someone built on an island, saw it on the ride out and back. I can only imagine the cost for bringing everything you need there to build it!

OK, so I'm obviously not familiar with this area, as I had never heard of this place. Instead, I was thinking, "is someone asking about a channel on TV that only shows things about Beagles?!" LOL! Sorry, hadn't have enough caffeine yet to get my brain functioning and truly took a second or two thinking, Huh!

Totally agree! Although we often cruise with another couple, and our son, so we don't do it for dinner. But we would for this one. And in most other situations, we typically have no problem socializing with others. Heck, I lost my husband on a teeny, tiny island, in the San Blas Islands, but then found him in a bar. LOL! The island was no bigger than a city block!

Thanks! I realized that's what I should have said, I've read more posts and gotten more info to realize that like you said, it's multiple legs. I'm sure we'll find people along the way, we're fairly talkative. I've been known to lose my hubby in places because he ends up talking to people. LOL!

Thanks! I'd like to see a little more of Greece though. =( Otherwise, that looks like a good one too! But hmmm... possible to add on a little more in Greece on our own?! Just not sure! My problem is I want to do it all. LOL!

I recently started our research and posted this. I received a few helpful tips and other threads shared. The review that was shared was great to read!! She wrote really well, nice information and good tips.

Question for you, since you did the Barcelona to Venice, was that just one leg of the larger cruise? I'm starting to realize that if we do the 22 day one, that it's part of I think a larger 28 day one, I'm guessing starting in Istanbul. Just want to make sure we're I know what we're getting in to with this one. We're just used to basic Caribbean ones, you get on in one place and you return to that place, nothing changes with passengers. LOL!

Like others said, priority will be off first, and then if I'm not mistaken, it will be all the Carnival excursions next. But I could be wrong, maybe they start allowing any others as well. We were there last April and we were all in theater to be called for our tenders. We were one of the first ones off for our excursion, which we loved!!

Well, I have to say, we were there in November, and plenty of stupid people were there. Nothing horrible, but just some obnoxious behavior. And yeah, we did the zip line once, that was enough. I just wanted to lounge, so I didn't feel like climbing back up there. LOL! This is a video of the 2 husbands. It's a really short zip line too. So it takes like 15 seconds! 20221110_095100.mp4

Yep! Amber Cove then. We were there with another couple, so we opted to rent one of the cabanas. They have that area roped off then, with a wristband to use the loungers and such, but everything else is open. They have a zip line that was included in our fee as well. I can't tell you what it costs otherwise. I believe they do offer other things for a cost as well. These are the cabanas, had snacks and water, misters, 4 lounge chairs reserved, and floatie things for the pool. The pool with the swim up bar. Some of the open lounge chairs across from the cabanas.

Yep! That's part of the reason we're leaning towards it. Well, let's be honest, I'm all in on it! LOL! Hubby is just wanting to make sure. 😉 We just want to make sure we're good financially. He just retired and we have a freshman in college, so it's just a lot of money. And he wants to make sure he'll enjoy that long of a cruise. The longest we've done is 12 days, and that was our first one. Most of others have been 7-8 days.

Thank you. Yes, we're now considering the Athens to Barcelona. I may have said it before, we were originally looking at a 10 day one that was mostly the Greek Islands. But then I saw I think a 15 day one. And THEN, hubby mentioned Barcelona and Monte Carlo, so I saw the 22 day one! LOL! Might as well go big for a our first Viking cruise. 😃

Thanks! I'm sure theirs is paid in full though. But we'll see what they say. I wonder if they can use it for other things they'll purchase on board. I'll get their booking number before we book, just so we have it.

Oh for sure! I just meant when it comes to booking our cruise. Making sure we just get all our ducks in a row to start the process. I'm definitely learning more from here. If we had a good TA, I'd even work with them on this trip. It's going to be the most expensive one we've ever done. Once we're booked, I do plan on posting more to make sure we're on track. And the good thing is my parents have also traveled Viking, so I can bounce things off them. Also, is it true that they can get some sort of credit for their upcoming cruise if we mention them when we book?