Mrs Miggins

Friend onboard this TA reports some good and some bad. The bad: Apparently some engine problems meaning they will miss lovely Funchal. Hopefully making the Spanish Coast and Cadiz by Saturday. Impossible to find hot coffee, new coffee machines in World Cafe, one not worked since Day 2, the other spasmodic. Best offering (as we all know) from the Atrium but still only luke warm. Reduced Wine list. The good: Great lectures - from former White House Exec and from a Trans Atlantic and Pacific rower who was a former marine. Entertainment very good despite the usual Abba and Beatles, but the singers have devised some their own shows - last night a Dusty Springfield tribute. Guitarist did an unplugged session in Torshaven which was packed. Cruise Director Show tonight. He is from Berkshire and has musical theatre experience in London. Great voice apparently. Trivia going well (my friend plus husband and 2 others won) Bridge lessons My friend wrote her email from the Atrium watching Baggo between lectures with her luke warm coffee. Despite the few negatives they are having a great time.

Perhaps informing this individual that the ancient Viking helmets did not have horns and are therefore historically inaccurate might not have gone down well.

We did part of the included tour in Corfu. Few years ago now and we only went because it provided a view of Mouse Island which we had never seen from above apart from when landing in Corfu on several holiday visits. When the bus returned to Corfu Town, which we have visited many times, we left the tour and then walked the town by ourselves, returning to the ship on the regular shuttle bus. Corfu is a beautiful island and it may be that you can do a tour into the countryside see some of the scenery and beaches before being dropped off in Corfu Town to enjoy that too. The dock area is about a 10 minute drive from the Town.

Friend onboard has been told 770 onboard. Apparently instead of an overnight in San Juan the 14 Brits onboard were stuck in the airport of Madrid for many many hours, with little assistance, due to an airplane malfunction. Banded together with the help of a Speaker and his partner who were also enroute. Friend said they were both great and that she was looking forward to their lectures. They did get onboard at last - but apparently no welcome drinks after their nightmare journey.

The water taxi from the airport to Venice is the most spectacular way to arrive. Worth every penny.

I agree train is a good alternative - but it rather depends on how much luggage is being carried/wheeled. Might be worth hopping on the DLR from Cutty Sark to Greenwich Mainline station. One stop only - frequent trains - shorter walk. However I see that the original poster is in fact using a Viking transfer.

To London City I would leave between 30 minutes to 45 minutes depending on the Blackwall Tunnel traffic. You have to cross the Thames as the airport is on the other side of the Thames. I agree that Greenwich to Heathrow is impossible at 43 minutes unless you are on a Motor Bike with quiet roads in the middle of the night.

Absolutely right - depending on traffic between 50 minutes to one hour and fifteen minutes,

Up until recently I had a second home in Greenwich. The journey to Heathrow is best via the M25 rather than through the centre of London. On average the journey should take just under an hour and a half. Hope that you get a chance to enjoy wonderful Greenwich before you go home.

My good friend boards Viking in Barcelona for the transatlantic on Tuesday. I wished her Bon Voyage today and she said “I hope they are not still doing those Abba and Beatles shows”. It is her sixth Viking Ocean. She is not on cruise critic and had no idea about this thread. Looks like many agree it’s time for some change.

Does no one go to Torshaven ? I must say reading this thread the job of Cruise Director is impossible. There seems to be very little joy around. I am old ! I love most music from the 50's (Elvis of course) until now (Ed Sheeran - Louis Capaldi - George Ezra (except perhaps rap) and of course some of the wonderful US artists. I also love musical theatre, classical plus my all time favourite, Opera. Jonas Kaufmann is unlikely to be performing. The world is full of wonderful music. Do I expect my personal favourites to be on the Viking playlist - No.

We are on Azamara Intensive Spain in June - both Seville and Bordeaux - lovely itinerary. We are also regulars on Viking - did Azamara, Viking and Scenic last year. Viking was not quite as good as in the past so havent booked anything with them. They also need to come up with some new itineraries. Second time in Koper in April on Azamara - just wandered around - actually quite interesting - good museums, churches, Venetian Gates and Roman ruins - but next time will try Piran. Love a local bus.

Actually I should have used the correct term which is Royal Tunbridge Wells !

Tunbridge Wells is actually very nice, with some excellent restaurants. Mind you Tumbridge Wells sounds like fun.

We went on one of the first excursions to Cassis - one of our group had many many cruises on Azamara - and we ended up getting half of the cost refunded. Firstly we went to lovely overview of the coastline, then we drove to a car park outside the town as coaches are rightly not allowed in - long long wait for a tourist train to take us to the pretty little town. Because everything had taken too long, including heavy traffic on the motorway there, the tour leader who had no idea what the tour description actually said, gave us absolutely no time on our own. We decided to stay and have lunch (excellent) and we got a taxi back to the ship for the 6 of us. Cant recall the cost exactly but it was certainly less than the cost of the shore excursion for one. Hopefully Azamara have got it right now ! Cassis is pretty and some excursions apparently now include a boat trip along the Calanques coast. Have visited Montpellier on a Viking excursion last September from Sete. That also included a chateau visit and was excellent. From Sete on Azamara in April we went to Les Baux, and the Carrieres de Lumieres - fantastic excursion - ending in St Remy - can't recommend highly enough. Portofino a couple of times on Azamara but always DIY from Santa Margherita - short ferry ride. In fact once Azamara dropped us in the morning at Santa Margherita then moved the ship to Portofino - tendered of course to pick us up in the afternoon.

Ok you live and learn - I have never heard of sago pudding. I am from the south of England !

In the UK, especially in the school canteen, this is generally a tapioca milk pudding.

We had 3 cruises last year, Back to Back in April with Azamara (our 10th I think, , River cruise with Scenic (our 3rd) and a Viking Ocean in September (our 4th). All were good but Azamara is the only one we have booked so far for this year. We had been upgraded to a lovely CC suite - the food was excellent especially the specialities. The service impeccable. Most surprising was the quality of the shore excursions, booked because, unusually for those of us in the UK, we had lots of OBC. We are normally DIY as the ship excursions are expensive, but we had to spend the OBC. If I was spending real money I would research alternatives = often getting local busses and trains. The roll call on our June Azamara is active with many booking with Spain Day Tours etc. If you are not confident on your own then there are many alternatives. I would also add that there is often a temptation to book an excursion to somewhere other than the place you are docked. Why sit on a bus if you have not fully explored the many wonderful ports that Azamara visit. Often you can also replicate the shore excursion ie boat to Capri, Positano etc etc. at a fraction of the cost. Research is key.

I have been in one of these cabins once - and would certainly not do it again unless I was solo.

You can choose to have just the scones, with cream and jam. Also I do not think it is compulsory to eat everything although DH does manage his half easily. Sometimes the cream is not the proper 'clotted' cream but this can usually be obtained by request.

Waste ?

Just reading that Viking Venus is delayed by a couple of days into Tilbury by weather. Guests already in the Uk for next cruise to be accommodated in hotels and next cruise will affected. A frequent CC contributor is onboard I believe.

Viking have used Chioggia several times. A friend was on one of these sailings. We were on Azamara last April and docked in Ravenna.

Good news on Seville and Malaga Thank you

Thanks, I was particularly interested in Valencia. Lovely place that we have visited before. All the cruise companies use that Torres de Serranos as the drop off/pick up point. I realise it is not near the Arts and Sciences center but our Azamazing evening is located there so Azamara will definitely bus us to the venue. Last time in Valencia we used the shuttle to the city centre, then visited the Arts and Science centre by taxi and then returned to the ship by taxi. There were certainly shuttles last April on our B2B Barcelona - Ravenna although not many were required as we docked within walking distance of most ports.