Islander500

Thanks all.  I feel much better now about the Viking excursions. Just a few more quick questions I should have included.  Are the excursions descriptions detailed, and are they posted early enough so that you can "do your homework" and decide which ones you'd like to book in advance? How much earlier are they available to review than the posted dates they are available for booking?        

I really appreciated all of the information everyone shared on this thread. 

As a new booked (future) Viking cruiser, I would like to ask your thoughts about the quality, size (# of passengers) and prices on typical Viking shore excursions. I'm specifically interested in the additional paid excursions, but happy to read your experiences on any of them. 

On some cruise lines, I have stopped doing ship-sponsored excursions due to many bad experiences. More often than not, it appeared that the lines contracted transportation companies who then hired just about anyone to do the actual "tour" part. I can even remember one "guide" telling us at a stop that it wasn't really worth getting off the bus there. (I guess she had a date that evening and needed to get home.) Another guide on a full-day tour, had 5 or 6 handwritten pages of notes and repeated the same information at least 6 or 7 times. By late afternoon, I could have guided the tour (equally badly) myself. 

Wondered what to expect on Viking...and how actively I should research private companies in most ports where we don't want to do DYI. 

Thanks in advance.             

5 hours ago, FLORIDA FLOUNDER said:

What sailing are you interested in? Fingers crossed there's a promo code with free silver spirits package coming out soon.

If I see anything, I'll post it on here. 🤞🏻

Thanks!  We'd love that.  My DH likes good scotch.  Into the midnight sun 6/9/25

On 4/22/2024 at 5:54 PM, kaisatsu said:

You'll definitely want an excursion, independent tour, or rental car in Leknes. The port is quite a ways from the town itself, so there's very little option to just disembark and wander around. The beauty of Lofoten is in the scenery, so being able to get farther afield is well worth it. Reine and Nusfjord are two beautiful locations that often appear on a Leknes excursion itinerary.

 

In Honningsvåg, if you're keen to visit the north cape monument and visitors center, you'll need to book transportation to get there.

 

Ålesund is a pleasant little city to wander around and is known for its art deco architecture, which is a bit uncommon for the Norwegian coast. If you're up for a bit of walking, Trondheim can also be done independently on foot if you want to visit the Nidaros cathedral and Gamle Bybro.

 

I love Tromsø and always explore on my own. I love wandering around town and have enjoyed the Polar Museum and Polaria aquarium. It's a bit of a trek if you want to take the cable car on the other side of the water, but you can also check the local buses. We took the cable car and then hiked a bit farther uphill for some higher views. I've also done the Mack brewery tour, though I'm not sure what it's like now that the main facility has moved out of town. Their brewpub is still great to visit with lots of small batch creations on tap. The Arctic Cathedral is architecturally interesting, but having been inside, I'm not sure it added much. I'd be happy to skip the admission fee and just view the exterior.

I was hoping to do a RIB tour to Trollfjord in the Lofoten Islands but they depart from Svolvear, not Leknes where my cruise will dock. Is such a boat trip even doable under these circumstances? Any suggestions on how to do this would be so appreciated… 

4 hours ago, FLORIDA FLOUNDER said:

WooHoo! 🥳 Cheers! 🥂

Interestingly, I also received a brochure from Viking yesterday afternoon with another promotion code, EBD (early booking discount) but it offered a lesser discount than the JW6.  WINNER! 🎖️

2 hours ago, FLORIDA FLOUNDER said:

Try JW6 😃

That promotion code worked! Had to call Viking rep and he had to research and call me back. He added it and you saved me $400. Thanks so much! 💚

On 6/2/2024 at 3:47 AM, CCWineLover said:

for those who don’t mind deck 5….

 

It is little known that the forward elevator lobby as NO rooms opening onto the lobby.  We are in 5028.  Both it and 5030 (along with the starboard 5031 and 5029) have doors that face the wall.  Despite the Viking deck plan diagram which wrongly shows them facing the elevator.

Trying to understand your point.  If the Viking deck plan has the staterooms you noted in the wrong location (vis a vis the elevator) are 5044, 5046 and 5048 also not directly across from the launderette? I'd love to book that location if not for that. Thanks for your help!  

8 hours ago, DrKoob said:

Don't keep me in suspense. Which one did you choose?

 

Ha!  Viking for Midnight Sun cruise in Norway.  It’s all about enjoying the setting and the views from every vantage point. Thanks!  

I'm a newbie.  Don't even know where to find promos (except here.) Anything posted for Into the Midnight Sun itinerary next summer?  I promise to catch up quick, though.

All; I cannot begin to tell you how happy we are and how appreciative of your time and recommendations!  

We booked the Viking cruise this morning but in reverse order, will start in London for a few days, skip the road trip in England (we will do that another time) and end the cruise in Bergen. We plan to ride the train as recommended to the Flam area, doing some sightseeing and vising those fjords up close, and will finish the trip with a few days in Oslo.

Thanks so much to all of you who gave me such great advice!     

On 10/19/2023 at 5:43 PM, DrKoob said:

We just finished a 15-night cruise from Montreal to Miami on Oceania's new Vista. I have been live blogging the entire cruise (as I did our Viking Sky cruise last fall) on my blog at www.jimbellomo.com if you are interested. Today I summed it up by comparing the two cruise lines. The rest of this is self-explanatory. I look forward to your comments. 

 

Let me sum up...

 

This should be the last post on our Vista cruise from Montreal to Miami. I hope you have enjoyed following along and the photos I have posted. I promised a final review of what we liked and didn't. Also, since Oceania has decided to become more Viking Ocean-like with their new Simply More inclusions, I will finish by comparing the two. They both desire to occupy the same space and attract the same cruisers.

..........

 

 

Wow, sir. I cannot thank you enough! As a newbie with both lines, I just booked one after three days of angst (before I read this.) I'm now even happier with my choice.  Thank you. 🥰 

On 8/12/2023 at 7:03 PM, Spurlady said:

I found the list with a search, thanks for letting me know it existed.

I'm a newbie. Would you please help/direct me to find it? I just booked a stateroom and if I understand what you are saying, I'd like to know this. I much prefer to sit facing forward...➡️➡️

My husband and I are split on the itineraries so still looking for more pros/cons on the 2 itineraries. Is Bergen not a must?  Is Oslo a must see if you're in Norway?

Thoughts on a compromise option  -- What if we do the Viking to experience the Midnight Sun and then travel by car for a few days from Bergen to see the nearby fjords? 

But then we'd be missing Alesund and a few of the other Norwegian ports.
 

Decisions, decisions...:)

Thanks so much to everyone who has responded....

43 minutes ago, clo said:

Definitely not "luxe" on our ship, the Lofoten (now retired). It had 100 pax, a little crane for some cargo, day passengers. There were only two other 'Americans' which we loved. English, German, Aussies and more.

 

The cabin was super small. We couldn't both stand up at the same time. The shower had no 'curb' so when the water was rough one day/night the water would run across the bathroom floor. We put bathroom 'stuff' in a cardboard box and set it on the toilet when we were in the shower. Loved every minute of it.

Now need to do the fjords.

 

We have an RV and travel in close quarters in the US, so small quarters don't upset us (too much.) Will have to research even more options now.  Thanks

On 7/5/2021 at 8:33 PM, Mura said:

Our first Norwegian cruise was Bergen to North Cape and back -- in 1977.  This was on the Bergen Lines which I believe are now Hurtigruten.  But back then the ships were actually mail boats that took passengers up the coast.  Our favorite visit was to the Troll Fjord.  We loved it so much that on the return back to Bergen we convinced the captain to take us in there again.

 

If I were deciding between Oceania,, Viking or Azamara, going back to the Troll Fjord would be the deciding port for me!

 

But as Lyn said, the ships get you there.  The ports are what should be the deciding point.

 

Only smaller ships can get into the Troll Fjord.  But it is truly spectacular.

 

Mura

 

 

 

 

 

Now intrigued by Troll Fjord.  Who else has visited and what can you add? Need to research it further.  🧐

Hello Cruisers! 

We normally sail on Celebrity so we have little experience with other cruise lines (only with RC when we used to take our kids.) We are looking to book a cruise to Norway on a smaller ship in 2025, but I am stumped.  Please give us any advice you can share about the cruise lines, too, but primarily the itineraries. Our trip will include visiting London, an 7-8 day road trip through England (before or after the cruise)  It's likely this will be our only trip to Norway so want not to miss the highlights! Your help will be so appreciated!  

Oceania (15 day) - June

Southhampton

At Sea

Belfast, Ireland 

Killybegs, Ireland

Isle of Sky, UK 

Lerwick, UK

Alesund, Norway

Geireinger, Norway

Nordfjordeid, Norway

Flam, Norway

Stavanger, Norway

Kristiansand, Norway

Skagen, Denmark

Oslo, Norway (2)

OR

Viking (14 day) - June/July

Bergen, Norway (2)

Geiranger, Norway

Sail Norwegian Sea

Lofoten, Norway

Tromso, Norway

Honnigsvag, Norway

Sail Norwegian Sea

Lerwick, UK

Orkney Islands, UK

Edinburgh, Scotland

Sail the North Sea

London (Greenwich) (2) 

Thanks again!

On 1/9/2024 at 5:42 PM, lackcreativity said:

I hope my suggestion will be acceptable on an Oceania thread. I am here to learn about the Oceania experience, in hopes of finding some Mediterranean itineraries that are unavailable on Viking, my cruise line of choice.

 

I am not a cold weather fan for vacations, but I know enough about Viking's offerings to report that they have a strong presence in Scandanavia, with a variety of options available. They already have dates available for all of 2025 and much of 2026. Perhaps you might find something that suits your August anniversary there.

 

Again, as a likely future Oceania cruiser myself, I hope my advice will be recognized as an attempt to be helpful. From what my research here has shown me so far, it seems that Viking and Oceania are similar, and both are very popular. 

Thank you.  I actually looked at Viking options as my 1st choice.  Both Oceania & Viking would be new lines to try for us.  But I couldn’t find an itinerary on Viking which I preferred.  I would rather stay on the European mainland rather than start or end in Iceland.  I also saw an Azamara itinerary which looked interesting but I prefer the newer ships.  

Thanks so much! I was wondering if they were not yet released. I almost booked in June because we do want to go summer of 2025, but prefer a later date to celebrate an anniversary in August.         

Neither here or there, but just happened to see a current wine list/pricing posted on the Oceania thread and thought it would be helpful to share.  🙄

Hello, 

I have been trying to find cruise options for a Norwegian fjords cruise on this cruise line in late summer 2025 or even 2026 but am find nothing.  Since I'm new to this line, was wondering if anyone can help? (I'm on hold with the cruise line so thought I'd post here while I wait.) Is it possible they are not yet released?  

I apologize in advance.  Looking to change to other lines/smaller ships (from Celebrity) so may be annoyingly present here at least for awhile.

Thanks all! 

1 minute ago, jelayne said:

It seems from recent posts that, at least in the Retreat, they tell you about the upcharge before serving the wine but no slips to sign.  

Thanks jelayne. We typically dine in BLU and always love that our sommeliers are usually very attentive to "refill" our wine glasses before our glass is empty.  Not sure how this will work with all the wine upcharges; they will bring you another serving in a new wineglass or wait until you are finished to refill?  I guess they will figure it out, but it won't be a problem for me.  Will likely just stop purchasing packages or seek alternatives to Celebrity that are more "all-inclusive." 

29 minutes ago, Debordo said:

We were on the Dec 10th sailing of the Ascent. I was very disappointed with the price increase for the wines and other drinks. We purchased a classic package as a gift for our friends we were traveling with as a treat for them.  The wine options were so small it was ridiculous. My husband and I were on the premium package as I enjoy Conundrum wine. Last year on the Beyond this was always in the premium package. This year I was charged $2.40 up charge. I always enjoyed the sommelier being generous with keeping my glass full of wine while I was on the package. This also is no longer true as they’d have to ask each time to verify I’m willing to pay the upcharge.
The reason I buy a package is for the convenience and as my husband is on medication and no longer can drink any alcohol, I’m definitely paying a premium. There really is no way I can justify the price with the amount of drinks I drink. Celebrity really should rethink these upcharges as I have decided to no longer purchase a package and just pay as I go. I’ll be spending much less so Celebrity will be missing out on their profit from me.  

Truth!  We have an upcoming cruise on Ascent.  The day I have to start to pay for an upgrade (and sign a little paper) for pretty pedestrian wines will be the final time I purchase an alcohol package.  How utterly annoying and ridiculous. Be careful what you ask for, Celebrity!  You may be destroying the alcohol package programs you created to increase revenue and it may backfire.

On 12/29/2023 at 2:45 PM, LindaS272 said:

My favorite was In the Wake of the Vikings—Bergen to Montreal. Next favorite was Santiago (Valparaiso), Chile, to Buenos Ares. Haven’t been on a port intensive one yet. We tend to prefer ones that take us to far flung places that we wouldn’t go to on our own as a destination (Faroes, Falkland, Chilean fjords, throw in Svalbard, too.)

We have been Celebrity cruisers but are planning our first Viking cruise for 2025. I haven't seen that one so will have to look for it. Thank you. 

Had an incredibly frustrating experience yesterday when I cancelled flights by Celebrity before Final Payment. Just sharing so others know what happens and not to be surprised when it does. 

I changed my travel itinerary and needed different flights to return from Europe after a TA.  I booked the flights directly and called Flights by Celebrity to cancel the prior reservations before Final Payment as is allowed.  I verified with agent that this cancellation did not affect my cruise booking and she assured me opf such, and that there was no cancellaton fee.

Immediately, I started getting emails saying that my specialty restaurant reservations, WIFI upgrades and even 1 excursion would be cancelled unless I paid certain amounts since I had exceeded my OBC (I had not).  Not just one email, but multiple emails; one after another. These were extremely concerning because they were sent to me and copied to another couple with whom we are traveling and we had booked various reservations as we are linked together. 

Thankfully, I had computer access so immediately went on the Celebrity website.  The cruise was still there but the payment had increased significantly even though the flights were no longer there. 

I was so concerned that I called Celebrity & waited & waited.  Finally, I was fortunate enough to reach an EXCELLENT customer service rep who told me he would check it out, contact his support dept and would call me back. Honestly, I was skeptical but he did just that.  After 2 to 3 hours back and forth on the phone, & multiple call backs from the same rep, it was all supposedly fixed.  They couldn't reinstate the same cruise rate I had but the difference was minor. The OBC was also reinstated. The specialty restaurant bookings were supposedly all reinstated, although what I received has no specific dates or times or passenger names anymore. The wifi and premium drink package upgrades are not specific with the passenger's names, either.

The Rep explained that cancelling flights, which is permissible without any penalty or fees, up-ends the entire cruise reservation and resets everything so it all has to be manually corrected, to the extent it can be.  I did go back and print my receipts for each individual booking from OBC (from my emails) to bring with me. Hopefully, all will be well!  If not, I expect I will be very pissed when I get on board my cruise and my travelling companions and I have to spend hours at Guest Relations after boarding. 

Sharing so you know what to expect if you end up in the same proverbial "boat".          

To the OP: 

I'm so sorry that your family trip was disrupted by this unexpected unpleasantness and that your daughter (and your entire family) was understandably distressed. 

Ultimately, it doesn't matter who's employee(s) created this snafu. They were representing the cruise company and ultimately, Celebrity needs to respond appropriately. 

I hope you share Celebrity's response and that an apology is prominently included.

Period.