Harley57

Regarding VE pushing into the pack ice, I did see a post on the other site today where it appears they did push into the ice or at least are right next to it because the passengers are walking on the snow/ice.

@WMIT - you can check the Port Everglades website for the terminal. Unfortunately I can’t link it here, but if you are on Viking Mars it appears you will leave out of Terminal 19. There is also a large sign at the entrance to the port listing the ships and their berth. Uber and taxi drivers are very familiar with this. Enjoy your cruise. pevvesseltraffic.broward.org

I just returned from the Octantis sailing from Ft. Lauderdale to Santiago. You are correct that no toys were used, but we verified that with Viking prior to booking the trip so we were not disappointed. It was a last minute deal that was too good to pass up. As far as research, there were two NOAA weather balloon launches, daily wildlife watches with citizen e-bird surveys and perhaps some other research that my jet lagged brain is forgetting. I have no doubt that an Antartica expedition cruise would have more research, but we enjoyed the trip.

My experience is there was a blue nose ceremony and a certificate for Rounding Cape Horn. There was a crossing the equator ceremony that involved kissing the fish and taking a shot of Aquavit as well as a certificate. A Certificate only for transiting the Panama Canal.

I agree with you that the Viking extensions are more expensive than DIY or using a 3rd party provider however, if you are looking for a ‘seamless’ experience the added cost may be worth it. Earlier this year we were on Jupiter for the Buenos Aires to Santiago sailing. We did two days in BA on our own as it was very easy and did a mix of Viking optional and private excursions. We are not taking any of the overland or post cruise excursions. I was just providing information requested by another poster. We had planned to do a land trip to Peru a few years ago and we were working with a Peruvian travel agency. They were fabulous to work with but the trip never happened - first it was postponed due to the pandemic and then we cancelled a little later due to civil unrest in Peru.

Ah, now I see what you are referring to. The 4 day Machu Pichu overland from Manta Ecuador is sold out at $4899. The 7 day Galapagos + Machu Pichu overland has 2 spots left at $13,499. The 4 day Galapagos only overland has 4 spots left at $7699.

The 5 night post extension “Best of Peru” was offered at $5599 but is sold out. The 5 night post extension to the Galapagos is also sold out at $6799.

Thanks so much for posting OneSixtyTo One. This is a great savings on the Panama and South America segment and the timing fit into our calendar perfectly. I finished chemotherapy yesterday and booked the Octantis 10/25 sailing today (with my doctor’s blessing). It gives us a chance to experience the expedition ships and enjoy lots of sea days to relax.

I pretty much concur with the above posters regarding Hike Magellan Strait Park and Volunteer Point. We also did Punte del Este Food and Art and cannot imagine why it is rated demanding unless it is referring to the ability to eat and drink wine while visiting art museums over a 9-10 hour day. We loved all 3 tours.

While many of the comments on this thread focused on mobility issues associated with aging, it’s important to remember that folks of all ages may require some form of mobility assistance due to accidents, illnesses or conditions they are born with. My friend’s son who is in his mid 40’s has used a wheelchair most of his life due to a condition he was born with. He (and they) love cruising and sail a variety of cruise lines but their experiences with tendering and excursions have really opened my eyes to the challenges faced by those with mobility issues. Typically his dad pushes the wheelchair, however as his dad is now in his senior years this is becoming increasingly difficult. So while the ‘travel while you can’ is good advice, it doesn’t apply to everyone.

SailorPaulH - thanks for taking the time to post. We are taking the Northern Lights cruise in February, 2025 and will be doing a DIY visit to Oslo prior to the cruise and then the train to Bergen. The detailed information is much appreciated.

We cruised Buenos Aires to Santiago in February, 2024. I checked my notes: Ushuaia: 50’s, drizzle turning to sun Punta Arenas: 50’s, cloudy/partly sunny, windy Amalia Glacier: cruising only; mid 50’s, sunny; quite warm on deck and I wore a long sleeve short and vest. Of course, this is our experience only and you could experience very different conditions. As others have said, layers are the best way to go. Enjoy your trip.

Thanks MikeyB and Baron

Baron - I’m looking at Trade Routes for October 2025. Can I ask if the $1k discount and $400 double past guest is for each passenger? Or is this per couple? We do have a Viking cruise currently booked for February 2025. Thank you

Thank you so much for the info and pictures OneSixtyToOne. Data is always very helpful when I’m trying to convince DH

Thanks to all for your suggestions. I am also considering the Trade Routes of Middle Ages in October 2025 that ends in Tarragona (same as Hanoj). However it’s very tentative as I need to convince DH since we typically take one big vacation per year and we are already booked on In Search of the Northern Lights for February 2025.

We visited Barcelona in 2008 and spent 3 nights staying in hotels prior to boarding a Mediterranean Cruise. Even at that time I recall some vendors along Las Ramblas and in La Boquiera yelling that tourists should go home and leave them alone. I had hoped to return to Barcelona in late 2025 for a few days at the end of a cruise I am considering booking. But I am thinking that with so many wonderful places in Spain perhaps we should visit other areas such as Madrid, Toledo, Segovia or Valencia. We’ll have to give this some thought. Any suggestions?

Pete - thank you for the detailed review as well as a trip down memory lane. I spent several decades working for a Japanese company with many trips to Japan. I have fond memories of touring Himeji Castle with my colleagues on a very hot and humid June day.

Mio Buenos Aires in Recoleta. Many restaurants near by and less than two blocks from the Recoleta Cemetery. We stayed for two nights last month. Breakfast was included. Enjoy your trip https://www.miobuenosaires.com/en/

Ready to Sail - just FYI…I used google flights.com to search options. It appears there are options on American, United and Delta from Sacramento to Buenos Aires and vice versa. As you noted the flights from EZE to the U.S. leave late in the evening. Latam has a flight leaving at 3:55pm with stops in Santiago, Chile and LAX. We disembarked Viking Jupiter 10 days ago in Santiago Chile and faced the same situation with a 11:55pm flight. We left the ship at 8:15am. Everyone had to disembark by 9am. We arranged for a private tour through Tours by Locals with a drop off at the airport by 5:30pm. We booked a room at the Holiday Inn Santiago airport so we could nap and shower before the long flight home. We were only at the hotel for 4 hours so while a bit expensive for only a few hours it did help to rest and freshen up. There may be similar options for you in Buenos Aires. Enjoy your trip.

Gorgeous penguin pictures! Thank you so much for sharing. We are due to be there next month (fingers crossed) on a Viking cruise. Seeing your pictures has amped up our excitement.

We booked a February 2024 cruise back in May, 2023. Our PIF was July 2023. As others have noted, Viking does have a much earlier PIF date than other cruise lines. I’m not sure I believe all the comments about cruises filling up 1-2 years in advance as it seems there is still a few cabins available for my sailing next month, but I think it’s highly variable and dependent on the itinerary. It’s not discrimination against solo cruisers as a 100% single supplement is pretty much industry standard. For future cruises, you can always take a chance and book much closer to the sailing date so you don’t have the $$$ outlay so far in advance of the sailing date, however, you will be limited on cabin selection and likely pay a higher price than those that booked further out. This is our 2nd cruise on Viking and we love the onboard product, but we’ll see if we take a 3rd cruise with them. Hope you enjoy your cruise.

Thanks so much for taking the time to post. We will be on Jupiter in February from Buenos Aires to Santiago. While I know our ports of call are different and the ocean ships lack the ‘toys’, I am getting really excited for our trip.

Yes - we are also on the Feb 12 Jupiter cruise and looking forward to it.

Sorry to hear Norris is in the hospital. Sending healing thoughts for a quick and complete recovery.