rbslos18

My comment about price regards making that the main criterion. Policies vary and that’s where a good agent is indispensable. This forum is full of people who have had buyer’s remorse.

There seems to be three takeaways: Look for an agent 1) who is knowledgeable about the product amd can help guide in the selection process. Price is only one component. 2) has the time and willingness to help with claims. 3) uses a limited number of companies they specialize in. For years I used a DIY approach until I found this board and used the questions posed as a test. I didn’t pass.

Our experience is Viking goes above and beyond to accommodate a wide variety of dietary needs and do it well.

Dd57- You perfectly described our experience on Princess. We did over 30 cruises with Princess which has morphed into something not even remotely similar to Viking. Well said!

I think the issue is what role, if any, should be played by the agent who sells a policy. If I have a problem arranging a medical test, I don’t expect the doctor to intervene. There is staff to do this. When we had a house leak, a staff assistant reached out to the insurance company, not the agent. Is to role of an agent just to sell a policy or is it reasonable that s/he also be an advocate when a claim is filed and there is an issue. Another factor may also be the size of the business selling the policy. A larger insurance broker company may have a staff person assigned to assist with claims. I’m trying to learn the terrain of this industry which I regularly use but thankfully rarely need. It’s better to understand this before needing help!

Since my agent did not assist when we asked for help, I’m trying to determine whether that was a fair expectation.

We had a claim due to having COVID and having missed three flights. Adding insult to injury we and a couple of dozen people were given a worthless hotel voucher by the airline. (They never paid it, sticking all passengers with their hotel bill!). I have been very satisfied with help in buying the policy and the policies offered. But now that we have had our first claim, I want to have realistic expectations. Going forward, what role, if any, should I expect my insurance agent to play in resolving such matters? I am trying to calibrate my expectations.

Meclizine is available at most pharmacies in the US (behind the counter) and from Amazon. We recently paid $5.98 for a bottle of 100 on Amazon.

Which Viking excursion port has Sex on the Beach? Or is it Spinach on a Beach?!

Yes the vibe on Princess and most Carnival Corp products is very different than Viking. I’ll look forward to your comparison with Viking!

We just returned from the cruise. It was a relaxing cruise and we loved it. I think Theresa’s review is accurate. We loved the musicians and the peaceful feeling but that may be generational. We did not eat in the specialty restaurants as they didn’t have food that interested us. For pescatarians who love fish and fresh options, we found the food in The Restaurant and the World Cafe to be excellent. We found the wines served with dinner to be very good and as a resident of Kentucky, Theresa is spot on about the bourbon selection!

I think one of the measures mentioned above should work. I don’t like sea sickness so we choose cabins midship on Deck 3 and I take meclizine daily. The sea bands and ginger are backup measures. I also know the medical staff are experts in dealing with this if all else fails. Most importantly, Viking has a young fleet with the latest technological advances.

We were on the July 2nd Neptune cruise. Not to worry! There were ample options all marked with a GF symbol on The Restaurant menu and in the World Café. I did hear a couple of people aske for GF bread at the World Café which was readily available.

We only bring Visa and Mastercard and keep all vital copies of credit cards and important information in 1Password. We bring our passport and Global Entry cards.

I would bring it just in case. We can also access from our doctor's My Chart app.

As a rule there usually is not a wait. It’s not a regular occurrence. We had to wait twice on the Neptune last week. The first time was due to six couples all wanting to have a table for two by a window. There were plenty of other tables available. The wait was 7 minutes. The second time was a long line following a popular lecture. The line went fast. So 90%+ we walked in with no wait. The norm is to show up and be seated right away. The system used works well.

My dw never met a veggie burger she could not stomach until our Viking cruise in 2021! Viking has redeemed itself!

Thanks! Any suggestions for hotels near the V&A Museum?

We are tentatively scheduled to do a Viking Precruise Extension in London in February. The cost is $999 per person for two nights, hotel (Conrad St. James), two breakfasts and transfers. Is London a complicated city to do the transfers including travel to the port (Tillbury)?

We are on the Neptune and much to our surprise the veggie burger served at the Pool Grill is an Impossible Burger. This is a huge upgrade over the former (inedible) veggie burger.

I have had no significant problem using a VPN on the Neptune.

I am currently testing a VPN (Mullvad) on a Viking cruise. The only downsides I have found is initially the Viking Voyager app did not work until I turned off the VPN. Once the app worked and the VPN was turned on, the Voyager app would not display Daily events.

Do tech savvy Viking cruisers use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) when traveling on Viking or any cruise ship? How secure do you find Viking's public Wi-Fi network? Any suggestions of a VPN compatible on Viking? Thanks for your advice.

Crispy/Pushka your posts are sobering. Crispy, I wish you a quick recovery. It is surprising people are still neglecting to wash their hands. How soon some forget the past few years. Pushka, the story about the elderly lady’s husband was sobering. This is the ultimate cruise nightmare. Our last cruise in December 2021, some people refused to follow Viking’s mask rules. I felt bad for staff tasked with asking adults to follow the rules passengers knew and had agreed to pre-cruise.