CharlieDog4

The ships now offer a large bed that is designed to sleep 2 as well as the couch that flips to a single bed. In cabins that sleep 4 on the Magic and Wonder' date=' there is a ceiling bunk that drops down and if a cabin sleeps 5, there is a murphy bed that folds out from a wall. This did not change with the re-imagination of the Wonder as their beds were changed a couple years ago to conform with the other ships.

 

On the Dream and Fantasy, the 4th person's bed can be either the ceiling bed or a murphy bed depending on the cabin configuration.

 

What did change on the Magic and Wonder is that the large bed can NOT be divided into two smaller beds. The beds that could separate were removed several years ago on the Magic and a little more recently on the Wonder. They were never on the Dream or Fantasy.[/quote']

Thank you. That is what I thought, too. That main CC review of the Wonder really needs to be corrected.

Hello!

 

An updated review of Disney Wonder is on our site, with details about Frozen and the new themed kid spaces, as well as Tiana's restaurant. I sailed in November!

 

If you didn't catch it, details about the new spaces on Fantasy were just released yesterday. New Dr. Strange and Star Wars spaces, which if your family is a fan, we would recommend!

 

Either way, enjoy your cruise! Thank you for being a Cruise Critic member.

 

~Brittany Chrusciel, Associate Editor, Cruise Critic

Hi Brittany, The updated Wonder review refers to the option of having a queen or two twins. Is that accurate? I haven't been on the The Wonder in several years, but my prior experience has been that all of Disney ships only offer a queen size bed with the couch that transforms to a single as well as a pull down bunk. Is this a result of the reimagining of the Wonder?

On our 2 previous Viking river cruises, we did not sign up for excursions prior to boarding, but I don't believe it was offered then. Last October, we did a Viking Mediterranean cruise on the Star, their first ocean cruise ship. We signed up for excursions as early as possible and I am happy we did as the spaces were filled up for those who waited, even on the "included" excursions. We I'll be doing the Rhine Getaway in October, 2016, and I have already signed up for most of the excursions I want.

 

 

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Thank you! Very helpful info!

Well, here I am again with more questions.:confused:

My travel agent is telling me Viking is pushing me to sign up (and pay of course) for optional excursions listed in MyViking for our upcoming Danube Waltz cruise.

There are only a few optional excursions listed in MyViking and not for every port. Some are also offered at conflicting times. I hear that MYViking is relatively new, so maybe they don't always list all of the options available? For the veteran Viking cruisers out there - are there additional options available once onboard? Do these excursions really sell out in advance so that I should really strongly consider signing up now? Although, I can't see how an excursion could sell out, since I keep reading about bus loads of folks going on excursions. lol

I had planned to make these kinds of decisions once on board after chatting with the tour director and taking into account how we were feeling on a particular day. I keep hearing about how passengers need to be flexible about port times, schedule changes, and possible bussing, so I was actually settling into that " just go with the flow" mentality. That's why I'm feeling that it isn't very fair to be pushed into deciding on these optional excursions ahead of time. Just a ploy to lock in more $ on Viking's part or a real concern about being closed out of excursions?

Thanks, all! I'm learning a lot here!

Just returned from our Danube Waltz and enjoyed Vienna. As I recall, our morning tour left at 8:45 and therefore we had time for breakfast. I don't recall there being but one tour offered us but we were told that if we wanted to stay in town rather than go back to the ship for lunch we could and they had subway maps and instructions for you.

I agree with Jeff that there isn't much in the immediate area of the dock worth doing. We would have stayed in town and explored on our own but they offered and we participated in a complimentary option market tour led by Chef and the Concierge. The metro tickets were added to our onboard account but otherwise it was free. Very enjoyable though I wish the group had of been smaller - there were probably close to 16 on ours...sorta unwieldy in the market. The excursion included unexpected tastings so it was very nice.

 

We elected to not return with the rest of the group and enjoyed beers and coffee in the market on a beautiful sunny spring day.

 

There is an early seating for dinner for those going to the various concerts, we elected to stay onboard and it was great to have the sip mostly to ourselves for a late dinner followed by a movie in the cabin.

 

They announced they were going to serve Goulash at 10:15 after the concert goers returned....I hear it was tasty but I was snoring;)

Thank you - very helpful information!

Hi CharlieDog4,

 

We spent a day with Viking in Vienna during our "Romantic Danube" cruise in August of 2015, and I thought that I'd provide some details:

 

The morning excursion was after breakfast (around 9AM maybe?) and they offered us two different "included" tours - one was the regular panoramic tour mentioned in the itinerary, and we took the tour that focused more on the local Art Nouveau highlights (with a visit to the Belvedere Museum to see Gustav Klimt, etc.). Both tours lasted 3 ish hours, and we ended up back to the ship for lunch. A few of the people in our group were dropped off in the main part of Vienna so that they could stay in town. As stated prior, the subway is a short walk from the docking area, and obtained good reviews from other cruisers for ease of use, etc. We did not do the Schoenbrunn Palace optional tour as I wanted to spend the afternoon riding scary rides at The Prater :D

 

Regarding the Mozart concert - if I'm remembering correctly, they had an early dinner sitting for those attending the concert so that they could eat, then leave for the show.

 

Vienna was an incredible town, and we plan to go back very soon. Be sure to stock up on the Mozart chocolate marzipan candies that seem to be everywhere! I purchased a bag for about 3.50 Euro, and now regret that I didn't get more as they are much more $ here :(

 

Jeff

Thanks for the info, Jeff. Looks like the section of the U4 subway line that goes to the Schoenbrunn Palace will be closed for renovations while we are there. That would put a serious kink into the plan if we decided to use use public transportation to/from there. I'm not sure which line runs by the boat, but that might still be a good option for how to get back into the city later in the day. With only one day in the city, I'm a little concerned about spending the majority of it on both a morning and afternoon tour. Maybe once on board, we may choose to skip the morning overview tour, then go off on our own till it's time for the Palace tour.

Aside from walking to a subway, is there anything of interest within nearby walking distance of the boat - cafes? shopping? Is it easy to get a taxi from/to the boat?

Thanks also for the tip on the chocolate marzipan candies - I will totally keep an eye out for them! :D

This is my 1st cruise ever, I have a few questions:

 

Have you been on the Viking Danube Waltz Cruise? Any tips or need to knows?

 

I know it is a river but can the ride get "bumpy"?

What about the locks, how is that experience?

 

How are the optional excursions on Viking?

Specifically the Heurigen Evening in Vienna and Grand Market: Taste of Hungary & Pancake Kitchen in Budapest, has anyone been on either of them?

Is there any other Optional excursion that you would recommend?

 

Gratuities: I am traveling Solo, do I TIP for 2 or 1? Also is Tipping only done at the end of the cruise?

 

 

 

I appreciate any insight or suggestions. Thanks in advance.

 

Note: I incorrectly asked the same questions on the roll call thread :(

When are you taking this cruise? We are on the 8/7/16 Danube Waltz.

Hello CharlieDog4,

 

I am sure the experienced Viking cruisers will be happy to answer your questions. I had a thought: from what you describe the morning tour will take all morning and it sounds as if it is designed to bring the hungry travellers straigth back to the boat. You can, of course, having given notice to the guide that you would like to leave the tour early to have stroll and a coffee, do just that. I hope this website can give you a few tips: https://www.wien.info/en/shopping-wining-dining/coffeehouses

 

While you are looking for a place to have a cup of coffee do some windowshopping on the way. Great shops to look at and find the odd thing you might want to take home. :)

 

Over to the Viking cruisers...

 

notamermaid

Great website! Really enjoying reading through it. Thanks!:)

Hello All,

I'm a first timer on the upcoming 8/7/16 Viking Danube Waltz trip. I have some questions regarding the timing and quality of the included and optional excursions.

In general, what time do the morning excursions typically start? Are you able to have breakfast onboard first? In Vienna, the general overview tour is listed as a morning tour that is 3.5 hours long. Are you returned to the boat after the tour, or can you be dropped in the city to explore on your own? We are also thinking about signing up for the optional Schoenbrunn Palace tour that is also listed as taking 3.5 hours. I am guessing that tour will definitely return us to the boat. It is listed as an afternoon tour, but do any of you experienced cruisers know if that means early afternoon or late afternoon? Also, how much time were you left with to explore on your own?

Here's the thing, we are interested in both of these tours, but we don't want to miss out on the coffee house experience. Is the boat typically docked within walking distance to nice cafes - even if not directly located in the city?

As for the evening tours - do they start after dinner onboard? There are two options - a Mozart & Strauss Concert and a Heurigen evening. Has anyone signed up for the Heurigen evening? Did you enjoy it? Again, would the boat be typically docked in a spot where we could stroll around after dinner on our own to find a spot for a drink and people watching?

Thanks for taking the time to read through my questions - I must confess, I will probably have lots more! :)

Thanks for the quick reply! :-)

We have a few stories in the works about Emerald...I'll let you know when they are up!

Hi, I am also researching Emerald, and may have to make a decision in a day or two if I want to keep a good price quote. Your mention about upcoming stories is intriguing. Do you mean positive stories or negative ones?

Thanks!

Thank you for your post! You provided fun insight into what cruising was like back in the "Love Boat" days! :)

Actually, I think they are going to Colombia and offering a BOGOTA.

:D:D:D:D Good one, too!!

Actually, I think they are going to Colombia and offering a BOGOTA.

I think that they are expanding their itineraries in the South Pacific, and the new promotion will be BOGOTOGO.

 

:D :D

:D:D:D:D Made me laugh at loud this morning!

We had #9078 on the Serenade a few years ago and right after the re-fit and it was the noisiest cabin ever. The music from the Centrum/Atrium permeated via both the hall and elevators. They tried closing the emergency doors during the performances to no avail and at times it made it worse when pax went to their cabins and the door opened/slammed. TG, we were able to vacate to a cabin away from the centrum.

Thanks for the advice. :)

Well, I chickened out totally from booking either of the Deck 9 hump cabins and booked 8614 instead. I read lots of reviews, and it seemed chancy regarding the noise level. 8614 is still mid ship (I like the smoothest ride possible), but seems far away enough to hopefully not pick up the Centrum noise.

Thanks for the input.

9590 is now available, so I have a courtesy hold on it. Still on the hump, but on the starboard side. Smaller balcony than 9092, but maybe quieter? It seems there is a wall with a kind of private hallway - hoping that will buffer the Centrum noise?

Appreciate any other input. I have been reading lots of threads, but most of them seem to be older - before this apparent upgrade that affected noise levels. What time does it usually quiet down in the Centrum anyway? Midnight?

Thanks all! :)

Hi All,

I considered myself lucky to be able to catch 9092 available on the Serenade. However, after reading some threads, I'm learning that there is more noise filtering into the cabin than before due to a speaker upgrade in the Centrum. Anyone sail recently in this cabin or one close by it? Apparently, this was once a quiet cabin, but maybe not so much anymore? Does it quiet down at a certain time typically? Thanks in advance for the input! :)

Hi All,

I considered myself lucky to be able to catch 9092 available on the Serenade. However, after reading some threads, I'm learning that there is more noise filtering into the cabin than before due to a speaker upgrade in the Centrum. Anyone sail recently in this cabin or one close by it? Apparently, this was once a quiet cabin, but maybe not so much anymore? Does it quiet down at a certain time typically? Thanks in advance for the input! :)

CharlieDog4-- We used 2 different companies. We really liked the company on the second day--GeoIceland. It was Gti--Gateway to iceland tours that we did not.

 

You can find my review here. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...al_Region.html

Thanks for the info. I have been reading good things about GeoIceland. I ended up booking a private tour with Gunnsi from Season Tours. He has lots of positive reviews on Tripadvisor regarding how personable he is in addition to being informative. Fingers crossed! :)

Thanks so much for your great review and photos! My daughter and I will be in Iceland following our Baltic cruise in May. I think you mentioned that you would not choose the same tour operator if you had to do it again. What was the name of the tour company and why didn't you like them? I am in the process of researching tours, so any insight you could provide would be really appreciated. Thanks!

It sounds like food is important to you.

 

DO NOT MISS THE CHEF'S TABLE. Fabulous gourmet dinner with wine pairings.

Yes, it is! Lol! :)

We have been sailing with Disney for many years,and are spoiled by the food quality. I have been wanting to try Royal Caribbean again, and this Baltic/St. Petersburg cruise on the Serenade seemed like the perfect opportunity.

Hi All,

Let's talk food. :):):)

This is only our second time on RC, the first time being over 12 years ago. We'll be sailing on Serenade of the Seas in May. Do you recommend the specialty restaurants - I think there is a steak, Italian, and Mexican one? How is the food quality in the MDR? We weren't able to select a dining time, so we have the anytime option. Is there a wait to get a seat? Likely, we'll be out sightseeing since the cruise is port intensive, so we would opt toward a later seating time.

Are there any special pastry/snack items you recommend to be found in other spots throughout the ship? Any favorite entrees or awesome desserts we should be on the look out for? Any especially good room service items?

Thanks, everyone! Appreciate all of your guidance!

Thanks for the quick replies! :)

We'll be on it for the 5/16/15 cruise - will let you know when we get back...

I agree it must be the first time for this ship's itinerary - I haven't had any luck finding any info about it either. :)

Good Day Everyone,

We'll be sailing Serenade of the Seas in May to Scandinavia and St. Petersburg. I was wondering if Guest Services provides a currency exchange service on board? If they do, do they charge a service fee of any sort? I plan to use my credit card as much as possible, but I am hearing that taxis/trams/etc. may only take local currency. Typically, I would go to a local ATM to get a little cash if needed. But, I'm not sure how conveniently located ATMs might be in Stockholm and Helinski - whether or not we would come across transport or ATMs first after disembarking.

Also, while I'm on the currency topic, we are taking an SPB tour in St. Petersburg. Is there a need for local currency while on their one day tour? For those who have taken SPB's one day tour, are there any shopping opportunities - gift shops along the tour itinerary that take only local currency?

Thanks all!