mathtutor101

We met some friendly people from Iceland a few weeks ago at our golf course in Tampa.  Now, we are going to play golf in Iceland as an adventure we will remember for life.  Brautarholt Golf Club is our "private tour"...they will pick us up from the ship, provide rental clubs and a golf cart.  The dramatic photos on their website are beautiful.  They told us there are 65 golf courses in Iceland.  Brautarholt is the oldest.  We thought this would be a fun thing to do on our 2nd trip to Reykjavik.   FORE!

On 8/30/2019 at 1:59 PM, bobinnv said:

 

Agree with you there.. Hong Kong is one of the stars of that itinerary, and the one I had been concerned about..

We are on the November 1, 2019 Far Eastern Horizons cruise as well.  We've been monitoring the Travel Advisory for Hong Kong and it remains a Level 2 (exercise a high degree on caution).  We took the travel insurance with Viking and rely on their judgement, so we'll see what happens...at least we know if there are problems at the airport with flight cancellations, Viking will take care of it.  Our family & friends are more worried at this point than we are.  For now, we are going to enjoy "In the Wake of the Vikings" starting next week on 9/11.  🙂

mathtutor101

 

We are on the same cruise in the same category and were able to book our desired excursions as well. We opted to do private tours in Israel with Israeli-tours.com with another couple so that we could maximize our time in Israel. Our friends have been to Israel 3-4 times so the private tour will allow us to make deviations from the published tour. We are also staying 2 nights at the New Imperial Hotel just inside the Jaffa gate again to make the most of our time in Israel. Glad you were able to schedule your excursions. Hope to see you soon on board.

Linda and Jim

Excellent. That sounds amazing. While I know we won't see everything, we will enjoy just being "in the moment" and the experience of a lifetime. Looking forward to seeing you soon on board as well! Marsha and Byron

We did this cruise October 2017, we booked the entire cruise within 45 days of sailing. Some of the tours were already totally booked, however, once on the ship, you have the chance to be waitlisted for the booked tours and they also added popular tours. We were able to get the tours we wanted!

That’s great to hear! We are hoping to do the same. Thanks for responding! :)

Just a summary of our Shore Excursion booking today (60 days out in a V1 category) for Cities of Antiquity and The Holy Land departing November 3, 2018.

1. We reserved "Nazareth & the Sea of Galilee" ($149/pp) with no problem. Very excited.

2. We reserved all of our other Included Excursions with no problems (i.e. No Included Excursions were 'sold out' as in the past, so Viking is doing great with resolving that issue).

3. The only Optional Excursion that we wanted which was Sold Out was Ashdod to "Jerusalem & Bethlehem." (note: it was also Sold Out from Haifa, but we didn't want that tour anyway due to longer bus ride = 12 hour excursion). We have opted for a private tour from Ashdod and Viking gave us recommended tour operators as well.

Thanks again for all the feedback and recommendations!

The bus journey from Ashdod to Jerusalem is at least an hour shorter each way than from Haifa to Jerusalem. Going from Ashdod last year, we had enough time to see what was advertised for the tour. Previously, we had toured from Haifa (different cruise line, but essentially the same tour) where we did a bit of Jerusalem, then Bethlehem, lunch and more of Jerusalem, now in the dark but less busy than in daytime. The return bus trip in darkness to Haifa was sleepy time! We preferred the Ashdod trip.

 

Haifa to Nazareth and Galilee was excellent. We were not rushed at any time, and were well educated on the significance of the religious history of our journey. We had an hour in Nazareth and then spent a further hour where the River Jordan enters the Sea of Galilee (Ultra-expensive tourist trap here, even more expensive than in Jerusalem). We had an explanation of the importance to Israel of the Golan Heights as we viewed them across the Sea.

 

We can recommend both tours, from Ashdod to Jerusalem and to Galilee from Haifa. The Viking tour from Haifa to Jerusalem last year did not seem to achieve as many gold stars as did ours from Ashdod, mainly because of the length of the bus journeys which ate into the time in Jerusalem.

 

Some pax went on the tour to the Dead Sea, and gave it high marks.

Last night (60 days out) we were able to book "Nazareth & The Sea of Galilee", which surprised us! Thanks for the recommendations. Ashdod to Jerusalem was sold out, but we have a backup plan.

We are one day away from booking our excursions and see that 7 Optional tours are already Sold Out. Disappointing, but will have to book our private tours. I agree with what Senior Editor Colleen McDaniel with Cruise Critic writes... "Also worth noting is the disparity in quality between the ship's included shore excursions and its optional, for-fee offerings, which are, in some cases, significantly better." You just can't always get the optional shore excursions! We will see tomorrow what happens with the Included excursions.

I had a very good experience booking with Viking Air today... I did the business class upgrade w/Viking Air Plus.

 

Customer service agent was extremely friendly. It was a complicated itinerary with the extensions, but she was able to get me on my preferred carriers (my husband and I are both United Global Services/Star Alliance Gold) by playing with code shares and by my willingness to be flexible and take a short connecting flight on the outbound. It all came in under the contract with no add/collect.

 

I ended up with:

 

SFO-LAX-LHR on United

Bergen to Oslo on SAS

Oslo to FRA on SAS as a LH codeshare

FRA to SFO on United as LH codeshare

 

I tried booking the same exact flights directly with United and the business class fare was coming in at $17k per person, so using Viking was a huge savings, and once booked, everything immediately populated in my United App so I am confident my FF status carried thru.

 

That being said, I had to be patient and work with her as she bid the flights... the call was 1 hr 4 minutes long! LOL.

You will love this routing. Viking Air Plus routed us on the same....Bergen to Oslo/ Oslo to Frankfurt/ Frankfurt to Tampa. You will probably have a breakfast from the ship, then another breakfast on the 50-minute flight to Oslo, then another breakfast on the Oslo-Frankfurt. Once in Frankfurt, Lufthansa has its own Customs Control for transferring into the Euro Zone, which is REALLY nice with no big, long line. Then you can have lunch in the Lufthansa Business Class lounge before your TransAtlantic flight. It was heavenly. Since everyone speaks English, we asked a guy pushing an empty wheelchair how to get to Lufthansa and he took us up an elevator right to it and avoided the LONG lines. Have a great trip.

My understanding is that you can use OBC toward gratuities, although that may not always have been the case. My most recent cruise docs from a cruise we just got back from says: “Shipboard credits: A shipboard credit can be used toward bar, gift shop, gratuities, and/or shore excursions. These have no cash value and are nontransfersble. Other restrictions may apply.” We did use onboard credits to pay for our gratuities.

We used onboard credit to pay for our gratuities as well which was really nice. (OBC was not always allowed for gratuities...they used to want you to use it for drinks, spa, gift shop, etc.)

I don't post much, so I hesitate to push new buttons like the "+ (multi-quote button) because I'm not sure what it does.

Anyway, everyone's situation is different and the new Viking VISA card will work for us short term since the timing is right for the next 90 days & we cruise in 79 days. There is 0 annual fee. We can book a few optional Viking excursions on the card and make non-Viking purchases for a total $400 shipboard credit. We're not interested in the rewards points that expire in 36 months, but will keep an eye on them. Our main benefits come from booking onboard (bonus discount of $400/pp for a 13-15 day cruise, and shipboard credit of $500/stateroom for booking future voyages)....all subject to change, but currently pretty good.

If you marry into the Hagen family...you get to use the Owner's Suite.

I just want to be Karine Hagen's dog, Finse, and sleep on the couch in the Owner's Suite.

Viking's VISA Credit Card applications: (855) 300-4662 (Call-in unless pre-selected from paying balances with a CC)

Register/Online access/Benefits: https://comenity.net/vikingvisa

Notes...No annual fee...For new bookings only...understood cannot earn rewards for existing cruise balances on CC (that's where the real $$$ is) . I suppose we can book a cruise on the ship and use this card (instead of our Marriott VISA) and get the whopping $100 shipboard credit; then pay the balance with eCheck as usual to save 3.3%. Also spend $1000 in the next 90 days on gas, etc, which is real easy for the easy $100. 5000 pts. receive $50 reward toward a NEW Viking booking.

For no annual fee, how can you beat having Credit Card with a picture of a Viking Cruise Ship? hahaha!

Viking Visa® Credit Card exclusives

• 3 POINTS for every $1 spent on qualifying Viking purchases*
  
• 2 POINTS for every $1 spent on gas & grocery purchases**
  
• 1 POINT for every $1 spent everywhere else Visa is accepted
  

Earn SHIPBOARD CREDITS***:

• $100 SHIPBOARD CREDIT upon your first qualifying Viking purchase within the first 90 days of account opening
  
• $100 SHIPBOARD CREDIT when you spend $1,000 on qualifying non-Viking purchases within the first 90 days of account opening
  

We are laughing because we never knew about it at all until we were reviewing Holy Land excursions on MyVikingJourney.com Didn't see it in the Viking Daily. We will definitely use the App on future cruises.

The bus journey from Ashdod to Jerusalem is at least an hour shorter each way than from Haifa to Jerusalem. Going from Ashdod last year, we had enough time to see what was advertised for the tour. Previously, we had toured from Haifa (different cruise line, but essentially the same tour) where we did a bit of Jerusalem, then Bethlehem, lunch and more of Jerusalem, now in the dark but less busy than in daytime. The return bus trip in darkness to Haifa was sleepy time! We preferred the Ashdod trip.

 

Haifa to Nazareth and Galilee was excellent. We were not rushed at any time, and were well educated on the significance of the religious history of our journey. We had an hour in Nazareth and then spent a further hour where the River Jordan enters the Sea of Galilee (Ultra-expensive tourist trap here, even more expensive than in Jerusalem). We had an explanation of the importance to Israel of the Golan Heights as we viewed them across the Sea.

 

We can recommend both tours, from Ashdod to Jerusalem and to Galilee from Haifa. The Viking tour from Haifa to Jerusalem last year did not seem to achieve as many gold stars as did ours from Ashdod, mainly because of the length of the bus journeys which ate into the time in Jerusalem.

 

Some pax went on the tour to the Dead Sea, and gave it high marks.

This is good information for us to plan. Not sure what exactly we will be able to book when we get the chance but at least we have an idea of what we should ask for first. Since this is our first time to Israel, it will all be new to us and we look forward to seeing as much as we can. Thanks for your help.

This may have already been discussed and we missed it, but just saw Viking Voyager announced on MyVikingJourney.com

We just downloaded "VIKING VOYAGER" now available on all Ocean Ships...

This is an app you can use once onboard your ocean ship to:

- Book Shore excursions, dining and spa treatments

- See each day's onboard activities

- Manage your cruise calendar

- Get port & destination information

Once onboard, connect to the ship's WI-FI to activate. Very happy to see Viking introduce this! :D

Available on iOS and Android. (My IT husband has been begging for this since Day 1 and now loves Viking even more)

Hi, can you tell me whether any of the shore excursions from Haifa on your cruise include a round-trip, same-day visit to Jerusalem, either on your own or as part of a guided tour? I know there will likely be one from Ashdod, but was curious about Haifa. Thanks!

FYI...This excursion is also offered as a round-trip, same-day visit from Haifa to Jerusalem:

Eternal Jerusalem & the Yad Vashem Museum 7:15am-7:45pm $149/pp

Pay your respects at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, and follow in the footsteps of Jesus in Jerusalem. Dedicated to the six million Jews who lost their lives and those non-Jews who made efforts to save them, its exhibits chronicle Jewish life in Europe before and after the atrocities. You will see the Valley of the Communities, where names of 5,000 lost Jewish communities are inscribed on walls; marvel at the several thousand trees planted along the Avenue of the Righteous; and witness the sobering Hall of Names. Later, visit the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus was betrayed by Judas after the Last Supper. After stopping at the Church of All Nations, enjoy the vistas from the Mount of Olives. Then, explore the Old City of Jerusalem. View the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified and buried, and the Western Wall, Judaism’s most holy site.

Hi, can you tell me whether any of the shore excursions from Haifa on your cruise include a round-trip, same-day visit to Jerusalem, either on your own or as part of a guided tour? I know there will likely be one from Ashdod, but was curious about Haifa. Thanks!

Hi Cocopico,

Yes, there are two excursions from Haifa...same-day visit to Jerusalem. We are looking at this one "Jerusalem & Bethlehem" 7:15am-7:15pm $149/pp (This excursion is also offered again from Ashdod, so we have 2 chances to reserve and purchase)

Jerusalem & Bethlehem: On this in-depth excursion, witness the legacy of Jesus in two of Christianity’s most important cities. After a scenic drive, make a photo stop at the Mount of Olives, with its breathtaking panorama of the Old City. See the picturesque Gardens of Gethsemane and visit the impressive Church of All Nations. Then, walk into Jerusalem’s Old City. You will see the Western Wall, where Jews insert written prayers into the mortar’s nooks. From here, view the Temple Mount, crowned by the glittering Dome of the Rock, sacred to Muslims. Follow the Via Dolorosa, or “Way of Sorrows,” the road Jesus walked bearing the cross, to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre—site of Christ’s crucifixion, entombment and resurrection. (An internal visit to the tomb cannot be guaranteed.) Continue to Bethlehem for exterior views of the Church of the Nativity, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an important place of pilgrimage for Christians.

We did this trip in November/December 2017 we had no trouble booking the tours we wanted, went on line and booked a mixture of pay and included, I can recommend:

 

 

Eternal Jerusalem and the Yad Vasheem museum, we paid £94.00 each and worth every penny

Hailfa tour and Acre, included and also excellent

Rosh Hankia also from Haifa, we had 2 days there.

This is really good to know. Since our Nov. 4th cruise is already sold out (not surprising), hopefully we will be able to book the excursion we want. Thank you for the recommendations, too....will take a closer look.

You would think that they would have timed things better. This is not the first time they are calling in Israel.

 

 

Time to have a nice chat with the folks at tellus@vikingcruises.com -- before booking opens and before it is just too late to do anything about it. Once booking opens and if things start to sell out, contact them again and ask them to add more buses. Once you sail, it is too late to add buses but hopefully if everyone is proactive (read "nags"), Viking will do the right thing.

 

 

In Israel, the weekend is Friday and Saturday, so the car rental places will be closing early on Friday if they are open at all and they will be closed completely on Saturday. Even if you could find a place open on Friday, there would be no way to return the car on Saturday.

Hi Peregrina651,

Thanks for the info. It is nice to know that the weekend is Friday and Saturday. We will be in Haifa Saturday and Sunday. Our shore excursions will be available to reserve in 21 days, so we will be in close touch with Viking. Hopefully, all of the INCLUDED tours will be available this time around! ;)

My husband and I have a question about the optional tours offered on "Cities of Antiquity & The Holy Land." Naturally, we want probably the most popular ones that everyone else wants and since we are not high rollers, we are also in the last category to book (60 days out). Have most folks been able to get "Jerusalem & Bethlehem" ($149/pp) and "Nazareth & The Sea of Galilee" ($149/pp) online or have these typically been sold out? We are hoping to get these optional tours booked before departure as we know from experience that spending time checking back on MyVikingJourney, with Viking directly, or onboard at the Shore Excursion Desk can be both time consuming and frustrating. Thanks for any feedback!!

We just booked March 6, 2020 on the Orion (Auckland to Sydney). We were told that March is a good time to go...

Fall...March, April, May in New Zealand is gorgeous. It's one of the best times to plan your New Zealand vacation since the summer crowds have left, the attractions charge off peak rates, and the weather is amazing.

Hi Cocopico, we were on your 7/7/2018 cruise. Thanks for sharing your pictures! We took some of the same pictures while exploring ashore. Wonderful memories. Definitely a "do over" cruise!

Hi Mollymoo, we just completed the "British Isles Explorer" and were closed out of 'Historic St Andrews"...we ended up booking a private tour with a local, Duncan McNab, of http://www.edinburghdaytours.com, before we left home. He was waiting as we came into Newhaven Harbor with our name card. Duncan was absolutely wonderful and it was an unforgettable experience. The Viking Shore Excursion Desk did open up more seats to several 'sold out' excursions...you just have to check once you get onboard. We were spoiled on the private tour of Edinburgh and St Andrews. We are planning to use Duncan again for another tour.

Have a great trip!

We sail on the British Isles Explorer Aug 25th (after our Edinburgh extension). The NZ/Australia was booked for 2019 so we have booked for March 2020. Can't wait for both!

We also booked the Australia/New Zealand for March 2020. We leave on British Isles Explorer May 4, 2018. Can't wait either!

Yes, we are considering a backup plan with Edinburgh Day Tours...a private 6-hr tour for the 2 of us from the Viking Sun directly to St. Andrews and back is 300 GBP.