Tips for New Viking Ocean Cruisers

I was only in the Infinity Pool...it was deep maybe about 5 feet...husband 6-2 had no problem. I am 5-2 and treaded water, bobbed, held on to the side or DH but I am very comfortable in the water over my head.

Only 5’. When I heard it was deep I was thinking I’d have to tread water. Mind you on an Alaska cruise I’m probably not going in anyway. Fresh water is much more difficult to float in than salt but much nicer.

I'm planning on bringing a couple inflatable noodles for the pool. They're not big or bulky. Hopefully theyre allowed.

I'm planning on bringing a couple inflatable noodles for the pool. They're not big or bulky. Hopefully theyre allowed.

That’s what I was wondering. As I said, I can tread water but DH is not a great swimmer. He’ll be holding on to the sides [emoji16]

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I'm planning on bringing a couple inflatable noodles for the pool. They're not big or bulky. Hopefully theyre allowed.

Before you pack them, why not contact Viking and ask. Or, maybe they will see this and respond.

Outdoor fresh water infinity pool is deep. You need to be well over 6 feet to stand. People hold onto the edge.

Outdoor fresh water infinity pool is deep. You need to be well over 6 feet to stand. People hold onto the edge.

Thanks! DH will like that it's fresh water. He can swim a little but not far. He'll be holding on to the edge. I've found that treading water - easier in salt water - doesn't take a lot of energy. I can do it for however long I want to be in the pool, then hold on with everyone else :cool:

I thought of a few more questions. I'll post them separately since they are completely different.

In Roothy's original post she said that on departure day the luggage needs to be put outside, then they put it on shore. We have made our own flight arrangements. If we wanted to take our luggage off (other lines call it self assist) ourselves in the morning, do you know if that's allowed. I don't know if we will. Our flight isn't until 1:30pm and the San Juan airport isn't far from the pier. I'd be inclined to hang around for breakfast, but DH is one who prefers to be on the way.

Probably should ask this on the San Juan board, but do any of you know if you go through customs in San Juan?

This question is about room service. When we cruise on other lines, I always take small bills for tips. Do you tip room service when they visit or at the end with all the other gratuities?

Thinking about breakfast on the veranda!

Since we're talking about money here ...

On other lines we always set up separate accounts to charge things. On the river cruise there was just one account, but basically there was just drinks. We're getting the Silver Spirits package for this cruise, so there won't be a charge for drinks, but I was eyeing a spa treatment for myself :p If it just gets billed to the room, I'll have to settle up!

159 days out and I'm excited for this cruise!

I thought of a few more questions. I'll post them separately since they are completely different.

 

In Roothy's original post she said that on departure day the luggage needs to be put outside, then they put it on shore. We have made our own flight arrangements. If we wanted to take our luggage off (other lines call it self assist) ourselves in the morning, do you know if that's allowed. I don't know if we will. Our flight isn't until 1:30pm and the San Juan airport isn't far from the pier. I'd be inclined to hang around for breakfast, but DH is one who prefers to be on the way.

 

Probably should ask this on the San Juan board, but do any of you know if you go through customs in San Juan?

I don't think (ask Viking) you can haul your own luggage around; I doubt it. Possible injury liability.

It is a non-problem as you will fill out a questionnaire a couple days before disembarkation where Viking asks about your private departure plans & needs. They'll get your lunge to where you access it off the ship. Everything grouped by departure to the airport times,

I don't think (ask Viking) you can haul your own luggage around; I doubt it. Possible injury liability.

It is a non-problem as you will fill out a questionnaire a couple days before disembarkation where Viking asks about your private departure plans & needs. They'll get your lunge to where you access it off the ship. Everything grouped by departure to the airport times,

We actually did this with Viking in Bergen. We took out luggage to Explorer's desk and left it while we ate. We then retrieved and walked off the ship.

We tipped room service when they delivered($1-2) depending what they were bringing.

Any services can be taken care of the day before you disembark. You get the bill delivered to your room and if there are no changes and you're paid up, you're free to go.

We actually did this with Viking in Bergen. We took out luggage to Explorer's desk and left it while we ate. We then retrieved and walked off the ship.

 

We tipped room service when they delivered($1-2) depending what they were bringing.

 

Any services can be taken care of the day before you disembark. You get the bill delivered to your room and if there are no changes and you're paid up, you're free to go.

Useful info!

Useful info!

We each had a suitcase on wheels, a carry on and a 'personal item" piece. Our bags were at 50 pounds each.

Phil good to see you enjoyed the VH cruise as much as we did. Though I'm not sure when, I think you said you were going on Mediterranean Odyssey next. I'm doing that cruise on April 23, 2018. My only 2 cruises but I can't imagine it being any nicer.

I thought of a few more questions. I'll post them separately since they are completely different.

 

In Roothy's original post she said that on departure day the luggage needs to be put outside, then they put it on shore. We have made our own flight arrangements. If we wanted to take our luggage off (other lines call it self assist) ourselves in the morning, do you know if that's allowed. I don't know if we will. Our flight isn't until 1:30pm and the San Juan airport isn't far from the pier. I'd be inclined to hang around for breakfast, but DH is one who prefers to be on the way.

 

Probably should ask this on the San Juan board, but do any of you know if you go through customs in San Juan?

I think the question is not if you are allowed to do it but will you be able to manage it.

We were not using Viking transfers in Barcelona and we wheeled our own luggage off the ship. But, we pack light (one roll-aboard and one personal, each) so it was not difficult to manage the walk from ship to pier, up the gangways and then down the escalators. If there had been stairs to walk down, it might have been different. We did not tell anyone that we were carrying or luggage off ourselves; we just did it. No one told us we couldn't when we did.

Depending on the port, sometimes you embark and disembark via stairs (think airplanes before jetways). So, IMHO, the big question is whether it is stairs or ramps in San Juan (and maybe someone who has done this in the past with Viking can answer this question).

We each had a suitcase on wheels, a carry on and a 'personal item" piece. Our bags were at 50 pounds each.

 

Phil good to see you enjoyed the VH cruise as much as we did. Though I'm not sure when, I think you said you were going on Mediterranean Odyssey next. I'm doing that cruise on April 23, 2018. My only 2 cruises but I can't imagine it being any nicer.

Yes Med Odyssey next October, 2018. Post a review next spring.

Glad to see someone besides me suffer with 2 50LB bags plus carry ons. :evilsmile:

We just got back from the Bordeaux river cruise, really a chateau & winery wine tasting tour. Loved it.

We each had a suitcase on wheels, a carry on and a 'personal item" piece. Our bags were at 50 pounds each.

 

Phil good to see you enjoyed the VH cruise as much as we did. Though I'm not sure when, I think you said you were going on Mediterranean Odyssey next. I'm doing that cruise on April 23, 2018. My only 2 cruises but I can't imagine it being any nicer.

Thanks! This is what we travel with and my personal item is a backpack - so hands free!

I think the question is not if you are allowed to do it but will you be able to manage it..

We can manage. That's why I asked. We do it all the time on other cruises. Our last Viking cruise was a river cruise and we were doing the extension through Viking, so they just handled everything.

It's been awhile but I remember escalators in the terminal building at the San Juan pier, but we were just there for a port stop.

When we disembarked in Barcelona in January, The Restaurant was open for breakfast until 9:30 (I think that was the time you had to be off period). Many people with afternoon flights had a full leisurely breakfast and most of us just took our carry-on in with us then disembarked. Viking did not care as long as we got off when they said.

When we disembarked in Barcelona in January, The Restaurant was open for breakfast until 9:30 (I think that was the time you had to be off period). Many people with afternoon flights had a full leisurely breakfast and most of us just took our carry-on in with us then disembarked. Viking did not care as long as we got off when they said.

I think every cruise is different but we stayed onboard all alone up in the Explorer Lounge until 11:15AM when we disembarked in Stockholm. They announced over the PA we "had to be off" by 9:30 or some time close to it, but when we talked to the Cruise Director on the 1st floor living room he said ignore that until your bus is ready to go.

We can manage. That's why I asked. We do it all the time on other cruises. Our last Viking cruise was a river cruise and we were doing the extension through Viking, so they just handled everything.

 

It's been awhile but I remember escalators in the terminal building at the San Juan pier, but we were just there for a port stop.

Sorry, I guess I am not being clear. Not can you manage or will they let you but do you want to manage your luggage off the ship if it means walking down a steep narrow flight of steps (with no elevator as back up). A couple of ports on our first Viking cruise involved that stairway, but not embarkation or disembarkation. But as I said, that would be the one question I would want answered before deciding who was carrying my luggage off the ship. As much as I don't want to part with my luggage, I also know that I would have trouble carrying a suitcase down if that was the way I had to get off the ship--and maybe I'm not the only one who would consider it an issue.

I thought of a few more questions. I'll post them separately since they are completely different.

 

In Roothy's original post she said that on departure day the luggage needs to be put outside, then they put it on shore. We have made our own flight arrangements. If we wanted to take our luggage off (other lines call it self assist) ourselves in the morning, do you know if that's allowed. I don't know if we will. Our flight isn't until 1:30pm and the San Juan airport isn't far from the pier. I'd be inclined to hang around for breakfast, but DH is one who prefers to be on the way.

 

Probably should ask this on the San Juan board, but do any of you know if you go through customs in San Juan?

You could definitely take your luggage down by yourself.

We had a Viking transfer and I questioned why do I need to put my suitcases out by 10 pm the night before. The answer was that the luggage handlers will be very busy on the day of departure so they won't we available to us. it was our choice to let them take our luggage down but it needs to be outside of the cabin by 10 pm the night before OR we could bring it down by ourselves on the day of departure. Our flight was at 1:30 pm and we had to be out of the cabin by 8 am so we decided to let them handle our luggage, had delicious room service breakfast and spent the rest of the time at Explore lounge :)

This question is about room service. When we cruise on other lines, I always take small bills for tips. Do you tip room service when they visit or at the end with all the other gratuities?

 

Thinking about breakfast on the veranda!

 

Since we're talking about money here ...

On other lines we always set up separate accounts to charge things. On the river cruise there was just one account, but basically there was just drinks. We're getting the Silver Spirits package for this cruise, so there won't be a charge for drinks, but I was eyeing a spa treatment for myself :p If it just gets billed to the room, I'll have to settle up!

 

159 days out and I'm excited for this cruise!

On Oceans, you can set up two accounts that will be billed to two separate credit cards. The two times we traveled, they actually asked if we wanted to give a second credit card or put everything on one card.

The charge for your spa treatment will include the 15% gratuity.

Sorry, I guess I am not being clear. Not can you manage or will they let you but do you want to manage your luggage off the ship if it means walking down a steep narrow flight of steps (with no elevator as back up). A couple of ports on our first Viking cruise involved that stairway, but not embarkation or disembarkation. But as I said, that would be the one question I would want answered before deciding who was carrying my luggage off the ship. As much as I don't want to part with my luggage, I also know that I would have trouble carrying a suitcase down if that was the way I had to get off the ship--and maybe I'm not the only one who would consider it an issue.

Well we are embarking and disembarking in San Juan. Though it’s been awhile I’m sure there were no steep narrow stairs. I know there were escalators and I’m pretty sure I remember an elevator.

We will have time to check out the terminal before we sail.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

You could definitely take your luggage down by yourself.

We had a Viking transfer and I questioned why do I need to put my suitcases out by 10 pm the night before. The answer was that the luggage handlers will be very busy on the day of departure so they won't we available to us. it was our choice to let them take our luggage down but it needs to be outside of the cabin by 10 pm the night before OR we could bring it down by ourselves on the day of departure. Our flight was at 1:30 pm and we had to be out of the cabin by 8 am so we decided to let them handle our luggage, had delicious room service breakfast and spent the rest of the time at Explore lounge :)

Thanks. I mostly wanted to know if we had the option. I hate the whole put the suitcases out the night before.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

On Oceans, you can set up two accounts that will be billed to two separate credit cards. The two times we traveled, they actually asked if we wanted to give a second credit card or put everything on one card.

 

The charge for your spa treatment will include the 15% gratuity.

Great! We like keeping things separate. Never thought about it on the river cruise because there weren’t many extra charges. I’ve always worked until we retired, so we’ve always had yours, mine and ours [emoji16]

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Question posted by someone above: "....Probably should ask this on the San Juan board, but do any of you know if you go through customs in San Juan?..."

There is a mandatory "agricultural" screening of all luggage near the front doors of the terminal....you MUST do this before going to ticket counter to check in & check your luggage. After check in, there is the TSA screening. I was just there in January for a Celebrity cruise, but cannot remember about customs when we arrived & when we left.....