Empires of the Mediterranean Venice to Istanbul......Viking Air

For those who have already cruised or are going soon on Empires of the Mediterranean Venice to Istanbul and have taken the Viking Air package......Can you please tell me the itinerary of the flights from US that you took......I guess my main question is, was it direct flights from the East Coast to Venice/from Istanbul or what European cities did you have layovers in. If you did have layovers, is there an option to stay overnight in these European cities? Thanks for any insight.

It depends.

We were routed EWR-YYZ-IST on Air Canada. Left PM day -1, arrived AM on 1st day of cruise. Were on board the Star by 11:00 AM. I don't think anyone had a forced overnight.

Return was, for me, BCN to EWR non-stop.

These were standard air from Viking and included transfers to and from.

I don't think anyone's done Venice to Istanbul yet. We did Istanbul to Venice (the other way) on the maiden and then the Star has been in the Baltic since. So it's going to be hard to answer about going to Venice specifically, but, as sitraveler has done, given you the other way round.

I think you may find it hard to get from Istanbul to the East Coast non-stop. We did our own air and couldn't find a way to get there non-stop. We stopped and changed planes in Vienna.

I haven't done any research, but Turkish Airlines is non-stop JFK to IST.

There is a discussion on the air thread regarding going from Rome to Istanbul to USA on Turkish Airways.

For those who have already cruised or are going soon on Empires of the Mediterranean Venice to Istanbul and have taken the Viking Air package......Can you please tell me the itinerary of the flights from US that you took......I guess my main question is, was it direct flights from the East Coast to Venice/from Istanbul or what European cities did you have layovers in. If you did have layovers, is there an option to stay overnight in these European cities? Thanks for any insight.

Can't help with the itinerary question as we are still awaiting our Viking Air flight details. However, when we booked our cruise (two years ago!) we asked for a week long layover in London but did not want to book any pre-cruise package. Viking charged us $100 each for what they called a "flight deviation" which I thought was pretty reasonable. If you have a specific city in mind for a layover you may still be able to book that as a deviation.

Can't help with the itinerary question as we are still awaiting our Viking Air flight details. However, when we booked our cruise (two years ago!) we asked for a week long layover in London but did not want to book any pre-cruise package. Viking charged us $100 each for what they called a "flight deviation" which I thought was pretty reasonable. If you have a specific city in mind for a layover you may still be able to book that as a deviation.

I haven't heard officially, with tickets, but when I called Viking a week or so ago, they told me my flights, subject to change. We live in Toronto and are on Venice to Istanbul in September. Our schedule is YYZ to LHR, 1.5/2 hour layover, LHR to Venice, arriving around noon I think. On the return, we too have a deviation to London for five days. I believe we paid $200 pp for that. Our flights are with British Airways.

We're going Venice to Istanbul from Washington DC in September. I booked my own air, even though it ended up being more expensive than Viking's. I found it extremely difficult to get good flights, especially non-stops. For example, when I booked, Turkish Airways had one or two nonstops TO Istanbul but not FROM. From what I could see, there are very, very few nonstops from the U.S. to Venice. Lufthansa has some decent flights, but I don't know if Viking has a contract with them. I've tried before to guess what flights a cruise line would arrange for us, but it never seems to work out unless I can find someone who lives where we do and is doing the same itinerary.

I doubt you'll get nonstops, but as others have said, it's possible to do layovers for an additional cost, so that could work out well if you have the time. Obviously British Airways is one carrier that's used a good deal, so perhaps a layover in London might be nice?

Thank you for all the replies. We were hoping that we could get a layover in a European city that we hadn't been to before and add a stay over. But we aren't going until Sept. 2016. Wondering if you wait to call Viking to add the deviation until we get notified about our flights, or call them now and explain our interest in a lay over?

We didn't use Viking air, so someone else will have to tell you how their air program works. However, typically the earlier you call a cruise line about a deviation, the better. Of course, your cruise is still quite a ways off, so you may not be able to do anything yet - especially if you haven't made final payment for the cruise.

Thank you for all the replies. We were hoping that we could get a layover in a European city that we hadn't been to before and add a stay over. But we aren't going until Sept. 2016. Wondering if you wait to call Viking to add the deviation until we get notified about our flights, or call them now and explain our interest in a lay over?

We just got our Viking Air flights with seat assignments yesterday via our TA. Since the seats are assigned I think that these are pretty firm. So, if you wait until you get your flights and then ask for a deviation, I think you will be stuck paying some kind of change fee to the airline in addition to whatever Viking charges. It's probably better to explore the lay over option now. There's a website called Skyscanner.net that lets you put in departure and arrival airports and tells you all the airlines that will get you there along with the stops. That might be a good place for you to start looking at possible European cities to visit without creating a convoluted travel plan.

BTW, we are quite happy with our assigned flights. We got direct flights where they exist and one reasonable stop where there are no direct flights. Kudos to Viking Air!

Thank you for all the replies. We were hoping that we could get a layover in a European city that we hadn't been to before and add a stay over. But we aren't going until Sept. 2016. Wondering if you wait to call Viking to add the deviation until we get notified about our flights, or call them now and explain our interest in a lay over?

I'm taking the reverse itinerary in October 2015. My flight portion is completely of my own choosing. I've done this with Viking before. There is a fee of $50 for a custom flight and any overnight stopover is $200pp per stop.

This info I can also be found on their website. Flying from Atlanta enables me to go Delta non-stop to Amsterdam and visit family for a day and a night, then continue to Istanbul the following day. In the reverse, I'll fly from Venice back to AMS and the following morning return to ATL. It's worth it to me to pay the extra fees and it's still less expensive than booking direct. But Viking is quite clear on their website and in the catalogs that you need to make any requests before they officially book your flight. BTW, Amsterdam is a beautiful city with plenty to do and see, if you haven't already done so.;)

Thank you for all the replies. We were hoping that we could get a layover in a European city that we hadn't been to before and add a stay over. But we aren't going until Sept. 2016. Wondering if you wait to call Viking to add the deviation until we get notified about our flights, or call them now and explain our interest in a lay over?

I'm taking the reverse itinerary in October 2015. My flight portion is completely of my own choosing. I've done this with Viking before. There is a fee of $50 for a custom flight and any overnight stopover is $200pp per stop.

This info can also be found on their website. Flying from Atlanta enables me to go Delta non-stop to Amsterdam and visit family for a day and a night, then continue to Istanbul the following day. In the reverse, I'll fly from Venice back to AMS and the following morning return to ATL. It's worth it to me to pay the extra fees and it's still less expensive than booking direct. But Viking is quite clear on their website and in the catalogs that you need to make any requests before they officially book your flight. BTW, Amsterdam is a beautiful city with plenty to do and see, if you haven't already done so.;)

All of the info posted seems accurate. You should know that airline schedules are generally announced 330 days in advance. That means that you cannot get flight info until it's under 330 days from the end of your cruise. Within that window, you should contact either Viking or your TA to make your flight arrangements.

Great info everyone! Thank you, we appreciate it! We have been to Amsterdam, London, Rome, Paris.....Loved it! We were hoping of all hopes to have a layover in Edinburgh of all places.....what would be the chances?????

We are on the Sept 2015 Venice to Istanbul and received our Viking Air arrangements today. They do say Final so I would not wait if you are interested in a deviation and would contact Viking sooner than later. We go Grand Rapids Michigan to Chicago to Frankfort Germany to Venice. Layovers about two and a half hours. Leave Michigan at 3pm and arrive Venice 1:45pm the next day. Return is Istanbul to Frankfurt to Washington DC to Grand Rapids. Similar layovers. Airlines are United, Lufthansa and Turkish Air.

Allie, thanks, it gives me an idea of which layover spot it might be in Sept. 2016.....Frankfort would be a nice city to explore. We will be leaving out of Seattle so it might not be the same. Will call Viking and ask about deviation. And let you guys know what they tell us.

Allie, thanks, it gives me an idea of which layover spot it might be in Sept. 2016.....Frankfort would be a nice city to explore. We will be leaving out of Seattle so it might not be the same. Will call Viking and ask about deviation. And let you guys know what they tell us.

Might be too early to do anything, but won't hurt to try. (I think most cruise lines finalize contracts with airlines about a year out.)

At least two people on my VCE to IST cruise have been routed through Frankfurt, so I would guess it might be possible to connect in that city. We've connected through Frankfurt before, and liked the airport - big and busy but efficient! Subway goes out to the airport from center city, too.

Delta flys nonstop from JFK to VCE, Marco Polo. They also have a nonstop Istanbul to JFK flight. It's well worth not having to change planes overseas. We have been impacted by ATC, aircrew, and transportation strikes several times.