Tips & Info as of Oct. 3, 2015 Empires Cruise

[roothy123]

Sunrocket, I agree about connection times. We cruise mostly on Oceania, and they include air in their cruise rates, so we usually take it. I used to be disappointed when they gave us long connections in foreign airports. However, the reality of today's travel is that for making a connection, you need a lot of time. Sometimes a wheelchair (which my husband usually orders as he can't walk long distances, especially with swollen feet from flying) makes the connection shorter, but sometimes it makes it longer. We ran into some people in Frankfurt who had walked to the gate rather than using wheelchairs and it took them almost two hours to make the connection, although they did stop at a lounge to see if they could use it, so perhaps the walk time was actually a bit shorter. One of the security folks at ones of the lines coming back home (into Dulles) told me he had to search our stuff thoroughly because we were coming back into the U.S. - and search and pat they did! All of that takes time.

 

At least you'll be happy to know that flying back into Dulles was quicker this time compared to last year due to the kiosks that have been installed. If you haven't used them yet: You go to a kiosk (no wait), scan your passport and answer some questions, adjust the machine before it takes your picture, and get a printout to show the Immigrations/Customs employee with your passport.

 

Neil, thanks for the additional info. Feel free to comment, disagree, etc. - there's always room for more info or second opinion here! Everyone's different...

 

This evening I'll post a bit about our days in Pula and perhaps Dubrovnik. In the mean time, at least got my Venice pictures sorted through and posted at http://www.pbase.com/roothy123. We were there 2 days, so I took a lot, plus my husband contributed some. There are 2 galleries. Feel free to browse (no sign in required), and if you want a larger version, just double click. You can also do a slideshow.

[TERRIER1]

Sunrocket, I agree about connection times. We cruise mostly on Oceania, and they include air in their cruise rates, so we usually take it. I used to be disappointed when they gave us long connections in foreign airports. However, the reality of today's travel is that for making a connection, you need a lot of time.

 

We also cruise Oceania and I think it is great that Viking provided a water shuttle in Venice which Oceania does not. On Azamara they also provided a water shuttle since we were at the larger terminal Marittima. For $10 we could hop on and off all day. I am enjoying your travelogue immensely.

[id4elizabeth]

Great news! That Viking is providing this shuttle in Venice! On the maiden cruise they did not, or if they did it was a closely held secret as we never heard anything about it.

[roothy123]

Woke up in a country I had not visited: Croatia, last “state” (or whatever correct terminology is) to join the EU, in 2013. They are not yet qualified to use euros, however, and use kunas. You can probably get by without kunas if you merely take a Viking tour and use street vendors and perhaps some cafes. However, I was thinking of taking a bus to Rovinj (kunas only; no credit cards unless you book online) so I got a small amount before I left home. I figured we could use them in Dubrovnik, too, which we did. When I woke up we were approaching Pula, a tender port. Someone mentioned in a post in the Ports of Call section that sometimes cruise ships anchor closer to Pula, but the only cruise ship I “saw” in Pula all summer/fall (Marine Traffic and cruise calendars) was a small ship (Star Clipper or something like that) and it anchored the same place Star did in April. This is where we anchored this time - behind a long breakwater, a good ways away from city center. Since the maiden voyage explorers reported a long tender ride, I was prepared, plus Elizabeth clued me in as to likely tender spot, which helped me in my pre-cruise planning.

 

Since some people have probably not tendered before, here’s my advice:

 

No reason to fear or not go ashore because of tendering, unless you’re very disabled and/or you get seasick extremely easily. However, it does add a bit of time to get where you’re going, so keep your sightseeing plans realistic if you’re an “indy wanderer” like me. For tendering you board a smaller boat (usually the ones on the side of Star, but sometimes one required by some ports), but the tender guys help you on and off. If you have a lot of stuff, I’d put it in a backpack or at least a tote bag over your shoulder so you have both hands free. Wear decent shoes. The tender guys will warn you about any gaps, steps, etc., and may grab your arm as you get on/off. Let them. Sit down while the boat’s moving and when it gets to the pier (or Star on return). Star was anchored out at sea, seas were a little rough, and the first time I tendered back to the ship from Pula, it was a pretty hard “landing.” You don’t want to be standing for that, and the tender guys don’t want you to be standing for that either! The second time back was much smoother. Be aware there’s one place on the tender toward the middle which has something concrete you could easily hit your head on when you stand up. Someone warned me; glad they did. Also, if it’s windy, don’t wear a hat while getting on or off the tender – or outside on the ship when it’s moving, for that matter! Someone lost his Tilly hat while tendering – oops! Sometimes the seas are a little rough and the waves can be choppy, but no worries, it’s all part of the tendering process. Unfortunately, it's the only game in town for Pula, Santorini, and other ports.

 

We were tendered to a long pier (maybe a ferry pier) in front of a park, with the large amphitheater looming above the trees. I think the actual ride was about 20 minutes, but Viking’s tenders are large, and they pretty much fill them for the excursions, so there was some waiting involved which made the experience much longer. The timing can also depend upon how smooth or rough the sea (in this case, Adriatic) or ocean is. There was about a one minute walk straight ahead to where the local guides met us. We were assigned to groups of about 35. We had initially signed up for the first free excursion and had hoped to leave it early to walk to the bus station (about 15 minutes away, or could probably get a cab on the street) for a 45 minute ride to Rovinj. (If you do this, note that the “bus” marked on the map Viking makes available online and at the Explorers Desk is where the local buses come, not the distance buses.) It was later than we had anticipated when we had seen the inside of the Amphitheater, and we decided to just complete the rest of the tour in Old Town Pula (about a 5-10 minute walk from the Arena, as they call it locally) and stay in Pula. I think a day in either Pula or Rovinj would be nice, or an early trip to Rovinj and then spending an hour in Pula would probably work. We just decided to make it easy on ourselves. If you want to do both, just keep in mind that everybody tenders, and Viking, like other cruise lines, gives priority to people on excursions when filling the tenders. They did not give out tender tickets, but they did check excursion tickets, so the only way to get on that first tender out is probably by reserving the first included tour and then not taking it, or cutting it short. They do count the people in each group and wait a few minutes if someone is missing, so if you plan to come ashore and then go somewhere else, you might want to tell the guide what you’re doing. Of course, there IS a Viking excursion to Rovinj, and while it’s more expensive than using a public bus plus some walking, it’s $49, which isn’t bad for a ship’s excursion. I’m just an adventuresome person, and a bit of a cheapskate, so I wanted to do it on my own – plus I thought I might have more time in Pula that way. (We were only there until around 4; reverse itinerary stays late, I think. In that case, you could probably do both.)

 

Pula was actually a pretty interesting place, so I was happy with my decision to stay. The tour guide was good, the “Arena” was amazing (and no crowds, mostly just Viking passengers) and touring the Old Town part worthwhile. No, it’s not a world class destination, but one I felt was worthwhile. Few cruise ships go there. I tend to like the smaller ports more than the bigger ones, so I knew I’d like Pula, but if you’re the opposite, you may decide it’s so-so. After the tour, we went back to the ship for lunch. Then I went back out. Tendering that time was easy – I was the only person on the boat besides the crew! I can’t tell you when “open tendering” began, as I was ashore at the time, but normally that occurs on most ocean cruise lines by mid-morning. The Viking Daily paper warned it would be limited for independent guests (those not signed up for excursions) before 9:30. If you just go ashore, the Arena is about a 10 minute walk, and the old town another 10 minutes from there. Steves has a decent Old Town map in his Croatia book, and openstreetmaps.org has great maps online that you can print. After I got off the tender in the afternoon, I saw something I had never seen. A big stray dog was attacking the leg of a passenger who was trying to board the tender. When the passenger stepped over the small gap to the tender, the dog let go of his leg and jumped on the tender! I’m not sure how they got him off, but by the time I got back a couple hours later, he was still there, being “entertained” by a crew member named “Francesco.” The “other duties assigned” term sprang to mind. Poor Francesco was doing his best to keep the dog, a bit tired by then but still interested in people, away from the passengers. At one point Francesco had to count passengers with his “friend” attached to his leg!

 

But back to the day’s activities: When I got back from my second outing, there were few people waiting for the tender. However, then a whole lot of people came back from tours at once, and the line for tendering grew long. If you needed a seat, there were chairs at the front of the line, but since it was our first tender port and there was a line, most people weren't aware of that fact. I was in no big hurry to get back, so I let a lot of people go ahead of me and took the last tender back. Oh, a tip of sorts: When a tender is involved, clarify whether the “back on board” time posted in the Viking Daily is the time of the last tender or if you’re literally expected to be back on board by that time. For us in Pula it was the time of the last tender, although they actually ran one after that to get everyone back, as so many people came back at once. (It was a relatively short day in port.)

 

 

Once back on board and after sailaway, at 5:30 we went to the Explorers Lounge, deck 8, for our Meet and Mingle. We had set it up on our Roll Call, choosing the date and time, and then Bill and Gale, who got on board in Barcelona, spoke to Viking about hosting it. Viking provided canapes and wine, and had previously given printed invitations to those who had provided Bill and Gale with last name or room number prior to our embarkation day. We had a great turnout (or at least everyone who said they’d be there were there – maybe 15 to 20 of us). It was nice meeting the folks we had been “chatting with” on our Roll Call – a great group!

 

There were activities during the day and evening, but I missed most of them as I was ashore so much, plus I’m not a huge “doer” in the first place. However, I did go to the 9:30 Captain and senior officer introduction in the Atrium, which was followed by some musical and theatrical solos by the entertainers. I like that Viking has some activities in the Atrium, as it’s easier to just happen upon them and decide to stay! It was also close to our room (3024).

 

Pictures of Pula are coming!

 

Elizabeth, yes, the shuttle was a bit of a surprise to me, as I don't think all that many cruise ships provide them based on discussions I've read in the Ports of Call section and other travel sites. Of course, I had a vaporetto pass and some experience using the vaporettos, so I was good to go. We spent a lot of time just riding the vaps - fun, little energy expenditure needed, hard to get lost, and great for photographers! I used at least 5 different lines.....

[sitraveler]

I would not assume the Venice shuttle. As noted, we did not have one for the maiden voyage. We also docked at the more distant port location.

[roothy123]

I would not assume the Venice shuttle. As noted, we did not have one for the maiden voyage. We also docked at the more distant port location.

 

Good point, and since the port decides where you'll dock, sometimes as late as the night before, you're smart to plan for the worst and hope for the best! I'm just reporting what we experienced, but it may be different on other cruises, so I'm glad you chimed in. That's why I research like crazy....sometimes I need the results of my research and sometimes the cruise line or port surprises me! Sometimes the port makes a shuttle available, and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes the cruise line arranges one, and sometimes it doesn't. In Helsinki two years ago, there was a shuttle, but the drivers were given a 2 hour lunch break, so you had to read the schedule and time your journeys carefully! You just never know....

[NJB43]

Once more, thank you, Roothy for all of your information. It's very helpful for these less-visited places.

 

Did you see the mosaics in Santorini?

 

Best wishes!

[roothy123]

I just posted my Pula pictures. The first gallery is here: http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/pula_croatia and there's also a "Pula - More" gallery right after that one.

 

NJB, this was our second visit to Santorini, and I considered going to Akrotiri. However, we decided against it, as it's at the end of the island, and the way we like to meander, thought there wouldn't be time to do it justice. I also thought I'd see plenty of "old stuff" by visiting Ephesus and Athens/Cape Sounion. There is a pretty lighthouse at the end of Santorini, plus the red beach, so if we go back a third time, I'd like to go south. This time we went back to Oia, then to a little known town named Vothonas in the center of the island, had some lunch near Fira, and explored Fira a little. Fira is kind of touristy around the cable car but there's some nice eye candy for photographers if you know where to look.

[HMforcruise]

Was there any anxiety about safety for tourists following the attack on protesters in Ankara?

[roothy123]

Was there any anxiety about safety for tourists following the attack on protesters in Ankara?

 

I started this thread Oct. 3, but I got back home from Istanbul October 8, which was a day or two before the attack in Ankara, so I can't answer your question. However, I would guess that since the attack must have been around the time that the cruise after ours was in Kusadasi, Turkey, I imagine there WAS anxiety for some people. Some people on my cruise were even hesitant about going out in Istanbul or staying over, based on a demonstration in Istanbul that occurred a bit before we left. It, however, was scheduled to take place in a part of Istanbul that was far from where any tourists are likely to end up. I think it's important to keep in mind that Turkey is a large country, and Istanbul a large city, so if nothing else, the odds of being a victim are not very great for tourists. If you're a U.S. citizen, you might want to sign up for travel alerts from the State Department. Then again, those may be too upsetting, as it's easy to read something and assume the worst, when really all that's being said is that we should be careful. All I can say is that Istanbul was a wonderful place to visit, and I would have hated to miss it due to fear.

[NJB43]

Roothy -

 

The Minoan ruins and frescoes (sorry - not mosaics) are something we really want to see, so now we'll be changing to the excursion that goes there - thanks to you!

 

Best wishes,

[roothy123]

Our Venice to Istanbul itinerary called for a stop in Dubrovnik from 8 AM until 11 PM. We arrived at the port of Gruz and slid in behind the “World Odyssey” ship. That was a new one for me, but my husband told me it was one of those “semester at sea” things that some universities now offer. We had signed up for the middle included tour, which met at 9:45. For the included tours, pay attention to the tour number. They’re usually designated with a port identifier (in this case HRDBV for Croatia & Dubrovnik) and then 01A, 01B or 01C etc. Shore excursion info is posted in the Viking Daily with the number printed in red; number is also printed on your ticket. Included tours were always numbered 01A, 01B, etc. – but of course, like everything, that could change in the future!

 

About 30-35 of us were taken by bus to a place the locals apparently call “panorama point.” You can see the entire walled Old Town below – very pretty. We stopped and got out for 5 minutes or so to take pictures. It was a great day – bright blue sky. Then we were taken to an area where lots of buses (city, tour, etc.) stop near the main (Pile) gate. We did a walking tour of part of Old Town, hearing about various places. Our guide was excellent – really kept my attention, which is sometimes hard to do, as my mind is usually more on photography than being culturally enriched! By then it was 10:30 or so, and the city was starting to get crowded. It was a bit warm walking around, and there are plenty of cobblestones, but not a huge number of steps and no sharp inclines. The area near St. Blaise Church, Sponza Palace, City Hall, etc. was my favorite area, as every time I looked up, I saw St. Blaise or something else up on top of a church or building. Dubrovnik has SO many churches! If you have a telephoto lens, you’ll have a blast if you just look up. We eventually wiggled our way to the Dominican Monastery with its beautiful courtyard. Then the group went into several (3, I think) rooms to see and hear about religious artifacts. (The Dominican Monastery is basically a museum.) We had to wait a little to get into those rooms, as they are small and the museum limits entry. I went into the first room, but it was a little stuffy in there, plus I’m not really a museum person, so after the first, I sat outside to wait for the group to come back out of the others. There are plenty of places to sit along the route, or in the pretty courtyard, if you're getting a little tired and warm. I was joined by at least 10 other people! The group will come back out, so you won’t get left.

 

After a bit more touring, we were taken back to the ship. Since we were in port until late, after lunch and a little break I took the provided shuttle back to the Old Town to poke around. Obviously, a shuttle may not always be provided, but for us, it went to and from ship/Pile Gate area about every half hour until 8:30 PM. That area is really crowded with buses, and they can’t stop long, but there was a Viking rep there in red with a paddle (lollipop?) to look for the bus and motion people to come over for it. There are stone benches around there, so just look for the person with the lollipop and chill. On the way back to the ship, maybe around 5 or so, the traffic going back was pretty slow at first, so if you’re on a tight schedule for dinner, lectures or whatever, you might want to assume more than a 20 minute ride back to the ship. Then again, it was still apparently pretty heavy tourist season in Dubrovnik, so perhaps it was worse for us than it would be for those going in March/April or November.

In Dubrovnik, after some exploration in parts of Old Town we hadn’t visited on the tour, I decided to walk the town walls. I got on at one of the eastern entrances rather than the more popular (and more steep, I think) Pile entrance. Kunas (100 – maybe $15 or so) or a credit card is required; no euros. (It’s similar for cable car.) Walking the walls was a little tiring and warm, but no huge deal, and I took my time. I didn’t go the whole way – think just from Buza entrance/exit counterclockwise (as required) to Pile entrance/exit. Views were great. I bought a small watercolor from a vendor near Big Onofrio’s fountain (euros or kunas accepted) and went back to await the shuttle bus back to the ship. We were thinking of going back out to take the cable car or at least see the Old Town at night, which I hear is quite pretty, but ended up just staying on the ship after dinner.

 

That night, there was a cabaret show in Torshavn lounge. You had to sign up it in advance; I hear those shows were quite good. My husband tried to get reservations later for the Rat Pack show, but didn’t hop on it, and it was too late by the time he inquired about availability. (Torshavn is small). If you want to go to those, read the Viking Daily and don’t delay in signing up.

My husband went to the Beatles musical dance party on the pool deck that night after dinner. I needed some downtime, so I passed. Tomorrow - another country, Montenegro, or ME. Pictures of Dubrovnik are coming. I took way too many.

[roothy123]

http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/dubrovnik__september_29_2015

 

If you're interested, the above link will get you to my photos of Dubrovnik. There's also a "Dubrovnik - More" gallery.

[id4elizabeth]

Roothy - your pics of Dubrovnik are great! Really enjoyed them. From a few of your pics, I will agree that it was really crowded when you were there - certainly was far less crowded when we were there in April!

 

How do you get to the second gallery for Dubrovnik?

[roothy123]

Roothy - your pics of Dubrovnik are great! Really enjoyed them. From a few of your pics, I will agree that it was really crowded when you were there - certainly was far less crowded when we were there in April!

 

How do you get to the second gallery for Dubrovnik?

 

Yes, I think probably April, and especially May, would be a better time to visit some of these popular European cities. I hear, however, that in late fall, Dubrovnik shuts down much earlier (cable car, walls, etc.) so there's a trade-off, I guess. Not sure about April.

 

To get to the second Dubrovnik gallery, the easiest way would be to go to the link above, then click on "All Galleries" at top left of page, then select "Dubrovnik - More" (or whatever gallery you're interested in).

[Senior Gators]

Yes, I think probably April, and especially May, would be a better time to visit some of these popular European cities. I hear, however, that in late fall, Dubrovnik shuts down much earlier (cable car, walls, etc.) so there's a trade-off, I guess. Not sure about April.

 

To get to the second Dubrovnik gallery, the easiest way would be to go to the link above, then click on "All Galleries" at top left of page, then select "Dubrovnik - More" (or whatever gallery you're interested in).

Roothy, as always your commentaries are always appreciated. Despite overall good weather each day cruising from Istanbul, we are having to skip port at Pula today due to rough seas. The Captain made a determination this morning that tendering would be too dangerous to risk it. I'm all in favor of safety. So despite missing our excursion there, we are satisfied with the decision to move on to Venice arriving around 4 pm today. That will give us an extra 14 or 15 hours there. The ship has informed us that there is some flooding in Venice which is not unusual during this time of the year. Overall the ship is great as are all the crew we have met. Dining venues range from better than average to outstanding. No complaints, all is well so far in this cruise aboard the Viking Star.

[roothy123]

Roothy, as always your commentaries are always appreciated. Despite overall good weather each day cruising from Istanbul, we are having to skip port at Pula today due to rough seas. The Captain made a determination this morning that tendering would be too dangerous to risk it. I'm all in favor of safety. So despite missing our excursion there, we are satisfied with the decision to move on to Venice arriving around 4 pm today. That will give us an extra 14 or 15 hours there. The ship has informed us that there is some flooding in Venice which is not unusual during this time of the year. Overall the ship is great as are all the crew we have met. Dining venues range from better than average to outstanding. No complaints, all is well so far in this cruise aboard the Viking Star.

 

I know the disappointment of a Captain's decision to bypass a port, although luckily the only one we've missed on an ocean cruise was Grand Turk in the Caribbean - not one I was highly anticipating in the first place. The seas were a little rough when we were in Pula, so I'm not really surprised, especially given that it's a tender port. I've forgotten now which night it was, but we had one rough sea night that bothered a good number of people. Maybe that was in the Adriatic off Croatia, which may have entered into the Captain's decision - not for safety, but for comfort. More time in Venice, however, is wonderful! I think I could ride vaporettos for 14 hours there and be happy! We had two days and I still didn't see (on land or lagoon) all I wanted to see - but that is typical for me on a cruise. You can't do everything, although I try.

 

From what I've read, the flooding is mostly in St. Mark's Square, and if it's more than minimal, the big ramp/table things you'll see go up for people to walk on. If it's really bad, some of the vaporetto service is curtailed a little bit, but there are warnings, and I think Alilaguna makes it through everything (bridges, routes, etc.) For the most part, life goes on...a strange way to live, but Venice IS unique...

 

Glad you're having a good time!

[traveld]

Is there a supermarket in the vicinity of Piazzale Roma that is in easy walking distance to the cruise ship terminal?

[roothy123]

Is there a supermarket in the vicinity of Piazzale Roma that is in easy walking distance to the cruise ship terminal?

 

Yes, someone on a thread in the "Ports of Call" section mentioned it. We saw it when we were in Piazalle Roma, as we took a 4.1 or 5.1 vaporetto to our hotel and it was near the vaporetto stop. It's called Coop - not exactly a supermarket according to the people who have been there, but apparently they have basic food items, drugstore items, and wine - although with all the wine Viking was offering, I doubt you're looking for that, unless you prefer a particular brand!

 

I think I still have a couple photos I posted for someone else (not a Viking cruiser) that show the Coop storefront and a couple things to use to orient yourself from P. Roma. Go to my photo site (link above), click on the "Ship and Travel Documents" gallery (think that's the name), go to the very bottom of the gallery, and there are some miscellaneous documents I scanned for Venice. From the plaza where all the buses and land taxis come, you have to walk toward the modern, long foot bridge and turn left before you reach it. You then go down a few steps to the waterfront and then walk maybe a block or less to the Coop store on the left. (Several of the vaporetto platforms will be on your right, and the water.) Not sure exactly where you end up if you take the People Mover, but think you would still turn left from there to get to the bridge and steps - although there may be a slightly shorter route around the building by the People Mover to approach the stores and vaps from the other side.

 

Not sure what hours they keep at the Coop, or whether they're open on Sundays, but assume they cater to cruise ships so hopefully open when you're there. We also saw another one somewhere in the San Marco or Rialto area.

 

Most ships dock at the regular cruise ship terminal, but if Star is assigned to dock at San Basilio terminal as we did, I'm not sure how convenient the Coop would be - although you could certainly take a vaporetto over there from San Basilio vap stop to P. Roma.

Edited October 14, 2015 by roothy123

[traveld]

Thanks Roothy123. You've been a fountain of information! Appreciate everything you've passed on to the rest of us.

[roothy123]

Woke up in Kotor, Montenegro, which became a country in 2006. They use euros but are not part of the EU. We got in at 7 and it was barely light. Old Town Kotor was right outside (port side). We had booked Milo Popovic for a 4 hour tour around 8, sharing with Neil and Jeanette. It was a fairly short walk off the ship and you’re basically funneled into a place where tour guides and taxis meet you. If you keep walking toward the imposing town walls, you'll find a gate into the town. It was before the tours had started going off, so it was fairly quiet. Milo was the tallest guy at the small taxi area, holding a sign with my name. We walked a short way to his car and off we went. The car was fine for the 4 of us, but if you’ve got 4 big people, you may want to ask if he has something bigger. We did a tour that I customized based on my interests (Sveti Stefan overlook, Budva, Perast, island of Our Lady of the Rocks, overlook over Bay. It was similar to the 4 hour tour on his website.) Milo is fantastic – very personable, agreeable, very affordable, and speaks excellent English. I didn’t reserve Viking’s afternoon included tour of Kotor, as I didn’t think the timing would work, and knew Kotor would be doable on my own with some info I brought from home and a small amount of euros. I did my own abbreviated tour later.

 

After we got back, we ate lunch and freshened up, and then a little later I went back out into Kotor. From the ship to the town gate is about a 5, MAYBE 10 minute walk, and it’s pretty easy to see where you need to go. (Survey the area from the ship before you leave!) I decided to check into a few things I was curious about, based on discussions in the Ports of Call section of Cruise Critic. There are 2 ways to walk (well, climb – tons of steps) the town walls and against Milo’s recommendations, I just had to walk up partway for views back down. I overheard someone from a tendering Silverseas ship asking the guy taking money (3 euros) how long it would take to “walk up.” The guy paused a second or two, and said, “I’d say 20 minutes average.” That’s a pretty awful way to make euros, as in 20 minutes I don’t think even someone young and in terrific shape could make it to the fortress, or maybe not even to the church halfway up. I barely made it to the church and was so hot and tired I didn’t even go past the church to get the postcard view that I’ve seen so many times. Oh well. I have plenty of great photos thanks to Milo. Should have listened....

 

The ship departed at 6, and it was a fabulous sailaway with lovely towns on both shores, views of the two little islands we had seen during the day, a fairly narrow strait and a gorgeous view of flaming orange mountains on one side of the Bay of Kotor before sunset. Don’t miss it if you’re scheduled to depart in daylight. Alternately, if you come in later than we did and it’s daylight about an hour before you’re scheduled to arrive, you may want to look outside to see if there are nice views out there. For sailaway, there was commentary by a guest speaker in the Explorers Lounge. Instead, I watched from a quiet spot – deck 2 aft, which is sheltered from wind (although I don’t think there’s much outside in the Bay) and provides views on both sides of the ship.

 

There were the usual activities today – enrichment lecture, tea (love the scones!), port talk, show by singers and dancers at 9:15, etc. Pictures to follow.

[roothy123]

http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/kotor_montenegro__sept_30_2015

is a link to my Kotor photos.

[roothy123]

Day after Kotor was a sea day. There was a cooking demo, trivia, a lecture on volcanic activity (heading to Santorini next!), rather low-keyed but nice get-together for everyone who has sailed Viking (river or oceans) before, port shopping talk, etc. I probably didn’t mention it before, but for some ports (maybe all; not sure) there is a little Port and Shopping Map that you can get at the Explorers Desk. There are also maps, same ones you can get on My Viking Journey – not necessarily detailed enough for people who really like to explore, but probably adequate for the majority of Viking cruisers.

 

On the sea day there was a Greek buffet lunch in/outside World Café, plus The Restaurant, Pool Grill (basic fare, but will make you onion rings if you ask), and Mamsen’s were open for lunch. I never made it to Mamsen’s for anything but breakfast, so not sure what they had for lunch (the split pea soup Maiden Voyagers liked, perhaps?) Breakfast, lunch and dinner times vary a bit from day to day, so check the Viking Daily. Loungers by the pool were pretty full, but there were plenty of spaces up top for overflow or for those who wanted less bustle. We ate in Manfredi’s that night, and enjoyed it quite a bit. We were also given a beautiful dessert in recognition of my husband’s birthday. It went in our mini-bar/fridge and lasted a couple nights.

 

Observations:

Coffee machine in room makes really strong coffee. I just got my coffee from Viking Living Room, Mamsen’s or World Café – weaker coffee there. Don’t think there’s any decaf for the room machines, but didn’t ask. Make sure water reservoir is full. If not, the machine can be balky. Read the instructions – on button doesn’t look like an on button!

 

Food was quite good. There was an occasional miss for me – salmon in the Restaurant (an “always on the menu” item, I think), and the first course of the Chef’s Table “La Route des Indes” (spice) menu weren’t great. Chef’s Table now changes every 3 days. I would recommend booking on My Viking Journey before you leave home unless you’re OK with eating early or late. However, you may want to ask what the menu is for the next 3 days once you board. If you like it, perhaps you can switch your reservation. We managed to snag an extra visit to the Chef’s Table at 8:30 one night because my husband really wanted the Asian menu (lobster, Peking Duck). 8:30 was awfully late to eat, but worth it. La Route Des Indes didn’t suit us all that much, but then the Beef Tenderloin (4th course) came, and it was excellent. The Restaurant and Manfredi's can be crowded and noisy; Chef's Table was much calmer and nicer.

 

We ate at World Café a lot. I’m not crazy about buffets, but do like sitting outside, and eating in a more casual environment. Café is only part buffet; you can order certain items from the grill. If you want drinks (sodas, alcoholic, wine, water, coffee, cappuccino, etc.) you do not have to get it yourself. Someone will come around and ask if you want anything. If you’re in a hurry you can grab your own.

 

A few days before the end of the cruise, if you get email alerts for large or international credit card transactions, you may see something from Viking. It’s not a charge, just Viking making sure your credit card works. I was aware that Viking added tips onto the bill (and was fine with that) but the charge was more than I anticipated. Not to worry; it was just an authorization and when the bill came, it was fine. I think you can look at your charges on the TV, but we didn’t bother.

 

There are some blankets around the Theater, Wintergarden, and various places if you get cold. Internet was great, and once logged in, you didn’t need to log out and in again. Don’t forget there are computers near the Explorers Desk you can use. Don’t know if you can print anything (boarding passes, for example). We didn’t try.

 

Can’t really comment on bars, drink packages, wine, shows, fitness room, medical staff, boutiques or spa treatments. Never saw anyone in the men’s barber shop. Sadly, there’s a lot I didn’t do. With port-intensive itineraries, that seems to happen a lot for me. Of course I did check out all the freebies in the spa area, including the snow grotto and the bathing suit water extractor. I also walked around the 360 deck, and saw people at work and big ropes at one point. I went to tea once. Can’t comment on the paid shore excursions, except for the one we took in Athens, which was quite good. The included ones were typical ocean cruise excursions – fairly large groups (especially on morning ones) and more expensive than you’d think (but you ARE paying for more than just admission and guide). Our guides were great and our groups were, too – no laggards. The Quiet Vox boxes worked well – but don’t forget to charge them. Overall, I think organization and communication were great, and the excursions seemed to go off and return on time. In Istanbul there was a short delay due to snarky machines in the port terminal, but no big deal.

 

Viking will give you a number of forms to fill out, if you want, evaluating tours, and a form came around early on asking for comments on anything you wanted to comment on. I really had no complaints. Of course, near the end of the cruise, you’ll get an evaluation to fill out.

[NeilP57]

A few extra comments to Roothy's super summaries.

 

There is decaf for the coffee machine but it was not great at boiling water for tea. We had bought our own decaf early grey tea bags from home. Room service was great for bringing a flask of boiling water anytime we wanted tea, sometimes three times a day! Remember to order tea for two with milk and then just leave the selection of tea bags on the tray. I decided asking for boiling water and milk would confuse them too much.

 

Talking of Room Service we had an excellent lunch on our balcony, salmon and apple pie for my wife and burger and cheese plate for myself. So if the sun is shining, don't forget this excellent alternative to the outside area in the buffet area.

 

We went to two of the shows Rat Pack (tickets required) and the Abba show. Whilst they were professionally presented and the performers could sing well, they were not as enjoyable as other cruise line shows. Although I am only comparing it to shows on the larger Queen Victoria. I felt they were singing too many songs that weren't instantly recognisable. Atmosphere from guests was flat in Torshavn (well until we left part way through) for the Rat Pack show but most seemed to enjoy the Abba show in the main theatre, with some guests even standing up to join in! We also saw a bit of the Beatles show in the pool area one evening, which seemed very good and I could not understand why this was not in the main theatre. Most people were sitting on sunbeds, which I did not feel was that suitable once you are in your evening attire.

 

The other musical entertainment around the ship was elegant and professional and provided lovely background music in he evening.

 

It's interesting to see Roothy's comments on the noise in the Restaurant, I never noticed this but was generally eating in there with one or two other couples we met on our pre cruise trip around Italy. So maybe if two of you are eating alone it could be quite noisy but when you are busy talking in a group it is not so noticeable.

 

The Drinks Package seemed good value, especially if you did not have a cabin with free booze in the mini fridge, although getting the additional wines at lunch and dinner seemed a bit of a chore at times based on my observations of one of dining companions.

 

However, it was a fantastic cruise and would happily return again.

 

Neil

[id4elizabeth]

Speaking of tea, the loose tea selection at the 4:00 pm Wintergarden Afternoon Tea was excellent. I particularly enjoyed the White Jasmine, but the Earl Grey was also good, as was the Mango. While onboard I asked if I could buy some, but no such luck. I've tried getting this brand of tea once we got home to the States and all I can find is that it's not sold retail - only to large restaurants, cruise lines and hotel chains! Bummer!