A Few (more) Questions for Viking Star "Veterans"

[molymoo]

We will be heading for the Viking Homelands itinerary in about a month (July 10!!!) and have a couple of nit-picky questions for those of you who have spent time on the Star.

 

- We have a couple of spa appointments scheduled and wonder about tipping in the spa. Do you tip the service provider directly at the time of service? I am assuming that these "tips" are handled differently from the ones for the ship's crew. Any amount (%) suggestions and what currency is preferred (ie: dollars, euros, etc.)

 

- I read a lot of the reviews of the maiden voyage last year and seem to remember that there is a "beauty shop" of some sort onboard where one can (for instance) a haircut. What other services are available at this "shop" and how is payment made? Can one get a manicure or pedicure?

 

- What sort of toiletries are available in the cabin bathrooms? The river boats use L'Occitane products; specifically "lemon verbena" fragranced. Is it the same for the ocean cruises/

 

I'm starting to set aside things for packing (yes, I am anxious!) and this information will help with the planning!

 

Thanks!

[Cyber Kat]

We will be heading for the Viking Homelands itinerary in about a month (July 10!!!) and have a couple of nit-picky questions for those of you who have spent time on the Star.

 

- We have a couple of spa appointments scheduled and wonder about tipping in the spa. Do you tip the service provider directly at the time of service? I am assuming that these "tips" are handled differently from the ones for the ship's crew. Any amount (%) suggestions and what currency is preferred (ie: dollars, euros, etc.)

 

- I read a lot of the reviews of the maiden voyage last year and seem to remember that there is a "beauty shop" of some sort onboard where one can (for instance) a haircut. What other services are available at this "shop" and how is payment made? Can one get a manicure or pedicure?

 

- What sort of toiletries are available in the cabin bathrooms? The river boats use L'Occitane products; specifically "lemon verbena" fragranced. Is it the same for the ocean cruises/

 

I'm starting to set aside things for packing (yes, I am anxious!) and this information will help with the planning!

 

Thanks!

 

We've not done an ocean cruise - yet ;) - but we are doing one of their river cruises in August. They recently started switching over from L'Occitane products to the proprietary brand they are using on the Ocean Cruises. It's called Freyja.

[Peregrina651]

and how is payment made?

 

Everything is charged to your shipboard account in US dollars which is settled at the end of your cruise either with a credit card or in cash. Travelers checks are not accepted.

 

I have the cruise docs in front of me and I checked to see if they talk about tipping in the salon. Oddly, they never mention the salon or what services are offered and when they discuss gratuities, they only point out that a 15% gratuity is added to "bar, beverage, wine and deck services," never mentioning the salon or the spa per se. Don't know if it is included in "deck services"

 

 

From My Viking Journey (lots of information hiding here, if you have the patience to try to find it):

 

THE SALON & THE BARBER SHOP

 

Prepare for the evening with a visit to our salon, where you can pamper yourself with an array of hair, nail and grooming services. Our experienced stylists offer wash, cut, blow dry and styling as well as our wonderfully soothing Nordic Hair Ritual.

 

• OPENING HOURS: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
  
• LOCATION ON SHIP: Deck 1
  

 

[id4elizabeth]

Tipping in the Spa is confusing. My info is from the maiden cruise, so things might have changed. There is a 15% service charge automatically added to your spa treatment price. I took this to be the tip. However, the manicure lady told me this all went to the spa and she didn't get any, so if I wanted to tip her, I'd have to add a specific tip. I was not liking this at all so went to Spa Management and was told the "service charge" does go to the staff, but it gets divided up among them all. So the manicure lady was not being entirely honest. Yes, she only gets a portion of my service charge, but then she also gets a portion of everyone elses' service charge.

 

So, if you do want to specifically tip your person, when you check in, you can ask that the "auto service charge" not be added to your bill, and then in the tip field you can put in 15%. You can also leave the 15% service charge and add a few more bucks as a "tip" on top of that. But I strongly suggest you not do what I did the first time and leave the 15% service charge on and add another tip of 15% for a whopping total 30% gratuity.

 

In any case, whatever you decide, it gets added to your shipboard account. You don't need cash. You are correct in that the spa staff is not part of the general ship staff's gratuities.

 

As far as other services offered, there is a small beauty shop where you can get a harcut, manicure and pedicure. If you are on the Star, apparently they did not engineer in enough ventilation in order to handle the fumes to do hair coloring or acrylic nails or "shellacing". At least that was the story we were told. If you are on the Sea, they might have fixed this problem. They also offer a nice men's shave/facial. Payment is made to your shipboard account.

 

As mentioned, the toiletries are Freyja.

[Fairfield Nana]

Hey Mollymoo-- looks like you are on the same cruise as the rest of us on the "July 10-25 'Homelands' thread" for our cruise from Stockholm to Bergen. If so, over 20 of us have signed up for the Viking-sponsored "Meet & Mingle". You might like to join in--totally up to you.

[OBX Cruisers]

Id4elizabeth - I wound up paying 30% tip before I realized what had happened. Had made up my mind to cancel a second spa appointment but then we were leaving ship when it broke down and I didn't need too. Will think twice before signing up for massage on our January West Indies cruise or will at least not be double tipping[emoji3]

[HUNKY]

Are the proprietary Freyja products comparable to the L'Occitane products?

 

I usually bring along my own bar of the shea butter Verbena. When I smell that bar I KNOW I'm on a cruise!

[id4elizabeth]

There's nothing wrong with the Freyja products - they have a very, very light scent. If you don't have a good sniffer (nose) you may think they're unscented. They do the job. I did find the Body Lotion is non-greasy and sinks into the skin quickly, but for my old skin, did not provide enough moisture, so had to go buy something else while in port.

 

Missed my L'Occitane a lot!

 

This year for our Viking river cruise, suspecting that it might be Freyja, I brought my own L'Occitane soap and body lotion, but used the Freyja shampoo, conditioner and body wash.

[molymoo]

Hey Mollymoo-- looks like you are on the same cruise as the rest of us on the "July 10-25 'Homelands' thread" for our cruise from Stockholm to Bergen. If so, over 20 of us have signed up for the Viking-sponsored "Meet & Mingle". You might like to join in--totally up to you.

 

We are indeed on this cruise! Would be interested in a "Meet & Mingle" but ... pardon my ignorance... Not sure what this is and how one might sign up. Would appreciate the info if you have it and the time to respond.

[Peregrina651]

We are indeed on this cruise! Would be interested in a "Meet & Mingle" but ... pardon my ignorance... Not sure what this is and how one might sign up. Would appreciate the info if you have it and the time to respond.

 

Meet&Mingle is a reception for CC members hosted on board by the cruise line; Viking is not the only cruise line that hosts them.

 

More info and sign-up for the Viking parties can be found in the Viking Roll Call forum. Meet&Mingle is offered on all Viking Oceans cruises. If your sail date is not listed in the drop-down menu, report it to Cruise Critic.

[Fairfield Nana]

Mollymoo- So far there are only 22 of us signed up. No real time constraints as I see it, but you can sign up by opening the main Cruise Critic link and at the top of the page select “community”—select “Meet & Mingle”—select cruise line in the drop-down—select Viking Star under "select ship" in the drop-down—then follow directions on signing up. Sounds like a nice way to meet fellow travelers, and enjoy a free party courtesy of Viking.

[Solent Richard]

We will be heading for the Viking Homelands itinerary in about a month (July 10!!!) and have a couple of nit-picky questions for those of you who have spent time on the Star.

 

- We have a couple of spa appointments scheduled and wonder about tipping in the spa. Do you tip the service provider directly at the time of service? I am assuming that these "tips" are handled differently from the ones for the ship's crew. Any amount (%) suggestions and what currency is preferred (ie: dollars, euros, etc.)

 

- I read a lot of the reviews of the maiden voyage last year and seem to remember that there is a "beauty shop" of some sort onboard where one can (for instance) a haircut. What other services are available at this "shop" and how is payment made? Can one get a manicure or pedicure?

 

- What sort of toiletries are available in the cabin bathrooms? The river boats use L'Occitane products; specifically "lemon verbena" fragranced. Is it the same for the ocean cruises/

 

I'm starting to set aside things for packing (yes, I am anxious!) and this information will help with the planning!

 

Thanks!

 

Some of your points are covered, including photographs, on the review I wrote on my cruise blog...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2015/12/28/viking-star-a-taste-of-something-different/

 

[Colo Cruiser]

Some of your points are covered, including photographs, on the review I wrote on my cruise blog...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2015/12/28/viking-star-a-taste-of-something-different/

 

 

 

 

Excellent as always Richard!! :)

[molymoo]

Thanks to everyone for the great info! We are signed up for the "Meet & Mingle", and loved perusing your blog Solvent Richard and took a peek at your pics to Elizabeth! Packing is in progress and the countdown has begun! Thanks again to all! :)

[comcox]

I found your blog very well done. We will be on the sister ship Sea in February.

I did have a question about the lack of a formal library space. Your photos show a few books here and there around the "living room" but how many books are there really? And what type of books? I read a lot on cruises and won't sail on any ship that does not have a decent library so I'm concerned.

[deec]

comcox

My kindle has solved the problem...takes up very little space/weight and I can pre-load many books before leaving home. no longer dependent on the ship's library.

[roothy123]

I found your blog very well done. We will be on the sister ship Sea in February.

I did have a question about the lack of a formal library space. Your photos show a few books here and there around the "living room" but how many books are there really? And what type of books? I read a lot on cruises and won't sail on any ship that does not have a decent library so I'm concerned.

 

I'm not Richard, but loved his blog as well. Here's my two cents' worth:

 

Quite honestly, I didn't find much of interest in the books scattered around. Unless I missed something, they were mostly non-fiction reference or photo books, and little in the way of fiction. If you like to read a lot, I would get an inexpensive Kindle/Nook or check to see if you can download books from a public library or other source onto a tablet, if you have one.

 

I've been on Celebrity Summit where the "library" is very, very minimal, and Oceania, where the library on each ship is fantastic - although an early-embarking book hog sometimes makes it impossible to find the travel books I like to read! Viking's collection is more like a scavenger hunt, and so far I've found no prize. However, at least the WiFi is free, usually good, and enables me to read SOMETHING without taking a lot of stuff with me on the cruise. Viking's itineraries don't leave me much time to read, so it's no big deal. Even though I usually take something along to read, most times I don't even read it - except perhaps on airplanes and in airports when I'm bored!

[roothy123]

Wanted to add that I have pictures and documents of Star from our fall 2015 cruise here:

 

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

 

I think there are pictures of the hair and nail salons in there, by the way.

Edited June 22, 2016 by roothy123

[Colo Cruiser]

Wanted to add that I have pictures and documents of Star from our fall 2015 cruise here:

 

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

 

I think there are pictures of the hair and nail salons in there, by the way.

 

Thanks for the link/photos. :)

[deec]

roothy,

thanks for the great pictures

cant wait until our cruise on the SKY!

[Traveler103]

I found your blog very well done. We will be on the sister ship Sea in February.

I did have a question about the lack of a formal library space. Your photos show a few books here and there around the "living room" but how many books are there really? And what type of books? I read a lot on cruises and won't sail on any ship that does not have a decent library so I'm concerned.

 

There are hundreds of books on the Star - in various places. I saw lots of travel and adventure/explorer type books plus mysteries and more current popular novels. There are many bookcases in the living room, the Explorer Lounge and even in the Winter Garden. Not uncommon on sea days to see passengers curled up on lounges reading or napping in the Winter Garden area.

[LesSails80435]

"As far as other services offered, there is a small beauty shop where you can get a harcut, manicure and pedicure. If you are on the Star, apparently they did not engineer in enough ventilation in order to handle the fumes to do hair coloring or acrylic nails or "shellacing". At least that was the story we were told. If you are on the Sea, they might have fixed this problem. They also offer a nice men's shave/facial. Payment is made to your shipboard account."

 

This is mostly correct for Viking Sea. We are currently aboard for Midnight Sun/Baltic Jewels. A short haircut and blow dry was $75.00. I was told that it did not cover gratuities. The iPad place to sign asked if I liked service by xxx, and let me select 10, 15, or 20% to add. The Sea beauty shop is right next to the Spa, shares a signup desk, and does Shellac nails but no acrylics. It hardly ever has anyone in it.

[Granny27]

Is there any incentive offered for purchasing a future cruise while onboard?

[fnewman]

I don't remember hearing about the future cruise program (as on the river ships) but when I booked a cruise on the Sea recently, I did get a discount for having cruised within the past year.

[Granny27]

Thank you, I am aware of that. $200 within one year; $100 within two years. When we were on a river cruise they offered pre-purchased coupons value $200 for $100. I think they were in unlimited amounts also. I guess they are not doing this on the ocean cruises.

Edited July 8, 2016 by Granny27