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2 hours ago, Dauntless said:

 

You are going to be so amazed when you get to Viking... But you NEED to get there soon!

I'll be on the Viking Sky in 37 Days for Scandinavia and the Kiel Canal itinerary. My first Viking cruise was on the Sea and the second was on the Star. I'm trying to work my way through all of the ships but they're building them faster than I can earn the money to go. LOL

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2 hours ago, terrydtx said:

When you say a short affordable vacation, do you mean a 3, 4 or 5 day cruise? If its a 7 day cruise you may want to try Holland America, no napkin waving or standing on MDR chairs! For a mainstream cruise line HAL comes closer to VO in size of ships refinement and demographics IMHO. HAL doesn't have shorter than 7 day cruises, however. We will use Viking when we want a special all inclusive special itinerary cruise and HAL for cruising with our kids and grandkids for Alaska, North America and Caribbean cruises. 

This particular cruise was only a four day. I will keep HAL in mind for next time. It looks like they even have sailings out of Boston and Montreal which are both driving distance for me.

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38 minutes ago, Choose Something Fun said:

This particular cruise was only a four day. I will keep HAL in mind for next time. It looks like they even have sailings out of Boston and Montreal which are both driving distance for me.

 

Yes but that only helps if they return to the starting port so that you can retrieve you car.

 

DD did the cruise. They started in Boston. Took a cab to the pier. When they got to Montreal, they rented a car to drive home (cheaper than flying).

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  • 3 months later...

How is a World Cruise on  Viking?   Is it doable in a  Veranda stateroom?  Or move up to a Penthouse Suite?  Is it worth the extra cost?    I will be solo.

Edited by Kingofcool1947
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1 hour ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

How is a World Cruise on  Viking?   Is it doable in a  Veranda stateroom?  Or move up to a Penthouse Suite?  Is it worth the extra cost?    I will be solo.

Just finished 93 day grand pacific voyage with my DH on Viking Orion. Definitely doable in penthouse veranda.  That’s the room that has a couch and chair in seating area. All one room but more storage and “elbow room.” Closet in a better location in PVs   It gives you a great place to. hang clothes you don’t want to put through the dryer ( along the wall next to the bed). Our cabin steward taught us that trick. 

 

We also used the many public spaces to relax. If you are solo, regular veranda probably OK too. One of our cruise friends was traveling alone and had the smallest room. She did spend a lot of time in public spaces, but I think it was to have company. 

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I can't imagine the separation anxiety you would have after 93 days with your crew and servers.  I just came back from a 13 day cruise and I am torn up sad about losing my new friends after leaving the ship.  I was ready to adopt at least one of the servers.  I can't imagine after 93 days.  

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On 8/14/2017 at 4:07 PM, geospyder said:

OK - you people have us scared :eek: We will be on our first Viking (Star) cruise in January. We're afraid from all the above comments that cruising Viking might become habit forming :D

 

Number two Viking is coming up in six months.  We are doing a 21 day on the Viking Sea that will spend New Years in Manaus, Brazil, up the Amazon.  Twenty one days might sound long but we just got back from a 42 day trip.

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42 minutes ago, geospyder said:

 

Number two Viking is coming up in six months.  We are doing a 21 day on the Viking Sea that will spend New Years in Manaus, Brazil, up the Amazon.  Twenty one days might sound long but we just got back from a 42 day trip.

 

We did this trip last winter on the Sea and although it was an interesting experience, there were a lot of hiccups and a whole lot more 'over promising' and 'under delivering' as it went with the tours especially.  

I can say absolutely that if there's any mobility issues with you or your travel companions, this is going to be a tough trip with getting on/off the ship and through the pier locations which I'm more than happy to elaborate on if required

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22 hours ago, Kingofcool1947 said:

How is a World Cruise on  Viking?   Is it doable in a  Veranda stateroom?  Or move up to a Penthouse Suite?  Is it worth the extra cost?    I will be solo.

We are booked on the 2nd half of the 245-day Ultimate WC, departing L/A for 199 nights. We are in a DV, which at 270 sq ft is the same size as a Verandah cabin. We selected DV 4 based on cabin location.

 

Our previous WC in 2015, with another cruise line, we also had a balcony cabin, but the Viking cabin is about 50% bigger. We had no issues with cabin size on our previous WC.

 

My first ship we had 3 of us in a cabin that was about 8' x 10' for 4 months. Have also spent 9-months on a ship where the cabin was about 1/2 the size of the Viking cabins, so personally, I find the DV & V cabins sufficiently spacious.

 

We prefer to use the money saved for more excursions or more travel.🙂

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1 hour ago, Captain_Morgan said:

 

We did this trip last winter on the Sea and although it was an interesting experience, there were a lot of hiccups and a whole lot more 'over promising' and 'under delivering' as it went with the tours especially.  

I can say absolutely that if there's any mobility issues with you or your travel companions, this is going to be a tough trip with getting on/off the ship and through the pier locations which I'm more than happy to elaborate on if required

 I've read about the water rationing and the bugs but that's part of the adventure.  Can't be any worse than the MSC experience we had from South Africa in April.  We had a loose group of six couples and when asked if anyone would do MSC again it was a resounding "NO!" - unless there was a very interesting itinerary :classic_biggrin:.   No mobility problems.   I'm 75 and my wife is only 70.  We enjoy the outdoors doing a lot of day hikes.  In three days we will be going camping for a couple days.  We still tent camp hauling all our gear in the back of a 2 door Jeep Rubicon.

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1 minute ago, geospyder said:

 I've read about the water rationing and the bugs but that's part of the adventure.  Can't be any worse than the MSC experience we had from South Africa in April.  We had a loose group of six couples and when asked if anyone would do MSC again it was a resounding "NO!" - unless there was a very interesting itinerary :classic_biggrin:.   No mobility problems.   I'm 75 and my wife is only 70.  We enjoy the outdoors doing a lot of day hikes.  In three days we will be going camping for a couple days.  We still tent camp hauling all our gear in the back of a 2 door Jeep Rubicon.

 

Water rations were more an issue than the bugs between those issues, but even thats manageable if proper planning on all sides is observed.

Sounds like you'll be fine with the mobility side, which is good given the tender ports and having to traverse over and through local vessels, uneven surfaces, loading and unloading of small local boats, steep gangways, etc.  Not to mention the stop in Belem which was more akin to tendering into a local bus stop than a tender landing which many passed comment on, as well as the guests who went flying (literally) from their (plastic) lawn chairs on the local tenders when the vessel rolled a bit.

 

 

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  • 1 year later...
On 3/8/2017 at 1:25 PM, philw1776 said:

 

There is no answer to this.

Your taste for excursions may differ. The optional excursions are in my view pricey but they involve more time and more special places to see than the included which is usually a walking tour or short bus tour with a couple stops. Read the details and consider.

Enjoyed over 95% of the tours we've taken with Viking and we've done both types.

Is it possible to take the included (complimentry) tour AND book an additional tour that is out of your pocket for most ports?  

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1 hour ago, Triptkr said:

Is it possible to take the included (complimentry) tour AND book an additional tour that is out of your pocket for most ports?  

Some included excursions consist of a bus ride into town, a walking tour, and then tome on your own before returning to the ship. You can also skip the walking part and arrange with the tour guide to meet before the return ride to the ship.

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1 hour ago, Triptkr said:

Is it possible to take the included (complimentry) tour AND book an additional tour that is out of your pocket for most ports?  

 

We found the biggest determining factor in being able to book both the included and optional Shore-ex is the amount of hours in port. Ports with 6 hrs or less, it was rarely possible.

 

On our cruise, the 2020 WC, I believe we booked the included and an optional in about 10 to 12 ports.

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Be sure to sign up on Roll Call for your cruise.  We have had small 6-10 people taking a "private tour".

We went to many of the same places as the Viking Optional tour.  We have also just booked a private tour for just us, but find have 6-10 people a wonderful size for the tours. Cruises will often post on Roll Call about private tours they are booking and wanting others to join to split the cost.

Waffles, Living Room Cafe coffee to order, Winter Garden afternoon tea, room service full breakfast and heated bath floors. just a few reasons to cruise with Viking Ocean.

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1 hour ago, MSEm said:

Be sure to sign up on Roll Call for your cruise.  We have had small 6-10 people taking a "private tour".

We went to many of the same places as the Viking Optional tour.  We have also just booked a private tour for just us, but find have 6-10 people a wonderful size for the tours. Cruises will often post on Roll Call about private tours they are booking and wanting others to join to split the cost.

Waffles, Living Room Cafe coffee to order, Winter Garden afternoon tea, room service full breakfast and heated bath floors. just a few reasons to cruise with Viking Ocean.

We agree!

Sadly though - no private tours will happen for the time being - hopefully in mid 2022 or certainly 2023?

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Couple of questions for anyone who wouldn't mind answering.  🙂

 

When dining on a Viking ship do you have to share a table with others?  Or are you able to get a table for two if you're sailing as a group of two?

 

Can someone explain the coffee situation on board?  I understand that coffee is available all day long at a station of sorts that you can go up to and serve yourself.  Does this 'station' include just regular coffee or do can you get specialty coffees there?  

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Viking Ocean has tables for 2. Not so on River...share*.
Pre-COVID so may have changed.

Think but not sure it's "regular" coffee only.

 

* a couple tables for 2 on Aquavit Terrace for dinner. Couple.

Edited by philw1776
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17 minutes ago, philw1776 said:

Viking Ocean has tables for 2. Not so on River...share*.
Pre-COVID so may have changed.

Think but not sure it's "regular" coffee only.

 

* a couple tables for 2 on Aquavit Terrace for dinner. Couple.

 

Can you tell Phil is not a coffee drinker?

 

Post Covid things will be a lot different. The self serve beverage stations will probably be gone, at least at the outset.  Coffee in the World Cafe will still probably come from these machines, although they will be operated by the wait staff.

 

Coffee of all makes and model is available free 24/7. The only time it will cost you anything is if you add booze to the mix.  Tea and hot chocolate also available for free 24/7.

 

The best coffee is served at the Living Room bar --Deck 1, 6am to Midnight -- better than the self-serve machine in the World Cafe -- because it is fresh ground and espresso brewed by the cup. Other bars are equipped with espresso machines but LR is the only bar open all day and into the night.

 

Room serve delivers 24/7.  Except V cabins, all cabins are equipped with a coffee maker. Your steward will supply you with milk/cream.

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1 minute ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Can you tell Phil is not a coffee drinker?

 

Post Covid things will be a lot different. The self serve beverage stations will probably be gone, at least at the outset.  Coffee in the World Cafe will still probably come from these machines, although they will be operated by the wait staff.

 

Coffee of all makes and model is available free 24/7. The only time it will cost you anything is if you add booze to the mix.  Tea and hot chocolate also available for free 24/7.

 

The best coffee is served at the Living Room bar --Deck 1, 6am to Midnight -- better than the self-serve machine in the World Cafe -- because it is fresh ground and espresso brewed by the cup. Other bars are equipped with espresso machines but LR is the only bar open all day and into the night.

 

Room serve delivers 24/7.  Except V cabins, all cabins are equipped with a coffee maker. Your steward will supply you with milk/cream.

Thanks!!   Appreciate the tips.  I was told by a Viking TA that I couldn't get specialty coffees at the station just regular coffee unless I purchased a drink package such as the silver-something-or-other-drink package which does me no good as I don't usually drink alcohol, the TA told me with this package I could get specialty coffees.     

My head is spinning with all the different feedback I've gotten whether it's from the country that I'm looking into sailing around or Viking itself.  😉

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7 minutes ago, Triptkr said:

Thanks!!   Appreciate the tips.  I was told by a Viking TA that I couldn't get specialty coffees at the station just regular coffee unless I purchased a drink package such as the silver-something-or-other-drink package which does me no good as I don't usually drink alcohol, the TA told me with this package I could get specialty coffees.     

My head is spinning with all the different feedback I've gotten whether it's from the country that I'm looking into sailing around or Viking itself.  😉

 

Okay, sounds like you and the TA where each using the same jargon to mean different things.

 

Here's where the mix up was: The only 'specialty' coffees in Viking speak have booze in them and they cost money except on the drinks package. You can only get them at the bars -- coz that's where the booze is. You confused the poor TA when you asked about the 'specialty' coffees and the self-serve machines in one breath because they thought booze while you meant latte.  Viking definitely has its own lingo.

 

And yes, you can get a latte or a cappuccino from the self-serve machines -- if the machines are available by the time you sail.

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