Viking Ocean - Combined Cruise Schedule

[CharTrav]

3 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

That's a great idea, however rather than heading up the West Coast in open water, how about returning Northbound, also using the Inland Passage. A number of areas have alternate routes, so it doesn't have to be exactly the same route on the return.

 

After I left the cruise ships, I worked on the North Coast ferries and every summer we alternated 1 day northbound and 1 southbound. Between Prince Rupert and the northern tip of Vancouver Island it is amazing scenery.

 

The other consideration is daylight. From around Vancouver to Prince Rupert is about 24 hrs steaming, so some parts would be transitted at night. If they returned through the Inside Passage, hopefully they could arrange the timing so you saw it all in daylight at least once.

 

We should get into the cruise scheduling business.😀

Thanks.  Will leave ship scheduling to real experts.  One of my cousins lives near Vancouver on Bowen Island.  When we visited with him a while ago - he was still living in Vancouver (his house on Bowen Island was under construction) so we got treated to many ferry trips including one to Victoria . We returned to the States using the car ferry from Sidney to Anacortes.  When we did the Inner Passage from Ketchikan, part was during the day but a good chunk was after sunset and overnight (have to dig back in my records to find out exactly).  We arrived in Vancouver early -- 6am.

[Heidi13]

4 minutes ago, CharTrav said:

Thanks.  Will leave ship scheduling to real experts.  One of my cousins lives near Vancouver on Bowen Island.  When we visited with him a while ago - he was still living in Vancouver (his house on Bowen Island was under construction) so we got treated to many ferry trips including one to Victoria . We returned to the States using the car ferry from Sidney to Anacortes.  When we did the Inner Passage from Ketchikan, part was during the day but a good chunk was after sunset and overnight (have to dig back in my records to find out exactly).  We arrived in Vancouver early -- 6am.

 

I worked the Bowen Island route for a few years in the mid to late 80's, with that ship being my first command. If they were on Bowen in those days, I could very well have met them, as being a small island we knew most of the pax.

 

I did Alaska on the Island Princess and then Sun Princess and when southbound, we used to pick up the BC Coast pilots between 04:00 & 06:00, so we entered Grenville Channel in daylight and had daylight until just south of Port Hardy.

 

We all arrived in Vancouver about the same time, so the HAL ships probably had similar timings to us.

[CharTrav]

More changes today that have posted.   4 new cruises all starting in 2022 with all mysteriously shown as completely SOLD OUT in 2022 (partly or totally) but not in 2023 (if scheduled then). Not sure if SOLD OUT in this case simply means they're not accepting bookings yet or they really are SOLD OUT.  Am leaning towards the former; that Viking is hedging their bets on when the associated countries will open up to travelers.  New cruises are: Australia, New Zealand & Indonesia (Orion - SOLD OUT early 2022), Scandinavia & the British Isles (Venus - SOLD OUT), Viking Homelands & Majestic Iceland (Jupiter, Mars - SOLD OUT 2022), and British Isles & Iceland Explorer (Mars - SOLD OUT). Made some other tweaks as well. If you already have a copy of the spreadsheet, just use the link provided in the ReadMe tab to download a fresh copy; otherwise use the link provided in my signature block (https://www.dropbox.com/s/dk0llty8bgubssk/Viking Ocean Cruises (2021 to 2023).xlsm?dl=0)  No DropBox account required.

[LindaS272]

Just learned that the Viking Sea for Malta/Adriatic of July 1 has been canceled ostensibly for the Sea to be “redeployed elsewhere.” Do you have any information on this “redeployment”?

[CharTrav]

3 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

Just learned that the Viking Sea for Malta/Adriatic of July 1 has been canceled ostensibly for the Sea to be “redeployed elsewhere.” Do you have any information on this “redeployment”?

No, sorry I don't. 

[CharTrav]

Orion's schedule has just been updated through early Feb 2024 (appeared yesterday -- know I checked the VO site Friday and it wasn't there then).  Have just updated and posted the spreadsheet.  If you already have a copy, just use the link provided in the ReadMe tab to download a fresh copy; otherwise use the link provided in my signature block or this direct link:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/dk0llty8bgubssk/Viking Ocean Cruises (2021 to 2023).xlsm?dl=0.  No DropBox account required.

Edited June 20, 2021 by CharTrav

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, CharTrav said:

Orion's schedule has just been updated through early Feb 2024 (appeared yesterday -- know I checked the VO site Friday and it wasn't there then).  Have just updated and posted the spreadsheet.  If you already have a copy, just use the link provided in the ReadMe tab to download a fresh copy; otherwise use the link provided in my signature block or this direct link:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/dk0llty8bgubssk/Viking Ocean Cruises (2021 to 2023).xlsm?dl=0.  No DropBox account required.

Thank you CharTrav!  You are always right on top of things.  We appreciate your doing all this work to keep us informed!

[Donaghadee]

On 6/20/2021 at 2:57 PM, CharTrav said:

Orion's schedule has just been updated through early Feb 2024 (appeared yesterday -- know I checked the VO site Friday and it wasn't there then).  Have just updated and posted the spreadsheet.  If you already have a copy, just use the link provided in the ReadMe tab to download a fresh copy; otherwise use the link provided in my signature block or this direct link:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/dk0llty8bgubssk/Viking Ocean Cruises (2021 to 2023).xlsm?dl=0.  No DropBox account required.

Thanks for all your work.  Hard to figure what Viking is going to do with all their capacity if half the world is off limits for another six months to year.  I did some sleuthing for areas that are open but haven't been added to the Viking cruise catalog.  The only route I could come up with is the Mexican Riviera and Sea of Cortez.  Wonder how that would sell...

[Donaghadee]

36 minutes ago, Donaghadee said:

Thanks for all your work.  Hard to figure what Viking is going to do with all their capacity if half the world is off limits for another six months to year.  I did some sleuthing for areas that are open but haven't been added to the Viking cruise catalog.  The only route I could come up with is the Mexican Riviera and Sea of Cortez.  Wonder how that would sell...

Forgot to add this little gem:

https://cruisepassenger.com.au/exclusive-home-affairs-says-all-foreign-flagged-cruise-ships-must-employ-aussie-staff/

[CharTrav]

Hopefully by the time we do the Australia/New Zealand in 2023, everything will have settled down. 🤞🏼

[CharTrav]

I thought I was keeping on top of the schedule changes; obviously not.  I'm at least a week out of date!  Anyway -- there have been a number of changes -- some mentioned in passing in the "updates to current sailings" posted on 7 July and others I clearly didn't catch until today.  So .. have updated the spreadsheet and posted it to DropBox like always . If you already have a copy, just use the link provided in the ReadMe tab to download a fresh copy; otherwise use the link provided in my signature block or this direct link:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/dk0llty8bgubssk/Viking Ocean Cruises (2021 to 2023).xlsm?dl=0.  No DropBox account required.

 

No changes in 2022, 2023 or 2024; all the changes were for 2021:

•  Orion's cruises (and all its segments) from Vancouver to Sydney have finally all been cancelled. Will the Australia/New Zealand cruises scheduled this December be limited to citizens of Australia & New Zealand? In which case, will Orion simply deadhead from Bermuda to Sydney?
• Cancelled Iberia, the Mediterranean & Malta (Portsmouth to Valetta) and Malta & the Western Mediterranean (Valetta loop).  
• Added Iceland, British Isles & Iberia and Western Mediterranean Escape both going from Reykjavik to Barcelona (Venus & Jupiter)
• Malta & Adriatic Jewels sailings reduced (Venus) and then added to Malta & Greek Isles Discovery and Malta, the Adriatic & Greece
• Sailings of Bermuda Escape extended into September - 6 additional sailings. (Orion)

 

[Squawkman]

Char - thanks for doing this! It’s very helpful to be on top of what’s changed should our remaining 2021 cruise be cancelled (hopefully not).

[CharTrav]

44 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

Char - thanks for doing this! It’s very helpful to be on top of what’s changed should our remaining 2021 cruise be cancelled (hopefully not).

prayers ascending!

[CharTrav]

Realized an oversight on my part. When Star's sailings of Malta & Western Mediterranean during July thru Sept, didn't investigate what she will be doing instead. I've answered the question for August at least. Still don't know about Sept and October. Will post the updated spreadsheet later. 

Edited July 14, 2021 by CharTrav

[CharTrav]

1 hour ago, CharTrav said:

When Star's sailings of Malta & Western Mediterranean during July thru Sept,

Forgot to include the words "were deleted" after "Sept". Was thinking it but fingers didn't enter it. Sigh....

[CharTrav]

On 6/8/2021 at 10:07 PM, LindaS272 said:

Just learned that the Viking Sea for Malta/Adriatic of July 1 has been canceled ostensibly for the Sea to be “redeployed elsewhere.” Do you have any information on this “redeployment”?

Sorry -- I think by now you're aware that Viking rejiggered the ships doing Malta. And unfortunately, now that we're into July, I can't tell what happened before July 11th (when I did my last big update; before that it was June 20th).  The most I can do is look at what's in the future.  I do know they twiddled with Venus' sailings of Malta & the Adriatic Jewels in Aug & Sept -- reducing the number of sailings and then adding Malta, the Adriatic & Greece, as well as, Malta & Greek Isles Discovery to her schedule. Something like that may have happened with the Sea. 

Edited July 14, 2021 by CharTrav

[CharTrav]

As promised earlier (a few hours ago), I've uploaded the next update to my consolidated schedule.  Please read the LogNotes for 13 July.  What I found is that Star has been redeployed to add extra sailings of England's Scenic Shores and a sailing of a new cruise called Scenic British Isles -- all during August.  She has no cruises scheduled until August and for now, nothing scheduled in September or October. I am guessing, given that these two cruises only appear on Viking's UK site, that these are UK pax only. Will keep an eagle eye out for any updates to Star's schedule.

[les37b]

On 11/5/2019 at 4:36 AM, CharTrav said:

Have checked and double checked to make sure everything is correct -- across all three years.  As I explain in the log,  I didn't catch all the changes Viking made to Sky's schedule in the Caribbean to respond to the Cuba travel ban in the 2019 to 2021 schedule but did indeed catch and include these changes in the 2020 to 2022 schedule. 

• Deleted Cultural Cuba
• Renamed two cruises:  Panama Canal & Central America and Panama Canal & the Pacific Holiday (used to have "Cuba" in the name)
• Added new cruises: Iconic Southern Caribbean and Caribbean Island Treasures

Clearly my assumption -- stated in an earlier post -- that the 2019 and 2020 schedules were stable was ill-founded. 😿

 

A link to the DropBox folder containing the spreadsheet for 2020 to 2022 is provided in my Signature Block or you can use this link to open the file directly (no DropBox account required):  https://www.dropbox.com/s/v0h7vvslptkwg2n/Viking Ocean Cruises (2020 to 2022).xlsm?dl=0

 

 

Many thanks for this..... Just in case I'm going mad and unable to see them...... is Venus from Valletta on the sheet? I couldn't see it in a browser so downloaded and used the filters and still can't see. Appreciate the sheet might just be showing cancellations - so not a bad thing not to be seen!

 

 

 

[CharTrav]

5 hours ago, les37b said:

Many thanks for this..... Just in case I'm going mad and unable to see them...... is Venus from Valletta on the sheet? I couldn't see it in a browser so downloaded and used the filters and still can't see. Appreciate the sheet might just be showing cancellations - so not a bad thing not to be seen!

Not going mad. The quoted post is from 2019 and refers to the sheet for 2020 to 2022. The latest is for 2021 to 2023: https://www.dropbox.com/s/dk0llty8bgubssk/Viking%20Ocean%20Cruises%20%282021%20to%202023%29.xlsm?dl=0., which includes all the Welcome Back cruises. 
 

Every year, typically in the Fall, I build a sheet for the next 3 yr cycle and then post an announcement here that the new one has been posted. If you look in the Readme tab, there's a direct link to that folder (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8pm1betyh91wlhf/AABBcPIWuqWJQtR5JrNSFOqMa?dl=0). 

 

Have fun!

[Azulann]

On 7/14/2021 at 9:32 AM, CharTrav said:

Every year, typically in the Fall, I build a sheet for the next 3 yr cycle and then post an announcement here that the new one has been posted. If you look in the Readme tab, there's a direct link to that folder (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8pm1betyh91wlhf/AABBcPIWuqWJQtR5JrNSFOqMa?dl=0). 

Char, 

 Do  you think Viking will add cruises for 2023 this fall , as per your post for a three yer cyclle?

I am looking to 2023 for Northern Europe with Denmark beginning or end as a port. 

I can only see Stockholm, Baltic Sea and Russia. But in 2023 there are only two sailings, much less than 2022. And my favorite, Amsterdam to Bergen thru the Keil Canal  with three stops in Denmark no longer exist in 2022 or 23. 

Viking Homeland is also  option but Denmark is just two port stops.

Do others think they will add new itineraries  for 2023 , they will have more ships in the water? 

[CharTrav]

@Azulann You must have ESP -- or in some way prescient -- I just finished updating and posting my latest spreadsheet.  Sadly -- I did not find what you seek. 😞

 

So .. yes .. I've done another update. If you already have a copy of the spreadsheet, just use the link provided in the ReadMe tab to download a fresh copy; otherwise use the link provided in my signature block or this direct link:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/dk0llty8bgubssk/Viking Ocean Cruises (2021 to 2023).xlsm?dl=0.  No DropBox account required.

 

In addition to the "usual" schedule updates, have added an improved ability for you to get an overall view of each ship's status over a year -- an area at the bottom of the Cruises tab that is included whenever you print the detailed schedule for each year. Also did some overall housekeeping, described in the entry for today in the LogNotes tab. 

 

With respect to the schedule changes:

• Jupiter, Sky, Sea, and Venus: fully scheduled with no changes since last update through to July '23 (Jupiter, Sea, Sky) and August '23 (Venus)
• Orion: All cruises in the Pacific (Asia, Australia, New Zealand) through March '22 canceled. Nothing scheduled yet to fill in the blank from Oct '21 to March '22.  Fully expect the cruises from March '22 and later in the Spring to be cancelled as well. Time will tell. Other than that, Orion is fully scheduled into March '24.
• Mars: Scheduled to join Orion doing Asia, Australia, & NZ starting Nov '23.  Nearly fully scheduled from May '22 to March '23.  Still need a cruise to carry Mars from Athens to Bangkok starting late Oct '22 -- perhaps a re-run of Orion's Voyage of Marco Polo in 2018??
• Neptune: Scheduled a World Cruise (plus the usual 2 segments) starting in Dec '23 ending May '24.  Nothing scheduled yet in the months between her two World Cruises (May-Dec '23). Perhaps, @Azulann that's when Viking will schedule what you seek?
• Star: Schedule in Sept and Oct '21 still not filled -- no idea how she is going to get to Ft Lauderdale to start her World Cruise or..how Viking intends to address the demands of Florida's governor. Schedule is otherwise full into early March '23.  (NB: forgot to include this in the log notes.. will upload a fresh copy with the updated LogNotes in a few minutes)

 

Edited July 29, 2021 by CharTrav

[Azulann]

CharTrav,

Yikes, iI believe it  is a sign  that you  were updating  when I asked my question. Thanks so much for  doing these spread sheets.

Neptune might be a long shot for doing Northern European cruises between its two world cruises.

 I will pour over these  schedules and  do some more research for a pre land or post land trip in Denmark   and a Viking Cruise in 2023.

Cheers!

Patti

 

[CharTrav]

1 minute ago, Azulann said:

Neptune might be a long shot for doing Northern European cruises between its two world cruises.

Maybe not -- but then again consider how they used Sun in between her World Cruises.  She doodled around in the Baltic. I could look back at the history of what she did in between WCs to see if she ever did the Kiel cruises. Or if you feel super ambitious -- you can download any of my older spreadsheets - they're all up there in a DropBox folder -- just check my signature block for the folder link.

 

And yeah .. just as I finished and posted my note .. it hit me I'd completely forgotten to include Star!  So..yes.. after I get this post to you.. will upload the absolute latest and greatest.

[Heidi13]

17 hours ago, Azulann said:

Char, 

 Do  you think Viking will add cruises for 2023 this fall , as per your post for a three yer cyclle?

I am looking to 2023 for Northern Europe with Denmark beginning or end as a port. 

I can only see Stockholm, Baltic Sea and Russia. But in 2023 there are only two sailings, much less than 2022. And my favorite, Amsterdam to Bergen thru the Keil Canal  with three stops in Denmark no longer exist in 2022 or 23. 

Viking Homeland is also  option but Denmark is just two port stops.

Do others think they will add new itineraries  for 2023 , they will have more ships in the water? 

 

We are also watching for Viking to release additional cruises in 2023, especially for Neptune, once it arrives in Greenwich. If the next cruise is Norway, Denmark, Kiel Canal and/or midsummer night we will extend after the World Cruise.

 

I check the schedule weekly.

[janetcbl]

5 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

We are also watching for Viking to release additional cruises in 2023, especially for Neptune, once it arrives in Greenwich. If the next cruise is Norway, Denmark, Kiel Canal and/or midsummer night we will extend after the World Cruise.

 

I check the schedule weekly.

Where do you find the information about the weekly Viking cruise news releases? We seem to find out about new/special cruises after they are fully booked! (And we have sailed with Viking 4 times.) Thanks for the information!