What is needed on excursions?

[zitsky]

New to ocean.  Do I need anything to go on excursions, a ticket, voucher etc?  NCL does tickets.  Or just give our room number?

[ropomo]

When you get to your cabin, you should find tickets for all of your booked excursions.  Just take them with you and they will be collected by your guide when you leave.

[mariavii]

Patience.  (And the ticket viking provides.)

[zitsky]

53 minutes ago, mariavii said:

Patience.  (And the ticket viking provides.)

 

Do you mean I will be waiting for other people often? 

[LeRenardrouge]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

 

Do you mean I will be waiting for other people often? 

 

That was not our experience.  Viking has a good efficient procedure.  Match your ticket numbers to the excursion schedule in each day’s Viking Daily.  I found taking a highlighter helpful as there are multiple groups departing for same excursion.  Some groups might meet in the theater or in other locations.  The schedule will tell you exactly where you meet and when.  Plan to be there before that time.  Most people are prompt so do not be late as they will not wait for you.  They do not waste time!  

 

It is a good idea to check the envelope (usually on the desk) on arrival in your stateroom to be sure you have tickets for all the excursions you booked.  This is for both included and optional excursions.  I found they are often not in order of days.  I arrange them by day (grouping both passengers together if taking the same excursions).  Then the night before the scheduled excursions, take them out of the envelope and match to the time and place of meeting for departure as listed in the Daily. 

 

I put the tickets with the Quiet Voxes (be sure they are charged), room key, etc. Some times you will be instructed to carry your passports so be sure they are out also.  Amazing how many people get ready to disembark and have forgotten something.  

 

It it is always rushed so be organized.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[zitsky]

Good advice thanks.

[just_dont]

All passengers leaving the ship are required to take their room key card. You'll scan it before leaving the ship and again when you reboard. You'll also need to show it to get back into the port areas or tender boarding areas.
(and the excursion tickets)

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[austinetc]

The process is not much different than Viking River, just more buses.  You will be assigned a bus.  Each bus has a letter/number designation.  It's important to know which bus to get on.  The guide for that bus will have a list of who's assigned.  As they'll tell you in the initial brief, you can ask to be reassigned if you'd not with friends, though obviously they'd like that request made before the morning.  Based on experience, I suggest you try to share the same bus with friends.  We didn't care enough to swap, but because of the guides had very different experiences.  It made for a confusing dinner conversation.

[Parsley Cruises]

All the above, and a couple of items which we always take with us, no matter which cruise line and itinerary:

 

Small bottles of water, sweets (usually individually wrapped mint flavoured) - these stave off boredom on a long coach excursion (especially if the guide is going on and on!) they also keep hunger twinges at bay, small individual portions of savoury biscuits (not as noisy or 'greasy' as crisps), and above all hand wipes.

 

Don't forget your camera, sun hat, sun screen, sun glasses (or cold weather gear if that applies).

[mariavii]

21 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

Do you mean I will be waiting for other people often? 

 

It's usually built into the timing for the excursions, but times, unless you are the one being waited for, you will be waiting for... very slow bus entrances and exits, a LOT of restroom breaks, etc.  We knew this going in, but after 2 weeks it gets old.

[broker1217]

27 minutes ago, mariavii said:

 

It's usually built into the timing for the excursions, but times, unless you are the one being waited for, you will be waiting for... very slow bus entrances and exits, a LOT of restroom breaks, etc.  We knew this going in, but after 2 weeks it gets old.

 

Most folks are respectful of others time, but.......occasionally it was like a bad kindergarten field trip. 

 

Usually they take off on time. We had some excursions run late because people didn't return to the coach on time. Anywhere from 5 to 40 minutes late. Annoying when it was the same person on 3 stops on one trip.

 

Don't forget small bills for the Viking recommended tips for driver and guide (if you are planning on following that recommendation). 

[zitsky]

26 minutes ago, mariavii said:

 

It's usually built into the timing for the excursions, but times, unless you are the one being waited for, you will be waiting for... very slow bus entrances and exits, a LOT of restroom breaks, etc.  We knew this going in, but after 2 weeks it gets old.

 

A lot of restroom breaks are ok with me!  Do you promise?  I tend to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated.

 

There is also the constant debate about taking or not taking passports.  Seems better to keep them with you.

Edited September 19, 2019 by zitsky

[LeRenardrouge]

28 minutes ago, zitsky said:

 

 

 

There is also the constant debate about taking or not taking passports.  Seems better to keep them with you.

 

I hope we don’t have to get into the debate.  Your Viking Daily will specifically tell you which stops you need to carry your passport with you.  Most of the time they tell you to leave it in your safe.  In Italy the law is you need to carry it on you.  BUT, there are still people who swear it is not necessary.  

 

Just follow what Viking recommends.

[lackcreativity]

25 minutes ago, LeRenardrouge said:

 

I hope we don’t have to get into the debate.  Your Viking Daily will specifically tell you which stops you need to carry your passport with you.  Most of the time they tell you to leave it in your safe.  In Italy the law is you need to carry it on you.  BUT, there are still people who swear it is not necessary.  

 

Just follow what Viking recommends.

Unless instructed by Viking, we leave ours in the safe. We do have photos of our passports in my phone in the event something unexpected occurs, so we have access to the passport number and a visual of the ID page. Fortunately, we have never needed that information, so I don't truly know if it would be helpful, but it seems like a good alternative to carrying them with you and risk losing them one way or another.

[Krisval]

22 hours ago, LeRenardrouge said:

 

That was not our experience.  Viking has a good efficient procedure.  Match your ticket numbers to the excursion schedule in each day’s Viking Daily.  I found taking a highlighter helpful as there are multiple groups departing for same excursion.  Some groups might meet in the theater or in other locations.  The schedule will tell you exactly where you meet and when.  Plan to be there before that time.  Most people are prompt so do not be late as they will not wait for you.  They do not waste time!  

 

It is a good idea to check the envelope (usually on the desk) on arrival in your stateroom to be sure you have tickets for all the excursions you booked.  This is for both included and optional excursions.  I found they are often not in order of days.  I arrange them by day (grouping both passengers together if taking the same excursions).  Then the night before the scheduled excursions, take them out of the envelope and match to the time and place of meeting for departure as listed in the Daily. 

 

I put the tickets with the Quiet Voxes (be sure they are charged), room key, etc. Some times you will be instructed to carry your passports so be sure they are out also.  Amazing how many people get ready to disembark and have forgotten something.  

 

It it is always rushed so be organized.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good advice- hardly need any stress In the morning/afternoon. 

Also, if it’s going to rain, take along along folding umbrella (remember to pack one or two) or pick up a Viking umbrella as you leave the ship. Note that the Viking umbrellas are large. 

We take magnets with us on the cruise and I put the tickets for the day on the wall with one of the magnets (the walls are metal). I also post the Viking Daily for that day on the wall as I usually end up sifting through all of them to find the one I want.

[Squawkman]

28 minutes ago, Krisval said:

Good advice- hardly need any stress In the morning/afternoon. 

Also, if it’s going to rain, take along along folding umbrella (remember to pack one or two) or pick up a Viking umbrella as you leave the ship. Note that the Viking umbrellas are large. 

We take magnets with us on the cruise and I put the tickets for the day on the wall with one of the magnets (the walls are metal). I also post the Viking Daily for that day on the wall as I usually end up sifting through all of them to find the one I want.

 

Regarding umbrellas - we have had the experience on 2 Viking River cruises where the large umbrellas were supplied. We were so fortunate on our ocean cruise that the weather was perfect - so I was not sure if Viking ocean supplied umbrellas. So you're saying they do? I wasn't sure as there are 5 times as many passengers on their ocean ships.

[LeRenardrouge]

28 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

 

Regarding umbrellas - we have had the experience on 2 Viking River cruises where the large umbrellas were supplied. We were so fortunate on our ocean cruise that the weather was perfect - so I was not sure if Viking ocean supplied umbrellas. So you're saying they do? I wasn't sure as there are 5 times as many passengers on their ocean ships.

 

On both our ocean cruises, there was one umbrella in the closet of your stateroom.  Others were available where you scan out  if it was raining or threatening rain.  

Edited September 19, 2019 by LeRenardrouge

[Krisval]

30 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

 

Regarding umbrellas - we have had the experience on 2 Viking River cruises where the large umbrellas were supplied. We were so fortunate on our ocean cruise that the weather was perfect - so I was not sure if Viking ocean supplied umbrellas. So you're saying they do? I wasn't sure as there are 5 times as many passengers on their ocean ships.

 

I think half the storage of the ship is filled with umbrellas! I’m sure some are left on buses up in the rack above the seats or at some restaurant on shore. There are plenty for everyone. And, they are quite large so if you and your partner want to share one, that can work, too. 

[zitsky]

9 minutes ago, Krisval said:

 

I think half the storage of the ship is filled with umbrellas! I’m sure some are left on buses up in the rack above the seats or at some restaurant on shore. There are plenty for everyone. And, they are quite large so if you and your partner want to share one, that can work, too. 

 

What is the other half of storage filled with then?

[Krisval]

Supplies of all kind (cleaning, dishes, equipment, uniforms, and more). We’ve seen some of the containers being loaded onto the ship while in port- amazing amounts needed to provide the great experience we enjoy.

[Cyber Kat]

On 9/18/2019 at 9:55 AM, zitsky said:

 

Do you mean I will be waiting for other people often? 

 We never had any problems.  The Viking Daily gives a meeting place and a time.  We went there with our tickets - you need the tickets.  They called for our tour, we followed the Viking staff member.  You can pick up water at the exit point.  You put your sea pass card on the scanner.  Board your designated bus and off you go!

Only time we had an issue was in Guadeloupe when the port authorities decided to do an impromtu safety inspection of every bus leaving the port.  It was nice to know they were concerned for our safety, but it seemed to me that bus inspections could be done at a time when it doesn't inconvenience paying customers!

[Cyber Kat]

4 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

A lot of restroom breaks are ok with me!  Do you promise?  I tend to drink a lot of water to stay hydrated.

 

There is also the constant debate about taking or not taking passports.  Seems better to keep them with you.

In all our years of traveling, we have never done anything with our passports but put them in a hotel or cruise ship safe after showing them to the desk or embarkation folks

[Squawkman]

2 hours ago, LeRenardrouge said:

 

On both our ocean cruises, there was one umbrella in the closet of your stateroom.  Others were available where you scan out  if it was raining or threatening rain.  

 

2 hours ago, Krisval said:

 

I think half the storage of the ship is filled with umbrellas! I’m sure some are left on buses up in the rack above the seats or at some restaurant on shore. There are plenty for everyone. And, they are quite large so if you and your partner want to share one, that can work, too. 

Thanks for the info. Yes, we shared one of these large umbrellas on our river cruises, and it helps to know we can do that on ocean as well..

[RJ2002]

1 hour ago, Cyber Kat said:

In all our years of traveling, we have never done anything with our passports but put them in a hotel or cruise ship safe after showing them to the desk or embarkation folks

 

On some of our cruises, our passports are retained by the purser and then returned at some point during the cruise.  Generally this was a result of immigration procedures in ports we were visiting.

 

However, I agree with the other advice given.  Just leave your passport in your safe unless specifically instructed to care it ashore by the ship.  We also care a photocopy of it with us at all times when off the ship.

Edited September 19, 2019 by RJ2002

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, Cyber Kat said:

In all our years of traveling, we have never done anything with our passports but put them in a hotel or cruise ship safe after showing them to the desk or embarkation folks

 

My partner agrees with you and that's what we'll do.  He reminds me in South America, NCL took our passports for most of the cruise.  We got them back at the end.