Ports on National Holidays

[mariavii]

I will be on Ancient Med Treasures in Jan 2023 and Rhodes (Greece) is scheduled for January 6 (Epiphany).  How does Viking handle ports during a national holiday where almost everything is closed?  Any experience with Greek ports on holidays?

 

Thanks!

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

We have been in ports on national holidays and almost everything was closed, however we've not been in Greek ports so cannot comment on them.  I'm not sure what you mean by how does Viking handle it....as there is nothing Viking can do.  They will let you know about excursions.  

[Jim Avery]

Right on.  Very few countries will change their holiday schedule because some cruise ship is coming to town.  There will always be some places open and the walking places should be available.  Viking will have some excursions for sure but just don't get upset if the one you want is closed for the holiday.  Always something out there to do....

[donaldsc]

Depending upon what the locals do on their holidays the fact that you are there on a national holiday might be a plus and not a negative.  We just came back from an AK cruise where we stopped at Wrangell on 4 July.  Some of the planned excursions were cancelled and we had to tender in instead of docking because the town was using the dock for the festivities.  However the 4 July festivities were wonderful.  Half of the island population was in the parade and the other half was watching the parade.  Every emergency service vehicle on the island was in the parade was in the parade - it would have been a great time to rob one of the local backs.   Everyone on the floats was throwing candy to people and the kids were running into the street to grab candy.

 

It was wonderful!!!

 

DON

[Mrs Miggins]

We have been in Rome on New Years Day.  Wonderful as the locals were all out and about enjoying the day.  Lovely atmosphere.

[mariavii]

Thanks for the replies!  I'm sorry of the question was worded oddly.  I meant... do they try to go ahead with maybe some walking tours, or are there no excursions whatsoever?  I 100% am not expecting anything, I just wondered if Viking got creative. 

 

I'm already looking at what the locals do ("Throwing of the cross"?! - 12 years of Catholic school and I never heard of *that* for Epiphany).

[FetaCheese]

22 minutes ago, mariavii said:

Thanks for the replies!  I'm sorry of the question was worded oddly.  I meant... do they try to go ahead with maybe some walking tours, or are there no excursions whatsoever?  I 100% am not expecting anything, I just wondered if Viking got creative. 

 

I'm already looking at what the locals do ("Throwing of the cross"?! - 12 years of Catholic school and I never heard of *that* for Epiphany).

It is a Greek Orthodox tradition on Epiphany, whereby a priest or hierarch throws a cross into a body of water.  Thereafter, teenagers go into the water to retrieve the cross.  The person who finds and brings up the cross, receives a special blessing from the priest or or hierarch.  It is most famously held every year in Tarpon Springs, Florida, among many other communities.

[Twitchly]

2 hours ago, FetaCheese said:

It is a Greek Orthodox tradition on Epiphany, whereby a priest or hierarch throws a cross into a body of water.  Thereafter, teenagers go into the water to retrieve the cross.  The person who finds and brings up the cross, receives a special blessing from the priest or or hierarch.  It is most famously held every year in Tarpon Springs, Florida, among many other communities.

Russian and American Orthodox do this, too. 
 

It would be much more enjoyable in Florida! February in the upper Midwest gets a little too nippy to be diving into streams.

[CILCIANRQTS]

In our experience, there’s an inverse correlation between the size of the port and the reaction of local shops, etc. In the small towns, some shops and many restaurants will open to get the cruise ship business. In the larger cities, you get what you probably expect - most places are closed for the holiday and the presence of cruise ships makes no difference.

As for Viking excursions, they still go on but will not have access to most public venues, like museums, etc.

Sometimes, in the big cities, your experience is actually enhanced, as you get to view parades and special activities.

The only exception is the Caribbean, where everyone takes the day of, and the day after, to recover from raucous partying (i.e. Nassau on Boxing Day).

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

In Melbourne we spent the day riding bikes we rented as most everything was closed.  A little beach coffee shop was open and we stopped for a cup of coffee and asked where public restrooms were.  They said they were closed due to the holiday, but they were very kind and offered to take us in their car to see if they could find one open somewhere.  We declined their offer and found on close by....only to realize we should have asked for a public toilet. They were trying to find us an open restaurant.