mbviking2023 Posted April 5, 2023 #576 Share Posted April 5, 2023 20 minutes ago, flowsue said: 20 minutes ago, flowsue said: On 4/2/2023 at 5:49 PM, Tawa2 said: We will be on Neptune 23-24 WC & considering a Cochin-Delhi/Taj Mahal-Mumbai excursion. Most interested to hear from anyone on this cruise who did this.Thanks wc2324 at outlook dot com One of our friends did the Taj from Cochin. Flew to Delhi, then had three days in Delhi with the trip to Agra in there. Much less stressful for them, and they seemed to enjoy it. I don't remember the company they used though. I can ask if you want. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mcobean Posted April 5, 2023 Author #577 Share Posted April 5, 2023 https://www.viking23.com/2023/04/05/mumbai/ 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbviking2023 Posted April 5, 2023 #578 Share Posted April 5, 2023 The blog post from our wonderful Classical Music concert/lecture/demo is up! With videos of @Aspen&Birch and us trying to play Indian instruments! http://twohappysloths.com 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaretwelker Posted April 5, 2023 #579 Share Posted April 5, 2023 19 hours ago, cruising denise said: So then are you on the Sky WC? Yes. Boarding in LA January’24. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaretwelker Posted April 5, 2023 #580 Share Posted April 5, 2023 On 4/4/2023 at 12:14 AM, spangler said: To add to Mark's comments the tour was exceptional. I wish to thank all the previous WCs that recommended Memphis Tours. They were great to work with and did a excellent job pulling the tour together for the 27 that went on it. I can share details of organizing the tour for a group if you have interest in doing the same on a future Viking WC. Please do share 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spangler Posted April 5, 2023 #581 Share Posted April 5, 2023 Just now, Margaretwelker said: Please do share Margaret. Provide me your email and I will send you a recap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mich3554 Posted April 5, 2023 #582 Share Posted April 5, 2023 3 hours ago, flowsue said: We just did an up and back excursion (24 hours) and after doing it would not do it any other way. We flew out early in the morning, Mumbai to Delhi, drove to Agra, saw the Taj Mahal and Fort Agra, had a delicious buffet lunch and got in a little shopping. Drove back to Delhi and flew back to Mumbai. Got back on the ship almost exactly 24 hours after we walked off. It was helpful not having luggage to check or carry. We understand some in other overnight groups had their luggage delayed. Hopefully, you will hear from them. Sure we were a little tired for a day, but we had a great day with no issues. The reason we did not do this was because it did not leave a lot of wiggle room if there was a snafu. By planning on getting back into Mumbai the day the ship docked, it gave us 3 days to get there before the ship left. Then we’d be looking at 5 sea days and needing to fly into Jeddah (which I suspect is more difficult than most airports). It’s important to look at where you’d need to go if all doesn’t go according to plan. Just a word of warning, despite being gone 3 nights/2 days, we had only carry on bags. I bought spices and wound up needing to check my bag. A friend also bought spices and since she didn’t have time to go back and check her bag and the spices she bought at the spice market got confiscated. This is NO WHERE in any of the listed contraband for carry on luggage at any airport. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJVKN Posted April 5, 2023 #583 Share Posted April 5, 2023 5 hours ago, flowsue said: We just did an up and back excursion (24 hours) and after doing it would not do it any other way. We flew out early in the morning, Mumbai to Delhi, drove to Agra, saw the Taj Mahal and Fort Agra, had a delicious buffet lunch and got in a little shopping. Drove back to Delhi and flew back to Mumbai. Got back on the ship almost exactly 24 hours after we walked off. It was helpful not having luggage to check or carry. We understand some in other overnight groups had their luggage delayed. Hopefully, you will hear from them. Sure we were a little tired for a day, but we had a great day with no issues. Did you do this on your own or did you use a tour operator? Can you share who you used? TIA! Diana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaretwelker Posted April 5, 2023 #584 Share Posted April 5, 2023 3 hours ago, spangler said: Margaret. Provide me your email and I will send you a recap. thanks. Margaret Welker 1046ma@gmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbviking2023 Posted April 5, 2023 #585 Share Posted April 5, 2023 Two new posts up today from the World Cruise - Cochin India and Goa India. Cochin has the oldest in use synagogue in the Commonwealth countries! And we toured a spice farm in Goa. We tried the Feni liquor made from Cashew flowers. Let's just say we'll stick with tequila! http://twohappysloths.com 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY Nick Posted April 5, 2023 #586 Share Posted April 5, 2023 On 3/31/2023 at 1:19 PM, Heidi13 said: I'm surprised you weren't aware of these conditions prior to arrival in port, clearly you didn't do much research prior to booking a World Cruise. 👍👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi13 Posted April 5, 2023 #587 Share Posted April 5, 2023 13 minutes ago, ldpetrillo said: Another question I have if for those of you that go on the WC every year. Why? The itineraries are identical. Even our original itinerary from the 21/22 WC was the same as this year. What is the point of going to the same places? I've been to most of the World's ports before, some of them many times. With respect to Sydney, in the past 45 years, I have probably spent about 30 days in Sydney, but still find new places to discover and enjoy visiting old haunts. If I didn't return to the same ports, I would never cruise again. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Avery Posted April 5, 2023 #588 Share Posted April 5, 2023 Same as Andy. We love living on a well crewed ship for 4+ months. Ports are extras. And if you didn't see filth, graffiti, and extreme poverty on the around South America part of the WC you were in some form of denial. Most of what we were taken to see and most of our photos seem to be things built long ago by the Evil Colonials. And yes, we are on Neptune in January. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathyvee Posted April 5, 2023 #589 Share Posted April 5, 2023 1 hour ago, Heidi13 said: I've been to most of the World's ports before, some of them many times. With respect to Sydney, in the past 45 years, I have probably spent about 30 days in Sydney, but still find new places to discover and enjoy visiting old haunts. If I didn't return to the same ports, I would never cruise again. I think returning to some amazing places again and again is great. I cannot get enough of certain places. Once you have been to a place once or twice, you really know what you want to do when you go back. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi13 Posted April 6, 2023 #590 Share Posted April 6, 2023 3 hours ago, Jim Avery said: Same as Andy. We love living on a well crewed ship for 4+ months. Ports are extras. And if you didn't see filth, graffiti, and extreme poverty on the around South America part of the WC you were in some form of denial. Most of what we were taken to see and most of our photos seem to be things built long ago by the Evil Colonials. And yes, we are on Neptune in January. Jim - another benefit is going on a World Cruise for 4-months as a pax, is not having to get up at Midnight or 04:00 every day to go to work.😁 Mind you, I do miss the hopped beverages with breakfast, after working the 4-8. When I met Judi on SS Oriana, she just couldn't understand enjoying a few beers at 08:00. 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SantaFe1 Posted April 6, 2023 #591 Share Posted April 6, 2023 (edited) Another big perk is only paying airfare once for the equivalent of 5-6 2-3 week cruises. If you are flying business air, that is a lot of money!! And I agree, there is always something new to see in past ports, and always new delights! Edited April 6, 2023 by SantaFe1 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SantaFe1 Posted April 6, 2023 #592 Share Posted April 6, 2023 4 hours ago, Jim Avery said: And yes, we are on Neptune in January. We pick up the Neptune on May 9 2024 after the WC, To do the British Isles Explorer. Any chance you are staying on? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mich3554 Posted April 6, 2023 #593 Share Posted April 6, 2023 20 hours ago, mbviking2023 said: One of our friends did the Taj from Cochin. Flew to Delhi, then had three days in Delhi with the trip to Agra in there. Much less stressful for them, and they seemed to enjoy it. I don't remember the company they used though. I can ask if you want. We didn’t use a company. We booked flights and hotels ourselves, and scheduled tours and car pick ups through Viator. It worked well this way, it was a bit more work, but about half the cost from a tour company. I think our 3 nights/2 days, including business class flights ran us about $1600 total for the 2 of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mich3554 Posted April 6, 2023 #594 Share Posted April 6, 2023 8 hours ago, Heidi13 said: I've been to most of the World's ports before, some of them many times. With respect to Sydney, in the past 45 years, I have probably spent about 30 days in Sydney, but still find new places to discover and enjoy visiting old haunts. If I didn't return to the same ports, I would never cruise again. I know we have only scratched the surface of what there is to see and do here in many ports. When we did the South America cruise in 2019, then again in 2021 we never overlapped anything there in what we saw. The time we spend in port never is long enough. There are some places where I’d like to go back to, but not next year. There are other places and things we want to do, but are looking at doing this again in maybe 2025-26. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mstadleraz Posted April 6, 2023 #595 Share Posted April 6, 2023 Just now, Mich3554 said: We didn’t use a company. We booked flights and hotels ourselves, and scheduled tours and car pick ups through Viator. It worked well this way, it was a bit more work, but about half the cost from a tour company. I think our 3 nights/2 days, including business class flights ran us about $1600 total for the 2 of us. It is a matter of perspective and understanding a country. For us, being new to India, we preferred a tour company. For an overnight and economy for 2 was about $800 through Memphis Tours. This included all transportation, hotel and breakfast. Viking provided a boxed lunch for the trip to Dehli; however, the meal on the airplane was fairly good if you like spicy food. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mich3554 Posted April 6, 2023 #596 Share Posted April 6, 2023 1 minute ago, mstadleraz said: It is a matter of perspective and understanding a country. For us, being new to India, we preferred a tour company. For an overnight and economy for 2 was about $800 through Memphis Tours. This included all transportation, hotel and breakfast. Viking provided a boxed lunch for the trip to Dehli; however, the meal on the airplane was fairly good if you like spicy food. I had never been to India either, but we did something very similar in Turkey several years ago, again on our own. Someone else set this up and let us piggyback on his, which only took over my need to choose a flight or hotel. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbviking2023 Posted April 6, 2023 #597 Share Posted April 6, 2023 Our write-up from the Elephanta Caves in Mumbai is up for your dining and listening pleasure. https://mbviking23.blogspot.com/2023/04/mumbai-elephanta-island.html 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathyvee Posted April 6, 2023 #598 Share Posted April 6, 2023 16 hours ago, SantaFe1 said: We pick up the Neptune on May 9 2024 after the WC, To do the British Isles Explorer. Any chance you are staying on? We are doing that, too. Extending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pushka Posted April 6, 2023 #599 Share Posted April 6, 2023 I read that Viking Neptune is still implementing Piracy protection, even though the official warnings have been removed. Guess we will be seeing it soon on Mars in May. I think that's wise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heidi13 Posted April 7, 2023 #600 Share Posted April 7, 2023 2 hours ago, Pushka said: I read that Viking Neptune is still implementing Piracy protection, even though the official warnings have been removed. Guess we will be seeing it soon on Mars in May. I think that's wise. I am happy to see that nobody on Cruise Critic is posting photos and describing any additional protection measures. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the site that can't be named. I guess some pax really don't care about their safety, as they find it necessary to provide photographic evidence of protection measures, to those interested in doing them harm. Those posts also provide advance warning that a cruise ship is coming through the area. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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