Live from the Viking Neptune World Cruise 2022-23

[Clay Clayton]

7 minutes ago, mstadleraz said:

We went on this excursion and it was worth the ride. There were stops both there and back to stretch legs and, if wanted a snack to purchase. It was a spectacular excursion from a nature standpoint. Just don't go to the Apostles. There is a small grotto as well with spectacular wave action. Also, the Green Mountains are well worth the journey as well

I generally agree with the beauty of the great ocean road (we did it independently via a rental car when on a land trip in the 90s) but have a comment about the Blue Mountains. If you grew up near or have visited the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virgina, NC, SC or Georgia, then I don't think visiting the Blue Mountains is worth it. They are very similar to each other.  

[mstadleraz]

10 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

I generally agree with the beauty of the great ocean road (we did it independently via a rental car when on a land trip in the 90s) but have a comment about the Blue Mountains. If you grew up near or have visited the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virgina, NC, SC or Georgia, then I don't think visiting the Blue Mountains is worth it. They are very similar to each other.  

They did not have the gondolas back then and there are paths to walk. We took an independent Green Mountain excursion. I have hiked in the Blue Ridge Mtns and the Green Mountains are different from my perspective.

[SJD117]

10 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

I generally agree with the beauty of the great ocean road (we did it independently via a rental car when on a land trip in the 90s) but have a comment about the Blue Mountains. If you grew up near or have visited the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virgina, NC, SC or Georgia, then I don't think visiting the Blue Mountains is worth it. They are very similar to each other.  

Better to do a driving trip in the Southern Alps in New Zealand. Still better, hike one of the famous South Island trails like the Routeburn Track, Milford Track, and Hollyford Track. The Alps are not at all like the Blue Ridge Mountains.

[mstadleraz]

2 minutes ago, SJD117 said:

Better to do a driving trip in the Southern Alps in New Zealand. Still better, hike one of the famous South Island trails like the Routeburn Track, Milford Track, and Hollyford Track. The Alps are not at all like the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Wish we disembarked for a day or 2 on the south island. Would have enjoyed a hike on one of the trails...

[SJD117]

23 minutes ago, mstadleraz said:

Wish we disembarked for a day or 2 on the south island. Would have enjoyed a hike on one of the trails...

 

I've done two of the three tracks I listed (Milford and Routeburn) along with the Abel Tasman Track on the South Island's north coast and the Tongariro Crossing on the North Island. Of course I was much younger and fitter back in 1981 and 1998 ... 😇

[DJVKN]

7 hours ago, BeckySt said:

I’ll add one more recommendation for those visiting Saigon/HCMC. We booked private tours both days with Tours by Locals, with a tour guide named Thien. She is fantastic. 
 

Thien’s tours take you to the non-touristy version of both the Mekong Delta and the CuChi Tunnels. And yes, there is a touristy place for both of these, which is where the ship excursions go. But Thien and Tours by Locals take you specifically to the non-touristy areas. 
 

You get the same activities on the MeKong Delta, but you won’t be accosted by hawkers, and you probably won’t see another tourist. 
 

at the CuChi Tunnels, you’ll see a whole different side of Vietnam, including a lot of propaganda. 
 

Thien has an incredible upbringing with a father that was a high ranking communist party official and former Vietcong, and a mother who sided with the south and loves the United States. This view of both sides of Vietnam is eye opening. 
 

I cannot recommend touring with Thien highly enough. She is friendly, enthusiastic, absolutely loved what she does, and will show you a side of Vietnam that you won’t get from most your guides. 

Do you have a last name for Thein or the name of the tour?  I am unable to locate her for HCMC. TIA

[Mich3554]

2 hours ago, cruising denise said:

To the previous WCers:  We are considering the Great Ocean Road and Twelve Apostles when the Sky is docked in Geelong.  However, it is 10 hours, and I'm concerned that we will be on a bus for many hours.  Can anyone provide insight as to what to expect on this?  Is it mostly hours on a bus with a few stops here and there (the description mentions a "brief stop for photos at Loch Ard Gorge", for example).  Are the destinations worth it?  Thanks for any help!

It was well worth the drive, the views were gorgeous.  I wish we had more time to stop along the way though, but even from the bus window it was fantastic.  
We did get back in time to have a couple beers with DH’s old coworker.  

[BeckySt]

18 hours ago, DJVKN said:

Do you have a last name for Thein or the name of the tour?  I am unable to locate her for HCMC. TIA

 

Yes! I just searched and realized the tour company is not Tours by Locals, but it is WithLocals. They post their tours on TripAdvisor as well. Here's the direct link to Thien's profile page:

 

https://www.withlocals.com/host/thanh-thien-lam/

[Clay Clayton]

Presuming y'all's WC called on Whitsunday Island (Airlie Beach) and you took the "Sailing the Whitsundays" included tour, did it make any stops? And if it did, can you recall where. Also would love to hear any thoughts you have on it. 
TIA!

 

here is the description:

Panoramic Journey Through Stunning Island Waters -- Board your air-conditioned vessel and settle into your seat as you set out for a journey through the Whitsundays. Based on the weather and water conditions at the time of your visit, your knowledgeable skipper will plot the best course to showcase all the islands have to offer. You will pass iconic resorts and stunning natural scenery, as well as the fringe reefs found around some of the region’s 74 islands. Sip on a complimentary fruit punch while listening to your knowledgeable crew point out historic sites, secluded inlets and impressive rock formations. Keep watch for local wildlife sightings as you learn more about the history and heritage of the islands. At the end of your cruise, you will return to your awaiting ship.

[Mich3554]

3 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Presuming y'all's WC called on Whitsunday Island (Airlie Beach) and you took the "Sailing the Whitsundays" included tour, did it make any stops? And if it did, can you recall where. Also would love to hear any thoughts you have on it. 
TIA!

 

here is the description:

Panoramic Journey Through Stunning Island Waters -- Board your air-conditioned vessel and settle into your seat as you set out for a journey through the Whitsundays. Based on the weather and water conditions at the time of your visit, your knowledgeable skipper will plot the best course to showcase all the islands have to offer. You will pass iconic resorts and stunning natural scenery, as well as the fringe reefs found around some of the region’s 74 islands. Sip on a complimentary fruit punch while listening to your knowledgeable crew point out historic sites, secluded inlets and impressive rock formations. Keep watch for local wildlife sightings as you learn more about the history and heritage of the islands. At the end of your cruise, you will return to your awaiting ship.

It poured on Whitsunday Island. We were out on a snorkeling boat, but it was a crappy day between the rain and the murky waters.  

[Clay Clayton]

Help! Someone on our rollcall has been told by someone at Viking that the GenVisas for Egypt, Jordon, Turkey, Indonesia, and India are only good for Viking excursions and if we do independent excursions in these places we need to get our own visas or pay GenVisa extra for them. 
 

Did any of you have this issue? Especially concerned with the overnights we are planning in India (Mumbai to Agra) and in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City). 
 

Any word on y'all's experience would be greatly appreciated!

[Paul73]

6 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Help! Someone on our rollcall has been told by someone at Viking that the GenVisas for Egypt, Jordon, Turkey, Indonesia, and India are only good for Viking excursions and if we do independent excursions in these places we need to get our own visas or pay GenVisa extra for them. 
 

Did any of you have this issue? Especially concerned with the overnights we are planning in India (Mumbai to Agra) and in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City). 
 

Any word on y'all's experience would be greatly appreciated!

We went from Mumbai to Agra/Taj Mahal with a private group of about 25 and it was never an issue 

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, Paul73 said:

We went from Mumbai to Agra/Taj Mahal with a private group of about 25 and it was never an issue 

Thank you!

[cruising denise]

I'm piggybacking onto Clay's questions re: visas.   GenVisa will be providing us with NZ, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, India, Sri Lanka.  We have to get AUS on our own now (new process).   I have been assured by GenVisa that the visas we will receive for Vietnam will cover our travel, private or not. I think the India overland groups have been told the same. So the real question is the group visas which the ship prepares for us.  This will be of note especially where a number of us are doing private tours:  Indonesia, Jordan (Petra), Egypt and Turkey.  I have already been assured by Jordan Horizons that our private Petra tour includes our tour visa.  Waiting for answers on the others.  

 

But for all of you who either did private tours (anywhere), or simply stepped off the ship on your own, did you ever need a visa beyond what the ship provides?  (other than in the countries which GenVisa is handling for us)   This seems very inconsistent with what I've experienced, and I don't think it's what others have experienced when going anywhere off the ship without a Viking tour.  Yet this is what someone was told when they called Viking.  We're investigating all avenues, so any of your experiential help is appreciated!  TIA!

[mstadleraz]

23 minutes ago, cruising denise said:

I'm piggybacking onto Clay's questions re: visas.   GenVisa will be providing us with NZ, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, India, Sri Lanka.  We have to get AUS on our own now (new process).   I have been assured by GenVisa that the visas we will receive for Vietnam will cover our travel, private or not. I think the India overland groups have been told the same. So the real question is the group visas which the ship prepares for us.  This will be of note especially where a number of us are doing private tours:  Indonesia, Jordan (Petra), Egypt and Turkey.  I have already been assured by Jordan Horizons that our private Petra tour includes our tour visa.  Waiting for answers on the others.  

 

But for all of you who either did private tours (anywhere), or simply stepped off the ship on your own, did you ever need a visa beyond what the ship provides?  (other than in the countries which GenVisa is handling for us)   This seems very inconsistent with what I've experienced, and I don't think it's what others have experienced when going anywhere off the ship without a Viking tour.  Yet this is what someone was told when they called Viking.  We're investigating all avenues, so any of your experiential help is appreciated!  TIA!

I believe those visas are done while on the ship by the Viking purser's office.

[Mich3554]

2 hours ago, cruising denise said:

I'm piggybacking onto Clay's questions re: visas.   GenVisa will be providing us with NZ, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, India, Sri Lanka.  We have to get AUS on our own now (new process).   I have been assured by GenVisa that the visas we will receive for Vietnam will cover our travel, private or not. I think the India overland groups have been told the same. So the real question is the group visas which the ship prepares for us.  This will be of note especially where a number of us are doing private tours:  Indonesia, Jordan (Petra), Egypt and Turkey.  I have already been assured by Jordan Horizons that our private Petra tour includes our tour visa.  Waiting for answers on the others.  

 

But for all of you who either did private tours (anywhere), or simply stepped off the ship on your own, did you ever need a visa beyond what the ship provides?  (other than in the countries which GenVisa is handling for us)   This seems very inconsistent with what I've experienced, and I don't think it's what others have experienced when going anywhere off the ship without a Viking tour.  Yet this is what someone was told when they called Viking.  We're investigating all avenues, so any of your experiential help is appreciated!  TIA!

I can tell you that when we were in Turkey, we did not apply for a visa.  We have been to Turkey before and used their e visa without issue but when we hit Istanbul on the WC, we were meeting up with friends, staying in Istanbul and doing things with them.  
I was told by Viking as long as we were not leaving Istanbul, we were good to go.  

[cruising denise]

2 hours ago, mstadleraz said:

I believe those visas are done while on the ship by the Viking purser's office.

Was your understanding that these visas covered you regardless of whether you were on a Viking shore excursion, or off doing something on your own?  That has been the question.  Someone was told by a Viking rep that the visas prepared by the ship only cover passengers while they are on a Viking tour.  This would mean that even if you step off the ship to explore on your own, you would need a visa you procured by yourself.  This does not seem right to me, but I figured I'd check with all of you!  Thanks again.

[BeckySt]

6 minutes ago, cruising denise said:

Was your understanding that these visas covered you regardless of whether you were on a Viking shore excursion, or off doing something on your own?  That has been the question.  Someone was told by a Viking rep that the visas prepared by the ship only cover passengers while they are on a Viking tour.  This would mean that even if you step off the ship to explore on your own, you would need a visa you procured by yourself.  This does not seem right to me, but I figured I'd check with all of you!  Thanks again.

 

We explored independently in almost every country, and we never had to get a separate visa on the WC. All the Viking and GenVisa provided visas covered us. 

 

However, I have experienced this issue in Algeria, where the Viking provided visa only covered you on a Viking sponsored excursion. But as far as I know, Algeria isn't on any current WC itineraries.

[mstadleraz]

8 minutes ago, cruising denise said:

Was your understanding that these visas covered you regardless of whether you were on a Viking shore excursion, or off doing something on your own?  That has been the question.  Someone was told by a Viking rep that the visas prepared by the ship only cover passengers while they are on a Viking tour.  This would mean that even if you step off the ship to explore on your own, you would need a visa you procured by yourself.  This does not seem right to me, but I figured I'd check with all of you!  Thanks again.

My understanding of visas is that they are not specific to a group or tour. A visa allows you to visit the area as a tourist using independent or ship sponsored excursions

[cruising denise]

Thanks to all of you.  This is consistent with my understanding.  I appreciate all of you taking the time to respond!

[BobCatter]

On 8/27/2023 at 4:26 PM, SJD117 said:

 

I've done two of the three tracks I listed (Milford and Routeburn) along with the Abel Tasman Track on the South Island's north coast and the Tongariro Crossing on the North Island. Of course I was much younger and fitter back in 1981 and 1998 ... 😇

We've done the Tongariro and the Routeburn. Such wonderful walks.

[Clay Clayton]

Can any tall men provide their thoughts on the WC jackets. The size chart provides info about waist and chest size but even though I'm not petite I sometimes have to get a size larger or two in order to have the length or sleeves be long enough.  
 

By the chart I am a 3xl but wonder if I ought to order the 4 or 5 xl🤔

Edited September 6, 2023 by Clay Clayton

[mstadleraz]

8 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Can any tall men provide their thoughts on the WC jackets. The size chart provides info about waist and chest size but even thought I'm not petite I sometimes have to get a size larger or two in order to have the length or sleeves be long enough.  
 

By the chart I am a 3xl but wonder if I ought to order the 4 or 5 xl🤔

Clay, I am not that tall. However, my jacket order was incorrect. I tried a large, 2XL and XL. I normally wear XL and the XL jacket fit well. A 2XL was like a tent for me. Hope this helps.

[seasack]

46 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Can any tall men provide their thoughts on the WC jackets. The size chart provides info about waist and chest size but even though I'm not petite I sometimes have to get a size larger or two in order to have the length or sleeves be long enough.  
 

By the chart I am a 3xl but wonder if I ought to order the 4 or 5 xl🤔

I’m 6’2” about 200 lbs I wear a 44L jacket and 36” length shirt. I got a large jacket and the sleeves were great length like if buying a tall size and the chest was also just right as well as length so I hope that helps? My wife on the other hand hand to go down to the smallest size they had and still a bit big all around. 
 

Good luck!

[KAM69]

Clay,

Where do you order the WC jacket ? 

 

Are they Helly Hansen jackets like the ones you get on the expedition ship Octantis?

 

Cheers