Condensed version - Opening and Closing times of key places

[SempreMare]

To copy and paste into your own e-docs or printout for handy reference: 

The blue text below is a condensed version from my Google Doc of the likely opening and closing times of key places, based on my first Viking Ocean cruise, and updates leading up to my second.

 

When pasted, this fits into 1 line across the top of my Google Doc itinerary summary page

WC 6:30a-9:30a,11-3,6-9p. Coffee Living Room(1) 6a-12a. Tea 4-5. PoolBar 11-3,3-5. Mamsen 4-5, 10p-12a. Rest,Manf,CT(1) 6-9, Fitness(1)6-10.  Spa(1)8-8.

 

ex: Rest,Manf,CT(1) 6-9,

Means 

The Restaurant, Manfredi's, and Chef's Table, on Deck 1, are open 6pm - 9pm

 

If there's no (deck level)  listed, it's on deck 7.

On my first Viking Ocean cruise, I seemed to instinctively remember what was on deck 7, but not the other places between decks 1 or 2.   But the stairs are a beautiful walk between the levels 1 and 2 if you exit on the wrong level.

 

ex: WC 6:30a-9:30a,11-3,6-9p.

Means World Cafe (on deck 7) is  typically open during those hours. 

 

=== Note 

 

1) Fitness center closing time I listed could be incorrect.  I experienced it closing at 8:00pm in Sep 2022,  but since I've seen people say it closes at 10:00pm. 

Those 2 extra hours would be so welcome!    I'm certain I'll be eating at a calorie "surplus" so might as well try to put those calories to work with a 16 min weighted squat routine.   

 

Or, one could just go to Torshavn 🙂.  What are Torshavn's hours typically?   

 

2) World Cafe hours can change with the port and on sea days. 

 

3) Of course, all hours of all venues are published in your Viking Daily printout.   But on my first cruise with Viking, when I was out of the room all over the ship,  it would have been really handy to have those details locally on my phone somewhere. 

 

I pasted that summary in blue into an iPhone contact with 

Company Name:   Open and closing times, Viking Ocean cruises 

Notes field:   the blue summary text above

 

 

 

[LindaS272]

The times are different depending on the ship and itinerary. The Viking Voyager app to use onboard should have this—I don’t know. I’m more an analog person and just seek out the Daily as soon as it comes out in the evening and then carry it around the next day.

[loriva]

Or you could combine technologies and take a photo using your phone of that day's hours from the Daily.

 

I do that with the ship's contact information and the port agent before leaving the ship as well.  I used to search out that information for my trip document, but taking a photo is so much easier.  And should be current as well.

Edited April 23, 2023 by loriva
Addition

[SempreMare]

21 minutes ago, LindaS272 said:

I’m more an analog person and just seek out the Daily as soon as it comes out in the evening and then carry it around the next day.

 

That was sometimes my intention (to carry around the Daily.)   But then I usually decided to leave it since

- it doesn't fit in my small purse

- I wanted to be more focused on sights, taking pictures, and  people than details that I might need that I should be able easily access on my phone that I'm already carrying round.   

 

Plus, I didn't see anyone carrying around their Daily on British Isles Explorer.  So I figured all info needed must be available on the app.

 

Some info needed on the big screens on each floor.  But not all. 

Some info needed is available on the Viking Voyager app.  But not all.    

All info is indeed typically available on the Daily printout that I prefer to leave in the room :-). 

[SempreMare]

6 minutes ago, loriva said:

Or you could combine technologies and take a photo using your phone of that day's hours from the Daily.

 

Good idea! 

If I then favorite the photo, it won't be lost in allll the photos I take that day either.

 

6 minutes ago, loriva said:

I do that with the ship's contact information and the port agent before leaving the ship as well.  I used to search out that information for my trip document, but taking a photo is so much easier.  

 

Port agent?   The local contact person for each port?   

Is there a port agent listed on the Viking Daily for each port? 

 

Something I wanted to know on several British Isles Explorer ports when I was walking around early afternoon after a morning excursion: 

What is the exact address of the port we are at today? 

 

Ex:  So that if in Dublin, if I wanted to stay slightly longer and not take the last Viking shuttle back, where would I tell a taxi or Uber to go? 

 

Sometimes I remembered to lay a Google Maps "pin" to mark when we docked.    If this info is in the Daily, I'd definitely take a picture of it the night before.

 

This is especially a problem for cities with multiple cruise ship ports in different location

Ex:  Stockholm ,   Greenwich , etc

 

 

[LindaS272]

Regarding docking information, we had an adventure in Ho Chi Minh City when we stayed in town after a private tour to do a street food tour with a few of the pax from the previous junket. I always carry the daily with me, as well as a photo on my phone of the port info. 
 

It was getting late and some of us decided to get a taxi to get back to the ship. I showed the young Vietnamese driver the port info and we set out. We knew it was at least 45 minutes away. But the dock info was disturbingly vague and the docks went on for miles. Needless to say, everything looked different at night, and you couldn’t see the ship from the access road. Finally, after several stops making inquiries at the very few manned entrances, we stumbled upon the one with the Orion, but not before calling the ship and asking them if they could be more specific about the location or at least ask the port guards stationed at the ship to speak to our driver—but no! I wasn’t particularly scared, but it was midnight, and our driver didn’t speak English!

 

We made it back—but by the next night I had Uncle Ho’s Revenge from the street food! (It was 2019 and I had to quarantine for two days 😝).

[loriva]

2 hours ago, SempreMare said:

Port agent?   The local contact person for each port?   

Is there a port agent listed on the Viking Daily for each port? 

 

Yes, the port agent is the local contact person for each port.  For our cruise, the agent in Stockholm is European Cruise Service, +46 8 31 84 75, stockholm@europeancruise.no.  ECS has agencies in several of our other ports, so they may service Viking in Copenhagen, Oslo, and Bergen as well.  The agency is listed when you expand the section for the Jupiter at  https://www.portsofstockholm.com/vessel-calls/.  Then I did an internet search for ECS to find the contact information.  (I was surprised the port agent and contact information was not included under the "Your Cruise Dock Location" heading on our final cruise docs.)

 

Having never sailed VO before, I'm not sure about the listing in the Viking Daily.  Port agent contact information was listed (along with the ship's phone number) in the Daily for our Viking River cruise last December.  (I think they also had the information on a sheet of paper at the reception desk just as you left the ship--so you could snap a photo of it and go.)  Of course, leaving an ocean vessel is different from a river ship.  The information has been listed in the daily program of every other ocean cruise line we've sailed with.  Many ships also have the information on the sign at the end of the gangway with the "all-aboard" times.  So, I'm presuming VO will do something similar.  But, I could be wrong!

[SempreMare]

From: 

Coffee Living Room(1) 6a-12a, WC 6:30a-9:30a,11-3,6-9p. . Tea 4-5. PoolBar 11-3,3-5. Mamsen 4-5, 10p-12a. Rest,Manf,CT(1) 6-9, Fitness(1)6-10.  Spa(1)8-8

 

To: 

Bfast:  Living Room(1) 6-7:30a,  WC 6-9a,   Mamsen 6:30-11:00a.    Rest(2) 7:30-9:30a.
Lunch: Pool Grill 11-3, 3-5.  WC 11-3.  Mamsen 11:30-2, 4-5.  Tea 4-5.
Dinner:  Manfredi, Chef’s Table (1), Rest(2), WC  all 6-9p. 
Late:  Torshavn(2) 9:30p-Late.  Mamsen 10p-12a. 
Fitness(1) 6-10.  Spa(1) 8-8.

 

More updates from an old Daily photo from @photopro2 I found in a last year topic

Less condensed but easier to parse by the meal.

 

Hours can change slightly depending on the sea day / port day etc.,
but this gives a rough idea of default opening / closing times relative to each other.

 

Mamsen's random FYI - 

If you are a crab cake fan, it's one of their better hot dishes in the afternoon.  I believe this is listed on the small menu. For a while I thought only what was visible behind the glass was orderable.  There's also a small menu of yummies available too.   The crab cake is on this menu.  Crab cake + small salad vinaigrette + a glass of white wine near the wall "fire place" is very chill.

 

 

 

Edited April 24, 2023 by SempreMare

[TayanaLorna]

The way i remember it is

Food - Decks 1, 2 and 7

Bars- Decks 1 and 7

No Food - 5-6 pm

[SempreMare]

6 hours ago, TayanaLorna said:

No Food - 5-6 pm

 

Exactly 🙂 !   I remember thinking when I was really hungry after a long day at 5:30pm: 

"OK, Viking intentionally designed 5-6 as The Drinking Hour 🤩."   

The 7'th floor Explorer's Lounge was my fave and always very active during this hour.   Not crazy busy;  just comfortably bustling, esp between 4:30 - 5:00 and during sailaway.  

 

Re: What was on Deck 7 vs 1 or 2

 

After the first day,  I instinctively knew which HAD to be the 7'th floor by association with what needed sun: 

 

- Pool grill needs to be near the pool and the sun

 

- Aquavit Terrace with the infinity pool next to the World Cafe needs to be out in the sun
 

- World Cafe is the only eating place with outdoor seating that also has staffed service via the Aquavit Terrace with the pool in the sun. 

"staffed" means the very kind servers take and promptly refill your drinks order. You you bring food courses to your table from World Cafe.  This Terrace is also where the delicious Soup buffet on a sea day or during that Week 2 night special feature occurs.   Love how they set up the soup bowls.  The CEO of Crate and Barrel would approve. 
 

- Tea in Wintergarden is around the pool and looks great with all that light streaming in through the roof

 

- Deck outside the Explorer's Lounge is where I'd watch sailaway and sunsets.   Mamsen's is adjacent to Explorer's lounge 

 

** of course one can always order room service any time or if desperate during The Drinking Hour.     The only truly bad food I had was between 5pm-6pm;  those small appetizers from the Deck 1 Living Room, behind the glass.  It look good / OK but whatever it was tasted a week old. 

 

So everything on Deck 7 became obvious without thinking about it, once i experienced them in person the first day.   But those Deck 1 vs 2 locations I had to consciously remember.

 

Bars just seemed to be magically everywhere I needed them to be. 

@TayanaLorna isn't Torshavn on Deck 2 ?   I think of that as primarily a late night bar with entertainment at certain times.

 

[TayanaLorna]

1 hour ago, SempreMare said:

 

Exactly 🙂 !   I remember thinking when I was really hungry after a long day at 5:30pm: 

"OK, Viking intentionally designed 5-6 as The Drinking Hour 🤩."   

The 7'th floor Explorer's Lounge was my fave and always very active during this hour.   Not crazy busy;  just comfortably bustling, esp between 4:30 - 5:00 and during sailaway.  

 

Re: What was on Deck 7 vs 1 or 2

 

After the first day,  I instinctively knew which HAD to be the 7'th floor by association with what needed sun: 

 

- Pool grill needs to be near the pool and the sun

 

- Aquavit Terrace with the infinity pool next to the World Cafe needs to be out in the sun
 

- World Cafe is the only eating place with outdoor seating that also has staffed service via the Aquavit Terrace with the pool in the sun. 

"staffed" means the very kind servers take and promptly refill your drinks order. You you bring food courses to your table from World Cafe.  This Terrace is also where the delicious Soup buffet on a sea day or during that Week 2 night special feature occurs.   Love how they set up the soup bowls.  The CEO of Crate and Barrel would approve. 
 

- Tea in Wintergarden is around the pool and looks great with all that light streaming in through the roof

 

- Deck outside the Explorer's Lounge is where I'd watch sailaway and sunsets.   Mamsen's is adjacent to Explorer's lounge 

 

** of course one can always order room service any time or if desperate during The Drinking Hour.     The only truly bad food I had was between 5pm-6pm;  those small appetizers from the Deck 1 Living Room, behind the glass.  It look good / OK but whatever it was tasted a week old. 

 

So everything on Deck 7 became obvious without thinking about it, once i experienced them in person the first day.   But those Deck 1 vs 2 locations I had to consciously remember.

 

Bars just seemed to be magically everywhere I needed them to be. 

@TayanaLorna isn't Torshavn on Deck 2 ?   I think of that as primarily a late night bar with entertainment at certain times.

 

Yes Torshavn is on Deck 2 but it's not a go to for grabbing a drink because it does not open until 9 pm.  I've rarely been there because after a very active day and usually an early morning, we are beat.  After dinner we usually go to our room, watch the port talk in the TV and pass out 

[loriva]

16 hours ago, SempreMare said:

This Terrace is also where the delicious Soup buffet on a sea day or during that Week 2 night special feature occurs. 

 

What is the special feature night?  Is that the same as the seafood buffet at the Pool Grill?  Any idea when it will be on our cruise?  For example, we leave Oslo at noon on 11 May--would that be a good guess on when it might be held?  Or since we only have one sea day on our sailing, would it be an opportunity for a repeat of the soup buffet as we will be at sea for at least part of the lunchtime?

 

[SempreMare]

10 hours ago, loriva said:

 

What is the special feature night?  Is that the same as the seafood buffet at the Pool Grill?  Any idea when it will be on our cruise?  For example, we leave Oslo at noon on 11 May--would that be a good guess on when it might be held?  Or since we only have one sea day on our sailing, would it be an opportunity for a repeat of the soup buffet as we will be at sea for at least part of the lunchtime?

 

re: First Sea Day - Yes, that's a good guess for when it will be.  On British Isles Explorer it was during its first sea day as well.

 

The best person to ask is your favorite server.   Michael my fave server kept me informed of all future happenings and kitchen news.

 

re: Oslo at noon day

Agreed again.  That would be great timing for the second special feature served from the Aquavit Terrace just outside the World Cafe.  

 

Here are some pixels.  Everything shown was delicious! 

 

They even had chilled fruit-based soups with an ?asparagus-based breadstick

 

 

 

early setup in progress

 

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by SempreMare

[SempreMare]

I really enjoyed the Pool Grill salads of all types

 

[SempreMare]

Yorkshire Pudding day in the World Cafe.  @Peregrina651 you have this to look forward to in your British Isles Explorer...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by SempreMare

[Azulann]

10 hours ago, loriva said:

 

What is the special feature night?  Is that the same as the seafood buffet at the Pool Grill?  Any idea when it will be on our cruise?  For example, we leave Oslo at noon on 11 May--would that be a good guess on when it might be held?  Or since we only have one sea day on our sailing, would it be an opportunity for a repeat of the soup buffet as we will be at sea for at least part of the lunchtime?

 

Once on board check your daily. It will be left in your room.Pre  Covid,   Viking had special  lunches  and grilling on the deck by infinity pool. Also the seafood  dinner offerings in World cafe will be posted in daily. We had appetizers there on Seafood night then went to Restaurant for late dinner. Also sometime they had special events around the pool. But this was all pre Covid. During Covid ,, I did two sailing. One of them had a great Greek offerings for lunch. It was fabulous.I think it just depends. 

I will be on Scenic Scandinavia, on Jupiter, June 12-22/and we do not have any sea days, so I will make one on my own. Have a great cruise. 

[janetcbl]

18 minutes ago, SempreMare said:

 

re: First Sea Day - Yes, that's a good guess for when it will be.  On British Isles Explorer it was during its first sea day as well.

 

The best person to ask is your favorite server.   Michael my fave server kept me informed of all future happenings and kitchen news.

 

re: Oslo at noon day

Agreed again.  That would be great timing for the second special feature served from the Aquavit Terrace just outside the World Cafe.  

 

Here are some pixels.  Everything shown was delicious! 

 

They even had chilled fruit-based soups with an ?asparagus-based breadstick

 

 

 

early setup in progress

 

 

Curious….were you on Mars? Our favorite server was Michael who made our experience so special.

[SempreMare]

1 hour ago, janetcbl said:

Curious….were you on Mars? Our favorite server was Michael who made our experience so special.

YES !    Viking Mars, British Isles Explorer, Sept 15-30, 2022

Really thoughtful person.

He sent me Viking's Russian Medovik cake recipe 

[Peregrina651]

4 hours ago, SempreMare said:

Yorkshire Pudding day in the World Cafe.  @Peregrina651 you have this to look forward to in your British Isles Explorer...

 

You said it!! No bell pepper! No garlic (hopefully). No raw onion!  What more could I ask for? Other than seconds, that is!