Viking Pre Cruise Transfer

[JerryInIL]

What time does Viking typically transfer you to the ship from the pre cruise hotel?  How long to check in and disembark if you want to spend more time  in the port?  I asked Viking if we could just send our bags to the ship, but it could cause a problem with identifying bags.

[CCWineLover]

13 minutes ago, JerryInIL said:

What time does Viking typically transfer you to the ship from the pre cruise hotel?  How long to check in and disembark if you want to spend more time  in the port?  I asked Viking if we could just send our bags to the ship, but it could cause a problem with identifying bags.

I would suggest contacting Viking directly - and get it in writing.

No matter what anyone says on this board, it may or may not apply now, and may depend upon your specific cruise port and itinerary.  Other's experiences don't necessarily apply.  Only your specific circumstance does and Viking should be able to answer this.

Note:  if you don't like what you hear, do a HUCA (Hang Up Call Again), and or speak to a supervisor.

[CDR2001]

We’ve sent bags to the hotel twice, and stayed in port. We needed to arrange our own transfer to the ship…Hop on boat worked great in Stockholm. I’d wait to ask the Viking hosts at the hotel for options, landside staff has told me no for several situations and the on site hosts then said Yes! From our experience, the bus transfer occurs around check out time, 11am. 

[OneSixtyToOne]

41 minutes ago, JerryInIL said:

What time does Viking typically transfer you to the ship from the pre cruise hotel?  How long to check in and disembark if you want to spend more time  in the port?  I asked Viking if we could just send our bags to the ship, but it could cause a problem with identifying bags.

That depends entirely on the extension and port. We’ve been on extensions where the departure from the hotel was followed by one of the tours before boarding (Classic Greece tour of the Acropolis). Other times you are taken direct to the ship (Venice).

[LindaS272]

3 hours ago, JerryInIL said:

I asked Viking if we could just send our bags to the ship, but it could cause a problem with identifying bags.

I don’t see why this would pose a problem with identifying bags. You’re sent your tags a few weeks befor the cruise that have your room number on them and a bar code for ID purposes.

[CDR2001]

Correction to post #3…We’ve sent our bags “FROM” the hotel to ship, and found them in our room after boarding much later. 

[Mitina]

1 hour ago, CDR2001 said:

Correction to post #3…We’ve sent our bags “FROM” the hotel to ship, and found them in our room after boarding much later. 

Also depends on whether you're checking out of the hotel for a transfer to a river cruise.  That's usually agreeable for Viking and bags are delivered directly to your cabin.  Depending on the port, ocean cruises are more problematic.  With security at some port terminals, they might insist you identify your bags before boarding. 

 

On a Venice hotel pre, we made sure our bags were all together in the lobby with everybody else's prior to checkout.  Confirmed with the Viking host that we were leaving to spend the day in Venice and would make our way to the cruise terminal.  When we got to terminal, our lonely bags were sitting inside, but outside the security checkpoints.  Fortunately they were all there.

 

And of course those were the days when Viking docked just outside the city.

[CannotSwim]

On 7/4/2023 at 3:57 PM, LindaS272 said:

I don’t see why this would pose a problem with identifying bags. You’re sent your tags a few weeks befor the cruise that have your room number on them and a bar code for ID purposes.

It's the same security reason as with airlines. They want strong assurance that your bags only get on board if you go on board. They won't get to a perfect connection, but it's much easier to keep track if your bag doesn't get on a bus unless you are getting on the bus.