ericosmith

Of course if you're just interested in the former Great Lakes vessels you don't even need to worry about the auction.  Both of them are on sale right now with the price reduced to a paltry $14,995,000.  

https://www.yachtworld.com/boats-for-sale/type-power/class-power-cruise-ship/

I did see something about the auction being postponed by the debtor.  I don't believe any new date has been set.

6 hours ago, Mike07 said:

Comfort Plus is premium experience in economy, though.

I don't know if I'd call 3" more leg room and a free drink a premium experience.  

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/03/american-queen-cruise-ship-fleet-heading-to-auction/

16 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

You will be amazed at the huge line of taxis you will see getting off the ship.

Just make sure that you're going to get charged the meter rate before you get in.

Forgive my naivete but much of this discussion seems to indicate there were design issues that contributed to this situation.  That begs the question of whether these issues can be corrected and if so, have they been.  

I find this rather interesting as most new ships seem to be moving away from "traditional bows"  to more vertical designs.  

I was talking about MVJ but it's back today so it must have been a temporary something or other...

Is something in my browser blocking it or is it no longer available?  I found it useful for quick questions.  

10 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Glad you found it and here is hoping that your family doesn't need it.

 

Here is a tip for keeping in touch.  It works on my phone but for some reason not on my husband's (even though we both have "calling over wi-fi"). We both use  Samsung Android phones. Someone who uses Apple will have to tell us if it works for Apple and how to do it.

 

Instructions for Android.  In Setting/Connections enable "Wi-Fi Calling."   Put your phone in Airplane Mode. Anytime your phone connects to wi-fi (in a hotel, on the ship), you should be able to receive text messages and phone calls. I say should because it worked for both of us in our hotel in Cairo but it did not work for DH on the ship.

 

Enjoy your first Viking Adventure!

Be careful.  Some carriers charge for calls even when using wifi calling.  T Mobile for example charges $.25 per minute.  Other carriers may be more or less.  

Does no one use a password manager that will autofill personal information and credit card data in forms.  It's a quick and easy way to check out with a card.

I see question after question about included wines but not much of anything about beer.  Yes, I'm a beer snob without any desire for, or appreciation of, wine.  So my question...what are the included beers with lunch and dinner?  Off the menu or just the "beer of the day"?  Draft or bottles and cans?  If it's just the "beer of the day", can you upgrade for an upcharge?  Now, having asked all that, I've not seen any recent drink lists that include an IPA on the beer menu.  That alone might drive me back to Princess or Celebrity.  Can someone help ease my fears so I don't have to go beer shopping in town and haul my own cooler to dinner?

9 hours ago, SbbquilterUT said:

Thanks - I am glad you posted this.  For those looking at the bus to the bus terminal - you would still need a taxi to the port.  When we went to Sky Lagoon we needed a ride to the bus terminal, then a bus ride to the spa.  

Nah, the bus shuttles transfer to smaller vans with drop off at the cruise terminal.  https://www.re.is/tour/flybus/

Thanks, Hopefully that will work if I jump on it at 90 days.  A follow up question...are there separate cars for cruise excursions vs. Norway's Best vs. VY?  If so are there separate queues for each?

1 hour ago, DaveinCharlotte said:

Not sure I follow.  What makes American Queen/American Empress viable but Countess and Duchess not?  Our cruises on the latter were pretty full.

According to the crew on the Countess the paddle wheel does provide part of the the propulsion so I'm not sure why it's any different in that respect from the other boats.  It just doesn't use steam.

18 hours ago, FetaCheese said:

My MVJ Living Room Bar Menu prices are in USD.  

They're also not correct.  

I had good luck with chat...

On 2/21/2024 at 6:33 PM, mwike said:

I simply do not like the fact that Viking adds something to the bill and imposes a burden upon me if I want to remove the charge.  If they really wanted the charge to be optional, one would be able to remove the charge via the app or through the TV interface.  

By the same token, I prefer they be added automatically.  I don't want to have to go to a desk to add tips.  I know, many people like to tip individually and personally but how else are the people you never see going to share in the tips.  Yes, I'd prefer they'd be included in the fare but it's not much different when they charge them automatically.  Oh, and I've yet to see a line whose price includes gratuities that doesn't point that out in capitol letters.  

Can you book more than one included excursion at a port when two are offered?

Looking at the Shetland Islands the included excursion is Panorama and Ponies.  Does anyone know if you can pet the ponies or just observe from a distance.  Asking for a friend (well actually my wife)

On 2/22/2024 at 9:10 PM, br111 said:

An interesting list here of who AQV owes money to, including several travel agencies which definitely explains why they were delisted earlier this year. Others include the Peabody Hotel in Memphis and the bus company I assume they contracted with for their tours.

 

https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/02/american-queen-voyages-files-chapter-11-auction-asset-date-proposed/

The one that has me scratching my head is:

• Port of San Diego                $480,288

Any idea what that could be for?

On 2/19/2024 at 7:49 PM, philv said:

We have always just grabbed a taxi at the taxi stand. I find it to be least amount of brain damage. Easy, reliable, cheap.

Assuming they turn the meter on and don't rip you off...

12 hours ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

Viking does include gratuities. Maybe that's only for us UK passengers though.

Yep, from the US terms and conditions "Gratuities on board and on land are not included in your Cruise Fare."

1 hour ago, br111 said:

An interesting list here of who AQV owes money to, including several travel agencies which definitely explains why they were delisted earlier this year. Others include the Peabody Hotel in Memphis and the bus company I assume they contracted with for their tours.

Fascinating.  Especially the debt to the post office.  Must be for all those fancy sales brochures I was getting in the mail even as they knew they were going down the tubes.  

7 hours ago, Dulcigal said:

We would like to do a Seine Boat tour. We will be on the Panoramic Paris excursion in the morning. Do I book my tour online soon? And is it easy to get to the boats from our hotel, the Pullman Montpasse? We're from a very small town, so we are not familiar with using public transportation.

There's always Uber.  Don't need to navigate anything but the app.  Check out the Batobus. It's hop on hop off on the river.