Heidi13

Here is a link to the list https://docs.vikingcruises.com/pdf/20190826-Prohibited-Item-List.pdf

Most power strips are not acceptable, as many of them include a surge protector. Surge Protectors are incompatible with marine wiring and can overheat, resulting in a fire.

Viking, as do most cruise line ban the bringing onboard of extension cords and surge protectors. Many power strips have an integral surge protector. Surge protectors are a fire hazard aboard ships, as they are incompatible with the ship's wiring. It is therefore critical, if bringing a power bar aboard that you confirm that it does not include a surge protector.

Favourite embarkation ports are Sydney, Stockholm & Greenwich (London). Amazing sailaways from all 3 ports.

The ratings are only attainable when the mask creates an effective seal around the edges. This is the reason my crews had to be clean shaven and had to pass an annual fit test.

Although a specific World Cruise question, you will get more knowledgeable replies on the Viking Board, where a number of us are experienced Viking World Cruisers. We have already completed 1 Viking WC in a DV cabin on Viking Sun and have another booked on Viking Neptune. In 4-months we never found any problem with storage, especially as the newer ships have the 3 extra drawers in the closet. Note - as we don't drink coffee, we request the cabin steward removes the coffee machine for extra storage. We also stored cold weather gear in the cases below the bed.

Varies with the port, depending on the extent of the compulsory pilotage area, Can be 1/2 hr to just outside the breakwater to 12 hrs in Vancouver to the top of Vancouver Island.

The Royal Observatory is another of the not to be missed attractions in Greenwich, with the obligatory photo stradling the Prime Meridian a must. Here are a couple of photos from the Prime Meridian and Cutty Sark drydock.

Prior to the arrival in every port and after the departure, the local pilot departs the ship. Pilots on cruise ships actually have it fairly easy, as they use the lower deck shell door, which is only a few feet above the water line. They also rig a pilot ladder, but in most cases the pilot can step directly to/from the ship and pilot launch. Since the side used by the pilot is unknown to the pax, the best place to watch is probably fwd of Explorers on Dk 7, as you can view down both sides of the ship.

I can clarify a couple of points. Stability The size of a ship is another myth perpetrated by many passengers, but in fact, the ship's stability has little to do with size. It is affected by the ship's design and how the ship is loaded. When considering sea keeping abilities, again the ship's size has little bearing, as ship design and scantlings are the primary factors. Personally, I would much rather sail on the old smaller, steam powered liners (if they were still around), rather than any of the massive, modern mega ships. On SS Oriana & SS Canberra we could handle most seas at 20 to 25 kts. Your modern mega ships would have to reduce speed significantly, probably to around 10 kts. Cost Comparison After spending 40 yrs both working for and cruising with Princess, we now sail exclusively with a "Premium" cruise line. We completed World Cruises with Princess and a premium line. While the base fare of the premium line was double the Princess fare, the final per day cost was identical, with the standards on the premium line, vastly superior.

Lots of factors are taken into account when anchoring a ship, with the primary ones being - wind, current, depth of water and holding power of the bottom. However, on cruise ships the safety of operating tenders and the pax comfort will preclude anchoring, well before it isn't safe to anchor. The anchor is only required to take the chain down to the seabed, where the chain is laid out on the bottom. It is the chain that holds the ship in place, more than the anchor.

You fastest way would be downloading the excellent spreadsheet maintained by one of our regular posters CharTrav. She updates the schedule usually within days of Viking making changes. Probably more accurate than any of the 3rd party websites. Here is the link to her thread. Scroll down through the posts to find the latest version. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2651194-viking-ocean-combined-cruise-schedule/

With a number of North American outlets and USB ports, we did not require adapters.

Have a chat with the guide to let them know that you would like to remain in the town and not return to the ship. If the last stop on the tour doesn't work, they may be able to work with the driver to stop briefly on the return to the ship and drop you off. A number of pax will depart the tours at the end and do additional exploring. Having departed the Viking excursion, you are then responsible for getting back to the ship prior to all aboard.

Unfortunately, that isn't an option, as by the time everyone was aboard, tenders secured and the ship got underway, it would require a speed well in excess of 30 kts to make Invergordon. If you don't want to stay overnight and drive up to rejoin the ship, you could easily arrive a few days early and fly/train up to Edinburgh for the Tattoo. The train service is brilliant, high speed in 5 hrs or less.