46 minutes ago, TigerB said:

As an additional aide for hearing and visually impaired guests, when someone pressed the doorbell or phoned the cabin, a strobe light would illuminate the cabin, and a claxon would sound.  If you didn’t know otherwise you would think the ‘abandon ship’ call had been made. “Don’t panic, Captain Mainwaring”.   As a further incentive to answer the door or phone, there was a vibrating pad that was placed under the mattress. For a quick thrill all you need to do is lie on the bed and get someone to call you.

Great review, and laughed out loud at the “vibrating bed pad” 

32 minutes ago, Valfan said:

I came across this a few times when I took early retirement and did a lot of cruising in 2012-2015. (I've only ever been on P&O). When I enquired about some cruises, particularly longer ones on the smaller ships, the TA would get back to me with "Sorry, P&O are not taking any more solo bookings just now for this one. Try again nearer the time." If I said "Not even at 100% single supplement?" they said "No. They've sold a lot of cabins to solos already. They'd like the remaining cabins to have more than one person potentially buying drinks, tours etc." Which I had to admit made good business sense.

It's the old story of swings and roundabouts for solo travellers. Sometimes it costs a fortune. On the occasions mentioned above you just hit a brick wall and can't book at all for cruises you'd like to go on. Other times I've had fantastic bargains - none more so than lately. My two Iona cruises in recent months and the one on her in 2 weeks time (I love that ship!) were all at great prices with 0% single supplement.

This seems very unfair and discriminatory to me. What about paying for someone who then just doesn’t turn up at checkin?! 

1 hour ago, Tablelamp said:

 Mostly they have Port Salut and will produce it is requested nicely.  The trick is BE POLITE and ask NICELY!  It works every time.

Rarely could I receive Port Salut, pre covid, and I always politely asked if it were available!  It would be a rare treat.  I’ll see on Aurora in May if I have more luck… but sounds like the cheese guards are now pre plated 😞 (I am unable to eat blue cheese) 

I have no idea why people find these no use. I have solely used a combined washer dryer all my adult life. My first one lasted from 1993 to 2007 and the next I bought in 2007 and is still going. It washes and dries perfectly. I ensure I buy one with the fastest spin speed. I use a drying line in Summer, but towels and in Winter, it’s the aga or dryer.  Maybe in the UK we’re more used to them, as most houses are not large enough for two machines!  I wouldn’t want separate, as I’d need to move clothes, with combined, set it to go, and take everything out dry!  

Edit, 6 hours for one of you? That machine must be faulty! 
 

Thanks both 🙂 

I have tried to do a search, but nothing quite relevant returns…

What is a P&O celebration night? Never saw these pre covid… Our forthcoming Aurora cruise has 3 formal nights listed AND one celebration night. When I click on it, it just lists dress codes for formal nights and evening casual.  What on earth is the difference between a celebration night and a formal night?! 
 

Thanks

Shame, a prawn cocktail for me is my holiday treat! As it was ‘always available’ I could rely on it if none of the other starters ‘appealed’.  A cesar salad is a waste… basically a plate of lettuce, yuck!  We have a P&O cruise in May, on Aurora, but it may become our final one with them. I am not wishing to go on a cruise equivalent of a budget airline, at a cost of £6,000… more luxury lines are not much more and provide a lot more. We’re tied into this May cruise, else I may have ‘deserted’ ship already! I’ll give it a try, enjoy the ports, and just hope and pray it remains a special holiday.

Thanks, yes, I can now get back in 🙂 love the Angel fish! 
 

7 hours ago, Mcobean said:

Halfway to Hawaii

 

https://www.viking23.com/2023/01/13/halfway-to-hawaii/

 

Cheers

Daryl

your site has stopped working, it comes up with 

Gateway Timeout

The gateway did not receive a timely response from the upstream server or application.

44 minutes ago, CurlerRob said:

 

It's about 130 nautical miles. Transit time will depend on the ship's speed, but I'd guess somewhere between 7 to 10 hours (corresponds to 18.5 knots - 13 knots.  My bet would be closer to 10 hours).🍺🥌

that’s the total length of the Beagle Channel, not from Ushuaia!  I remember being on deck for the whole transit when we left late afternoon. 

Umm, I’d need to look back at my photos I took. Gut feel c.2hrs on the icebreaker I was on, but I think small tour boats go faster, as I think they are c.3hr round trip.  To Isla Nueva may have been longer.  Hopefully someone more recent will confirm Viking timings.  

Have fun, those of you joining today.  I’ve enjoyed all the blogs from everyone onboard so far 🙂 

To me, this sounds horrifying. So sorry to hear it both 1) happened and 2) Viking Customer Services you spoke to, didn’t sound to care.  

I must admit I wouldn’t use WC for World cafe, as WC is too engrained as the ‘toilet’! You’ll even find signs up for WC on public toilets! 
 

🤣

Well, I have just read a report showing the snowmen, and they look lovely. The winning one is great 🙂 https://www.checkthisoffourbucketlist.com/post/fullmåne

Not seen anything about the creation of boats

The marriage game questions (saw on another blog) not sure which now.  May have probably watched the first one, but probably no more if it were repeated. Sounds like those there enjoyed it.

The boat and snowman wouldn’t bother me, they add some fun for those on multiple sea days, and seem to be popular on some of the blogs I’ve read. I may not partake (too many other options) but I’d watch other’s constructions.  I think let’s see what people say who are onboard. I do read quite a few reviews now that ‘Viking don’t offer enough on sea days’, so maybe they are trying some new options.  

Marriage Game, not heard of this, but sounds like the old ‘Mr & Mrs’ TV when I was a kid, in the 70s. It was fun back then.  But it depends on the questions. I would hope Viking would be careful on those… to avoid it becoming ‘tacky/trashy’. 
 

Liar’s club, that sounded great fun from previous year’s blogs

1 hour ago, TERRIER1 said:

Although 100% reimbursement via voucher sounds generous there are actually issues with this compensation for some. The voucher will not cover air that was booked independently. Also, some will not or cannot sail again with Viking as previously mentioned. The vouchers also have an expiration date. We were fortunate in that we received 65% cash back to our method of payment plus a 50% voucher when our Viking cruise was terminated due to engine problems. Also, insurance companies consider the voucher as sufficient reimbursement so you can't claim it - at least that is what happened to us. 

True, but imho it’s very generous, bearing in mind they have been onboard, and went to a few of their ports. I thinks it’s far more generous than they ‘needed to be’. It wasn’t a ‘Sky’ situation where passengers had ever been at risk/been airlifted off.  I am not playing down the disappointment, and as you say, some may never be able to make it back to Australia 😞 

could you decline the vouchers and claim off insurance, is that is a concern? 
 

Yes, I spotted it this morning (GMT) not sure it was there yesterday

It already has.  Dec 19th 2024 https://www.vikingcruises.co.uk/oceans/cruise-destinations/world-grand/viking-world-cruise/pricing.html

There are also options which take people back to USA with 180 days 

We had it on Aurora too, luckily it was fixed each time. It was frustrating when it was in the middle of the night, but luckily they fixed it first thing, by removing blockages (I feel sorry for those crew).  I have only been on Arcadia once (didn’t like her for other reasons) so maybe she has more of a problem, I don’t know. We did suffer badly on the Arcadia balcony with an awful sewage smell, which stopped us using the balcony one day. 

To be honest, it wouldn’t surprise me, if people in both public and cabin toilets are flushing things they shouldn’t. A certain % of the population still believe that they can flush anything, and ignore any ‘advice’ to the contrary  😞  It’s scary what people try and flush away ‘out of sight, out of mind’…   

Or some passengers insisting of disposing of wet wipes, etc, down the toilets…  😞 

I am not yet a Viking customer, but thinking of ‘jumping ship’ from P&O to Viking, so been watching this forum for a while.  I was horrified at the the original post for several reasons…

1. The poster signed up to CC with a confrontational name, so has no intention of having any other opinion of Viking now or in the future

2. They called a company ‘scammers’ as their parents flight had been cancelled, with no alternative.  But most flights were in the same situation, due to the severe storm, even over here in the UK it’s been headline news. 
 

3. Their complaint really was more geared towards the insurance, not Viking, yet they stated:

“they are the kind of company that will trick you out of your money and not deliver anything back. Be warned!”

Actually, there are many examples on this forum of where Viking has gone above an beyond with their compensation, more so than many companies.  

i can imagine their parents utter disappointment, but coming on here all angry and confrontational, is not going to help. Some posters here tried to reply with good advice.  
 

They needed to direct their frustration at a resolution through their insurance 

35 minutes ago, paulatsea said:

Same experience with me.

 

Agree - what alternatives have you found ?

 

Saga was good for us but expensive.

Marella Explorer 2 has been good but only fly cruise.

Ambassador fits well for us but ship seems a bit broken ! Maybe the newer one will be better.

 

 

I’ve got 2xAurora 2023 late august and early December.

 

We’re looking at Viking at the moment, short, sometimes one way, flights.  The ships are small, generally quiet, loads of quiet indoor & outdoor seating areas. Food from reviews and blogs I’ve read is several notches ‘up’.  Little entertainment on shorter port intensive cruises, but we rarely go to the P&O shows.   I think some service levels are struggling with post covid staffing, so keeping an ear on that, hopefully it’ll be rectified, as many companies are struggling with staff recruitment.  Expensive, they are, but once we take into account the new high prices on Aurora and all additional expenses, they’re not much more, for higher quality.   If we didn’t have Aurora booked in May, for a combined anniversary/late birthday for us, we were going to book Viking.   We like interesting ports, quiet sea days, good food.  

Aurora had no issues in the Caribbean a few years ago at Christmas, but this was a longer holiday, round trip from Southampton. Nor has she on the colder ‘more cultural’ Scandinavian city Christmas cruises we’ve been on. 
 

Sadly, the larger ships, at cheaper prices, attract the party boozers, and I will be staying away from these.  
 

We’ve been looking at alternatives now to P&O, due to  their new marketing attracting the booze drunk party brigade.  We have one more cruise booked with P&O on Aurora, in May, and depending on how it goes, it may be our last.