OneSixtyToOne

Thanks for the info. It was a long phone call and after I heard Alesund was replaced, I lost track of the changes. I really want to see the Art Nouveau architecture there. I also was hesitant of what shore excursions will be available on the alternate route. It is a one-off change, all the other sailings are the same.

Your invoice should indicate which are which. Look for the red tender icon on the right side on the listing of ports and times.

I just booked Iceland's Majestic Landscapes cruise and I had a interesting phone conversation with a very helpful Viking agent. Originally I was going to book the August 7 sailing of the Saturn from Bergan to Reykjavik but was told that there is an itinerary change, substituting 3 of the ports with other unpronounceable cities. The stops shown on the website are not accurate for this sailing. The Venus is sailing the same day in the opposite direction and that is accurate along with all the excursion information. I opted for the Venus rather than dealing with the unknown. I also asked the agent if the payment deadline for our Far Eastern Horizon's cruise for October 2025 could be moved and after consulting with the powers that be, we were able to have that moved to 6 months out. Very happy about that. We missed the chance to book onboard the Octantis last October because the 2025 schedule wasn't released for another three weeks. As had been stated on this board many times "I never hurts to ask." We also booked the extension to Oslo by train from Bergan. As a train buff, I'm really excited about that. This will be our first trip to Iceland and Norway. Video of entire train ride is online: Please feel free to offer up any tips or advice for any of the above.

Just used ESE24 to book Iceland's Majestic Landscapes. Great deal.

I wonder if there are plans to sell the 2 older ships (Sun and Sky) and replace them with newer ones that may be more cost effective to operate? The newest ships are hybrids and can be used in sensitive ecological areas. Norway’s zero emissions regulation goes into effect in a couple of years. https://www.dnv.com/expert-story/maritime-impact/latest-updates-on-proposed-rules-for-zero-emissions-in-Norways-World-Heritage-fjords/#:~:text=The new rules would only,needs time to gradually develop.

MVJ closes right before your cruise (48 hours?). You need to use the Viking Voyager app once you are on the ship. It has you calendar as well as other information, such as menus, and allows you to make reservations. All your information is in your final document email. I always store the PDF locally as a file on my phone so I can have offline access whenever I need it. Viking informs you of the inability to access MVJ after a certain date and tells you to install the app. Maybe you missed it in the email.

On our Grand European Tour we took the Prague extension instead. Budapest was Ok but Prague was amazing.

Current promo code is AAM24 Free stateroom upgrade and discounted fare. Possibly free air. https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/caribbean-americas/north-pacific-passage/index.html?startLocation=tokyo&endLocation=vancouver-british-columbia&year=2024

We had a similar experience on a river cruise. We had a terrible guide right from the start. At the first stop at the town’s clock tower we saw another Viking lollipop and switched channels. There was no bus involved so we just joined the other group.

We docked right in Monaco with Viking, but I have read that some people tender or use a different port, it depends on availability.

You’ll also get an OBC for your current cruise if you book onboard. This should cover your gratuities (one good reason for not prepaying them)

I took a picture from Greenwich Observatory and on the Thames Clipper. We took the London Walks tour of Greenwich, which included a boat ride down the Thames.

River cruise French Balcony D to Veranda B Upper deck has French Balcony C, Veranda A, Veranda Suite AA. Next deck is French Balcony D and Veranda B.

The point of my post was that even the “all dolled up” crowd is now dressing down. It’s a trend. IMO a trend that accelerated after the pandemic isolation. Many people see no reason to dress up for dinner after not doing so for a few years.

No. Upgrades are like unicorns, everyone has heard of them, few have seen them or can explained why they happened. It has to be a very specific set of circumstances to occur, such as lack of availability in an easier to sell cabin class and too much availability in a higher class, overbooking, or some other reason for loss of availability (maybe your booked cabin has mechanical issues).

We have had included SSP on two cruises so it’s something I keep an eye on, particularly after we’ve booked and come across another promotion later for the same cruise. What I’ve observed is Viking uses different promotions at different times to market to different people. The value of SSP might be perceived higher for some people, while others see more value in “free” air. Viking uses a mix of discounted air fare, SSP, same pricing within cabin class, booking discounts, OBC, etc. When I did the math on our last trip the different combinations of promotions offered over several months all magically came to approximately the same net price. If one combination of promos doesn’t fill the ship, they may try another, but the net cost tends to be very similar. I would venture to guess that if you see your cruise with the SSB offered, some other change will also occur to make the net price almost the same.

Is it possible that someone you know gifted them to you? Last year we had trouble pre-booking a dinner table for our Anniversary and I wrote customer service. When we boarded, we found cake and sparkling wine in our cabin.

New Viking River brochure arrived today. Two new extensions that include Swiss rail transfer. We took the Zermatt / Glacier Express extension in 2018 and it was one of our most enjoyable vacations.

I don’t understand why education is free in Scandinavia but you have to pay for the toilets.

New Future Guest promotion FV424 Special Future Guest Promotion To take advantage of this offer, simply call us at 1-855-764-9542 or contact your Travel Advisor and ask for offer code FV424. Thank you for putting your trust in Viking. We look forward to exploring more of the world in comfort with you. CALL VIKING NOW 1-855-764-9542 Offer FV424: Offer only valid for guests with one or more future bookings made prior to Apr 1, 2024. Up to $1,000 per couple savings valid on any new 2024–2026 booking; excludes World Cruise itineraries. Save $1,000 per couple ($500 per person) for itineraries 15 days or longer, or save $500 per couple ($250 per person) for itineraries 14 days or less. Valid with Past Guest Discount: Past Guests who have sailed with Viking in the past 12 months save $400 per couple ($200 per person) on listed cruise prices; all other Past Guests save $200 per couple ($100 per person). A limited-time $25 per person deposit is due at time of booking for select 2024–2026 itineraries; remaining deposit is due with final payment (excludes World Cruise itineraries); call for details. 2024–2026: Book and deposit by March 31, 2024. 2024: Pay in full by April 30, 2024 or at 120 days prior to departure (whichever comes first). For itineraries 35 days and longer, call for payment details. 2025: Pay in full by July 31, 2024. 2026: Pay in full by February 15, 2025. Offer is not combinable with other offers and cannot be booked online. Offer may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Additional restrictions may apply. Offer expires Apr 30, 2024.

If he was FaceTiming, you would have hit the Trifecta.

The declining dress code of passengers is a topic that has been thoroughly aired on this forum, but I just read an article about The World, the residential ship of the ultra wealthy that is on a permanent world cruise. They have the same issue: When Antonucci was a resident, he says “gentlemen wore jackets and ties.” He was last on the ship, visiting friends, in November 2023 and says times have changed – he suggests now you’re more likely to see people wearing shorts and tank tops than black tie. “That’s a little unfortunate,” says Antonucci, wistfully. https://www.cnn.com/travel/what-its-like-on-board-the-world-cruise-ship/index.html

Mediterranean cruises on sale Promo AAM24 https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/mediterranean/index.html?promoCode=AAM24&cid=DIS|CC|999&utm_medium=paid_display&utm_source=direct_cruisecritic&dclid=CPmd8c7ao4UDFeni_QUdG9gDQA

One other option is to rent a hotel room in Venice for one of those nights. I’ve read of other people who have done this. Venice after dark is magical.

Octantis Surf &Turf, meat case, sushi prep: