OneSixtyToOne

You might want to consider the Viking Grand European River Tour in your future. Many port calls offered a tour that features a stop at local watering hole. Each has its own favorite regional beer. Bamberg is the home of a famous smoked beer.

Looks like one way Viking is dealing with fluctuating river levels is creating a shorter river voyage with more overnights. Vienna and Budapest are definitely worth more time there. NEW ITINERARY Treasures of the Danube ASK FOR OFFER: EBD Ends March 31, 2024 A new Danube River voyage Beginning this winter, you can enjoy more time to explore one of Europe’s iconic rivers on our new Treasures of the Danube itinerary, a 10-day voyage with overnight stays in Vienna, Budapest and Passau. From marveling at Slovakia’s majestic Bratislava Castle, perched on a hilltop overlooking the capital, to savoring lunch in Austria’s oldest restaurant on an included excursion to Salzburg, discover the best of Europe at a quieter time of year. Reserve your preferred stateroom with a $25 deposit during our Spring Sale and receive special savings on this enchanting journey. NEW ITINERARY Treasures of the Danube 10 DAYS | Passau to Budapest $25 Deposit | Reduced International Airfare | Special Fares ASK FOR OFFER: EBD Dec 2024 & Jan–Mar 2025 Departures VIEW ITINERARY BOOK NOW

We stayed at the Nobu. After departing the ship we went on what is essentially a modified included Barcelona tour. That is why it’s a good idea to forgo the included tour while on the ship and instead take one of the optional tours. The privileged access Gaudi houses of modernism tour was tremendous. It sells out quickly as was the first thing we booked when excursions opened. Here is my live posting of our trip from last year, Barcelona starts at post 55: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2927474-almost-live-viking-sky-mediterranean-odyssey-april-2023/?do=findComment&comment=65262761

The War Rooms are indeed fascinating but I would like to add that the IWM has multiple “campuses” and the main one on Lambeth Road is one of the best museums I have ever visited. The exhibits are incredible. For history and WWII buffs the fighter command bunker at Uxbridge is on par with the War Rooms. IMO it’s a must see. Just take the Tube to the last stop at Uxbridge and grab a cab to The Bunker.

We had a Viking post cruise extension in Buenos Aires after our Expedition cruise that disembarked in Ushuaia. The charter flight from Ushuaia had a mix of passengers that were on the extension and those catching late flights home. Those leaving that night were taken to international departures for their multi-hour wait. If you are disembarking In Buenos Aires, you will have a looong wait. If you have a Viking transfer, sometimes they will rent a hotel meeting room or before hours restaurant to wait in. They need to clear the ship to prepare for arriving passengers. I don’t think you can stay onboard later that 9:00 or 10:00 AM.

They don’t. On our recent stop in Turkey the ship did not change time for one stop. They advised you to turn off auto update of time zones on your phone to avoid confusion.

Promo ESE24 is only valid for the March 27 sailing of the West Indies & the Iberian Peninsula The Fall sailings are listed as a different cruise name and I don’t see any promos. It also have more ports of call and days. https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/multi-region/west-indies-iberia/index.html#search/sfym=2024-10&sftcm=west-indies-iberia

Promo MT24 MARCH SPECIAL SAVINGS Ask for offer MT24 • Expires March 31, 2024 Discover iconic landmarks & hidden gems Our destination-focused river voyages immerse you in the history and culture found along Europe’s enchanting waterways. Join us on a thoughtfully curated journey and you can uncover iconic landmarks and hidden gems, from the soaring towers of the Eltz Castle in Germany and the opulence of Vienna’s Hofburg Palace in Austria to the oldest Kinderdijk windmill in The Netherlands. Reserve your stateroom today and enjoy FREE airfare and reduced fares on 2024 departures of the featured voyages below. LEARN MORE FEATURED RIVER VOYAGES Grand European Tour Budapest to Amsterdam FREE International Airfare Plus, Reduced Fares On Select Jun–Aug, Oct & Nov 2024 Departures ASK FOR OFFER: MT24 15 DAYS 12 TOURS $3,999* FROM LEARN MORE PRICE & BUILD Rhine Getaway Basel to Amsterdam FREE International Airfare Plus, Reduced Fares On Select Jun–Aug 2024 Departures ASK FOR OFFER: MT24 8 DAYS 6 TOURS $2,599* FROM LEARN MORE PRICE & BUILD Romantic Danube Budapest to Regensburg FREE International Airfare Plus, Reduced Fares On Select Jun–Aug 2024 Departures ASK FOR OFFER: MT24 8 DAYS 5 TOURS $2,599* FROM LEARN MORE PRICE & BUILD Danube Waltz Budapest to Passau FREE International Airfare Plus, Reduced Fares On Select Jun–Aug 2024 Departures ASK FOR OFFER: MT24 8 DAYS 6 TOURS $2,599* FROM LEARN MORE PRICE & BUILD FEATURED ON VIKING‌.‌TV Vienna’s Iconic Architecture Join Viking’s Joost Ouendag as he explores the architectural treasures of Austria’s opulent capital, including Hofburg Palace and St. Stephen’s Cathedral. WATCH NOW ON VIKING‌.‌TV * per person Offer MT24: Offer valid on bookings made from Mar 7 to Mar 31, 2024. Cruise from $2,599 per person based on select Jun-Aug 2024 departures of Rhine Getaway; Danube Waltz; Romantic Danube in category F; cruise from $3,999 per person based on select Jun 2024 departures of Grand European Tour in category F; subject to availability, other categories may be higher. A limited-time $25 per person deposit is due at time of booking; remaining deposit is due with final payment. Call for details. Prices are in US dollars and for US residents only. Air does not have to be purchased to get cruise/tour offer. All fares reflect cruise taxes, port taxes and fees. Book by Mar 31, 2024. Pay in full by Apr 30, 2024 or at time of booking if within 120 days. Offer expires Mar 31, 2024. Air Promo: Up to free international airfare based on select Jun-Aug 2024 departures of Rhine Getaway; Danube Waltz; Romantic Danube; select Jun-Aug, Oct & Nov 2024 departures of Grand European Tour. Call for details. Air prices are per person based on cruise or cruise tour check-in date and include transfers. Air seats are limited; airfares are subject to change until full payment of air is received. Airfares vary on other gateways and departures. Air offers not valid on Alaska, Hawaii, San Juan and Mexico City; call for details. Ask for Offer MT24. Offer may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Offer expires Mar 31, 2024.

This is unfortunate. We were on the post cruise extension and were staying at a hotel when we took the group tour. I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time on your own.

We arranged our tours about 3 months before but I would do it as soon as you can. Barcelona Day Tours is very flexible and if your plans change or are modified, they will fully reimburse you. When you book through them they will handle the tickets and email you the code to load them into the LSF app when the tickets are available.

Yes, in the U.S. all legal tender is always usable. If you are lucky enough to have a U.S. Note with the red seal that was eliminated in 1971 (only Federal Reserve Notes printed after that) it’s worth much more than face value because of its collectibility. One intriguing note that I’ve heard economists talk about when the e-currency vs. Dollars talking point devolves into “the dollar isn’t backed by anything either” is that the real difference is legal tender can always be used to pay taxes.

You know, Tom Landry never wore his famous fedora when the Cowboys played in an indoor stadium. He said his mother would have smacked him.

LIMITED-TIME OFFER Ask for offer SGL24 • Expires March 31, 2024 Discover the wonders of the Great Lakes Marvel at the power of thundering Niagara Falls. Kayak over historic shipwrecks in Thunder Bay. Or admire sweeping views of Lake Superior from a secluded beach in Ontario’s Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. The magnificent Great Lakes are home to a diverse array of opportunities for discovery. Step on board one of our state-of-the-art ships and explore the famous landmarks and hidden gems of this fascinating region—all in Viking comfort. For a limited time, enjoy FREE roundtrip airfare, a FREE stateroom upgrade and more when you join us on one of the captivating voyages below. LEARN MORE FEATURED VOYAGES ALL 5 GREAT LAKES Great Lakes Collection Toronto to Duluth FREE Roundtrip Airfare & FREE Stateroom Upgrade Plus, Special Fares On Select July & Aug 2024 Departures ASK FOR OFFER: SGL24 15 DAYS 2 COUNTRIES LEARN MORE PRICE & BUILD Canadian Discovery Toronto to New York City FREE Roundtrip Airfare & FREE Stateroom Upgrade Plus, Special Fares On Select Apr & Aug 2024 Departures ASK FOR OFFER: SGL24 13 DAYS 2 COUNTRIES LEARN MORE PRICE & BUILD Undiscovered Great Lakes Thunder Bay to Milwaukee FREE Roundtrip Airfare & FREE Stateroom Upgrade Plus, Special Fares On Select Jun & Jul 2024 Departures ASK FOR OFFER: SGL24 8 DAYS 2 COUNTRIES LEARN MORE PRICE & BUILD Great Lakes Explorer Milwaukee to Thunder Bay FREE Roundtrip Airfare & FREE Stateroom Upgrade Plus, Special Fares On Select Jun & July 2024 Departures ASK FOR OFFER: SGL24 8 DAYS 2 COUNTRIES LEARN MORE PRICE & BUILD Niagara & the Great Lakes Toronto to Milwaukee FREE Roundtrip Airfare & FREE Stateroom Upgrade Plus, Special Fares On select May 2024 Departures ASK FOR OFFER: SGL24 8 DAYS 2 COUNTRIES LEARN MORE PRICE & BUILD FEATURED ON VIKING‌.‌TV Discover the Great Lakes Region Join Viking Ambassador-at-Large Jean Newman Glock to explore the treasures of Lakes Michigan and Huron, from shipwrecks beneath the water to charming, car-free Mackinac Island. WATCH NOW ON VIKING‌.‌TV Offer SGL24: Offer valid on bookings made from Mar 6 to Mar 31, 2024. FREE roundtrip airfare, stateroom upgrades (categories N-DN) & special fares valid on select May 2024 Departures of Niagara & the Great Lakes; select Jul & Aug 2024 departures of Great Lakes Collection; select Jun & Jul 2024 departures of Undiscovered Great Lakes; Great Lakes Explorer; select Apr & Aug 2024 departures of Canadian Discovery. Call for details. Prices are in US dollars and for US residents only. Air does not have to be purchased to get cruise/tour offer. All fares reflect cruise taxes, port taxes and fees. Additional restrictions may apply. Airfares vary on other itineraries, gateways and departures. Air offers not valid on Alaska, Hawaii, San Juan and Mexico City; call for details. Book by Mar 31, 2024. Pay in full by Apr 30, 2024 or at time of booking if sailing departs within 120 days. Offer may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Offer expires Mar 31, 2024.

Walkies! 🐶🦮

We tried to give a driver an old 20 and he refused to take it because he said he didn’t want to go to the bank.

If your old notes aren’t the new style with the clear plastic window, you’ll have to take them to a bank to get them exchanged. I had an old style 20£ note from a pre-Covid visit that I needed to exchange. My other denominations were fine. The 20 was the last note changed.

If I recall, you can purchase it onboard on the first day (maybe Day 2?) and any drink orders will be included. It’s a short grace period.

It’s also not a change in policy. It’s been that way since I can remember. BTW on our Athens to Rome cruise we inadvertently pre-booked an optional excursion on our first full day on the ship that was identical to the excursion we had on our pre-cruise extension. When we boarded and explained the situation, Viking allowed us to change to a different optional excursion and reimbursed the difference. The policy is there because Viking is contracting with 3rd party tour operators which need time to schedule their resources. It would be chaotic to allow 1000 pax to make changes during a very busy embarkation window. They will however do their best to accommodate you under certain circumstances.

A cathedral is the seat of the bishop and in Barcelona it is indeed the one you saw in Old Town. LSF is a basilica, a Roman word to describe a large meeting hall with two rows of columns, a center aisle, and passageways on enter side. It was adopted by early Christians and is the model for almost all large western churches.

Quite frankly, the VO binoculars are junk. Your phone’s camera on zoom is 100x better. The ones on the Expedition ship are of a much higher quality and size.

It increase to $18 when they increased the cost of the SSBP and menu prices at the end of 2022 beginning of 2023.

Although I have not been on this particular extension, I have visited London several times and would suggest that you look into London Walks for independent tours in your free time. For most of their tours you can just meet up at the designated time and place (usually a Tube stop) and pay. This offers you the flexibility to accommodate whatever your free time slot happens to be. We have taken at least a dozen of their tours and all of them are excellent with knowledgeable and entertaining guides at a very reasonable price. https://www.walks.com

I think you are being overly broad in your interpretation of “performance.” There are musicians playing as background music in many parts of the ship. I would not elevate this to the category of a performance that requires a dress code. My interpretation of performance requiring a dress code is limited to the theater and possibly the nightclub. No one is dressing up to sit in the living room to read a book and listen to the “performance” in the Atrium. A little common sense goes a long way and unfortunately, that is what is lacking in the self-entitled who have no consideration of others. Restaurants require you to be escorted to your seat by staff and there is typically a manager at the entrance. This is the appropriate time for enforcement. I can’t see how this is possible in the Atrium or Explore’s lounge where there are multiple entrances. The servers are not going say anything. It’s up to management to raise the issue.

SPECIAL OFFER GRAND EUROPEAN TOUR ASK FOR OFFER: MT24 Ends March 31, 2024 Discover the best of Europe Designed for the curious traveler, our Grand European Tour allows you to immerse yourself in the history, culture and cuisine of iconic destinations in Holland, Germany, Austria and beyond. From attending a classical music performance at one of Vienna’s legendary venues to savoring the culinary delights of Budapest at the vibrant Grand Market Hall, you can enjoy fully guided excursions as well as free time to explore Europe’s treasured landmarks on your own. Reserve your preferred stateroom today with a $25 deposit to take advantage of FREE international airfare and special fares on an unforgettable river journey. Grand European Tour 15 DAYS | Amsterdam to Budapest FREE International Airfare | $25 Deposit All-Inclusive Voyages from $3,999* ASK FOR OFFER: MT24 Select Jun 2024 Departures VIEW ITINERARY BOOK NOW

First, to enter La Segrada you will need a timed ticket in order to beat the line. Tickets sell out well in advance and can only be purchased from the church so you need to check availability ASAP. Tour busses are no longer allowed to drive by so you will not see it on the Viking included tour. The included tour is a bus ride around the city with a couple of stops. If I was you I would consider Barcelona Day Tours. They’re a great family run tour company and the guides are excellent. They provide a door-to-door highlights tour that is much better than what Viking provides and they will arrange an optional ticket to enter La Segrada. The tour also includes a visit to Gaudi’s Park Guell (IMO another Gaudi must see). Their tour ends at La Sagrada, but if you buy the ticket to enter through them, they reimburse the cost of the taxi back to the ship. You’ll have as much time as you like to visit the interior. They arrange your ticket time so it coincides with the end of the tour. Here is the live post of our Barcelona visit from last year with many details and pictures. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2927474-almost-live-viking-sky-mediterranean-odyssey-april-2023/?do=findComment&comment=65286239