Vikingfan#1

No, there are no seating times in the MDR and reservation are not necessary unless perhaps you want a specific table or specific server. When you are ready for dinner, just head on down. Some nights you will encounter a line and other times not. The MDR vibe is different on each cruise, so it is hard to say when is the best time head down there; it changes from night to night. However, if you are going to the show at 9pm, you should be seated by 7:30 pm so you won't feel rushed during dinner, which is designed to be a leisurely affair.

Thanks for the good information --especially about getting to dinner with time to enjoy the dinner before the show. I assume you just show up for the show and if the theater is full, you miss the show.

Yes on Homelands we did the included tour today in Helsinki,it is mostly a bus tour with a couple of stops were you get off the bus. We stayed downtown and took the shuttle back to the Sky. When I booked only afternoon tour was available but we went down for the first morning tour and they were able to let us on. We are doing tours with private companies for St. Petersburg and Tallinn. If any other question I will try to answer.

Thanks for responding! How did you get around in Stockholm? Please share what you did that day and how you did it--if you don't mind. I've been concerned about how to maneuver there since it's hard for my friend to walk long distances.

Vikingfan#1

There are no early or late seatings. You just show up between the advertised meal times and you are seated.

Thanks! This will be my first Viking Ocean cruise!

On the Sky right now heading for Helsinki. Everything so far is wonderful,extremely clean. Have been able to make reservations on board either at the reservation desk or using in room TV. Last night there was about a 30 person line for MDR as it was lobster night.

Are you on the Homeland Cruise? Curious about the excursions. Do you have to choose an early or late dinner time in the MDR?

I have the same question and wondered if anyone saw the folklore show with Alla tours?? There are different shows in St. Petersburg.

Since a lot of river cruise (only) passengers, I thought it might be helpful to start a "Tips" thread for new Viking Ocean cruisers to read before their upcoming ocean cruise. Ocean cruising IS, after all, a bit different from river cruising. Feel free to add your own comments, and please correct me if I'm wrong about something. It's been almost 2 years since I was on Star, so things may have changed.

 

On embarkation (arrival) day you're required to be on board the ship 2 hours pre-departure. You'll be expected to attend a short muster drill before the ship departs. There is no standardized time, but often for cruises in which the ship spends a night at the embarkation port, it is around that 2 hour mark. Almost always, from what I've heard, it does NOT affect dinner.

 

As of Sept. 2015, the "back on board" time was a half hour pre-departure time for the remaining ports. Viking will tell you every day what that time is. If you're tendering (getting on a small boat to be taken ashore) the time of the last tender will be announced as well. For us in the Med in 2015, it was a half hour pre-departure.

 

You have to take your ship key card with you when you go off the ship, as well as when you leave the room, of course. (The doors won't stay open even if you want them too - fire suppression technique, I suppose). The card will be scanned when you leave the ship and scanned when you return. You may also have to show it to get into a port area or port terminal. I carry a lanyard-type thing to hold mine (photo here): http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/image/165572124

 

You'll need to put bags through an x-ray when you return to the ship - or sometimes in a port terminal. (They are not looking for alcohol, just dangerous things.) You'll also go through a scanner.

 

It's a big ship, so when I get on board, I usually make note of what's around each elevator bank, and whether I need to turn right or left to get to my room. (They're are two banks of elevators, although I'm thinking one may be smaller than the other.)

 

If anyone mentions "port side" it's the side on the left as you're facing the water ahead. Please call the ship a ship, not a boat. These ships are 48,000 tons of ship!

 

Ocean cruises often stop in places where the dock is far from center city. Keep that in mind when making plans. Of course, in just about every place I've been, especially Europe, cabs were lined up waiting for fares, so you're not stuck. Also note that just because a cruise ship docked a particular place last year or last week, that doesn't mean it will dock there on your cruise. Dock (or tender) locations and decisions are dictated by the port, not the cruise line. (Sorry, no walking through other river ships to get to yours!)

 

Occasionally (in some ports) Viking (and other cruise lines) will keep your passport for most or all of the cruise. In many ports, you'll be told to that an ID ashore. These things are usually dictated by the countries you're visiting. Some countries require that no food be taken ashore. Remember to take the quiet vox box on tours, although occasionally the tour guides won't use them. Remember to charge them after use!

 

Don't forget there's an electrical outlet alongside the bed. There's also a coffee maker (very strong coffee in my opinion), hairdryer, and snacks and binoculars in/on the desk. (I love that desk!) Your room steward can get you more hangers if you want. If the coverlet's too hot at night you can ask for something else. We put our luggage under the bed. We usually take a few basic meds like Tylenol and Pepto Bismal tabs. However, there IS a doctor and nurse on Viking, and I think there ARE basic things like cold medicine in the ship store. However, the store isn't always open (mostly closed while in port due to country regulations). If you need something, I think you can call the nurse 24/7, though - ask at Explorer's Desk. You can view Viking info (restaurant reservations etc.) on the TV.

 

Mid-cruise Viking will send around a questionnaire asking or verifying how/when you'll be leaving the ship. Then they'll assign you a time to depart. If you have independent plans, it sounds like you can leave fairly late, at least compared to what other cruise lines do. You'll have to be out of your room by around 8, though. Viking puts all bags ashore, after you place them outside your door the night before. (Therefore you need a small carryon, or at least a bag! Keep out what you'll need in the AM. Viking will have this and more spelled out in their disembarkation information.)

 

If you have a Viking transfer to the airport, expect to get up VERY early. It's just what cruise lines have to do....

 

If you want to be outside on the deck while the ship's moving, or after dinner, you may need some warm clothing. It's always colder in the wind.

 

If you want a quiet but possibly salty place to be by yourself with a 360 degree view, the aft part of deck 2 is a winner. I'll probably be there for cruising the last half hour to Geiranger and other places where I want to do photography without a crowd. It was an excellent spot for our departure from Kotor in 2015.

 

If you tender, wear decent shoes and try to keep both hands/arms free. The tender crew like to be able to offer a hand with tendering, as steps and low ceilings can be a bit tricky. I'm pretty mobile and coordinated, but still, I usually put my arm out so they can grab it and help me.

 

Don't miss eating dinner at least once in the World Cafe. It's not an ordinary buffet - and if the weather's good, you can eat outside. Also, if you like scones, hot ones, plan to eat dinner late that evening - very filling and great.

 

If you're looking for a library, there isn't one. However, there are books scattered about in various places. Go looking...

 

Someone else can probably fill you in on the latest tips for getting additional specialty restaurant reservations, if that interests you. I'm running out of steam...

 

I have some photos and documents from our 2015 cruise that might be helpful to look at. Just keep in mind things may have changed since then. Here's link: http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/viking_star_&page=all

 

Enjoy your cruise. I know you will.

Great tips! Thank you! I've taken Viking River cruises but this is my first Viking Ocean Cruise.

No.

As someone previously stated, Norway is mostly cashless and we didn't get any NOK. We tipped in Euros or US dollars. Since we were among the few that tipped, everyone thanked us profusely.

We did have a few British pounds, which we used in the U.K. Beware, the old £5 notes are expired and merchants won't accept them.

Thank you! I wonder if I get by without any cash in Poland, Estonia, Russia, Helsinki, and Denmark!

Don't know about Norway, but just some trivia: Iceland accepts credit cards for bathroom use in at least one of the rest rooms in their national park (on the Golden Circle, a popular tourist destination from Reykjavik).

Thanks for telling me! Did you take another tour in Iceland besides the included one to the Golden Circle? We aren't sure what to do with our free time.

I'll be in Norway next month. Do we need their money for restrooms?

That's good to know! I really don't want to change any money since we will be in Iceland and then in different countries daily on the Homeland cruise.

Wow... $30/pp for a group tour guide?? That's some tip. Viking suggests 2euro/pp for guide and 1euro/pp for driver on their European river cruises. We are in Norway now and it is pretty much cashless. Even small purchases seem to be card preferred by the merchants. We did pay cash for bus tickets yesterday. If you order NOK from your bank be sure and tell them you want small denominations (like 50 and 100NOK). It is hard to find places that want to accept large denomination bills for small purchases. I would think $200-250 in kroner would be very adequate for a week in Norway and you could certainly get by with less.

I'll be in Norway next month. Do we need their money for restrooms?

I am on the last day of our Homelands cruise right now. I have only seen one man wearing a coat and tie and that was last night at the buffet. There are tons of jean wearing people on this cruise and I love it. The part about designer jeans only is bonkers, too. I think cruise critic members idea of proper dress is in minority. I haven't noticed one person bat an eye at another's style of dress. Many are dressed nicely. Others in jeans and a nice shirt.

Thanks for sharing! That's good to know! I'm taking the Homeland Cruise in July. How was it??

Here's the HOHO ferry and bus map: https://www.stromma.se/globalassets/sweden/stockholm/product_maps/hopon-hopoff_bus/hoho_map_11_may.jpg . They have a stop in the Old Town.

 

However, you probably want to get to Vasa first since it opens early and gets crowded early. They limit admission to ensure the boat isn't damaged by CO by too many visitors inside the museum at once. So, ideally you would either take the HOHO boat or another form of transport directly to Vasa first. If you are getting the HOHO ticket (either independently or via Stockholm pass I'm not sure you'd need a cruise tour of the city, since it's nicer on the ferry but I would imagine the HOHO bus would w2have the same route as the panoramic ship tour, but you can check on the map.

Kitkat, thanks for the map and your help! I've been debating if to do the ship's included panoramic drive!

Except for the "no shorts" rule, dress in the dining room is very laid back, even in the cooler climates. Most people dress to please themselves and really don't care what anyone else thinks. I certainly don't. There was one older couple on our last cruise who really dressed up for dinners. He was in a double-breasted suit and she was perfectly coiffed and made-up and sporting the family jewels. And there they sat each night, just the two of them. I never once saw them share a table and I never once saw them crack a smile or even talk with one another. Even among the other men in jackets, this couple really stood out in the crowd (well at least to me).

 

 

Don't worry about offending other people by your style of dress. That is a personal choice and no one else's business but your own.

Thank you. I will pack dress pants as well as crop pants, not knowing what the temperature will be. It's nice to have a choice! ☺

From Stadsgården 165/167, you would be very close to the HOHO boat stop. You just need to follow the red paint on the concrete floor to the HOHo boat stop. They run direct shuttles to Vasa and Galma Stan until 10 am, and after that run a full shuttle program. 3 years ago, one company offered one stop ride tickets that were fairly affordable, and got you to Vasa quickly before it fills up. I don't think they offer this anymore though since it didn't appear on their website last year.

We purchased a Stockholm Card because we visited a lot of expensive museums and it included public transportation, but it has been discontinued. There is currently a Stockholm Pass and you can see if it is worth it at https://www.stockholmpass.com , but the Stockholm Card wasn't worth it unless you visited a lot of expensive museums and I'm guessing the Stockholm Pass might be the same way. It looks like the Stockholm Card includes HOHO busses and boats, so that might solve your initial transportation question - it is very fast to go from your dock to Vasa on a HOHO boat - that's the first stop it makes. But you should price it out and see if it's worth it. Good luck - Stockholm is beautiful!

Thank you for sharing! The cruise line offers a panoramic bus tour which is included in our cruise price and will drop us off in Old Town. Do you know if it's a long walk from Old Town to where I would pick up a ferry to Vasa?

Of course you can. Crop pants are not shorts. Your outfit of choice will be just fine for dinner or any other meal.

Thanks , Peregrina! I was getting worried after reading all these posts. It sounds like I could possibly offend some people on the ship by wearing crop pants at night. I'm very hot-natured so unless it is really cold, crop pants (and shorts during the day) are my clothes of choice. However, in the past river cruises, we ate all our meals in the dining room and hope/plan to eat there again on our first Viking ocean cruise.

It sounds silly but we went to the information desk at vasa and asked them how to get to Skansen. Then we asked the information desk at Skansen how to get to the history museum. At the history museum they gave us directions to the armory, which was in galma stan. It all worked out great, and we had a 3 year old in tow. We rode a train, a tram, a bus and one stop on the hoho boat since it ran directly from the cruise ship to vasa.

You sound like me--asking for directions! ☺ Did you buy a 24 hour pass? Our ship docks at Stadsgården Berth 160--I think. I'm trying to plan ahead for the easiest way to minimize walking.

Having just spent 3 days in Stockholm I can say that it is easy to get around Stockholm on public transport, a 24 hour pass is about £10 and gives you unlimited trips on the busses, tram's and trains. As for the Old Town, depending on where your ship docks it's possible to walk to it in less than 20 mins.

 

Be aware that around the bridge that takes you to the Old Town there is a great deal of building work in progess.

 

Would suggest that you look online to download an ap about the Stockholm transport system.

Tokyo, thank you for responding! I didn't know if the pass would be worth it for one day, but it sounds like it might be. I wasn't able to figure out the ticket machine in Germany. Perhaps I can purchase a pass from tourist info. We will be docked at Stadsgården. Is there a detour between our ship and Gamla Stan?

What train? If your ship berths at Stadsgården there is no train involved. Plenty of info here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2312690

Thank you for sending the link! (I meant to write "tram" instead of train.) My friend is in her 70's and it's hard for her to walk distances; unfortunately, she denies that she has mobility issues. I'm attempting to be prepared and make things as easy as I can.

We booked a tour with a local through Lokafy. There aren't that many tours operated in Stockholm & most that are, are a tad expensive.

Your best bet would be public transportation.

Thanks for responding. It amazes me that Stockholm doesn't have more tours. I've been studying how to use public transportation from stadsgarden to vasa, Gamla Stan and City hall. I'm still not sure how to make it all work.

On the river cruises, in the MDR for dinner, I wore very nice crop pants with coordinating tops and sandals. So, from what you all are saying, I can't wear those in the MDR?

We booked late and were shut out of both of these excursions. Anyone know anything about the "Secrets of Cider" or the "Fruit Village of Lofthus" optional excursions out of Eidfjord?

I don't know anything about the excursions you mentioned, but the one which has the Voringsfossen Waterfall is one I would consider. Google the waterfall and view the comments on TripAdvisor --it looks beautiful.

We were very disappointed to miss out on the Flam Railway excursion in Eidfjord and booked the Voss, Geilo and Bergen railway instead. Anyone give us feedback on whether it was worth the price $418 (a couple) seems steep for a tour. We realize it i once in a lifetime, but want to be sensible with our travel budget?! :D

Viking does offer another opportunity to take the Flam train, but it's under the Bergen excursions-- Overland to Eidfjord--it's a 2 day excursion so you miss seeing Bergen and it comes with a hefty price of $799!!

My husband and I re on the July 29 Viking star homelands cruise (Bergen to Stockholm) and we are also wondering about the Norway in a Nutshell tour. Have you taken this tour or do you have any information about it? It seems to combine many great attractions.

I would do the Norway in a Nutshell if we had added more time to Bergen. We arrive in Bergen at 1:00 and the ship sails the next day at 7:00 p.m. It takes 12 hours (if all goes as planned!) to do the Norway in a Nutshell excursion so there just isn't enough time. Viking offers their own version of NIN in the Bergen excursions--Overland to Eidfjord for 2 days--but you totally miss seeing Bergen. $799!! $$

You can easily book this on your own from Bergen if you don't have other plans there. And most likely at substantial savings over the Viking excursion. You can take the train from Bergen to Myrdal and then take the Flam train then from Flam you can either book a ferry all the way back to Bergen or follow the Norway in a Nutshell route (ferry to Gudvangen then bus to Voss and train back to Bergen). And since you overnight in Bergen no worries about getting left behind if you are late getting back. Then you could do another great excursion in Eidfjord.

I so wish we could do that but we don't arrive in Bergen and to the ship until 1:00 and then sail the next day at 7:00 p.m. The Norway in a Nutshell trip needs 12 hours from Bergen so there just isn't enough time for us. 😔

Which sailing are you on? We are on the Sea departing July 23rd. I just read another post that our substitute excursion was someones favorite of the entire trip. fingers crossed! :):)

Our trip begins on July 15. We are taking the pre-cruise trip to Iceland. I now wish we had visited Iceland after Stockholm and added on time in Bergen. We could have done the Norway in a Nutshell trip which includes the Flam train and more!