Wants to cruise

I sense some confusion in all these posts.  Wine packages are cheaper than the "by the bottle" price in the MDR.  You can buy wine packages before you sail or after you get on board.  (there is some discussion about taxes on the pkgs bought before you sail but specify you want delivery to your cabin or the MDR after sailing and that is suppose to solve that problem.)  The packages are the same price bought either before you sail or on ship.  SOMETIMES, they offer an onboard discount when buying shipboard but not ALWAYS.  If you wait until you are onboard, you can see the actual wines they have (supply on the ship does not always equal the list on the web site).

What ports were those?

 

 

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Shanghai and Semarang.

No joke. I seem to remember when there was all that trouble with Ebola(?) in Western Africa that one of the protocols that was initiated at airports was temperature scans of pax coming in from those countries. All in the name of disease control.

At two Oriental ports we visited in winter of 17, the lines from the ship to immigration were narrowed to two pax abreast. Hats had to be removed, foreheads were scanned with heat sensors and if you exceeded the limits, you were pulled for further screening. If you failed that, you were denied entry and returned to the ship.

Our upcoming (first!!) Viking Ocean cruise is more than 5 weeks in length. I would like to know the dimensions of the closet in a Penthouse Veranda stateroom. The agent I spoke to at headquarters said that they are working on getting the dimensions (they don't know?), but that they are "spacious". A "spacious" closet for a one week cruise is not necessarily a "spacious" closet for a five week cruise. I'd prefer not to have a Monday outfit, a Tuesday outfit, etc. Also are there drawers taking up space in the closet? We will be sailing on the Orion. Thank you in advance for the information!

I won't be much help but we were on a 50 day cruise on the Star in a DV cabin. We took 4 large suitcases plus 2 carry-ons. We got everything in the closet and drawers except the extra stuff like meds, razors, lotions, bug spray, etc. Some things we would have hung at home, we folded and put in drawers. No drawers in closets but maybe a shelf on top. Would recommend taking wire hangers. Wooden ones they furnish take up a lot of room and you can toss wire ones before returning home.

I think the Viking policy allows up the stated amount. I understand TAs may or may not offer the maximum allowed.

Hey Rick and Joyce,

We live 20 miles south of you. Too bad we didn’t book the same trip - we could carpool to the airport! We did the upper stretch of the Mississippi - St Paul (actually Red Wing) to St Louis - about 10 years ago. Wonderful, laid back experience. Fun to see parts of the country we were not familiar with “up close and personal”. Folks from the towns would gather on the bank as we docked and wave us off as we departed. Also interesting to have an all-American crew. This fall we’re going to finish the river with a back to back trip, St Louis to Memphis then on to New Orleans. Our trip dates are Sept 23 to Oct 8. Yes, it would be great to see more activity on this board. Would like to hear from others we may be traveling with.

We will rent a car and drive to N.O. the day before the cruise starts, an ocean/European river cruise habit. Have met several folks who missed the start of their cruise due to late arrival of flights. Would have loved to share a ride home from the airport on return! We are really looking forward to this cruise. Was in the Army and saw a lot of the world but have seen little of our own country. It should be fun and exciting! Enjoy your cruise! Rick and Joyce

Are you doing the August 20th cruise the entire length?

If so that is what we are on room 460.

Yes, we are on for the entire cruise! Really looking forward to it!

Yes, we are on the 20 Aug cruise for the entire trip. We actually booked 3 things with AQ. The Angola Prison tour, the Vicksburg battlefields and the MN/STP tour and transfer to the airport. I could not find a way to the airport on our on so booked them and to kill time before the flight will take a look at the twin cities! You are the first folks in a long while to post. Not much action here, like on ocean boards. Our 1st stateside river cruise so really looking forward to seeing parts of the country not seen by us before. See you on the riverboat! Rick and Joyce:p

I took the very first Viking Ocean cruise from Istanbul to Stockholm (50 days) and I have taken one, 23 day river cruise. I only took included tours on both cruises. I was never on a bus that had a toilet with one exception and that toilet was locked and we could not use it. I would not count on having a toilet on the bus.

Happy Birthday!

 

And a question (though probably not for Jim) After four months at sea, how is the salon. I am wondering what to do for our 2019WC. My specific question, if anyone has experience, is how are the color services? Do you think it best to just bring the color from home, or is the stuff on the ship adequate?

My wife and I are on the 2019WC and she would be very interested in the answer to this question! from anyone who has used there services. Thx for all the great postings from the current WC!

For short cruises and minimal hanging clothes, we use their wooden hangers. Ask the cabin steward early for extra if you need them. For longer cruises/more hanging clothes, we take wire hangers. They take up less space in the closet and my wife says she can hang more that way. They don't weight much in luggage on the way there and can be discarded for more space/weigh on the way back.:p

I'm 6'2" and 240. The provided robe did not fit. I asked the cabin Steward if they had larger and could I get one. He made sure my robe was always big enough to fit.:p

For past cruises, we obtained our own air and did our own thing, including a little "pre-extension" adventure of our own. Now I want to book a cruise and am tempted by the inexpensive airfare (to Rome from Maryland, back from Barcelona). I'm also tempted by a post-Barcelona extension. I will eventually get around to asking Viking a couple questions about those, but in the mean time thought I'd ask here. My questions are:

 

Air:

 

Could I use Viking's air but do my own extension (i.e., transportation and hotels)? If so, do I pay for an air deviation to go back two or three days later than disembarkation day? If I go to Madrid, can I fly back from there with the deviation? (I believe that's one city that's allowed as a deviation on Med cruises.) With the deviation, are you allowed to select flights or is there an extra charge for that - or no extra charge to be able to select, but often an upcharge due to difference in price that Viking will pay?

 

Does Viking offer any flight upgrades like premium economy on flights that have it? If I have Viking's air, can I do that through the airline, or does it have to be arranged by Viking? Also, I know that in general, air arranged by cruise lines is not the best, since contracts are used, flights are booked somewhat later than many people tend to book them, and a lot of seats must be found to accommodate cruisers. Also, it most certainly depends upon where you are flying from and to. However, if anyone would like to comment on how good or poor Viking's air arrangements are, at least from a major U.S. East Coast city to/from Rome and Barcelona, I'd love to hear your opinion.

 

Extensions:

I know hotel stay plus transportation to the "extension" city (Madrid) and from the hotel to the airport are included in the cost. However I didn't think to ask if there are any excursions involved, or any meals (although I realize that could vary with the hotel). Generally, is there at least a tour, or are you on your own?

 

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Here's my experience on Viking (1 previous Ocean and 1 River and 1 upcoming World). You can use Viking Air and do your own extensions. If you do this, you also must make your own arrangements to/from port/airport/hotel. Any number of days seem to be ok but I have no experience on changing the city. If you want to do anything other than what they want to book, there is a charge. Mine was $50pp to have a say on flight times and $100pp to deviate on flight days. On the upcoming World cruise, they waived the deviation fee. Viking offered upgraded seats but at the upgrade cost. If you are looking to use points (miles or CC), you do that thru the airlines after booking. Sometimes the fares were good, sometimes not so good. For my flights (ATL, Istanbul, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Bucharest, London, MIA) they offered Delta and its partners, United and its partners and American and its partners. because I paid the $50pp, I got to pick the times and seats and because I paid the $100pp, I got to pick the days. I've done my own excursions (Amsterdam) and theirs (Bucharest). When they did it, they had tours for each day of the extension that had options and they provided transfers from port to hotel and then from hotel to airport along with breakfast each day and one excursion had a meal. When I did my own, no meals provided and I had to arrange the port to hotel and hotel to airport. This was my experience. I was very satisfied with their arrangements when they did it. Hope this helps.

I recommend the day before for all the above mentioned reasons. I was on the first Viking Ocean cruise, Istanbul to Stockholm (ok, the ship had to get from Venice to Istanbul) and used Viking air to fly in the same day (left ATL the evening before) but was beat flying 20+ hrs in economy. On the other hand, I was on a cruise with another line out of San Diego. A couple flew in the day we departed and their flightwas delayed and they missed the sailing. They flew to Alaska to join the ship but due to a typhoon, we did not go there. 13 days after sailing, they caught up with the ship. I don't recommend arriving the same day the ship departs.

Two cases can go under the bed if their size allows them to be checked on an airplane.

Thanks Calliope!! I appreciate the quick response and info. This is our 1st stateside river cruise and 1st time with AQ. Done some European river and some ocean. Looking forward to the paddlewheel and a cruise thru a part of the US we have not seen before.

That's a nice room. You will have two doors into the room, one from the inside hallway ant the other from the guard. My large suitcase did fit under the bed, so if an airline accepts it as checked luggage there should be no problem.

Calliope, would two large suitcases fit under the bed? Thx, Rick

Does anyone know what the luggage storage is like on the AQ? We are in 508 on the August mighty Miss. and would like to have 2 large suit cases but don't know what storage is like. Thx, Rick

Not sure if the CC store is open but I bought a pack of 6 luggage tag holders for my upcoming cruise. The printed tag fits into the clear heavy plastic/vinyl holder that seals watertight like a ziplock baggie. Then the holder is attached to the suitcase with an aircraft cable tie that screws together so it does not come undone. Tags are visible from either side of the holder and apparently, they have sales cause they sent 12!

Thanks Charles4515 and Inside-Cabin! Will check it out! Appreciate the info.

Interesting thread, good info. However, discussion seems centered on Carribean and Europe. What has anyone tried in the Asia, SE Asia, Australia, pacific region? Will away for 80 days (first trip to Pacific Rim countries) and would like a plan works there. Thanks in advance! (Please keep it simple, I'm not a techie!) :D

I believe these are the same packages but offered in larger volume at a discounted price because of the length of your cruise. I haven't had the benefit of having them offered even on 30 day cruises but from what I have read here the Premium is the Admiral with more bottles and the Compass plain is the Navigator.

 

Hopefully someone else who has had them can confirm but I would be tempted to call HAL to clarify for this one just to make sure.

Thanks Kazu! I got that impression but was not sure. HAL has not responded to email sent last week so if nothing definitive pops up here, I'll call. Always appreciate your comments! :)

I was doing real well with all the wine package discussions and the research on what wines were in the Navigator and Admiral pkgs. Then along comes my cruise documents for my Asia Pacific cruise this October and there are TWO MORE pkgs offering 12, 24,36 bottles called Compass Premium and Compass! Bottles to be selected from the premium or standard lists but no wineries or varietals were listed. Wine prices are $5 to $10 per bottle cheaper. Can't find a list any where and HAL customer svc has not responded. Anyone know anything about these pkgs? Seems I can only order the Compass pkgs on line ahead of time. Any info would be appreciated.

One session only. Each person would have to have a separate login to be on simultaneously.

 

 

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Tim, Not being HAL savy or computer savy...I don't quite understand. Do they just issue one login per cabin? Or will my wife get one and I will get one? Rick :confused:

I'm a first time HAL also on the Grand Asia. How did you get the Internet benefit?

 

 

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Not sure I can answer that for certain. I think it was a Vista suite, early booking, pay early or some combination of all of those that got me the time; along with some other things in the package.

Hi all, 1st time cruiser on HAL. Doing the Grand Asia in Oct on the Amsterdam. One of the bennies we received was 300 minutes per person of internet. Do they issue one sign-on per person or one sign-on per cabin? Searched the HAL board and found lots of info on prices and speed but little info on whether both my wife and I can be on at the same time. Thx in advance!