OnTheJourney

I didn't get far. Was on hold for quite awhile and then the lady was extremely hard to understand. The general jist of it, however, was that my agent needs to do this. My TA apparently only talked to a Viking agent - not someone in the air department - so she will call again. She confirms that the people can be very hard to understand and that Viking, in her experience, is not easy to work with for air. She was hoping that the agent would transfer her to the air desk but I guess that didn't happen. Said she dreads calling them every time cause they "farm out their air department calls" (?) and, again, she can't understand their employees. I had little problem when making flights arrangements for the Chairman's cruise, but that was such a unique situation. There was a dedicated air phone number just for that sailing. I don't anticipate doing too many trips with Viking in the future unless I somehow take care of my own air. Perhaps will be easier IF this current booking / staffing / etc. mess ever settles down. Once all our rebookings of various cancelled trips are done I suspect we'll be concentrating mostly on domestic travel. So much easier to just book my own air within the US AND be able to see the seats that are available. I had zero trouble booking flights for a trip in October. I know what seats I have as soon as I booked them. So...I'll see what she finds out but I've been spending hours looking at the seating configurations on seatguru and trying to communicate choice preferences to the TA. All might be for naught anyway if nothing's available, in which case we'll have to settle for premium economy. Getting too old for some of this crap. We'll probably do most of our cruises out of either Baltimore or Bayonne...NO flying involved and just less stressful.

All I know is what she told me - that the Viking agent seemed to be able to make a booking at the present time for January.

Yeah, I imagine I can expect some changes, although there are a very limited number of non-stop overnight flights going across the pond for my date (which is not flexible).

I know...you mentioned this, and I remembered it. I was finally able to access a seat map for one of my two long-haul flights and a good number of B-class seats are already taken. So now I guess my TA must finish this process? Or can I call (she actually told them that I have her permission to call and speak with the air dept. - so I guess worth a try. ) Just seems like a pain to do everything through a 3rd party. I need to move on this since now only 12 seats are left for the one flight. Any idea what time the air department opens? I can try to call or just have my agent do it - just hope nothing would get screwed up in the translation.

So my TA called Viking and got a price on business class for our January trip. However, she also said "and then we can request your particular requests. Seats will not be issued until ticketed however, I can say I want aisles, aisle next, window next etc." Business class seating, however, due to the pod arrangements doesn't readily fall into the usual "aisle", "window" configuration, so I'm concerned about what we might wind up with. When I agree to pay and book, can I then suggest specific seats (as some people on either this or other threads mentioned that they were able to do)? Hate to shell out the money and then wind up not even sitting together. Can't imagine they'd do that.

Perhaps not so much a matter of whether or not it's feasible time-wise, but also whether or not you really WANT to do 2 in one day! Yours total 7 hours. On the Chairman's cruise, I think we had two days where we did two excursions on each that each were around 4.5 hours. Got through it, but sure was glad for a sea day after those! I can't quite sightsee all day anymore like I used to be able to. Best of luck with it. I agree that Viking will make it work if the times as listed are correct.

Absolutely 😆 Especially on a good hot day such as we've been having.

OH yeah. Every summer the Blue Devils would come to my hometown and rehearse at our High School for a few days. Since covid they haven't been here. From our house, we could hear them. WOW!!! They are typically ranked at the top - almost neck-and-neck with Vanguard at times. The first time I thought it might be our local HS band getting ready for fall half-time show. Didn't take long to realize...NO WAY!! The stuff the percussion line was doing was unreal. Then the brass started...holy cow!!! Incredible. Their schedule is grueling also.

Yep...I'm the same person. Changed the name awhile back. Had what I thought was a good reason at the time but quite honestly I'm already tired of this new one - will probably go back to OTJ if they allow one to change back to an already-used name. So glad you mentioned this - been thinking of contacting them. Just did...presto chango! Never really liked "AnyWayIsGood" actually.

Thanks for your kind words! Were I person with shorter patience, I'd have never survived working with elementary band kids! You have to constantly stay focused on what the end result will be. Unfortunately the dropout rate was higher than I would have liked, but ultimately no control over that. So glad I got out before covid came along.

I quite honestly cannot remember ever going out to a restaurant, although only lived by myself for a relatively short time. Looking back on it I could have had more fun than I did! I was just so tired after coming home from a day of teaching the band kids. Often 15-minute lessons back to back throughout the entire day with a short lunch break. It was crazy. And running around between 5 elementary schools. Eventually I got some help when the district agreed to hire independently contracted instructors to help teach lessons. That didn't last though. Often TOO many drums and flutes. Could have started an elementary fife and drum corps.

LOL...no criticism meant in any way! I was referring mostly to beginning drummers - 4th and 5th graders. I could almost tell which kids were going to sign up to play the drum. They had a different aura about them somehow. Also, most elementary drummers only knew one dynamic level - forte. Tell 'em to play with a pad and they were pretty bummed out. Can't blame 'em. I didn't have much choice though when there were like 20 of them in the back of the band, especially playing next to the cinderblock wall at the rear of the stage! Sounded like cannon fire bouncing off that rear wall. I know what you mean about the required coordination. I'm an organist, and so both hands and both feet are doing different things.

Even better!!!

LOL! My grandfather once gutted one of those big old, heavy console TVs and converted it into a liquor cabinet 😁 Worked great.

LOL...wow...talk about bringing back memories. I actually used real plates in my 'bachelor-pad' apartment, but started to feel inept in terms of cooking. I went out and bought "The Joy of Cooking" and was dismayed to find recipes that often first required at least a half-hour to prepare some sort of sauce, and then another 30-40 minutes to fancilly prepare the meat, put the whole thing together, etc. I just assumed that this is how people are managing for themselves. Little did I know that there were books out there that have quick and easy meals using various Campbell soups (Cream of musroom to the rescue!!!!). I'd come home from teaching really hungry and so would munch a bowl of cereal, and then by 6-7 pm would start to think about making something. Thankfully was married less than 2 years later. The single life wasn't something I would have wanted to do very long, at least not with the Joy of Cooking as my sole culinary reference. DW, in discussions on all this as we started going together, was always amazed though that I never bought a "TV dinner" in the store. I hated grocery shopping, and so would wind up going several times a week to buy small amounts rather than taking the time to put together a substantial list. For one thing, my apartment was a 3rd floor walkup and so one or two bags of groceries was more than enough. Such times! Best was when the young girl on the 2nd floor wound up starting a fire in her kitchen by overheating baby formula on the stove. NO way was I going to see my stuff go up in smoke if I could help it, so went downstairs, knocked on her door, and upon discovering the flaming pot (flames were just starting to lick the ceiling (my floor..yikes). She was too scared to do anything. I opened up the window, grabbed a pot holder and pitched the whole thing out to the yard below. By that time, as I recall, fire personnel were there. I seem to recall being treated for smoke inhalation..but...I (guess) I was a hero of sorts (YEA)...saved the day and all that crap. I think she moved out shortly after - might have had something to do with cranking up my 80 watts-per-channel Kenwood receiver on occasion while playing vinyl LPs, from which the decibel level likely transferred easily down through the floor. I taught elementary instrumental public school beginners, and so had to come home and play some REAL music for the reaffirmation that music is indeed still an art form compared to the sometimes unworldly sounds I was treated to with beginning clarinet, flute, oboe, sax, trumpet, and trombone players, etc. Drummers were another story - they are a different breed entirely. Went to the local bowling alley to shoot pool once in a while too. Bring on the bachelor apartment stories!!!! I have more than taken up my share of cyberspace on this forum for the present.

Amen to that. Thankfully my entire family is non-smoking (at least to the best of my knowledge). Thankfully not also non-maskers however during the worst (presumably) of the pandemic.

Maybe that's what we've been using for the bigger (Holiday) get togethers. DW and I haven't hosted in years (location being the primary issue), and by the time the meal rolls around I've usually had enough wine to not particularly notice if it's paper or plastic. 😉 I compose and give the prayer before every Holiday dinner though, especially since my brother's side of the family are not church-goers nor particularly religious. Giving this very Christian-type prayer always feels a tad awkward however since my nephew's wife is Vietnamese. My brother's place is closely located to my Aunt (active 55+ community) and my Mom (assisted living facility), so it has become the logical place to meet for Holidays, as well as a great excuse to not feel guilty about hosting (although I sort of do anyway). Prior to that, my Mom and Aunt alternated making the dinners (and fought whoever who did it last, etc.) My aunt was still doing it all herself till she was about 93. Wow..talk about a REAL digression! But, on this rather sweeping thread, it's all good.

Tell you what DOES always bother me though....seeing all that nice Christmas wrapping paper get ripped off, crumbled up and pitched. I've often tried to carefully peel off the scotch tape, fold up paper and put it back in the Christmas wrapping bin for reuse. I know...more fun to rip into it (and that's what I basically do)..just hate to see paper wasted in general. TOO much junk mail. Save the trees already! Sorry..another digression...

👍🏻

Wow...only was away for like 3 minutes after responding to a post by Graham and in that short time the thread is on the next page already. For those who like REALLY active threads, this is the place to be I reckon.

Well, thanks. I stand by my thoughts on paper plates being so much easier! Oh my...hopefully some relief coming soon. We desperately need rain here in the farm country of PA. Corn fields look more like pineapple plants.

Unfortunately, with all due respect and thanks to those with considerable experience and knowledge within the industry here like Andy, Cheng, and Jim, the average consumer - in the final analysis - will understandaby view these instances as yet more cancellations / delays, and such due to reasons beyond their control. There is more than a minor degree of consternation that exists in the current environment of all sorts of delays and canceled trips dating back to the beginning of the pandemic. Consumers are understandably disgruntled and so they will (again understandably) look to the cruise line as being at fault. Kind of like getting angry at the local appliance dealer because the dishwasher that was ordered last September didn't arrive until last week. Appliance dealer is not at fault due to the extensive backordering / supply chain disruptions as Andy already alluded to. For cruisers who have seen so many trips put on hold, it's just a tough pill to keep swallowing especially now that cruising has 'resumed' in a fairly big way. I appreciate the background info as to the cause of the particular problem dealt with in this thread. It's so easy to 'pass the buck' and point fingers.

Stretch...thanks. Really hoping to actually get to do this trip on the 3rd attempt. We have flight credits to use from last October's cancellation.

Hi Graham...I've been here before, on and off. I guess I really didn't deserve ANY likes for that Holiday / meals rant!! Weird mood today...probably from the heat wave this past week 🥵 Sizzled part of my brain from working outside. I had read about high temps in London a few days ago. Tough for folks wthout a/c.

Good grief...time for the guys from Ehrlich!!!