OnTheJourney

Interesting that you mention this, since the outbound flight I'm considering is a Finnish Air flight codeshared with AA. One of the inbound flights is also codeshared with BA. I recall going around the bush with all that once before with Viking - must have been for the flights associated with the March '19 Northern Lights trip. Except for the Chairman's cruise, that's the only other time I've ever traveled with Viking.

OK...now I believe I recall your mentioning this before.

Yeah, I wanted to...as I think I mentioned along the way somewhere, and then the agent said I couldn't do it. I got conflicting info that made no sense to me. I will add this to my notes prior to calling them. I don't care about the extra charge if it means knowing which seats I get. I tried this...lots of times...once you get to the completion of itinerary, next step is that they ask for payment. There are NO options to choose seats prior to paying. I've been using expedia and such for many years and always have been able to see seats before paying. Still can for domestic, but not for longhaul.

suggesting...what? That you first have to book economy and then upgrade later?

Let me ask you this....prior to making your arrangements, did you have any sort of air component added to your trip? What happened to me is that the one agent said that since I don't have any air component she couldn't do anything for me. Another said...sure...she could add (for like $100 pp?) the 'air plus' or some such and that way I'd be able to call them and book flights. But then came back and said she couldn't (?) Yet another agent said...don't bother...they're too busy helping people get flights that are only 60 days out from their trip. It's totally frustrating. At this point I want to have my TA check out a few itinieraries that I came across, and probably also call Viking and see what they can offer her. I also want to call them and discuss all this, since I remain confused on exactly how the process works. IF I could see what the seats are on expedia, I'd be tempted to just do it myself and done.

The thing I never understood is, with telling someone they have a flight schedule BUT not actually ticketing, does that mean a certain seat is indeed reserved for that person? The way I gather it is that the cruise line air departments (and likely other tour agencies, etc.) purchase blocks of seats - sort of like hotel rooms - but then isn't this partially responsible for why flights get oversold / overbooked? I started doing serious research into flight options for my January cruise, and am dismayed to find that on the search engines such as expedia AND also on the airline sites - you can't see which seats are actually available unless you pay for the flights. At least I'm finding this to be the case with international searches. For domestic, on expedia, I still can acess the seats to see what's available. Darned if I'm going to shell out 5 figures up front for Business class on any website if I can't be sure that there are even seats available before paying. I also like to check out the configuration of the plane - easily done on seat guru. I realize changes can be made at ANY point - especially in the current environment - but I feel much more comfortable going into a flight booking having seen and chosen the seats I want, knowing that I actually reserved that seat. Still doesn't prevent a flight from becoming oversold however. What's to say that Viking "sold" or guaranteed a specific seat - if not yet ticketed - and yet someone else might be able to grab that same seat. I guess I've never fully understood how the whole process works but I do know it's very nerve wracking when you're waiting for your overnight flight to Europe and they start badgering the pax about needed a handful of people to give up their tickets for a later flight. The one time they were up to $1,000 but nobody wanted to go for it since international is not as easily rescheduled as domestic depending on where and when you need to be. As it was, due all the coaxing for people to give up their seats - we missed out connection next morning. Flying is just...stressful and getting worse.

Well, unless in a larger room....let alone a REALLY larger room! I don't anticipate doing DV category again.

I can't believe they still haven't installed all the safes - assumed it was just because not enough time prior to the Chairman's cruise.

I love managing my own trips anyway. Probably why DIY fly/drive or just driving is still my favorite mode of travel. Or cruising not involving flights.

Agreed...I've often done this - sometimes close to a year prior, but generally have always done my own air and still prefer to do it that way. Only reason I think it best to put it under Viking is if we'd still decide to cancel under risk-free. I already have enough airline credits to use up from other canceled trips - don't really want more. Depends on what pricing Viking would quote me.

But paid for? As I said a few times on these air-related threads, several agents told me to not even bother inquiring right now cause they won't be able to do much for me, i.e. assign a specific itinerary, let alone seats.

West...thanks for your encouragement! I've not heard of Tohono but just checked it out. Looks great! Sounds like a possible brunch / lunch option as well. We might meet up at some point with a couple that we got to know on the Chairman's cruise. They also live right near the Embassy.

Exactly why I've been in no hurry to jump into booking for our January trip. I need flights for an October trip also and haven't done anything with that yet either. That'll be easy since it's associated with DIY travel.

I probably should have started looking into it sooner, but with getting ready for two trips in May (one was the Chairman's cruise) and then a ton of work to get started on once we got home, just never got around to it. I'm still having trouble getting inspired to do any international travel right now. Probably wouldn't have done any at the present time had the Chairman's cruise opportunity not come along. When you say you have them "booked" are you referring to knowing the actual seats?

Starting to think that booking flights, at present, is dicey at best with the pilot shortages / delays / cancellations, and so forth. Amazing how Delta was offering $10k per passenger just awhile back due to an overbooked flight. I've been putting off contacting Viking for our January cruise - need flights to Rome and then back to the US from Athens. They probably can't do much for me at this point anyway.

They sure work for me anyway.

Thanks! I plan to reserve a car and flights within the next few weeks - probably sooner rather than later would be good. Sabino looks like a great place to visit. We booked rooms at the Embassy Suites Paloma Village - only about 15 minutes from the canyon. Hoping to divide some time (during the same day) between Sabino and Saguaro Park East. It was suggested on Trip Advisor forums. Another day for Saguaro West and the Desert Museum.

Not necessarily in that order however. Budget was not really a consideration when we looked at Antarctica trips, so it was your third item - personal desire as to itinerary - that was the determining factor. All that said, we were a bit concerned about getting in and out of zodiacs, etc. As you say, each to his/her own. Can't argue all the points that have been raised about the advantages of landing versus drive-by. Maybe we'll yet go back and do it that way, but likely not.

Not sure about that, given that a drive-by is far cheaper than an expedition cruise. A drive-by worked for us being that we had never been to South America and so liked the itinerary - getting to do a few ports in SA. We just had little interest in zodiac landings, didn't feel comfortable with the idea, and so while surely NOT the same experience, we were satisfied with what we got to do and see. We had fantastic weather and unbelievably smooth sailing across the Drake both times.

Our post-cruise extension in Barcelona was a disaster in terms of hotel check-in. I don't know if they for whatever reason weren't aware that several hundred Viking guests were arriving that day or what, but we stood in line for over 2 hours to check in (some guy alone - not sure if he was even with Viking or not - took over 1/2 hour at the desk). Only TWO desk clerks. Those that got in line first were lucky of course - had plenty of time to check in and then explore the city. THEN, after all that time, went out and got a bit of lunch, came back and discovered that we were AGAIN in an equally long line (another close to 2 hours) just to get the room key. AND...someone must have grabbed our one suitcase. It wasn't in the terminal when we disembarked. Luckily it went over to the hotel on a different bus, but it was a bit of a snafu for awhile till it was discovered. There was poor communication between the terminal and Viking agents at the hotel. We were assured they'd be notified that it was missing, and yet when we got to the hotel and spoke to them, they (and the hotel) hadn't even been contacted. The rest of the post-extension was fantastic, but what a crazy start. People were getting annoyed spending most of the day in line instead of getting to do something more interesting.

I hate meclizine. All that stuff makes me drowsy despite what it might say on the label indicating otherwise. I use and am a firm believer in wrist ("sea") bands that use acupuncture to avoid the most unpleasant sensations associated with motion sickness. Easy to take on and off, NO side effects whatsoever. No Rx needed. They work for me. The last cruise we did was the only time I hardly needed them - that was in the Med. Sailing was smooth as glass except for one night. I've even worn them in the house anytime I might feel a bit nauseous. Perhaps worth researching. From some of what was mentioned in this thread about patches, I'm sort of glad I never experimented with them. What works for one might not for everybody - same as anything else. Best of luck and wishing you SMOOTH seas.

Off topic..but was wondering if the rental car situation has improved there? Doing a fly/drive trip (3rd attempt at this) in October and will be flying into Tucson. Planning to visit Saguaro, the Desert Museum, Mt. Lemmon, Sabino Canyon, and the Mission before moving on to NM and TX. I had it all booked for last year but then was told it was near impossible to get a car. Year before that I canceled due to covid. All set again but just need flights and the car.

LOL....most of the regular verandah cabins on Celebrity are such that you can't open the bathroom and closet doors at the same time since they bang into each other 😆

LOL...Yeah, on the Chairman's cruise we made good use of that space! In our room, the TV was attached right in the middle of the mirror...thought that was a bit weird. Otherwise, I had no problem with the room. Loved it up on deck 8 (free upgrade). Talk about being spoiled....

Any thoughts, from your experience as an NP, on the passengers being masked? Surely you were and probably still are masked in your practice. I'm not suggesting nor implying anything, but am just interested in getting your take on requiring masking onboard at least in certain large group / more confined areas. I still am stuck on the dichotomy that would appear to exist between requiring full-scale daily PCR testing and yet not requiring any masking onboard. It's sort of like having football players wear their helmets, shoulder / thigh / knee pads, but leaving out the mouthgards. Inevitable for some % of accidents to occur, or, analogously, a % of positive cases. It was reported that there were at least 10 people quarantined as a result of positive tests on the Chairman's cruise. OR...require masking ashore during Viking-sponsored excursions. Thing is, many (most?) people bent on traveling - and other walks of life - have pretty much had it with masking, so if you go too far on that score, the cruise lines surely will not fill ships. OR, contrarily,...for those who WON'T cruise do to lack of whatever required protocols either were in place and no longer are or else never in place to begin with or simply not enforced, you have a similar issue. Either way, some degree of positive tests / illness will always show up. Noro will always be here, and probably covid as well. Glad I'm not in charge of making the big decisions at least!