SantaFe1

Same here at 6am. OK, a question. About three weeks ago was my day to book dining for our May 30 Alaska cruise. It said I could book at 8 pm Pacific time. But I Just checked when I got up at 7 and reservations were open. I just now checked our three other upcoming cruises, and the red box at the top says I can book on the specified day, but has no mention of the time booking opens. I see that you both booked early in the morning. Did Viking specify that as the set time, or did you just go in and try? Maybe they are doing away with the timed opening for reservations. I will say that at 7 am, 70 days out, I was able to book three 6:30 and one 8 pm slot, which are within our preferred times.

Two of our favorites!

We had #1 also, the first time it was ever offered with the originating chef in attendance right before the end of the 2019 WC. We also didn’t like it, and we’re eating with British friends who called the chef over and well, let’s say it wasn’t pretty. And she just kept defending her choices and her meal. We’ve never wanted to have it again.

Oh, I hope you are right. We were on the first inaugural Iceland cruise, and I do believe it was just her. It would certainly make financial sense to hire some interns. I doubt we will ever go back, but if we did, I would move heaven and earth to do it again.

The problem is that Vigur is a private island, owned by a couple, with a young son, and a friend of theirs. It is a working farm, and she leads the tours. So hard to do much more than she was doing when we were there in 2021. I found their story fascinating. To read more: https://www.vigurisland.com/about

I saw this too. And I was so excited. I just hope we can still do this in a couple of years, as we are booked out through 2025. Malta is the last place on my bucket list.

I second all of this. Vigur Island is the best. A must do. Skalane is also good, and just lovely, but nothing like Vigur for Puffins. TayanaLorna and we did this two years ago on the first Welcome back cruises. Just spectacular!! My husband got the first with a telephoto, but the second is just my iPhone, from Vigur.

I usually just call Viking, but I got something similar taken care of recently by using the chat feature on MVJ.

I would have to agree. Although for us, from the very first Viking cruise we took years ago, the food has been Viking’s Achilles heel! We considered not doing the WC in 2019 because of if (glad we went, though,) We have had the chef come to our table more times than I can count. Over the years what we have been told again and again is that Viking provides the recipes and the chefs just follow along, unless they are doing a special meal. On our Mediterranean Antiquities cruise last month, we had terrible Osso Buco in Manfredis. We talked to the chef, came back a week later and he made it to our satisfaction. We had terrible Peking duck for our favorite Asian Panorama menu at Chefs Table. We talked to the chef, who said he really DID know how to make Peking Duck, and this wasn’t it. When we came back a week later, he made us wonderful Peking Duck. The worst was the Bouillabaisse in the restaurant. It was salty yellow water with one shrimp in it. French people throughout the country would have been tearing their hair out. It was so bad, we told them not to send the chef, and we went up and ate in the world Cafe. As to the gelato, I am not a desert person, but I do like the salty caramel gelato. But gelato is not, as I understand it, ice cream. It is, by definition, quite a bit lower in butter fat, using more milk than cream, although it does use cream. Anyway, just my two cents worth…

No, Viking will auto populate he payment if using a bank draft ( assuming you have already entered that number, so do that beforehand). However, if you check the payment by credit card option, you will have to enter the cc number each time you check out. You can book for both people in a cabin, and you can book them different excursions if you like (we do this every once in awhile). I can’t speak to multiple cabins. And do review on the calendar when you are done. On our last cruise I had left my husband off an excursion one day. So I went back and bought the excursion for him.

Sorry, I’m having a bit of trouble with photos this evening. But anyway. The elusive leopard.

We were in Dakar on the 2019 WC. We were able to get off the ship(which we hadn’t) and take a day Safari somewhere nearby. My lasting memory is of the poverty, with every man, woman, child and beast looking like they were starving, as I have said elsewhere on this board. But our multi day Safari was in Kruger. The most elusive of the big five.

We did this with a few other pax on our Homelands tour and it was great. Much less, and just a few yards from where the ship docked—although, I can’t believe it, that was in 2018!

We pick up the Neptune on May 9 2024 after the WC, To do the British Isles Explorer. Any chance you are staying on?

Another big perk is only paying airfare once for the equivalent of 5-6 2-3 week cruises. If you are flying business air, that is a lot of money!! And I agree, there is always something new to see in past ports, and always new delights!

We were in Dakar on the 2019 WC. We were able to get off the ship (wish we hadn’t) and take a day Safari somewhere nearby. My lasting memory is of the poverty, with every man, woman, child and beast looking like they were starving, as I have said elsewhere on this board.

Thank you! I had a date on my calendar to buy SSBP about two weeks before our cruise date, knowing that MVJ closes seven days before. I have now moved my calendar reminder back just past the 30 day mark, which, yikes, is next week!

Oh dear, our dog is not. She is the sweetest and dumbest dog we have ever had. We say she got two hearts and no brain. But we love her, as does everyone who knows her.

Thank you. She is a Boxador, part boxer and part black lab. We adopted her from the shelter two days after we got back from our WC in 2019. She is now nine and going strong.

Ok, this is the sweetest dog in the world. She loves ALL people. She loves NO other dogs. She is NOT hypoallergenic Do you really want her aboard? We pay big bucks to have her well looked after at home. If you can’t do that, then don’t cruise. I am tired of this thread. ( sorry to be so grumpy!)

But, as I said, less than one month ago, we had people in jeans at all venues every night. I even asked about it twice, and sort of got a runaround answer. I will say that that cruise was not the usual demographic. I would say that fully half the pax were under 60, where usually I would guess 80% of pax over 60. I do believe Heidi13 is correct, though, when he ways they will have a few acts waiting in the wings for our five days over and five days back. And then probably new acts brought aboard in Hawaii. That would be fun. And with lots of sea days, Viking provides many other activities and special surprises beyond just the evening entertainment.

We are on the LA to Hawaii cruise next February. One the reasons we choose it, besides getting out of here during winter, was the sea days, which we enjoy. But when the ship doesn’t dock and can’t bring on new entertainers for the star theater, you will usually just have the standard Viking entertainers (vocalists) and the Viking band. We don’t enjoy the entertainment in the star theater, and generally gravitate to the explorers lounge or Atrium, where they have guitar and/or piano and classical duet. The dress code for the restaurants is a topic of much controversy. By jeans, Viking supposedly means jeans of any color. I always take a pair of black dress pants and my husband takes khakis or navy dress pants. But on our last cruise, we saw that rule flagrantly ignored. I would pack something besides black jeans just to be safe.

What a shame. I’m so sorry to hear that. Hope you feel better soon!

PS, my, you are up late or early! But enjoy your victory!!

Yes. I believe that too. As former S. Californians, we know just what you mean. Go Aztecs! (Although I am from that basketball powerhouse, UCLA, well at least in my day). But happy to see the underdogs win. Fingers crossed. The final two, right? Or whatever they call it!