TayanaLorna

If you don't see bar soap in your bathroom ask your room steward. If you want more hangers, ask. If you want 2 water carafs ask. Ice? Ask. A top sheet? Ask.

Thank you so much for this info. I have not taken a Viking cruise more then 18 days. My reply shows that a little knowledge can be dangerous.

I know people who do this all the time. They also used the ruse to get their dog on an airplane.

No matter when you cancel - before or after final payment - the cancellation fee of $100 per person is retained by Viking UNLESS you are within 120 days of your cruise. If you are within the 120 days, then the schedule on your guest statement kicks in.

In 2020 we had an awesome private excursion to Peninsula Valdes through Sentir-Patagonia. We had a stop in the visitor center for a bit of orientation, drove up to Loberia Punta Norte - the sea lion colony where we saw sea lions with their pups and elephant seals (we watched for Orcas here but tide was not right for them to come close), visited Estancia San Lorenzo where we walked a trail along which Magallen penguins had their young in burrows and walking right next to us, then we went to the Estancia for a typical grilled lamb lunch (included). We had a guide as well as a driver. Both were excellent. Boy the driver had an eagle eye and spotted wildlife all along the roads. He would stop and we were able to get out. We saw Guanaco, Mara, Rhea, a burrowing owl and the Elegant crested tinamou as well as different birds. We missed the Right Whales as they are gone by mid December and no one spotted an armadillo. Diego Allende, the owner of Sentir Patagonia Travel was very responsive when booking through email ventas@sentir-patagonia.com.ar or WhatsApp +54 9 280 4 565607. Their website is www.sentir-patagonia.com.ar. Our guide's name was Emilia, she was an English teacher and Diego said she was one of their best tour guides. She was. Diego even adjusted the lunch menu to chicken for our friend who did not eat lamb. We were on Legajo 12630 which i think is the tour number. And yes there is a Caleta Valdes along the East coast of the peninsula where there is a small number of magellanic penguins. Don't know if Sentir-Patagonia goes there.

Thanks for the stories and pictures.

Great Kent, thanks. I am going to bookmark this so i have it available when on board.

Same here. We only had 50 passengers on board. Maybe they were so happy that they weren't going to bother us. If for some reason they require long pants and collars for men you will be set from Viking. I recall some reviews complained there was a long line at dinner buffet but with our 50 not the case. It sounds like the "dry season" months - July to December are more popular for Brazilians cruising the Amazon.

Well that will be fun to try. Lots of Asians in crew.

Very casual. Although I read somewhere on Iberostar that shorts were not allowed at dinner, that wasn't the case. Saw shorts, jeans, sundresses, t-shirts, lightweight long pants and shirts. We wore long pants and shirts as well as full coverage shoes on excursions just in case of mosquitoes, ants or snakes. Never saw snakes and mosquitoes only on one Iberostar hike.

So Saturn has that additional food station at end of WC like the Jupiter did. Asian for breakfast, lunch and dinner? What is Asian for breakfast?

Agreed, bring it all. Our Iceland cruise had very nice weather until the last day when we had our 5 hour tour of the Reykanes Peninsula with misty rain the whole time. We were so happy to have our rain pants and jackets as we were able to participate in the walks at all stops. We even used our head nets over a brimmed hat at the Djandji waterfall hike. Everyone else without nets were swatting the flies and cut their hike short because of them.

In the 5 Viking cruises that i have been on, the listed port arrival time has been the time when the ship is docked, tied up and the gangway ready for disembarkation in most instances. At times I woke up an hour before arrival time hoping to watch sail in and the ship was already docked.

That's why your CC name is Appleton Annie! We were born and raised in Chicago and would cross country ski, camp, canoe and hike all over Wisconsin mostly as well as the UP, lower Michigan and Indiana. Moved for my DH's employment opportunity in 1985.

Downsmead gave some details about boarding Iberostar directly after Viking which should be helpful. In Post #24 i detailed the procedure for independent travelers (those who do not have the Viking transfer to the airport or the Viking post extension at a hotel) to disembark the ship and get to the Port of Manaus. If Viking must anchor instead of dock, it will most likely be the same. Since we didn't know we could board the Iberostar so early, we did an excursion to MUSA. From the Iberostar to our hotel, we pre arranged a transfer with Victor Transfer Tours. They were excellent with the booking process, communication and the transfer. Judson de Oliveira Menezez was our contact for the entire process. We used WhatsApp for communication and did it all through messaging. + 55 92 9338-4654. We tried to book through Trip Advisor but none of their transfer choices gave a way to have a pick up at the port rather then a hotel or airport so i messaged them. Judson got back to me right away and told me there was a fee for taxis to enter the port and go all the way to the Iberostar ship. He sent me a link and a way to pay with PayPal including the additional charge. It was $84.06 pp instead of $80.17. It was nice getting picked up at the ships door. We also used them for a ride from our hotel to the airport. They also do tours. About a week before our trip we received an email from Iberostar providing us with the opportunity to reserve a transfer to the airport through them. The charge was $100 per person. We were not going to the airport following Iberostar. Victor Transfer Tours charge to the airport was $80.17 per person.

Thanks Karen. This is good information for others in the future.

Exactly! The 4 day one has all the excursions included.

Hi Karen, I was going to ask you to tell your Viking to Iberostar experience. We didn't board until the orientation was already underway. I know you and another couple boarded very early. Did you have to stay in the bar area the entire time or were you able to go to the top deck? Were there any refreshments or food available? Could you have left your luggage on the Iberostar and then gone out on a tour? Happy to hear you are still following.

We were the last ones returning from that walk doing the same.

That's exactly what i remember. Was a real adventure getting there. That year there was a lot of rain. That huge landslide across from the cruise dock occurred a few months before our trip.

We just booked this February 2025 Panama cruise on Mars.

Oh boy, you will most likely get a whole lot of positives and negatives here. We did 2 Viking cruises during 2021 Covid and both were wonderful. Yes there were glitches with service and start up but the ships were not full and it was SO nice to be cruising. Did one post Covid cruise (Caribbean & Amazon) this winter and enjoyed it immensely. However, since it was the first time Viking did this itinerary since before Covid there were some issues. But as far as the crew enthusiasm and attention, it was 5 star. The spa and massages were excellent (I had 3), the dining was superb and the overall experience wonderful.

Were the streams you crossed dry or running with water? One was running with one pretty heavy on our trip. Right, they didn't give sticks there to deter the terns. I used my walking stick and we always wear hats outside.

Yes I recall that also. Our guide, the gal, was related to the owner.

I had forgotten about all the flowers blooming! Was the gal the guide whose mother and aunties worked gathering the eider feathers?