DGHOC

Great photos! It didn't look like that when we were there! ☔️

If you'd prefer a table for two once on the ship just either call Manfredi's or pop down there and speak to the receiving staff. They'll happily change it for you.

I think that Viking could do with employing someone like your dear mother as front of house. Maybe there would be fewer caps, 'Book 'em Danno' shirts, cargo shorts, flip flops and heaven forbid, bath robes. I think there is a reluctance by some of the staff to approach ill-mannered guests and correct their behaviour. Sometimes it needs the threat that there'll actually be someone at the restaurant entrances enforcing the rules. It's like kindergarten!

I haven't noticed it much in coffee shops in the UK though it's prevalent in France. Can't say I've noticed it on the Viking ships though haven't used the Living Room bar for coffee. My grandmother used to use sterilised milk through the war and then just continued with it. Now that stuff is really vile, ESPECIALLY in tea. Just wrong!

I think the waters have been muddied! They are used and accepted in the UK, please don't worry at all.

Oh our media love a bit of hype! Yes if anyone tries to buy five dozen cucumbers they might have a little trouble but we've had no problems whatsoever. It's a temporary blip and is expected to be resolved very quickly.

Sorry, I misunderstood you. A scalp massage certainly sounds blissful.

It was mentioned above Millybess. It seems that it was very well received!

Thanks for your response H20tstr. I'll remember that!

Thanks for your replies. Dodgy joints, tendons and muscles I'm afraid so relaxation and pampering is what I'm after as opposed to more pain!! One of my pals had a high pressure hose treatment at a spa once. Cold tiled room, with a therapist pointing what looked like a fireman's hose at her as she cowered naked in the corner. We laughed til we cried at dinner that night!

Thanks Molymoo, so much depends on the therapist with massage, you're literally in their hands! Deep tissue massage is definitely not my thing, nor being scrubbed raw with a brush. I was thinking of the Swedish mindfulness massage, I thought it might be similar to holistic massage which I love. I want to be left needing someone to carry me back to my cabin, not red raw and bruised!

I wonder whether anyone has an idea of the reservation hours for the spa massage treatments, first appt and last? We haven't booked them before but have a hefty sum of OBC to use up so are perusing them. If you've tried them before, were they good quality, worth doing? Many thanks, I'd appreciate your feedback.

It makes me sad to read your post THR. Please remember that the reviews you're reading here are very subjective. No company can please everyone all of the time. In any collective there will be a myriad of desires and expectations, some wholly unrealistic. Yes they may not have your preferred brand of whiskey, bourbon, cognac etc but goodness me that will not end the world. If you have a problem with a dish in the restaurant, ask for it to be changed. If unhappy with anything, do ask to speak to the responsible manager. I feel sure you will find the Viking team will want to make you happy, to correct anything that is causing their guests a problem. As far as fellow passengers behaving badly, well let's face it, you'll get that anywhere. We have all of us been brought up differently. It's a fact of life that some folk are bad mannered and lack sensibility, we see that in the way they conduct themselves in their everyday lives but that doesn't mean that everyone puts their feet up on the tables, or gets drunk holding up the bar all day or barks rudely at the waiting staff because their every living desire is not being served to them from a silver platter. We see varying levels of behaviour wherever we go. Goodness me, just read this forum! The Viking experience is that of understated elegance, a clean Scandanavian style. There's no bling, no karaoke, no holiday camp party games, no umbrellas in your drinks. Their literature very clearly states this. The service is excellent with a real desire to please, to make you happy. We've loved our experiences with them. Of course, an ossobuco may be a little dry but rather than speed on to CC to complain loudly, ask the waiter to replace it with something else. This can happen in the very best of restaurants in Paris, NY or London. Stuff happens! Just go, relax and enjoy. I feel sure you'll have a fabulous time!

We are on a Scenic Scandinavia cruise in June and am just scooting through the excursion lists to be ready to make reservations next month. I can't find the ship arrival and departures times on MJV. I know I've been able to view them previously and thought they were on the daily calendar but they aren't there. Is it just too early for that info to be published yet or is it tucked away somewhere and I'm missing it? Many thanks. UPDATE!! I've found it folks, it's on the Guest Invoice!

Wonderful photos, loved our Northern Lights trip! Enjoy!

Thanks so much for your response Sugarside. We've neither of us ever visited Berlin and certainly my thoughts are, like yours, that a long weekend would better suit us. We haven't had much luck with the V included excursions in the past but I'll check out the incl Rostock one and also your train trip one, if it's still offered. I really quite fancy the Lubeck excursion if they still offer it this year and would be grateful for some feedback on that if anyone has done it. The optional excursions can be a bit hit and miss too. Your photos are fab, thanks again for taking the time to reply!

Thanks so much for starting this thread, I'd been planning to do so this week. We're on the reverse journey in June along with Azulann (Patti). This trip has been cancelled for us many times due to Covid, changed from Russia and the Baltic too and then changed again in a ship repositioning, thus I haven't yet scrutinised the latest itinerary and made a plan. I'm sitting on the fence with Berlin, it would be such a flying visit. I was wondering whether to take the excursion to Lubeck instead. It's supposed to be a truly beautiful well preserved city, childhood home of Thomas Mann and the city of his Buddenbrooks novel. Has anyone taken this excursion? How long was the coach journey each way? Are there any excursions that any of you wouldn't recommend and are there any particular ports that you'd recommend just doing a DIY wander in? We've tagged on pre and post extensions in Stockholm and Copenhagen so we'll be in both cities for a good amount of time. I really do need to sit down and give this some thought but would be grateful for any advice from previous experiences. Many thanks to you all! Deb

I too am really enjoying this blog. I love your enthusiasm and positivity. We honeymooned on Crete in 1983 and have photos of us young things clambering all over Knossos. Your photos brought back lovely memories! Continue savouring every moment!

Enjoy Haworth, hope you have a fab trip!

Fabulous photo John, quite surreal!

Merry Christmas to you all and every good wish for 2023!!

Thanks J and D, I've been keeping an eye open for the final report and am glad to see that you are doing the same. This recent Antarctic incident rather brought our Sky experience back to mind, mostly though the descent of non Viking cruisers on CC who immediately pounced, ready to tar and feather Viking without knowing the facts. I clearly remember reading renditions here of what happened from folk who weren't even on the Sky! As before Andy and the Chief are offering factual evaluations and attempting to correct the sensationalists. It's like they come scurrying out of the woodwork! Our thoughts are with those affected by this horrible tragedy and we send all of our good wishes to them and their families. Hope you're both keeping well and happy!!

How wonderful! We were imagining all onboard! We had shopped at the Great Cornish Food Store on the way down and had bought some delicious crab tarts. At least, as the Venus passed, we had something scrumptious as consolation! Enjoy your trip 👋

Ditto!

Just popped down to the Roseland Peninsular for a week, staying on St Anthony Head, and spotted the Venus pulling away from Falmouth harbour. Didn't see anyone outside even with the bins. I suspect it might be a tad too chilly for outside viewing of the sail away. We're old hands here, wrapped up in blankets with mugs of steaming coffee drinking in the views across the Carrick Roads!