Peregrina651

Welcome aboard! Excellent tip. The vendor keeps track of your daily tab, so that you will see only one charge per day on your card (can't remember if it was per person or grand total of the two of us). It keeps track of zones and the maximum daily charge per person. Super convenient. DH and I used cards with the same account number on them and there was no problem; we each tapped our own cards. I'm adding this to my list of helpful links and sharing it on our roll call.

Viking Star December 12, 2023 Hawaiian Sojourn December 28, 2023, Hawaiian Islands Sojourn In general, historic weather can be found at timeanddate.com or you can use Google to find other sites that do "historic weather."

I'll second checking out Snaefellenes. So beautiful.

Absolutely agree. He is personable. His presentations, even his most complicated ones, are easy listens. He knows how to reduce a complicated topic to its most important points. His lectures are well-timed and never rushed. His visual aides are top-notch and used judiciously.

Great topic for a new thread. You'll get more answers.

Not to worry. Picture loaded, twice. Thank you for taking us along on your adventure. We loved every minute of it.

Don't forget the London theatre scene. Tickets are easy enough to buy on line.

The wines could also be lingering supply chain issues. We go for the food. DH will have a glass of whatever wine is being served and I may have a sip or two of white.

On the other hand, why should both people have to avoid CT just because one of them has issues or dietary limitations? As I am reading this conversation, it is becoming more and more obvious to me that the actual CT experience differs from ship to ship, from restaurant manager to restaurant manager, from chef to chef. The last time I ate in CT, in 2021, we ate in CT 6 nights out 17. We ate all of the menus served on that cruise except the duck menu, as neither of us are fans. I have allergies. Each time, I was served a substitute dish that was prepared by the CT chef to meet my allergies -- sometimes it was multiple courses of substitutions. Not once did they bring something from another kitchen. This was the best experience we have ever had in CT. Other times, I have been served things from Manfredi's or the main dining room but each time, they have been ready for me and my restrictions. Sometimes, I wish they had asked in advance because there have been times when I have served foods that I just don't eat. On the other hand, my husband is not burdened with restrictions and likes CT very much, so we try to go to as many of the menus as we can, and I make due, because it is his vacation as much as it is mine.

Yes.

But, you are from New Zealand, so you don't have to worry about it. Gratuities are included in your fare and will not appear on your on-board account. Maybe eventually Viking will make it a company-wide policy.

Perhaps but this one will drift back to its main topic. It has been so helpful, how can it not?

I don't think so. Or, at least not phones. Plus Apple and Android seem to be different worlds of functionality. this is faster: peregrina651- cc7 @ yahoo.com (remove all 3 spaces but keep the hyphen)

Agreed but there are ways around it. Very few of the people I communicate with get my "personal" e-mail address. I have a Yahoo! account for communicating with everybody else -- and my Yahoo! account allows me to create up to 500 disposable address, just like the one in my Cruise Critic signature. The best thing about disposable address is that if they get spammy, I can just delete them. My personal e-mail remains private.

@amcher4, welcome aboard. Sorry you had trouble with your arrangements in Reykjavik. The idea of picking up a car the day before disembarkation is an interesting one. For those who are still in the planning stages, let me say that in checking out vendors in Iceland for our trips in 2020 (cancelledx2) and 2021, I got the distinct impression that the vendors much preferred that people deal directly with them and that if there were any problems with arrangements booked through a third-party, they had to be handled through the third-party. I was researching on Trip Advisor and reading the reviews for various companies; any time there was a complaint from someone who had used a third-party to book, they were told to talk to the third-party. Just based on those comments, when it came time to book two tours and transfers to the airport, I booked directly with the vendor. We used Grayline for tours and airport transfer for our post cruise stay during Covid and had no issues.

They get so much practice. In winter, it is the only way out of town. The road up toward Mt. Dalsnibba gets snowed shut.

Easier than getting around in Boston, even if it isn't as compact. London is very tourist-friendly. Public transportation is better run. Cabs are plentiful. Day tours are plentiful. There are hop-on-hop-off buses with multiple routes -- all you have to do is get yourselves to the nearest pick up point. Still, I understand your concerns. Sometimes it is just easier and less stressful to use a Viking package -- and if not a Viking package, then a land package from another company. You can still use Viking for your air ( it is called a deviation, there is a fee involved and you will lose your Viking transfers for the arrival). You will have to get yourself to the ship at the end of the land package (take the Tube, if you are packing light, or arrange a car) but it is do-able. And you are right about a two-night package not being very attractive -- you spend at least half of Day One dealing with your arrival and lack of sleep on the plane, Day 2 is the only full day that you have and you are at the ship by lunch time on Day 3. But, do you really want to? Viking does not have any shorex into London from Dover; you would have to make your own arrangements. It is a two hours drive from Dover to the War Rooms in London, not allowing for traffic or a toilet stop -- four hours of just travel time. It is an hour train ride into London -- and that is just to St. Pancras station.

To clarify for newbies, beer, wine and nip bottles are include in the minibar for Penthouse Veranda cabins and higher.

This hijacking is a long shot. You might do better if you start a new thread.

This is a good question to also ask on the most recent thread about the drinks package, if you don't get an answer here.

There's plenty of cold food already out and ready to eat they they will have to get rid of if it isn't consumed. I'm sure no one went out hungry, even if it wasn't what they were planning on eating.

Just another reason I love cruising.

Helpful post -- especially the parts about dealing with lost luggage, which seems even worse post-pandemic but some of what you have shared is not applicable to Viking Oceans. River cruises tend to be more casual than Ocean, where the level of casual differs from itinerary to itinerary and from sailing to sailing. Every cruise has its own vibe -- and there is no way of knowing what it will be in advance. MDR, Chef's Table and Manfredi's are strict on the dress-code. Jeans and shorts are not permitted. Men's shirts need to have a collar -- polo, button-down, turtle, etc. It is enforced. There are definitely folks on VO cruises who like to dress up for dinner. If you are one of them, then go for it. It is your vacation, enjoy it however you want -- as long as you meet the dress code. Definitely not applicable to VO ships or to the Viking Longships (river). Minimum on the VO ships is three drawers for clothing, two small ones in the bathroom and a small drawer in each nightstand. Plus 4-5 feet of hanging space in the closet (and unlimited hangers; ask your steward). Plus shelf space above the drawers and in the closet. And that is just the V and DV cabins. On VO, the party walls are magnetic. The bathroom walls are not. Suction cups will work on glass surfaces in the bathroom (but not the walls). Things have changed a bit and now there are certain adjustments that we can make for ourselves on MVJ once you have been given your flights. Depending on what changes you make, it may involve an additional payment (but you get to review the extra costs before accepting the change). Or, you can pay the extra fee for Custom Air and have have a say in your flights -- and you can do it as early as 300 days prior to your return flights.

Good to see someone has a sense of humor.

And book it on boarding day because they go quickly.