Peregrina651

You must do it no later then 8 days before you board. There is a one week blackout period prior to boarding when no changes are done.

They -- Star, Sky & Sea -- do not. I prefer not having the drawers in the closet (but the itinerary determines the ship -- not vice versa -- and I take what I get). -- I like having 5 feet of uninterrupted hanging space, especially when we are traveling in winter and have winter gear to deal with. -- I'm happy hanging all of our shirts, pants and trousers in the closet, and that doesn't happen as easily with the drawers in closet configuration. -- Also, I can't reach the hanging bar above the drawers at all (I'm 5ft tall), which is another reason I don't like the configuration. -- Without the drawers, there is plenty of shelf above the hanging rail that DH reaches easily and equally as much room on the floor of the closet for shoes (and winter boots). But then again, we pack light (1 carry-on, 1 back-pack each) and this also makes a difference no matter which ship we are on.

I'm so glad. Now I can stop worrying about you getting to your gate in time..

Food for thought. If your invoice said not to book flights before 10 am, it means that Viking expects (and that is not a guarantee) guests to be able to start heading to the airport at 6am -- one hour of drive time arriving plus 3 hours before departure. You plan to arrive two hours ahead of departure. Well, actually it is less than two hours, because boarding closes 15-30 minutes ahead of departure and you have to be at the gate by 10am. Now you are down to an hour and half to check in, hand over your checked bags, get through security, go through border control and walk to your gate. Is that really enough time?

Viking isn't going to tell us and they are the only reliable source of information in this case. We can guess at why but that only creates rumor and misinformation.

You can never predict motion issues for any cruise on any ship at anytime of the year at any point on the globe. Anyone who tells you, "We had no problems on our cruise, you'll be fine" should be be ignored. The closer you are to the water and the closer you are to the middle of the ship, the less motion is felt. Choosing a cabin is a compromise between the motion you can tolerate and cabin amenities you want, when you can't predict what motion issues might be encountered. Or as the ancestors were fond of saying, "like buying a pig in a poke." If you are concerned about motion, no matter which cabin you choose, come prepared for motion sickness.

You seem to be focusing on how the exchange of information took place while what the rest of us want to know is if you got a different answer than what the call center gave you. Why are we so interested in what was said? Because it builds the collective wisdom. It is a way of paying it forward.

Yes, it is a bit off topic but OP has asked us because we are a knowledgeable and trusted audience who have helped him in the past. I may agree that this question might get more answers in the Antarctic forum but I can also understand why OP is asking here.

And?? What did they say? Did you get what you needed? BTW, the CC veterans are not surprised that you got a phone call. Much faster than days of e-mails back and forth.

Ditto

Took this photo 24 May as we stopped to discharge pax at Finse. It was in the high 70s when we left Bergen the day before. To do this trip in winter must be surreal.

The luggage goes by truck. There is not enough room in the train car for all that luggage and there is no luggage car. Most of the hotels that Viking chooses are contiguous to the train station, so they walk the group over.

Star Theater is in the bow of the ship and effects Deck 3 cabins well forward of the forward elevators. Torshavn is midship right off the Atrium and noise effects cabins forward of the Atrium on the starboard (odd) side and gets better the closer you get to the forward elevators. Teal is the approximate area effected by Torshavn and gold is the approximate location of the Star Theater. IMHO, noise from the tenders is also an issue.

I second the request but ask that you not bury the answer here where no one will ever think to look for it. I suggest that you answer the question in this thread dedicated to all things FAR EASTERN HORIZONS. It has a strong following of folks who would like to hear from folks who have already taken this trip Watching for your answer and TIA.

Are you confusing the shore excursion and the much less expensive at-sea day activity (which cannot be booked until you board the ship)? It is my understanding that the shorex version is booked just like every other shorex excursion.

I'll get the ball rolling. The website uses generic pages to describe ports visited. When it comes time to book shore excursions, you will not be able to book excursions for turnover day. That will be done for all continuing guests on board the ship. The number of choices offered may depend on the number of continuing guests. Remember that it is one included tour per port, not one per day. When it comes time to book shorex and dining, you book for the entire cruise, not segment by segment.

IMHO, discuss this with Viking before you go. Contact them at tellus@vikingcruises.com. Be sure to include your booking number and a phone number where they can reach you. They will be able to answer all of your questions in regard to buying the drinks package for just one person in the cabin. In the meantime, you may want to think about about if the package is really right for you -- unless, you aren't worried about breaking even. Keep in mind: • All coffees (except those made with spirits), tea and hot chocolate are free 24/7. • The contents of your minibar is yours to consume. DV and above is replenished daily; V cabins may purchase additional contents. • All soft drinks (sodas, bottled water, fruit juices at breakfast) and specific wines and beers are complimentary at meals, but are on you the rest of the time. • Viking has a liberal BYO policy, no corkage fee in the bars or dining rooms and may be consumed anywhere on the ship (they will even supply glasses, ice and water). • The drinks package does not include everything -- but it does cover soft drinks: Ocean & Expedition: This Silver Spirits beverage package includes premium wines by the glass, house champagne by the glass, cocktails, aperitifs, and any drink up to $18, throughout the day and anywhere on the ship; The Chef’s Table premium wine pairing; 30% discount on premium beverages above $50 USD, and 50% discount for premium tasting events

Don't thank me. Thank our resident architect @Clay Clayton for explaining what those damned annoyances are called.

Whatever we had, I'm sure that we got it on the plane and in the airports. I wanted to wear a mask on the plane but I can't breath in the damned things.

Our first cruise was cabin 3072, a DV next to a V2. There was no noise from the dining room. After a couple of sailings in DV 4 cabins (a couple of which had pilasters that jut into the cabin at the foot of the bed, ouch), I decided that it was just easier to book DV6 and not worry if the room had a pilaster or not. V2s do not have to worry about pilasters. The only reason I would not book a V2 is that it is further aft than I would like.

It wasn't finding something else to do; it was an energy crisis. Both of us had been under the weather since boarding the ship. It really zapped our energy and by the last day of the trip, we had no energy at all. We talked about heading to the National Gallery but in truth we just wanted to nap, pack and go home. And we both continue to cough. Candide was wonderful. DH loves Bernstein and was thrilled to see it. My problem was not the operetta but my coughing. It was too uncontrollable and too difficult to be a polite audience member.

Oslo -- both days When we got into Oslo on Friday night, we saw a Viking ship docked in the harbor. Turns out it was SKY and my brother was on board. So we contacted them and arranged to have breakfast/coffee with them the next day -- before they headed off on their tour of the day. Our destination of the day was the Munch Museum, followed by a 6 pm concert performance at the Opera House. It was hot in Oslo (anything approaching 80 is my definition of hot) and the outdoors did not beckon. The view from the 12th floor was fabulous but it turns out that Scream or no Scream, I'm not much of a fan of Munch. But it was air conditioned and I liked building. Sunday was a complete bust. Our plan to visit Askerhus and have mussels at Skur33 (suggested by my sister) fizzled quickly in the heat. We made it two block towards our destination when we decided that it was just too damned hot for us and that all we wanted to do was to crawl back into bed. We will just have to return to Oslo another time! Taking the train to the airport. We used the Airport Express train (Flytoget -- "toget" means "train"). It leaves every 10 minutes except really early or really late in the day. Seniors pay half price. The agent at the desk in the helped us get our tickets at the machine. He punched all the buttons and we tapped. The tickets are good for 90 days. You don't need to show the ticket to get onto the train but you do need it to exit at the airport. Walking from the Thon Opera, we did not even need to enter the station to get to the track. I could help but wonder which of the water-view apartments belonged to Tors... Waiting for sailaway (I know; it's tilted) Sauna shacks with a view. The bay is the cold plunge pool. We saw Candide at the Opera House. I skipped the second half and took pictures instead.

True for mobile browsers but on a desktop, it is at the top of the thread. Just to drive us crazy.

Okay, it worked in this case, but as a heads up to future readers, just because it can be done in the UK does not mean that it can be done in every country where Viking sails. Therefore, before you make plans to disembark early, talk to Viking directly to find out of it can be done in your disembarkation port. Moreover, do it by contacting Viking at tellus@vikingcruises.com (rather than via the chat or the call center).

I do have to agree with hubby. If you have more than one rolling bag and one back pack per person, hire a four-wheeled vehicle to get you to Tilbury, either Uber or a limo/hire car, being cheaper than a taxi. Using public transit, you want to have a hand free to deal with fares, elevator buttons, handrailings, etc.