dd57

We did this once. After offloading the passengers, the ship moved for about an hour and stopped at a dock in the middle of nowhere. Trucks with crates if provisions were waiting. The dock level was halfway up from the main level, so about 4 feet above us. The people on the dock had to squat down to hand a crate into the ship. All of the crew including the cruise director formed a line with about 2 feet between each person, and the crates were handed from person to person , down the stairs to the bottom deck and into the storage area. This went on for half an hour with all kinds of provisions - fresh produce, beer, etc. It was well orchestrated so clearly not the first time it was done.

Definitely. You don't want to connect to the ship's cell service. I understand that depending on the phone/cell plan you can just turn off roaming, but I turn on airplane mode, turn on wifi, and turn on wifi calling. (actually I just leave wifi calling on all the time). I receive calls and texts just fine.

In the US, vendors have to pay the credit card companies for using their payment service, anywhere from 1.5 % to 3.5% depending on the network (Visa, MC, AmEx, etc). When you use ACH, Viking is crediting you most of what they would have to pay out if you use a credit card.

When I think of French Polynesia, I don’t think of beach days. We've been there twice and going back again next January on the cruise OneSixtytoOne mentioned. There aren't a lot of beaches there. There is fantastic snorkeling, sailing, and a wonderful mix of Polynesian and French culture. The first time we went, we did a Tahitian Princess smallerish ship (for them) cruise similar to Paul Gaughain's itinerary. The flight back on Air Tahiti Nui about killed us - Jim Avery hit the nail on the head. The second time we did the current Viking itinerary but on Princess (before they got really bad). I've been to the Caribbean many times, east and west, sailed around in the BVI islands 5 times, and I have yet to find a place in the Caribbean that compares to French Polynesia in beauty.

We are on the previous cruise in that direction in August. Our precruise extension is at the Marriott; Viking has switched from the Sheraton for our cruise and maybe for yours too. If they are there, you might be able to ask the Viking reps in the lobby any questions you have about embarkarion. You also might run into some of your fellow passengers. This is our 2nd time doing this cruise with Viking. The Valdez museums are small but interesting. As I recall, there are 3 museums that you get entry tickets to.

One of the nice things about Magdalena is the people are restricted to paths with low rope barriers while the penguins roam free. And there are a lot of them. We were told that if a penguin approaches the rope, we must stop until the penguin crosses the path. Not everyone did this and the penguins would patiently wait until everyone stopped and they could cross.

I took this cruise in 2021. You are on the younger side, but there were others your age on this cruise. Viking river cruises, and probably most river cruises, are actually quite active with lots of walking tours on cobblestone streets, up hills, etc. There were a couple of stops on this cruise where the medieval towns had quite a bit of walking with some challenging elevation changes. On the other hand, there were some long bus rides thru the countryside too. We had a great time. Yes, Viking requires payment very early for first time Viking cruisers, but it is because they can. Their ships fill up very far in advance partly because of repeat customers who enjoy their product. @Daisis advice is good - talk to a knowledgeable TA who can help you decide if river cruising is for you and whether Viking is a good fit.

We have been able to change cruises since 2019 and we never lost the cost of the Trip mate insurance. It followed to the new cruise. But we never did this after final payment; maybe that is the difference.

Could be. This was said at one winery on an excursion, but I don't remember which.

On our Bordeaux cruise last year we were told that unlike in the US, appellation French wines are required to taste the same from year to year. Instead of varying the taste, they vary the blend. French table wines are not held to this standard. I think we need to do an extensive taste test to see...

I went to the Anne Frank house in 1973, so it has been open at least that long.

Depending on which river, almost all river cruiselines raft together at some ports. When we did the Grand European, we rafted with ships from other lines. On the Bordeaux cruise we never rafted. It just depends on how many ships are competing for how much docking space. Rafting didn't bother us. Most of the time you are off the ship while rafted together. Just remember to close your drapes before going to sleep and peek out in the morning before opening them again. But because you are so low to the water, you have to do this anyway since there are often walkways next to where you dock and passersby can see into your cabin.

It could be rainy, or it might not be. If you are going to be doing outdoor things - hiking, whale watching excursions, kayaking - you want to have quick drying pants like the travel pants sold at Costco. They are very useful whether or not it rains. I also think having waterproof shoes are a good idea. You can always get waterproofing spray and treat an old pair of hiking/walking shoes if you don't already have waterproof ones. If most of your activities are indoors, or just walking around town, these aren't as necessary.

I carry a tiny vial of hand sanitizer in my pocket, even before Covid. After getting my food at the World Cafe (I just can't abbreviate that to WC! ) and sitting down, I use the hand sanitizer before eating or handling the utensils. I caught Noro once years ago and don't want to repeat that experience. One could also walk back to the entrance after putting your food down to wash your hands again.

The advantage for using ACH is that you save 3.3% off the cost of the excursion and that you are able to quickly pay for an excursion as you set up the ACH once and then select it as the payment method. With a credit card you have to enter the card details every time you pay for what is in your cart, which slows down the reservation process. Depending on your credit card, you might get a better deal than the 3.3% discount, or you might need the points for something else.

Viking.

Yes, it is small with 930 passengers. We would have docked there last year but a storm would have delayed our arrival and the captain decided to skip the port.

Few excursions? There are glacier kayaking, helicopter flightseeing, wildlife cruises, hiking trails, UTV rides, tours into the mountains, and even a culinary tour in our cruiseline's list of excursions. Not to mention several interesting museums and an art co-op . This August will be our 2nd time there.

If you have an old pair of shoes that are comfortable to walk in, you can get waterproof spray and treat them. I suggest old shoes just in case the spray does something to the finish. Don't do this on cloth or woven material shoes as the material is so porous that it is really hard to get them waterproof. I used a pair of lace up suede shoes for this. (Also SoCal, so I went this route) It can rain a lot in Alaska, and sometimes suddenly. If you have waterproof shoes, you can enjoy your outing without only thinking about your cold wet feet.

Has Viking stopped doing onboard on demand Covid tests; is that why you are bringing your own? There used to be some advantages of the ship knowing you have Covid (not that they are worth having Covid!). When my husband tested positive in 2022, he could order room service from any restaurant, his excursions were refunded even after the cutoff date, and we had free laundry. I had to wear a mask when out of the room, but I would think your partner would do that anyway.

We enjoyed eating at Olivia at the north end of the fish market. The breakfast buffet at the Bergen Bors Hotel was fantastic.

$9.50

Gastineau Guiding. https://www.stepintoalaska.com/

I'm not a solo cruiser, but on the first day of our last cruise I went on a different excursion than my husband. Lunch on the excursion was at a restaurant with a long table set up. I sat down sort of in the middle and people started sitting at both ends away from me. Then 2 couples came over and asked if I was alone. We had a great time together. Well, my husband caught COVID a few days later so I turned into a solo. Those people from the first day excursion would talk to me whenever we met. We ended up seeing each other at the World Cafe and move near each other so we could talk. People can be so nice.

Those magnetic hooks are really useful for hanging up damp raincoats.