Clay Clayton

Don’t the PJSs have double sinks in the bathroom?

Rollie Welcome to Viking! Pay no attention to some of the folks on this board who are less than welcoming. I am sure some less sarcastic folks will be along soon who can give you real comparison from their experiences. While I can’t do that I can share that I was lucky enough to visit the Sky Suite of a fellow rollcaller on our transpacific in 2019 aboard Millennium. I don’t know if that is typical or not of all Sky Suites. I seem to recall that it was a true suite in that it had a separate bedroom which the Penthouse Junior Suites (maybe that’s why they call it a Junior?) don’t have. So it that is a necessity, then you need to look at an Explorer’s Suite. Since we’ve never splurged to have any room on Viking higher than a Penthouse Veranda I can’t give you a good comparison other than to say that the smaller ship and lack of kids are the two big things that keep us sailing on Viking. Their V and DV staterooms are comparable to balconies on Celebrity though the bathrooms are much nicer. I suspect the biggest difference between your Sky Suite and the Junior Penthouse will be the lack of a separate dining facility. Onboard Viking ships everyone has access to all venues. Since the number of passengers is so much less, I don’t think the lack of a Luminae will be noticed. I don’t know what other perks being in a Sky Suite had but I’m sure others will be able to address. Somewhere on this board there is a thread where someone asked for and got a discussion about differences between X and Viking. Also, if you haven’t already discovered it, you might want to take a look at this thread for Viking newbies: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2416372-tips-for-new-viking-ocean-cruisers/page/62/#comment-62141739 Have a great cruise and ask any questions. Most folks are happy to assist!

Forwarded you the email but got an unidentified bounce back that mail hadn’t been delivered. Can’t tell if it was the one to you. Did you recieve?

Washington Post is reporting it also:

I will likely being doing a “Live” thread on the Viking board (presuming our cruise goes 🤞) you’re welcome to follow over there or follow us on Instagram-there is a link in my signature.

This information may be getting to you way too late as I know a number of lines have canceled cruises to Japan for this fall. If it’s not, then I highly recommend trying to schedule a “goodwill” guide. These are folks who in exchange for getting to practice their English act as your tour guide. Your only financial responsibility is to pay for any transportation, entrance, or food costs. Six of us from our Celebrity rollcall in 2019 booked one for our first day in Tokyo. The cost per person worked out to be less than $6! Our guide was great. She met us at the entrance to the Yokohama station (about three blocks from our pier) and taught us how to purchase the metro/train tickets. I’d suggest watching a YouTube of this process as it greatly helped us understand what we were trying to accomplish, but having her there to assist was great. She spent all day with us and we toured the major sites in Tokyo that the group had provided to her. She took us to a little restaurant for lunch and helped us order. Spending time learning about her life was a great plus to an otherwise wonderful experience.

We are currently booked for the Hong Kong to Bangkok segment of Viking’s multi-segment cruise from Vancouver to Sydney. We are scheduled to board in Hong Kong on October 27, 2022. Fingers and toes are all crossed that the cruise doesn’t get canceled.

That I don’t know…Mike and both are on Viking’s email lists and his Mom’s emails from them come to me (don’t ask🤪) and it is very rare that we all receive the same email at the same time. If you want me to forward the email to you just drop me an email to BigNCBear@aol.com.

Oh ye of little faith. I met Lord and Lady McGrath aboard Viking on our first cruise and after a stay at their manor in Scotland I was taught about whisky. And having visited Kentucky I learned that the Tennessee stuff is not bourbon.

FYI-just got an email that they have published Expedition Cruises for 23 and 24 including a new itinerary that includes South Georgia Island. Unfortunately the prices aren’t any cheaper😢

It was our experience when one of us ordered the premium (we had shipboard credit to use or lose) and the other did not that one of the premiums wasn’t to either of our tastes. Otherwise, I enjoyed one of them more and Mike one of the others more. So, that’s no help but what you’re planning is the best idea!

Only if you order in the tomato juice ahead of time. Typically upon boarding you will have one can each of Coke, Diet Coke, Spite, and Tonic. Along with mini bottles of gin, vodka, whisky, and ? Along with a bottle of champagne. We usually ask for the cans to be replaced with two Coke zeros and tonic. And since we don’t usually book higher than a DV we don’t have to worry about the liquor. When we don’t have the SS we usually purchase a bottle of duty free gin before boarding and I ask a bartender for a doubles glass full of limes. Et Voila-I’m ready to go. I’m sure you could ask for tomato juice the night before if you MUST have a bloody first thing in the morning 😂🍷

As long as you don’t need oj for the mimosa-that you have to get from room service. And you’ll only have one bottle of champagne in your room. And just an fyi-champagne isn’t included in the SS package. There is a sparkling that is good enough for my plebeian tastes but others feel differently.

It is if you don’t want to wait for room service to deliver! 😂

Well I would try, but I’m crazy that way. It would only take reading two pages a day to finish it in two months.

That has usually been our experience also. And you don’t have to sit on the bus waiting for stragglers!

It is but worth reading, IMHO. Don’t have to binge it…unless you’re leaving tomorrow 😂

You’ll also get some snacks that get replenished when the mini bottles and mixers do. If you ever book a V-you don’t get replenished. In a DV, you get topped up daily but only with the non-alcholix mixers and snacks. You might want to take a look at this thread-lots of good tips and advice to make the most of your cruise: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2416372-tips-for-new-viking-ocean-cruisers/page/62/#comment-62141739

Welcome to Viking! There are launderettes on each deck that are completely free including detergent! If you haven’t already discovered this thread for Viking newbies, you may want to read through it-lots o ld good tips and advice to get all you can from your cruise. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2416372-tips-for-new-viking-ocean-cruisers/page/62/#comment-62141739

Don’t let your frustration ruin your cruise. When you board, try using the app or your TV screen to book reservations. If that doesn’t work, go to the reservation desk and try that. If still unsuccessful, speak to the Maitre d’ at the venue’s podium. If you are flexible with your times, I suspect they will be able to work you in.

Soap is included! Can’t speak to the cost of souvenirs. If you want to see bar prices, search on this board for bar menus and you can see pictures I took and posted last July of the menus from all bars. If you take a look at Explorer’s Lounge and Living Room ones you should see most anything you want to drink. Spa access is included-treatments are about the price as on other lines. Sorry I can’t give you specific pricing but seems like someone recently posted a price list. I know I had a 30 foot and leg massage in the before times and seems like it was $48? I only did it because we had a tiny bit of shipboard credit left from what our travel agent had provided after paying for the daily service charge. Not much else that you can pay for….

I second the advice to use the app or the TV screen before waiting in what is likely to be a line on embarkation day at the reservation station. If you have no luck with the app or the TV then maybe it’s worth standing in line. If that doesn’t work, we’ve always had good luck by turning up at the maitre d’s podium and nicely asking if they have any cancelations or ability to seat us. If they don’t have it immediately or within 30 minutes, they have always made accommodations on the following evening.

There is no cinnamon in this bun. But there are some mighty tasty sticky buns with cinnamon but no raisins on the pastry counter at the World Cafe.

My favorite to enjoy while they are making my coffee and retrieving a pistachio raisin bun from the display case!

Yeah but the OP says their cruise starts on Nov 24? Maybe I’m just confused.