Azulann

So happy for you ! 🥳 Relax and enjoy picking your excursions and reading up on the canal history and the wonderful ports and countries you will visit. Would love to hear a trip report , if you have time ,once your cruise has begun.

Having read the whole article, it seems the cost rather that drought conditions has changes this particular itinerary on a Royal Caribbean ship. I remember when I did research many years ago before our full transit 15 day cruise from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego, that the fee for cruise ship is based on per bed basis. Don't know if they still use that method, but as Chief said above, cruise ships are money makers for the canal. Also all the water used for the locks and Lake Gatun is fresh water relying on the rain fall during the rainy season in the mountains of Panama. With climate change bringing a new normal to our planet ,drought in the tropics is an also a contributing factor to cruising in the future. Go now and do not put off this most amazing cruise through a wonder of the world: the Panama Canal.

Congratulations on your special cruise to celebrate your anniversary. I hope you have posted on the Viking roll call forum for your cruise and there you will find others who are on the same cruise. Coming from Australia to sail our Great Lakes will be a unique trip. Every Aussie I have met over the years on both on land vacations or cruises are the friendliest people who enjoy a good time. Cheers to both of you 🥂

I have been to Athens twice before. It will be my sister's first time for Greece.I do need to visit the Acropolis museum. It was closed the day I was there during a previous cruise. We plan to fly in two days early and book our own hotel. Do some private tours , then board ship for cruise and then do post two day extension with Viking. Thanks for the tip about Kostas from George Taxi.

We are booked to do this two day post extension in Feb. 2025. I will let you know. 😂 Seriously, I expect Viking to do something with passengers on disembarkation day because check in into hotel isn't t until afternoon. We did 2 day post extension in Barcelona ;and again in Copenhagen this past June. On disembarkation day, we got a nice bus tour overview of Barcelona with at least three photo stops before we got to the hotel We had a guide on board. In Copenhagen we had a two hr waking tour which started at our post hotel and then returned to hotel. Our rooms were ready around 2pm. I expect the Athens 2 day post extension will follow one of the above options. On day two we only had a the Viking rep in lobby to guide us with maps etc about what we wanted to do, no organized tours.

My favorite was Scenic Scandinavia(June2023) starting in Stockholm and ending in Copenhagen. We arrived three days early to explore Stockholm and took the post extension in Copenhagen. I would go again but they no longer offer this itinerary. First time exploring the Baltic region and now I need to go to Norway and could repeat any Baltic ports again.

As a loyal Viking cruiser who some years ago came from Celebrity , I would only be interested in Europa ships because of their design . I will wait for trip reviews by actual passengers too. None of the other lines have open views of the water and sky in the common areas like Viking ships. I would expect service would be great just like Viking .

Good for you and Mike! on your trip to Norway, try to go to Sweden also and take a ferry to Mariehamn Arland Island . that little piece of earth stole my heart. Spreadsheet and all, a WC if it is a possibility, make it a reality.🤞 My only regret is I did not go to Scandinavia when I was younger.But it was so much more expensive than cruising or land trip in the Italy, Greece, Turkey or Spain. Silly me I could have used a spreadsheet to figure it out and plan way ahead. 🙂

Clay, Again thank your final remarks about you so much for your trip report ! I appreciate your final moments about the changing menu on your cruise and the Manfredi's experience . Serving 11 people at table is a work of art to make sure all the food arrives on time and is well prepared. Sorry the food was not good. What March 2025 cruise have you booked ? Is it by any chance the Northern Light cruise on their brand new ship?

I never get tired of looking at the wake ! Beautiful, serene , and mesmerizing 💕

All of the above, historical, modern sprinkled with personal stories to make the building under discussion come alive. I too loved the Chicago river cruise with architect guides. On my recent cruise, guides always pointed out the various type of aritchecture of buildings we were seeing and some stories behind the building of the structure from thatched roofs of cottages in Drager DK, to Swedish red summer house, Hanseatic houses and churches in various towns, to modern buildings and bridges in Copenhagen. Go for it Clay,👍🏻

Clay, I have so enjoyed your trip report. Your itineary is awesome. Your pictures and description of your excursions were so informative. Oslo's modern buildings are beautiful. I do want to go to Norway and of course back to Denmark,and even Sweden again. I wishI was 20 years younger. I think I might do a land trip if I find a good tour company that goes to where I want to visit. Thanks again and look forward to next cruise report in the future.

I will try a fake booking to see what is the final price . Thanks for the promo heads up.

Just checked my future booked cruise for 2025. It went up $200.00 pp for our DV1. Also checked a Nov 2023 transatlantic crossing and the price is same. I was hoping for a real sale on this cruise.Maybe next month.

Sorry Pete B. it took a mid cruise survey to get the time you wanted at Manfredi. I , as you know, was on the same cruise and booked Manfredi for first night on MJV and requested a shared table. Ended up eating with Eva and Tom from our roll call for dinner. We also ate at Chef table three times, all booked on board once we found what the menu was for each day. Missed you at the roll call meet and mingle in the Wintergarden put on by Viking . It was lovely. Hope you had a great cruise. I know my sister and I did. it was beyond our expectations which was very high. And the weather gods were shining on us the whole time, only rain briefly one morning. Booked another cruise while on board . Cheers, Patti

It was part of a ship tour on a Celebrity cruise many years ago .

Thank you so much for the for your post and reference about George's tax. We are doing the two night post extension and flying one day early on our own. I think I will hire them for a day tour. I went to Corinth many years ago. Saw the historical site of Corinth, the museum and had a boat ride through he Corinth canal. Sorry that it was 1 inch of snow that kept you from experiencing it. Half of the ports I have been too but half will be new for me. My sister has never been to Greece. I do want to spend time in the Athen's archeology museum.I missed it the last two times in Athens. Cannot wait to eat some great Greek olives and feta cheese.

Your pictures are so crisp and clear. I feel like I am in Iceland and on the ship at dawn. The first picture is a perfect reason why I cruise. Nothing beats the view of the land from the water. 🛥️😍

Thank you again for the great pictures and descriptions of the excursions to Delphi and Mycenae . I have to wait till Feb 2025 for our Greek Odyssey cruise. A little snow flakes and cold temps at higher elevations are fine with me , better than the heat of summer and the crowds of tourists. Feb in MN is no walk in the park. 😂 I plan on bringing layers including a quilted vest and light down jacket easy to pack . What did you bring in way of outdoor wear?

Clay, I had Cava on the Jupiter in June. I was so excited to see it on the bar menu. I see they do not have it listed on any bar menu for the Saturn? mmm...

Thank your for the explanation . Definitely like the European style. 😍

Yes it is Cecil’s and their bread is good but not the texture of Danish bakers or Mamsen rye bread for smorgasbord open face sandwiches 😋

We do have a great Jewish deli in my neighborhood. Their pumpernickel rye is good but not as dense as Mamsen's or the bread I ate in Copenhagen.

Yes, that is great bread. Ate it also in Stockholm and Copenhagen before and after our Scenic Scandinavian Cruise. My uncle was a Danish baker in MN and Eugene, Oregon. He made that kind of dense dark bread. He called it pumpernickel. Best bread for open face sandwiches. Cannot find in my city

Thank you for posting your first experience on a Viking Ship. I too love the ship design and the DV staterooms are fine for us. We usually have a cabin either on the aft(DV1) or near the aft in various categories. I have never heard any sound from the next cabins. The service from all crew members is indeed outstanding! Food is a matter of personal taste. Sorry your selections you mentioned in the Restaurant were tough meat. Did you say anything? I have never ordered those entree, they not appeal to me. Always have very good fish entrees and love the daily salad or sandwich in the WC. Mamsen , a Norwegian Deli does always have the same menu, but I am still working through the various open faced sandwiches and soups on the menu after 5 cruises. I have no interest in trying any other cruise lines at this time, except the new Explora line which will have their first paying passengers on board in the coming weeks. Happy future cruising.