jiminyC_fan

Yes, you have to push the button on the dispenser on the wall (at least on the Sea you do, where you have a choice of using your own detergent). There are laundry room pictures on the laundry room thread.

We were on the Star and it was automatic. No choice to use our own.

We are heavy packers and was a bit nervous about storage. We were pleasantly surprised that it filled our needs. We are not coffee drinkers so we asked that the coffee machine be removed giving us one more shelf.

A side note to the free laundromat. Don't leave the room without making sure that the soap dispenser is working. A lady noticed that it wasn't filling the machine after we took ours out. I assumed we probably didn't get soap.

Thanks so much everyone. I truly appreciate all of the input.

dln929, I am most certainly a visual person. Great advice.

Peregrina, I will check it out.

lackcreativty, oh good grief. The more I think about it, Greece is something that might interest me. Thanks for making it harder, haha. I most certainly will check into it.

Thanks everyone!

Peregrina, I am much like you. I like it cool. I am starting to see that I need to narrow it down dates along with ports. I like 10 or more days. Thanks for your help. After your comment, I realize that I need to look at much more than just the ports alone.

Dauntless, thanks for your help. I guess I should have taken it seriously when my friend booked.

I was wanting to book Into the Midnight Sun cruise but my husband wants a Med cruise because we were on the Homelands tour this year. That's fine with me as long as we are cruising, LOL. So now I am looking into the Med cruises. They offer so many that I have no clue where to begin. Anyone that has cruised with Viking on any of the Med cruises, could you please tell me what you chose, why. and your thoughts about it I have no clue what a must see is when over there in that area. I truly feel ignorant. I see they have a new one for 2018/2019 called Mediterranean Explorer and Crossing that is 24 days long. Love the length of the cruise but I do know ports are important. I love sea days and that is always a draw but shouldn't be. The Mediterranean Odyssey cruise seems good for the countries offered. HELP, please.

I saw that, too. I think it's a great idea especially for someone that hasn't experienced one or the other. We love both of their ocean and river cruising. It would be fun to tie the two together.

Viking will provide a very nice rush free dining experience. No need for anyone to panic.

Yup, thanks and sleep tight,:*

The correct answer would be no. The comment was taken out of context.

Didn't somebody say something earlier in this thread about a 45 minute time for Manfredis that set this all off? I'm going to bed but this is just silly....I know that we were allowed at least 2 hours. Crazy...no need to stress or think you only have 45 minutes ������

No. It was taken out of context.

Oville, I believe you must have missed Dauntless' last 3 sentences "And they wouldn't think of rushing you. I want to make clear that never happened. It was just conjuncture." Conjuncture means to form an opinion or supposition about (something) on the basis of incomplete information:

We've only been on one Viking cruise but we thoroughly enjoyed their Viking Homelands cruise. It was perfect for this Swedish/Norwegian gal to get a taste of her ancestor's homelands. I wasn't familiar with Saint Petersburg, Russia and didn't think that I would enjoy it but it ended up being my second favorite port.

That’s relaxing: “ Over a three hour time frame, they could probably turn the tables at least 4 times a night.” So Viking tells diners, sorry guests your 45 minutes are up so please leave for our next guests so they can have their relaxing 45 minutes, so on and so on. Dauntless, this is your best case scenario add another table turnover and it gets worse.

 

This my perception based on my experience. Other people may move at a much slower speed. Everyone's results will vary. With my profession, you learn to eat quickly so that could why my pace is faster. I've never considered a meal to be the star of an experience. Some enjoy lingering and having drinks before and after. To each his own. Whenever I go to a restaurant, I'm never happy when they suggest you have a seat at the bar until your table is ready. I'm not a manipulated impulse buyer at the grocery store or the restaurant. If I wanted a drink, I wouldn't go to the restaurant. For those that like that sort of thing, more power. I was never rushed out and most people we ate with or near kept the same pace basically. If you are worried about other people, and maybe even yourself, being able to experience the specialty restaurant you might consider the drinking to go on else where on the ship and stop by the World Cafe for extra wine or beer, if you are on the included package or anywhere on the Silver Spirits package. There's a way to make this work. We're not at our private homes, so sometime we have to take in the considerations of other people.

 

And they wouldn't think of rushing you. I want to make clear that never happened. It was just conjuncture.

 

I have to agree with the above.

 

We never felt rushed and our timing was on par with the tables around us. None of our meals were rushed in the specialty restaurants and didn't take 2 or 3 hours. We did not skip courses. But with that said, we do keep in mind that they like to turn the tables around for other guests so we don't linger. I think we all have to be mindful of others. An after dinner drink/coffee is just as relaxing and enjoyable at another venue.

We never asked for ice. We would just go to the World Cafe where they have a section left open for things like ice, tea, I believe coffee etc. That way it was still frozen.

Creme Brulee every day. The BEST!

You have got to be kidding me. How did I miss that? LOL Yum.

I wore New Balance for the Venice to Athens trip. Foot doctor recommended them.

My foot doctor recommends them, too. It's the first thing he looks at when he walks in the room, LOL. Seriously....

Keen's have a great sandal made for hiking and would be excellent over cobblestones. They were perfect for us when we were hiking in Hawaii.

Rum raisin gelato in the World Cafe!

two comments

 

1. Once you sail 'small ship' it is very hard to go back to BIG ship IMO/IME. No lines no crowds. NONE what so ever makes the best suite on a mega ship only compare ... not beat. I have gone back to BIG after small, but always lament what I MISS about the small ..... we take the BIG for $$ and convenience

 

2. Have you priced Disney for similar?????? V' is cheap in comparison!

I did compare to Disney. It was somewhat hard because they don't sail the exact Viking Homelands itinerary so I figured in a B2B with Disney. If I remember correctly, Disney was a bit higher. We chose Viking and it was the best decision we made.

Dauntless said this earlier in the thread and I can't agree more. " but what it doesn't have are all pluses to me(large crowds, children, casinos and grand production shows)

After sailing on Viking, I cannot fathom cruising in Europe on any other line other than Viking.

How funny. I must be the odd one. I love a cool room and absolutely love the heated floor in the bathroom, LOL. In fact, I didn't think the floor was as warm as the river cruise so I was a tad disappointed (just me and not a complaint).

We like our room cool at night as well. We were on the Star but I'm sure they are all alike. We had no complaints and slept like babies.

Thank you. I have been pondering it and within the last 5 minutes we were discussing it. I wonder if it isn't that popular of a cruise.

I don't care what they name the ships. I just know I love to cruise on them. :)

AdventureGal79, you are correct. Keens has a huge variety. Sandals, athletic shoes, hikiing boots etc. I have to try them on before I buy. Do you have an REI? That's where I buy mine.