jiminyC_fan

We didn’t think about this and we had no idea about Bergen airport :(

Well, now you know! Sounds like you will be fine next time. I forgot what cruise you booked next.

I was very happy avoiding the Bergen airport. We flew into Stockholm and left in Oslo.

Twitchly, if I had known that we had pretty much no free time in Oslo, I would have booked an additional day as well. You were mighty smart!

JiminyC-fan, thank you again. This is very helpful, we are in the same Category so I feel a little more at ease. Also, for the Hotel Bristol, were they doing renovations/construction at the time you were there, and if so did it interfere? I was told they have been doing construction for the past year and it is still ongoing, various parts of the hotel. I am looking for a "historic hotel" and are going between Bristol and the Grand.

We were there last June and no construction. We did enjoy the historic aspect of it.

My personal opinion is that you would be happy either way. We went Sweden to Norway and loved it. A friend did Norway to Sweden and loved it. Both had pros over the other.

We love them both and honestly could not pick a favorite. For us, it is the itinerary which would make us book one over the other.

Viking is talking to Silversea too much where after 6PM there's a dress up code. Viking does not need this.

I agree. I guess if I am late getting on the ship from an excursion I will have to hide out in my room. I have to admit that I am a bit put off by this.

Living in Southern California has taught me to never judge anyone by dress. The person sitting next to you in jeans and a t-shirt might be one of the most accomplished and entertaining individual you'll ever meet.

Agree!

I was told by tellus@vikingcruises.com last week that jeans were allowed at the World Cafe. This is a copy and paste:

Thank you for reaching out to us with your concern; I am happy to offer some clarity on this matter.

While evening dress is “elegant casual” for all dining venues, performances and special events, you are free to wear jeans in all other parts of the ship. The evening dress code excludes World Café where it remains casual at all times.

Hi MZiegler, we stayed at the Hotel Bristol in Oslo. It was booked through Viking. We did enjoy it. We were DV4 and had zero issues booking our excursions and dining. We got everything we wanted and times.

Most members here need to understand a very important fact here. Except for a few cruise ships flagged in American, the United States standards do not apply. You cannot look at the way things are done in the United States and what is normal and try to apply to other countries. Crews are treated as labor and workers, they have value to the company as long as they can preform the job they have been hired for. If they become ill or cannot perform they are replaced. While it may offend many here the crews are looked at as just another system on the ships.

 

They take a contract finish it and then go home. They take these jobs because they are better than other jobs offered. Not because they like the company or the passengers but because it is the best job they can get. The cruise lines are responsible to the shareholders as a shareholders we really do not care about crews, just that the job is done and the cost is as low as it can be.

 

My fellow Americans should really stop trying to impose US western values on other parts of the World.

All I can do is SMH and bite my tongue.

Sorry, putting a number on your opinions doesn't turn them into facts. They still carry the same weight as anyone else's opinion.

Thank you. It's very important for people to realize that the numbering system is his own. In other words, his opinion only.

Thanks for taking the time for review. Viking really does know how to do it right!

Enjoy your trip, Dauntless. Interesting about the entertainment.

We agree. What we love the most about Viking is the casual atmosphere and lack of class distinction. Everyone is treated the same onboard. If you book a more expensive room than I’m fine with letting them choose dinner reservations and excursions first. They paid for the privilege. Once on the ship, everyone gets treated like first class! Those who prefer butlers etc. have many different choices in cruise lines. Those of us who prefer casual elegance with excellent service for all have very few choices. I’m thinking Viking may be the only choice. Please don’t change a thing!!!!

 

 

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Agree!

Tipping is not ubiquitous over here.

Viking's paperwork recommends tipping the guide and driver a given amount. I have no problem doing it.

We were on the Homelands cruise last year. pinapple1176 if you have a local Wells Fargo stop by and speak to them. Our bank told us to go to Wells Fargo and get all currencies with the exception of Rubles as they said they were hard to come by. They don't have it at the bank but they order them. We probably got them in about a week. We told them that we wanted it all in small bills. I figured out what we needed in each port for tipping, private tours and some spending money just in case. We prefer to tip the guides in their local currency. A couple of times we encountered that a country's CC system was down so it paid off to have local currency. For us, it worked perfectly.

Folks from Regent and Crystal are already sailin on Viking.. I met some of them on my cruise last month. They were staying in a higher end suites. They loved their first Viking cruise and booked another while on board.

Butlers never came up in conversation.

They did mention that Regent has lots of different china, plates that cost $300. a piece, which they said were way over the top.

The owner has a particular vision of the cruise line.

For instance, Manfredi and Chef Table are not called specialty resttarunts but alternative restaurants. Meaning that all venues are high quality, alternatives & variety ,not one more special than another.

I llike that philosophy.

Other cruisers might not. There are many line to choose from for everyone.

Viking is making their own mark in a singular way.

Always room for improvement but not by being a copy cat of others.

Very interesting. Thanks for posting.

We all accept (and expect) our bathrooms to be cleaned and beds to be made by cabin staff. If someone is comfortable with butler service, well, to each their own. It is in the cabin and therefore not something that would bother me if included for those who pay for it. The important thing for maintaining the ambiance of the Viking ships is that a class system does not make an appearance in the public areas - no preferred seating in the theatre or restaurants, no special treatment on excursions (or options for excursions not at least theoretically available to anyone), and no limited-access venues on the ship. If Viking started to do those things, it would be very bothersome to me. I don't think there is any chance. As I understand it, it's not consistent with the wonderful Norwegian culture.

(y)

Does the cruise line have to spell out everything? Jeans are day-wear and simply not appropriate for the dining room. Surely you don't have your suitcase full of jeans, or maybe you do.

:rolleyes: Oh good grief. By this comment, I think it's just been proven that choice of clothing doesn't make a person.

Unlike a recent Crystal cruise there was no competitive dressing.

Love the way you worded it.

This is just another example of poor internal communication. If I received pre-cruise instructions that did not mention "no jeans" (as on our last cruise) and I pack based on those instructions, then I am going to dress based on what I was told when I packed. If Viking is going to change the rules, then they need to tell me before I board the ship so that I can plan appropriately. It is too late to make this change once I am on board because what is in my suitcase is what I will be wearing for the duration of the cruise. It isn't a matter of disrespect; it is a matter of clear and consistent communication.

(y)

But we chose transatlantic because we choose to amuse ourselves. S

That is us! We love sea days.

Cruise mates wearing jeans will not spoil my dinner and anyone wearing them are welcome at my table. It's not what's UNDER the table. It's about meeting new people and great table conversation that's important to us.

A recent review of a river cruise just saved me a lot of time when they noted that after checking in to their hotel in Lucerne they immediately sought out a Burger King. Just sayin' ;)

We actually stopped in Vienna and had a McDonald's lunch. We saw quite a few from our ship in the restaurant. It wasn't because Viking river cruise food was bad because it wasn't. Sometimes you just want a little taste of home.