czst17

I know this is Vikings first year in Alaska and there have been good and bad.  We leave next Thursday for the Denali Explorer Extension and I haven't found

much info from folks who have been on the extension.  Anyone out there who has done this I'd love to hear your experience.

Thanks, Kathie

Welcome back and hope you are feeling better.  We are doing the Alaska cruise June 25 and precruise June 20 so I am following your trip for this part.  Thanks for the excursion info.

Pushka thank you so much for doing this.  We will be on Orion in Alaska starting June 20 for the land portion and then the cruise but we are going from Seward to Vancouver.  Pictures are great.  I have a Lumix too and really love it.

Kathie

We were on the Med. Odyssey in March and took the evening gondola ride with Viking for all the reasons you listed. I don't remember how long it was because it was a very long walk and when we got there they didn't have enough gondolas and we had a long wait. So at this point I am grumbling and they called us to a gondola. It ended up being just hubby and me and a fabulous tenor and accordion player! I stopped grumbling. There were about 3 other gondolas near us so they could hear the music too. We went down the Grand Canal a little ways and then into back canals. I'm guessing it was 40 minutes.

The next 2 days we also stayed in Venice but I wasn't running around finding a gondola. We are not the most adventuresome travelers so we enjoyed having all the work done for us. We also enjoyed having an evening cruise. I know we left the ship at 7 pm and got back at 10 pm so it was a long day for us. Oh and my husband had to run after the tenor and accordion player to tip them and they were very grateful.

We loved the cruise, the ship, the ports and the extra time in Venice. Booked Alaska for 2019 while on board. Have a great time

On our river cruise we often left the dining room with a glass of wine.......did any of you see that done on your Ocean Ships?

We returned from Mediterranean Odyssey on the Sea last month and every lunchtime and dinertime before leaving the restaurant, Manfredis, Chefs Table and World Cafe I asked for my glass to be filled please and it was. Wine to go I call it.

You got the math right. I didn't get it but I do now. First time in many cruises I had to cancel and it was a learning experience.

I got sick Sun and was treated, wrongly, with antibiotics for a week. Just got the correct treatment today so I wasted 4 days and I am exhausted. We have company coming the day we return so I need a break and I run myself ragged on cruises... afraid I will miss something.

Thanks again for all the help.

finally got someone who knows the rule. now they are trying to figure out how to give me a cancellation proof for insurance !!! they don't do that

thanks all

Thanks Bob- I spoke with 2 different agents and said so it's $599 on top of what I paid and they both said yes! One agent was at the Crown and Anchor phone number. Even the insurance agent was confused.

I saw that on the web site and can't find anything else.

Guess I'll try again

Thanks

Happy New Year all,

I have a 4 nite cruise to Bahamas booked for Jan 9, 2017. I have a viral respiratory infection that I got yesterday and my dr. recommends I cancel. I have cancellation insurance thru insuremytrip.com. Royal Caribbean tells me I am facing an additional $599 cancellation fee because I am cancelling so late.

Really- wow did I miss that! I only paid $761.58.

I don't think they will allow me on the ship with this cough.

Any ideas?? Thought I was paying attention

Thanks, Kathie

TravelLynn,

Thanks so much for taking the time to report back. Glad you had a great trip. The more I read on CC about the Sea and the trip the more excited we get. We sail March 5 and should be able to see excursions this month.

Thanks again,

Kathie

Bill- thanks so much for doing this. Loving your report.

Kathie

Bill and Donna- we are doing the same trip next March 5. Our final payment is due tomorrow! We will be following along- thanks so much for doing this. We aren't going early but are also staying in Venice- with Viking- at the end. Safe and happy travels.

Kathie & Jerry

We use Park Port Canaveral and have been very happy. Also less expensive than the port. We liked Park N Cruise but didn't like the unpaved parking lot- has that changed? Park Port Canaveral has paved parking lots.

At the end of 2017 we will be 10 pts. from Diamond and I was trying to figure out how to do that! Thanks to your post I booked a jr. suite and at the end of this cruise we will be diamond. I was also charged a $500 deposit--even though I told the guy that was wrong. Oh well. We live an hour north of the port so Canaveral is easiest and cheapest for us.

Thanks again for posting.

Kathie

TravelLynn, we are booked for this March 2017 so when you get back any insights would be greatly appreciated. Hope you have a great trip.

Kathie

Thanks to many of you here I have a tour with Heidi booked for May 23. Can't wait. Thanks, Kathie

Thanks all I appreciated the feedback and suggestions.

Kathie

WOW- screen-gem please let us know the resolution of this. Thanks. Hope you get it resolved to your satisfaction

Tamara- The date I can book excursions is on the cruise confirmation document I got from my travel agent. Mine is on page 3, along with the itinerary. It also shows the date I can book specialty dining.

I don't know what date you can first see the excursions. I figure I'll check a week or two before.

Kathie

The Tutti salad (sp?) on sea days is my fave thing along with room service coffee and yogurt on my balcony in the morning. The rest of room service morning food has greatly declined IMHO. I also like, when available, breakfast and lunch in MDR. We have always had interesting table mates.

Have a great time

Kathie

Thanks to both of you

huntersyaya- thanks you have given me something to consider. We hate being rushed so I may book later excursions. Thanks for the tip.

Insanityx4- the reason for my question was as you say- how can they advertise 10 included excursions and not deliver. But there are so many small print exclusions in cruise contracts I wanted to hear from my cruise critic experts. Thanks for the reassurance.

We are looking forward to the trip.

Kathie

Neil- thank you for confirming what I hoped- there are enough spots for all. I also prefer mornings but would take afternoons if needed. I do all the planning for our trips and one of the pluses with Viking was that the tours would be an easy booking.

I really appreciate your chiming in.

Kathie

Thank you all for the help. I booked the March 5, 2017 Mediterranean Odyssey and can book on Dec. 28, 2016. I guessed that midnight west coast time would be when I should start.

You are the best and made my day- Thanks again

Kathie

I called Viking with this question but they won't speak to me until I book a cruise- even to answer what I consider a basic question. I also tried a search and can't find an answer so I am turning to my cruise critic buddies

If I am in a deluxe veranda and can't book excursions until after everyone else has booked will I get locked out of the included, free excursions? I am looking at Mediterranean Odyssey in 2017.

Thanks so much, Kathie

Got a $100 card today by buying dinner for the next few days. Got $15 off the total. Easy to do and no mailing fee. My cruise is in May so I'll keep an eye out for others. I hope that by buying one it motivates Publixs to do it again.