SquatsandChampagne

On 3/22/2019 at 2:43 PM, Heidi13 said:

Been retired for too long, so no longer have contacts at Metro Port Vancouver and while I can get aboard Princess ships, I don't know anyone at Viking, so would be unable to get aboard.

 

However, I was planning to come down to the city to photograph the arrival, so if you are arriving a day early we could meet you in Vancouver for lunch. If you are arriving early and are interested, drop me an email - available from blog, which is listed in signature.

 

Departing Vancouver at 21:00 you will have a good flood running across the end of the dock and will buck the tide until clear of English Bay, but then you will get some push heading up Georgia Strait. Max current at 1st Narrows is a little over 3 kts at 22:20

I am planning on doing the same, I live 10 minutes from the Cruise Port in Vancouver, I want to snap some
photos of the ships coming in, I usually miss them because I am not up early enough 

Would be interested in this as well, Viking will be coming to Vancouver in May 2019, I live 10 mins from the terminal, would love to go on board and take some photos

16 hours ago, nancyshaw said:

Are there plastic straws?

paper straws?

no straws?

depends on what you're drinking.
Martini, glass of wine, no straw.
Glass of gingerale, yes straw

1 minute ago, jasardeax said:

We are probably in the minority here, but we don’t really get all the hype about Manfredi’s. We have dined there 5 different times on 3 VO cruises and found the food mediocre at best. In my opinion, on a good night it didn’t even reach the low bar of an American chain like Carraba’s, Olive Garden, Macaroni Grill, and certainly inferior to our local Italian restaurants.

 

I personally enjoy the restaurant more than Manfredi's, I think partially because once you get to know the waiters and wine stewards in the MDR the experience is much better (food nonwithstanding).

I could not believe how many people I saw complaining about food options at the Chef's Table, the menus are available on the Viking App, on the T.V. all over the place.

Just finished our Mediterranean cruise with Viking. They added an excursion called Alhambra Palace at night, talked to a couple that did it they said it was fantastic.

It was a fairly pricey excursion, I think CAD around 300 bucks 

We just visited Sete a couple days ago on the Viking Sun, I quite liked the Port, it was last minute change for us so their was only an included walking tour of the town, but you could

Easily spend a good 4 or 5 hours there, very nice city, great fresh seafood and good wine for that region

I can say that if the band is playing in the theatre and you are on the 3rd floor you can hear them. Currently in cabin 3006 and could quite clearly hear the band playing below in the theatre , not a big big deal but really for the $$ you pay you should not be hearing it in the evenings

Currently on this extension if you have any questions feel free to ask, so far it has been great, we were told we were staying at Villa Borronci but when we got to the airport we were told we were staying at Poggiale, there is a big group of us, around 30.

We got in around 3pm and enjoyed some wine while watching the sun set over Tuscan wine country, really nice dinner at the Villa as well

I am going on this pre-extension tomorrow, I will give you some info, I was told we are staying at Villa I barronci which is down the road from villa i poggali.

The first day we don't arrive in Florence airport till roughly 1:50, so probably won't be getting to the hotel until
3pm or so which is fine, The extension stated we would be given lunch the first day but as we won't be there till 3 probably won't be happening.

If you have any specific questions add them on here and I will answer.
We arrive in Florence Dec. 1st!

On 11/18/2018 at 11:03 AM, deec said:

If you are in Barcelona take a day trip to one of the Cava wineries while visiting Monserrat!!!

Or better yet check out some of the local tapas bars that make their own Cava in house!

On 11/18/2018 at 11:03 AM, deec said:

If you are in Barcelona take a day trip to one of the Cava wineries while visiting Monserrat!!!

Or better yet check out some of the local tapas bars that make their own Cava in house!

On 11/13/2018 at 7:43 PM, Heidi13 said:

Totally agree.

 

I always ask if they have any ales on a nitro tap, which I find is the closest to cask ale. One of our 4 local breweries have a few nitro taps with a variety of Brown Ales, Stouts & Porters.

Have you been Calister on Franklin street? always a nitro there, and hello fellow Vancouver
Viking Cruise Fan.

I did not drink much beer on my last one, I am leaving in 2 weeks for another Viking Cruise but 
enjoy the cocktails, aperitifs and wine on board too much to drink the beer (again I have so many breweries a 10 minute drive from my place at home, so spoiled).

We had lobster twice on a 14 day cruise, one day was your typical steamed lobster and the other
was lobster thermidor, the Thermidor was very good!

2 hours ago, jextdo said:

My spouse and I are considering a VO cruise, but I'm a bit concerned whether it's the right choice for us, and I was hoping you all might be able to offer some insight. We're in our early 30s, young professionals in higher education, and have each lived overseas, and we're drawn to VO because we're desperately in need of a real vacation - an escape where everything is taken care of and logistics are only as much of a concern as we want them to be. We've both taken cruises before on mass market lines (with our families, when we were children) and all of the typical Viking selling points attract us (fabulous food, gorgeous, well-designed ships, and no up-selling, nickel-and-diming, photographers, children, casino, etc.) The cost would usually put it out of our reach, but we're fortunate to be able to consider it right now and want to do something special to truly escape from normal concerns, to make a space where we can rest and focus on each other. 

 

My concern, though, is whether we'll fit in enough to enjoy the experience. I know that we're considerably younger than the typical Viking cruiser, but that doesn't worry me - we work and socialize with folks of all ages and are interested in talking to anyone who is interested in seeing us as fellow humans. But we aren't terribly normal-seeming; we're queer, my spouse is trans, and we're simultaneously serious professionals and visibly tattooed roller derby enthusiasts. I've read all the dress code threads where people are offended by others entering the MDR in jeans, and I don't want to plan a dreamy getaway together and then be ostracized because of gender presentation. (Or other sorts of presentation or fashion sense. Or anything, really.)

 

What do you think? Is Viking an experience we can enjoy? Or would we be wise to consider other cruise lines and vacation alternatives?

My wife and I did a Viking Ocean cruise last year, I was only 27 at the time and she is 29, 
Besides people commenting on young we were and asking if we picked the wrong line, most people were really nice and we had a great time at the Explorers bar every night. I think we lucked out on that cruise with some great guests and staff. With the $$ we spend on Viking cruise of course I know that the clientele tends to be older, but I love the service they give and the itineraries are great. 

We are booked for another one this December and am looking forward to it.

7 hours ago, Alan2504 said:

Alternatively, hire a car, Hertz will delivery it quayside and allow you drop it off quayside...….extremely easy!

Thanks for the info, just wanting to spend an hour or two walking around Livorno after an earlier excursion

I've only been to St. Lucia and St. Kitts.

St. Lucia I think a tour would be a good idea, there is a beach that is a 30 minute walk or 10 minute cab ride from port, it is right by the airport but I was not very impressed with it. Some people take a cab to Marigot Bay, but I know there are some good tours of St. Lucia.

St. Kitts is great for a beach day IMO, grab a cab right from port, 15 minutes to South Friars Bay, skip Carambolla Beach club and walk down the the beach to get to Discovery Beach Bar, nice swimming good lounge chairs and cheap beer!

 

Just curious if anyone that has had a stop in Livorno with Viking if they were docked in the industrial area, where you need to take a shuttle into town,

Or at the other dock where you can walk into town. I know Viking is smaller than the big cruise lines just curious if anyone knows if they are able to dock in the port closer to town (we are the only ship in that day)

Cheers.

Yes we did stay at Villa il Pogiale! Can't really answer your question though ... we were there in the winter and really didn't see the villa in daylight ... you might be able to take an evening walk in the summer months but I wouldn't in the winter ... it is dark early and we had a lot of chilly and damp weather.

 

The schedule is pretty full anyway ... the first night we got to the villa after dark and then had dinner. It was "European late" and we were all pretty "done in" by the time we were done. The second night we had dinner at a winery so it was quite late when we got "home". Night three was dinner at the Villa but again it was later and we had to get packed for an early morning departure.

Hey Mollymoo,

Do you recall when you had free time in Florence? Like was lunch 12-1pm and then how long was free time?

Hoping to go to the uffizzi and have to book times in advance, so was hoping to get an idea of specific times.

We departed last fall from the West side terminal. But some other Viking cruises used the Brooklyn terminal, which caused some passenger consternation.

We left from Brooklyn Terminal last year on Viking Sky. I only knew because I looked at the Cruise Port Schedule Website, Viking was adamant in saying the departure was from the Manhattan Terminal, and many people went to the wrong one. They ended up sending an email to passengers after I had figured out the miscomunnication.

I emailed them multiple times because I saw the Sky was arriving in New York from another cruise and disembarkation was in Brooklyn

Ate in the main dining room most dinners, always asked for a table for 2, never a problem.

Another one I read on another thread is the film screen on the upper deck uses individual headphones rather than deafening soundtracks that are heard throughout the ship.

The individual bags of popcorn was as nice touch, went well with a lighter chardonnay

Go back through this thread. Someone posted a PDF of their actual schedule of this add on.

Checked it out, does not have times, just the general gist of things.

Sorry to bump an old thread again.

For those of you that did the pre extension, did you get much "free time" in Florence?

I understand it seems very very busy. Do you have 1 hour, 2 hours before you have to meet back with the group?

As We go back to Florece

I usually go to Vancouver Boullion Exchange on Pender street. Better rates than the banks, close to port as well.

who sailed on the Star last year from New York City to Bermuda and southern Caribbean? Interested in what yep clothes you packed. I’m assuming the first 3days will be cold.....

It was the Viking Sky last year that did this trip, we left Oct. 27th but they changed the date to earlier this year.

I went to New York 2 days early and the weather was very nice, light jacket and pants were fine. The ship was warm enough and with the cover over the main pool it was never cold leaving new york and the first few days at Sea.

Hope you have nice weather. I have never been on a ship that rough before. Going south from New York I slept in my clothes and shoes the first night waiting for the evacuation order.