marylovestotravel

32 minutes ago, MrRandal said:

I found the heated floors, and the heated mirror that doesn't fog up to be exceptional. The shower is very nice, lots of hot water, and there are plenty of drawers and cupboards in the bathroom. However, I felt the lighting, especially for shaving was terrible. There was a halogen (halogen uses more energy and is a much harsher light source than most L.E.D.s) light directly above my head where I would stand at the sink to shave, and it caused shadows on my face and made shaving difficult. It was also most unflattering 🙂. I did pack a 5in 5X suction cup mirror that I used to put in and take out my contacts, but I was afraid to attach it to a heated mirror, so I used it on one of the side mirrors which was awkward. My wife used the large mirror at the desk for her hair and make up, and that is an ingenious design element, but one can hardly wet shave at a desk. This was in a PV1 on the Neptune on our Sept 18, 2023 Med Odyssey cruise. As Mia stated above, glad to hear Viking incorporating an extendable arm mirror on their new ships. Hopefully they have made improvements with their lighting.

Agree about the lighting! Don't need to look as though I've partied when I haven't partied!!!😉

Mia

On 9/27/2023 at 4:17 PM, bookbabe said:

In our ES2 on Mars last week, we had a wall-mounted shaving mirror on an extendable arm in the bathroom plus the lighted makeup mirror on the desk in the closet.

This is the sort of thing we usually expect in high end hotels. Good for us ladies who are near sighted to do our makeup. 

Surprising the things that we've come to expect in our travels to ease our lives!

I'm glad that Viking is putting it in their new builds.

Mia

Is there a shaving mirror on the ships in Viking Ocean. Is there a simple fix that I can't find?

Mia

5 minutes ago, burnabyjean said:

We live in BC and our local London Drugs carries it.

Yes, FeverTree is widely available in BC. But I don't think London Drugs has expanded to Ontario.

Soft drinks are included during mealtimes. Would that include FeverTree? I'm not much of a beer or wine drinker😇 (Just kidding!).

Mia

55 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

We've always asked and no, they don't carry anything else in inventory.  So bring your own!!

Shame! Here's an opportunity for Viking to up its game. Surprising as there are a lot of Europeans onboard, never mind coffee culture in the rest of the world. 

Perhaps head office or guest services should get a heads up.

Mia

4 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Oh, that is interesting....  I had never tried Fevertree before Viking and it is my winner.  I cannot find it at home anywhere in a grocery store.  I would drink G&T's with Fevertree but not with Schweppes.

It's widely available. Check Safeway, Superstore. Others as well, but may not be located in Ontario. Sometimes they stick such items in an obscure area, but once you find them, you wonder how you could have missed it!.

Ask for location in store.

Mia

12 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

Thank you all for your input. I might have to take a second look at them. Their connecting times look to be better than others with fewer stopovers. 

I think they are one of the largest airlines in the world. 

Mia

5 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

Our experience with the Nespresso pods is that on each cruise we've had (many), you get:

Decaf:  num10 strength

Caf:  num 4 strength

 

Since at home we prefer strong coffee and use 10 to 13 for coffee, we always bring our own pods of caffeinated that are strong, since the 4 is too weak for us.  Decaf is just fine.

Everyone's tastes will be different.

Is there a possibility of requesting different pods?

52 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Our experience with the Nespresso pods is that on each cruise we've had (many), you get:

Decaf:  num10 strength

Caf:  num 4 strength

 

Since at home we prefer strong coffee and use 10 to 13 for coffee, we always bring our own pods of caffeinated that are strong, since the 4 is too weak for us.  Decaf is just fine.

Everyone's tastes will be different.

Thanks.

Mia

On 9/11/2023 at 3:59 PM, Vineyard View said:

Anyone have experience with Turkish air?

I think Turkish has one of the best business class products in the world (in my albeit limited experience). They use the same catering firm as Austrian and the cuisine and service is exceptional.

Mia

Is there a choice of Nespresso pods available.

We like a dark roast coffee, which isn't to everyone's taste.

Mia

I've looked, but can't find details of what we can expect to see in our minibars on Viking Ocean, and what we can reasonably request? 

Is Fevertree tonic an option?

Thanks,

Mia

3 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

This is one of those times that I wish that CC had a sad face "reaction."

 

That is a bummer!! They weren't just a walking aid, were they; they were a unique and irreplaceable souvenir from another amazing adventure, one that was re-lived each time you picked up the poles.

 

On the other hand, if you do get back there, the new poles will now be part of an equally as amazing adventure and a tale of buying, losing and replacing the poles.

Thanks for your understanding. On the scale of events, it is rather minor, but still.. 

And to think someone just picked them up when I was distracted!!! I think there is a bit of bad karma that goes with that.

Mia

2 hours ago, TayanaLorna said:

LOL Kent, I added some leg strength and balance exercises as I am determined to be able to walk the wall in Dubrovnik and up to the Acropolis.   BTW I think we are going to ditch the Viking Post and stay at a boutique hotel near the Plaka instead.

I've been using Nordic hiking poles for years to help my balance and walking issues. I would heartily recommend them to everyone. Even if you don't have issues, they help you move faster and in climbing. 

Probably hiking poles would do just as well.

Unfortunately someone stole my beloved pair that I bought in Baku, Azerbaijan when I had to make an emergency purchase. Will need to replace asap!

Mia

Thank you for your post. They have helped me understand what is going to be happening for our embarkation. Too bad we will probably depart Vancouver in the dark and miss the scenic departure.

Mia

2 hours ago, cmmaxwell03 said:

Hi Mia, 

 

When do you cruise to Alaska?  We board the Orion in Seward on 9/7 and when we get to Vancouver on 9/17 we are disembarking by tender.  Viking told us about it a week ago via email.  They outlined that we will have to leave our luggage out the night before and then we will pick it up at a hotel that we will be shuttled to once leaving the Orion.

We embark on Sept17th - your turn around cruise and as beach bunnie says, continuing on to Tokyo.

Mia

Hi,

I've just heard that in Vancouver we will be tendering onto the Orion for the beginning of our Alaska cruise. 

Has anyone had any experience of this? What about our luggage??

Thanks,

Mia

7 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

There are two  deliveries from Viking that you have to watch out for.

 

One comes via the postal service about 45 days before you sail and contains your personalized luggage tags that will get your bags from dockside to your cabin (do not attach them until after your flights), red Viking luggage tags to attach immediately with your personal information (and so that other Viking voyagers will recognize you at the airport) and transfer badges so that the ground personal will recognize you. Sometimes, this package goes to your TA to be forwarded to you. None of this is required to get on the airplane or the ship, so don't freak out if they aren't delivered.

 

The other comes via e-mail to you or your travel agent or to both of you 14 days prior to departure. It is a summary of your booking and your shorex and information about all of the tours available on your sailing. If it only goes to your TA, then it is up to the TA to forward it to you -- and may take some nagging on your part to get it from your TA. Again, there is nothing in these documents that is required to board the ship. It is annoying but nothing to panic over; you are still going on your trip.

 

In the last month before the sailing, Viking will also send  a series of e-mails announcing pre-trip deadlines.

 

Viking will take any photos that they need with cameras that are connected to the ship's computer system. If you do need photos in advance then it is itinerary specific and Viking should warn you about it well in advance.

Thanks, Peregrina,

It's been awhile since we sailed Viking and have forgotten the nuts and bolts of the process. Also, there might have been changes. We also booked at the last minute on a guarantee and I imagine that will slow things down. 

We're missing the itinerary specific emails though, about reading lists and films. We'll have a lot of time to catch up as there will be lots of sea days on the trans Pacific from Vancouver to Tokyo!

Mia

14 minutes ago, Azulann said:

They will take your photo as part of check in . No worries 😉 

Thanks,

When we were going to South America, Oceania had you fill out a questionnaire beforehand, then had us fill it again before we got onboard, and then again!!! during the embarkation process.

Mia

Thanks!

Have enough stressors in my life without adding to this. Especially as it requires a photo to be submitted with certain parameters. Do we have to submit a photo when we check in at embarkation? I haven't received any cruise documents and have not been notified if we do.

Mia

What happens if we don't do this? Is it mandatory?

Just confused.

Mia

I'm having difficulty finding tours for Sapporo/Otaru and Tokyo. Does anyone have any suggestions? I keep on drawing blanks!

Thanks

Mia

7 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

BTW We don’t use coffee pods (coffee is available 24/7 in the WC) so for some extra shelf space you can request the coffee machine removed.

Good call! 

Mia

13 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

V1 and V2 do not get the minibar refreshed. Only DV and above. You can request it to be filled the first time with whatever flavors you like but after that refills would be chargeable. Typically they have tonic already stocked (lots of gin drinkers?) You can however grab an extra can of soft drinks from the WC and put it in your fridge yourself.

Thanks,

We were on the Star in 2017 and that is what I remembered.

There is no specific information that V1 & V2 do not get their minibar refilled currently.You would have thought that they had rethought that very small detail. (We mostly cruise Oceania and they refresh daily, even in the lower categories.) Such a small nit-picking detail in an upscale line! As you say, there are work-arounds and other than a few cans of tonic water, we are not pop drinkers.

Mia

Small question, but I can't seem to find an answer. Are the minibars refreshed daily in the V1, V2 categories? Can we have specific requests? tonic water? lime?

Thanks

Mia