On board The Star

[applecruise]

HI Viking Star Travelers,

What have the programs on board (or have there been any - lectures, cultural talks, movies, music, etc.) Just trying to get as much info as possible and I do appreciate your info.

Thanks,

Joyce :)

[washashorehouse]

Applecruise

Some of the lectures have been excellent, some less so or more of a niche interest.

Movies don't really exist--or at least not in the cinema theaters. They have attempted 2 old movies (Gladiator and the first Marigold Hotel movie) out on the pool deck. Understand the audio was so poor for one of the films some people questioned if the soundtrack was in English!

In room movie selections are limited and old films-- Some like it Hot, Philadelphia Story, Gigi--quite dated, no first run movies anywhere--so watch them on the plane!

Cultural events have been nil, except for one late afternoon performance in Corfu-- it was 4 folk dancers. (Personally I have been very disappointed in the lack of native cultural experiences).

Musical performances, both the troupe and individual classical performers, have been excellent. They have about 4-5 troupe "shows" which they repeat for each leg, so if you're on for awhile there is nothing new to see.

TV, both 'live' (news stations) and minimal 'canned' selections has been sporadic (and absent for many days running) from the very beginning. Currently we have had TV access for about 3 days in a row--which I believe is a record--we all hope that that means the electronic issues have been resolved. Time will tell.

[editor@cruisecritic]

Hi, shared some photos on Cruise Critic Live! from when I was onboard earlier this month; the Viking Daily photos are at this link. Hope that helps!

 

Link: http://live.cruisecritic.com/Event/Cruise_Critic_Live_Were_Onboard_Viking_Ocean?Page=2

 

Carolyn

 

PS There's four pages in all, and we also posted menus.

 

HI Viking Star Travelers,

What have the programs on board (or have there been any - lectures, cultural talks, movies, music, etc.) Just trying to get as much info as possible and I do appreciate your info.

Thanks,

Joyce :)

[traveld]

We are sailing later this year and are interested in finding out a few things so that we are adequately prepared. Hope someone can help!

 

1. Are sodas complimentary all day throughout the ship, or only at meals?

2. We are in a V1 cabin. Are these outfitted with mini-fridges?

3. Is the evening dress code country club casual every night? No formal nights?

4. We enjoy ballroom dancing when we cruise. Is this available every night?

5. We also love to play trivia. Is this a daily activity?

 

Appreciate any information that can be provided. Thanks.

[applecruise]

Applecruise

Some of the lectures have been excellent, some less so or more of a niche interest.

Movies don't really exist--or at least not in the cinema theaters. They have attempted 2 old movies (Gladiator and the first Marigold Hotel movie) out on the pool deck. Understand the audio was so poor for one of the films some people questioned if the soundtrack was in English!

In room movie selections are limited and old films-- Some like it Hot, Philadelphia Story, Gigi--quite dated, no first run movies anywhere--so watch them on the plane!

Cultural events have been nil, except for one late afternoon performance in Corfu-- it was 4 folk dancers. (Personally I have been very disappointed in the lack of native cultural experiences).

Musical performances, both the troupe and individual classical performers, have been excellent. They have about 4-5 troupe "shows" which they repeat for each leg, so if you're on for awhile there is nothing new to see.

TV, both 'live' (news stations) and minimal 'canned' selections has been sporadic (and absent for many days running) from the very beginning. Currently we have had TV access for about 3 days in a row--which I believe is a record--we all hope that that means the electronic issues have been resolved. Time will tell.[/quote

 

Thanks for the information and so SO sorry that you have been disappointed in the lack of native cultural experiences since that is one of their advertising points to sell the cruise. I just have to hope that they are in the process of getting some of these "cultural activities - dancers etc." lectures about the port talks, music typical of the port, etc set up. That is something we enjoyed about the river cruises since it tied in so nicely with the port that we were visiting the next day.

[rjscott]

[quote name='traveld']We are sailing later this year and are interested in finding out a few things so that we are adequately prepared. Hope someone can help!

1. Are sodas complimentary all day throughout the ship, or only at meals?
2. We are in a V1 cabin. Are these outfitted with mini-fridges?
3. Is the evening dress code country club casual every night? No formal nights?
4. We enjoy ballroom dancing when we cruise. Is this available every night?
5. We also love to play trivia. Is this a daily activity?

Appreciate any information that can be provided. Thanks.[/QUOTE]

1.Sodas are complimentary only at meals. Your minifridge will also be stocked with your preference of sodas once in your V1 cabin. After that, there will be a charge if you want additional sodas in your minifridge. I supplemented my sodas by purchasing some in port. As I am not a coffee drinker, my soda is my "morning coffee". ;)
2. We were in a V2 cabin. Yes to the minifridge.
3. Dress is casual every evening. No formal nights. I did see several gentlemen in sport coats in Manfredi's, but that was the only time.
4. Not sure about the ballroom dancing.
5. Yes, to trivia being listed as an activity.

I am hoping to post some dailies soon so that future cruisers can get an idea of the daily activities available as well as the various restaurant and other venue hours.

Becki

[traveld]

Thanks for the info!

[id4elizabeth]

I did the Viking optional tour of Aix en Provence and I thought it was a good tour. We had an excellent guide, and the guides I find can easily make or break your experience. The bus ride was well over an hour, but the scenery along the way was very nice, and our guide pointed out interesting things along the way. The walk through town was quite level. I particularly enjoyed the Baptistry of the Cathedral, and the shopping was great for little things you might want to bring back as gifts - I got 3 huge bars of lavender olive oil soap for 8 euros, 3 large bags of Herbs du Provence, and lavender flavored tea. Didn't spend more than 20 euros for all of it. Lunch was mixed - loved the warm goat cheese wrapped in phyllo dough as a starter - entree was dry chicken with boiled potatoes - dessert was an OK apple tartin.

The studio of Paul Cezanne was a bit of a disappointment to me. Glad I saw it as he's one of my favorite painters. But only 20 people are allowed in at one time so we had to go in shifts. It's just one big room with some of his memoribilia about, but none of his paintings. No photos are allowed.

Which brings me to a complaint about Viking's tours in general. They are way too large. Most of the ones I've been on have been 40 or more people - today was 39. When we stop for toilet breaks at a lady's room that can only accommodate two at a time, it just takes far too long.


My DH wandered about Toulon on his own and went to the Martine Museum. He thoroughly enjoyed it, but he loves all things nautical.

[kathy9]

We saw a lot of jeans and sneakers at The Restrauant in the evening. I was really surprised. No one was turned away. I am not sure if that was because of the general chaos of the first cruise or what the story was.
Kathy Edited April 30, 2015 by kathy9

[WarEagle76]

[quote name='kathy9']We saw a lot of jeans and sneakers at The Restrauant in the evening. I was really surprised. No one was turned away. I am not sure if that was because of the general chaos of the first cruise or what the story was.
Kathy[/QUOTE]

Just out of curiosity, why were you surprised. Per FAQs sounds reasonable.

"Dinner in The Restaurant remains casual, with daytime dress deemed appropriate."

[kathy9]

[QUOTE]Just out of curiosity, why were you surprised. Per FAQs sounds reasonable.

"Dinner in The Restaurant remains casual, with daytime dress deemed appropriate."[/QUOTE]

In the cruise docs that are sent to you prior to sailing under dress:
" Dinner in the World Cafe remains comfortable and casual, daytime dress is accepted anytime."

it mentions that at all other dining venues in the evening dress is suggested to be "elegant casual".
That is why I was surprised.
Kathy

[feedingfrenzy]

[quote name='Dauntless']travelinsubman at wordpress.com has reviews with pictures of all cabins, other than the owner's suite[/quote]

I found the blog but clicking on any of the entries just brings up a blank page. Is there some trick to making them visible?

[CrusinSubMan]

[quote name='feedingfrenzy']I found the blog but clicking on any of the entries just brings up a blank page. Is there some trick to making them visible?[/QUOTE]

It is probably either the browser you are using (and older version?) or the speed of your connection (it might take a bit for things to fully pull up). That is the first I have heard of this, but I have noticed when I am working in Wordpress' user interface that posts sometimes do not show until I either click on them or scroll the page.

[id4elizabeth]

We got a floor lamp installed in our Penthouse Junior Suite yesterday! We can finally use our cabin like it was supposed to be used - one person can sleep while the other reads after you close the drapes between the two halves. Excellent!

[CrusinSubMan]

[quote name='WarEagle76']Just out of curiosity, why were you surprised. Per FAQs sounds reasonable.

"Dinner in The Restaurant remains casual, with daytime dress deemed appropriate."[/QUOTE]

Right, the only dress that appears to not be welcome in spaces such as The Restaurant is bathing suits, bathrobes, etc. So jeans etc are fine. I had dressy jeans

The Chef's Table has a slightly heightened dress standard that reads something like "Classy" or "Elegant" casual.

I think overall that dress code on the Star is something that is still getting figured out in terms of what one can do and not be whispered at etc.

[feedingfrenzy]

OK, thanks. I suspect it's my browser although that surprises me because I've no problem downloading anything else.

[id4elizabeth]

Tonight (late afternoon/evening actually) Viking presented the famous boys choir from Montserrat Monastery, which is just outside Barcelona. They were fabulous! It was the first time the choir has performed on a ship. They all looked like (and sounded like) angels. Very impressive performance. Well done Viking!

The performances were at 5:15 and 6:30. Our tour got back at 6:15 and we all had to race for the Star Theater. If you're going to Barcelona, you might want to check when the performances are going to be held and make sure your afternoon excursion doesn't interfere. This concert was well attended and should not be missed if you're a music fan.

[LadyVol1]

We just got back from the included 3-hour Barcelona bus tour. My husband and I spent four nights on La Rambla a few years ago so we didn't feel like we needed to see anything else but we obviously wanted to take the tour since "why not?". This tour was very good and we drove by places we hadn't seen before. It perfectly matched the description with its two stops.

Anyway, we were surprised that bottled water was not available at the Star Theatre or the gangway on departure for this 2:30-5:30 tour. Water WAS at the gangway at 11:00 this morning when I went out on my own. Since we boarded in Istanbul on April 11, bottles of water have always been readily available at Star Theatre/Torshavn (meeting point for tours) OR at the gangway for guests departing on Viking tours.

From now on, my husband and I will make sure that we have bottles of water prior to leaving our cabin and we will not rely on getting the ones that have always been either at Star Theatre or at the gangway.

Some people might say that it's just a bottle of water, but it's one of FOUR customer service issues that my husband and I encountered in just the last 24 hours alone. (No, we don't post all our gripes here on CC, not by a long shot.) I'm not sure what level of customer service Viking is trying to achieve, but in my opinion they have a LONG way to go to match Celebrity, HAL or even Carnival. (And I realize that Celebrity, HAL and Carnival don't provide water. That's not the point. The customer service they do provide is consistent and that's all I'm looking for -- consistency.)

[roothy123]

[quote name='feedingfrenzy']OK, thanks. I suspect it's my browser although that surprises me because I've no problem downloading anything else.[/QUOTE]

Kind of a longshot, but might want to try right clicking on the photo (box) to see if it will offer you an "Open With" choice. If so, pick whatever you have for viewing pictures. Of course, I'm using a desktop computer, which might be totally different from other devices, especially Apple ones.

[roothy123]

[quote name='id4elizabeth']Tonight (late afternoon/evening actually) Viking presented the famous boys choir from Montserrat Monastery, which is just outside Barcelona. They were fabulous! It was the first time the choir has performed on a ship. They all looked like (and sounded like) angels. Very impressive performance. Well done Viking!

The performances were at 5:15 and 6:30. Our tour got back at 6:15 and we all had to race for the Star Theater. If you're going to Barcelona, you might want to check when the performances are going to be held and make sure your afternoon excursion doesn't interfere. This concert was well attended and should not be missed if you're a music fan.[/QUOTE]

Wow!

[Azulann]

[quote name='id4elizabeth']Tonight (late afternoon/evening actually) Viking presented the famous boys choir from Montserrat Monastery, which is just outside Barcelona. They were fabulous! It was the first time the choir has performed on a ship. They all looked like (and sounded like) angels. Very impressive performance. Well done Viking!

The performances were at 5:15 and 6:30. Our tour got back at 6:15 and we all had to race for the Star Theater. If you're going to Barcelona, you might want to check when the performances are going to be held and make sure your afternoon excursion doesn't interfere. This concert was well attended and should not be missed if you're a music fan.[/QUOTE]

What a wonderful musical event on the ship for the all of you! The boys choir of Montserrat is famous. :eek:
I am sure as you get closer to Norway, you will be entertained with more choral groups. Here in MN, choral groups abound due to the Scandinavians all over our state. :)
I also suspect you will be getting more local coverage in the different ports of call. I loved the picture of the local welcome in Toulon of the Viking Star, I found on Twitter.

[applecruise]

[quote name='id4elizabeth']Tonight (late afternoon/evening actually) Viking presented the famous boys choir from Montserrat Monastery, which is just outside Barcelona. They were fabulous! It was the first time the choir has performed on a ship. They all looked like (and sounded like) angels. Very impressive performance. Well done Viking!

The performances were at 5:15 and 6:30. Our tour got back at 6:15 and we all had to race for the Star Theater. If you're going to Barcelona, you might want to check when the performances are going to be held and make sure your afternoon excursion doesn't interfere. This concert was well attended and should not be missed if you're a music fan.[/QUOTE]

This sounds fabulous and more like what Viking has been promoting in their advertising. Well done Viking! How far ahead of time did you know of this performance - even before sailing? I'm wondering about scheduling dinner reservations around these events so we (everyone) is able to enjoy the event.
Thanks,
Joyce:)

[feedingfrenzy]

[quote name='roothy123']Kind of a longshot, but might want to try right clicking on the photo (box) to see if it will offer you an "Open With" choice. If so, pick whatever you have for viewing pictures. Of course, I'm using a desktop computer, which might be totally different from other devices, especially Apple ones.[/quote]

I will try that. Actually, the I tried before page did finally load. I returned from a shopping trip to find it open. No idea how long it took. I have a reasonably fast internet connection

[algaes]

First public information about it was in the Viking Daily available the evening before. You would not have been able to plan Viking or private excursions around the late afternoon/early evening performances.

It's a shame that notice was so late as Viking must have had this arranged for a long time. The program handed out (see attached) mentions has a scholarship arrangement with the school and that must have been done as part of Viking Oceans planning.

Also attached are the interior two pages of the Viking Daily for May 1, the arrival day in Barcelona. Shows what is going on the day before passengers disembark.

[LadyVol1]

Within the last week I saw something about the choir performance but the times were listed as 5:15 and 6:00. I don't know if it was in a Viking Daily or some kind of special notice (?) but on my handmade calendar that I have on our cabin wall that shows all of our dinner reservations, tours, etc. I penciled in "5:15 & 6 Choir". But even if you would have tried to plan around that, it was wrong since the performances were at 5:15 and 6:30!

Also, a man sitting behind me said that he read somewhere that a Viking River cruise does an extension to Barcelona. I was mystified by the fact that Viking gives a scholarship when Barcelona is an ocean port, but I guess there must be some river cruise that can extend to Barcelona.