Viking Star after almost 1 week

[roothy123]

Yes, it's not really a buffet, per se, but I'm not sure exactly what I would call it. My husband suggested "cafeteria style" but that just sounds so mundane! In any case, it's great that they serve a lot of it - cuts down on a large number of people repeatedly handling the serving utensils, so better for health. At night, do you need to pick up your drink, even if it's water, or does someone come around to ask you if you need a drink? I usually just drink water with meals, but is that on the table, provided if you ask, or available from one of the stations? Thanks.

[Vineyard View]

You are served here just as the other restaurants. Maybe not the same passenger/server ratio, but wine, beer, soda, water, juice....there are also stations for water, coffee drinks.....and those coffee/water stations you can access even when the food service is not open. Not sure how late or early, as I only used it during the day a couple times.

[id4elizabeth]

The coffee / tea station is 24/7, but usually around 9:30 they had an unfortunate habit of cleaning out both coffee machines at the same time, so then you had to go to the Explorer's Lounge to get coffee or tea, which was free there too. Note that when VV says "drinks" are available at the coffee/tea station, there are no soft drinks available there. There's the coffee machine (which dispenses hot water as well), a crushed ice and cold water machine, and a juice machine. There are two of these stations in the World Cafe; one port, one starboard.

 

I'm just curious from someone who is on the current Homelands cruise whether the juice machine still has an iced tea tap available?

[HMforcruise]

We have just returned from 5+ weeks (29 on the Star) and with the body-clock struggle we are going through, can't imagine those who were on for 50 days! Ha!!

 

So I want to circle back around on this post that I began after our first week and provide feedback on what WE experienced (and no worries Jimmy C, Cassandra seems to love to call my posts Pollyanne when I m not complaining, so be it).

 

I stand with my original statement - 98+% of those on board loved their vacation. Am I saying it was without glitches? No, I am not - nor has any vacation on any cruise line or independent travel. So that said:

 

We found the crew to be outstanding. They absolutely take pride in their work, and in whatever they can assist you with. We had no issues with our room stewards - they were excellent. Throughout the cruise. They took very good care of us and whatever we requested. The servers in the restaurants were also so hard working, friendly, and Did their best to make our experience positive. Of course there were some who just naturally were better than others, as is found wherever you dine in the world, but the large majority were very good.

 

The bartenders and servers were great, and they made sure that your glasses of whatever you were drinking were refilled, or if you were ordering drinks from the menu, they kept checking in with you.

 

The Restaurant - we ate dinner here quite often because we really enjoyed the atmosphere, the wait staff, And the food. We also really enjoyed Manifredi's ALOT. Excellent food, and their wine list was very reasonably priced if you decided to order some good Italian wine. The Chef's Table - seemed to be a place people really liked, or really didn't like. We thought it was okay, but not great. We also expected a better wine pairing/quality. The World Market - the best fresh pasta! Honestly, we were impressed with this venue.

 

The excursions - because DH and I tend to DIY or hire private tours when we cruise, we are not as impacted as many people who do depend on them - which I do get is a large percentage. So that said, we did not utilize this department as much - however, aside from the concert in St Michael's cave in Gibralter (which was amazing), we generally felt that there is room for improvement with this department. For instance, if you want any time in Gdansk, set it up on your own because you will only get 2 hrs there during an 11 hr port call, and that is the only way to get into Gdansk because their shuttle does not go there. Again, I don't have a lot of input here, but from the few we did partake in, we were not impressed.

 

St. Petersburg- we hired TJ Travel for an 8 person two day delux tour. EXCELLENT!!!! Great choice, great guide and driver, lunches....it was an amazing long two days!!

 

Spa - super nice to be able to enjoy the wonderful amenities without booking a service. We did enjoy a massage for our anniversary- but we really appreciated being able to drop in whenever we felt like it during their hours of 8-8.

 

Pools & Aquivat terrace - they keep the pool water really warm (too warm for some), but given that you are able to swim regardless of weather temps! The atmosphere at both pools is very different from each other, and offer different relaxation environments.

 

So....the 2% who weren't happy? I am going to address my experiences and observations around that on a separate thread.

 

We loved our time on Viking Star. Her Captain and crew are top drawer. The ship is beautiful, and totally enjoyable to sail on. So for those of you booked, feel free to look forward to a great vacation. my intention is to be objective and fair in this review.....

 

Vineyard View,

What happened in Gdansk that you only had 2 hours there when in the port of Gdynia for 11 hours?

 

On our July 25 sailing we are only in port 6am til 1 pm and we are wondering if the included excursion is best or a private one. Sure hope our included one does not get shortened as perhaps happened to you.

[roothy123]

VV... perhaps a better description of the World Cafe is more of a food court than a buffet... with multiple food stations (plates at each) and the kitchen in the center to serve each area very timely.

Certainly not a typical buffet, but an informal partial self serve location, often serving the same food being served by the wait staff in The Restaurant from the lunch or dinner menu.

A unique and very successful venue in my opinion.

The food was consistently very good throughout the ship... though some of the signature Norwegian fare was an acquired taste.

 

Sounds excellent, although it's not totally "unique" as Oceania has something very similar. Viking copied. That's OK, though - I'm not complaining.

 

Do I remember correctly, from early on, that salmon or lox is used instead of Canadian bacon in the Eggs Benedict? I haven't acquired that Norwegian taste yet, I'm afraid - though I'm sure I won't starve!

 

Though I may not love the foods from Norway and other areas, I'm glad Viking has incorporated Norwegian food, decorations, etc. It makes it a bit different from the other cruise lines out there.

[id4elizabeth]

Eggs Benedict - during the first segment, yes the Eggs Benedict came with Salmon. But then somewhere along the line they would ask you whether you wanted your Eggs Benedict with Salmon or Ham when you ordered it. My guess is they got some complaints and we're then offering it both ways. So take your pick. I looked up the calorie count for Eggs Benedict by the way and found that it was a whopping 1200 calories! Yikes! No wonder I gained 10 pounds over the 50 days!

[roothy123]

Eggs Benedict - during the first segment, yes the Eggs Benedict came with Salmon. But then somewhere along the line they would ask you whether you wanted your Eggs Benedict with Salmon or Ham when you ordered it. My guess is they got some complaints and we're then offering it both ways. So take your pick. I looked up the calorie count for Eggs Benedict by the way and found that it was a whopping 1200 calories! Yikes! No wonder I gained 10 pounds over the 50 days!

 

Thanks. Is the salmon cooked, or not? I actually like cooked salmon, but I was thinking it was lox.

 

I guess all that butter in the hollandaise sauce doesn't help things calorie wise. I guess it's a good thing I'm only on the ship for 10 days. I'll have to watch the croissants, waffles and scones, though! I don't suppose they have caffeine free Cappucinos, do they? I love Cappucino but they keep me up too late if I drink one after dinner - just like your unsweetened iced tea would do!

Edited June 7, 2015 by roothy123

[Vineyard View]

They do have caffeine free cappuccino!

The eggs Benedict on the Restaurant menu is offered both ways - with salmon and with 'Canadian Bacon'......however, it is ham.

The omlets - both in the Restaurant and World Cafe, are really good, by the way. They can be a little more controllable in calorie content......but I seemed to order them with just about all their offerings inside!

I don't believe that I ever once heard a single person complain that they were going hungry! the food is Delish!

Edited June 7, 2015 by Vineyard View

[id4elizabeth]

Salmon on the Eggs Benedict is smoked, like lox. The smoked salmon was also offered on its own on the breakfast buffet at the World Cafe every morning along with capers. One of my personal favorites.

 

Also to add to your 'watch' list of high calorie delicious foods are the Cakes offered by Mamsem's during tea time in the Explorer's Lounge. I decided to go there for tea to avoid the scones in the Wintergarden only to be confronted by fabulous Cakes at Mamsen's. My favorite was the Prince's Cake which was a pound cake with a pastry crust - made even better by berries and whipped cream on top!

[TERRIER1]

Vineyard View,

What happened in Gdansk that you only had 2 hours there when in the port of Gdynia for 11 hours?

 

On our July 25 sailing we are only in port 6am til 1 pm and we are wondering if the included excursion is best or a private one. Sure hope our included one does not get shortened as perhaps happened to you.

 

 

I was wondering the same as well. The included tour is 4.25 hours. We are only inn port from 6 am to 1 pm. I didn't think the port was that far from the city of Gdansk.

[roothy123]

I was wondering the same as well. The included tour is 4.25 hours. We are only inn port from 6 am to 1 pm. I didn't think the port was that far from the city of Gdansk.

 

I'm wondering as well! Maybe the buses or guides or both didn't make it on time, or weather delayed the arrival of the ship, or Gdynia port authorities weren't prompt, or vendors weren't willing to provide a tour until after rush hour, or ???

 

Gdansk isn't really all that far from Gdynia, although I don't know how much the drive plus parking would be on a bus or in a cab. I took a commuter train, and while I don't remember how long the train part took, it was pretty short - maybe 20-25 minutes? I spent as much time getting to the train, getting zloty from a bank, walking a few long blocks to the Old Town, etc. You have to know what you're doing, and bring info on what you'll be seeing, and I only did it on my own because the cruise line's excursion was pricey, plus I like doing things on my own. However, the point is that Gdynia to Gdansk does not require the same effort as, say getting from Warnemunde to Berlin. I think it was only a little over an hour for me to get there, even with getting to the train station, getting Polish zloty for the train/possible trams, and taking the train and walking a couple blocks. If there's a shuttle offered to central Gdynia (which isn't far) there will probably be cabs waiting there offering a short tour of Gdansk, including transportation there. If I remember correctly, they were asking around $50 or 50 euros, presumably for up to 4 people. However, much of Old Town Gdansk is pedestrian only, and I don't know how that would work with the average cab driver. You would probably want one with good English, and definitely one who would walk with you, not just drop you at a gate and tell you to be back in X amount of minutes. If you want to see the dockyard or Westerplatte or something more than the Old Town pedestrian area, make sure that's included. I would probably just take the Viking excursion, but at least the cab tours are another option, although I don't know how many might be around at 7:00 in the morning! I also don't remember if they were offered around the port itself, or just around the shuttle drop spot.

 

As is the case in some ports, I don't think most were willing to go to the Gdynia train station - they wanted longer trips to make waiting around worthwhile.

[HMforcruise]

I'm wondering as well! Maybe the buses or guides or both didn't make it on time, or weather delayed the arrival of the ship, or Gdynia port authorities weren't prompt, or vendors weren't willing to provide a tour until after rush hour, or ???

 

Gdansk isn't really all that far from Gdynia, although I don't know how much the drive plus parking would be on a bus or in a cab. I took a commuter train, and while I don't remember how long the train part took, it was pretty short - maybe 20-25 minutes? I spent as much time getting to the train, getting zloty from a bank, walking a few long blocks to the Old Town, etc. You have to know what you're doing, and bring info on what you'll be seeing, and I only did it on my own because the cruise line's excursion was pricey, plus I like doing things on my own. However, the point is that Gdynia to Gdansk does not require the same effort as, say getting from Warnemunde to Berlin. I think it was only a little over an hour for me to get there, even with getting to the train station, getting Polish zloty for the train/possible trams, and taking the train and walking a couple blocks. If there's a shuttle offered to central Gdynia (which isn't far) there will probably be cabs waiting there offering a short tour of Gdansk, including transportation there. If I remember correctly, they were asking around $50 or 50 euros, presumably for up to 4 people. However, much of Old Town Gdansk is pedestrian only, and I don't know how that would work with the average cab driver. You would probably want one with good English, and definitely one who would walk with you, not just drop you at a gate and tell you to be back in X amount of minutes. If you want to see the dockyard or Westerplatte or something more than the Old Town pedestrian area, make sure that's included. I would probably just take the Viking excursion, but at least the cab tours are another option, although I don't know how many might be around at 7:00 in the morning! I also don't remember if they were offered around the port itself, or just around the shuttle drop spot.

 

As is the case in some ports, I don't think most were willing to go to the Gdynia train station - they wanted longer trips to make waiting around worthwhile.

 

roothy123,

 

I see from a post you wrote in July of 2012 called , " Taking the train to Gdansk Glowny from Gdynia Glowna " that you documented the instructions clearly. Also TheGenie in March of 2010 wrote in detail her/his "notes gathered" on taking the train into Gdansk.

 

Even though I would like to see more of Gdansk, taking the train does seem a bit complicated and because there is no room for error or getting lost ( ship departs at 1 p.m. July 25th sailing)......I think staying with the ship's included tour is best. Now in Warnemunde, it is a very different story. Because the ship stays till midnight, I feel very comfortable DIY and using the train to Rostock and even Schwerin Castle.

I got an email from SPB tours, when I inquired about using them in Gdansk, saying, " they would not offer a tour for our ship, due to time restraints". Makes sense. So if they do not feel they give the customer a full tour of the sights from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., then obviously doing it yourself would be very challenging.

[Vineyard View]

The shuttle offered was into Gdynia - which Held nothing of interest to us. My issue was that prior to leaving home, and then again after we were on the ship, I confirmed with the excursions department that there would be transportation into Gdansk. The night prior DH caught in the Viking Daily that it was into Gdynia. At that point the only way (aside from Taxi which I was told was expensive and unreliable, or train) into Gdansk was to ride in on an included tour on a bus and then back with that tour....or catch a train. The bus ride was 1 hr each way, plus the obligatory stop at a cathedral (who was btw holding mass and we were told to leave). That stop ate up 25 minutes....the tour was 4.5 hrs total. We had 2 hrs total in Gdansk. Had I known ahead, I would have done the research and made independent arrangements so that we could have had time to enjoy Gdansk.

Again, most ports we were able to DIY, but on the ports where you cannot do that, it might serve you well to determine what will work best for your style of traveling. Hope this helps.

[HMforcruise]

The night prior DH caught in the Viking Daily that it was into Gdynia. At that point the only way (aside from Taxi which I was told was expensive and unreliable, or train) into Gdansk was to ride in on an included tour on a bus and then back with that tour....or catch a train.

 

 

Thank you for the clarification. Were you a weekday and experienced traffic to make it a 1 1/2 hour bus ride?

 

Seems the SKM train takes 35 minutes from Gdynia into Gdansk Main Train Station. Run every 10-15 minutes. By bus is longer due to traffic, although our time there is a Saturday morning....included tour I signed up for is 8:15 - 12:15.

 

So maybe Viking's shuttle/included tour or maybe a group in a taxi to Gdansk Main Town ( 30 Euros according to Rick Steves')

[Vineyard View]

It was a Saturday. The bus ride was 1 hour each way, however they made a stop at a church on the way, which took approx 25 min by the time everyone got off and back on the bus. Whether the routes ( different each way) that they took were the shortest available or not I could not say. There were no traffic delays.

 

We rode in the bus to Gdansk. We then had two hours in the city. Those who stayed with the guide (and she was good) I believe had maybe 45 minutes of free time? I am also not sure of that as DH and I branched off on our own for the two hours, then rejoined the group at the designated meeting place/time so that we had a ride back. We were back on the ship early evening and were in port until late that night. Hope this helps.

[TERRIER1]

It was a Saturday. The bus ride was 1 hour each way, however they made a stop at a church on the way, which took approx 25 min by the time everyone got off and back on the bus. Whether the routes ( different each way) that they took were the shortest available or not I could not say. There were no traffic delays.

 

We rode in the bus to Gdansk. We then had two hours in the city. Those who stayed with the guide (and she was good) I believe had maybe 45 minutes of free time? I am also not sure of that as DH and I branched off on our own for the two hours, then rejoined the group at the designated meeting place/time so that we had a ride back. We were back on the ship early evening and were in port until late that night. Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the clarification. When I booked this cruise the port times for Gdansk given were 1 pm to midnight. When I booked the tour on line several weeks ago Viking changed the time from 6:30 am to 1 pm making me very uncomfortable to this on our own due to the limited time available. Viking never notified us of the port time change so I was surprised to say the least.

[PopsA]

I really enjoyed the almond cake they have at Mamsen's. Combine that with the views, and outstanding service and it's a winner for a late afternoon relief of your satisfaction of the call of the sweet tooth. Vital on such a long cruise. I read somewhere, or completely made it it up, that Columbus had cake and a hot beverage each afternoon on his voyage of,discovery.

[pipedesign]

We are on the Venice>Istanbul trip in September, did you do the same ports ( Dubrovnik, Kotor, Santorini, Athens?

Would be interested in any details on private tours that you would like to share. We have mobility issues with stairs and walking long distances without being able to sit often, and find private tours are easier. if you prefer e-mail please find us at pipedesign@cogeco.ca. :)

If you took the included tours from Viking in these ports, an opinion about how easy is 'easy'

John in Canada

Edited June 27, 2015 by pipedesign

[id4elizabeth]

In Kotor we had a private guide with a car that fit 3 passengers very comfortably and 4 if squished. The contact was MontTravelers.com. Our group ended up with 2 cars traveling along together. Can't remember now how much it was, but it was VERY reasonable. We went all over the place, seeing both the coast and the interior. Walking was not bad as they drove us everywhere. Felt like we saw the REAL Montenegro.

 

If Pacquebot is still checking these boards, she arranged a fabulous guide with van in both Santorini and Pula Croatia. She could give you the contact details for those. Dubrovnik isn't too bad just on your own if you take the free shuttle bus and do not try and tackle the walls. We loved walking the walls around Dubrovnik, but they are not for those who have mobility issues. The town itself isn't so bad though.

 

Some times the Viking Included tours are in fact easy and sometimes not.

[Vineyard View]

Pipe design - We sailed most of those ports last year on another cruise line - (with Viking we were Barcelona- Stockholm). we used private tours in Istanbul and twice in Ephesus - just the two of us - we engaged with Epehesus Tours for both ports and were extremely happy with all three days. They were reasonably priced and well worth the money.

If mobility issues are a concern, I would absolutely engage with private tour in Istanbul.

Ephesus might be a bit challenging as the only way to really experience the entire site is to walk it. Terrace Houses would be very hard to do....however there could be the opportunity to see parts of Ephesus, then the Virgin Mary's house and parts of the mountain village of Sirence.

Dubrovnik- totally agree with Elizabeth. The wall is very cool to walk, however you will need to navigate stairs. The core portion of the town is fairly easy to DIY.

Beautiful ports!!

[roothy123]

Pipe design, I think you're on my cruise, unless you're talking about a September 2016 cruise instead of 2015. If you're on the Sept. 27 cruise Venice to Istanbul you might want to post on the "Roll Call" for that cruise, mentioning you're interested in finding or sharing private tours. The group so far is small (maybe 20 of us) and there is only one (full) 4-person tour that has been discussed there. However, it's still early, so it's worth a try. If not, I know tours in Croatia are pretty inexpensive, so check out the company mentioned above, plus "Tours by Milo." Milo is "taken" the day we're there, but he has a few colleagues who might be able to help you. We're doing his 4 hour tour and there isn't a whole lot of walking involved (not at any one time, at least) and it's reasonably-priced. Here’s a link to the Roll Call: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1873588. (If you’re talking about a cruise other than September 27, 2015, it will be elsewhere – but in the same general section.)

 

I have read of tours offered in Santorini by Gold Travel in Fira, but can't vouch for their quality, as we did something else when we were there in 2006. If you take a private tour in Santorini, just make sure you know where to meet the guide, as there are two possible places for that, and you'll have to get on the right tender boat. Keep in mind that all tours on Santorini, including Viking's, end up at the cable car station and you take the cable car down to the tender pier. The cable car isn't too terribly hard to get in and out of, and the ride is short, but there may be a line for the cars coming down in the afternoon. A good amount of waiting in line in hot sun has been reported, so that might be one thing to keep in mind. Also, I've read that there's an elevator somewhere to take you up the cars, thus eliminating some steps, but have not been able to confirm that. If you think all of that might be too much for you, I would look to see if Viking is offering a boat ride to the island called (I think) Nea Kameni or something like that. I believe there's also a private sailboat ride, plus a boat ride, available from Santorini - and possibly a boat to Oia, followed by a short bus ride to the town, and a later bus ride back to Fira to get on the cable car. In the end, the Viking excursion might be the best option for you, as things can be a bit complicated on Santorini. If possible, though, I would take an excursion that includes a trip to, and into, the town of Oia - beautiful place!

 

Some people arrange tours by a group called "Tours by Locals," although many of those may be walking tours; not sure.

 

This thread (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2195337) was written by someone who did the Istanbul to Venice cruise in April. I believe she did most of the included excursions, so she may have clues in there as to how easy/hard the excursions were. If not, I would just post on that thread and ask her about them. Hopefully she’s still monitoring that thread and will respond. If not, perhaps you could just compose a new thread asking about the amount of walking, and availability of places to sit along the way, on the excursions in the cities you'll visit.

 

But back to private tours: There is also a “Ports of Call” section on Cruise Critic, plus the “Destinations” section of TripAdvisor.com where you can find comments about various private tours. Also, you might want to look up the Roll Call for the cruise that is after ours. I know there is someone on there ("retired gators" or something like that!) who is setting up a bunch of private tours, so just having his info might be helpful. You don't have to join (post on) that Roll Call, just find it and look at what has been posted.

 

I think Viking's Athens tour is mostly riding, not walking. If not, the "Road Train" or whatever it's called (not free tour) might work for you, although it may not provide you with a lot of information on what you're seeing. The included Santorini sounds like a combination of riding and walking. Istanbul is a little bit of walking combined with a boat ride. Pula, Dubrovnik and Kotor are mostly walking. At least in Kotor you might find a bench or table along the route, and probably a bench in the Maritime Museum to help you out.

 

Good luck and have fun!

Edited June 28, 2015 by roothy123

[paquebot]

Pipedesign:

 

I found wonderful private guides for Venice, Pula, Kotor, Santorini, and Athens.

 

Luisella Romeo in Venice is fabulous, if you can get her. She is usually booked far in advance.

 

In Pula, we toured with Sini Slujcic of Istria Tours. His website is under Pula-City-Tours.com. He is an excellent guide, very accommodating, and was masterful in completely modifying our Montenegrin odyssey after it was truncated by more than two hours (because of unexpected delays disembarking the ship and additional problems with the tender.)

 

In Kotor, we used Milo Popovic of ToursbyMilo (Facebook page). He was fun, well-informed, enthusiastic, and eager to introduce us to his beautiful country. We were the other car in tandem with id4Elizabeth.

 

In Santorini, Kostas was the man. (Santorini-private-guide). He was exceptional. We included a visit to ancient Akrotiri, which came alive thanks to him. For those with mobility issues, note that some travelers on the Viking tour were challenged getting back to the cable car, even though their tour was classified as easy. Viking tours tender to the larger port (accessible to tour busses), while independent travelers tender to the old port, where you will find the cable car. Private guides all wait at the cable car exit, atop the hillside, in Fira.

 

In Athens, we took another private day tour with PK Tours, also wonderful. Our driver also arranged for a private guide at the Acropolis as part of the tour.

 

Dubrovnik on your own is easy to do and you can free yourself from the crowded Viking group tours that numbered well over forty people when we went.

 

The Bosphorous cruise, included by Viking in Istanbul, is easy. It also included a stop at Rustem Pasha Mosque, not difficult except for having to remove your shoes beforehand. The other tours I arranged there involved lots and lots of walking.

 

Hope this helps.

Paquebot

Edited June 28, 2015 by paquebot

[id4elizabeth]

Thanks Pacquebot - I knew you would still have the info. The Milo she had for her car and the Diko we had for our car were "almost best freinds" - we all had a great time with both of them. So if Milo is already booked you might try Diko with MontTravelers.com.

 

We used EpesusShuttle.com for both Istanbul and Epesus. I was able to customize our excursion to take in exactly what we wanted to do. I think Ephesus is going to be your biggest challenge as VV said the only way to see it is on foot. I think the Terrace Houses are out of the question for you as there were at least 100 steps there and once inside, I don't remember anywhere to sit down. You could however see part of the Ephesus site starting in the middle (supposedly there's an entrance half way up) and then go to the Ephesus Museum, which is flat and has benches for sitting in every room, and it's a great little Museum. If you go on the EphesusShuttle.com Web site, I think you will find several different possibilities that would be relatively easy.

[pipedesign]

Lots of great info from all of you.

Yes we are on the Sep 2015 cruise and will sign up for the role call.

QUESTION: does anyone know if a visa is required for private tours at any of the ports of call. We know that you need a visa in Istanbul as we are staying there for a few days after the cruise.

 

Pipedesign

Canada

[sitraveler]

My running feud with Viking:

 

Visas are required for cruises starting or ending in Istanbul. It's done on line, US visas cost $20.00. (You can see my thread "They don't learn")

 

For US passengers, only Russia requires visas other than that for Viking Oceans current ports of call.