Tips for New Viking Ocean Cruisers

[vnb2003]

That sounds right, although one thing I'm not sure of is whether you can get beer or wine at the Pool Grill and Mamsen's during their posted hours, or if the included beer/wine is just provided at the typical lunch/dinner venues (Dining Room, specialty restaurants, World Cafe). Does anybody know?

 

Can't say about Pool Grill but we had wine while at Mamsen's. They were bringing it from the Explorer bar that actually next to Mamsen's. We had Silver package but I saw that everyone had either beer or wine.

[vnb2003]

Too bad I don't use T-Mobile. Am stuck with AT&T because of the corporate discount I have. AT&T's international plan sucks.

 

I am thinking of getting a cheap SIM card (1 GB or less) in Venice if I come across a tech accessory store. SIM cards usually cost less in Europe than in the US. If not, I guess we'll still be okay with free WIFI onboard and port terminals.

 

Have a wonderful voyage with your mom! I'm also traveling with my mom. :)

 

Verizon has Travelpass that activates with your first call or text or email while outside USA. The cost is $10 for 24 hours. If you don't use it after that period, Verizon don't charge. The moment you use your phone, new 24 hours period starts. The cost is $5 for 24 h period in Canada and Mexico.

[vnb2003]

Continental breakfast is available at the bar on deck 1 and Mamsen on Deck 7 and is available starting at 6:30 am until almost lunch time (when they swap the pastries for sandwiches).

 

Mmmm, their sandwiches...some of the soups were very good too. They also have warm sandwiches (y)

[vnb2003]

I hope so!! And if that is the case 9:30 might be way too early to stop serving breakfast!!

 

I am also hopeful that Christmas Day will be special - we have never been gone from family on that holiday.

 

We loved room service for breakfast. Put your choices outside by 11 pm and they bring your breakfast at exact time you specified. The food was yummy and hot. I guess being on the 6 deck helped. Buffet was very close to us. Whoever is going to cruise on Viking Star try room service croissants - it's insanely good! Warm, buttery, extremely light and flaky. My mouth is watering while I'm writing this...haha

[roothy123]

Thanks Peregrina! I knew Mamsens would be open but wasn't aware of the bar on deck one. Sounds like not only is that 'the coffee' place, but all types of light offerings I missed last time!!

The nibbles on deck one (Viking Bar) are available in other venues and are nothing special, but the location is great because it's mid-ship. Passengers located mid-ship (especially on lower decks) don't have far to go to get a quick/easy coffee and muffin (or whatever) and people located way forward or way aft don't have to go more than half the length of the ship to get a light breakfast!

 

It's also a good spot for early birds to have a cup of coffee and maybe a small pastry while waiting for a spouse to wake up and want "real" breakfast!

[Vineyard View]

We loved room service for breakfast. Put your choices outside by 11 pm and they bring your breakfast at exact time you specified. The food was yummy and hot. I guess being on the 6 deck helped. Buffet was very close to us. Whoever is going to cruise on Viking Star try room service croissants - it's insanely good! Warm, buttery, extremely light and flaky. My mouth is watering while I'm writing this...haha

 

Vnb- great suggestion about room service for breakfast. We used it quite often when we were leaving early in the mornings, but it hadn't clicked in my brain to use it when I wasn't in a hurry! Takes a village sometimes!:')

[BarbarianPaul]

Continental breakfast is available at the bar on deck 1 and Mamsen on Deck 7 and is available starting at 6:30 am until almost lunch time (when they swap the pastries for sandwiches).

 

 

 

We found that Mamsen's breakfast selection, aside from delicious waffles, was very limited, and it's hours varied from day to day, so it was hard to count on when you missed the breakfast in the world cafe. And we just didn't like the equally limited selections from the bar on deck 1. We absolutely loved our cruise, and will sail again on Viking, but the 9:30 AM closing time for the world cafe did turn into an inconvenience more than once for us on the cruise. We really wish they would expand those hours.

 

 

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[kelariz]

Here is a little helpful something. Everyday we took a photo on my phone of the days schedule, it came in so handy as the restaurant times could change from day to day. You always had the updated info with you. Also, right before we left the ship, we took a picture of the front of the port guide on our regular camera. It was so great to be sure of what city we took all the following photos in. A helpful thing to know is that the port guides are available down in the tour booking area every morning, they usually have them as you are leaving the ship also.

 

We also failed to take advantage of the ability of the tour booking people, (concierge maybe?)(can't remember the proper name of the staff) to make change for us. They won't change from one currency to another, but they will break a large bill and you constantly need change to tip drivers!

[vnb2003]

Vnb- great suggestion about room service for breakfast. We used it quite often when we were leaving early in the mornings, but it hadn't clicked in my brain to use it when I wasn't in a hurry! Takes a village sometimes!:')

 

Yep! ;)

[smithp7]

We loved room service for breakfast. Put your choices outside by 11 pm and they bring your breakfast at exact time you specified. The food was yummy and hot. I guess being on the 6 deck helped. Buffet was very close to us. Whoever is going to cruise on Viking Star try room service croissants - it's insanely good! Warm, buttery, extremely light and flaky. My mouth is watering while I'm writing this...haha

This is great advice vnb2003! We have some early morning excursions and I'll definitely be ordering room service the night before. Especially the light,buttery croissants 😊

[philw1776]

Here is a little helpful something. Everyday we took a photo on my phone of the days schedule, it came in so handy as the restaurant times could change from day to day. You always had the updated info with you. Also, right before we left the ship, we took a picture of the front of the port guide on our regular camera. It was so great to be sure of what city we took all the following photos in. A helpful thing to know is that the port guides are available down in the tour booking area every morning, they usually have them as you are leaving the ship also.

 

We also failed to take advantage of the ability of the tour booking people, (concierge maybe?)(can't remember the proper name of the staff) to make change for us. They won't change from one currency to another, but they will break a large bill and you constantly need change to tip drivers!

 

 

Great tips!

The Explorer's Desk port side just off the Living Room is where to get your Euros (only) change.

[BarbarianPaul]

Here is a little helpful something. Everyday we took a photo on my phone of the days schedule, it came in so handy as the restaurant times could change from day to day. You always had the updated info with you. Also, right before we left the ship, we took a picture of the front of the port guide on our regular camera. It was so great to be sure of what city we took all the following photos in. A helpful thing to know is that the port guides are available down in the tour booking area every morning, they usually have them as you are leaving the ship also.

 

 

 

We also failed to take advantage of the ability of the tour booking people, (concierge maybe?)(can't remember the proper name of the staff) to make change for us. They won't change from one currency to another, but they will break a large bill and you constantly need change to tip drivers!

 

 

 

Also, if you use an iPhone, or any sort of wifi enabled camera, you'll find that all your daily pictures are automatically put into an album labeled by their location.

 

 

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[snookie1]

This has probably been discussed before, but I don't remember the answer: I assume we tip the tour guides on the included tours. What is the usual tip for them? And do we also tip the bus driver? Just want to be sure we have the necessary change set aside for them. We are doing the West Indies Caribbean cruise in November; does anyone know if we can use American dollars in all ports, at least for the tips? (I think I read that Euros are used in St Marteen and Guadaloupe, at least in the shops; does that sound right?) Thanks!:)

[philw1776]

Yes, tip guide & driver.

Viking Ocean Europe uses euros and advises 2 euros for guide and 1 for driverYour cruise booklet from Viking will address this question specifically

[orchestrapal]

This has probably been discussed before, but I don't remember the answer: I assume we tip the tour guides on the included tours. What is the usual tip for them? And do we also tip the bus driver? Just want to be sure we have the necessary change set aside for them. We are doing the West Indies Caribbean cruise in November; does anyone know if we can use American dollars in all ports, at least for the tips? (I think I read that Euros are used in St Marteen and Guadaloupe, at least in the shops; does that sound right?) Thanks!:)

 

Since most cruise lines use US$ you will be fine tipping off the ship and probably even on!

[roothy123]

I imagine euros, and often USD, are accepted on the island of Saint Martin, although the exchange rate may be poor and you may get change in local money no matter what currency you use. However, just for information purposes, part of the island is a territory (or something like that) that is associated with France and the other part (including Philipsburgh, where cruises go) is associated with the Netherlands. Therefore, I think two types of money are used on the island - euros in Saint Martin (French) and some other form of money in Sint Maarten (Dutch). For excursion tips, I would just keep it simple and use USD, but only bills, no coins.

[BarbarianPaul]

This has probably been discussed before, but I don't remember the answer: I assume we tip the tour guides on the included tours. What is the usual tip for them? And do we also tip the bus driver? Just want to be sure we have the necessary change set aside for them. We are doing the West Indies Caribbean cruise in November; does anyone know if we can use American dollars in all ports, at least for the tips? (I think I read that Euros are used in St Marteen and Guadaloupe, at least in the shops; does that sound right?) Thanks!:)

 

 

 

For what it's worth, we saw only about 50% of the group, at best, tip the guides on the included tours.

 

 

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[jiminyC_fan]

For what it's worth, we saw only about 50% of the group, at best, tip the guides on the included tours.

 

 

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I noticed the no tipping as well and it angered me watching them scoot around the driver and guide. Sheesh.

[Vineyard View]

For what it's worth, we saw only about 50% of the group, at best, tip the guides on the included tours.

 

 

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What an incredibly sad statement of behavior. I honestly find it pretty amazing that the suggested amount to tip is so low.

Even If we just take the bus tour to get where we want to go, then let the guide know we will be back to the bus at departure time so we can DIY in that port (which we are always on time for), we are still going to tip that person.

Geez.

[deec]

Viking should just increase cost of tour $5 and there would be no hassle. Perhaps some of the people were poor plannners and had no small bills/coins.

[roothy123]

Well, I think more than 50% of the people I was with on included excursions in June tipped. However, since there were a lot of twosomes or small groups/families who may have had one person tip for both people/all members of group, it was a little hard to tell. I know I never tipped, but my husband covered my portion. He always carries cash; I sometimes don't.

 

I think for one thing, most ocean cruisers aren't used to tipping on ship excursions, because I don't think that's customary on many other (if any) cruise lines - and people assume the cruise line's price adequately covers tips for guides and drivers. (On Viking, it may or may not!) You might say, "If they read the booklet Viking sent them, they'd know that Viking excursions were different." However, it always amazes me how little some people DO read, even if the information is right in front of them. Then of course there are the usual "might be" factors - cruisers were starving, needed a bathroom, in a hurry, didn't bring money, didn't want to wait while 35 people tipped and possibly chatted with tour guide and bus driver, etc.

[Peregrina651]

I noticed the no tipping as well and it angered me watching them scoot around the driver and guide. Sheesh.

 

And then there are the non-Americans on the cruises who are not accustomed to the American way of tipping everybody. They aren't being malicious; they are just behaving the way they behave at home.

[bbmom30]

Since a lot of river cruise (only) passengers, I thought it might be helpful to start a "Tips" thread for new Viking Ocean cruisers to read before their upcoming ocean cruise. Ocean cruising IS, after all, a bit different from river cruising. Feel free to add your own comments, and please correct me if I'm wrong about something. It's been almost 2 years since I was on Star, so things may have changed.

 

On embarkation (arrival) day you're required to be on board the ship 2 hours pre-departure. You'll be expected to attend a short muster drill before the ship departs. There is no standardized time, but often for cruises in which the ship spends a night at the embarkation port, it is around that 2 hour mark. Almost always, from what I've heard, it does NOT affect dinner.

 

As of Sept. 2015, the "back on board" time was a half hour pre-departure time for the remaining ports. Viking will tell you every day what that time is. If you're tendering (getting on a small boat to be taken ashore) the time of the last tender will be announced as well. For us in the Med in 2015, it was a half hour pre-departure.

 

You have to take your ship key card with you when you go off the ship, as well as when you leave the room, of course. (The doors won't stay open even if you want them too - fire suppression technique, I suppose). The card will be scanned when you leave the ship and scanned when you return. You may also have to show it to get into a port area or port terminal. I carry a lanyard-type thing to hold mine (photo here): http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/image/165572124

 

You'll need to put bags through an x-ray when you return to the ship - or sometimes in a port terminal. (They are not looking for alcohol, just dangerous things.) You'll also go through a scanner.

 

It's a big ship, so when I get on board, I usually make note of what's around each elevator bank, and whether I need to turn right or left to get to my room. (They're are two banks of elevators, although I'm thinking one may be smaller than the other.)

 

If anyone mentions "port side" it's the side on the left as you're facing the water ahead. Please call the ship a ship, not a boat. These ships are 48,000 tons of ship!

 

Ocean cruises often stop in places where the dock is far from center city. Keep that in mind when making plans. Of course, in just about every place I've been, especially Europe, cabs were lined up waiting for fares, so you're not stuck. Also note that just because a cruise ship docked a particular place last year or last week, that doesn't mean it will dock there on your cruise. Dock (or tender) locations and decisions are dictated by the port, not the cruise line. (Sorry, no walking through other river ships to get to yours!)

 

Occasionally (in some ports) Viking (and other cruise lines) will keep your passport for most or all of the cruise. In many ports, you'll be told to that an ID ashore. These things are usually dictated by the countries you're visiting. Some countries require that no food be taken ashore. Remember to take the quiet vox box on tours, although occasionally the tour guides won't use them. Remember to charge them after use!

 

Don't forget there's an electrical outlet alongside the bed. There's also a coffee maker (very strong coffee in my opinion), hairdryer, and snacks and binoculars in/on the desk. (I love that desk!) Your room steward can get you more hangers if you want. If the coverlet's too hot at night you can ask for something else. We put our luggage under the bed. We usually take a few basic meds like Tylenol and Pepto Bismal tabs. However, there IS a doctor and nurse on Viking, and I think there ARE basic things like cold medicine in the ship store. However, the store isn't always open (mostly closed while in port due to country regulations). If you need something, I think you can call the nurse 24/7, though - ask at Explorer's Desk. You can view Viking info (restaurant reservations etc.) on the TV.

 

Mid-cruise Viking will send around a questionnaire asking or verifying how/when you'll be leaving the ship. Then they'll assign you a time to depart. If you have independent plans, it sounds like you can leave fairly late, at least compared to what other cruise lines do. You'll have to be out of your room by around 8, though. Viking puts all bags ashore, after you place them outside your door the night before. (Therefore you need a small carryon, or at least a bag! Keep out what you'll need in the AM. Viking will have this and more spelled out in their disembarkation information.)

 

If you have a Viking transfer to the airport, expect to get up VERY early. It's just what cruise lines have to do....

 

If you want to be outside on the deck while the ship's moving, or after dinner, you may need some warm clothing. It's always colder in the wind.

 

If you want a quiet but possibly salty place to be by yourself with a 360 degree view, the aft part of deck 2 is a winner. I'll probably be there for cruising the last half hour to Geiranger and other places where I want to do photography without a crowd. It was an excellent spot for our departure from Kotor in 2015.

 

If you tender, wear decent shoes and try to keep both hands/arms free. The tender crew like to be able to offer a hand with tendering, as steps and low ceilings can be a bit tricky. I'm pretty mobile and coordinated, but still, I usually put my arm out so they can grab it and help me.

 

Don't miss eating dinner at least once in the World Cafe. It's not an ordinary buffet - and if the weather's good, you can eat outside. Also, if you like scones, hot ones, plan to eat dinner late that evening - very filling and great.

 

If you're looking for a library, there isn't one. However, there are books scattered about in various places. Go looking...

 

Someone else can probably fill you in on the latest tips for getting additional specialty restaurant reservations, if that interests you. I'm running out of steam...

 

I have some photos and documents from our 2015 cruise that might be helpful to look at. Just keep in mind things may have changed since then. Here's link: http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/viking_star_&page=all

 

Enjoy your cruise. I know you will.

 

We are considering a cruise next year and trying to select our rooms which appear to be near the Explorer lounge deck 8. Did you have any experience with noise from the Explorer lounge?

[fairbourne]

And then there are the non-Americans on the cruises who are not accustomed to the American way of tipping everybody. They aren't being malicious; they are just behaving the way they behave at home.

 

As "non-Americans" who know perfectly well to tip tour guides and drivers, we were truly shocked at the number of Americans (and others of course) who did the swerve around the guide and coach driver on excursions! It was embarrassing! We think the small amount suggested by Viking is too low.

[vnb2003]

Well, I think more than 50% of the people I was with on included excursions in June tipped. However, since there were a lot of twosomes or small groups/families who may have had one person tip for both people/all members of group, it was a little hard to tell. I know I never tipped, but my husband covered my portion. He always carries cash; I sometimes don't.

 

I think for one thing, most ocean cruisers aren't used to tipping on ship excursions, because I don't think that's customary on many other (if any) cruise lines - and people assume the cruise line's price adequately covers tips for guides and drivers. (On Viking, it may or may not!) You might say, "If they read the booklet Viking sent them, they'd know that Viking excursions were different." However, it always amazes me how little some people DO read, even if the information is right in front of them. Then of course there are the usual "might be" factors - cruisers were starving, needed a bathroom, in a hurry, didn't bring money, didn't want to wait while 35 people tipped and possibly chatted with tour guide and bus driver, etc.

1. 99% of the couples that were on our included tour tipped. It was one person from a couple that did this. It's much quicker that way and i think our groups realized this.

2. I'm 100% agree with you about how little people read. Its amazing to me to read some complains in the reviews. What?! You didn't know that? It's been written on the main website, myvikingjourney, your documents, etc. All information was at your fingertips, you just needed to lift that finger. And IF you didn't have an answer to your question, ask CC, email or call Viking.