Excursion & Restaurant Booking Time Changed?

[Pushka]

1 hour ago, Little Monty said:

 

Pushka ... MVJ does in fact state 7.01am Australian Eastern Standard Time (thanks Richard2 for the tip). 

 

Visit My Shorex Excursions page

*at 12:01 PM Pacific Time, 3:01 PM Eastern Time, 8:01 PM GMT, 7:01 AM AEST and 9:01 AM NZST

 

However it also says 8.01pm Greenich Mean Time and we (Brisbane) are 10 hours ahead of GMT so 8.01pm GMT is equal to 6.01am AEST (not 7.01am).

 

I am totally confused.

 

I don’t think they’ve realised we are still on daylight savings time. 

 

They have stated AEST and not AEDST. 

 

It is quite real. It’s happening. Or rather is already in place. What has completely messed it up is that DST has kicked in the USA but is still on in Australia for another 2 weeks. Couple that with no notice to booked people, even those who were due to book the day of the change, and waiting until midnight. 

 

My window is now this Thursday morning I’m saying is 5.30 am my time. I will wake up as I’m an early bird and will report back. 

Edited March 18, 2019 by Pushka

[RetroRod]

Richard2 thanks for the post that “clarifies” the new excursions booking times. Something that is important to a lot of people is buried in Help FAQ. Amazing. Another example that Viking has a good product, good service (generally speaking) but their front office has a lot to be desired in performance. 

[Viking Cruises]

Greetings,

 

We’re happy to step in to provide information and clarify confusion about the new booking windows that have been discussed on this thread.

 

As of March 16th, the time at which shore excursions, dining and spa appointments go on sale has been adjusted from 12am PST to 12pm PST. This adjustment was made with all guests in mind, and after careful review of feedback from past Viking travelers around the globe.

 

While My Viking Journey accounts, as well as our website FAQ section, were immediately updated to reflect this change, email notices communicating the correct times are also being distributed to each impacted guest the day before their booking window opens.

 

We appreciate this opportunity to share the news and hope you all remain excited to plan your upcoming voyages. We continue to welcome any questions or feedback at tellus@vikingcruises.com.

 

Thank you for traveling with us, and for being a valued member of this community.

 

Best regards,

Viking Cruises

[zitsky]

It would be nice if the dining reservation FAQ was updated the same way, for clarity.

[RetroRod]

The Viking post re: the timing change for excursions is the same verbiage I received via email. Kudos to Viking for putting this out on CC. However, burying this subject in MVJ FAQ, with an asterisk, makes finding out about the change very difficult for most people. I guess being in CA I don’t have to set my alarm clock now😊

[Little Monty]

52 minutes ago, Viking Cruises said:

Greetings,

 

We’re happy to step in to provide information and clarify confusion about the new booking windows that have been discussed on this thread.

 

As of March 16th, the time at which shore excursions, dining and spa appointments go on sale has been adjusted from 12am PST to 12pm PST. This adjustment was made with all guests in mind, and after careful review of feedback from past Viking travelers around the globe.

 

While My Viking Journey accounts, as well as our website FAQ section, were immediately updated to reflect this change, email notices communicating the correct times are also being distributed to each impacted guest the day before their booking window opens.

 

We appreciate this opportunity to share the news and hope you all remain excited to plan your upcoming voyages. We continue to welcome any questions or feedback at tellus@vikingcruises.com.

 

Thank you for traveling with us, and for being a valued member of this community.

 

Best regards,

Viking Cruises

Thank you Viking.

 

So .. according to Google ... it is presently 5.20pm PST (Monday) on West Coast of US (but actually 6.20pm as daylight saving has commenced there).

 

On the East Coast of Australia it is presently 11.20am (Tuesday) in Brisbane but 12.20pm in Sydney (as they have daylight saving, and we don't).

 

So .. Brisbane 'standard' time is 18 hours ahead of PST.

 

So .. we are scheduled to book excursions this weekend. If they open at midday PST it will be 6am the next day in Brisbane (7am in Sydney, until daylight savings ends in a couple of weeks).

 

Simples ! 

 

Regards, LM

 

 

 

[Dauntless]

8 hours ago, zitsky said:

If you book 5 excursions and 1 is unavailable, do you still get the other 4?  Or do you have to go back and book the others separately?

 

Once you decide what you want and know the time to book, I say pull up any fee excursion and get it paid for.  When paid for, your time is secured.  Then go back for included and there are usually more time choices for those so you can see how everything works together.  I , for what ever reason you cannot book an excursion you want then you have  to see how you can make it happen.  That path is determined by you.  You can keep checking back to see if something opens, see if there are any private excursions leaving from the ship that are not Viking related or check through other options of groups that might offer shore excursions for that port.

[zitsky]

Just received a courtesy email from Viking, noting that they updated the FAQ about dining reservations, just like they did for excursions.  Thanks, Viking!

[soundcruiser]

Interesting - our booking window opens in 15 minutes, and no email from Viking yet.  I'll go to TellUs and let them know!

 

[Pushka]

1 hour ago, soundcruiser said:

Interesting - our booking window opens in 15 minutes, and no email from Viking yet.  I'll go to TellUs and let them know!

 

Good luck. Hope you get everything you want. Mine opens tomorrow. 

[Cyber Kat]

Thank you for posting this and thanks to Viking for confirming. Now I have to figure out Bermuda time!  And not plan on doing anything that day!

 

[RetroRod]

Our excursion booking window opens tomorrow March 21 @ 1201 PM Pacific and I just got an email from Viking reminding me of it. 

Edited March 21, 2019 by VJMAZZ
Clarify

[Pushka]

55 minutes ago, VJMAZZ said:

Our excursion booking window opens tomorrow March 21 @ 1201 PM Pacific and I just got an email from Viking reminding me of it. 

As did I yesterday but the time calculation for Australia was wrong and they opened an hour earlier than stated in the email.