When do excursions show up online?

[Twitchly]

We’ve been on one Viking cruise a few years ago, and I can’t remember when you first see what excursions will be available. Does Viking notify you via email or something and tell you to check MVJ? I know you can’t book them until a certain date, depending on your room level (and I’m assuming Viking notifies you when that date rolls around, too). But when do you get to see a preview so you can plan? 

[millybess]

The dates you can book excursions and dining reservations are indicated on your invoice. Viking does send an email reminder about 24 hours before. We put a reminder on our devices when we book. 

[millybess]

You can get a very good idea of what might be on offer for your particular cruise on the Viking website. We have found that to be a good start for planning purposes. 

[LindaS272]

11 minutes ago, millybess said:

The dates you can book excursions and dining reservations are indicated on your invoice. Viking does send an email reminder about 24 hours before. We put a reminder on our devices when we book. 

Ah, no. It’s all gone to hell in a hand basket during the Welcome Back cruises, and even the post-Welcome Back cruises. You can take a look at the Viking website to see what excursions they might offer. And they claim they’ll notify you when it’s time to book. But in practice this summer, for us, booking a few cruises, they’ve only notified us once 24 hours in advance of when our booking was opening, and even then it didn’t happen when they said it would. In the old days, MVJ would show the excursions beforehand, then it would open for booking on the day based on your cabin category. But so far, not so good. Can’t really count on any of it!

[millybess]

Ah, yes — Covid times. Some people keep booking and cancelling and then booking again during Covid and expecting everything to be as it was. 

[Twitchly]

53 minutes ago, LindaS272 said:

Ah, no. It’s all gone to hell in a hand basket during the Welcome Back cruises, and even the post-Welcome Back cruises. You can take a look at the Viking website to see what excursions they might offer. And they claim they’ll notify you when it’s time to book. But in practice this summer, for us, booking a few cruises, they’ve only notified us once 24 hours in advance of when our booking was opening, and even then it didn’t happen when they said it would. In the old days, MVJ would show the excursions beforehand, then it would open for booking on the day based on your cabin category. But so far, not so good. Can’t really count on any of it!

Ah. That’s what I recall, that we could see the excursions ahead of time and plan which ones we wanted to sign up for before the date when we could actually book them. 
 

So, these days I won’t actually know what excursions are on offer until Viking makes them available to be booked? Yikes. That’s going to require some very quick (and high-pressure) decision-making.

[JeriGail]

6 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

Ah. That’s what I recall, that we could see the excursions ahead of time and plan which ones we wanted to sign up for before the date when we could actually book them. 
 

So, these days I won’t actually know what excursions are on offer until Viking makes them available to be booked? Yikes. That’s going to require some very quick (and high-pressure) decision-making.

Yes - I'm on a Sea cruise that leaves Barcelona November 29th.  I received no email when the excursions were available to book.  When they did show up, there was no time to preview - it was "choose quick and book quick."  Only a few excursions were the same as the ones listed on the web site.  A few days later Viking did add a couple of excursions to the original list.

[Messybill]

1 hour ago, LindaS272 said:

Ah, no. It’s all gone to hell in a hand basket during the Welcome Back cruises, and even the post-Welcome Back cruises. You can take a look at the Viking website to see what excursions they might offer. And they claim they’ll notify you when it’s time to book. But in practice this summer, for us, booking a few cruises, they’ve only notified us once 24 hours in advance of when our booking was opening, and even then it didn’t happen when they said it would. In the old days, MVJ would show the excursions beforehand, then it would open for booking on the day based on your cabin category. But so far, not so good. Can’t really count on any of it!

Yes, the world is not the same as it used to be, and whining about Viking not being able to provide the same service is not going anywhere.  Accept the change or don't.  In either case expectations need to be changed.

[LindaS272]

2 hours ago, Messybill said:

Yes, the world is not the same as it used to be, and whining about Viking not being able to provide the same service is not going anywhere.  Accept the change or don't.  In either case expectations need to be changed.

Excuse me? I was giving factual information about what’s been happening with Viking this year. You’re being rather harsh. Nobody’s “whining” here.

[DaveSJ711]

2 hours ago, Messybill said:

Yes, the world is not the same as it used to be, and whining about Viking not being able to provide the same service is not going anywhere.  Accept the change or don't.  In either case expectations need to be changed.

There’s no reason to accuse someone on this thread of “whining.” All of us know that the cruising experience has changed, including with Viking. Linda was simply recounting her factual experience this year with Viking’s website. Please don’t belittle her and others for what they’ve gone through.

[TayanaLorna]

For our July Welcome Back cruise we did get an email that excursions would be up and available for booking the day before.  However they opened on the same day for all cabin categories for 4 Iceland cruises.  It was insane and the website crashed.

 

For our TA in November they opened by room category and we did not get an email prior.  There was, however, a "1" in the upper right hand corner next to my name on MVJ.  When I clicked on it, it read Excursions are open for booking.  I had actually booked mine by the time I noticed the message.  It is getting better but far from normal.

 

Glad to be cruising nonetheless.

[Peregrina651]

On 9/25/2021 at 8:28 PM, LindaS272 said:

Ah, no. It’s all gone to hell in a hand basket during the Welcome Back cruises, and even the post-Welcome Back cruises. You can take a look at the Viking website to see what excursions they might offer. And they claim they’ll notify you when it’s time to book. But in practice this summer, for us, booking a few cruises, they’ve only notified us once 24 hours in advance of when our booking was opening, and even then it didn’t happen when they said it would. In the old days, MVJ would show the excursions beforehand, then it would open for booking on the day based on your cabin category. But so far, not so good. Can’t really count on any of it!

 

On 9/25/2021 at 9:42 PM, Messybill said:

Yes, the world is not the same as it used to be, and whining about Viking not being able to provide the same service is not going anywhere.  Accept the change or don't.  In either case expectations need to be changed.

 

Am I the only person who thinks that Messybill was actually agreeing with the OP and expanding on the topic? 

[lackcreativity]

9 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

 

Am I the only person who thinks that Messybill was actually agreeing with the OP and expanding on the topic? 

No, you are not!

[khm1]

I got an email 3 days AFTER excursions opened for booking on my November Viking cruise.  My best advice is to do what I did: Obsessively check My Viking Journey daily, sometimes twice per day. If I hadn't done that, I don't think I would have gotten the excursions that I wanted. They sold out very quickly.

[millybess]

Yes, keep an eye on MVJ.  Hopefully, gone are the days when you had to book at 3:00 A.M. eastern lol.  Booking excursions is always an exciting ride.  Part of the joy and anticipation of sailing with Viking.😉

[molymoo]

On 9/27/2021 at 8:10 AM, Peregrina651 said:

 

 

Am I the only person who thinks that Messybill was actually agreeing with the OP and expanding on the topic? 

 

I agree with you!  Unfortunately hyperbolic statements like "gone to hell in a handbasket" is a qualitative statement and makes it not "giving factual information" but stating an opinion and casting a judgement.  Whining?  Maybe, maybe not, but when you "pepper" your story with opinions and judgement don't be surprised when someone disagrees with you.  

[Peregrina651]

On 9/28/2021 at 3:23 PM, millybess said:

 Hopefully, gone are the days when you had to book at 3:00 A.M. eastern lol.

 

 

Yes, they are gone. That was changed pre-pandemic. They changed it to 3pm Eastern time.

[millybess]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

 

Yes, they are gone. That was changed pre-pandemic. They changed it to 3pm Eastern time.

That is good news that the booking time is earlier.  I just looked at our invoices for our two upcoming -- but still too far in the future -- cruises and they said 8:00pm Pacific.  Definitely an improvement!

[JeriGail]

16 minutes ago, millybess said:

That is good news that the booking time is earlier.  I just looked at our invoices for our two upcoming -- but still too far in the future -- cruises and they said 8:00pm Pacific.  Definitely an improvement!

Our Viking Sea TA opened specialty dining for DV cabins today, supposedly at 8PM Pacific, but it actually opened at 6AM Atlantic time.

[DaveSJ711]

3 hours ago, molymoo said:

 

I agree with you!  Unfortunately hyperbolic statements like "gone to hell in a handbasket" is a qualitative statement and makes it not "giving factual information" but stating an opinion and casting a judgement.  Whining?  Maybe, maybe not, but when you "pepper" your story with opinions and judgement don't be surprised when someone disagrees with you.  

 

I wouldn't call "hell in a handbasket" a hyperbolic statement. It's an American idiom with a rich history dating back to the Gold Rush. Earlier versions include "hell in a wheelbarrow" and "hell in a handcart." A more modern version is "hell in a handbag."

 

Anyway, I digress. The idiom accurately describes much of the cruise experience these days, including Viking's chaotic process for booking shore excursions. That was Linda's point. 

[MarkTapley]

10 minutes ago, DaveSJ711 said:

The idiom accurately describes much of the cruise experience these days, including Viking's chaotic process for booking shore excursions.

I probably wouldn’t have used the verbiage that Linda used, but I can’t disagree with the sentiment.  We’ve traveling internationally since 1977;  planning our land trip to Iceland in August was simple, but arranging everything for the voyage on Sky by far was one of the most aggravating, stressful pre-trip experiences of our travels.  Particularly booking the excursions;  chaos is a good word.  But the cruise itself was great, as was our land trip.

[millybess]

2 hours ago, JeriGail said:

Our Viking Sea TA opened specialty dining for DV cabins today, supposedly at 8PM Pacific, but it actually opened at 6AM Atlantic time.

Even better! 👍

[Twitchly]

Our cruise is 3 months away, and MVJ still says “shore excursions are not available at this time, we are working with our local operators, etc.” Since our cruise includes Israel and Israel is currently closed, I’m guessing that’s the main holdup here. 
 

For those of you who did finally get to preview excursions for your cruise, how far in advance did they show up? Weeks? Months?

[philw1776]

1 hour ago, MarkTapley said:

I probably wouldn’t have used the verbiage that Linda used, but I can’t disagree with the sentiment.  We’ve traveling internationally since 1977;  planning our land trip to Iceland in August was simple, but arranging everything for the voyage on Sky by far was one of the most aggravating, stressful pre-trip experiences of our travels.  Particularly booking the excursions;  chaos is a good word.  But the cruise itself was great, as was our land trip.

Agree.
Malta was far worse except for excursion planning.
Mostly a function of airlines sudden flight changes (day of!) and countries shifting regulations.
Viking Highly Recommended a test within 72 hrs which we found impossible where we live with flight the Wednesday after Labor Day. Fortunately nobody asked for our not-yet-received test results.
Most travel stress ever.

Edited September 30, 2021 by philw1776

[DaveSJ711]

1 hour ago, MarkTapley said:

We’ve traveling internationally since 1977;  planning our land trip to Iceland in August was simple, but arranging everything for the voyage on Sky by far was one of the most aggravating, stressful pre-trip experiences of our travels.  Particularly booking the excursions;  chaos is a good word.

 

To hell in a hand basket (and back).