Cant get dinner reservations before 8pm yet only just opened for bookings !!

[KBs mum]

Sorry the above reply sounds abrupt, not my intention, the signal dropped out as I was editing it. Turns out a tree flattened the phone/Internet line. 

 

I was adding that the River ships have satellite phones, available to pax in emergencies via the switchboard, they didn't charge us for a call to our insurance during a medical issue. 

 

I think that satellite phones use radio rather than internet signals, but I could be mistaken. 

 

The differing terms and conditions are understandable, given differing consumer laws, the restaurant booking thing is odd, I had another trawl through the UK website, and couldn't see anything relating to being able to book for the restaurant. 

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, KBs mum said:

Sorry the above reply sounds abrupt, not my intention, the signal dropped out as I was editing it. Turns out a tree flattened the phone/Internet line. 

 

I was adding that the River ships have satellite phones, available to pax in emergencies via the switchboard, they didn't charge us for a call to our insurance during a medical issue. 

 

I think that satellite phones use radio rather than internet signals, but I could be mistaken. 

 

The differing terms and conditions are understandable, given differing consumer laws, the restaurant booking thing is odd, I had another trawl through the UK website, and couldn't see anything relating to being able to book for the restaurant. 

 

All communications from the ships, while at sea, use the satellites to bounce the signal back to a Ground Earth Station.

 

Ships have not used R/T (radio) communications for many, many years. Everything now is via satellite. If you make a call from the ship, the signal is bounced off the satellite to an earth station, where it is connected to the land based phone system.

 

If using the wifi on the ship, everything you upload & download is bounced off the satellite to/from an earth station, where it is connected to the servers. 

Edited December 10, 2021 by Heidi13

[Cienfuegos]

Keeping on the satellite theme, SpaceX has launched hundreds of small StarLink satellites to enhance communications in areas which currently lack phone and internet service. It will be interesting to see how this affects communications from ship to shore.

[Shelvin]

We were on Ancient Mediterranean Treasures cruise on Viking Jupiter in November and thought the same thing... But when we got on the cruise, we could pretty much get reservations wherever and whenever we wished.  The cruise had less than 400 passengers and my understanding is that December cruises will be 2/3 full...  This is what a bartender told us.  It did seem pretty empty compared to our pre-covid cruises on Viking Ocean.

[Eggtuary]

My MDR reservations just opened up today, right on schedule (100 days out for PV).  All time slots were open for every day. 
 

I don’t say this to rub it in, but as a data point that maybe the dining reservation system is getting back to normal.  Now if only my excursion options would show up. 🙂

[Cienfuegos]

I wonder if the shore excursion providers are also seeing a reluctance of local guides and drivers to accept assignments?

[Mich3554]

2 hours ago, Cienfuegos said:

I wonder if the shore excursion providers are also seeing a reluctance of local guides and drivers to accept assignments?

I doubt it.  Every guide we have had have said how grateful they are to see tourists, and to be back at work.  We have yet to have a lackluster guide this trip, unlike in previous years.

[lonagarr]

On 12/7/2021 at 3:05 PM, KBs mum said:

This is why there is a limit on how many bookings you can make prior to the cruise. Everybody gets their guaranteed bookings in the speciality rastaurants, hopefully at times that suit, then it opens up when on board. 

This is all on Viking's website with the cabin info. The main restaurant doesn't ordinarily take bookings, if they are needed it's a covid social distancing precaution. 

Sounds like your TA doesn't know the product they are selling, and you didn't do any research about what you are buying. 

 

If you dislike Viking so much probably best to cancel, to be honest if you think casual dining is beneath you, you probably won't fit in with the relaxed atmosphere, now you've got your knickers in a twist. 

 

AMEN!!!!