Viking pre-excursion in Bangkok - badly organized, waste of time

[Steerpike58]

Our cruise started in Bangkok (to Hong Kong).  We took the optional 'pre-excursion' to get a better look at the city. This was only a 2-night extension, and cost $600 (x2 = $1200). Our scheduled arrival at Bangkok on Sunday wasn't until around 11pm, and that flight was delayed a few hours - not Viking's fault - so didn't get to the hotel till 3am Monday (it sounded like other Viking arrivals that night had to wait at the airport for our delayed flight, so it wasn't so great for them - I heard some of them had really early-morning departures for some long excursions).  Hotel was very nice - Shangri-La, located on the main river, lovely views from the room. Great breakfast at the hotel. 

 

Up early Monday morning for the one 'included' excursion - a pretty decent whistle-stop tour of various temples (including the Grand Palace - very impressive, though hotter than hell and incredibly crowded!). A very mediocre lunch was provided; coach pulled up at some non-descript location (looked like a spare 'event room' at a hotel), and a buffet was provided. I love Thai food and the offerings were very 'tame'. But it was passable. The late afternoon / evening was 'free time', and we had a great time exploring Bangkok. So that was a reasonable day in Bangkok (Monday). 

 

The next day (Tuesday) was a massive waste of time. We were told we had to have our luggage outside our rooms at 8am, and that we would have to identify our luggage in the lobby at 11:30am, and that we would have to depart for the ship at 1pm.  So that means the whole morning was virtually shot, since you had to be back at the hotel for that 11:30am 'ID'.  We actually saw our luggage in the staging area at around 9am, but they said we still had to re-do this at 11:30am.  So all we had time to do was hop on the hotel's river boat shuttle to the 'IconSiam' center across the water for a couple of hours (we could have done more had we known the plan ahead of time). Once we identified our luggage at 11:30am (took all of 30 seconds), we then had to wait for the coach to the ship at 1pm. 

 

The ride to the ship was about 2.5 hours in heavy traffic. Once we got to the ship, around 4pm, there was NOTHING to do; the ship was docked in a massive cargo terminal (with a view of cars and containers waiting to be loaded), with nothing but a small terminal building that had a few vendors selling trinkets. Going back into Bangkok for the evening would be another 2.5 hours there, 2.5 hours back, in bad traffic. So we just hung out on the ship. Why did we have to leave the hotel at 1pm when the ship didn't depart till the next day? Why not leave at 6pm, or at least offer that as an option? (I think some travelers just want to get on the ship ... mind boggling!). 

 

The next day (Wednesday) was the first official day of the cruise, and there was an included tour of Bangkok. Whoop-de-do - another 2.5 hours drive into Bangkok, a tour of the same sites we saw Monday on the 'pre-', then a 2.5 hour drive back to the ship (for a 6pm departure) ... we declined and just hung out on the ship (and had a 1 hour Thai massage for $20 each at the small terminal - the one saving grace!). 

 

Had we known how this was going to pan out, we would have either saved the $1200 and skipped the 'extension', or, paid for an EXTRA night at the Shangri-La ($2-300) Tuesday night, and stayed a third night at the hotel, and (if necessary) arranged our own transportation to the ship on departure day.

 

That $1200 (for 2) extension basically boiled down to two nights at the Shangri-La (probably a $400 cost to Viking), an airport and a ship transfer, a mediocre meal, and a single few-hour excursion on the Monday.  Not what I'd call good value, and a real wasted opportunity to spend a full day in Bangkok on the Tuesday. 

[WanderingBrit]

Viking certainly does seem to have a good markup on extensions - the value calculation has looked similar the couple of times I've evaluated their offerings in other parts of the world.

[Selion]

I struggle to find value in Viking's short extensions.  Viking wanted $400pp (or was it $600pp?) for a 2-day extension in Athens.  We passed on that.  Booked our own hotel and transfers, and had a wonderful time in Athens at about half the cost of Viking's extension.

[Peregrina651]

First, thank you for the heads up.

 

Second, please share with Viking directly everything you have shared with us here. TellUs@vikingcruises.com. Tell them everything just as you have shared here. They can't fix what they don't know is broken.

 

While I agree that 2 night extensions tend to be a waste, no matter where you are in the world, yours seemed to be particularly poorly organized and poorly thought out. Your arrival at the airport was certainly not up to Viking's standards. 

 

The normal protocol is not to punish those who have arrived on time. What normally would have happened was that the bus would have left for the hotel on time. Then, either you would have been asked to take a cab to the hotel (for which you would have been reimbursed once you boarded the ship) or a car would have been arranged to take you to the hotel. 

 

The transfer to the ship was also a disaster. Why on earth were were you not taken to the ship in time for lunch?? Failing that, it could very easily have been a full day tour with a lunch stop. It has been done elsewhere, why not here?

 

 

[taiwan_girl]

10 hours ago, Steerpike58 said:

a 1 hour Thai massage for $20 each at the small terminal

Having lived in BKK, the Thai massages are something that I really really liked - still about $10 in town, surprisingly no increase from pre-COVID times.

[pavementends]

The traffic in Bangkok is indeed horrific. But then Viking- or the organizer of the pre-cruise- knew that.

 

It seems to me that a much better description of these tours is warranted. This one should almost have come with a warning. Of particular concern to ME is timing, especially length of time on a bus.

 

I did a pre-cruise in Athens, which was more days and was OK. In that case I did not want to get involved in detailed planning so I took the easy way out. But I have come to the conclusion that it is much more satisfactory to (1) make my own flight arrangements to arrive a few days early and (2) organize my own hotel, transportation, and activities. Considering that pre-cruise tours are fairly pricey, it is possible to book excellent hotels, a limo from the airport and to the port, and taxis to get directly to attractions, AND still come out ahead.

[kctwinmommy]

8 hours ago, Selion said:

I struggle to find value in Viking's short extensions.  Viking wanted $400pp (or was it $600pp?) for a 2-day extension in Athens.  We passed on that.  Booked our own hotel and transfers, and had a wonderful time in Athens at about half the cost of Viking's extension.

Yes, we're doing the 4-day Athens pre-extension, and it was $2000 for the 2 of us, but the 2 day one was like $1300 for the 2 of us and seemed to offer so little. I know many can, and do, end up booking all their own things, but like someone else said, we're doing it for the ease. This is our first Viking cruise, so we just want to get there and have things taken care of from the get go. And, I think we'd only save a couple hundred on our own. Our 4 day one has 3 tours with it (2 of them are outside of Athens), plus the hotel for 4 nights, so not too bad. Although the price did increase since we booked.

[Steerpike58]

6 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

First, thank you for the heads up.

 

Second, please share with Viking directly everything you have shared with us here. TellUs@vikingcruises.com. Tell them everything just as you have shared here. They can't fix what they don't know is broken.

I made direct contact with the 'shore excursions director' (or whatever his title is) on the ship and got an email address for him; he asked me to write up my concerns and send to him. It wasn't his personal address, but an address for (I believe) the specific ship. I will cc the 'TellUs' address (which I hadn't heard about). 

 

6 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

While I agree that 2 night extensions tend to be a waste, no matter where you are in the world, yours seemed to be particularly poorly organized and poorly thought out. Your arrival at the airport was certainly not up to Viking's standards. 

 

The normal protocol is not to punish those who have arrived on time. What normally would have happened was that the bus would have left for the hotel on time. Then, either you would have been asked to take a cab to the hotel (for which you would have been reimbursed once you boarded the ship) or a car would have been arranged to take you to the hotel. 

We had issues with missed flights joining a cruise in Venice last year and experienced pretty much what you described - a 'personal limo' to the ship.  In the case above, I guess a lot of people were on the same flight as us so they punished the 'other' guys. As I recall, they had booked the excursion to Siem Reap for Angkor Wat and had a REALLY early departure - like 5am or similar - so they were really messed up! 

 

6 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

The transfer to the ship was also a disaster. Why on earth were were you not taken to the ship in time for lunch?? Failing that, it could very easily have been a full day tour with a lunch stop. It has been done elsewhere, why not here?

 

I'm not quite sure what you are getting at here; the last thing we wanted was to be taken to the ship in time for lunch - that would have wasted even more of our time in Bangkok. I would have preferred an evening transfer to the ship (or next day transfer). But I did overhear one passenger complaining that we weren't going to be on the ship at their expected registration time - so I guess some people really do like to be on the ship as soon as possible, and don't care about the beautiful city they are in. 

 

This will likely be our last 'pre/post' excursion with Viking. A recent post-excursion to Prague (from Austria) was also badly handled. We left the ship at around 10am, but instead of taking us straight to Prague, we were taken to a mediocre small town along the way and given a few hours on our own for 'lunch'.  It was a Sunday and most shops were closed, and there were no interesting places to eat.  We finally hit Prague around 4pm, and got stuck in very heavy traffic.  We could have been in Prague by 1pm had they taken us straight there. 

[CDNPolar]

This is very interesting to me because we have this very pre-extension booked for March of 2025.

 

I have read your review against the information Viking provide, and without any illusions, Viking don't promise more than what you got.  The second day of the pre-extension it says that your "day is free to explore more of Bangkok" but what it does not tell you is that because of the time you would leave the hotel you would have to be up at 5am and out exploring to be back in time to get on the bus....

 

I am not speaking against you, I am simply comparing what you are bringing in reality to Viking's description of the pre-extension package and whether there is any value in purchasing this.

 

We purchased this because we thought we would want to see more of Bangkok than the one day of the ship's itinerary.

 

We are now going to look at this seriously and decide if we will keep this.

 

If we do on our own in CAD it would be approximatey:

Taxi (Pre-arranged) Airport to Shangri La - $200.00

Shangri-La Basic room 2 nights - $700.00

Transport to Cruise Terminal  - $200.00

One day tour in Bangkok - $200.00

 

We paid $1,600.00 CAD - To do on own will cost give or take $1,300.00 CAD not including any meals (Viking only include 2 breakfast).

 

No matter how you look at this, I think that it would cost us near the same and we don't have to consider booking any transfers.

 

The transfer times back and forth to Bangkok are what they are.  I am not going to consider those.  However I don't want to spend 2.5 hours today travelling to the ship in the middle of the day and then back again tomorrow after boarding the ship.  That equates to 7.5 hours of total time on a bus that I could be spending in Bangkok.

 

The one BIG thing that I might take from this is to stay at the hotel one additional night and board the ship a day later.  Wonder if this can be arranged where Viking take us back to the ship one day late.

 

 

You got this for $600 USD pp, and our cost is $799 CAD which is about right for the conversion from USD to CAD.  Now it is on the MVJ as $$1,299.00 CAD pp.  Nice price increase.  Definitely would not buy this now at the current cost.

 

Here is what is currently on MVJ

 

Extend Your Cruise with 2 Nights in Bangkok

From $1,299 Per Person

Overview

 

• 2 hotel nights in Bangkok (as shown or similar)
• 2 meals: 2 breakfasts (B)
• 1 guided tour: Grand Palace & Wat Pho
• Services of a Viking Host
• All transfers

Itinerary

Day 1 - Bangkok

Fly to Bangkok and transfer to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you may choose to relax or begin exploring the city on your own. A Viking Host is available to help you plan your time in Bangkok so you can make the most of your visit.

Day 2 - Bangkok

Spend the morning at your leisure. This afternoon, take a guided tour of the Grand Palace, once the royal residence of the Chakri Kings and an excellent example of an ancient Siamese court. Built in 1782, it was the center of power for more than 150 years. Continue on to Wat Pho, one of Thailand’s most well-known temples. Here, you will see a 150-foot-tall reclining Buddha statue, the largest in Bangkok. Finally, stop at a flower market and browse its large selection of orchids. (B)

Day 3 - Bangkok

Your day is free to explore more of Bangkok, or you may wish to do some shopping—Bangkok offers everything from colorful open air markets to sophisticated shopping malls. Consider visiting Chinatown for some of the city’s best-tasting fare or a farmers’ market to sample local food. See one of the city’s many museums or embark on a traditional longtail boat ride. Or perhaps you would like to join a full-day optional tour to Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (B)

Hotels

Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok

Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, close to the shopping and business districts, this contemporary hotel has six dining options and three bars, a spa and an outdoor pool set amid tropical gardens. Guest rooms combine Thai tradition with modern comfort and are spaciously appointed throughout. 

Edited April 11 by CDNPolar

[Mich3554]

We are still on the Orion, got on in Bangkok, will get off in Vancouver.  
 

We did not fly directly to Bangkok, but flew to Bali so DH could dive for a couple weeks.  Then we took a flight to Bangkok.  We were there 4 days, on our own.  We stayed at the Okura hotel.  4 days was about $800 total, including a very good breakfast buffet.  Taxi to the hotel was inexpensive, as were local dinners.  We did catch a flight out to Chiang Mai to meet up with friends.  We had a car booked to take us to Laem Chang to meet the ship and I think it cost about $50 total.  Our 4 days in Bangkok, transport (not including the side trip) and food included probably cost us around $1000.  
 

Extensions provided by Viking are really not worth it.  We did it once, last year before the world cruise and it just was not a good value for our $$.  We could have stayed at the same hotel (or better) for less.  The only difference is that there is some research involved.  

[natshala]

We just did our first Viking cruise and opted for the post extension in Rome. Although pricey, we enjoyed the post ext with fellow travelers we had met onboard on our long journey. In fact, we arranged for a wonderful city tour with another couple with whom we became friends. We knew it was no bargain, but to us, it was worth it at least this one time.

[Steerpike58]

On 4/11/2024 at 2:55 AM, CDNPolar said:

This is very interesting to me because we have this very pre-extension booked for March of 2025.

 

I have read your review against the information Viking provide, and without any illusions, Viking don't promise more than what you got.  The second day of the pre-extension it says that your "day is free to explore more of Bangkok" but what it does not tell you is that because of the time you would leave the hotel you would have to be up at 5am and out exploring to be back in time to get on the bus....

 

I am not speaking against you, I am simply comparing what you are bringing in reality to Viking's description of the pre-extension package and whether there is any value in purchasing this.

I can't say Viking out-and-out lied, but by saying that Day 2 is a 'free day to explore Bangkok' is certainly of dubious accuracy! 

 

On Day 1, we had to meet in the lobby at 8:00am for the 'briefing' (I took a photo of the instructions so I wouldn't forget), and we departed for the actual day 1 tour at around 9:00am (Grand Palace and Reclining Buddha). This meant we had to be up at around 6:30am for breakfast, which wasn't ideal since we didn't get to the hotel till 3am (not Viking's fault). Our tour ended with a 'lunch', and we had the afternoon / evening free - which was good. 

 

On Day 2, as you mention, we were supposedly 'free to explore Bangkok' but in reality, you had to be back at the hotel at 11am for the baggage ID, and then there wasn't much choice but to stick around for the 1pm departure to the ship. 

 

What really annoys me is, they didn't tell us any of this timing ahead of time, and thus didn't give us time to think or plan alternatives. There are three alternatives I would have considered; 1) stay longer in the city on day 2, and get my own transport to the ship in the evening, or 2) stay overnight in the city on day 2, and try to meet up with the 'included tour' on the 3rd day ('day 1' of the main cruise), or 3) stay overnight in the city on day 2 and ignore the 'included' day 1 main cruise tour, and just get a taxi to the ship before departure. 

 

Now, this is only my third cruise and I never anticipated all these logistical challenges, but this is the second time I've experienced bad timing with an 'extension', so from now on, I will dig deeply into the logistics and see if it's possible to get some flexibility with Viking; or - just ignore their extensions and work out my own plan. 

 

Your estimate of room costs for the Shangri-La are probably a bit high; Looking today on Hotels.com, I can get a good room for $200 USD for March 2025.  But let's assume $250 with fees/etc. I would have gladly paid the extra $250 and paid for a taxi to the ship, had I known in advance this was the plan. 

 

I'm most annoyed we had to leave Bangkok at 1pm to get to the ship; the ship didn't sail for another 24+ hours so why not transport us to the ship in the evening at least, and give us a 'day' in Bangkok?  I see from your copy/paste of the Viking description that they offer "... perhaps you would like to join a full-day optional tour to Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site." - that sounds like they are anticipating a later arrival at the ship for those people. 

 

On 4/11/2024 at 2:55 AM, CDNPolar said:

We purchased this because we thought we would want to see more of Bangkok than the one day of the ship's itinerary.

 

We are now going to look at this seriously and decide if we will keep this.

 

If we do on our own in CAD it would be approximatey:

Taxi (Pre-arranged) Airport to Shangri La - $200.00

Shangri-La Basic room 2 nights - $700.00

Transport to Cruise Terminal  - $200.00

One day tour in Bangkok - $200.00

 

We paid $1,600.00 CAD - To do on own will cost give or take $1,300.00 CAD not including any meals (Viking only include 2 breakfast).

 

No matter how you look at this, I think that it would cost us near the same and we don't have to consider booking any transfers.

I think your transportation estimates are very high - I can't imagine spending $200 for taxis from airport or to the cruise terminal. I would imagine the hotel would help you arrange such things reliably. 

 

On 4/11/2024 at 2:55 AM, CDNPolar said:

The transfer times back and forth to Bangkok are what they are.  I am not going to consider those.  However I don't want to spend 2.5 hours today travelling to the ship in the middle of the day and then back again tomorrow after boarding the ship.  That equates to 7.5 hours of total time on a bus that I could be spending in Bangkok.

This is the biggest craziness of all! 

On 4/11/2024 at 2:55 AM, CDNPolar said:

The one BIG thing that I might take from this is to stay at the hotel one additional night and board the ship a day later.  Wonder if this can be arranged where Viking take us back to the ship one day late.

 

 

You got this for $600 USD pp, and our cost is $799 CAD which is about right for the conversion from USD to CAD.  Now it is on the MVJ as $$1,299.00 CAD pp.  Nice price increase.  Definitely would not buy this now at the current cost.

 

Here is what is currently on MVJ

 

Extend Your Cruise with 2 Nights in Bangkok

From $1,299 Per Person

Overview

 

• 2 hotel nights in Bangkok (as shown or similar)
• 2 meals: 2 breakfasts (B)
• 1 guided tour: Grand Palace & Wat Pho
• Services of a Viking Host
• All transfers

Itinerary

Day 1 - Bangkok

Fly to Bangkok and transfer to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, you may choose to relax or begin exploring the city on your own. A Viking Host is available to help you plan your time in Bangkok so you can make the most of your visit.

Day 2 - Bangkok

Spend the morning at your leisure. This afternoon, take a guided tour of the Grand Palace, once the royal residence of the Chakri Kings and an excellent example of an ancient Siamese court. Built in 1782, it was the center of power for more than 150 years. Continue on to Wat Pho, one of Thailand’s most well-known temples. Here, you will see a 150-foot-tall reclining Buddha statue, the largest in Bangkok. Finally, stop at a flower market and browse its large selection of orchids. (B)

Day 3 - Bangkok

Your day is free to explore more of Bangkok, or you may wish to do some shopping—Bangkok offers everything from colorful open air markets to sophisticated shopping malls. Consider visiting Chinatown for some of the city’s best-tasting fare or a farmers’ market to sample local food. See one of the city’s many museums or embark on a traditional longtail boat ride. Or perhaps you would like to join a full-day optional tour to Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (B)

Hotels

Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok

Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, close to the shopping and business districts, this contemporary hotel has six dining options and three bars, a spa and an outdoor pool set amid tropical gardens. Guest rooms combine Thai tradition with modern comfort and are spaciously appointed throughout. 

Wow - I see NOTHING there that would warrant the increase in price!  Amazing. 

 

On 4/11/2024 at 7:05 AM, Mich3554 said:

We are still on the Orion, got on in Bangkok, will get off in Vancouver.  
 

We did not fly directly to Bangkok, but flew to Bali so DH could dive for a couple weeks.  Then we took a flight to Bangkok.  We were there 4 days, on our own.  We stayed at the Okura hotel.  4 days was about $800 total, including a very good breakfast buffet.  Taxi to the hotel was inexpensive, as were local dinners.  We did catch a flight out to Chiang Mai to meet up with friends.  We had a car booked to take us to Laem Chang to meet the ship and I think it cost about $50 total.  Our 4 days in Bangkok, transport (not including the side trip) and food included probably cost us around $1000.  
 

Extensions provided by Viking are really not worth it.  We did it once, last year before the world cruise and it just was not a good value for our $$.  We could have stayed at the same hotel (or better) for less.  The only difference is that there is some research involved.  

We did our own 'pre-extension' to Japan for 5 nights and it was wonderful.  We stayed at the GranVia hotel in Kyoto for $300/night, and paid quite a bit for bullet trains, etc - but compared to Viking prices, it was an absolute bargain. Our meal prices were ridiculously cheap (but then, we enjoy eating at noodle bars, etc!). 

 

In truth, I'm starting to question the value proposition of the whole Viking cruise concept.  It seems to work out around $1,000 per day, for two.  I absolutely adore the dining options on the ship, but if you assume $300/night for the cabin, $300/day for the convenience of being transported between ports, that still leaves about $400 for food - and the food isn't 'that' good!  We planned our own 'land trip' through England and Scotland last year, staying at good hotels, eating really well, and renting a nice car, and I think it came out to about $500 / night. 

 

[Breckski]

@Steerpike58 your experience confirms my thoughts to never book an extension with a cruise line unless I have very, very serious concerns about my ability to navigate the area.  It seems like you wasted much time due to the logistics of being attached to a "group".  I'm sorry for you experience but want to thank you for sharing.  

[CDNPolar]

Not to inflame the situation, but we have this exact pre-extension booked and we still plan to go ahead with it.  We could still cancel but we are not going to.  We have weighed everything here and decided to go ahead with it anyway.  We really did not think that it was more than the experience shared here.

[Breckski]

20 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

Not to inflame the situation, but we have this exact pre-extension booked and we still plan to go ahead with it.  We could still cancel but we are not going to.  We have weighed everything here and decided to go ahead with it anyway.  We really did not think that it was more than the experience shared here.

Not to insult, but you do you.  Bless your heart.🤣

[Mich3554]

On 4/15/2024 at 5:05 AM, Steerpike58 said:

 

 

In truth, I'm starting to question the value proposition of the whole Viking cruise concept.  It seems to work out around $1,000 per day, for two.  I absolutely adore the dining options on the ship, but if you assume $300/night for the cabin, $300/day for the convenience of being transported between ports, that still leaves about $400 for food - and the food isn't 'that' good!  We planned our own 'land trip' through England and Scotland last year, staying at good hotels, eating really well, and renting a nice car, and I think it came out to about $500 / night. 

 

Since I have mobility issues, ship travel makes it easier for me.  We have a land trip planned in Sept (which does include the Bordeaux River cruise) and am starting to dread the land portion as it is much harder on me.  At least renting a car ameliorates it some, but hauling luggage multiple places (even as light as we pack) is just harder.  

[Steerpike58]

4 hours ago, Mich3554 said:

Since I have mobility issues, ship travel makes it easier for me.  We have a land trip planned in Sept (which does include the Bordeaux River cruise) and am starting to dread the land portion as it is much harder on me.  At least renting a car ameliorates it some, but hauling luggage multiple places (even as light as we pack) is just harder.  

It is wonderful how you simply have to get yourself on the ship and after that, it's all taken care of!  Luckily, we're still very mobile so we don't have to rely on that.  One thought may be to really splurge on 'local assistance'.  Pay top dollar for guides and for 'transfers', and make sure they take care of everything. I've always avoided spending money on such things, but given the amount of money one spends on cruises, it may be 'in the budget'. Something to consider. 

 

[Steerpike58]

On 4/14/2024 at 4:59 PM, CDNPolar said:

Not to inflame the situation, but we have this exact pre-extension booked and we still plan to go ahead with it.  We could still cancel but we are not going to.  We have weighed everything here and decided to go ahead with it anyway.  We really did not think that it was more than the experience shared here.

Well at least now you know what to expect!  I hope you can use the info in this thread to better utilize the time available. I'd be curious to know if Viking will allow you to stay an extra night in the hotel, and let you somehow join the included excursion the next day - that's what I would have done if I'd have known. Biggest challenge I can see is, they 'block book' the hotels so the hotel doesn't have any record of you as an individual until the month before arrival, so coordinating that one extra night at the hotel, and making sure you don't have to suffer a room change, could be a challenge. I'd be curious to know what Viking say! 

[CDNPolar]

2 hours ago, Steerpike58 said:

Well at least now you know what to expect!  I hope you can use the info in this thread to better utilize the time available. I'd be curious to know if Viking will allow you to stay an extra night in the hotel, and let you somehow join the included excursion the next day - that's what I would have done if I'd have known. Biggest challenge I can see is, they 'block book' the hotels so the hotel doesn't have any record of you as an individual until the month before arrival, so coordinating that one extra night at the hotel, and making sure you don't have to suffer a room change, could be a challenge. I'd be curious to know what Viking say! 

 

We have talked about staying one extra night and have not decided yet.

 

There should be no issue with Viking if the ship is in port overnight and there are excursions to Bangkok the next day. We would just inform them and it would be like our flights were cancelled or delayed and we arrived one day late.

 

We would have to toy with trying to connect with the excursion with our luggage, or just pay for a cab to the ship the next day.

 

We have often come in a day early or stayed a day late on pre and post packages and made reservations at the same hotel either pre or post and indicated to the hotel that we are with Viking and could we stay in the same room and it has always worked out.

 

Yes - your experience will cause us to really plan our time well when we are there, even if we have to get up and out sightseeing at 5am the second day.

[longterm]

On 4/10/2024 at 10:35 PM, kctwinmommy said:

Yes, we're doing the 4-day Athens pre-extension, and it was $2000 for the 2 of us, but the 2 day one was like $1300 for the 2 of us and seemed to offer so little.

We did the 4-day Athens post-extension a couple of years ago, and both felt that it was an excellent value and were glad we had booked it.

The only negative for us was the hotel restaurant; we were at the Intercontinental (moved from the original hotel because of remodeling). The hotel was very nice, very clean; the breakfast buffet was excellent, but the restaurant was overpriced and subpar. That, however, wasn't Viking's fault. 

The Athens extension was really good; we left the ship early the first morning, went directly to the Acropolis, beating the crowds; this was late March of 2022, when crowds were still not back to normal, and our time up at the Parthenon was excellent, despite a chilly wind. Be sure to go to the Acropolis Museum, which I would rate as one of the best archaeological museums I've ever seen.

The next days were good as well; Mycenae was one of my favorite sites, but Delphi was even better and we plan to revisit it in 2026 when we do another Viking Med cruise.

If you have time and want to hire a local guide, you can visit the temple of Poseidon at Sounion; the drive is really nice along the water, and a stop at a local restaurant on the way there or back is a plus. Also, a walk through the old Plaka district is well worth a visit.

 

I know this is off topic, but I wanted to mention it because not all post or pre-extensions turn out to be bad value.

Edited April 18 by longterm

[OneSixtyToOne]

1 hour ago, longterm said:

We did the 4-day Athens post-extension a couple of years ago, and both felt that it was an excellent value and were glad we had booked it.

The only negative for us was the hotel restaurant; we were at the Intercontinental (moved from the original hotel because of remodeling). The hotel was very nice, very clean; the breakfast buffet was excellent, but the restaurant was overpriced and subpar. That, however, wasn't Viking's fault. 

The Athens extension was really good; we left the ship early the first morning, went directly to the Acropolis, beating the crowds; this was late March of 2022, when crowds were still not back to normal, and our time up at the Parthenon was excellent, despite a chilly wind. Be sure to go to the Acropolis Museum, which I would rate as one of the best archaeological museums I've ever seen.

The next days were good as well; Mycenae was one of my favorite sites, but Delphi was even better and we plan to revisit it in 2026 when we do another Viking Med cruise.

If you have time and want to hire a local guide, you can visit the temple of Poseidon at Sounion; the drive is really nice along the water, and a stop at a local restaurant on the way there or back is a plus. Also, a walk through the old Plaka district is well worth a visit.

 

I know this is off topic, but I wanted to mention it because not all post or pre-extensions turn out to be bad value.

We took the same extension and 100% agree. It was a terrific experience. Here is my writeup:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2906353-almost-live-viking-sky-journey-to-antiquities-jan-2023/

 

[CCWineLover]

2 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

We took the same extension and 100% agree. It was a terrific experience. Here is my writeup:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2906353-almost-live-viking-sky-journey-to-antiquities-jan-2023/

 

Wow - so totally agree.  In fact, we usually don't do extensions but it was so highly recommended by OneSixtytoOne on CruiseCritic, that we did the Athens 4 day one just last March.  It was SO good - and WELL worth the value.  We stayed at the NVJ Athens Plaza right on Constitution Square - heart of the action.   We also loved Mycenae but enjoyed Delphi even more.  Lots to do in Athens on our free day so we didn't venture outside the city but some did.  Highly recommend this 4 day extension for the value (unlike many other Viking extensions).