In the Wake of the Vikings Confusion

[luvtosing]

I have noticed that Viking is not scheduled to do the In the Wake of the Vikings Itinerary in 2025 or 2026. The September 2024 sailing is not close to being sold out, unlike other 2024 Iceland/British isles itineraries which are practically sold out. Thoughts on why?  It looks like a great trip, what am I missing?  

[OneSixtyToOne]

5 minutes ago, luvtosing said:

I have noticed that Viking is not scheduled to do the In the Wake of the Vikings Itinerary in 2025 or 2026. The September 2024 sailing is not close to being sold out, unlike other 2024 Iceland/British isles itineraries which are practically sold out. Thoughts on why?  It looks like a great trip, what am I missing?  

This is a repositioning cruise. After this cruise, the Neptune heads down the eastern seaboard, through the Panama Canal, and is the Pacific for 2025.

 

If you’re asking why the demand is low for this itinerary, it might be the number of sea days in a cold climate and the perception that the ports of call are not exactly major tourist stops. Also Viking is now sailing its expedition ships to Greenland. That might have more appeal. IMO it’s more suited to an expedition cruise. We are on an Iceland to Bergen cruise, and there are other Iceland cruises that for me offer a better itinerary. 

[LindaS272]

This was one of our favorite itineraries in Sept. 2019. A plus that the ports are not major tourist stops. Also nothing wrong with sea days in a cold climate. Only regret is that we missed Shetland due to the tail end of a hurricane from the Gulf—have been trying to get back there ever since. Our fourth try since Covid hit is this June. 🤞

[luvtosing]

Thanks so much, this is good to hear! 

Edited May 1 by luvtosing

[kcpvwill]

We also did this cruise in 2019.  We had a few missed ports because of remnants of hurricane Dorian (take your seasick tablets)! 
 

Once the sea calmed down it was an enjoyable cruise.   We did B2B with Eastern Seabord finishing in NY.  

[aungrl]

6 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

This was one of our favorite itineraries in Sept. 2019. A plus that the ports are not major tourist stops. Also nothing wrong with sea days in a cold climate. Only regret is that we missed Shetland due to the tail end of a hurricane from the Gulf—have been trying to get back there ever since. Our fourth try since Covid hit is this June. 🤞

Couldn't agree more.  Our favorite itinerary with Viking so far - we loved the quirky, small ports, and also we like stretches of sea days, so this itinerary worked well for that - and we did manage to hit all the scheduled ports on our particular sailing.  I hope you make it to Shetlands at some point...one of our happiest port days.

[bookbabe]

I’ll be the naysayer…we did this itinerary in Sept 2023 and it was meh.  
 

Part of our disappointment was the enrichment content, no Norse studies experts or content at all, which we had expected to find because of the itinerary name and route.  

 

Missed the Shetland Islands due to weather and subbed St Anthony for L’Anse aux Meadows due to Viking’s poor planning.  Wish we’d missed Greenland instead, that’s a one and done for us.

[aungrl]

11 hours ago, bookbabe said:

I’ll be the naysayer…we did this itinerary in Sept 2023 and it was meh.  
 

Part of our disappointment was the enrichment content, no Norse studies experts or content at all, which we had expected to find because of the itinerary name and route.  

 

Missed the Shetland Islands due to weather and subbed St Anthony for L’Anse aux Meadows due to Viking’s poor planning.  Wish we’d missed Greenland instead, that’s a one and done for us.

I'm sorry to hear that!  I would have felt the exact same way if we wouldn't have had any Norse-related content.  On ours, we had four excellent enrichment speakers, one of whom focused on Norse content.  

[bookbabe]

39 minutes ago, aungrl said:

I'm sorry to hear that!  I would have felt the exact same way if we wouldn't have had any Norse-related content.  On ours, we had four excellent enrichment speakers, one of whom focused on Norse content.  

We had a very good astronomy guy, and one WWII person plus one other I can’t remember.  But nothing even remotely Norse.

[philw1776]

We loved this cruise. Tastes vary.

[rmalbers]

On 5/1/2024 at 12:42 PM, luvtosing said:

I have noticed that Viking is not scheduled to do the In the Wake of the Vikings Itinerary in 2025 or 2026. The September 2024 sailing is not close to being sold out, unlike other 2024 Iceland/British isles itineraries which are practically sold out. Thoughts on why?  It looks like a great trip, what am I missing?  

I don't know if it was your post or not but it's really close to sold out now! (and at some high prices, I think)

Edited May 5 by rmalbers

[wp bob]

we loved this itinerary with a change to go trans-atlantic without 5-6 sea days in a row. Excellent lectures on WWII and many on Viking explorers. L'anse aux meadows was one of the best stops.and so interesting. Plus fall color in Quebec.