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.

[AZ_Tim]

The Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Beyond itinerary could be cutting into the market for the Wake of the Vikings. The Norway to New York itinerary covers much of the ground of the Wake of the Vikings, plus more. Greenland, Iceland, Norway does the coast of Norway, and a circumnavigation of Iceland.

I know that I am comparing a four week trip to a two week  one, but I think that the Greenland, Iceland, Norway itinerary, or either half of it, has more to offer that the Wake of the Vikings.

 

The trip up the St Lawrence River is now covered by the Expedition ships.

 

[janetcbl]

46 minutes ago, AZ_Tim said:

The Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Beyond itinerary could be cutting into the market for the Wake of the Vikings. The Norway to New York itinerary covers much of the ground of the Wake of the Vikings, plus more. Greenland, Iceland, Norway does the coast of Norway, and a circumnavigation of Iceland.

I know that I am comparing a four week trip to a two week  one, but I think that the Greenland, Iceland, Norway itinerary, or either half of it, has more to offer that the Wake of the Vikings.

 

The trip up the St Lawrence River is now covered by the Expedition ships.

 

Having done both, I agree with you. The 4 week obviously covers more area, especially out of the way areas (Svalbard and  Greenland for example). The only area that I would have really missed if we hadn’t done “In the Wake…” was the Faeroe Islands which as a highlight. 

[AZ_Tim]

If someone missed out on the Wake of the Vikings and wants to visit the Faroe Islands, the Iceland's Majestic Landscapes itinerary can fill that spot.

We are considering the Viking Homelands and Majestic Iceland combo. The downside of that is that it is not offered very many times, but if you do the two separately, you do have a good choice of dates.

[Redtravel]

we just did iconic Iceland, Greenland, and Canada. First week sailing around Iceland was spectacular.  The scenery was beautiful.  It was very cold. We just bundled up and had a great time.  The second week, Greenland and Canada, was less desirable.  I didn’t mind having sea days.  I didn’t like the ports. Greenland is not ready for tourists.  Viking shouldn’t go there on their ocean cruise ships. Not enough guides available, no taxis, no shuttles, no info.  I felt like we were on 2 different cruises. The first week was good. Second week was waste of time and money.

[OneSixtyToOne]

9 minutes ago, AZ_Tim said:

If someone missed out on the Wake of the Vikings and wants to visit the Faroe Islands, the Iceland's Majestic Landscapes itinerary can fill that spot.

We are considering the Viking Homelands and Majestic Iceland combo. The downside of that is that it is not offered very many times, but if you do the two separately, you do have a good choice of dates.

We just returned from the Iceland’s Majestic Landscapes cruise and visited the Faroe Islands. It was an enjoyable port of call. See post 78

Faroe Islands prison has a magnificent view: 

 

Edited September 5 by OneSixtyToOne

[HUNKY]

I've always been interested in this trip.  Sorry that Viking doesn't offer it.  At least HAL does!

[JeffElizabeth]

On 5/1/2024 at 12:35 PM, 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. 🤞

It took us four cruises before we got to visit Shetland! Glad it finally happened. My wife is a big fan of the TV show, the ponies,  and the dogs. 

[LindaS272]

36 minutes ago, JeffElizabeth said:

It took us four cruises before we got to visit Shetland! Glad it finally happened. My wife is a big fan of the TV show, the ponies,  and the dogs. 

Hi Jeff,

We were so glad we finally made it to Shetland this past June. And not just a port stop, but several days. We did three weeks all told, with many days on Orkney and in the Highlands as well. Started binge watching Shetland on BritBox when we got home. Two seasons to go before Perez “retires.” Will probably continue watching the new DI—the show is great!

[LindaS272]

Just had to add—watched season six, episode two tonight of Shetland and saw the BnB we stayed at in June! It was billed as the Flora M. Religious Center in the show—actually Burrastow House in Walls about 45 minutes north and west from Lerwick. What a kick!