Boarding times when first night is an overnight

Is it possible to board the ship later, say early evening, when the first night of the cruise is an overnight at the embarkation port?

Later? I don't see any reason why not. I would contact the ship via phone or email to let them know as a courtesy.

Is it possible to board the ship later, say early evening, when the first night of the cruise is an overnight at the embarkation port?

Answering my own question. :D

Yes, this is possible, per Viking Ocean's Customer Service folks. They added it is also possible to board early and drop your stuff, then go out touring all day, and return later in the evening.

Have not sailed Viking yet... considering a cruise next year. Nice to hear that they seem very flexible.

Last year we arrived in Amsterdam at 6AM. Viking representatives met us and took us to our ship the Lofn where we had breakfast with all the departing passengers. They were sad to leave. Our room was ready before we finished breakfast. We had the Viking concierge print out tickets for our museum visits so we could avoid the ticket purchase lines and we were off touring on our own, returning for dinner. Appreciated the way they tried to do everything reasonable to help us enjoy our arrival process and day. Slept well that night.

Last year we arrived in Amsterdam at 6AM. Viking representatives met us and took us to our ship the Lofn where we had breakfast with all the departing passengers. They were sad to leave. Our room was ready before we finished breakfast. We had the Viking concierge print out tickets for our museum visits so we could avoid the ticket purchase lines and we were off touring on our own, returning for dinner. Appreciated the way they tried to do everything reasonable to help us enjoy our arrival process and day. Slept well that night.

Embarkation/disembarkation rules tend to be different for ocean cruises than the river cruise you are describing. I'm sure Viking staff will be just as helpful, but the boarding procedures may be a bit more formal and inflexible.

Last year we arrived in Amsterdam at 6AM. Viking representatives met us and took us to our ship the Lofn where we had breakfast with all the departing passengers. They were sad to leave. Our room was ready before we finished breakfast. We had the Viking concierge print out tickets for our museum visits so we could avoid the ticket purchase lines and we were off touring on our own, returning for dinner. Appreciated the way they tried to do everything reasonable to help us enjoy our arrival process and day. Slept well that night.

Yes, but Ocean is a bit different because check in is not handled by Viking crew as it is on the river cruises but by port personnel, which means that they can't start boarding guests until the ground crew is ready. The real question is how early and late will those check in stations be manned. If I miss my connection in Zurich and don't arrive until 9pm, will there be someone there to check me in?

Yes, but Ocean is a bit different because check in is not handled by Viking crew as it is on the river cruises but by port personnel, which means that they can't start boarding guests until the ground crew is ready. The real question is how early and late will those check in stations be manned. If I miss my connection in Zurich and don't arrive until 9pm, will there be someone there to check me in?

When I called Viking this morning, this was my exact question, and the agent told me that it would be no problem to board the ship later. Perhaps for the presumably small amount of passengers that would be boarding late, the Viking ship staff handle the check-in function?

Agree completely about different regs for Ocean vs river. Was making a point about service.

Ocean cruises have higher port security. Some local government and onboard as you enter scanners & such.

And back to early boarding, Viking Ocean boarding times are a function of cabin class.

And back to early boarding, Viking Ocean boarding times are a function of cabin class.

Again, I'm a Viking Ocean newbie, but I was under the impression that anyone may board at the stated boarding time, but that the access to your cabin is dictated by cabin category. Is that correct?

yes you may board but your cabin may not be accessible.

yes you may board but your cabin may not be accessible.

We are arriving @ 9:10 am (if there are no delays). Getting our baggage, going through passport control, meeting Viking rep and maybe wait a little for another couple or two. Drive to port and let's say we are there around 10-10:20 am. What happens then? Officially boarding at 11 am but will they let us in a little early (like Viking River did last September or we'll be standing on the pier? would be nice to board right away after a long flight. I understand that the cabin won't be ready. Any experience on early arrival?

We are arriving @ 9:10 am (if there are no delays). Getting our baggage, going through passport control, meeting Viking rep and maybe wait a little for another couple or two. Drive to port and let's say we are there around 10-10:20 am. What happens then? Officially boarding at 11 am but will they let us in a little early (like Viking River did last September or we'll be standing on the pier? would be nice to board right away after a long flight. I understand that the cabin won't be ready. Any experience on early arrival?

Found Viking very guest focused so am sure they would allow you to board early ( we boarded at 11.00 am) However, they would need an empty ship for a while on turnaround day so it may depend on the time the last guests on the previous cruise left.

Found Viking very guest focused so am sure they would allow you to board early ( we boarded at 11.00 am) However, they would need an empty ship for a while on turnaround day so it may depend on the time the last guests on the previous cruise left.

Thank you!

Our flight arrived in Barcelona around 7 AM and we took a taxi to the ship, I think we were there well before 9. Folks were still getting off. We dropped our luggage and took a taxi downtown, I had tickets for Sagrada at 11 AM and we had to kill time before that. No problem dropping the luggage off so early, they just tagged it and took it. We didn't check in until we went back to the ship...no line, we breezed through. It was before our cabin category was supposed to be ready, but the cabin was ready.

We are arriving @ 9:10 am (if there are no delays). Getting our baggage, going through passport control, meeting Viking rep and maybe wait a little for another couple or two. Drive to port and let's say we are there around 10-10:20 am. What happens then? Officially boarding at 11 am but will they let us in a little early (like Viking River did last September or we'll be standing on the pier? would be nice to board right away after a long flight. I understand that the cabin won't be ready. Any experience on early arrival?

Answering my own question. We arrived around 10:15 am. It took us 10 min to go through security. Our room supposed to be ready at 1 pm but it was available already. We took a shower and went to explore our ship :). World Cafe was open for lunch but the choices were rather limited.