Please share any insight or thoughts you have. Thank you.

I should have added that our cruise is in the Mediterranean.

Here are my questions.

1.  Is it worth it to go INTO the Coliseum, or is it enough just to see it from the outside?

2.  Has anyone taken the INCLUDED Rome excursion through Viking, and how was it?

3.  Do the Viking excursions (both the included and the extra) include "skip the line"?

thank you very much.  So looking forward to this cruise

The very positive recent news regarding the vaccines has gone a long way to changing my mind though and I wonder how many of you are now feeling more optimistic too?

Of course, it is sad that we have had planned cruises cancelled but, at last, I feel DW and I can look forward to the trips we have booked to replace them. To illustrate this here is a couple of lines we hatched up together during a long, socially distanced walk along an isolated coastline. (With apologies to John Masefield!)

We must go out on the seas again; On the lovely Sea or The Sky?

And all we ask is a cruise ship and a bar to linger by. 😉

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/china-plans-first-domestic-luxury-cruise-line-with-viking

Thanks. 

We do not use the casino or drink, so the drink package is not something we would use in either cruise. 

We are seasoned cruisers having something like 20 or more cruises with various line (Sitmar, Princess, Norwegian, Celebrity to name a few), but have stayed mainly with Princess.  So we are wondering, is there really a comparison between Princess and Viking?

General comments would be welcome or thoughts about keeping the reservations for Viking.

Thanks.

This thread is for discussion of all-things Viking Expeditions, a new division that complements Oceans and Rivers.

Viking initially plans two ships for Expeditions: the Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris. These ships will have immersive itineraries in Antarctica, the north polar regions, the Great Lakes and Canada. Each ship will carry up to 378 passengers, have rafts that are boarded inside on the hanger deck, and will even have a submersible.

The Inaugural Sailing of the Viking Octantis is January 13, 2022 from Ushuaia, Argentina. However, the journey begins  in Buenos Aires on January 12, the date for the cruise listed online and the brochure. The ship is named after Octantis, the South Star, as the Viking Polaris is named for the North Star.

https://www.vikingcruises.com/expeditions

Hopefully, we will be able to return to cruising in the future.
 

Anyone done these and can make a comparison please?

Thanks!

What do your tea leaves say of when Viking will make another announcement?

That interaction continues to a degree though this forum. However, while the topic structure of the forum is certainly helpful for asking questions and passing on information on particular themes, people are (quite rightly) discouraged from posting comments that drift too far from the subject of that topic.

I would like to propose this Virtual Explorers' Lounge topic as the place where everyone can let their conversations take any direction they wish just as in the real Explorers' Lounge - CC forum guidance permitting of course!

As well as offering the opportunity for more social interaction this could perhaps provide a partial solution to topic drift as people would be able to suggest “drifters” post here to continue their chat, rather than clogging up a particular topic.

If enough people feel it would be useful, then our moderator might even consider making the topic a “sticky” where everyone can find it easily. 

What do you all think?

Viking Star - currently near London

Viking Sun - currently headed to London

Viking Jupiter - currently in the Mid Atlantic headed toward Europe

Viking Sky -  currently in the Mid Atlantic headed toward Europe

Viking Sea - currently north of the UK headed toward Norway

Viking Orion - currently headed west under Australia (since Alaska is its next scheduled cruise site in appears to be headed toward Europe instead)

What do you think the plan is ?

Working through the detail I noticed that, in addition to  the date from which speciality restaurant reservations may be placed, a date for reservations in The Restaurant.  This caused me to look at the My Journey area on the website and I see that there is a button for the Restaurant in the section for speciality bookings (obviously, these buttons don't work yet).

On our previous cruises with eg Regent, Seabourn etc I guess some passengers may have reserved for a particular time on occasion, but it didn't  seem to be a thing.  As far as I could see everyone was just turning up and getting seated - as did we.

Is this  a common practice on Viking for folk to pre book their seats in the main restaurant before boarding?  

Or does it become part of the FCC from Viking?   Or would I be best served to pay cruise portion only and book my own air as Delta is currently waiving all change/cancellation fees?

Thanks for any advice/suggestions.

Is anyone else having the same issues?  I know they have just announced a further cancellation of cruises to the end of May but they should change the recorded message if they are not taking calls.

I'm not blaming Viking for this but at my age you have to wonder when is it time to move on???

Looking at my Viking book, my wife made reservations for Northern Lights trip on Sept. 16 2019 for a Feb 25, 2021 cruise. My guess is we paid the full amount some time in early 2020. We had been on several Viking cruises and we were really looking forward to this trip.  My wife died in July 2020.  I called Viking and got my Son in Law  on this trip, and my daughter on a Feb 2022 trip.  Both were both excited.... drip drip drip..

Feb 2021 comes around  Trip #1 canceled.  My SIL had already requested vacation time but we were not surprised about the trip being canceled..The virus is out of control.  Still will save up his vacation time.  Called Viking and the agent tells me come August things should be ok.  Scheduled Viking homeland.  SIL all excited. Gets his vacation scheduled. Since Feb. this... year.... drip drip drip.  

Now we are hearing another round of canceled cruises.  Didn't quite make it to August this time but probably the next go round August will be in it.  From now till June or next cancelation?  drip drip drip.  The prepaid money that I have put into the trip would have done much better in the stock market.  If I am understanding you can only get the 25% deal once and I don't think it is worth much... we can't cruise till....Maybe 2022 or 2023?  Should I reschedule a cruise if August is canceled and wait until some time in 2022.... drip drip drip...

Not blaming Viking.  My prepaid money would have done much better in the stock market and I would not have gone through this torture of waiting to see when my trip is canceled and rebooking and waiting to see if my next trip is canceled.... drip drip drip.  I think at this point if August is canceled I'm done.

Thanks for letting me blow off some steam!!!

Porcupine