loriva

We are just south in Satellite Beach, FL.  According to Wikipedia, "nearly 12,000 satellites are planned to be deployed, with a possible later extension to 42,000."  If that is true--I could not find projected constellation numbers on Starlink's website--they are a little over a quarter of the way toward their first goal.  No wonder we're seeing one to two launches a week!

16 hours ago, MikeyB said:

Viking won't extend a promo, by even one day.

And just my 2 cents.  EBD, in my experience, is not the type of promotion that saves you money.  

Further (still my 2 cents), I would never be booking a 2025 river cruise in 2023 unless your looking at the Explorer Suite, in which case you don't need a promo.  Anyone who has cruised with Viking for 5 years or less will tell you to be patient and a real promo will come your way.

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks for the feedback.  We're locked into dates for the Douro River cruise as we're taking a TA to Lisbon.  Cruise calendar for 2023 and 2024 is also full, so no other cruise to book for onboard benefits.

A somewhat similar question.  We board Viking Ocean on 01 May--one day after a current promo is due to expire on 30 April.  We're looking to use EBD for a Viking River cruise in 2025.  Anyone had any experience in having a promo extended by a day or so?  (Although EBD might be one that is usually available--but not sure if the $25 deposit will be.)

Also, we booked a cruise voucher onboard our Viking River cruise ($200 value for $100 payment).  Do we need to bring it physically on board with us or will Viking have it associated with our name?

Many thanks,

18 hours ago, TeamBAlways said:

We always asked for cold wash air dry and it worked perfectly for us 

How long did it take for your laundry to come back, please?  Wondering if special instructions comes back in the same time as other laundry or if we would need to factor in extra time for return.

Many thanks,

10 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

The Rodne out of Stavanger is the best example of a "no brainer" I can think of. You do, however, miss out on the waffle Viking provides.

If someone does decide to go with Rødne, please note that they may not have a tour at a time you can take that will work with your docking times.  For example, for May the Pulpit Rock tours (called "Lysefjord cruise - Experience Preikestolen" on their website for the name in Norwegian) are offered at 1000 and 1500 hours.  One departs before Viking Jupiter docks in Stavanger on the Viking Homelands itinerary and the later one returns after the ship has departed.  I even sent Rødne an email back in February (just before booking for Viking shorex opened for our May cruise) and they said those departures would be it.

BUT, having read this thread today, I looked at the Rødne website again.  They have now ADDED tours at noon (returning 1500/1530 hours, well before our departure at 1800 hours) for some of the days a Viking ship will be in port (Extra departures:  12, 17, & 18 May and 29 June).

So, keep checking the Rødne website to see if a departure is added for your cruise itinerary.

7 hours ago, KBs mum said:

Greetings from the pub, looks to be nice weather outside, haven't gone out to check. 

According to an off duty undertaker the best beer on tap here at the moment is Boltmaker 

A lovely ESB from Timothy Taylor.  If they sold Boltmaker onboard a VO ship, I'd never get DH out of the lounge and off the ship!

Wow, these prices are very reasonable for a ship!  (And very different from Viking River--I remember each t-shirt was $4 and trousers $10.)  Has me rethinking my DIY laundry strategy!

14 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Unfortunately, I don't have photos, but recall chatting with the ice cream cook, when the final 8 pax toured the galley on Viking Sun.

Is Viking still giving galley tours post-COVID?  @oskidunker would love to hear if you learn anything on this.  We're on a different ship (all identical on physical plant, I know) and itinerary on our first cruise with VO in May, but would be interested in this option, if available.  I presume it's something you sign up for at Guest Services?

Someone on CC.com recommended the website "Euronews" as a good source for information on travel strikes.  https://www.euronews.com/travel/travel-news is devoted to all travel news.  You can also do a web search for "Euronews" and the country of interest for news specific to that location.  A search for "Germany" picks up a couple of articles about the planned strike:   https://www.euronews.com/news/europe/germany

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1468

Cruise Critic defines as "Contemporary Luxury and the Upscale Cruise Lines"
Major Players: Azamara, Oceania Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises

Why They Are Luxurious: The cruise industry can't agree on a collective name for these lines that skirt the edges of luxury. They might be referred to as "contemporary luxury," "upscale," "ultra-premium" or "luxury-lite." The lines themselves are quite different from each other, too, but we group them together because they offer a mix of mainstream cruise hallmarks (more a la carte pricing and smaller cabins) and luxurious attractions, such as destination-intensive itineraries with plenty of overnights, intimate and adult-oriented ships and top-notch dining. Typically, pricing is somewhere in between the premium lines, such as Holland America or Celebrity Cruises, and the traditional luxury lines, such as Regent or Silversea (though this varies based on cabin class and itinerary).

15 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

What happens if you miss a connection when using Viking Air? Who should you notify?
We only have a 2 hour window in Frankfort and we’re not confident we will make the connection.

Transfers everywhere are potentially crazy these days.  Hope things will start settling down as we move farther away from the COVID shutdown.

We went through Frankfurt (outbound and return) in June 2022 and it was a nightmare--missed both of our connecting flights.  (We booked independently so cannot answer your question on what help Viking Air would provide.)  We did it again in December and it was a breeze.  So, your mileage may definitely vary.

What may be a bigger factor is the timeliness record of your inbound flight to Frankfurt.  You can sign up for a free account on FlightAware and see the records on reliability (average delay) on your flights.  You can also sign up for notifications that will keep you advised on the day of your flight (when the pilot files a flight plan, any delays or gate changes, etc.)  If your flight has a bad track record of delays, you might want to ask Viking Air to put you on a later connecting flight.  (Of course, the connecting flight could also be consistently delayed.)

Finally, if you do find yourself with a considerable connecting time in Frankfurt, you can consider going to sign up for the German EasyPASS Registered Traveler Program.  This will allow U.S. (and other non-EU citizens with an e-Passport) to use the EU e-Gates in Frankfurt (and other German airports) rather than the non-EU lanes.  You'll need to exit the secure area of the terminal and make your way to the German Customs Service at Terminal 1, Hall B, Level 3, at the entrance to the Skyline.  The service office opening hours:  Monday to Sunday 0630 - 2130 hours.  We did this in December when we had a long layover and the time from our arrival gate, getting to the office, and back to the departure lounge was about 45 minutes.  If it saves us time on future trips though FRA (we have one in October), it will have been time well spent!

On 2/24/2023 at 6:09 PM, J80crew said:

My husband and I sailed on Viking Sea, 10 days round trip San Juan, last week. While not as experienced as many on this board, we have done 18 cruises since 2012, when we started. Our first many cruises were on Celebrity, various ships including Edge; we’ve also sailed with Oceania 3 times and Crystal twice. With Crystal gone, we were looking for a new option and Viking seemed to fit. It’s the size we like (about 1000 pax), the right demographic, an itinerary we liked, and of course it gets great reviews. We did not use Viking air; we had a DV4 stateroom. All the pre-board business went efficiently (except I was annoyed not to be able to book dinners when DV reservations supposedly opened—but I was reassured by this board that it wouldn’t matter once on board).  We flew in the night before, stayed at the Sheraton in Old San Juan, and about 11:00 the next morning walked to the pier and got onboard. Easiest embarkation ever! No lines, friendly staff in their red shirts everywhere greeting and directing us, straight to the safety briefing (also easiest ever), and then to Torshavn to check our carry on bags. Nice not to have to lug them around while waiting for our room. We loved the look of the ship, with its clean lines and soft colors, and the more sophisticated atmosphere, with no loud music (or loud guests). We chose the pool grill for lunch, taking our food outside (an embarkation tradition for us). First disappointment: my husband, the cheeseburger connoisseur, said his burger was just okay. My veggie burger, though, was really good. I ordered a glass of champagne (part of the tradition), but was told they didn’t have champagne, just Prosecco. DH asked for dark rum, told there was no dark rum. This, unfortunately, was the case throughout the cruise—both wine and liquor selections were seriously limited. There was no Pinot Noir in any bar or dining room, no oaky Chardonnay, no champagne, the only rum was Mt Gay, and other guests said there was no single malt scotch. It’s a little late to be blaming the pandemic, the supply lines, whatever for this level of shortages; we’ve been on three cruises since the pandemic and none of the others have had this problem. 

After lunch, we were able to get into our room. It seemed small (DV) compared to other ships’ veranda rooms, though the square footage is similar. What we really noticed, though, was the lack of storage space. The closet was fine for hanging clothes, but only three drawers plus the two tiny ones in the end tables, and the one shelf in the closet meant that DH used the desk to stack shorts and polos. I’m glad we weren’t on for more than 10 days!  The bathroom was better, plenty of storage, really good light, a hot and powerful shower. And the Nespresso machine was a definite bonus. There was no magnifying mirror in the room, but when I asked our attendant if it was possible to get one, he delivered it right away. Which brings me to the service issue: the staff could not have been more responsive or friendlier; as everyone says, they are Viking’s best feature. When I complained about a couple of issues (including the wine selection) on the mid-cruise comment form, we received a visit or call from the head sommelier and the cruise director. They didn’t change anything, but they did at least respond to my comments. 
 

In general, we found the food (very subjective subject) to be fine, but not great. No outstanding dishes, either in the Restaurant or Manfedi’s. We did not try Chef’s Table, as none of the menus appealed to us. The World Cafe offered a smaller buffet than we’ve found on other ships, and often the hot food was not really hot. Several times they ran out of certain dishes a good while before closing time. We give both Oceania and Crystal (as it was) higher marks for food. 
 

We did the included tours most days and a paid one once. The tours are pretty repetitive, mostly bus rides with a brief stop or two for a vista and a punch drink. The tour guides were all very knowledgeable and friendly, and the tours met but didn’t exceed expectations. I was surprised that Viking did not offer a shuttle into town on the islands where the main town was a couple of miles from the pier. On the ship during the day there was very little activity. We are healthy, energetic 80-year-olds and we found it, well, dull. We played mini golf and lawn bowling. There was a port talk each day and tea time; Viking promotes its intellectual offerings such as Ted Talks, but that’s really just watching a big TV in the theater. We would have liked some trivia, for example, or other interactive pursuits. They did have trivia twice but at 8:00 in the evening, competing with dinner. Evening entertainment was more varied. We loved the guitar player, John, who played listening music early, but later on would do danceable songs and sing-a-longs. The Viking band played late in Torshavn, a crowded room with a small dance floor, doing mostly rock. We found it hard to dance there because there was too little room for movement. A classical duo and a pianist also entertained each evening, and in the theater the offerings ranged from movies to mediocre stage shows (singers with more heart than talent). 

 

One off-beat but good-to-know bit: DH had a flare-up of a shoulder problem while we were there and visited the medical center. He was impressed by the doctor and nurse and felt he got good treatment. The doctor called later to see how he was doing. Again, great service—and not expensive!

 

Notwithstanding the outstanding staff, we were in the end disappointed in our Viking cruise. Maybe our expectations were too high, but the bar problems, the lack of dining excitement, and mostly, the lack of activities that we enjoy combined to leave us disenchanted. We’re booked on Oceania in the fall and are looking forward to seeing what the new Crystal will bring. Meantime, maybe we’ll try Seabourn.  Happy cruising, all. 

Thank you for your review.  I really enjoyed reading your views and those of others new and old to Viking Ocean as we prepare for our first cruise with VO in May.

Like others, we are in search of a new cruise line to replace our loyalty to Princess.  We enjoyed Princess to the Elite level and then the ships kept getting too big (our favorite was the old Pacific, one of the former Renaissance ships) and onboard experience declined.  We've tried Regent and Oceania with VO up next.  We've always been itinerary driven (something Princess has been very good at) in choosing a cruise so may continue to try different lines.

We traveled with Viking River for the first time in December 2022 on a "Christmas on the Elbe" sailing.  Other than the smaller cabin, we thought Viking was the equal on food, excursions, and other experiences as our previous (all post COVID shutdown) river cruises with Crystal and Scenic.

Looking forward to sailing with VO.  We're on their "Viking Homelands" itinerary, so thinking that should give the line a chance to really shine. 

Thanks again to all for many interesting posts--I've learned a lot!

Thanks for the interesting and helpful tips!

11 hours ago, SempreMare said:

the Thon Opera (Viking extension hotel) near the train station

We will be on the Viking extension from Bergen to Oslo after our "Viking Homelands" cruise in early May.  Viking notified us about a month ago that we will not be staying at the Thon Opera Hotel.  Instead, Viking's included hotel will be the Radisson Blu Plaza.  According to Google Maps, it is on the north side of the Central Train Station instead of the south like the Thon.  They are only about 1/2 mile (750 meters) distant from each other, so not a great change in distance.  Might miss out on view from the Thon Opera over the harbor.

15 hours ago, Redtravel said:

The train in Flam is amazing. We got off the ship early and bought tickets.  The train ticket booth is very close to the dock.  This is a very easy do it yourself ride. We rode up in an uncrowned car.  The later trains were packed with ship excursions.  

Where did you dock?  It looks like sometimes it is Eidfjord and sometimes Flåm.  According to Google maps the two are 71 miles (114km) apart.  Would not want someone docking in Eidfjord expecting to find a ticket booth for the Flåm railway very close to the dock if that is not the case.  Please clarify.

8 hours ago, ericosmith said:

Here's what it looks like this July:

 

Full-Day Railway Journey to Voss

$259 Per Person

Day 4 – Flåm, Norway

Wednesday, July 19

10:30 AM

7 Hours

 

EASY

 

MEAL

 

SIGHTSEEING

 

UNESCO

The Quintessential Norway Experience

Marvel at Norway’s stunning beauty during a breathtaking full-day “Norway in a Nutshell” experience.

You will board the world-famous Flåm Railway at the cruise pier and climb nearly 3,000 feet through 20 tunnels and over numerous bridges. Stop at Kjosfossen waterfall for photos of this pristine natural wonder. You will change trains and continue to Voss, where a motor coach takes you to the Molstertunet open air museum. Here, you will gain rich insight into 18th-century life in these high mountain valleys. Continue to Tvinde waterfall for a photo stop. Enjoy lunch at the famous Stalheim Hotel, with magnificent views of the Naerøyfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, from the veranda. Return to your ship via the mountain descent known as the Stalheimskleiva. With its steep grade and 13 hairpin turns, this is not a trip for those who fear heights.

The one @janetcbl mentioned is also an option from Eidfjord on our upcoming "Homelands" itinerary.  Both are $259/pp.  We do not have the option of "Full-Day Railway Journey to Voss," in the quoted post, as the Viking Jupiter does not call at Flåm on our "Homelands" sailing.

Here's the description of the "Voss, Geilo, & Bergen Railway" from MVJ:  "Scenic Drive and Rail Journey Through Norway’s Stunning Landscape.  Begin your journey by deluxe motor coach, crossing over Norway’s longest suspension bridge and the Hardangerfjord.  Pass through the idyllic village of Ulvik, known for its fruit cultivation and agricultural school. Zigzag through mountainside orchards along hairpin roads on a lakeside drive to Skjervsfossen Waterfall. Stop to admire the scenery before descending into Voss, where you will board a train and continue your journey on the famous Bergen Railway. Admire the views as you climb the mountain pass to Geilo, where you will be served a delicious lunch. Continue by coach through the Hardangervidda mountain plateau, and begin your descent through the dramatic Måbødalen valley. Stop at the Fossli Hotel to admire the spectacular scenery of this valley shaped by glaciers and rivers. Head through the tunnels to Upper Eidfjord, past the blue-green lake and toward the head of the Hardangerfjord to your awaiting ship."

Unlike the Flåm excursion, this one is not showing as sold out for our 01 May sailing--which is now open for booking by all cabin categories.  So, it could be an option for you.  Or as @Peregrina651 noted, you can keep checking to see if anything opens up on MVJ or when you board.  (We booked ours when excursions opened up for the PV category last month.)

2 hours ago, Camden lady said:

Was yours a Viking excursion?  I have not seen anything offering a bus one way and train the other.  that sounds like something I would like to do.  We are booked on Icelands Majestic Landscapes in July.  I am afraid the train will be packed with tourists at that time of year.  Thanks for any info you can provide.

This is the description of the excursion--from Eidfjord as @janetcbl mentioned--from MVJ:  "The Scenic Flåm Railroad -- Through Fjords and Over Mountains by Road and Rail
Marvel at Norway’s stunning beauty during a full-day excursion to Flåm, one of its most-scenic coastal villages.   You will find the countryside as breathtaking as your destination while riding by motor coach from the shores of Hardangerfjord to Sognefjord, crossing scenic mountain passes and driving through manmade tunnels en route.  Travel through picturesque woodland to the Tvinde Waterfall cascading down the steep cliffside.  After a short stroll close to the waterfall, continue to Flåm.  Then, board the Flåm Railway for a thrilling ride as you climb nearly 3,000 feet through 20 tunnels and over numerous bridges.  Change trains at Myrdal and continue through more spectacular vistas, alighting in Voss, settled among snowcapped mountains, forests, lakes, and rivers.  Stop for a delicious lunch at its famous hotel before returning to your ship, seeing more beautiful scenery via motor coach."

It is sold out for our Viking Homelands voyage starting 01 May.  I'm not sure, however, if it sold out during the period when PVs were allowed to book or once DVs could do so.  I believe shorex bookings are now open to all categories on our sailing.

Interesting that Regent only provides the Bulgari to the top suites.  Its little sister, Oceania, provides it as the standard product in all staterooms.  Maybe "Green Tea" is a lesser line for Bulgari?  And the shampoo and body wash is a combined product--so shampoo/body wash, conditioner, and body lotion (three) provided instead of four.

On 2/20/2023 at 7:01 PM, clelbonv said:

Thank you for the detailed review. We are scheduled for Sydney to Singapore  January 2024 and this was very helpful. I have been reading about the poor excursions that regent offers and have been planning on a few my own. Do you specifically have any ports that you suggest we skip the regent tours all together? Sounds like Cairns may be one of them. Also our cruise has two ports of call in Papa New Guinea so this is concerning regarding the poor quality of the tours and the safety of the area. Did not plan to do a private excursion. Would you recommend just walking around and not doing a Regent tour?

@clelbonv-- There is a roll call for our sailing here 

This is typically where those on the same sailing discuss excursions and plan private ones.  The latter is less likely on Regent due to the included excursions and on all lines post-COVID.

Come on over and join us!

1 hour ago, Azulann said:

I am also  boarding the Viking Jupiter in Stockholm, which begins with an overnight. The Vasa museum is an optional tour on MJV  for the second day in port. 

 If you do it on your own,  suggest you leave  your bags at the hotel and go to Vasa museum as early as possible. then back to hotel and  take a taxi to ship. Even if you arrive in mid afternoon, you should be fine for booking  on board reservations.

 I am on my roll call and some passengers do not get into Stockholm till late morning  or early afternoon with Viking Air.of the first day of our cruise. So  they will  also drop off their bags and go exploring .

 

Don't know when you re sailing  but did see on  this thread that Viking now has  reservations on MJV  to include other friends. You need add  their account number and put in the  reservation system. 

Enjoy  the sail away from  Stockholm which others have told me is spectacular

DH has never been to Stockholm before, so we're opting to do the "Old Town by Foot" tour on Day Two.  The Vasa Museum tour through Viking is $229/pp versus the $18 admission fee.  We can take the public ferry from the island where the museum is located back to the hotel area to include the "by boat" part of the Viking optional tour and have a couple hundred per person left over.  (Which has not stopped others--the tour on our 01 May departure is sold out.  We've always been DIY people.)

The three couples in our group are in different cabin categories.  The one in the highest category tried to invite the four of us in lower categories via our booking numbers, but MVJ would not let them do so.  They called Viking but it was also a no-go.  We were told to book shared tables for the same date/times and then the reservations could be combined onboard.  Which is why boarding late has me nervous, especially as there do not appear to be a lot of six-tops in the alternative restaurants per other posters on the boards.  Oh, well.

A question for those who have done the Viking Homelands itinerary.

We board the Viking Jupiter in Stockholm.  We are flying in (independent air) the day before.  What is the earliest time we can expect to board?  (Not access our cabin, just arrive at the cruise terminal for boarding.)

To explain my query--because our flight into Stockholm arrives in the late afternoon, our only time to visit the Vasa Museum is the day we board the ship.  Trying to figure out which is the better plan--leave our luggage at the hotel (Hilton Slussen) when we check out and then retrieve it en route to the terminal after the museum?OR head to the cruise terminal early, drop our luggage, check in, and then go out to the museum?  If we do the latter, is there any place on the ship to leave carry-on luggage (roller boards)?  (We've been on some ships that provide this service in the theater or other venue when accessing cabins is later in the day.)

Leaving the bags at the hotel seems like an easier plan to me, but I've read so much on the VO boards about needing to board as early as possible to book restaurants, cooking classes, etc. that I'm a little nervous about not boarding until mid-afternoon if we do the museum first (does not open until 1000 hours.)  We have booked our alternative restaurants, but the on-line reservation system would not let us combine our reservations with the other two couples in our sailing party (despite the "Invite" button.)  Obviously, no worries about missing the ship as it remains overnight.  

14 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

And for some of us overheated!  This is especially the case on a sunny day even if it’s chilly outside, it gets too hot and humid for me.  It’s nice when they open the roof just a little to let in fresh air (or maybe the humid air out🤔)

Add pool water temperature to the long list of things that are subjective.  Living in Florida, we don't consider getting in the water unless it's at least 85 degrees F (about 30 C)!

19 hours ago, susiesan said:

Not true. The Terrace grill station is open every night. On a December 2022 14 day Marina cruise I ate there every night except the 4 nights in the specialty restaurants. There was always something being grilled.

We had the same experience as @Woofaon our Riviera cruise 20 February to 02 March.  The grill at the Terrace Cafe was closed for two nights for a Mexican-themed buffet.  Instead, they used that area to offer churros.

We did eat in the TC on other nights when the grill was open and enjoyed the lobster tails.  They are not actually advertised on the grill menu, so thanks CC.com contributors for letting us know aouut that option.

We also enjoyed the new pizza in Waves Grill after 1800 hours.  We watched the chef cut the tomatoes and assemble the caprese--very fresh and delicious.

Jacques (which had restocked escargots, although they were not on the printed menu) was the most successful of the specialty restaurants.  Red Ginger a close second.  Toscana was mixed.  My lobster fra diavlo had mushy lobster and was missing any spice in the sauce.  DH had a swordfish dish (a special, I think) and it was excellent.  Polo Grill was the least successful--DH's NY strip was thin and overcooked.  (We brought a bottle of wine to match each specialty restaurant onboard--a malbec for Polo, for example--and paid the corkage, so cannot comment on wine offerings.)  One tip:  if you like to play the evening trivia (2030 hours on our sailing), you need to book a table for two at 1830 hours in the specialties.  And let the staff know you want to be finished by a certain time.

One thing that really surprised us.  We went to the Odyssey dinner in La Reserve.  A lovely talk by the executive chef describing the menu, and the food was excellent.  There was not, however, a real sommelier present to describe and serve the wine.  Instead, it was a head waiter/supervisor from the Terrace Cafe.  He was unable to answer some of the questions about the wine from a guest at our table.  Given the tie-in with Wine Spectator, I'd have expected the presence of a true sommelier.

2 hours ago, Jjg34219 said:

Our OBC from booking onboard was practically useless on Orion last August. Viking shop on board had basically zero inventory, spa was fully booked, and jewelry was ridiculously priced…lol…however there was an extra 400 $ savings and final payment at 6 months prior to sailing.

Is there a prohibition against using OBC from booking onboard to pay for the SSBP or gratuities?  We're taking our first VO in May and I had planned to book onboard and then use the OBC toward these charges.

5 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

There is a difference in SSBP between River and Ocean.  On River Vueve Clicquot is included by glass and you can ask for a bottle to take back to your cabin at the end of the night.  Total difference in SSBP between the two.

 

 

4 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

I did not know that!  Sign me up!  Holy moly. We are mostly red wine drinkers, but that inclusion would change the equation a bit!  Do you know if this is still the case post Covid, or if this is region specific?

No Veuve Clicquot included in our Christmas on the Elbe Viking cruise in December.  I would have had a lot more Champagne on the cruise if so...

16 hours ago, Jmoondance said:

There is an exception. Even if you have SSP, they will charge for bottles of wine or hard liquor.

I think @millybessmay have answered my question on this but will ask anyway.  We have only sailed with Viking River, not VO--but will do our first cruise with the latter in May.  On VR we had the SSBP and they presented us with a list of bottles of wine every night.  We selected the one we wanted (I believe the price limit was up to $75) and they opened it and poured us glasses.  Never a charge that I'm aware of.

Is this a difference between Viking River and Ocean?  Or could it be the size of our group?  We were six at a table, so finished off each new bottle at the meal.