avonglen
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Posts posted by avonglen
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Dear avonglen,
The absence of shore excursions for Bordeaux and Paris is not because the excursions have sold out, but because they have yet to be made available.
Currently, we are working with our vendors to secure the details of the excursions in both of these ports. Once the details are confirmed, the shore excursions will be made available to book on My Viking Journey.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Best regards,
Viking Cruises
Thank you Viking for explaining the situation, though I do wonder about those in the higher categories of cabins who would have been able to book their preferred excursions at the 107,97,87 & 77 days out from departure on 27th March from Istanbul. They must be very patient & understanding also.
However, as you seem to be having trouble organising vendors of excursions, perhaps the solution is to revert back to the ports & excursions of the 2015 Viking Empire. From the comments made by id4elizabeth above, it seemed that all the excursions ran very smoothly. I for one would be very happy for this to happen.:)
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Yes I have been able to access the port excursions to set up my personal Wish List - very exciting! However, from about Bordeaux on, only the complementary tours are shown - none of the paid excursions. I have a feeling that, from what Viking has advised, that they are having some sort of problems with loading details of the paid excursions (?maybe software?). Just have fingers crossed that the info re these will be available before my 67 day booking window opens:)
Still no excursions for Bordeaux & Paris & only the complementary ones for many of the ports after that. Am very concerned that I will not be able to book what I wish to do as my 67 day deadline is now very close.
Viking, does the unavailability of excursions on the MJV website mean that those of higher cabin category - I am DV - have beaten me to the punch & that all excursions are now fully booked except those shown on my MJV i.e. that I will be unable to book any excursion in Bordeaux & Paris, & only book the complementary one in London? Please set my mind at rest that this is not so as I would be extremely disappointed to find that many of the 50 days that I am aboard will either require me to book private tours or spend a great deal of time on board:confused:
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Yes I have been able to access the port excursions to set up my personal Wish List - very exciting! However, from about Bordeaux on, only the complementary tours are shown - none of the paid excursions. I have a feeling that, from what Viking has advised, that they are having some sort of problems with loading details of the paid excursions (?maybe software?). Just have fingers crossed that the info re these will be available before my 67 day booking window opens:)
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Thank you Viking for that advice. I look forward to next week when I can access the Wish List excursions.:)
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Well, here I am 98 days out from embarkation and, in fact, exactly 3 months to the day before I depart from home, and STILL NO WISH LIST! I have also now made my final payment for the 50 days I will be on the "Star" plus the pre and post extensions for Istanbul and Stockholm. Now Viking has all my money, there is no reason why I cannot access MY WISH LIST, is there??:rolleyes:
Happy Christmas Viking. I guess you are now all in holiday mode & no longer reading the threads on CC. Have now resigned myself to the fact that I will never have a Wish List as the 67 days out from embarkation when I can book the land tours are now fast approaching (that is if details of the tours ever come up on the MVJ website). Maybe this will mean that I have to go see my TA & get her to laboriously book them for me......oh well que sera sera!!!
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Ours appeared about 4 or 4 1/2 months pre-cruise.
Well, here I am 98 days out from embarkation and, in fact, exactly 3 months to the day before I depart from home, and STILL NO WISH LIST! I have also now made my final payment for the 50 days I will be on the "Star" plus the pre and post extensions for Istanbul and Stockholm. Now Viking has all my money, there is no reason why I cannot access MY WISH LIST, is there??:rolleyes:
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WOW!!! Elizabeth, you deserve a gold star for your efforts!! When I asked for feedback on the included and prepaid tours, I didn't expect the in depth detail you have provided. It made me feel I was travelling with you. With all the info you have provided, I will be well prepared when I undertake my 50 days next March. All I can say is thank you (just two little words but heartfelt nevertheless) for taking the time & effort. I look forward to your next instalments - but no pressure!:D
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Thanks Roothy. Looks as though the excursion to Mostar might be dropped when we go to Dubrovnik x 2 as we will only be in port from 7.00am to 5.00pm & 8.00am to 6.00pm respectively (bummer, it's on my bucket list!). Fingers crossed & with any luck, port times might be amended to accommodate the length of time to see the Old Bridge. Hope so anyway. If Viking is reading this, I hope they take note & change the port times, please!:D
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I've scanned some of the Viking Daily papers from our Venice to Istanbul cruise and placed them here:
http://www.pbase.com/roothy123/viking_star_
The papers are at the very end of the gallery - hit "All" at the bottom of screen on pbase and then scroll to the end. You'll see Venice through Kotor. I'll post the sea day through Istanbul this weekend. Sorry, I had to cut some pages off a bit, as they were a bit large for my scanner. Also, I don't know if you can print copies. You can, however, double click on each paper to see a full-sized version.
Keep in mind, of course, that anything can change. Also, if you're on the reverse itinerary, you'll definitely see changes from what's reflected here.
Thanks Roothy, Very interesting to be able to compare the tours with those I wish to do next year on "Viking Empire". However, I have a question regarding the tour to Mostar from Dubrovnik which is shown as taking 11.5 hours. Given the time in port, how was this managed? Although you may not have undertaken this tour, I'm wondering if you got any feed back from other cruisers. Thanks
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Roothy,
Just need to clarify something you have posted:
"Then you grab your water and give your key card to the security person (either side, with water on both sides) and follow the guide outside"
Further into you post:
"Prepare to show your key card 2 or 3 times to get in and through the port terminal, plus there's an x-ray check."
Does this mean that the security person retains your key card or just checks it & returns it to you?:confused:
Despite my confusion over the above, just love all your tips & comments - all very helpful & informative, so please keep them coming.:D
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Interestingly, I have received the following response (but not from TellUs@vikingcruises.com):
"I have just received a copy of your post from Cruise Critic and was concerned to read that you had not had any response to your previous emails. I apologise for that and hope that you correspond with me directly from now on and I can assure you I will respond.
Please let me know about the land excursions that you would like more details or are concerned about and I research them in details for you and get back to you with more information.
Kind regards,
Sue Neels I Viking Cruises I Customer Retention Agent
(reservations AU) 1800 131 744 x6210 I (reservations NZ) 0800 447 913 x6233 I
sue.neels@vikingcruises.com I vikingrivercruises.com.au"
Wonder why the Viking Head Office in the US is ducking for cover & fobbed off my concerns to Viking AUS????
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Roothy, great to have your comments re tours & your tips as well. You always give a very fair & balanced point of view. Thanks for the time & effort you put into contributing to CC at a time when most would be just "putting their feet up" on holiday.
May I make an observation re the Wi-Fi - that there don't seem to be the problems described by earlier CC contributors as far as access & slowness? Has this been your experience - that it is much improved?
Am looking forward to reading more of your excursion experience as your cruise progresses. Again, thanks for your input:D
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Dear avonglen,
That said, we sincerely thank you for your recommendation and, if you wish to discuss further, would encourage you to contact us at TellUs@vikingcruises.com.
Kind regards,
Viking Cruises
Dear Viking Cruises,
Thank you for your response to my concerns about the quality of the land excursions. However, I will not be contacting you at TellUs@vikingcruises.com as I believe it would simply be a waste of time. Please note that when I e-mailed you several months ago, I did not get a response - not even the courtesy of an acknowledgement.
However, as it is apparent that you are reading my CC comments, you will be aware that I am a solo 50 dayer who not only has committed considerable funds to the cruise but who will be also spending similar considerable funds on the paid excursions. Given this, is it any wonder that I am concerned about the feedback on CC as to the quality of the paid tours? I'm sure that you are also aware that, having experienced Viking Rivers in both Russia & China, I am not only a loyal Viking customer but have sung your praises re the quality of the rivers tours loud & long. Hence my reason for booking "Viking Empire" with the expectation that the land content would be of similar standard to that I have experienced with Viking in the past. Furthermore, I intend to undertake a Viking Rivers tour in 2017 from Amsterdam to Budapest & possibly more with Viking Rivers in the years following.
I look forward to a rewarding & enriching experience next year but, if, in the meantime, you wish to contact me to discuss this matter further, my e-mail is avonglen@tpg.com.au - I promise I will respond.:)
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Have just been reading the latest reviews on CC's "Reviews & Ratings" site. Praises loud & long for the on board experience but it seems the Viking is still falling down in the excursion department. As most, I would suspect, have booked their cruises on the "Star" for the land content, this is such a pity as Viking does the river cruise excursions so well. Those reading the comments could be very easily put off from booking an "Ocean" experience - AND word of mouth, if it is negative can be very damaging. Come on Viking, lift your game to the "Viking" standard!!!
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Wow!!! Thanks, DianeLikesToTravel, for such a comprehensive review of your excursion experiences - a magnificent effort so soon after your return home. Needless to say the info you have so generously provided will be a great help to those of us yet to embark on the "Star". Just can't thank you enough....but am hoping others will contribute similarly re other ports on the "Star's" itinerary.
When I travel, I always keep a written diary mainly to help with photo identification. However, when it is my turn on the "Star", I intend to keep a detailed account of the excursions, particularly the paid Viking ones, & my assessment of them, so that I can post them on CC either as I cruise (WiFi permitting) or asap when I get home. I feel it is only right that my experiences help those who come after me as has been the case with those who have cruised & undertaken excursions before me - just a way of saying thanks:) to all who make the effort of posting on CC:D
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Many thanks to those who have responded to my request for reviews of the Viking paid excursions - Roothy in particular for posting such a comprehensive review of her experiences of many ports, some of which I will be visiting on my cruise.
However, still would like to see many more posted. At last count, I think those of us crazies doing the 50 dayer will be visiting 30-40 ports, so there's lots more tours to think about, research & eventually book.
As I said, keep 'em coming (it will help others doing shorter legs on the "Star" too).
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I would probably give this Viking "Star" tour 3 1/2 to 4 stars. ($109 pp) (Unfortunately Helsinki was right in between Stockholm and St. Petersburg and suffers a little in comparison.)
Many thanks OBX Cruisers for taking the time & effort to respond to my request for info about paid tours. To tell the truth, Helsinki was one port of call where I have struggled to find an appropriate /interesting tour. On an earlier visit there many years ago, we visited the "Rock Church" & also went to Sibelius Park to see the Monument erected in his honour. However, the trip you did out into the country to meet the locals sounds interesting. So I will keep this tour in mind when doing my final bookings. Again, many thanks:D
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Many thanks to all those who have taken the time to write reviews on this forum of their experiences on "Viking Star". It has been very informative & enlightening. I now feel well versed in what to expect when on board.
However, given that I booked the "Star" on the 50 day "Viking Empire" in 2016 on the basis of land tours out of the various ports of call, rather than the ship itself, I would dearly love to hear of the experiences of those who bought & undertook Viking organised (not privately organised) excursions. While I accept that Viking offers a free excursion in each port of call, I am more interested in the paid offerings & whether those who undertook them felt they got value for money.
The Viking organised paid excursions are not cheap - most are over the $100 mark & many much more than that. I have done a great deal of research into the paid excursions on offer & though I cannot, as yet, access My Wish List to enter them online, I know which I wish to do based on my research. The amount of money involved over the 50 day cruise runs into several thousands - this on top of the cost of the actual cruise. However, I am prepared to spend the money if the excursions fulfil my expectations & that I feel that the money was well spent.
Because I have been to many of the ports of call before (when driving through Europe), my emphasis is on tours out of the port cities. So I would be very interested in any comments/reviews of excursions away from the relevant port. The relatively few comments on CC have been invaluable in making my personal choices e.g. the excursion into Berlin is, from my point of view, a definite no no. I might add that, in some cases, the paid Viking excursions out of some ports do not meet my needs & I will be booking private tours on line (Capri out of Naples & Tivoli Gardens out of Rome/Civitavecchia, to name a couple).
Should anyone take the time to undertake a review of any of the paid Viking excursions they have experienced, you have my eternal gratitude :D
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I give up--thanks anyway for the info on private tour groups.
In 2010 I, with my daughter, did the VRC from Moscow to St Petersburg & all the V tours were excellent, especially in the latter city. The tours were organised on busses with groups of no more than 30 & the group stayed together for the entire cruise, unless some opted, on occasions, for an optional paid tour offered by Viking. We had the same guide (from memory, I think her name was Tanya & she had been an In Tourist guide under Communism, so really knew her stuff!) all the way for our group, assisted by a local guide in each town.
However, I came to realise after opting for an optional paid tour, that we had been very lucky in getting the guide we did. My daughter opted to stay with our regular guide for the canal cruise in St P & came back to the boat raving about the experience, while I had chosen to take a tour the palace where Rasputin was murdered & had an abysmal guide who never completed her explanations as we were shunted by the palace room "guards" from room to room - very frustrating, especially since our regular guide was so good in thwarting the bullying tactics of these "guards" at the various palaces we had visited with her. I guess the bottom line is that the quality of any tour provided by Viking or any other organisation for that matter, is entirely dependent on the quality & dedication of the guide.
However, I will be in a better position to comment next year as I will be in St Petersburg during my time on the 50 day Viking Empire from Istanbul to Stockholm. While there I will be undertaking the canal cruise I missed out on because I opted for the Rasputin tour.
I know that doesn't help you much if you will be cruising before me, but it will be interesting to do the comparison of VR & VO and their use of guides.
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I read that too. Clearly "the engine burned out" is hyperbolic. Shutting down one engine contributing to a three hour delay is a far cry from the previous incident.
Later in the review:
When we docked at Barcelona, the shipyard had a large group of technicians there waiting with what appeared to be 3 LARGE engines and crates of equipment that were being craned on to the ship, no doubt a replacement engine transformer and what appeared to be two back up units to keep on board
With the implication that this was related to the "second incident". The logistics to stage, assemble, and deploy the type of equipment listed and the people need to install it in the time between Lisbon and Barcelona ports is simply not possible. (And if were, it would be an amazing feat and very much to Viking's credit.)
I wasn't there of course, but sounds like Barcelona was planned well in advance and was likely the final fix for the original root problem. That would mean that the Star sailed from Copenhagen to Barcelona with a repair or interim solution rather full restoration. Slightly concerning, but apart from this 'glitch' (which seems more accurate than 'engine burnout') it worked.
Thanks for the explanation - seems entirely logical for all the necessary parts to be sent to Barcelona. The scheduled three days in Barcelona would allow completion of the repair work without any interruption to the itinerary.
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"The engine burned out again on our trip, we got in to Lisbon 3 hours late. The ship slowed down greatly as we crossed the Bay of Biscay during the Beatles concert. I told everyone something was wrong with the 2nd engine as we were no longer trailing 2 rooster tails, only one. People laughed at me but sure enough, the next morning, we got the announcements of maintenance issues and 3 hours late in to Lisbon, this time was not given back either, we just lost the 3 hours"
Have just been reading the Reviews of Viking Star on CC & found the above entry posted on 27 August regarding the 15 day Bergen to Barcelona cruise which actually started in Copenhagen as a consequence of the Tallinn breakdown delays.
As this is the only reference to a second breakdown I can find on CC, can anyone confirm or add to the scenario mentioned above?:confused:
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I find that really surprising too. Being two of those 125 50-dayers, the majority of 50-dayers we met were either from the USA or Canada. We did meet some 50-day Australians, but not that many.
Would love to hear from some of those Aussies who were 50-dayers how they managed to book on the maiden voyage of the Star. I tried to do so, initially through Vacations to Go website but was told that bookings were not available to Aussies. Then tried through my TA who even contacted the Viking London office to book - again, not open to Aussies at that time. All this was November 2013. Advice was that the Aussie market would not be opened until December or January. Finally made my deposit on 14 January 2014 but by that time the maiden voyage in 2015 was fully booked so had to settle for the 2016 50-dayer in March 2016. At that time, the itinerary for 2016 was advertised as being the same as for 2015, so I happily paid my deposit. Now, not quite so happy as anyone who has followed my threads on CC re radical itinerary changes for 2016 will know:(Even so, I'm not going to pull out but will embark with a positive attitude to enjoy the 50 days to the max:D It will be an awesome experience!
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Still hoping to hear of more Aussies undertaking this cruise in 2016 on the Viking Star.
Just wanted to update this thread so it doesn't get lost:D
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Thank you everybody for the advice you have given me on this topic - it has helped to sooth my frustration with the Viking website for MVJ. Yes I initially did do as suggested above & selected the excursions from the itinerary on VO for "Viking Empire" for 2016. However, it was when I set up MVJ that I reached for the phone & rang Viking Australia as I discovered that MVJ's itinerary for several ports in Spain, Portugal & France was different from that shown on VO's web site for the Star's 2016 cruise. Needless to say, that was a pointless exercise & despite several more phone calls & e-mails, I am still none the wiser.
I guess my need to ask about when the wish list would be available stems from my frustration of not being able to find info on the excursions shown on the MVJ ports that are shown nowhere else on Viking's web sites, particularly re Bordeaux (where we will be in port overnight) but there is no info re the excursions on offer. As mentioned to roothy123, I am a devoted forward planner who undertakes extensive research before I commit to o/s travel. As a solo traveller, it gives me the necessary confidence to undertake all that I intend to do by knowing the how, when, where & why of it all.
Again, thanks everybody for your help & support on this topic.:D
4th Cruiseline Suspends Turkey Visits
in Viking Ocean
Posted
Like Pukeolive, I will also be in Istanbul in a couple of months time. However, unlike Pukeolive, I will be departing from there for both my precruise extension to Gallipoli & for my cruise to Stockholm. I will also be spending a few days in Istanbul before either of these activities occur.
I guess the bottom line is that in this day & age no one is safe from such attacks any where in the world any more. I agree with the sentiment that no one can live their life in a bubble so I can only trust that I & any other tourist in Istanbul or in any other tourist destination remains safe from terrorist attack. After the recent terrorist attacks in Indonesia, locals demonstrated against the perpetrators by carrying placards & chanting "we are not afraid!" Perhaps this is the best philosophy.:)