Marykatesmom

On 2/25/2019 at 2:44 PM, Cienfuegos said:

Focusing on Cuba, I suspect some of the problem is the absence of a developed infrastructure for the volume of cruise business now arriving. A port like Santiago de Cuba will be swamped with  3,000 visitors in a day. And, that's easy to see.  One cruise ship will do that. I would be amazed if the city could produce 75 - 100 competent, English speaking guides and one hundred buses.

 

In five years these problems will be in the rear view mirror. In the meantime, an intensive development of cruise-worthy guides and itineraries would be a superb goal for the local government.  I don't know if English language arts are taught in the schools, several guides said they learned the language on their own.

I hope these problems will be resolved by the time we go next February.

Has anyone been recently?

On 2/1/2019 at 9:05 AM, deec said:

I think a great perk for repeat guests would be FREE custom air!!!

 

Love that idea!

Well, now I want to know if there is a cabinet in the DV on the Sky!  Nevermind that I have only stayed in PV and have two future VO cruises booked in PV.  That isn't the point.  The question has been raised and I want to read the final chapter when Tellus@vikingcruise.com replies.  Following with rapt attention.

Keep us posted.  I have a February 2020 Cuba trip planned.  It will be our 3rd VO.  I loved the first two.  

I'd like to see something done about adding excursions to your cart only to disappear.   I had read enough on CC to know that you start with the most desired or most likely to sell out and check out immediately going down you list one at a time checking each item out.  

Marriott gives you a countdown clock before the rooms go back to inventory.  You have "14:59" minutes to book in red at the top of the screen and it starts counting down.  I like that.

Regarding the PP and excursions listed on the sailings were not on that particular cruise.  Sometimes if the cruise is going in reverse say "Barcelona to Rome" instead of "Rome to Barcelona"  it can change the time in one of the ports and there isn't enough time to run the excursion.  Or if it day in port is a Sunday or Holiday.  You never know.

Thank you to OP.  I agree with all of your points.

12 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

(Disclaimer: I'm not a big fan of Oceania, I just mentioned them because they allow one person of a couple to get a drinks package.)

 

Yes, Oceania has key cards and makes you show it and sign a chit whenever you go into a bar for a drink (which I hate--yeah on Viking for improving that). Yes,  Oceania allow you to bring alcohol on board--unlimited, but they charge a high corkage fee for bringing it to a dining room.  Their package includes room service drinks. Oceania does not stock any room with alcohol, at least maybe the really big suites, don't know.

 

I don't go to all-you-can-eat buffet restaurants.  Frankly didn't know they still existed.  I've had tasting menus, but never where it's obligatory, except for a nice little (non-MIchelin*) bistro in Paris where everyone had to eat what the cook served that night.

I never said I went to buffet restaurants either.  It isn't unusual for either buffet restaurants or some Michael Star level restaurants (which I do enjoy) to require the entire table to participate.  This is similar to Viking's policy of requiring everyone in the cabin to participate.

Viking does not use key cards like Oceania.  They only use your room number making distinguishing who is or isn't on the drink impossible at the POS.  They would have to add the extra step of checking who is ordering the drink.  At times, the bars are quite crowded making that almost unworkable.    

22 hours ago, jiminyC_fan said:

We've sailed close to 20 cruises with Disney and we've always had great cruises even with other people's little ones.  (We've only sailed with adults.)   We've tried a couple other lines as well but once we sailed Viking I don't think Disney will work for us any longer.  The size of the ship, no loud speaker nonsense, no bingo, no pool games, no loud music, small ship, free internet, free wine, free specialty restaurants, free laundry, smaller ships, screams Viking is better.  Viking ship is not broken up by concierge only.  Everyone is treated equal on Viking and that I love.  I feel that Disney is going back to the days of Titanic with class separation.    So for us, Viking wins.

I feel the same way.   I'll probably do a multi-generational when we get grandchildren but we've aged out of DCL.

1 hour ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

 

I believe Oceania does this--allow one person in a cabin to buy a beverage package without demanding the same from their partner.  This is adult, and sensible.  Many people these days don't drink at all, and so are not about to start sharing drinks with their partners. And yes, $18pp/day is relatively cheap; I can't remember what Oceania charged but it was not cheap.

 

And as for the buffet analogy, that's just insulting.  No one was talking about sharing drinks, but about a non-drinking partner.

 

 

Does Oceania have key cards?   Does Oceania allow you to bring alcohol on board? Does Oceania deliver at no extra cost wine and drinks to your room if you’re on the package? Does Oceana stock some of the cabins with beer and wine? 

Can you name a buffet restaurant that allows a non-eating patron in for free to sit with an eating  patron?  

There are several Michelin Star restaurants that require the entire table to order the tasting menu and not just one guest.  It is their establishment and I certainly wouldn’t embarrass myself by stomping my foot and pitching a hissy fit.  My DH is an extremely picky eater and would never agreed to that so it’s our choice to either not go, I get him a burger before dinner and I eat anything he won’t, or I don’t get the tasting menu.

20 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

If you're responding to my post, I believe that this is the policy, what I'm saying is that it's a bad one.

 

Nice that they are so liberal about allowing pax to bring aboard their own alcohol, and even drink it publicly with no corkage.  Great policy (same as Regent.)  

 

But the idea that you have to buy the SSBP as soon as you board is not great, but the fact that both passengers in a cabin MUSt buy it is horrible.  I am practically a teetotaller for large stretches of time, for instance, but my husband is not.  Sounds unfair to me.

It would be completely unworkable to have only one passenger in the cabin with the package with the exception of the underage passengers who would be flagged.

zitsky  Completely subjective what something is worth to you.  I had already taken several private winery day trips with my middle school daughters when we were on the West Coast in Napa and Sonoma valley.  Even though they, obviously, were not drinking, they enjoyed the ride, tours, lunches and scenery.  We still talk about the beautiful picnic lunch in a winery under the olive tree with the string lights.  I knew it would be years before we would be back, so all that time was precious.

 A good private guide can get you in and out efficiently.  I cover a lot more ground and I've never been patient with other guests who arrive at the meeting point late or otherwise  impede progress.  Although I will say, both my DH and I noticed Viking's guest are easily some of the most considerate we've encountered.  On time and courteous.    

I've always found I've gotten better service if the establishment (winery, restaurant ect.) are aware they are not serving a one time tourist, rather someone that can bring in repeat visits.  Plus, they lean toward smaller more personal wineries.

Ok.  Now I want to go back to Napa Valley when my youngest turns 21.  I told her I we would go at the time and now that is about 18 months away.  Time flies and I never regretted spending the money.

It was just the two of us.  It was a private tour and around 700 Euros with tip but I knew we would not be back Florence for the foreseeable future.  Viking's optional excursion were more inexpensive but they were definitely a big box tour.  We took a winery tour in Marseille with Viking and it was so big they had to split it into two buses.  The wine was nice but we saw and did so much more at our own pace.  The private tour was a Mercedes van and took a lot of back roads.  It was worth it for Tuscany.  

Our Western Med had an overnight in Florence in Dec.  I highly recommend https://www.milesandmiles.net/tours/florence/type/shore-excursions  I have used them twice before in the past.  They will help you decide what is possible during  your day in port and customize the tour to fit your interests.  I specifically asked to visit a winery that specialized in Super Tuscans as I am primarily a Cabernet Sauvignon drinker.  They arranged a visit with https://www.ibalzini.it/en/visits-and-tastings/  we had lunch there and a wine tasting.  I wish I could remember the name of the hill town they took us to but it was very small and scenic  

The ship arrived in port at 7 AM and we scheduled an 8 AM PU which I believe was before most of the tours left the ship so the parking lot was quite empty.  All aboard by 6PM so to be safe we arrived at 5PM.

I wait until I board before I buy the drink package.  I get OBC from bookings onboard and my TA which I use toward the package.

15 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

 

Ditto!!!! For $1200 you can spend 4 nights, pay for a taxi from the ship to the hotel and then from the hotel to the airport (under $100 total), breakfast that is usually included in the extension package and, if you choose wisely on the hotel, still have money to spare. Viking hotels are sometimes not centrally located and you waste a lot of time getting to the the things you want to see.

 

Also, a two night stay does not give you two full days for touring: Day 1 you spend a portion of your day dealing with getting to the hotel and checking in; Night 1; Day 2 is all touring; Night 2; and, Day 3 you depart. 

 

Or, if this is pre-cruise, Day 1 spent arriving and depending where you are coming from, that might not be until mid-day; Night 1; Day 2 tour all day; Night 2; Day 3 --store luggage at hotel, tour part of the day, return to hotel to fetch luggage and be at ship by on board time.

The extension I was looking at had nothing but transfers, the hotel room and breakfast.  I had enough points on Marriott to get a free room for two nights breakfast included and I had hired a private guide that took us the the airport at the end of the tour.   Much cheaper to do it on your own. 

Be sure to read carefully what is included in the extensions.  If all that is included is the hotel room and transfers it would be much cheaper to do on your own.

2 minutes ago, SM77 said:

Yes, see my post: #10

Thanks.  I reread your post.  How far in advance can you book the flights?   I have until 6 months out to pay for my vacation.  I pay a portion every month to break things up.   I'm worried my TA (who is new to Viking) isn't going to handle the "Custom Air" very well.  

I need to upgrade to Business as well.  I booked on board and they could only book economy.  When should I upgrade?  Should I look at the flights first to see if it is a good deal? 

Do you have to be paid in full to use the Custom Air?

13 hours ago, Jtm1979 said:

We booked the British Isles Explorer in Oct 2018, for the mid- July 2019 cruise, and I made my final payment yesterday............6 months out, not the year mentioned in this topic.  Maybe I've misunderstood the comments?

Jul 14, 2019 Viking Jupiter – British Isles Explorer

Feb 18, 2019 Viking Star – West Indies

Feb 05, 2018  Viking Sea - South America and the Caribbean

Feb 15, 2017 Viking Star – West Indies

Sep 14, 2015 Viking Star – Med Odyssey

 

The new policy started Nov. 1 2018.  

The 6 months out final payment option for booking on board is a nice incentive.  Maybe increases in those will offset any losses in bookings.

As many CC members have complained about the nightly entertainment options I started to think about what would be interesting to a typical VO cruiser.  I live within a 2 and 1/2 hour drive to Broadway so I wouldn't want to spend my cruising time in another part of the world seeing a show.  I enjoyed the string duo and the guitarist very much but again, easily accessible to me and many others.  Really it seems sort of silly to be on the Amazon listening to ABBA IMHO. 

VO prides itself on being port intensive cruises and the lectures are interesting to me and others as they seem pretty well attended.  The cruise ship is not the destination so why not make the destination part of the entertainment?  Wouldn't an entertainment/educational program, even for an hour be more suitable?   What do people in Brazil listen to, past and present?  I would have gone to see a Flamenco dancer as we left Barcelona, especially as ours got cancelled last minute.  I would have gone to see a program that both talked about and had some Italian Opera while sailing into Rome.  Learn something and enjoy some pieces of music sounds good to me!

What would you find interesting?

Have a great trip!  Glad to hear VO was proactive on changing flights.

We booked on board and got the 6 months final due date.  However, someone mentioned in passing that in order to use custom air and book your flight, the cruise must be paid in full at around 10 months instead.  Is that correct?

Thank you for posting the article.  I enjoyed it.

4 hours ago, Pushka said:

Clearly Viking sells out many itineraries very very quickly. These forward bookings though, were made under the old payment policy. The impact of the new policy is only just coming into play so I do wonder if in 12 months time that as many cruises will be sold out 2 years in advance. 

Excellent point!

If we had the flexibility I would book around 6 months out.  I have a list of places I would love to visit.