OneSixtyToOne

I sent an email to TellUs... asking about the time issue and closed with the following statement. Awaiting their reply. We will be celebrating our wedding anniversary on this cruise and were very much looking forward to a table at Manfredi's to celebrate this special occasion. Not knowing if that is possible reflects badly on Viking and contradicts your DV category advertising: "1 guaranteed priority reservation at each alternative restaurant 60 days prior to departure" If you no longer intend to honor this "guarantee" of prior reservations, I suggest you update your website, advertising brochures, and other promotional materials where this is stated.

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Received a message today from Viking that dinner and spa reservations were now open for our upcoming cruise. I found this odd since it previously stated they opened at 8 PM my time. Instead it looks like it happened at 8 AM. Results: spa reservations available, no dinner reservations available. Guess I'll try at 8 PM and see if this is a glitch or SNAFU.

The credit card info registered on MVJ is for onboard use. You can register ACH (bank exchange) info for pre cruise excursions. When paying by credit card you will be asked for the information upon checkout.

What cruise are you on?

Russell is a tremendous storyteller. Some of his presentations are on Viking TV. In preparation for our Greece trip, I recently watched his presentation on Greek mythology. Since the collapse of FTX was in the news, I just rewatched his presentation on Tulip Mania, the first stock market bubble.

"War is God's way of teaching Americans geography" - Ambrose Bierce

Here is a Viking Ocean Cabin Guide blog including cabins to avoid

Free self-service laundry facilities are available on decks 3-6. Detergent is included. Each laundry also has an ironing board and iron.

Ghent is lovely and old Bruges is pedestrian friendly. You can spend days walking around. Staying right in Bruges would be my choice.

Have you ever been to Bruges?

In addition to “free air” some promotions offer level cabin pricing for the lowest category (eg. DV1-6 for the same price). Also the SSP might be included.

For dining reservations, MVJ allows you to link reservations but you must have the booking number and everyone’s cabin class must be eligible to book. For example a PV pax can’t link with a DV until the DV is eligible. It’s also pretty easy to accommodate everyone when onboard. For excursions you can work that out onboard with a Viking rep. If you have the same time slots you can request to be in the same group. Some slots may have multiple buses/guides and you are assigned groups.

Below is part of our extension. Is this the same Temple of Apollo? Day 4 - Delphi Today, visit Delphi, where an ancient oracle once influenced the fate of emperors and empires. Here, you will discover one of the most important museums in Greece, the Archaeological Museum of Delphi. Surrounded by the splendid beauty of Mt. Parnassus, you will marvel at the Temple of Apollo, the circular Tholos and more. After time to explore this magnificent site, stop in the picturesque mountain town of Arachova for lunch, then return to your hotel and enjoy an evening at leisure. (B, L)

Room class determines the date when MVJ opens for booking time slots. The excursions will be available for viewing before your date so you can make a plan. If you are booking optional excursions, target first the ONE you really want and pay for it before moving on. Popular optional excursions may sell out quickly and it's possible it may sell out with the item in your cart before payment. Research the tours and make a plan to be as efficient as possible during the booking process. See my answer above about picking time slots. BTW only one cabin pax may be logged into MVJ to book excursions. The other will get a lock error if trying to book simultaneously.

You select the excursion time you want in MVJ before you board. The UI will have a drop down box with the available times. It will also show if you have any booking conflicts. Some time slots may fill up so it is highly recommended that you make your selections as soon as you are able. Each stateroom pax selects a time. They can be the same or if for some reason you want to go on different tours, you can schedule independently. When you board you will be given a packet with tickets for your selected excursions. BTW Although you may be able to change excursion times after you board, you really need to select everything in advance. This allows Viking to determine how many buses and tour guides are required.

Latest from the BBC

Our open day is Day 3 so be looking for suggestions.

The Classic Greece Extension includes a trip to Mycenae but we too are looking for ideas for day 3 which is “on our own.” Day 2 - Mycenae & Epidaurus Set out today to discover the Peloponnese peninsula, home of some of Greece’s most breathtaking ruins. At Mycenae, a millennia-old military stronghold, pass through the Lion Gate to begin exploring this amazing site, including the foundations of King Agamemnon’s palace and the Tomb of Agamemnon. Lunch is included. In Epidaurus, marvel at the massive ancient amphitheater. Locals still stage shows here and take advantage of its exceptional acoustics. (B, L)

That all depends on your specific cruise, port of call, arrival time, and length of the tour. In general the included tours are offered at various times starting in the morning and in some cases extending into early afternoon. For example here are two for our upcoming cruise. It will be different in every port of call. Panoramic Athens & Archaeological Museum INCLUDED Day 6 – Athens (Piraeus), Greece Wednesday 7:45 AM / 8:00 AM / 8:15 AM / 12:45 PM / 1:00 PM 3.5 Hours Scenic Chania by Foot INCLUDED Day 8 – Crete (Souda Bay), Greece Friday 8:30 AM / 9:00 AM / 9:30 AM / 12:45 PM / 1:00 PM 3 Hours As soon as the excursions are up on MVJ you will be able to see the times when you click on “learn more”

The airport, cruise terminal and Balboa Park are all located in the same compact area. San Diego is a major convention destination. That means there are thousands of hotel rooms available in the downtown area. Be aware that at certain times, like Comic-Com in July, the rates can skyrocket as available becomes scare. They sooner you book, the better. BTW I highly recommend spending a day or two in Balboa Park. In addition to the zoo, it’s home to a dozen museums and numerous gardens. It’s the largest urban cultural park in the country. The facades on the buildings were used in the movie Citizen Kane to represent Kane’s fictional palatial estate of Xanadu. It’s worth a walk along The Prado, the park’s main walkway, just to experience the architecture.

This is one of the big reasons we prefer river cruising to ocean cruising. You have much more time in the heart of the city and much less time commuting from the port to where you want to go. BTW since train travel was mentioned I highly recommend Viking's Paris to the Swiss Alp cruise. Their trip extension to Geneva & Zermatt includes a First Class train ride across Switzerland on the famous Glacier Express. Zermatt is absolutely gorgeous and the Matterhorn is breathtaking. This is by far the best cruise extension we have ever experienced. We traveled in reverse from Switzerland to Paris. I always want to do the more rigorous part of the trip in the beginning before we are completely exhausted from all the days traveling. River cruising will definitely allow you to sleep well at night.

Good to know. I don't eat seafood and every menu contains it. I thought I could substitute but DW was aghast that I would try. Will give it a try on our upcoming cruise.

“steak for fish or salmon for lamb“

It appears Viking has booked us at the NJV Athens Plaza. Hoping for the best. At the very least, a much better location.