lackcreativity

Azulann, I certainly agree with your comments, about Viking in general and about the excursions specifically. In so many cases, the guide really determines one's enjoyment of the excursion. Exceptional guides are special and rare, and it helps not to judge all the others against the best of the best. Fortunately, in our experience, really poor guides do exist but they are rare too. Most guides are generally satisfactory, and can add something to your experience even if not terrific. Post Covid, as you noted, apparently fewer people are looking to form groups for private excursions. That is problematic as the way to reduce the cost of those private excursions is by having the right size group. For just one couple, private tours that I have seen are pretty costly. Post Covid, there are also fewer guides available for all types of excursions. Most were forced to seek other employment during the pandemic, and not all of them are rushing back to the hospitality industry. Carefully reading the descriptions of the excursions Viking offers is the key, as I think even some of the panoramic tours can be useful if they drop you off somewhere interesting with a shuttle option to return to the ship. If the destination is one that is completely unfamiliar to me, I will even check out the sites to be visited on Google or Flickr or Pinterest to see if it would appeal to me. That takes a bit of effort, but we usually book so far in advance there is plenty of time!

The meal was in the hotel dining room that is located at the caves. The meal was satisfactory, but not special. If I remember correctly, the caves are in a pretty isolated area. I should say that our trip was six years ago, so I don't know if the dining arrangements are still the same.

This was our first ocean cruise, and we were thrilled with our choice of Viking and this itinerary in particular. If your physical capabilities allow, then the hike up to the Acropolis and all of Dubrovnik (especially the walk around the medieval walls) are must sees in my opinion. I only walked half way around the wall in Dubrovnik, and then met my husband back down below because the many many stairs are challenging, but so worth it in my opinion. Santorini remains one of my favorite all time places, which was aided by our early spring visit when the Star was the only ship in port. A few places weren't even open for the season yet, and some shopkeepers were still doing their spring housecleaning, but having the place pretty much to ourselves was magical. Koper Slovenia was a difficult choice, because I wanted to go on two different excursions which was not possible. I still would like to see Ljubljana, but we really enjoyed Predjama Castle and Postojna Caves. I am a castle fanatic, and that one was really unusual. I am hopeful you enjoy this cruise as much as we did!

It's difficult to find music that appeals to everyone. At the ripe old age of 70 (YIKES) I listen to an alternative radio station from a local university, so I have a broad range of musical tastes. The ABBA show was fun just one time, but I must admit to being a bit suspicious of anyone (of any age) who can't enjoy the Beatles. I know I shouldn't judge, but so it goes. Our evenings sometimes include a show in the theater, or some music in the Atrium or the Explorer's Lounge, but our happiest memories come from long dinners with good conversations with people we have met on the ship.

My two post covid experiences in booking air have been the same as yours. Granted, I was calling with specific itineraries on an airline I know Viking contracts with, so perhaps I was just lucky.

Recent price increases most likely just keep up with recent cost increases. I keep reminding myself of the sad but true reality of two years of lack of any revenue. Some of that will have to be recouped somehow, as there were still expenses during that time.

I generally agree with this, with the exception of Chef's Table. We like that experience very much, but have found that only selected menus appeal to us. So once on board, we will scan the menus there and book one if we are able. If not, there are plenty of good places to eat on board so we don't stress over it.

This is why I value the Viking Cruise Critic thread: I continue to learn new things. I thought I had researched all the options of places to go instead of Rome, but I never came across Pitigliano. After a quick glimpse of some photos, it is certainly on my list now! Thanks, and hope you enjoy your tour.

If you are trying to avoid long periods on a bus, one thing you can do is use Google Maps to check the distance/travel time between the port and the destination. That won't answer your question completely, but it can identify excursions where you will spend a long time just getting to where you want to go. I am thinking of Rome from Civitavecchia for example. Even without traffic, the ride to Rome is at least an hour plus a rest stop. You can use this as a sort of screening feature before you look at other factors about the excursions.

If I wanted to eat breakfast with people in bathrobes I could just stay home and do that!

We also very much enjoyed our one post-Covid cruise, and are looking forward to our next two. Your observations led me to review specifically what I felt was different about that cruise. Honestly, it was mostly related to passenger behavior. It is hard to hold Viking responsible for that, except perhaps in how the staff react to it. I must admit, I am not sure how the staff in dining venues is supposed to handle a large party whose volume is too loud, or police the passengers on a tour bus who keep removing their masks as soon as the guide's back is turned. However, I can't help but think that a more experienced crew member would have prevented the woman in her bathrobe from entering the World Cafe for breakfast that morning! Now, I am long past the point of being distressed about jeans in The Restaurant, but I must admit that experience did leave an impression.

I imagine that any company in an industry that suffered a two year (or was it just 18 months?) shutdown is going to have financial difficulties for a period of time afterwards. I am not surprised if costs go up and standards diminish to an extent also. I observed some of each with Viking in looking at possible future cruises and on the one post-Covid cruise we have taken. Even so, we greatly enjoyed that one cruise because our expectations were prepared for some changes. I will have patience waiting for things to settle, although the pressures added by inflation are likely extending the recovery time. I imagine Viking is not alone in dealing with these issues. My patience does have a limit, but then so do my available years to travel!

Rare Giant Phantom Jellyfish, Oh My! Viking Expedition Ships Aid Antarctic ResearchExploring the underwater world in one of Viking Expeditions' yellow submarines isn't just fun, it contributes to science too. Read in Forbes: https://apple.news/AN0IZ4V8lQf-BBcapnYk3FQ Really interesting! Sadly, still not enough to make me head to an area of such cold and ice, but I bet it would be fascinating.

I have no doubt she can do just that! Your point about the sign-up bonuses does open my mind to that possibility. Thanks.

Bernini's Apollo and Daphne defies belief that someone could create that from stone. It has the same effect on me that Michelangelo's David has on so many people. The timed entry ticket system that the Borghese employs makes it a welcome change to be able to see the art without the usual crowds. If I had only one day in Rome, I could imagine spending it at the Roman Forum and the Borghese. I suppose many people would place the Vatican higher on their list, and I can understand that too.

Bo1953, That sounds very much like what I will have to do. We also do not have points to work with, since we only take one trip a year and our credit card is a cash back card. It never seemed worth switching, and now is seems too late to worry about it. I have looked for segments that would make the Bangkok to Baltimore portion tolerable, but I can't see taking four days to get home. Just the thought of that seems exhausting! So far, my best hint (thank you klfrodo) has been to check flights from Toronto. That is just a 90 minute flight from Baltimore, and business class from there seems less expensive. Actually, I never expected to be able to travel to Asia at all, for this very reason. This Viking itinerary from Bangkok to Mumbai is very appealing, but if it never happens for us, I will still be most grateful for all the places we have seen.

Thanks for the advice. I do understand the pricing issue for a trip that far in advance. My problem is that I think I will only book the trip if I can figure out an acceptable way to get there. We have only traveled East Coast to Europe so far, and suffer through economy seating on those. That is not an option for going all the way to Bangkok for me. Neither is paying as much for the flight as we are paying for the cruise. I am just trying to get some information since this is all new to me.

Having just completed the first two segments of what can actually be a four segment cruise (from Barcelona to Istanbul) in April, I was scrolling down to post the explanation. However, glad to see Peregrina got here first! Rome was the turn around day for our portion of the cruise and we did receive excursion options once on board. I honestly cannot remember how many were offered. Since we had been to Rome previously, we just took the included panoramic tour. It was a relaxing ride, with over an hour of free time in the Vatican. Since it was Easter Saturday, that was an interesting experience just from the atmosphere in St. Peter's Square. We also had time to return to a familiar pizza place nearby for a quick lunch. For a first visit to Rome, I think it would be a disappointment. For us it was a nice way to spend half a day. We did enjoy the Barcelona to Venice cruise so much that we are finishing the route from Venice to Istanbul in the fall.

So far, we have always used Viking Air with Air Plus, and I also do my browsing with Expedia and then call Viking with the flights I am interested in. We have been really lucky getting our first choice of flights that way. Thanks for the reminder in case we ever decide to book on our own.

Gardyloo, Amazing! Thanks for the very detailed information. I have never heard of this product, but I will file it away for my future reference. Right now, the fly in the ointment so to speak is that I am still working (part-time) and my husband runs a small business. Our travel days are limited for now, other than one trip a year, two on a good year. Add in a few long weekends Baltimore to Boston to visit family, and that's the best we can do.

FlyerTalker, Thanks for all the various pieces of advice. I appreciate your input. The only one that does not really apply is your information about the cash back/points credit card. My dear daughter, the very frequent traveler, has had that conversation with me, with the spreadsheet to back it up! She wheels and deals in points and we are a great source of frustration to her. Our cash rewards go into a savings account, so I could mentally designate that money for this expense. It's not that we don't have the money, it's that I have never been willing to pay the cost for a more comfortable version of eight hours spent in economy class to Europe. Flying to Bangkok is a whole other experience. A World Cruise is not in our future. I guess I am considering this Bangkok to Mumbai trip as our "Trip of a Lifetime", and that could justify the cost of business class for me. I am just looking to learn a good way to do it. P.S. I have tried JFK, but the lowest price I saw was for $4800 on Turkish Airlines. But then, I was just using Expedia. Do I need to go to each individual airline's website to check prices? Is there something better that Expedia? I can find my way from the East Coast to Europe without too much trouble, but the other side of the world is a new experience for me!

We've been traveling by economy class from Baltimore/Washington/Philidelphia airports to various airports in Europe for the last ten years. It is miserable, but we have never been willing to pay what amounts to another whole cruise cost just to fly to our destination. We could have managed it financially, but it would have cut back on the number of trips we have taken. Now, for the first (and only) time, I am looking at a cruise from Bangkok to Mumbai. I know I cannot manage flights of 13 plus hours at a time in coach, so I am considering business class. Sadly, our credit card of choice is a cash back card, so there is no big stash of points somewhere just waiting to be used. We could even include New York and Boston as starting points, if that would help. We don't need to have the most luxurious experience, but there must be a flat surface on which to sleep. My early research leaves me with the impression that this will cost five to six thousand dollars for each of us. If that is the case, then we have a decision to make. Are there any clues that you more experienced business class travelers can share as I continue to investigate options for this potential trip in late 2024? I would appreciate any hints about finding the best fare.

Our experience on the included excursion a few years ago was that we were escorted with a guide and were provided with tickets for entry into the museum. The current description of the included excursion does not mention the museum, so perhaps someone who has been more recently will have more information.

Not accurate. I have only cruised with Viking, and really like their product, but I am browsing here for some variety of itineraries. Viking has a variety of live music. There is a small night club called Torshavn with a small band and singers, at least so I have heard. We tend to linger over dinner and then perhaps go to the Explorer's Lounge. There is a piano there, and there is usually a guitarist on board who rotates locations. In addition, there is a classical duo who perform in The Living Room most evenings. Since that area is open to the Atrium, you can find a spot on several levels to listen. There is live music most nights in the Star Theater as well, with a small band and a quartet of singers. The shows performed there could do with some updating, as a few have been around since Viking Ocean first started sailing. If you are new to Viking, that won't be a problem! The Cruise Director and others will sometimes perform in this venue too. I am not sure where you learned that Viking did not have live music. I would not compare them to the mega ships offerings (or to be fair, not to any other lines, since I have only sailed with Viking). We have enjoyed much of what we have heard on our four Viking cruises.

I have done it as well, changing to a new cruise with the same booking number. Since the new cruise was longer and more expensive, we did have to pay the increase in insurance premium, as I would have expected.