Planning to cruise

....summer and winter.  

18 hours ago, pavementends said:

Years ago I took Hurtigruten up the coast and they did go into Trollfjord. I don't know if that is a regular part of the trip.

It is in summer, or at keast was when I was last on Hurtigruten pre covid.  I have done the whole coastal journey in both summer and 

We are fairly active 70+ year olds.  We have done a number of river cruises, many (and now only) with Viking.  I think you will find they are a good choice.  We (I!) too are planners and I do much research before going anywhere.  We did the Viking Rhine Getaway AMS to Basel last year. 

We were happy to just eat on the ship.  No complaints.  We prefer to use time in ports to see the places rather than spend precious time in restaurants.  Lunch is often skipped when docked, when wandering ashore ‘coffee and cake’ or a light snack suffices.      

This is our experience of each port, what we did.  You interests may differ.  We are not interested in cheese making, wine tasting, war etc etc. but prefer to see the places, their art, architecture, history …  We did not do any bicycle tours, are not that active.  May I suggest that if you are a group of 8 you may not need to do the same thing throughout if interests differ?        

Having been to Amsterdam several times our pre extension was to the Hague.  No complaints, only praise for our Viking provided transfer and hotel.  Other than the transfer tour on the final day we skipped the included tours there preferring to do our own thing by visiting art galleries, a walk around and taking the tram to Delft.  The ship spent the first day of the cruise in AMS.  We spent it in the Rijksmuseum, having pre booked tickets and getting there by tram.  If it is your first visit, either do what interests you after researching or take one of the ships tours to suit.  I went to Anne Franks House many years ago when it was less commercialised.  Judging by the crowds outside now it looked to be chronically busy - I would agree with the view that unless you have a specific interest it may not be worth it.  We did the canal cruise as it was part of our transfer but I felt you didn't see much, the canals are low down giving limited views.           

Kinderdjik        a morning.  The choice is to do a tour or stay on board, it is not near anywhere.  We did the included walking tour.  It is an interesting sight, worth seeing.  After entering with the guide, thus not having to pay admission, it was not long before we went off on our own and saw more, returning later with the group.  The guide was too slow and uninteresting.      

Cologne           we did our own thing all day walking the city after researching what we wanted to see and working out a route.

Koblenz           we did the included walking tour.  It was Sunday morning, much was closed.   

Rudesheim      an evening call.  Had a quick walk around, found it very busy and touristy and returned to the ship.  As with other places on the Rhine, we had been decades ago when things were quieter.  The restaurants seem geared to the tourist market.    

Speyer            the ship is docked about a 15 min walk through parkland to the town.  We did our own walking tour of Speyer and its cathedral. 

We had been to Heidelberg.  It is an interesting place and of course you get to see more of Germany en route with the tour but whether a tour with lunch at the university is worth it, I’m not sure? 

Strasbourg      started off with the included tour which starts by touring the outskirts of the city before stopping in the centre to do the guided walk that finished by lunch time.  There, we soon broke away from the guide to do more on our own and returned to the ship later in the afternoon by shuttle bus.  When we are in Strasbourg again next year on a different Viking river itinerary we hope to see more of the European diplomatic area under our own steam, using trams.  Being from the UK that will of more interest to us than to Americans.    

Breisach          we did the Black Forest Tour.  A scenic drive through countryside and a visit to a wood working / cuckoo clock making centre.  Thought this one worthwhile.    

Basel   no sooner had we docked (outside Basel) than we were transferred to the airport.  Disappointing.  We saw nothing and were sorry that we had not arranged to stay for longer.  As we begin the next VRC there next year we have already booked a hotel in the city for a couple of nights to see the city on our own.   

We had an A1 Club room on QV deck 8 last year.  I dont remember any noise issues.  A1is more midships, mostly under the Winter Garden.   

2 hours ago, Wordzz said:

And why do they scatter sugar over the top? Ugh.

Yes, why?  I dont have a sweet tooth and a pet hate is icing sugar thrown over desserts.  Cunard is a serial offender.  I usually forget to mention it before it is too late.  

On 7/18/2024 at 2:18 PM, majortom10 said:

Sacrilege either cream then jam or vice versa depending on preference but no butter. For me personally jam first (definitely not strawberry) then clotted cream on top.

As I am not keen on jam I only ever put cream on scones (as in scones not scowns).  I once read something that made sense.  Cream first then jam as you never put marmalade on toast with the butter on top.

2 hours ago, Pear Carr said:

My thoughts exactly - also too closed in for my liking, didn’t use it once in two weeks.

When I was aboard I witnessed a deck steward asking pax to move their chairs and loungers for him to get a towel bin through.  

1 hour ago, Globaliser said:

Maybe they changed to speaking in Welsh whenever they were talking about you? 😉

I was on a cruise a few years ago.  In a queue I heard people behind me speaking in a language that was not English.  I tuned in.  It was Welsh.  I turned and jokingly said in Welsh, Be careful, I can understand you!  

4 hours ago, Harters said:

It is. But you will usually see it as Gymru on "Welcome to Wales" road signs. Something to do with grammar I understand (not that I actually understand any detail of that). 

Right.  I wont bore with the reasons but the sign Croeso i Gymru (Welcome to Wales) is grammatically correct.  

Cymru is pronounced Come ree.

4 hours ago, Harters said:

It is. But you will usually see it as Gymru on "Welcome to Wales" road signs. Something to do with grammar I understand (not that I actually understand any detail of that). 

Right.  I wont bore with the details but the phrase Croeso i Gymru (Welcome to Wales) is grammatically correct.

Cymru is pronounced Come ree.

Maybe Holyhead is a port in which to do a tour. 

Public transport is not great.  It is on a main rail line but frequency is limited.  I might be nervous of a longer train trip because of possible delays or cancellations.  

It would be a pity to stay on the ship and miss visiting Wales, a different part of the UK.  It has a different culture a d its own language.  You will notice road signs are in both English and Welsh. 

You should really get out of the town which is an industrial ferry port.  Further afield are castles, villages, beautiful coastline.  Just go somewhere.

On 5/22/2024 at 1:56 PM, VMax1700 said:

On the way back to the ship we stopped at that village with the unpronouceable name of 58 letters.

Perfectly pronounceable if, as I do, you can speak Welsh!  

The name place was invented as a tourist ruse many decades ago.  It is a sentence of individual words that describe a place.   It begins   the church of St Mary by the white pool .....  

Holyhead is in Wales.  Whilst in the UK it is not England, nor Scotland or Ireland.  It is a different place with its own language.  Holyhead is in an area where Welsh is the first language of many although these days everyone will also speak English.    

No room service on Viking River boats. 

24 hour room service on Viking Ocean.   

The river boats have a 24 hour serve yourself hot drinks and biscuits station.  

15 hours ago, Island Venturer said:

We just returned from Viking Venus "Homelands" cruise Stockholm to Bergen (July 12 - July 26)... I guess the cruise immediately following yours.  Fantastic.  All beautifully done.  Great food.  Excellent crew/service... very attentive.  Always with a happy greeting and a smile.  As you say, lectures were very good... and the theater producer Steven Rivellino you mentioned was onboard our cruise as well.  He really stood out with his interesting topics, easy style, and very unique presentations.  Both embarkation and disembarkation were easy... very well organized.  No lines.  No waiting.  Shore Excursion team... excellent.  Can't wait for the next one.

Hear hear.  Well said.  We have also just returned from this one.  

We didnt get to many lectures, there always seemed to be something else to do.  Not least being out on deck with the fabulous scenery.  

Thankfully, 2 more booked!

The hair dryer in Britannia Club and thus probably Britannia is pretty awful.  Very underpowered.  I regretted the last minute decision not to take my own better small travel dryer.  Unlike those on the other Cunard ships the QA dryer is not fixed in a drawer.  QA storage space in the lower grade rooms is more limited.  

From posts I understand that Grills have better dryers.

18 hours ago, MylesS said:

We were in Hamburg recently on Queen Anne (also used the Steinwerder terminal) - we took the shuttle bus into town & then walked (7 minutes) to Miniatur Wunerland, the world's largest model railway.

Really interesting place & easily enough to keep you there all day (if you're looking at/for all the tiny details, anyway) - there is also a decent restaurant there with good prices (I paid 9 Euro for a Bratwurst with coke)

 

Would highly recommend.

We had hoped to visit Miniatur Wunderland on our QV visit to Hamburg last year.  Even trying to book entry tickets online some months before we found it fully booked.  You have to get in some time in adavance especially if like us you are there in school holidays.

After using the water bus to the new Elbe Philharmonie Hall we walked the waterside area passing Miniatur Wunderland but no chance of dropping in. 

The Philharmonie is well worth visiting to see the building and for views from the surrounding balcony terraces.   

The water bus is excellent.  I cant remember the name of QV dock on the river but it was next to a water bus stop.  Many passengers including us bought tickets at the machine on the bus quay.  The vessels run a regular service up and down the river.  Check on line.  

Greetings from Viking Venus on the Viking Homelands cruise doing the return run from Stockholm to Bergen.  

On 7/14/2024 at 7:08 AM, OneSixtyToOne said:

 

We will be on the Venus in a couple of weeks. I will ask some crew members and see if they know anything.

Im on Venus now.

Have been told by staff who should know that she goes to Australia in December.  

I wonder how the non English guests felt about the wall to wall to England atmosphere on board.  Unlike the upcoming Olympics, the England football team is not Team GB attracting more widespread support.  Scotland and Wales has not had the same enthusiasm for the Euros since their teams were eliminated and I know there are German, and no doubt other, guests on QA. 

Hi from Viking Venus. 

Every flavour tea bags are available at self service points.  The brand is Dilmah.  

Our steward provided the kettle on request.  Although not asked for, he has also removed the coffee maker when we said we wouldnt be using it.  He puts a jug of milk in the fridge daily.  He also asked us which type of tea we wanted and a regular supply of English breakfast appears.  

We tend to explore indepedently, having researched what we want to see and how to go about it.  Often that involves spending on public transport, entry fees, a coffee or two.  

If tendering into Dun Laoghaire you might not arrive onshore that early, or in fact at all.  As conditions were unfavourable we didnt get there until almost lunchtime.  Then you need to travel into Dublin.  There is more than enough to do and see in the city.  The Book of Kells is likely to have queues, taking time.  Powerscourt on the same day seems ambitious.  We have done it all but over several land stays.  

I cruise.  I contribute to such problems.  I have much sympathy for the residents of places that can be inundated.  

Many years ago we were on a small expedition type ship that called in Ketchikan, Alaska at the same time as 4or 5 large ships.  There were over 10,000 pax and the town was swamped.  The local radio station had put out messages asking locals not to go into town.    

Another time we were sailing out of Venice accompanied by a flotilla of many small boats carrying noisy demonstrators protesting about cruise ships affecting the historic fabric.  In a way it was interesting but a lady by me on deck got quite heated about it all.  Her attitude was on the lines of how dare they etc etc.  I dont think my comment that they live here, we are just visitors went down too well.

Also, I have a friend living in a small port of call in Scotland.  She says they dread the cruise ships and do not go into town on days when ships are in.  It is crammed and locals cant get on the buses.  

I enjoy cruises, I enjoy seeing other places but I do see the other side of the story.

There is ample room for everything on multi surfaces in PV cabins.