CurlerRob

Speaking of amateurs, Canada recently changed its "safe level" of alcohol use to 2 drinks per week. I can only conclude that either we have firmly seized the ultimate moral high ground or we are vying for the title of laughingstock of the civilized (drinking) world. 🍻🥌 (my emoji just used up yet another week 🤬).

The option to select a maximum coverage is applicable to cancellation / interruption insurance. Medical coverages are usually dictated by the underwriter and are not selectable by the buyer (although a company may offer different medical policies with varying limits). As the premium for cancellation / interruption policies is normally a percentage of the selected coverage amount, some people, like @flare3192 make the decision to contain their insurance costs by only insuring a part of the total. The insurer does not care if you choose not to insure the full value of your trip, but as flare3192 accepts, you are then on the hook for any losses that exceed the insured total. 🍺🥌

Not in my case, but many companies will offer both "standard" and pre-existing policies- albeit at a higher price than the standard coverages. Best to check with your company or agent as to the terms of your policy. 🍺🥌

One more thing to add to this list, at least for Canadian coverage - if the brand of your medication changes, it can trigger a lack of "stability". Some years ago, there was a shortage of my normal BP medication, and the pharmacy was forced to fill it from another manufacturer. No change to the drug or dosage. When I checked with my insurer, they advised that because it was a different DIN number and not a "generic" substitution, it violated the stability rules. I found an insurer that sold full pre-existing coverage policies.🍺🥌

Cost effectiveness has nothing to do with access to the full beverage menu on Viking. Everyone can order any wine or drink at any time - the SSBP is just one of the ways to pay for them. 🍺🥌

Concur on the refundable need for Lerwick - much like the Falklands. We've missed three times - 2 weather, one Covid. Five misses wins! 🍺🥌

Actually, you have purchased insurance every time - it's called "self-underwriting". Large corporations do it all the time - it's a perfectly valid approach if you are wealthy enough to pay the bills if needed. Many of us don't fit into that category and it's not a prudent strategy for us. 🍺🥌

I disagree, and suggest your analogy is incorrect. You are positing someone taking 2 meals and providing one to an outsider. That's quite different than consuming a larger than normal oneself - it's taking two "products" but only paying for one. That's not the case with Viking transfers - one way or another, they are each paid for (extensions, Viking Air or arrival day purchase) - there's no freebies involved. BTW, I have never used one of their transfers, but other lines are happy to have pax buy a separate transfer IF the line already has transfer capability in place. IMHO, Viking's policy in this area is a needless irritant to pax who want to mitigate their arrival risk. 🍺🥌

It may or may not be different at all. If your were connected to the internet on Princess, your iPhone most likely used Apple's iMessage service to send 'texts' to your daughter. (Apple devices default to iMessage whenever possible - and all you need is an internet connection). For calling, if your cell provider permits WiFi calling, and it was activated, then you would have been using that function to call - also through the Princess internet. If those were the two ways you were actually using to message and call, then it will be the same on Riviera once connected to the internet. 🍺🥌

Congratulations on being among the minority of pax who actually read the insurer's policy carefully (and then read it again - which often results in a change of interpretation such as you described 😈)! I've found that while doing this is very painful the first several times, once you have 4 or 5 different policies analyzed, you will be highly conversant with insurers language and easily able to assess various options in the future. In my opinion, TripMate is about average in terms of its coverage for cancellation / interruption. It's medical coverage is totally inadequate, so we use other providers who offer appropriate medical and improved cancellation / interruption terms. 🍺🥌

These boards are full of posts from pax who are upset that they are actually expected to live by the terms under which they received vouchers. Every voucher that I have received or seen has the clear statement that once redeemed, the voucher is not transferable or refundable - in other words, they are a one-trick pony, and it was on us to understand that up front. That said, if Viking has made some exceptions, you should hear about it here and I'll be as interested as anyone. It doesn't sound as if you have a TA to argue your case, so you may wish to try a few other Viking agents (there have been reports of positive "inconsistencies"), or email tellus@vikingcruises.com - that is the higher-level support group who may be able to assist. Provide them with all the relevant information when you email. I understand your irritation - many folks didn't think through all of the longer-range possibilities when accepting vouchers and now have to live with them. Good luck! 🍺🥌

Good savings, but a bit of smoke and mirrors. The promo does not appear to include several of the inclusions in the "standard" WC offering - SSBP, gratuities, luggage forward and visa service. It's a solid deal if you don't want SSPB or visa service, both of which are noticeable $. If you did want to include them, my quick calc suggested the deal was a reduction of a few thousand dollars (nothing wrong with that, either, but a long way from the marketing). 🍺🥌

Good news is that was a young one and easily intimidated - not good to get that close to the grumpy old (much larger) ones. 🍺🥌

I found one of those - a moron who "knew better than the guides" and thought it was neat to get really close to a dragon for a picture. After all, they're big, slow, torpid looking lizards ... what could go wrong? 🍺🥌

Rey may enjoy this - from 2019, after the MIA chicken was recovered ... 🍺🥌

I'm afraid your post is very unclear and inconsistent. You say that you cancelled and rescheduled your trip. Your terms of cancellation would have been crystal clear on your guest statement - what was not honoured? Emerging with some cash and some vouchers is inconsistent with most pax experience during Covid. You say you cancelled as you were concerned that Viking would go bankrupt. Why in the world would you rebook with them - giving them more time to fail? Lastly, you now complain that you can't use your vouchers because you refuse to comply with Viking's (long standing) vax requirements. Tough old world. 🍺🥌

I believe that only happens once you have excursions booked. Right now, MVJ does not show the arrival / departure times on the day-by-day for me (ShoreEx not open yet). Good that it at least does this, but I agree that it would be much more helpful when considering and booking ShoreEx. 🍺🥌

Thanks for the update on Brisbane. On Bali, we greatly enjoyed Tanah Lot and Taman Ayun, but the driving was left to a coach driver (you couldn't pay me enough to take on that traffic)! No aggro simians, but can't say the same for the 7-year-olds outside the cruise terminal 😁. 🍺🥌

Very much depends on where you are dropped in Darling Harbour, as the walk could be 30 minutes or more - still very doable. Options are Uber, ground transit or the ferry (way more fun). 🍺🥌

The Viking cruise is nearly identical to a circumnavigation that we enjoyed in 2016 with HAL. I completely agree with your assessment - the city ports are easily accessible. Did I hear recently that Brisbane may have relocated the cruise terminal a higher distance outside the city? And, Benoa is certainly a bit of a distance from anything - but all tours in Bali will involve a noticeable drive. Perhaps @KBs mum was reacting to those two stops? The 2016 circle was one of our favourite trips - I'd sign up for this one without hesitation! 🍺🥌

Andy, thanks - I had no concept that Swarovski made binoculars! Then I looked up the pricing ... unless they come fully jewel-studded, they are out of my snack bracket big time 👿 (they must be exceptional, given the price difference from Bushnells). Always nice to learn something new, however! 🍺🥌

Further to @millybess's excellent advice, the Far Eastern Horizons trip is the Hong Kong to Tokyo subset of the Grand Pacific Explorer, which travels from Auckland to Vancouver, departing in February. That means for GPE pax with a full payment date 12 months out, they are about to have to commit. The GPE has numerous subsets, which depart later in February and in March, any one of which might provide access to the Far Eastern Horizons cruise via cancellation. Suffice to say that there will be cabins opening up throughout Feb, March and early April - and again in September, October and November for pax with 6 month PIF dates. So, if you are interested, keep an ongoing watch, or if using a TA, have them do so. Good luck! 🍺🥌

Personally, I don't see how you find a lack of responsibility in this response. They acknowledged your concerns, did a little deflecting, then asked you to connect directly for further discussion. You don't indicate what level of person asked you to contact them, but there's a clear attempt to open the lines to you. Now, however you were blocked from getting back to them, that is not acceptable. You can email tellus@vikingcruises.com, which is a higher-level group that deals with issues. Give them your name, booking number, the letter you wrote and advise that your attempted contact was refused. They will typically arrange a call back to you within a few days. Let us know how that unfolds. Hopefully that will start a process of resolution or at least understanding. 🍺🥌

No. iMessage requires access to the internet. Internet connections can be done in many ways: by WiFi (just a form of wireless connection), cellular data networks or a physical wire (ethernet cable from a laptop, for example). WiFi itself (despite how people tend to us the term) is only a means of connecting your device to the internet - you always need some form of internet plan to get anything done (like iMessage). The other cruise line you refer to likely had internet access included as part of your fare. HAL requires you to buy internet access separately. You can still use the Navigator app via the ship's WiFi, but that doesn't let you access most of the various internet functions - just a number of shipboard / HAL functions. 🍺🥌

Sorry to hear of your injuries, but glad you came through the crash! While we always plan to be at the embarkation site at least a day early, the extra day prior is simply an allowance should we choose to advance our departure at the last minute - usually due to watching the weather forecast in the Great White North. The extra cost is trivial compared to being caught without medical coverage - as your bills illustrated! 🍺🥌