CurlerRob

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17 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

If antibiotics seem to have addressed the issue, then it was not a virus.  So, I wonder what the source was.

E. coli or C. difficile are possibilities. Both are highly transmissible, cause severe bowel issues and generally respond to high-dose antibiotics (not a course of treatment that you want to experience, as it can cause issues down the road).

Nothing on the CDC VSP site at present for Sirena ( https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/gilist.htm ), but that may be due to its itinerary, which I don't have at hand. 🍺🥌

23 minutes ago, Holly g said:

Do the departures from Rotterdam have to go through the IJmuiden locks?  Or is it just departures from Amsterdam?  Thanks.

No. Rotterdam is over 60km south, with it's own access to the sea. 🍺🥌

2 hours ago, tc-cruise said:

Just saw that on my booking. What does that mean? The departure time is 5PM. I try to squeeze more time in Amsterdam sight seeing.

Have a look at Google maps. To reach the North Sea from Amsterdam, you must exit through a lock at IJmuiden. Tides, weather and marine traffic can affect the transit times. 

Until you receive your Boarding Pass Package shortly before embarkation, your departure time may change - so flexibility in your shore plans is important. If you are not doing so, you may want to arrive earlier in Amsterdam and avoid feeling rushed - the city is well worth it. 

Enjoy your cruise. 🍺🥌

9 hours ago, Travrat said:

Thanks. Do you happen to remember where in CBD they drop you? Is it walking distance to The Rocks or Circular Quay?

It's about a 20 minute walk from the wharf in Darling Harbour to Circular Quay. A bit more depending on where you're heading in the Rocks. 🍺🥌

On 3/12/2024 at 11:27 AM, -Lew- said:

I wonder why Starlink's DL speed is being restricted on Grandeur.  Starlink's website advertises the following.  I certainly don't need 40 Mbps, but a speed above 20 would be very useful.

 

 

The website is shilling the max speeds - i.e. one user.

Consider the effect of multiple users at the same time - if you have 40 Mbps and 40 pax are downloading at the same time, that's effectively 1 Mbps for each person. In addition,  the bandwidth/speed is shared with other functions on the ship - crew, booking agents, shops, etc.

That's why speed gets a lot better when usage is low - as in the middle of the night. 🍺🥌

4 hours ago, Mrose11 said:

Has anyone had any issues with bringing an electric hair curling iron on an Oceania cruise?
I’ve brought one on other cruise lines without a problem 

https://oceaniacruises.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005475473-What-Not-To-Bring-On-Board 

There are some lines that specifically prohibit curling irons and hair dryers (other than those supplied). Item 21 in the Oceania list could conceivably expand to cover a curling iron, but one would think it would be singled out if that were the case. In the absence of a specific prohibition, you might want to ask O directly - or go with the CC advice. 🍺🥌

19 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

Chef's Table might be a challenge, since the meal is about the wine pairings. (I wonder if it would freak out the chef were one to ask him to consult on which beers one should choose to go with the evening's courses?)

Now I have to try this on our April cruise ... I'll blame you 😈.

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5 hours ago, kchand said:

Did anyone have trouble bringing wine bought in Buenos Aires onto the ship?

Viking has no issue with pax bringing alcohol on board from shoreside. There is no corkage and you are welcome to bring your bottle to a lounge or dinner. They are the most civilized of all the cruise lines in this regard. 🍺🥌

9 hours ago, fruitmachine said:

I've responded to others' comments already, but let me address your questions directly with what I'd do in your position.  You will have plenty of time to do all you propose.  Edinburgh is a compact city and is easily walked.  With a driver/guide you won't be able to get into the pedestrianised areas and the biggest issue will be them finding somewhere to park.

If I can add one thought to @fruitmachine's very insightful advice - however you get to the Castle, save a bit of time to explore the Scottish National War Memorial (no pictures inside). It contains multiple extraordinary tributes to various service branches and famous regiments - each with its own alcove. One of the finest remembrances of military service I've ever seen.

As sailors, you may find the maritime (naval and merchant) sections very touching. 🍺🥌

🍺🥌

On 2/28/2024 at 6:58 PM, mbanks1220 said:

We are thinking of doing the Artic/Svalbard on the Venture and just in that area (round trip from .   No Greenland or Iceland as we have been there before.  We are wondering what we will see in Svalbard?    We of course want the Polar Bears but what about Icebergs, Birds, other wildlife?

 

MB

Svalbard is very special, but a couple of thoughts:

It's at a much higher latitude than where you would have been to in Antarctica - if that sort of thing matters. You'll be much closer to the pole than down south.

IMO, the scenery will not be close to the spectacular sights in Antarctica - the mountains are somewhat less imposing and sea ice will tend to be flatter - more "bergy bits" than icebergs.

If polar bears are a huge draw, you might want to consider a land trip to Churchill, MB, Canada. Likely a lot cheaper and the excursions there will almost certainly provide sightings and/or up close encounters. Svalbard has lots of bears, but seeing them (especially up close) is not common.

We loved our first trip there and are returning in 2025 - but you should gather lots of input in order to make your decision. A couple of photos that may help: 🍺🥌

On 3/2/2024 at 2:08 PM, Kane said:

OK, a little more of an answer to your questions.  Our voyage to Svalbard and vicinity was > 10 years ago, so itineraries may be different.

 

There were no excursions on Svalbard other than the stop at Longyearbyen.  It's really quite desolate there.  Mostly scientists doing Arctic research.  One could not venture out of town to look for polar bears (which are present) without armed escorts present to protect you from them.

 

Our voyage took us on a cruise-by into Magdalena Fjord on Svalbard.  Very similar to Alaska glacier sail-bys.  No disembarkation.

 

The third sail was a sail-into rather than sail-by.  The ship poked its bow into the polar icefield as close to the North Pole as the captain dared to N80-20-47 670 miles from pole.  No giant icebergs there like Antarctica.  If you are a "check-box" person, that's one that is pretty rare.

 

You win! 😉

🍺🥌

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On 3/3/2024 at 9:50 PM, syesmar said:

You do you. My hesitancy to share tables started before the pandemic. It seemed we were always getting sick when we traveled, and cutting down on table sharing was a precaution we took at times. Other times, we might need to privately discuss something going on in our lives at home.

 

I don’t mind it someone asks us about our 2 empty spaces, but would hope that if we declined there would be no offense taken.

We also prefer to eat privately. However, we believe that the onus is therefore on us to find a 2-top for that purpose.

If we have to sit at a larger table, we would never refuse a request to be joined - it's a public space - not "our" table because we arrived first. We would expect the same courtesy from others. 🍺🥌

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

For anyone considering the Yellow Fever vaccine:

https://www.cdc.gov/yellowfever/maps/africa.html

Thanks Clay. Folks should also read the FAQs from the document - the decision to vax over age 60, especially if it's the first time, warrants some research. 🍺🥌

Who should not get yellow fever vaccine?

Infants younger than 6 months of age should not get the vaccine. In addition, anyone with a severe allergy to any part of the vaccine, including eggs, chicken proteins, or gelatin should not get the vaccine. Anyone who has had a severe reaction to a previous dose of yellow fever vaccine should not be vaccinated again.

If you have any of the following conditions, your healthcare provider can help you decide whether you can safely receive the vaccine:

• HIV/AIDS or other disease that affects the immune system
• Weakened immune system as a result of cancer or other medical conditions, transplant, or drug treatment (such as steroids, chemotherapy, or others that affect immune function)
• Thymus disorder
• Adults 60 years of age and older
• Infants 6 – 8 months of age
• Pregnant women and nursing mothers

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

For anyone considering whether to get a yellow fever vaccine or not:

https://www.cdc.gov/yellowfever/maps/africa.html

Thanks Clay. Folks should also read the FAQs from the document - the decision to vax over age 60, especially if it's the first time, warrants some research. 🍺🥌

Who should not get yellow fever vaccine?

Infants younger than 6 months of age should not get the vaccine. In addition, anyone with a severe allergy to any part of the vaccine, including eggs, chicken proteins, or gelatin should not get the vaccine. Anyone who has had a severe reaction to a previous dose of yellow fever vaccine should not be vaccinated again.

If you have any of the following conditions, your healthcare provider can help you decide whether you can safely receive the vaccine:

• HIV/AIDS or other disease that affects the immune system
• Weakened immune system as a result of cancer or other medical conditions, transplant, or drug treatment (such as steroids, chemotherapy, or others that affect immune function)
• Thymus disorder
• Adults 60 years of age and older
• Infants 6 – 8 months of age
• Pregnant women and nursing mothers

On 2/23/2024 at 9:44 AM, Heidi13 said:

 

I know they don't have any craft beers, but do any of the bars have any locally sourced beers, as of that lot, Guinness is the only one I will drink.

Andy, those are all actually "safety beers" - you can see your enemies coming through all of them (with the exception of your choice!). In my case, opaque beer is hazardous to my health - you are clearly universally beloved. 😈    🍺🥌

On 2/25/2024 at 5:00 PM, REOVA said:

 I thought 2019 was at Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam but Pete can check. 

You are correct. 🍺🥌

44 minutes ago, Travel 25 said:

• 
   

 

 

 

We will be on Viking transatlantic cruise for 21 days and this package is $1050 for 2 people.  Do you feel this addition is worth the cost and how many of you usually buy it   You get wine and beer with your meals so you would have to drink at least 3 additional drinks per day to make it worth it, if my math is correct.  Are gratuities included on the drinks when you purchase this package?

 

Also, what specialty restaurants do you recommend?  This is our first Viking Ocean cruise so any tips and suggestions will be appreciated.

I suggest you do a search using "SSBP", as this topic has been discussed many times and you'll be able to see the variety of opinions that exist.

Long threads short: if you order 2-3 drinks per person per day (depending on your choices) outside of the included offerings the economics work; some pax simply like the feeling of convenience that comes with prepaying and don't worry about whether it's a $ win/loss; some pax like to experiment with new drinks and don't want to feel constrained. Lots of reasons and always unique to the person.

Note: the SSBP is only a way to prepay for drinks - all beverages on the ship are available to all pax, nothing is reserved.

There are two specialty restaurants. Both are included in your fare. Pax opinions appear split 50/50 as to favourites. Try them both and see how you like them. Bon Voyage. 🍺🥌

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3 hours ago, CTCruiser76 said:

Thanks for everyone that has responded so far.....we are going sleep on it tonight and watch more YouTube videos tomorrow on our day off. 

As far as trying other larger ships with Oceania, that is/was sort of our thought process for 2026, if we liked 'this' cruise/CruiseLine, then we would look for a different sailing on the Vista or another 1200 passenger ship in 2026 on Oceania. 

 

My DW had her mind set on Bermuda next year and typically 7 nights is about our limit for vacation days with work/dog sitting etc...so we are looking at 5 Nights on RCCL Liberty or 7 nights on Celebrity Silhouette or this 7 night on Oceania Insignia. 

 

If you are set on Bermuda (an excellent spot), you may find this review useful, written after our first O sail on Insignia in 2022. As always, just one couple's opinion. 🍺🥌

4 hours ago, millybess said:

Question for you Jim.  We will be in the area next year for the first time, so we don't know it at all.  You mentioned there is a shuttle boat.  Are you tendered in White Bay?

@millybess, Jim can clarify the details, but you dock (not tender) at the White Bay Cruise Terminal. When I was last there, the shuttle boat was operated by Captain Cook, and ran from a pier west of the cruise terminal -  about a 10 minute walk. The shuttle trip was about 15 minutes. My understanding is that Captain Cook is no more, so I'm not sure if the shuttle boat is Viking-provided, or by someone else ...

It might also leave from the Balmain East ferry terminal, but that's a 45 minute walk / 10 minute taxi, so doesn't sound as if that's the case. In any event, a shuttle boat that drops you in Darling Harbour is very convenient. You can walk from DH to Circular Quay in about 20 minutes - right through the CBD. 🍺🥌

1 hour ago, Commasense said:

We are looking at a Viking Ocean cruise one of whose terminal ports we are not interested in. (Been there, too expensive.) So we'd prefer either to board at the second port, or if we take the reverse itinerary, disembark at the next-to-last port. 

 

Does Viking allow that? Although they wouldn't lose anything (we'd be paying the full fare, or course), I can imagine they might have some rule or objection to the practice that I'm not aware of. Of course, we could falsely claim that some emergency required us to do it, but I'd prefer to be above board. 

 

Anyone know? 

As stated by previous posters, there is no blanket answer. Visas can be one issue, as can customs facilities at your penultimate stop and/or simple bureaucratic rules - even in the EU.

You'll need to seek confirmation from Viking prior to making your decision. Of interest, if your concern is expense levels in the terminal port, could you not avoid those by taking the reverse route,  disembarking there and flying home? Clearly that doesn't work for embarkation in the same place if you arrive early. 🍺🥌

12 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

We had a low turnout for our informal pub crawl-just four of us, but it was great to experience both Fortune of War and Glenmore Hotel. Unfortunately, Carnival blocked the view from the rooftop bar.  After visiting both, we returned to the ferry shuttle and then back to the ship.  Hot, worn out, and sweaty but glad we had the extra day last week in Sydney and that the forecasted rain never materialized!

You chose ... wisely! 🍺🥌