luvnps

In July we took the Viking Homelands cruise, and we enjoyed the entertainment. Philw1776 is correct - the shows are not the big glitzy shows that one sees on other cruise lines. There were 3 young men and 3 young female singers, and a young couple who were the dancers. The guys did a Rat Pack Show, the entire cast did an ABBA show, the young ladies did a show, and there was a Broadway music show. In addition, as Philw1776 indicates there is a guitarist, a pianist, and a classical music trio who perform in different locations on the ship.

We took the Viking Homelands cruise leaving Stockholm on July 15th. So our stay in Gdansk was shorter than yours will be. In St. Petersburg we took the 2-day Grand Tour with Alla Tours. As stated by others, it was outstanding. They state a maximum of 16 in a group, and we had 12 people in the van. Our tour guide, Dmitri was excellent, and his English was perfect - no communication problems. My husband and I wanted to attend a Folk Show in the evening, and we were the only 2 of our group to do so. They arranged for us to meet another of their associates at a café, and he brought our tickets to us and walked us to the door of the Folk Show. Then a driver picked us up after the show - seamless! We saw so much, and our tour was $270 per person which I believe is about $200 less than Viking's tour (their itinerary looked very much like ours). We paid an additional charge for the Folk Show. And as stated in another post, we paid with our credit card in St. Petersburg, and we tipped our guide and driver with Euros; others tipped with USD.

Same for us. We chose Viking Homelands cruise because of the itinerary. We did not want to go to that part of the world and see only one country. We loved Stockholm, Tallinn, etc. and St. Petersburg was amazing. We traveled on the July 15th cruise from Stockholm, and we arrived in Stockholm 2 days early and very much enjoyed it. After departure from the ship on July 29 we spent 2 additional nights in Bergen (took the Sognefjord in a Nutshell trip), took the train from Bergen to Oslo and spent 3 days in Oslo on our own. Best trip ever! We loved everything about the cruise. Norway is spectacular, but I would not have wanted to miss Stockholm, Denmark, St. Petersburg and the other ports.

I had the same problem trying to book rail tickets from Bergen to Oslo. I ended up using RailNinja; I was able to select Komfort seating and even choose our seats. I'm sure it costs more since this is a third party, but I was willing to do that. You may want to compare prices. It did work perfectly. I printed the ticket which was emailed to me by RailNinja, and I showed it to the conductor on the train and that was all I needed to do.

I would agree that Deck 3 is excellent. At times we sat on the chairs on the 3rd level of the atrium and listened to the music. We just returned from Viking Homelands cruise, and we had Cabin 3054. We were directly opposite the launderette, and that was absolutely no problem - no noise and very convenient. However, we definitely had noise from Torshavn which was beneath us. We were in the second cabin from the Atrium. They finished playing before midnight (sometimes earlier); but we did have noise; we were not bothered by it, but if you retire earlier, you might not be happy with the sound.

Having taken 23 ocean cruises before Viking Homelands trip, I did not expect to have dinner at the World Café as often as we did. Everything that was available in the dining room was available at the World Café, and if you ordered a steak or one of the entrees, they prepared it on the spot. There were crab legs, shrimp and prawns every evening, and specialty evenings with a chef preparing fish stew, paella, crepes suzette and cherries jubilee on deck or in the rear section of World Café. We loved it!

Thank you for the replies. We booked the Radisson Blu on the Waterfront.

We just returned from Viking Homelands cruise on Viking Star. You cannot beat the Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel. We took the Arlanda Express train from Stockholm Airport to the Central Train Station and walked from the train station to Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel; our room was ready, and we checked in at 9:00 a.m. and began exploring Stockholm. Breakfast at the hotel is outstanding!!! We took a taxi from the hotel to the ship. Our decision to stay at the hotel was spot on. Enjoy your trip.

I am considering Viking Midnight Sun Cruise with a pre- cruise taking a scenic train ride from Oslo to Bergen on my own. If anyone has taken the train ride, please share experience. I would also want to know how easy it is to purchase train tickets. How far in advance should I purchase?

 

Thank you for help.

We were on Viking Star (Viking Homelands) trip from Stockholm to Bergen. We spent 2 extra days in Bergen on our own and took the Sognefjord in a Nutshell trip - this was absolutely spectacular!!! Then we took the train from Bergen to Oslo. It is a beautiful train ride, and it was easy to reserve on the NSB website. We booked Komfort Class and we were very happy that we did so; it is worth every penny for Komfort Class - the other cars were crowded and the seating was not nearly as good. As another person mentioned, we had Porter Service pick up our two large suitcases from our hotel in Bergen at 6:45 a.m. so that we could board the train with only two small carry-on bags; this made the trip more comfortable. And if you are arriving in Oslo on your own (without Viking transfer), by all means use Flytoget from Oslo Airport to Oslo Central Train Station. It was $11.50 per person for senior fare and it is the fastest way to get from the airport to the city or the opposite. Have a wonderful trip.

Anytime luvnps, anytime. Enjoy your trip!

jiminyC_fan, thank you for your good wishes. I am really getting excited!

It may have been me that mentioned the tipping, who knows. But, I do know that we didn't see much of it. Many did but many did not. They would slither right past the guide and driver, LOL. We were told that USD would work fine for tipping but we used local currency. We stopped at the bank at home for all the different currencies before leaving and IMHO that was a blessing. We never had to go on search for an ATM. We could focus on the port itself. I kept all the currency in separate bank envelopes marked with the country in the safe and at night I would put back that day's and pull out for the next day. It never got mixed up and was a great routine.....for us. Just today we went to the bank and they bought back all the bills that we had leftover. The cost of doing it was minimal and it was peace of mind while there.

Wow, that is an excellent plan, and since I love a good plan, I believe we will do the same. With limited time, you want it to be about the sights not the finances. Once again, thank you for your prompt response. Keep on travelin!!!

We just returned from our cruise on the Viking Star. I asked so many questions so I thought that maybe I could start a thread that might be helpful to others.

 

First off, I was worried about our DV category being too small and not having enough storage. I was pleasantly surprised. We are over packers but still found plenty of room. I did ask that the coffee maker be removed for the extra storage. I have read that some would like to see the bathroom smaller for more storage but honestly I wouldn't. It, too, has lots of storage. The shower and heated floors are the best part. I thought the bed and nightstand right next to the closet that I had seen in pictures was going to make it tight but it isn't at all and that happened to be "my" side of the bed. Loved the USB ports at bedside. We did bring a converter from home that had 3 outlets and 4 USB ports. I found it on Amazon. We mainly used it and plugged it in at the desk.

 

Get familiarized with the TV and all the offerings it has. Take advantage of the port talks on the TV. Check your account. Find those hidden movies that I found on the last night. I saw the movies listings but didn't realize that there are many to choose from. Enough for men and women.

 

The included tours ended up being pretty good. I did hear some grumbling from other cruisers on our ship about how boring Stockholm included tour was so we decided to skip it.

 

Alla Tours in St Petersburg was definitely the best decision we made in tours. It worked out that there were only 3 couples. We were kicking ourselves for not booking them in the other ports as the Viking tours are somewhat large at around 26 people. I highly recommend anyone to consider using them.

 

We took the train to Berlin and then the Historic tour of Berlin with Viking. Enjoyed it very much. I did hear people saying that the included tour left them alone too many hours in Berlin so if you can't keep yourself entertained then you might want to consider a different tour.

 

One of our favorite stops was Eidfjord. We did it on our own. Someone here recommended stopping at the tourist office and pick up a map that shows two different walks. To that person I want to say THANK YOU. The yellow walk is more of a nature hike that they say takes 90 minutes. It took us 3 hours. We stopped along the way and soaked it all up. We took so many pictures. We loved not being on a bus. We loved doing something on our own, with no crowds. We loved the fresh air. It was an easy walk for the most part but it did have a steep climb in the middle. The blue walk is more of an in town walk which we did not take since it took us so long on the yellow walk, haha. There is very little shopping there. Viking suggests that you get up early and watch the sail in to Eidfjord. We got up at 5am and it was worth it to us. Few people did it so it was easy to sit inside or stand outside for the full view. It was very, very pretty. Sailing out they go fast so you don't really get the same affect.

 

Some of you know that we decided not to go through Viking to get to Pulpit Rock in Stavanger. We ended up using the company Norled instead of Rodne because of their better time. It was fantastic. We even had enough time to explore Stavanger afterwards. Both Norled and Rodne are easy to find right at the port. I was looking for some sort of a kiosk or something big with their names on it but all they had was a little table and an umbrella. Both are right next to each other. We had bad weather so we didn't get to see the top of Pulpit Rock but it was still worth it. We were fully prepared for rain so we stayed outside on their deck most of that cruise and the 360 view was worth it It costs considerably less than Viking's tour to Pulpit Rock. The only difference between Viking's tour and Norled's was that Viking stops at a beach for a waffle. We actually saw them on land getting their waffle in the rain.

 

We were disappointed in our post stay. When we first booked we thought we would have more time in Oslo. We did find out differently before we left so we were prepared but it still left us disappointed. It was a 7 hour train journey which was beautiful. Our guide that we had in Bergen for our first day of the post stay stayed with us on the train where we were handed over to a different guide at the train station in Oslo. We arrived around 3 or 3:30 and then had a bus tour around the City, visited the Viking Ship museum (which was fantastic) and Statue Park. We were to see a Ski jump area but the low clouds prohibited it so we went to Statue Park which everyone loved. We arrived at our hotel at 6pm. It left us pretty much no time to explore on our own. We ate dinner and then went back to the room to prepare for our flight home the following morning.

 

Viking was EXTREMELY organized on our pre and post stays. We were impressed.

 

All of the Viking staff were attentive and professional. All the tour guides were excellent.

 

Food.....very subjective but we found it excellent. We loved Chef's Table the most. Make sure to try and get in all menu rotations. At the end of the meal they encourage you to make a reservation for the next menu. It was easy to get a reservation. Manfredi's was good but way too much food for our liking. My advice is to check the interactive menu outside of the restaurants to see what is on the menu for that day and make your decision from there where to eat for lunch and dinner. We never called room service so I can't address it. If you like shrimp salad, go to the pool side restaurant and have their shrimp salad sandwich. I am already craving it.

 

Viking on all of their paperwork and on their website suggests to tip the drivers and guides on the tours. We saw very little tipping going on. It did make me sad.

 

I found the ship chilly in the common areas so ladies bring a sweater just in case.

 

Stop by the Explorers Desk every night after dinner and pick up a map of the port for the following day. It is not very detailed and got us frustrated often but at least we had something. Some ports have maps right by the ship or on the bus. Those maps are by far better than Viking's.

 

Just in case anyone is wondering, the guides do a great job of bathroom breaks. They always point out where they are and when the next break will be.

 

Viking offers a shuttle bus in most of the ports which was fantastic. My advice is to make sure you are getting on the RIGHT cruise line's shuttle bus even if there is a Viking representative standing right next to the bus. Otherwise you will find yourself at the wrong ship and need to take a 15.00 taxi ride to get to the right ship. Don't ask me how I know.

 

I'm sure I am leaving out a few things but I hope someone finds some of this helpful.

JiminyC_fan, Wonderful information. I read a thread recently which indicated that the poster did not see much tipping to guides and drivers while off the ship. I don't know that it was you who commented on that, but did you notice the same thing? I'm wondering whether all of the different currencies at ports intimidated people? Any ideas on that? If folks did not plan on dining ashore or making purchases, perhaps they did not go to the ATM for local currency??? I've been thinking about that myself, although I will almost certainly make some small purchases so I hope to have local currency. Thank you for your input on this matter. Except for our trip to China and a tour which included a few days in Northern Ireland, we've used Euros throughout our trips.

I did notice the shoes and from what I saw they had on the same athletic shoes that we wear here.

JiminyC_fan, I have read on websites comments about not wearing jeans or athletic shoes. Then you arrive in that country - France, Austria, Switzerland, Ireland - wherever (even China), and you see the same thing as everywhere else. There are some folks who are dressed for business, there are tourists from within that country and other countries dressed differently - there is no set rule! Have you ever traveled to Miami Beach in winter? European men in capri pants, socks and sandals - whatever - if they are comfortable and enjoying themselves, why concern ourselves? To each his own. BTW, thanks for your helpful threads.

Replying to my own thread here. We decided to take the included tour and quite glad we did. We were able to get ourselves oriented and then we stayed in town and took the shuttle back. We are quite impressed with Viking having a shuttle bus in every port so far.

Thank you for this post, jiminyC_fan. A first-hand and very recent post is very helpful. We will be on Viking Star in July, and your post confirms our plan for Helsinki. Good to know about the shuttle bus in every port. Enjoy the remainder of your trip.

I spoke with a fellow cruiser yesterday who did the Viking folk dance excursion in SPB. She said it was OK (not very good). "Too amateurish" (Someone asked earlier- sorry forgot who)

That's interesting. I had read a few posts in other threads where people loved the show. As in all things, different people, different expectations and reactions.

Oops, I mean within 14 days of booking?

 

 

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To add to the discussion of outside travel insurance, if you purchase insurance within 14 days of your deposit (booking), you are covered for financial default of your tour company. This may differ, depending on which insurance policy you take (and financial default of Viking is quite unlikely!!!), but it is another level of comfort - especially for a worry-wart like me.

No, the Star.

Have a wonderful trip! And please share your experiences with us (on your return). We will be on the Star for Viking Homelands cruise in July. I have followed your posts, and your questions and the answers provided by others have been quite helpful. Bon Voyage!!!

My mother and I will be on the Viking Trade Routes of the Middle Ages cruise in September. We will dock in Le Harve and want to take a D-Day Tour. Has anyone taken the Viking D-Day excursion tour? Is it worth the cost? I also saw Overlord Tours were highly rated and that could be an alternative.

 

Just looking for advice on what D-Day tour company tour to use.

We spent 4 days in Normandy in advance of a river trip a few years ago. During that time, we took a 2-day Overlord D-day tour, and it was absolutely outstanding! However, since your time will be limited, you probably would only be able to do their 1/2-day tour, and I cannot comment on that specific tour. Whatever you decide to do, you will be quite impressed with the area!

There is a mail box at the terminal. We bought some Russian post cards and stamps and mailed a card to ourselves. Took about a month but we finallly got it.

One more thing-the folks in passport control show no emotion at all.

Thank you so much for your posts - both about the fact that we don't need rubles (that simplifies things) at the souvenir store and your post about a mailbox. I always send postcards to my grandsons (now 16 and 18); they have a large collection of postcards from our travels and keep us posted on how long the postcards take to arrive - we are almost always home before the card arrives; but, this is a tradition we enjoy. Kingfish45, you have made my day!

St, Petersburg-Probably correct about the dock. Truly, is uglly and Soul less. However,There is a large souvenir shop at the cruise terminal so the Russians have at least figured out about capitalism. Some small ships go up the river and dock in town however ocean ships are too large--and they have to raise the bridges for passage. The city itself has many beautiful things to see. As far as I know, You don't need a visa as long as you are with a guided tour. And I don' think you can just wander around town.

Glad to hear about the souvenir shop at the cruise terminal in St. Petersburg. We will take July 15 Viking Homelands tour, and I know I will purchase some souvenirs. Do you know whether they accepted Euros? Or were transactions only with credit card or rubles? Thanks for your help.

Oh dear!!! My sweet husband is in trouble if there is a Christmas shop!!! I love to buy ornaments from our travels!

I apologize if I am de-railing the thread, but I totally agree with you. For the past several years, on our trips, I have purchased Christmas ornaments. They are easy to pack, and we have a separate 6 ft. tree in our family room with travel ornaments; each year when we decorate that tree, I think about our wonderful trips - it always brings a big smile to my face. I will surely be shopping for ornaments on our upcoming July 15th Viking Homelands cruise (we may need another tree!).

Try it because you are tired of mindless entertainment.

Try it because you don't need a casino.

Try it because you are sick and tired of the nickel-and-diming.

Try it because you can live without other people's children.

Try it because you are more interested in the ports of call than in partying until dawn.

Try it because you are never asked to pose for photos.

Try in because you like cruising among friendly people.

Try it because you are invited to BYO wine, beer or other potables.

Try it because you don't have to hide in your room to drink your BYO.

Try it because there is no corkage fee in the dining rooms.

Try it because specialty dining is included.

Peregrina, We will take Viking Homelands cruise in July - this is our first cruise with Viking. I love this post - if we were not already booked, we would probably do so because of your thoughts. I have followed threads for months, and you are a wonderful source of information.

Thank you, H2Otstr, I will definitely go to that link.

Thank you for the information. I will check it out.

 

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I have no experience with insurance through Viking. But several years ago we purchased trip insurance through HAL and needed to cancel the cruise. We received all of the trip money, but we were not reimbursed for the cost of the insurance. At a later date we booked a trip with Gate 1 and purchased insurance through them; again, we had to cancel for emergency health reasons and were reimbursed for all of the trip; but we were not reimbursed for the cost of the insurance. Perhaps lines differ. I have purchased insurance through insuremytrip, but in those cases did not need to cancel so I am interested to see the responses from folks who booked through them and had to cancel. That is a big plus!

You have really made a great video of a Deluxe Verandah Cabin. We will do the Viking Homelands tour on Viking Star in July, and I feel quite prepared for our trip after viewing your video.

emileg,

I don't want to hijack the thread, but I am new to Cruise Critic - although we have taken 23 ocean cruises (starting in 1967) and 4 river cruises. Anyway, I'm off on a tangent - was interested to see that you had traveled on Home Lines Oceanic. We took 12 cruises on Home Lines, most of them on the Oceanic. We loved that ship and the crew was fantastic - truly felt like home to us. The line is long gone, but we still have very fond memories of the old Homeric, the new Homeric, Doric, Oceanic and Atlantic (though that ship rode like a cork on the ocean). Sorry for the trip down Memory Lane, but we so seldom hear of anyone who used Home Lines. Enjoy your future travels. We are booked for our first Viking Ocean Cruise in July 2017 - Viking Homelands.