photopro2

Though I can confirm they are included, availability is a slightly different matter! 

As you say, non alcoholic beer is readily available. Non alcoholic wine was not always "to hand" however waiters usually found some of the sparkling type. On one occasion the bartender in the Aquavit bar made me up a special alcohol-free cocktail as an apology for not having the wine.

Simple answer too 😁 yes those non alcoholic drinks are included. The non alcoholic lager, Heineken 0 I think, became our standard drink at lunchtime. We also tried ice tea for the first time, which we enjoyed. It is available in sweetened and non sweetened versions.

Sitting here in the Explorer’s lounge on the Jupiter, it is fantastic to think how different the world was when I started this thread, exactly four years ago today. Back then normal social interaction was impossible and we were not allowed to travel outside our local area. 
Thankfully, those strange times have now come and gone.

The captain has just made his noon time announcement to inform us that we are now 104 nautical miles off the coast of Brazil. It is 93 degrees outside but still cool in here despite the brightness of the sun that streams in across the cream leather chairs that face out towards the gleaming white bow.

It is wonderful to be travelling, but even more significant is that we once again feel comfortable chatting face to face with our fellow passengers, here in the lounge and around the ship. New friendships are being formed as before.

 

I am thrilled to see the number of posts that have been made to the thread over these four years. Hopefully this will continue to be a virtual home for all sorts of chat, even now that the lovely lounges are again fully operational in the beautiful and amazing real wide world.

 

 

he amazingly beautiful real wide world.

4 hours ago, millybess said:

I'm re-reading your post and it would be great if they had a resident astronomer on board, even without the planetarium.  Especially for TAs and other voyages where there are a lot of sea days.  

We are currently on the Viking Jupiter for a TA and there is a resident astronomer on board who will give presentations about the night sky from the top deck (weather permitting) as well as using the planetarium for talks on "The sky above us". We also have the IMAX style shows mentioned previously.

10 hours ago, Azulann said:

 I wish Cruise Critic would just take down their "meet and mingle" link on their home page. If they are not  going to be partners in this as before the  pandemic, then say so ,please!

Viking  is more that happy to  respond to  our roll calls if one poster takes the initiative to  let Guest relations  know with names and staterooms # once on board. 

I really do agree with you and I am sorry to hear what @millybess has reported.

My suspicion is that there must be more to this story than a simple flat refusal from Viking. Even if that were to be the case, it was obviously a one off negative decision by the management on that particular ship.

There is certainly no general policy from Viking as a company to prevent M&Ms We have official Viking hosted M&Ms set up for both sectors of our upcoming BtoB.

Maybe our moderator would be kind enough to pass on a message to Cruise Critic management and have them enquire with Viking if the previous M&M system can be restored?

I look forward to hearing the response.

This photograph made me smile when I spotted it on the Viking Jupiter Panamax camera yesterday, so I thought it was worth sharing. Maybe there is a keen ornithologist on the board that can tell us what bird this is?

9 hours ago, bouy said:

still planning on going and having a great time

That is the right attitude to take and I'm very sure that you will have a brilliant time.

We have had glitches and complaints about the pre cruise experience in the past, but once we step onboard, all that melts away. It is on the lovely Viking ships that we "Feel the love from Viking" 😊

We find that the outstanding environment and service for the duration of the cruise more than outweighs any dissatisfaction we may have had with the onshore management and systems. 

Hello @Curx94

I have enjoyed reading your well balanced, and erudite posts. Despite your carefully phrased and clear comments it seems to me that most people have missed the key point: That the advice you are giving about not booking too early is in relation to the Expedition cruises rather than Viking as a whole.

We took a moderately priced positioning cruise on an Expedition ship and enjoyed it very much, but feel that most of the regular Expedition cruises are at a price level per day that is beyond what we are prepared to pay. If others in Viking's target market feel the same as we do, that would chime with what you have experienced. It appears that Viking may be having to reduce Expedition prices in order to fill what would otherwise be empty cabins as the date for an upcoming cruise draws near.

Looking at it objectively, I can't help pointing out that, of course, your loss will have been someone else's gain. They will have benefited by enjoying the same cruise for substantially less than the price you paid. That is not an unusual situation, as a bargain purchase of any sort will only really be a bargain if others are paying more. 

It was good of you to take the trouble to bring this information about Expedition cruise pricing changes to the communities's attention. Fortunately, you seem far too sensible to let the issue spoil what I'm sure will be a wonderful Viking journey.

20 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

In my experience, PE has no middle seat. That alone makes it worth it.

I completely agree with you in that, I would not fly long-distance in a middle seat!  

Fortunately, we have always been able to fly transatlantic in seat pairs, even in coach. It used to be easy back in the days of the 767 and before the densification of the 777s, but it is still possible even now.

Many airlines, BA and AA include, have their 777 cabins configured with seat pairs at the rear of the cabin. The World Traveler section on upper deck of the BA A380s is currently 2-4-2, so there is no middle seat as such. (though that is likely going to change and become a 100% business class area in the next 12 to 18 months) The A330s of Aer Lingus, Virgin and other airlines have a seat pairs the full length of each side of the coach cabin.

DW and I have been very comfortable in seat pairs on all our many daytime transatlantic flights. As I mentioned in my original post though, night flights are a very different matter. We have now reached a level of seniority when we really wouldn't want to be sitting up all night in either coach or PE, which is where business class is a wonderful solution!

13 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Not worth the extra money, in my opinion. You cant sleep. Go business or coach. 

I was thinking the exact same thing as I read through the thread! My view is that PE is a considerable extra cost for a marginally improved experience.

We find daytime flights, even the longer ones, quite acceptable in coach. Night flights are another matter altogether and that is when we look to get business seats. 

So, for TA flights, eastbound is usually a night flight in business and westbound usually a daytime flight in coach. 

The total cost is a little more than a PE return but we feel that getting a lie flat seat for the night sector is a huge benefit.

6 hours ago, CurlerRob said:

CD is Cornealia, I don’t know who the GM is.

Thanks for your general observations, quite reassuring.

The GM's name should be on the digital board displaying photos and names of officers. It is in the corridor that goes past the lift on the port side just across from the piano in the living room, between guest services Chef's Table. It sometimes takes a day or two to update after a changeover day but is usually correct.

Hope the sea settles down for you soon. 

16 hours ago, deec said:

photopro...I am sure meant NOW that they are at home there are no wine lists or menus!!!

Ah, yes, I understand now. No one picking up wet towels in the bathroom either 😁

Thanks to you, and @aungrl for setting me straight. 

Just now, friendlyfifer said:

Unfortunately I left the card for the cleaner of our hotel room or I would have posted it to you.

Thanks for the thought 😁

I had heard they might be some issues which is why I asked. But I am sure we will cope, as you did.

1 hour ago, friendlyfifer said:

I’ve just found the details for the Buenos Aires shuttle bus. It leaves from the Plaza Hotel near Florida Street.

Thank you very much indeed for that. We do intend to do some walking, and knowing the startpoint is a great help for planning.

I am interested at your mention of the underground, do you know if you can buy tickets using a credit card?

9 minutes ago, friendlyfifer said:

One of our shows was music from the 50s, 60s and 70s. I would suggest that we need to roll the decades forward if new customers are to be attracted.

Thanks for the report and I couldn't agree with you more. We definitely need some music from the 80s and even 90s+ added to the repertoire.

I don't suppose you happen to have kept the relevant daily or recall where the ship's shuttlebus stop in Buenos Aires was?

13 minutes ago, friendlyfifer said:

No menu and wine list is now offered at mealtimes

I think you might need to clarify that, I'm sure you didn't mean to say that no menu was offered at meal times???😕 

2 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

The only one that might have an issue is 4035 and only if it is above the tenders

We have done 3 trips in 4034 (across the ship from 4035) and fortunately it is well forward of the tenders so 4035 will be too.

We have never had an issue with noise from the lifts or stairs and that area is our preferred cabin location. 

On 11/7/2023 at 8:09 PM, Clay Clayton said:

No that is exactly where I need it to be added

You are right of course Clay.

I don't know how I managed to completely misread your original post but I'm just going to put it down to old age and move on...... 😁

Expanding the gap between the bed and the closet would certainly be a good use of the additional space.

20 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

If they put the added foot between the closet and the bed, it would make a noticeable difference to me.

I am fairly sure that the extra space in all cabins comes as a result of the ship being wider across (in the beam is the nautical term I think) so will only add a little distance across between the cabin door and the balcony rail in each cabin rather than in the direction you are hoping for.

On 10/26/2023 at 1:23 AM, Lemondrops said:

When I called the airline, Delta, they told me they were not the "operating carrier" and I would have to call KLM Airlines.

I've been sorry to read about the trouble that you've been put to which started with the Delta agent you mention above giving you the wrong information.

On 10/27/2023 at 1:38 AM, Lemondrops said:

I do need to do this through Delta even though I will be flying on KLM.  KLM was correct after all.

I have always had good experiences with KLM, so I'm pleased to hear that they gave you the correct information right away.

On 10/26/2023 at 1:23 AM, Lemondrops said:

Viking told me I had to upgrade directly with the airline.

Despite what you have said about Viking not helping, they did give you that correct information right at the very start when you originally spoke to them.  It seems now that a Delta supervisor has confirmed that you do need to upgrade your seats directly with them, and how to do so. It was only inaccurate information provided by Delta agent(s) that prevented you from doing so previously.

On 10/26/2023 at 1:23 AM, Lemondrops said:

 Viking called me back and said Delta told them the reason I cant use my miles is because KLM is the operating carrier.  

The above indicates that, not only did Delta misinform you, but they also gave the same inaccurate information to Viking.

On 10/26/2023 at 1:23 AM, Lemondrops said:

The Viking supervisor that I spoke to was very little help and took no responsibility for giving out incorrect information.

Hopefully you will now understand that Viking was not the source of the incorrect information you were given. As you've discovered, you should have been able to upgrade simply by contacting Delta directly yourselves, as Viking said was the case. Any incorrect information came from Delta and Viking only passed it on in good faith, as far as I can see. 

On 10/27/2023 at 1:38 AM, Lemondrops said:

A Delta supervisor called me today and told me exactly how I can upgrade my seats with them.

It would be helpful if you could post details of this correct process to upgrade Viking booked flights on Delta, so that others might be able to avoid the trouble that you have had to go through.

On 9/28/2023 at 6:09 PM, LindaS272 said:

“Shore excursions vary by each itinerary and are subject to change.”

As you quite rightly say, if the excursions themselves were changed it would indeed be covered by the disclaimer. However as @LinnieRed and others have pointed out, the issue here is not that the excursions are changing in any way.

On the contrary, it seems in some cases the excursions themselves are remaining exactly the same. The only change is Viking's unilateral decision to make a charge for the very same excursion they had originally marketed as being included. 

To my mind that is not a change to the excursion itself, but only a change in the cost to customers for that excursion. I would therefore suggest that the exclusion you quote is not really applicable.

9 hours ago, lackcreativity said:

Almost immediately after our booking, the website switched to the current Scenic Flanders & Coastal Village of Knokke-Heist.

That can happen for all sorts of reasons, and I was very careful to say that the tour details were accurate "in the vast majority" though obviously not all cases.

9 hours ago, lackcreativity said:

Cruising, in fact most forms of travel, benefits from the ability to adapt to change without too much disappointment, because inevitably, something will happen!

I totally agree with you, that is certainly the best attitude to have.

My issue here is the reduction in confidence that has arisen over which included tour one will actually be able to book now that Viking sometimes lists more than one in their publicity material. An even greater problem is that there have apparently been cases where the same tour, previously publicised as included, became an optional tour once bookings opened on MVJ. That is effectively a price change and something which is completely under Viking's control.

19 hours ago, Messybill said:

It is clear that the higher priced cabins get first choice.

I absolutely agree with you, Viking do make that clear, and that is perfectly reasonable. I also agree with your assertion that Viking offers one included tour at each port, nothing more.

Until recently, only one example included excursion was shown in the itineraries for each port listed on the website. In the vast majority of cases this information accurately portrayed Viking's offer of the included tour at that particular port. Everyone could be reasonably confident that this inclusion would be available to them in advance of making a booking.

These clear waters have been mudded by Viking now indicating that more than one included excursion will be available at some ports. There are no details provided on the website as to which, if any, of these included to tours will have a limited capacity.

As you quite rightly say, Viking have never guaranteed that all included tours will be available to everyone. The outcome of this is that (for some ports) Viking are offering an included tour of some sort for everyone, but without giving a clear indication of what that included tour will consist of. As a result customers will not know in advance what their included tour will be, and will simply have to take potluck once booking is open.

As others have said, that is probably not a dealbreaker, but it's certainly different to the way things worked in the past. 

If Viking are to be totally and completely aboveboard, I do feel that they should indicate on the website (perhaps, by using a different coloured "included" banner) which of these tours are likely be open to everyone and which are sure to be capacity capped.

44 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Hope that doesn't blow your thesis!

It doesn't at all 🙂..... but it is very interesting to know that there may sometimes be availability on these enhanced excursions for those in DV. That would generally be a good thing and my only concern is that Viking avoids promoting them as "included" on their website without making clear availability is limited.

19 minutes ago, Geoffa30 said:

 

That port isn't on this itinerary.. Sorry I cannot help.

 

The only upgraded included excursion included on the itinerary is the Bluff Cove one I mentioned.

Sorry @Geoffa30 my error.

Recife is on the TA we are doing as a back to back following South America and Chilean Fjords next year. I rather stupidly forgot it was not all one cruise 😞 

Not too worry though, someone did post the price in dollars, I just wondered what the pound rate was.

1 hour ago, Geoffa30 said:

No doubt the included will be booked by those in the higher room categories before our lowly DV and we’ll pay for the privilege.

I am sure you are right. 

What price is the Ilha de Deus catamaran sail in Recife showing. It is currently marked as included on the Viking ocean website!