BlairsvilleCruiseGirl

We've been in ES2 on Deck 5 and no black flecks, exhaust fumes or pool smell. CDNPolar, the black flecks would be from the exhaust stacks of the ship itself - even though the ships have "scrubbers," there is still some carbon residue.

On 6/11/2024 at 1:41 PM, Islander500 said:

This thread has been so helpful for us newbies.  I'm delighted to learn that on your cruise there were 2 included options in Lofoten Islands. I had started to research/contact a few private companies to evaluate "small group" tour options there. If not too much trouble, would you share the descriptions of the 2 included options, either here or on the cruise port thread?  Would love to see the details. Thanks all!          

Sorry for the delay as we just got home from an incredible cruise!  You're going to love it!

Here's the info you requested:

Panoramic Lofoten by Land & Sea Duration: 3.00 Hours Price: Included Date: June 04, 2024 08:30 AM Sold Out, 09:00 AM Sold Out, 01:00 PM Sold Out, 01:30 PM Limited Availability Majestic Fjords and Dramatic Landscapes -- Board your boat at the pier and after a short safety briefing, you will head out into the pristine waters of the fjord. Sit back and relax as you take in the stunning views of the rugged coastline along Leknes’s shores and admire the tranquil beauty of your surroundings. You may even be fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the local wildlife; the fjord is home to seals and various species of birds. Arrive in the picturesque village of Henningsvær, where you will begin your journey on land, stopping at some of the archipelago’s most well-loved viewpoints. Torvdalshalsen or Rørvikstranda are popular spots for keen photographers to capture the spectacular vistas of the picturesque villages that dot the coastline and dramatic scenery around them

Panoramic Lofoten Duration: 2.50 Hours Price: Included Date: June 04, 2024 08:45 AM Available, 11:45 AM Available, 02:45 PM Available Majestic Mountains and Fishing Villages of the Lofoten Islands -- Travel among the majestic mountains and fishing villages of the beautiful Lofoten Islands on this excursion. Enjoy the vistas on the island of Vestvågøy, dominated by tall, steep mountains with wide, green valleys and fishing villages in between, as well as white-sand beaches. From Leknes, your motor coach will transport you to Einangen, where you will stop to admire views of Leknes, your ship and the rugged mountains in the distance. Take a coastal route along the Storfjorden, passing isolated homes and sheltered inlets. Continue your scenic drive, passing through the heart of the island en route to Unstad. Stop at a viewpoint, marveling at the beautiful stretch of white sand surrounded by lush green hills and mountains. Admire your surroundings as waves from the Norwegian Sea lap against the shore. Board your coach and relax as you return to Leknes and your ship

20 hours ago, Twitchly said:

I would love to watch a documentary about the behind-the-scenes life on a Viking Ocean ship.

Smithsonian Channel has a program called "Mighty Cruise Ships" and they featured the Viking Sea, the Viking Star and the Viking Gefjon.  Lots of behind-the-scenes!  

9 minutes ago, JordanF said:

I beg to differ just a bit.  The Long Ships are the same height and width as other ships (for bridges), but are a bit longer (or at least have more cabins).  I checked some random ships, and the Viking boats have 190 passengers (Viking Aegir).  I found an Avalon boat with 166 (Avalon Envision) and a Gate 1 boat with 174 (Monarch Baroness).  This was a quick check--not meant to be thorough or scientific.  So, as I mentioned above, a "few" more passengers on Viking.  Some people would prefer fewer passengers for a more intimate experience.  Some might like more as there are more people to meet and also, perhaps, more tour and other options.  

Number of passengers was definitely a factor for us when choosing our first river cruise.  We like Viking Ocean but decided the 30 additional people Viking squeezes into the same size river ship was definitely in the "Minus" column.  We also like more than 1 dining option available, as well as room service for all meals, which again put Viking in the "Minus" column.  And we like to drink other things then just free wine/beer at lunch/dinner, so All-In alcohol was also a factor, as well as multiple included shore excursions of all activity levels.  So, even though we love Viking Ocean, we chose Scenic for our first river cruise.   

MARTYAP, you'll find everyone has an opinion, so think about what's important to you and then find a cruise line that checks those boxes!

21 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

We will be sailing this itinerary in reverse in August. I too am prone to seasickness but since taking Bonine (Meclizine HCI) I have had no issues. We were in seas with the wind 10-12 on the Beaufort scale on an expedition cruise in Patagonia last October and I was fine. 

I agree, Bonine is the way to go.  Doesn't make me drowsy and I haven't gotten seasick since I discovered it!

9 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

There's usually only a few people younger than me on board, it seems to be mostly the older the passenger the more keen they will be about the shows. 

My playlists are mostly rock/metal, so perhaps I am an example of a younger passenger Viking might be after but who they have lost unless there is a very good offer on, mostly because of the increase in the amount of music in the lounges, which now seems to be aimed at those of my parent's age. 

 

We watch the lectures in our room on catchup, at a time convenient to us. If we want music we put our choice on via a phone and Bluetooth speaker, or ear buds. No reason to go to the theatre. If we want to listen to ABBA or Beatles songs, or whoever, we play original artists at a time to suit ourselves, too much else to do to waste time on mediocre cover versions

We're on the younger end too and my playlist leans to rock also, so the non-stop "easy listening" music in all the bars tends to put me to sleep after a while!  I really, really wish they would have some rock music (recorded is fine - it doesn't have to be live) in one of the areas in the afternoon/evening!  If I could put in a wish list, it would be that the Aquavit Bar planned rock in the afternoons/evenings - that way we could have some cocktails and enjoy the view to some Up-Beat music.  And yes, I know I'm about to get jumped on by all the classical music fans on CC about how it's lovely and relaxing and beautiful, etc etc.  Agree, it is lovely and relaxing and beautiful, but I can only take so much before I just want someone to  🎵Start Playing that Old Time Rock n' Roll!🎵 😎

21 hours ago, Canal archive said:

Yes I think you can request before you board and just let them know your up there.

 

Birthday bottle of Veuve Clicquot no Dom but you can’t have everything.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is there a bar on the top deck of the Scenic Amber?  The Scenic website does not have a deck plan for their river ships, just a simple side-view, so it's difficult to tell what is on which deck.

On the May 31, 2024 Into the  Midnight Sun, there are three ports with 2 included excursions:

Bergen: Panoramic Bergen (bus), and Bergen on Foot (walking)

Lofoten: Panoramic Lofoten by Land & Sea (boat tour and bus), and Panoramic Lofoten (bus)

Tromso: Panoramic Tromso (bus), and Tromso on Foot (walking)

2 hours ago, Swick said:

Thanks for the info on shuttles in the other ports…was wondering about that as well.  Slightly off topic of my original posts, but since some of you seem familiar with this cruise…any other recommendations for excursions to do or not to do? Specifically wondering about Santorinin and Athens. In Athens our focus is the Acropolis since most have not been there before.  Thanks again for all of the help!

For Santorini, as MLUTZ11175 says, usually the ship first anchors offshore to allow everyone that is on a Viking tour to tender to waiting buses, which then drive up to the towns/excursions.  The ship then relocates down the coast to the dock by the Cable Car and anyone not on Viking excursions can tender ashore there.  The problem with this is, every other ship in port at that time is also tendering in there, as well as boats from neighboring islands, so it was an absolute zoo there when we finally got on-shore.  After trying to figure out which line was for the cable car, then watching other tenders dock closer to the cable car then Viking did (we were almost the furthest away) and everyone discharge and get in the "line" willy-nilly, we actually turned around and went back to the ship!  On the tender back to the ship was a couple that had taken the first included tour of the morning, walked around the town a little bit and were already heading back, while we hadn't even gotten to the top of the cliff!  So the bottom line is, take at least the included tour to get you up top - they'll give you a cable car ticket for the trip down.  Again, word of warning on the way down late in the day, there will be hundreds, maybe thousands, depending on how many ships are in port, of people also heading down on the cable cars late in the day, so you have to get there early so you don't miss the last tender.

For Athens, try to get the earliest tour to the Acropolis as you can, because it gets very hot and crowded the later in the morning you go.  We were on the first tour, and we were able to walk right in and the crowds weren't bad, but by the time we were leaving there were hundreds in the queues, standing in the heat, waiting to enter.

11 minutes ago, Swick said:

Thanks so much! You even answered the question I forgot to ask about transportation back to the ship!

If you're going in August, be sure to wear lots of sunscreen, a big hat and be prepared to sweat!  It's really hot with no shade up there and the sun reflects off all that stone.

It appears Emerald doesn't have their own category but are lumped with the "others":

Other Cruise Lines: Ask a Question - Cruise Critic Message Board Forums

19 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Making waves - Danube waves

 

Okay, one wave actually. The Donauwelle is a cake with a wavy pattern and containing cherries. Have a look at the photo and try it when you are sailing on the river if you like: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donauwelle

Of course you could bake it yourself, there are recipes on youtube with full instructions.

 

notamermaid

 

That looks delicious!  We're sailing the Danube on the Scenic Amber next September (our first river cruise) and I'm hoping they have lots of local/regional food items like this!

9 hours ago, 1of4 said:

Yesterday DH took the tour to Ghent. It was a 2.5 hour walking tour and people complained it was too long and/or tough with the cobblestones. Some wanted more time for shopping while others wanted none. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Just proves that you just can’t please everyone. 
 

He was able to do both the walking tour around town and tour St. Basil’s cathedral. 

Ah, where's the pictures of your DH's Chocolate Haul? Please don't tell us he didn't fulfill his mission?!?

3 hours ago, WanderingBrit said:

That mirrors our experience, to add to which it seems many people get offended if you don't welcome their uninvited participation in your meal.

 

I've seen many responses along the lines of "well we go on cruises to meet people, so lighten up!" - yes but we don't, so leave us alone. This remains a concern I have about our first river cruise, where it seems there's much less chance for privacy during dining.

We considered that when we researched our first river cruise, which is one of the reasons why we ended up with Scenic for next year - they have more than 1 dining venue AND room service for lunch and dinner, so when we're not feeling sociable, we can just eat in our room and watch the river go by from our balcony!

4 minutes ago, philw1776 said:

I draw a firm line at Canada Geese

Yeah, but Canada Geese don't respect any lines!  Those nasty buggers will chase you across that line and then 💩 on it!  😆

23 hours ago, Piredmus said:

OP'er here.  Thank you to everyone for your feedback.  As was to be expected, there is no concrete answer to the question.  I concur with the sentiments offered as to why any cruise may be more desirable than others and realize that cost analysis comparison is not an exact science.

 

That said, we were looking at Australia & SE Asian itineraries of long duration (30 days or so) wherein the Viking numbers were in the $1200 per person-day range, followed by Silversea & Seabourn in the $900 range and for comparison sake, Celebrity was around $500 albeit with an inferior itinerary.  There is no doubt that the value one puts in the selection of a cruise is totally subjective and is not only based on the hard numbers, but the many intangibles that are difficult to assign a value to.

 

As stated, the Viking offering looks very nice and I have no doubt that we will book one of their trips soon.  The only reason for the initial question was to see if I was totally missing something in my analysis, which doesn't appear to be the case.

 

Thanks and happy cruising...see you on the ships.

WooWee! $9000pp is a significant difference when comparing apples to apples! I like Viking, but I can do a lot with $18000 extra!

On 3/19/2024 at 11:39 PM, wolfie11 said:

Curried scallop pie was a mainstay when I was in Tasmania. Yum!

When we were in Hobart we hired a private guide who took us to a local bakery and recommended the Curried Scallop Hand Pie (he said it's a local favorite).  I loved it too!  Dang, now I want one! 😋

47 minutes ago, lackcreativity said:

We will be travelling with friends on a Viking cruise this summer. We have often made friends on board, but this will be the first time we will be going with a couple we have known for many years. I anticipate the value of acknowledging up front that we don't have to do everything together, but any other advice? 

We, too, are traveling with 2 friends for the first time this summer!  We picked our tours and they picked their tours and we did book one together, but basically we decided that we would catch up in the evenings for cocktails before dinner to go over our day and then probably dine together. 

I was wondering what Viking cruisers do when they want to dine in the specialty restaurants with friends in other cabin categories.  We were able to make our (3 per restaurant) dining reservations, but they haven't been able to make theirs yet (1 per restaurant).  We tried to "Invite other guests" when we booked our times, but got an error, probably because they couldn't book theirs yet.  I'm hoping that we can just go up to the host and ask for our table for 2 to be made into a table for 4?

45 minutes ago, stu52 said:

We are going on the Iceland's Majestic Landscapes cruise in July and I was wondering if anyone has done the "Taste of Norway" optional excursion in Geiranger, Norway.  How did you like it, what was the cost and was it worth it?

We're booked on Into the Midnight Sun and there is the same (I'm guessing it's the same) tour offered for $279

Taste of Norway

$279 Per Person

19 hours ago, deec said:

Anyone done the island nature walk from the Shetlands?   How demanding is the hike?

Are you talking about the "Walking the Nature Trails of Mousa Island" excursion?  I signed up for that on our May 31 Into the Midnight Sun cruise, so hopefully someone who has been on it will reply!  I did see a YouTube video on it and it didn't look too demanding.

6 hours ago, Canal archive said:

One of the reasons I’ve been able to double up on cruises with Scenic is that they change, swap or add tours year to year.

We're taking our first river cruise (have only ever done ocean) with Scenic next year - 10 day Danube in Depth from Budapest to Nuremberg.  We liked how they have multiple choices for included tours, some more active than others.  Are they usually small or large groups per guide?  There's not a lot about Scenic in CC so any info you have I would greatly appreciate!  

2 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Looking forward to seeing this!  We would love options for included excursions.

 

For our upcoming Ocean cruises, we don't see more than one included tour, but this is just on the itinerary part of the main site.  The excursions are not listed or open yet in MVJ.

 

Fingers crossed that this will be a regular thing!

 

Multiple ports had 2 included on the May 31 Midnight Sun:  Bergen had 2 included: Panoramic Bergen (bus and foot) and Bergen on Foot.  Lofoten has Panoramic Lofoten by Land and Sea (bus and boat) and Panoramic Lofoten (bus).  Tromso has Panoramic Tromso (bus) and Tromso on Foot.  The other ports only had 1 included.

Important note about visiting Santorini:  When we were there June 2023, Viking's itinerary listed us calling (tender) Santorini at 0800.  The ship did call at 0800, BUT, only those booked on Viking's excursions were able to tender in - and they tendered to a small dock which was down the coast from the gondola and appeared only to be used by the coaches.  After everyone on Viking tours had disembarked, the ship lifted anchor and went around the corner to another spot where they anchored and only at 10 am were we allowed to disembark/tender to shore.  Now we were at the base of the gondola, however, there were other ships in port with tenders and ferries constantly docking, so getting to the gondola was pretty much impossible.  Viking provided roundtrip gondola tickets, but there must have been a thousand people crammed into the small area at the base of the gondola.  We tried to find the end of the line and after about 30 minutes of waiting (and the ferries dock closer to the base of the gondola, so every time a ferry came in, those people ended up in front of us), we turned around and gave our tickets to the Viking person manning the tent and headed back to the ship.  We rode on the tender back to the ship with 2 people who had booked the Viking included walking tour, gotten off the ship at 0800, did the tour, walked around the town a bit and were heading back to the ship for lunch.

So the bottom line is:  Book an early morning Viking tour, if just to get yourself on the island!  and be careful about booking your own tour because who knows when you might actually be able to meet your private tour guide.

1 hour ago, oskidunker said:

I booked it although the rooms look very small, like a cruise cabin. Price ,considering location ,seems fair. The Hyatt looked great but not willing to pay over $500 a night. 

Hopefully you will like it as much as we did!  Since you'll be in Auckland a few days, might I suggest: Taking the ferry (right across the street from the hotel, just to the right) over to Waiheke Island (we rented e-scooters and rode all around the island - gorgeous!) or take the ferry across the bay to Devonport ( We walked to the top of Mount Victoria and then down through the neighborhoods to North Head then had lunch right on the main street of Devonport).  Grab a cab or Uber over to the Auckland Museum - we spent several hours there - it was incredible (make sure you see the Maori show).  Walk over to the Sky Tower for dinner (the concierge will make reservations for you). Ask the concierge to set you up with a tour to the West side of the North Island - so so beautiful.  Oh, this is making me want to go back so bad!  Have fun!  And if you want to see pictures of a lot of the above, just let me know and I'll post them for you.  🙂 

18 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Looked it up. What is the  writing on the walls in the rooms?

Some rooms have a wall with pictures of yoga poses.  Some have sayings like "home is where the anchor drops" or "to live will be an awfully big adventure."  It's really a fun, funky, boutique kind of hotel.  The concierge desk was very helpful - they booked a day trip over to Piha Beach for us which was awesome.