CDNPolar

We have a couple of times on Ocean attended a sales presentation by the Consultant in the Star Theatre. I think that they may happen on each cruise, or perhaps they stick one in if sales are not happening fast enough... We have often however been off the ship when the presentation happened. We find these rather like the port talks... they highlight a few new or popular cruises, but will also take questions.

We are in Europe so often that we just hold on to what we bring home and then we are always ready to go! But... what a great thing for you to be able to do!

I have mentioned this before, but my Husband is a WSET level 3 and moving on to Level 4. Before meeting him, I was stuck on certain wines and regions. It took some time for my "taste" in wine to open up, but now we tend to not drink the same wine again... or if we like it we will buy a few bottles but then move on after that. Also in Ontario Canada the way wine is available to us, often our retail seller brings in so many cases and when it is gone, it is gone. We tend to not be fans of the high quantity always available wines, and look for the smaller region wines that are available seasonally. Wine to me is about understanding the different profiles of the wines based on where they are from and the terroir that contributes to the palate that each wine presents. We don't necessarily like every wine we drink, and there have been some on Viking that I would never drink again... but that is also why we just keep moving through the list. Wine and the enjoyment of wine is very subjective based on what your tongue tells you when you first drink it. Bitter, sweet, tart, tannins, crisp, and on and on. We have always felt that Viking do a good job in the curation of their wine lists, but that is just us.

I studied hospitality and tourism in University but did not pursue the career for many years after. One of the things that we learned was the supposed origin of tipping, and if you research it, you will find various theories, but one remains strong that "tipping" was done in advance to improve service. I do hear what you are saying. I don't think that you have to actually tip to get what is held back in reserve. I think that if you are drinking the included wines, and they come with a Chardonnay and you don't care for Chardonnay, let them know and they will often offer something else. I have done this without tipping and they have offered me something else. All of a sudden there is a different white wine available.

Oh my... what a conundrum or a kerfuffle... It is hard sometimes to get everything lined up to be optimum. We have stopped trying for perfection in travel. We want and expect the perfection once we get to the ship, but getting there is work not pleasure and the airlines, and luggage, and transportation issues are all crap that just has to work however it is going to work to get to the ship. Good luck!

No - I don't believe so. OBC must be used or lost. The only exception is if this is OBC from a TA that is refundable. If Viking issued it then it must be used. Our TA gives us $200 per person OBC and if we don't use it then it is lost too.

The tip/gratuity is a lump sum that is added the day before disembarkation. If you have OBC on your account it will reduce the gratuity owing. This you will see on your account on the cabin tv.

Yes - that is my understanding.

Yep - all good things. We have 4 advance bookings that lock in price for cruise cabin and air and all at $50 to hold per booking.

We pass a crisp USD $10 (folded) for first time and then for some we will pass a second $10 later in the cruise if they have been especially attentive. Most get the second $10.

We have in the past received OBC from Viking also due to a complaint and we were told by tellus that it could only be spent on the ship, and for any cost we incur onboard. I think that you are fine. Just ensure to spend it all.

Let me ask you a couple of questions: 1) Is this OBC or SBC? 2) Is this from your TA or from Viking? Not to confuse what I have said before, but OBC can be used in advance to buy things like shore excursions or SSBP or gratuities, but you can also use this on the ship if you don't buy any of these things in advance. SBC "typically" cannot be used in advance, but only used on the ship. Regardless, any of these credits can be used for anything onboard including bar bills, spa treatments, in the shop onboard, etc. Typically however if you don't use an OBC for something onboard, you lose it unless your TA issues refundable credits.

Our experience was similar - both of us in the same house, married. One approved online and card mailed within weeks. ME - long delay, interview required on both sides of the border. I have extensive global travel for work and personal - exceptionally more than my husband - and I was shocked that with my travel history I was made to go to interview. Perhaps it is the extensive travel that brought me into question? Go figure.

Is this a new service? Did you book an appointment? How does this work? We will be renewing mid next year and have not done so for almost 10 years so the process is a distant memory for us now.

I have done two separate insurance claims now and both were 100% online and the simplest claims ever. I anticipated lots of push back and challenge, but I filled out forms and submitted the reports they requested and got a cheque. This was with Arch in the USA and Blue Cross in Canada.

Because you booked through a Travel Agency and are Canadian (this may be different in the USA) you will NOT see the OBC in MyVikingJourney (MVJ) unless you book optional excursions, pay gratuities in advance, or purchase the Silver Spirits package. You will see the OBC on your invoice from Viking which the TA should provide to you. Our TA applies the OBC to our booking on first call with Viking and then the invoice that comes shows the below. Ours shows up on page 2 of the Viking Invoice and there is a box for each person: NOTE: This shows on the invoice as SBC or Ship Board Credit, but that includes OBC. SBC and OBC have different rules for use. Typically OBC will be used online if you book optional excursions, buy the Silver Spirits package, or pay Gratuities in advance. YOU can book optional excursions on your own without the TA and they require immediate payment. If you have OBC then that credit will be applied to your checkout on MVJ. Typically SBC is different and is applied on the ship for purchases when on board. Ask what is the difference if you have SBC and OBC or one or the other and how they can be used. These are general statements from OUR experience. Hope this helps.

This may spark some controversial conversation, BUT, we often tip cash to a few people on the Viking Ocean ships and one of them is the Wine Steward. We don't tip day one, but we generally ask to sit in the same area of the restaurant and so we have the same server team night after night. On day two or three we will palm pass a tip and it is amazing how much more SOMETIMES comes available. Even when you are on the included wines, if they come with a white that is a Chardonnay (and I typically don't drink or like Chardonnay) and I ask if there is another choice for white, then they bring an option. In our experience the included wines are not always just what they bring to the table. As @FetaCheese suggested, talk with the Sommelier and often there are options. We have also talked with the Food and Beverage Manager (Uniformed Officer) and had different luck, such as FetaCheese suggested that there is a wine or wines in stock that are too low in stock to have on the list. If you don't ask you won't get.

They only walk around with the red and white included wines. You can always have the included Prosecco but you have to ask for it.

Everyone has such a great option available to them now with the $25 deposit in North American bookings. You can book a second cruise in the future and get the 180 day payment terms on your existing booking. We always keep at least one future Viking booking out there as much as two years out to ensure that we get the 180 days payment terms. Having that booking is not a firm commitment, you can move the 50 bucks to any other cruise before final payment, or lose 50 bucks max.

A couple of years ago we were denied the 6 months payment terms by 2 different agents at Viking. It took several calls to get it. It happened again on the next booking that we made. Maybe not fists, but it was not done easily. I put most of these things down to poor Viking training of their agents.

Where the ship is sailing is also what dictates the wine list. Not every port in every country may have California Cabs or other wines available. Viking don't ship the wines globally to every ship. A wine that is on the list when you board, may well run out during your cruise and if the wine is not available from suppliers in the ports you are stopping in they cannot source it, then it won't be replaced. It is kind of take it as it comes in my opinion.

You already have a cruise in the future so you already qualify for 6 month payment terms.

We always have more than one future Viking cruise booked and most of the time we have to "fight" to get the 6 month payment. Sometimes they put us on hold several times before they begrudgingly agree. This last booking, I was amazed as the 6 month payment was applied immediately without asking. I think that the agent was more experienced.

Totally get it... As much as we love the countries, cities, and towns, (and the churches and ruins to some extent) we also love on both River and Ocean unpacking once and after that unpacking having the room cleaned and the meals made.... I get you though.

We cruise a lot and travel a lot. We renew our passports for 10 years to avoid issues like this. Our passports expire early 2026. We have already mapped out on the calendar between trips when we will renew our passports so that we don't run into issues. This is just part of travel planning for us. We have experience through friends where boarding was denied.