OnTheJourney

I love it! Yes, I'd gladly hang out with both of you. You did Viking ocean if I recall correctly?

Well stated! Some of my favorite trips have been those within reasonable driving distance as opposed to farther destinations out of the US. Exactly, or even alot more depending on one's experiences and means. It's all relative. As I mentioned a few years ago, we got talking to guy who worked in a gift shop in Baltimore after finishing a cruise there. He asked questions about the cruise, etc. and it became quickly evident that, for him, the idea of ever being able to go on a cruise was probably a pipe dream at best. So for a guy like that, a weekly vacation at the beach is probably a big deal. I'd rather always have more places, i.e. a "bucket list" of sorts, to look forward to maybe still getting to, than to feel like there are really few or no places left in the world that I haven't already been to. Age / health issues start to play a part for many - DW and myself included. No use trying to deny it, so it's a foregone conclusion the bottom of that list will never be reached. That's just reality. For those who feel they HAVE 'seen it all', kudos! The journey truly is the destination, I think, and not just necessarily pertaining to travel.

LOL yeah exactly! Definitely all 7 continents for sure is likely to come up, which always strikes me sort of funny in regards to that being a milestone travel goal, which in some ways it surely is - one I'll probably not be able to make a claim to - and yet when you think about it - if you only visit one or two destinations on each continent, you've only seen such a very small part of what's available. It'd be like someone coming all the way from Asia and visiting only NYC and Boston, for example, and then saying they've been to North America. Well, yeah, true enough, but only barely scratching the surface. Still, a cool accomplishment worthy of those types of 'bring and brag' conversations. When you think about it, one only need make a total of 6 trips to see all the other continents not including the one you live on! It's just that considerable distance is involved for many of them. 80 cruises, though, is really not that big a deal around CC the way it seems. I suspect many have done way more.

While we loved our only river cruise (not including Viking's MS), we didn't care for that you always wound up eating around the larger tables. We did eventually get friendly with a couple - who also liked to eat early dinner - and so the 4 of us did that for the latter part of the cruise and got along well. What made the group eating (mostly at dinner) a bit unbearable was that some of the conversation starters were so obviously geared to impressing others around the table as to where all people have been in their travels. I really don't care. Some woman actually had the gaucheness to ask my wife how much her teaching salary is! Don't recall how we fielded that one but got a chuckle out of it later. But that's cruising. Boarded the Viking Mississippi and started talking to another couple over the welcome glass of champagne. As part of general travel-related conversation, I simply said "yeah, there are always more places to go". Expecting a simple endorsement or acknowledgment, instead the guy goes, "well, we've pretty much been all over! What's left to see probably isn't worth it!". Uh-huh. All except here on the Mississippi perhaps (?) At that point I was ready to end the conversation, but he wasn't. And thus ensued a lengthy list of their extended past travel itineraries. Cut me some slack since I really don't care. Actually wound up having some nice conversation with them later on during the cruise. Quite interesting and nice people, but just off to a bit of a weird start.

LOL...you can be glad you weren't on our northbound Mississippi sailing! Once it was determined that we had to run straight through from Alton, IL to St. Paul, MN, eliminating all previously planned stops and excursions, we wound up with about 9 consecutive sea days. A highlight became talking to local citizens who gathered at the locks to watch us pass through. Some nice conversation. That was our only contact with outside civilization! So it was lazy days on the river, but actually quite enjoyable. Never got to read so much on a cruise. The other highlight, of course, was checking out what's for breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day. In all fairness, though, Viking came up with some really interesting lectures to help fill the afternoons.

they could also pop at the opening. Crap-shoot. Point well taken. As I mentioned, my advisor isn't even sure he'd be able to get any.

I just started reading the 270-page prospectus. Much like the (many) brochures they send out, it's very well done. My advisor indicated he has no idea how many shares he'd actually be able to get as an IPO. If not, can always get shares on the secondary market.

I've enjoyed all our Caribbean cruises, but wouldn't be a destination I'd book every year. Much prefer Canada / NE.

Of course, just referring to what I've encountered on CC. No implication relative to a larger perspective.

Good thought. I was most surprised to see the following in the VIK prospectus. 24 ships in the works with options for 12 more! Takes alot of moola or else incur alot of debt.

Sure doesn't seem that way by looking at some peoples' list of "upcoming cruises"!

Wow! I would think that, especially for those who paid the full fare, should be above and beyond.

Assuming you're referring specifically to Viking, what recent cruises have you found this to be the case?

...which you referred to recently. Interesting. We thought the food and service was up to usual Viking standards on the Mississippi. Have not been with them since that.

Worth exploring anyway.

I ran it by my advisor. He's going to send the prospectus and look into getting shares as they become available. Can't see how it'd be a bad investment. Definitely on the aggressive growth side of the spectrum. Probably a good idea to give it some time and see where the price range winds up, as you already referred to. It would be good to see some appreciation from the share price. Doubt it'll be a dividend paying stock, at least not initially.

Worth grabbing some shares? If even available. Might only be for the larger institutional investors. Certain mutual funds already have holdings in Viking, I think anyway. I'll have to discuss with my advisor.

I'd think so too, especially with constantly building new ships. Given that they already offer pre and post extensions, which has them engaging at least partially in the land tour side of the travel industry, is there really a need to delve further into all that? There are enough land tour companies around that they likely wouldn't compete with anyway. But that's a purely uneducated observation on the matter. Perhaps concentrate on doing what they do best, with a goal of constantly try to improve on it. Spreading too thin could maybe start to dilute the quality of current offerings.

That's what I sort of assumed. Yep...great idea! My list, I know now, will only be partially realized at best. Waited too long for certain farther away destinations. DW and I are retired as well, and have been enjoying traveling until some health issues intervened for her last year. Not sure yet how it's all going to play out, but I don't anticipate much, if any, foreign travel anymore. I would, but doubt she'll want to at this point.

Sandebeach: I'm curious about your upcoming cruise list. If you're sailing every month, how long would you say you're actually at home relative to days at sea !?! Unless some of them are shorter 1-2 week cruises, I don't see that you're home all that much. Incredibly busy travel schedule! I couldn't do it.

CK info aside, I simply can't imagine being on a ship of that size, although several people have told me that since the ship is so big, it actually doesn't feel as crowded as I might anticipate. There is a certain logic to the size of the ship and number of pax as being relative in terms of it feeling more or less congested; however, I do know that having been on Viking with only 930 guests, I've been spoiled. It just feels so quiet all around the ship. The music is always very low-key, even in the dining areas, and lots of neat places to just sit and read. Largest ship I've ever been on is the RCL Adventure, so I guess at some point should at least try something bigger - if it comes into Baltimore or Bayonne. No interest in flying anywhere to do it.

I haven't either since we've never been on a class of ships that has it, but my sister-in-law has always said it's their favorite restaurant on any cruise. She said the food is consistently very good.

I don't think it was anything you did or didn't do. Based on this it seems 11:30 is pretty much the earliest embarkation time - probably for RCL also. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2819754-is-1130-the-earliest-check-in-time/

Yeah we probably won't do the GL until '26 also. There is an early October date I like that is offered. 3042 looks to be a good choice.

Totally different reaction here. Despite our cruise being the northbound that resulted in only being able to stop at a few ports (the rest of the cruise all sea days), we found everything to be typical Viking high quality, including the food and service. The dining room was fine, but we decided for several reasons to spend the latter part of the cruise in the cafe and found it most enjoyable. Sorry that you had a less than good experience overall. That simply didn't happen on our cruise. Service was prompt and friendly, as I would have expected. Which was our last excursion of the entire northbound journey. About half the pax got off for a 4-night shore stay - two nights in Memphis and two in St. Louis, and then rejoined the ship in Alton after that, although once we were told that from that point we'd have to sail straight through to St. Paul with no stops, some people bagged out and flew home. We had opted to stay on the ship the entire voyage. I paid to see the river, and despite not having our planned excursions, we greatly enjoyed the very relaxing sea days - about 9 of them if I recall correctly. Never got to read so much on a cruise before!