LibertyBella

Thank you for the heartfelt review--I am sailing on the Enchanted Princess this July, and so looking forward to the experience!

Whatever banks can do to make money, they will do. While in Iceland a few months ago I took money out of an ATM and definitely had the foreign transaction fees posted on my bank statement, as well as outside network ATM fees, but I knew I would have to pay all of that. VAT is usually incorporated into the posted price. If you make a large purchase at one site, you can get the paperwork to have the VAT returned to you (must submit at airport.) Sometimes I have waited months to get that VAT money back (Greece was very, very slow), but it always eventually arrives. Before I travel to Europe next month I am going to get some Euros from my bank to use for smaller purchases.

Oh, c'mon all of you superior travelers. Americans LEARNED about tipping from traveling to Europe back in the 1850's and 1860s--we did not invent tipping! Tipping was supposedly invented during medieval times in England from master to serf. In fact, at one point many states in our country outlawed tipping because it was not seen as a democratic practice. We visited Egypt for the first time back in 1981--and everyone wanted "baksheesh," an ANCIENT custom. They can trace that practice back many, many centuries and in many countries, long before the little old U.S. was even a thought. Baksheesh is often expected in Egypt. and the Middle East. Yes, we always tip our tour guides, and we try to be especially generous in poor countries. We tip at least $10.00 for a half day tour, and more for a full day, depending upon complexity and service. Some places want separate tips for guides and drivers--other places combine the amount. We bring an envelope full of cash small bills (dollars or Euros, etc.), and calculate in advance how much we will potentially bring--usually several hundred dollars depending on length of the trip. If I am wealthy enough to travel for leisure, I am wealthy enough to appropriately tip the hard-working tour staff.

I was just on the fireworks cruise this past year (2022), sailing out of NY. We went to Bar Harbor--I think this upcoming year the cruise goes to Newport instead. Boston was a busy day of touring, and if you go up to the very highest deck of the QM2 you can see the fireworks live late at night. When we arrived in Halifax we had a rainy and cool day, so it was a bit of a let down. Everybody at our dining table (including us) dressed quite well on formal nights--tuxedos and gowns. I would say about half of the passengers did not go all out in dressing from my perspective, but they all looked very nice and neat. There were a number of Europeans and British who were doing the TA, and then just added on this cruise and then were going back TA again--I would say perhaps up to 20% or so were not U.S. citizens. The Cunard environment was extremely British--little to no American impact or influence on the way the ship ran, the shows, the meal service, etc. Most Americans we met were extremely well traveled and appreciated that ambience. The passengers skewed middle age and older--there were very few children. Every night we went to the ballroom dancing and then afterwards, the night club. We also made it to some of the shows and the planetarium show (seats are limited). All in all we had a wonderful time!

Perhaps you are overthinking and overplanning. The most important times to know are cruise ports of call. If you have booked shore excursions, ship arrival times and departure times as well as the exact time of the shore excursion will show in your shore excursion calendar. Mine have been available for months and months in advance. As to shows, they are usually at more or less a similar schedule every day, with an earlier and a later time. I never worry about trying to organize all the ship activities and time schedules before I board. I attend those events if I feel in the mood to go, and if I am interested at the time. In the old days, with mandatory dining times, we always what time was dinner and what time was the show, and if the dinner service was running slow, we might have to skip dessert to get good show seats! Are you trying to make spa reservations? Again, that should be easy to book in advance. Specialty restaurants may require on-board inquiries if they are not showing available. I would just pick a time you like to eat dinner based on when you expect to be back from your shore excursion. Changing a dinner reservation to suit your needs should be much easier now than in the past. Relax--you are going on vacation! ENJOY!

Yes, FCCs may have different rules. You need to ask your travel agent or Princess. Sometimes special circumstances for cancellation may merit an individual response. We do not have enough information to give you a valid answer, sorry.

Last year I had a number of great, great offers--even free cruises!--the challenge is that we had busy work schedules, and yes, some of the air fares were sky high. Usually I just book the itinerary I really want about a year in advance, and try to get some price reductions if they become available. My other issue is I have to reserve boarding for my dogs, and that is rarely available in our busy metro area unless booked months ahead. It would certainly be fun to travel at the last minute at a bargain price. Hopefully one of these years.

You can wear whatever you want whenever you want, but do you really want to? We are somewhat traditional in dress, and we try to look a bit fabulous when cruising, because we enjoy the fancy experience. Perhaps I am a bit of a fashionista, and I have helped train my DH! I would never let my husband dress down so much that he would not look good next to me in our photos. If I am wearing a long gown, then he has to do a tuxedo (Cunard), or a suit. If I have a cocktail dress, he has a sports jacket at a minimum. When we are in Hawaii or the Caribbean only, he can wear his Aloha shirts. He does have a few seersucker suits and linen sports coats as well. By the way, there are so many mens' sport jackets in light weight materials that even for a Winter cruise you could find a very nice light wool to take. Husband has velvet, corduroy and cashmere jackets to wear in the Fall and Winter, but they are really a bit too heavy to pack for a cruise. November will be cool--we would only wear warmer clothes, especially on a transatlantic. Have a great time, and do not worry too much about outfits. The truth is in fashion it is pretty easy to blend in anywhere--the challenge is to stand out!

Just because Viking markets itself as a luxury cruise line does NOT necessarily mean its shore excursions are any better than other cruise line, including Carnival. You are mainly paying for the on-board ship experiences. Viking cannot necessarily control the quality of local sights and local personnel, or how visitors will react to them. It also seems that many of the "free" excursions are just short overview introductions, nothing too complex or rigorous. After Covid, many local contacts ceased operations or found other employment, so the land arrangements may have had to be reconstructed from scratch all over again. Additionally, I think some local companies may want to make a stronger profit on tourists now, so they might undercut the experience, or they do not really know how to handle large numbers of passengers, or those less mobile, etc. Weather, time of year, staff availability, cultural norms, country socio-economic level and other factors can also influence a shore excursion. Do I want to feed the kangaroos in Australia? I believe that is what the wildlife park is really known for, and many people seem to like that hands-on interaction with the animals. However, people do react quite differently to the same excursion. Before I take ANY ship excursion I read about all the stops, look them up online, read Tripadvisor and other reviews about them, etc. I calculate the time we will spend on a stop, and whether the experience will be worthwhile for me. I finally go to the cruise review, and read what people have most recently posted about the excursion. If I find the ship excursions lacking I will definitely create my own independent excursion. Yes, in my life I have had some very poor excursions, and some wonderful and excellent choices. I will say I have spent hundreds of dollars on some Princess excursions and they were out-of-this world memorable (glacier trek in Alaska with a helicopter ride, visiting two Russian palaces in one day in St. Petersburg), etc. The worst shore excursion I ever had personally was riding horses in the ocean in Turks and Caicos--the saddles were of poor construction and not fastened well. Honestly I thought I was going to fall off into the water and get crushed by the horses' hooves. It was a lesson learned that local poverty factors can impact my own personal safety, so I will not choose to ever do that again. I feel for your disappointment, but I do understand Viking's response. I do hope the positive cruise experiences will outweigh your negative ones in the long run. Have a great trip to Iceland-- I was just there in November, and enjoyed all of my experiences!

I booked a Viking cruise eight months in advance with free air, and my flights have already been changed five times, including to a completely different carrier on my return. Each time I had to go into the MVJ and reselect my seats. None of my flights are on my frequent flyer carrier of choice. You do not say WHEN you are traveling in 2024, but most flight schedules are not yet available or confirmed. Unless you are receiving free or extremely bargain air, I would also not be in a hurry to use the Viking flights, especially not just for transfers. From previous (bad) experience, I rarely arrive by plane the same day as my cruise departs. Yes, it is a short hop Chicago to NYC, but you would NOT want to miss your cruise if that short flight is delayed or cancelled, so I also recommend going at least one night early, and perhaps taking in a Broadway play or a tour of a NYC landmark. In Iceland it is extremely easy to get back and forth to the city and the airport on Flybus, which we used when we traveled there in late November. Or you can splurge and just get a taxi. I have also decided to limit my use of FF miles on international flights, because I have had issues if a flight is cancelled, as happened to me once in Italy. Good for you for planning ahead and checking out all the options. Have a great time!

Oh, how romantic! Yes, dancing together is a wonderful experience. Get out there no matter what, and just do your own thing! Do not worry about the exact steps, either. I happen to be a very, very, good dancer--I have taken professional lessons in six different types of dance, some very complex (ballet, flamenco, belly dancing, etc.). My husband sweetly went with me to a year of ballroom dancing lessons, and still never completely mastered the holds or the footwork of some of the most basic dances. Understanding the beat of the music is not necessarily his forte, either. Remember, ballroom dancing consists of a number of diverse styles: cha-cha, samba, rumba, paso doble, jive, waltz, tango, foxtrot, quick step, swing, etc. All of these types of music will be played, and each dance has a set of specific steps, arm holds, turns, etc. The ship's lessons will just be basic introductions to some of these dances. Many folks book Cunard just to ballroom dance. Yes, there are some dancers who want to "show off" their ballroom dancing skills, and float completely around the floor. Don't be intimidated! No one there is an expert ( I have watched the championships on television many times, and I know!), and most are at basic or above basic level. I think it is a "safe" practice zone, and no one will be judgmental. However, if you are completely uncomfortable, just head to the nightclub nearby. Once you are on the dance floor the music takes over and any style is fine! Have a fantastic time!

I compare the small ship to the large ship to staying in a luxurious British B&B vs. going to a large Las Vegas casino resort hotel. Both have their pluses and minuses, and the choice may just depend on mood, budget, location, etc. I wish I could say that the cabin and the food are my priority on cruises, but they are always secondary. Itinerary and just being on the water are why we book cruises. We have always had great service on all our cruises, but then, we are not too fussy or demanding. I like the small cruise experience, but only in small bites (could never do more than two weeks). It is a way to relax and focus on the immediate experience. However, we still like the thrill and the high energy of larger ships. Yes, we still really like to dress up for formal nights, we always use the photography studio, we go to the nightclubs and dance at least twice per week. We like the big production shows, the many on-board activities, the all day rigorous shore excursions, and the many decks to explore. We also do not mind that children are on board. Cunard is also one of our favorites--when else do tuxedos and ballgowns get to come out and play? I really like Celebrity cruises--they have a layer of sophistication that is great for those who have outgrown RC & Carnival. I also like that Viking markets itself as the thinking person's cruise. But I would not hesitate to sail on practically any line if other family or friends invited me to join them and I was available. Every ship line has its fans and its unique style--and a smorgasbord of experiences are great for the soul!

For the past few years I have received multiple offers from Carnival for free or dirt-cheap cruises (British isles for $100.00?!), and I am not a gambler, and they were not gambling offers. I think that they just want to get bodies on the cruise ships, and then they hope you will spend enough on board to make it worth it. Unfortunately, most of the dates clashed with our work schedules. Also, I have pets, so I can never leave and go anywhere last minute--I have to make sure I can get the dogs into the kennel. Yes, there are many great offers if one searches around, is not too picky, and can travel anytime. Hopefully some day I can take advantage of those kinds of cruise experiences!

Well, I am not on an Iceland cruise, but I was just there over Thanksgiving. Yes, the airport is approximately an hour or so from the city, and once there, it does take time to go through all the lines. For all international flights in all airports of the world, I always try to arrive at least three hours early--I am overly focused on promptness. I will say I arrived an extra hour early at Keflavik, because I had made some purchases, and I wanted to claim my VAT tax, so I had to stand in another line for that first! The security is the slowest, as the line winds around and around, and everybody has to have their passport checked! You have to walk through all the duty-free shops and then go into the food court area. Our gate number was not even posted until about an hour before the flight. Once at the gate there are hardly any seats, so all the passengers basically line up to board the plane as soon as they arrive at the gate. We also only had one person to check in all the tickets--a bit of a slow boarding process. However, I had a great time and all went smoothly. Enjoy your cruise!

Yes, we Americans probably are overly generous and a bit free with our funds, which is perhaps WHY so many people want to and have immigrated to our nation, because we have many freedoms and a very good standard of living. I think the Princess recommendations are a bit low--we always try to tip at least $5.00 for half-day tours, and more for full-day. And yes, we ALWAYS tip, even if they remind us about a tip, because in many countries the tour guides make peanuts as compared to the U.S. standard of living. And yes, I have tipped in Asian countries and my tips were graciously received.

I live in Philly, and I have often gone into NYC for the day--about two hours max each way--Amtrak is more costly than the reliable Greyhound bus, another option, but car traffic can be risky. I also used to go to DC just for the day--another two hour train trip each way from Philly. I would NEVER take a car or bus to DC--the car traffic can double the commute. Do not try to fly--not worth it;--the train is the fastest. I would HIGHLY doubt that Cunard would ever create a visit Philly for the day excursion, and DC would be just about impossible. You could potentially arrange coming here independently, but you would need to have the logistics down perfectly. You would probably just want to see our historic area--Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Betsy Ross and Ben Franklin houses, etc. BUT, depending on time of year there could be lines and/or limited opening hours. I will say when I am in NYC I usually walk at least thirty or more blocks, mainly shopping. Are you bored seeing NYC? Have you climbed the Statue of Liberty, seen too many Broadway shows, walked too much through the many museums? What about tea at the Plaza? Ice-skating at Rockefeller Center (time of year dependent)? Have you ever made it to the Cloisters? We love the Hudson Valley, and swing by there often on drives up North. The Sleepy Hollow/Tarrytown area is just so quaint, and we have visited all the great historic homes there. Another option is that everybody who is anybody heads out to the Hamptons, but time of year again will have an impact. I do not know where you are from, and although I love Philly, I would not try to make it a one-day port call instead of impressive NYC, and DC is just too far, with too much to see and do for one day. Of course, there have been times the ships have been late, and the turn-around time was quite limited, so that is something to consider if trying to do an independent excursion. Have fun planning!

I went on my first Greek cruise as a teen about the same age as your son, and although I enjoyed seeing all the sights, I certainly did not have the same depth of knowledge and historical understanding that I do now (Yes, I actually have one degree in Classics, and graduate work in archaeology). It was my first cruise, and I certainly enjoyed the overall cruise experience as well as all the stops. Most recently I cruised the Greek isles in 2019 on Celebrity. I will only say do not over-book yourself so much on tours that you do not take time to truly enjoy the cruise experience. I am actually on the same cruise you are, but a month earlier. I chose just to cruise for the one week, because I also wanted to do some pre-and post-tours. I also really like this particular itinerary. I love hot weather, and I do like tramping around in the sun, but not everyone can tolerate it, so you may need to look at endurance issues with all your tours. I frequently book the cruise tours because most of them include the highlights, and DH and I like full-day tours that also include lunch so we have no worries. I do not try to penny-pinch my shore excursions, and I do like comfortable air-conditioned transportation. However, because I know a LOT already about what and where I am visiting, if I do not find a tour up to snuff, I will book something privately. At this point I do not really like any of the Princess Istanbul tours--not comprehensive enough for us. I would pass on a Bosphorus cruise since we will be on the ship seeing everything anyway. Have you had to deal with jet lag lately? That will be your first challenge upon arrival, even though you have the hotel room. Although they are beautiful, I am not sure I would prioritize seeing the gardens the first day (or even see them at all). If I were taking a child, I would do something more fun for them, such as taking a gladiator lesson at the gladiator school before or after seeing the Colosseum. Of course you are seeing the Forum during your tour, I expect, but hopefully will see other famous Rome sights like the Spanish steps, the Vatican, the Trevi fountain, etc. I actually just bought Fodor's Rome 2023 guidebook today, to start giving myself a refresh. We are planning all the Roman tour stuff, especially the Vatican with the Sistine Chapel (all of which we have seen before), but I am also adding on a day tour to Hadrian's Villa and Villa D'Este. Your river cruise sounds relaxing--I have done those in Paris with dinner, and enjoy them a lot. Of course our transfer day down to the port will mean not doing much in Rome that AM. I think your Naples day tour is just too much. I am not sure why climbing Mt. Vesuvius is a must. Are you serious hikers? I do not think your DH will make it that day. Additionally, I think you should choose EITHER Pompeii or Herculaneum--not try to cram them both in together--just overwhelming, especially with the hike. Again, I think you are trying to see/do too much in Crete--caves should not be the priority. We are taking the Princess tour to Knossos which also visits Agios Nikolaos and includes lunch. Ephesus is a shorter stop, so see as much as you can physically handle (then perhaps the ship's pool?) I personally am enthralled with Delos, and can go back again and again, but it is basically an abandoned island full of ruins--not everybody's cup of tea to enjoy. The other challenge is the Princess ship docks in the afternoon--so the tours will be in the extreme heat. I prefer going to Delos early morning before all the masses of tourists arrive. I think it is very fun to explore all the narrow streets of Mykonos, visit the windmills, and have a leisurely lunch and/or an ice cream. One of my husband's favorite memories was swimming in the lovely blue waters of Greece, so if you can build in one day of swimming, I would say go for it here. BUT if you must see Delos, you will have the late afternoon and evening to enjoy Mykonos strolling. Well, we all know there is just too much to see and do in and near Athens. You need to prioritize what you really, really want to check off--of course, the Acropolis, any museums?. Your (long) day tour sounds really fun for your son with the snorkeling included. Since I just saw the Acropolis again a few years ago, I am hoping to (maybe) get back to Delphi and Mycenae, and I would really like to get to Meteora, although it is a bit far. At this point I am still finalizing my hotels in Athens and Rome, so I have not yet booked those land tours. Yes, it is certainly great fun to plan. I wish your family a wonderful and exciting journey!

Yes, I have the "free air" for my end of March river cruise, and my flights have already been changed several times, including just today with a new return which is pretty awful. Instead of going from Budapest to Frankfurt to Philly, we are now being routed Budapest to Zurich to Toronto to Philly (two flight changes instead of one). I just hope my luggage makes it!

I just received an extensive questionnaire from Celebrity asking me about advance purchases for shore excursions, spa services, drink packages, wi-fi, flights, transportation, etc., etc. I am not sure if they are trying to make any changes, doing a general survey, or just trying to get more information about me, personally! I have not sailed Celebrity since 2019, and we had a fantastic cruise then, so I have not been keeping up with post-Covid experiences. Yes, we ALWAYS tip extra cash and try to praise our hard-working team.

I started traveling when quite young, before the Internet, fax, etc. Long-distance telephone calls were extremely expensive. Planning was a necessity if one wanted to ensure all arrangements were accurate. I still remember I had to write letters months in advance and mail them air mail to each of the hotels I wanted to reserve for my honeymoon (many decades ago), and then wait for a written letter response. Nowadays I extensively plan because I am detail-oriented and I want everything "perfect," especially if it is a very meaningful or special trip. This is especially true if we travel to destinations with historical, archaeological or natural important sites. Yet I can still be spontaneous if I just want a fun vacation escape. Once I called a travel agent and said I would like to go on a week-long cruise leaving anywhere from the U.S. as long as it was under a certain budget. I did not know the cruise line or ship until the tickets arrived, nor did I care. I booked Caribbean cruises in the past not knowing anything about the ship until I arrived on board--I just wanted to see certain ports. I trust my travel planning abilities, and I can more or less handle unseen circumstances last minute. In the old days travel insurance really did not exist too much, so you were more or less on your own anyway. When we were younger husband and I traveled all over Europe by train and with backpacks and camping equipment, so I have done it the cheap way, and now I like a bit more luxury. We have self-driven in multiple countries in multiple types of vehicles (lucky me--I am a bit multi-lingual!). I will book tours ONLY if the destination is quite complex and requires more local leadership and interaction, and my language abilities are not strong enough. I do love to travel! I never worry about cruise menus in advance, or daily programs, or even cabins too much, or anything really except my excursions, because the ships and ship meals and activities are fun, but not so unique that I will remember them forever, but I will certainly cry if I miss seeing the Acropolis when visiting Athens.

There is a difference between a challenge and an obsession. You have the photos on the flash drive--just print out the photo you want. I cannot hold the cruise line or the photo studio responsible if the passenger did not make it a priority to go to the studio and pick up the prints. (Taking the flash drive with you on the next cruise was an excellent suggestion!)

I take photos all the time on cruises, and I basically hang out at the photo studio selecting my pictures. With paper photos, they are stuck all over the wall and you have to find them. Usually all photos that are not purchased are destroyed at the end of the cruise. Nowadays many of the photos are loaded up virtually and you have to select from the photo office screen. I would imagine they delete all photos each cruise. Most of the time the photo studios are closed on disembarkation day. I always stop at the photo studio the last night of my cruise to pick up any of my photos that I still have not finalized. I have NEVER had photos delivered to me, and I have been cruising for decades. Sometimes the printed copies on cruises are excellent and extremely high quality paper (Cunard)--other times they are cheaper paper that any local studio can replicate for you. Yes, they do charge about $20.00 per photo for posed shots, so you did miss out on that component of the purchase, but at least you have the actual photos on the flash drive! Just pick out your favorite, print it and frame it. I used to do that package of bringing home ALL my photos for one price, and once I brought home over 300 prints! They weighed a ton and a lot of them were not that great, so they just sit in the plastic bag. Now I am a bit more picky as my collection is too large. I usually buy those little photo books and put the top 15 photos from the cruise in there. It is great to see my haircuts over time, and the photos make nice memories!

Oh my--I was thinking the kayak test would be a bit more rigorous--like proving you could paddle a certain distance, or be able to right the kayak and climb back in if it tips over in the water. I am guessing life preservers are a requirement. Are the jacket and pants waterproof at all? What is the average water temperature? Sounds like a great adventure that my DH would totally love--he has his own kayak, and he is scuba certified. He also can tolerate cold weather much better than me. Have a wonderful time!

Gosh, I made the original "lesson" comment and it has certainly been misinterpreted in many ways. First, I am 100% on the side of all travelers. I certainly agree that Viking was at fault for poor notification processes, but that does not change the situation that the OP has no trip anymore. Cancellations and miscommunication occur ALL the time in travel--yes, this time on Viking for the OP, but also for thousands and thousands of people on Southwest last month (and last minute). One person sat in the airport for eight days waiting for Southwest to give him a new ticket. As I said, that would never be me--either I would buy a ticket on another airline or rent a car, etc. And yes, I have had to undertake many diverse options when I have had flights cancelled while I was traveling. That's why I always recommend carrying an emergency credit card in addition to purchasing travel insurance. Flexibility and emotional cool can always help with challenging travel situations. Sometimes it is up to you, the traveler, to figure out what is most expeditious for you at the moment instead of waiting for the big company to hold your hand or solve it, and then come back for compensation later. I agree that the OP is owed whatever is due to him the same as others--but if the cruises are almost sold out and the hotels are prepaid, it is important to make the decision to either go or stay. The lesson is that travel is an investment of your money and your time--I regularly check my bank statements, my credit cards, my tax paperwork, AND my travel plans. I never stated to check your travel arrangements weekly, although some may, but I think NOT checking anything for eight months to a year is a bit naive, or overly trusting, or careless. This is even more critical when a trip is booked a year or two in advance--governments have risen and fallen, pandemics have occurred, etc. in that timeline. I still have not been able to rebook my China river cruise that I had reserved back in 2019 for 2020--I finally gave up and used the funds to travel to Iceland just a few months ago. If you want to act as your own travel agent then you need to take on the same level of responsibility ---a travel agent who did not check on my bookings every few weeks or months to make sure everything was in order would surely be fired. I do wish the OP the best, and I hope Viking will come through with some nice offers. I would certainly push for voucher amounts above and beyond as compensation, but that could take a while. Another option is to take a different cruise line to coordinate with the land arrangements, and then use the Viking vouchers down the road. There are always many opportunities in leisure travel around the world.

I have had difficulty logging in to Princess for the past two days. Today I was able to log in one time, but the excursion page would not load, although every other section did. I do get a message at log-in that they are having technical difficulties, so I know it is not just me. My cruise is not until the Summer, so I have plenty of time, but it is fun to keep reviewing excursions. Hopefully this will be fixed soon.