mariners

We stayed in Madeira so we did not take a cruise tour, but we took a day tour through Viator/TA and that tour appears to be available for booking for cruise passengers. Check out "East of Madeira", and "West of Madeira" if you are interested in something that is less strenuous. We have also stopped in Madeira on different trans-Atlantic crossings. If there is some specific type of tour that you are interested in taking, have physical limitations, or if you have an area of interest, please provide more information. Madeira is a fabulous island, but can be a challenge for anyone who has mobility issues.

ryndam, what a fabulous thread! The photos of your daily appetizers are almost enough to make us book a cruise. I am not sure why passengers would not be interested in a sake tasting/food experience other than to say that, perhaps, some passengers don't look at sake in the same way they look at scotch, wine, bourbon, gin or .... My first experience of trying different sake was onboard Crystal. Back in the "old" days, I tried different flights of sake, and then would have the sake sommelier suggest what I should pair with my order. How I long for those days! As BWIVince stated, it would be "amazingly cool". Wishing you a great meal at Osteria and a continuation of a fabulous cruise. Thanks so much for all of your posts!

Keith, thanks for all the photos and descriptions you post. It's obvious from looking at the photos that my DH and I do not cruise enough as people in the photos don't appear to have aged.😀 Having threads from the Symphony and Serenity at the same time is perfect, IMO. Now, all we have to do is figure out what itinerary works best for us as we know that either ship will work well.

Sending prayers and healing thoughts your way, Roy. Hopefully, you have a room with a window where you can watch either the beautiful sunrises or sunsets. All the best. Caroline

Pcardad, Regent's response/lack of response has been a deal breaker for us. If we cannot count on a cruise line to provide resolution to issues that they "choose" to create, and no Canadian insurance company will cover any additional costs, then we will not book with the cruise line. We have had multiple cruises and land trips since COVID. Not once have we had an issue with a cruise line without the cruise line providing more than what we expected. On some of the cruises we have taken, the cruise line provided us with credits as a result of a missed port that was missed because of weather issues (no credit was expected); provided us with an upgrade as there had been an error in their paperwork (no upgrade was expected); had a rep contact us to ensure that we knew that we had a referral credit that we had not applied to a cruise; and sent us e-mails to ensure we knew exactly where the ship was located for embarkation as there were multiple docking spots (Barcelona). IMO, you are defending Regent and, to me, it is Regent's "expectations that need to be adjusted". Obviously, you disagree and that is why you continue to promote and sail on Regent. We are and will continue to follow the "vote with your wallet" approach, and sail on those lines that are passenger centric. From our experiences over the past few years, we have lots of choices that work for us.

1teach53, I am very glad that the transportation has worked out for you. You were tenacious in finding a resolution and, as frequently happens, other CC members had excellent suggestions as to ways that you might follow up. Thank you! CascadeLakeGirl and majcigar, I hope that your e-mails will arrive today informing you that your transportation will also be provided. There are many passengers who will not be members of CC and will be unaware of what has transpired. Regent needs to provide all passengers on the affected cruises with the updated information. Wishing everyone happy, and healthy cruises.

1teach53, I hope that you receive a response and the response is positive. I have just received an answer from a Canadian travel insurance broker and, from every company that they contacted, they were told that there is no travel insurance available in Canada that would cover expenses when a cruise line "chooses" to change a port of embarkation or disembarkation. Given this scenario, unless Regent steps up to the plate, we will not be having our multi-generational family cruise in 2026 on Regent (RSSC). In 2026, it would be 20 years since we took our only four generation family cruise. The great-grandparents have long passed on, but it was the trip of a lifetime for them and for all of us together. RSSC lived up to, and exceeded, anything that we could have hoped for on the sailing. So, unless something changes with the current response from Regent, we will join those passengers who will embrace the memories from the past. We are not prepared to pay Regent prices and then be expected to pay more on the whim of Regent. (We are quite prepared to pay for ensuring that we have the best insurance coverage that we can get, missing ports because of circumstances outside the control of the cruise line ...) I am hopeful that Regent will make arrangements for transportation to and from Seward for all affected passengers. It's only a couple of sailings that have passengers who will be affected in 2024.

1teach53, I would not accept whatever customer service is stating. Years ago, when we were regularly sailing Regent, DaveFr provided me with invaluable information when we had issues with what the cruise line "had" to provide rather than what they were "choosing" to provide. Times change so I don't know if there is anything that you can do that will ensure that you are given what Regent has to provide to you and other passengers who are also affected. I wish that I could provide you with current information. All I can say, which is not helpful but is true, it this is not the RSSC/Regent that I sailed on for years. I am appalled, and I do mean that literally, with their treatment of passengers in your situation. So sad! I hope that you can find a resolution that works for you.

1teach53, if you haven't already done so, either you or your TA should reach out to Regent in writing and ask them what they are proposing to do for you. I keep shaking my head when I read some peoples' responses as Regent should be doing ensuring that passengers are accommodated regardless of whether they booked air through the cruise line or not. DaveFr has provided you excellent information. By the way, we loved Seward and could happily spend an extended period of time there. We'd prefer not to stay in Anchorage unless we had to stay as part of a package. Please keep posting as to what happens for you.

I think that repeating a cruise is often the opposite of "lackcreativity" 😀. I (We) have taken multiple cruises with the same itinerary as, after all, one only has a very brief exposure to a location when one is only in port for a day. Usually, I find there are way too many things that I would like to do from specific ports, and some of our best land vacations are because we found a location that was first visited during a port stop. Many times, we have returned for land vacations, or chosen to begin/end a cruise in a location, because we loved a port we first experienced on a cruise. I know we are not alone in these thoughts as all one has to do is take a look at the number of passengers who repeat World Cruises and choose to take different excursions. So, my take is to go for a repeat itinerary and choose to take new excursions, repeat excursions that you enjoyed, or choose to just enjoy yourselves wandering around or staying onboard the ship. (There is no right or wrong answer; it's a question of what matters most to you.)

Host Jazzbeau, what a fabulous blog! I have begun to read your other trips, and love the photos, your writing style, and the detailed information you provide. Thank you! Merci beaucoup!

Bon Voyage, Keith and Anne Marie! Wishing you, and everyone on these cruises, a fabulous time. How could it not be as you are on Crystal?!!!! All the best. Caroline

forgap, I'm sure you are checking out lots of threads, but please make sure that you understand what Viking Ocean offers and what it doesn't offer. If you like what you see advertised, and read on VO through various sources, I say book the cruise. The worst case scenario is that you find out it is not exactly what you are looking for, and you choose to keep on looking. It's been quite a few years since we sailed Regent where we had over 160 nights, but the cruise line changed, and we chose not to follow their path. I continue to read the Regent board and we have not ruled out the cruise line for the future; although, it won't be in the near future as the current "Regent Experience" is too inconsistent. Your postings on the Regent board have been filled with fabulous information, and give a sense of who you are and how you choose to travel. I've much appreciated your insight. So, that being said, I can't give you a whole lot of insight into Viking Ocean. We've only had one sailing on the line, but enjoyed ourselves enough that we have already booked two more sailings. Viking Ocean is not, IMO, "luxury", but it's a great experience if one wants excellent service, good to fabulous meals (understanding that the food budget does not allow some of the options available on Regent, Crystal, and I'm sure some other lines). The booking of excursions, restaurants, etc. date is based on the cabin you choose for your sailing. There is no free flowing champagne, but you are welcome to bring any champagne or other drinks of your choice onboard and there is no corkage fee regardless of where you choose to drink (restaurant, lounge, etc.). There are no Broadway Regent type shows, but I can't tell you what they offer late at night as that's something we didn't choose to experience on our cruise. My DH really enjoyed one of the individuals providing lectures during the day, but, similar to the smaller ships such as Windstar, IMO, one doesn't choose the cruise line because of the lectures. The spa is excellent. The service is excellent. As long as your expectations are in line with what VO offers, I have no doubt you will enjoy your cruise. FYI, we choose to purchase the beverage package because we love having that more inclusive feel when we are sailing. It's easier, IMO, to dine with others, sit in lounges with others, etc., when one has the package. Only you will know if that's something that matters to you or if you want to work out whether it makes the most financial sense. Wishing you a great sailing whether it's on VO or some other line.

Breckski, thanks for the explanation! Somehow, through all of the PR, reading the Viking Ocean website, and reading Cruise Critic posts, I missed Viking's slogan. formernuke, I guess the only response I have is that Viking Ocean is a "thinking person" cruise line, but not necessarily a thoughtful person cruise line. Just as all aspects of life, one can choose to interpret words however one chooses. My choice is different than your choice and we will just have to agree to disagree and let Viking Ocean determine what they mean, or not. I would much prefer that cruise lines didn't have to enforce anything. However, in the big picture, and all of the world events, clothes are the least of my worries. Now, raising a toast to my mother whose favourite dress code was nude; thankfully, she didn't share that with most of the world. 🤣 On that note, I leave this thread to others.

Breckski, I don't believe the zippered safari pants are within the dress code as laid out by Viking for the MDR. "During the day, dress is casual including shorts (if the season is warm), slacks or jeans and comfortable shoes for walking tours. Swimsuits, swim shorts, cover-ups and exercise attire should be reserved for the Fitness Center, pool areas and Sports Deck. There are no “formal nights” in the evening; evening dress is “elegant casual” for all dining venues, performances and special events. On these occasions, required attire for ladies includes a dress, skirt or slacks with a sweater or blouse; for gentlemen, trousers and a collared shirt. A tie and jacket are optional; jeans are not permitted. The evening dress excludes World Café where the dress remains casual after 6:00 PM." We travel with zippered safari pants and wear them in different settings. I'm not familiar with the term "thinking person" and, although I've checked online to see what it means, I'm not sure that I understand what you are stating. I would never judge a person's intelligence, interests, wealth, etc. from the clothes they wear. My statements about dress code are based on what is stated in materials provided by the cruise line, and are not comments about any specific individual in regards to anything else.

We have only taken one Viking Ocean cruise and it was a trans-Atlantic. I was quite surprised by the number of passengers who did not bring any clothing that I would consider smart casual with them (or they didn't wear it). Numerous passengers wore zippered pants, the type where one can choose to have them as shorts or long pants, to dinner in the MDR. IMO, nice dress jeans would be much more appropriate attire for dinner than safari style clothing. Viking Ocean gives options as to where one chooses to dine, and that includes giving the option of wearing very, and I do mean very from what I saw, casual clothing. For me, I love to have a chance to wear my "fancy" clothes that make dinner in a restaurant more special for me. If I don't feel like getting dolled up, I choose not to go to the MDR or specialty restaurants. I just don't get what's hard about doing that for those passengers who don't want to follow the MDR dress code. Either take something with you that meets the dress code, or choose not to and dine where the clothes you bring are acceptable.

BWIVince, thank you for your ongoing comprehensive review of your Crystal sailing. We have yet to book another Crystal cruise since the NC began, but we cannot wait to be back onboard either the Serenity or the Symphony in 2025 or 2026.

CDNPolar, this will be our first year sailing without requiring access to our office and cell phone numbers as we are finally fully retired from our business (well, will be by the time we cruise). Despite having staff and family handle our landline home and office phones, and also having access to e-mails, to keep our business running smoothly it was necessary to keep our main cell phone number. IMO, it was money well spent despite the cost of the Roam Like Home we paid through Rogers. Only you know the value of your contracts, and need for contact with clients/customers/etc. For us, because of the nature of our work, it allowed us to take trips and cruises for extended periods of time. A lot of our work could be completed while we were on holiday. The daily cost of the phone, which was only charged on days where we used the phone, was well worth the cost. Depending upon the length of time that you are away, and the dates of your billing cycle through Rogers, there is a maximum amount that you will be charged for each billing cycle if you are using your regular data, etc. We might not have paid the "cheapest" price, but the peace of mind was well worth the cost. We also got to travel to much of the world while we still had good health. Some things are priceless. Whatever you choose for your phone(s), wishing you wonderful cruises and the least stress possible as you figure out what works best for you.

Thanks so much for all of the answers. MikeyB, I should have reached out to you earlier. It appears that every cruise line has their own way of figuring out how to sail the world. One of the things that I love about the CC Viking board is that people share their onboard, and pre-boarding experiences. We were considering not purchasing the beverage package. However, after reading the different posts and the pros and cons of buying a package, we chose to purchase the inclusive option, and will still bring some items onboard. Our friends might choose to do things differently. One of the benefits of sailing Viking is that it gives different options and allows passengers to make choices. We can't wait to be onboard!

I have found an answer to part of my question that was posted by MikeyB on this thread: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2967228-the-spanish-vat-imbroglio/#comment-66212697 where he was told that if purchasing the beverage package onboard the ship in Barcelona, there will be the 10% Spanish VAT added to the cost of the package. As Spain charges 10% VAT for purchases on cruise ships in its waters, and Brazil charges 25% VAT for purchases on cruise ships in its waters, and, according to the information I can find online, that includes beverages, I'm looking for answers from anyone who has sailed these itineraries after these changes were made in 2023. Would anyone with first hand experience please post what happened on his/her/their cruise on Viking Ocean? My DH and I have already chosen to purchase the package, but we are sailing with friends who will be experiencing their first Viking Ocean cruise. I want to make sure, or as sure as I can be, that I provide them accurate information. Many thanks! I should have specified, I'm interested in what happened when one bought individual drinks and/or bottles of wine onboard the ship.

Although I am not giving a specific recommendation as I am not sure what travel arrangements you are trying to make, this general information might be beneficial: https://www.portvancouver.com/cruise/direction-and-transportation/ https://www.yvr.ca/en/passengers/transportation/taxis For specific recommendations, it depends upon where and when you want to travel as weddings, other events, destinations, etc. impact services.

On our cruise we had the beverage package. For pre-dinner cocktails, we found it was best to go to the bar to get our drinks as our choices were not limited by the alcohol that we had brought onboard. We would then sit at a table on whatever deck we chose in the atrium. We preferred to be away from the music as we wanted to have a conversation while we enjoyed our drinks. Bar service was very slow on the higher decks; however, once our drinks were ordered, they were usually delivered to our table rather than us carrying them ourselves. The lower levels of the atrium were often filled with passengers who wanted to listen to the music, who were playing cards/games (including at the games tables), and groups of passengers who appeared to have been at the bar for an extended period of time and were obviously enjoying the camaraderie. From what I saw, I don't think people taking their own drinks had any impact on crowding and bar service on our cruise. Of course, each cruise is different so YMMV.

On our December trans-Atlantic, people who were jogging or running were asked to use Deck 2 so that the sound of them running was not an issue for passengers who were in cabins below the upper deck. There are multiple issues regarding walking, jogging, running, strolling, etc. that impact other passengers on a ship. I have "walked across the ocean" on Crystal (no issues), Regent (issue only when the deck was wet or the insects on some itineraries), Windstar (a wonderful challenge, but other passengers typically cheered walkers/runners rather than took offense), SeaDream (difficult, but not because of other passengers), and Celebrity (terrible set up as one has to dodge other passengers, deck chairs that are moved across the track, etc.). Viking Ocean was a challenge on our cruise because of the weather conditions that ruled out Deck 2 for most of the cruise, work on the upper decks that meant that one had to walk back and forth rather than complete a circuit so no one way walk/run was possible, one side of the deck that was closed because of weather conditions ... Rather than hijack this thread further, I'll leave it to DrKoob to continue posting about his cruise. I hope that the rest of your cruise is excellent!

In the past, I chose to go to each individual cruise line such as Regent, Seabourn, etc. and searched for World Cruise Insurance. I then looked for a poster who is/was Canadian to find out what the poster had done or planned on doing. I hope this link will work. For some reason, the search function worked for me this time: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2903138-a-silver-shadow-over-the-world-december-2023-to-may-2024/page/37/?_fromLogin=1 It is on the Silversea board, (page 37, post 902 on the thread), and posted by Mysty. She provides lots of excellent information on her thread about the World Cruise (and other threads, too).

Peregrina651, fabulous reporting and photos. Thank you!