AuntieWerewolf10

Here is the response from Viking about tastings / mixology classes and the Silver Spirits Beverage Package

“While most specialty tastings and classes are not covered by the purchase of the Silver Spirits Beverage Package (SSBP), on occasion, the ship staff may arrange such events for the benefit of our SSBP guests. Details about these happenings will be available on board; we encourage you to inquire at the Explorers’ Desk upon embarkation.”

Cheers!

I sent a question to tellus@viking.com and will let the forum thread know the response.

We flew out of San Juan in 2018, late afternoon flight like yours. At 9:30, the ship allowed us to clear customs, kept our passports, gave us a day pass and allowed us to return to the ship with our hand luggage. We spent time relaxing in the Explorer’s Lounge, watching the new passengers begin to arrive. Had lunch at the pool grill, and were transferred to the airport about 12:30.

Ron the April 2018 (see review above), we made all scheduled ports.

We did the Trade Routes in April 2018. Another passenger wrote a detailed review.

Send an email to tellus@vikingcruises.com with you booking number and they can give the details about you excursion. I asked about Florence Market & Food Excursion: Extension to Florence on your own. 

We dock at 8:00 am. The excursion is scheduled for 9:45 - 6:45. Depart port is 8:00 pm.

(The excursion you mention has the same times per MyVikingJourney shore excursion.)

Tellus said the transfer into the city takes approximately 1.5 hours.

No, looked for best connections. My travel Agent worked with Viking Air.

We flew United last year to Newark. I flew Delta in 2017 to Munich for a Viking River Cruise. 

Pay the $49 extra to have a say in your flights. Check out the flights out of your area using Kayak or other booking site. 

Booked the flight from Miami earlier this year, the airline changed the flights about a week ago, giving us 5 hour layover in Philadelphia. Had TA adjust those arrangements, rerouted through Charlotte, with a better final arrival time. 

We are flying home from Miami to Madison, WI through Viking Air on American Airlines. The deviation fee is $100 per person.

I have a copy of the optimal Premium Wine Pairings that we’re offered with the Xiang menu in 2018:

Loberger, Riesling, Vieilles, Vignes

Alsace, France

Overstone, Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough, New Zealand

Leone de Castries, Primitivo

Aoulia, Italy

Uby Gros & Petit Manseng

Gascony, France

Standard pour, but I believe they will refill a glass if you ask.

The included wines:

Muscadet Sevre etc Maine sure Lie, France

Brise Marine White, France

Basiano Tempranillo, Spain 

Uby, Gros & petit Manseng, France

We had a 5:30 p.m. flight after our cruise last fall that ended in San Juan. We put our large suitcases out for transport the night before like normal, 10:00 p.m.

We had to be out of our stateroom by 8:30. Disemabarked by port authorities about 9:30 to clear the ship. After a brief delay we were allowed back onboard with a guest pass, enjoyed lunch before being taken to the airport about 12:30. 

We stayed in 6073 and never heard noise from the world cafe. Very convenient to run up a flight of stairs to grab some coffee. 

We did a snorkeling tour through Viking on a cruise last fall. The catamaran was a local company, we had about 25 people.only indoor space was a very small bathroom. 

The boat was The Castaway Girl in St. Thomas.

As long as we are discussing Rome, I am curious about Viking’s pre cruise extension. Our cruise starts, we are flying in a couple days early because we have never visited Rome before.

If all flights go as planned, we arrive at 9:00 a.m. and will be transferred to the hotel before setting off to discover our highlights. We will enjoy another whole day on our own before transferring to the ship. 

What can we expect on that transfer day? Any sightseeing / panoramic tour from the motor coach?

Google 

Viking Voyager App

It shows a blue Viking ship. 

Here’s a detailed review from a fellow passenger. I don’t recall if the Fjords/crab excursion was offered in April 2018. We met with family in Bergen. 

Marriott Flora Rome is what our paperwork says for 12/2019

What are the current offers for booking onboard?

We enjoyed a delightful trip, enhanced by the rum punch!

2 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

 

Thanks both Clay and geospyder. I think the catamaran followed by a couple hours in Phillipsburg will be a perfect day. We reserved a private in Dominica, another Catamaran in Tortola for great snorkeling - the rest of the ports will be DIY. St Marting was my ‘on the fence’ port so I appreciate this. 

Enjoy your voyage Clay and raise a glass for all of us wishing we had your views! 

We did the NYC to San Juan Cruise in 2018. It was a last minute deal decision so didn’t have a lot of time to plan the excursions. The included Viking tours were underwhelming, I would recommend booking your own adventures. 

4 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

 

I can only respond with our personal experience, but we had a cruise already booked and did not have the final payment made yet.  They then had a flash sale and the price dropped quite a bit.  In order to get that new price, we had to "cancel" the original room reservation and pay the $100 pp.  Then the room was released to inventory.  We could then "rebuy" the cruise at the new price and hopefully the room we had would be available.  In our case it wasn't so we got a very similar room.  Since the sale price savings was quite a bit more than $100, it was well worth it!

We had a similar situation during the Explorer Sale in October, 2018.  

Our TA talked to Viking and got an OBC.

Could have saved more by canceling and rebooking, but stayed with our original reservation. 

https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/my-trip/current-sailings/index.html

update on Viking website 

We were also on the Oct 2018 sailing from NYC. The location of the ship was easy wLking distance to the Intrepid museum. We had an early flight and walked there after dropping our bags off.

On the crossing in 2019, how were the seas? What activities did they offer during the ar sea days?

Just got off the Sea yesterday in San Juan, Puerto Rico:

Everyone received color coded luggage tags and a disembarkation letter a couple days prior to the end of the cruise. This cruise overnighted in San Juan.

I will paraphrase.

Preparing your luggage -

Tagged luggage needed to be placed outside the cabin by 10:00 p.m. for the transfer to the cruise terminal.

Any luggage not placed outside is your responsibility to transfer off the ship.

Passports, medications, breakables and valuables should be kept in your possession or in your hand luggage. 

Vacating your Stateroom - 

all staterooms must be vacated before 8:00 a.m. 

Due to local requirements, all guests must disembark the vessel no later than 9:30 a.m.

In our last Viking Daily, the disembarkation schedule was detailed by colored tag:

All groups meet in Atrium on deck 1, gangway was on deck A.

Aqua 1 4:45 a.m.

Green 1 5:00 a.m.

Orange 1 5:15 a.m.

Red 1 5:45 a.m.

Aqua 2 6:15 a.m.

Green 2 6:45 a.m.

Orange 2 7:15 a.m. 

Red 2 7:30 a.m.

Aqua 3 8:00 a.m.

Green 3 8:30 a.m.

Purple 1 9:00 a.m. 

White 1 & 2 9:15 a.m.

Black 1 At leisure, directly ashore from 5:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

(We had a late flight 3:38 p.m. and were in White 2.)

Dining(breakfast) was offered:

Room Service 24 hours

Viking Bar 4:00 - 10:15 a.m.

Mamsen’s 6:30 - 9:30 a.m.

Aquavit Terrace - closed

The Restaurant 7:00 - 9:00 a.m.

World Cafe 5:00 - 9:00 a.m.

Viking arranged a ship visitor pass after disembarkation. We were allowed to return to the ship and relax in the public areas until we were transferred to the airport at 12:30 p.m. 

The World Cafe and the Pool Grill were open for lunch at 11:30 a.m.

The 9:30 disembarkation included: leaving the ship, retrieving our luggage from the color coded group, and processing thru U.S. customs, with nothing to declare and showing our US passports. Viking loaded the luggage onto a truck for transport to the airport. 

Once everyone was off the ship, we traded our passports for the visitor pass and returned to the ship, spending time in the Explorer’s Lounge, having a light luncheon at the near empty pool grill since most of the other visitors went to the World Cafe. It was interesting to watch the next group of cruisers arriving and wandering around in awe. 

Around 12:15, we were called from the Atrium for our final walk out the gangway, retrieved our passports and climbed on buses to the airport.

Once we got to the airport, we retrieved our luggage which had already gone thru the USGA screening. Then proceeded to airline checkin, TSA security, etc.

Overall and well executed process.

You can download it early but it is only useful when connected to the ship’s WiFi.

We find it to be a very useful, but not perfect app.