fsr44

On 7/3/2023 at 4:24 PM, boblerm said:

Perhaps I am misunderstanding, but I am not sure how any of this is Viking's fault.

 

This is a huge difference from the cruise that I took on the lower Mississippi.  On 6 out of 7 nights, we had fabulous local entertainment.

 

Again, a huge difference from my cruise.  Every evening, there were at least 5 entree choices for dinner.

I agree.  think it’s fair to say that not all of us share the negative views posted.by Treasure Hunter  I am on this cruise now, and I don’t share these complaints.  We booked this trip years ago, before the ship was even completed.  When the negative reviews started to show up last year, I thought we had made a horrible mistake.  I started this trip very skeptical, and I have been completely won over.  Is it perfect? No, but I’ve yet to be on a sailing that is (30 years of cruising, mostly on Celebrity but also Viking River, Disney and, way back when, Delta Queen).  What I have found is food that exceeded my expectations, both in quality and variety.  The post that listed only two entree choices in the cafe was affirmatively misleading, and was greeted with much laughter at my table of four, who had enjoyed many of the other offerings that night. The staff is well trained, hard working and friendly.  The ship is beautifully designed, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the port visits.

I think the disparity in our views comes down to two issues: research and expectation.  Do your research before booking a River cruise and you will learn that water levels, River traffic, and timing are all fluid and beyond the ship’s control. Ports are subject to change here, just as ocean going vessels may skip a tender port if the water is too rough.  River boats are much smaller than ships, so there will be far fewer dining and entertainment options.  That said, the entertainment we have had was excellent, and generally poorly attended.  The view on the river, particularly the upper Mississippi, IS the entertainment,  if you enjoy a slow pace and a good book, this is for you.  If you need more stimulation than that, you’d probably be happier on an ocean cruise.  Personally, I want counting in Viking to entertain me.  Also, research explains why the price is so high (no argument there, this isn’t a bargain). The Jones Act and protectionist US laws require boats that cruise only within the US to hire US crews at US wages.  The difference between that and what the ocean lines pay for foreign workers is startling.  
 

As to expectation, this cruise has a much older demographic.  On a guess, I’d say the median age is about 75-77. And sadly, many of my fellow passengers are complaining about everything, all the time.  Water levels, the conduct of their neighboring passengers, the weather, the state of repair of small Mississippi towns is all laid at Viking’s door.  Given the cost of the trip, it’s hard not to think some of these folks are angling for a discount.  I wish them luck with that. 
 

For a number of us (I’m traveling with my spouse and another couple) this is the trip of a lifetime, and we’re having a wonderful time.  The upper Mississippi is more beautiful than I ever imagined and we have had breathtaking sunsets pretty much every night.  This cruise is not for everyone.  Do your research, adjust your expectations accordingly, and if this sounds like something you would enjoy, go for it.

Me too, and I'd love to know the answer to this question.

Hi!  We'll be on this cruise in a couple of weeks.  Any word about how much covid on board?  Was the Retreat full?  Thank you and enjoy the rest of your trip!

I noticed this with Dramamine last summer on the Summit.  You used to be able to pick that up in the shops or GS, but since the restart, even seasickness means a trip to the Medical folks.

I so enjoyed reading this and living vicariously.  Good for you! I'm so glad you had this lovely surprise. 

Because you asked, and based on my experience on Apex last week (and my knowledge of breakthrough cases) I wouldn’t go.  We masked everywhere indoors in KN95 and almost no one else did.  We are triple vaxed. None of that is a guarantee that you won’t get Covid, but a pretty good guarantee you won’t get really sick. Apex was less than transparent about how many cases. There were clearly some visibly sick, horribly coughing folks who did not self-report and who just hung out without masks. At least some folks were quarantined on deck 3 with no balcony. In short, it was far from a relaxing vacation.  The FLL airport was a nightmare of unmasked clearly very sick people.  We’re cancelling our March cruise without a second thought and will hope the situation improves for our June Med cruise.

Plan on flight delays.  We were on the NYE cruise.  No problem catching our first flight from FLL to Newark.  But second leg cancelled, no back up til 11:30 the following night.  Also, not sufficient ground grew to get our jet the last 10 yards to the gate, so we sat on the tarmac for the longest time.  Ended up renting a car and driving 4 hours home in the middle of the night.  

4 hours ago, amomx5 said:

We were on the Apex for New Years.  We wore masks and at the beginning and were in small minority. By the end still a minority but more started to wear them.  We were in an Aqua room on deck 10 and on Deck six (we only did stairs) the door was closed to the hallway aft and stated Out Of Bounds, restricted, I know some were in quarantine on that floor as the door was just closing one day we went by and red bags of trash were outside of rooms.  Also our room was deck 10 on the same side as those rooms and one day we had our window open. I heard people loudly talking.  I looked out, some of the (looked like entertainment type) crew on the deck outside of Eden were  talking to a young woman with her head out her window (balcony) on deck 6.  She was saying that she did not think she had any neighbors.  In Blu one of the waitresses had to isolate as her husband was positive, and a large extended family was missing the last few days as a few tested positive.  This morning I woke up to a Covid alert from the state of Colorado (no I was not there!) stating my phone had been in contact with a person that tested positive and my exposure was 5 days ago, so New Year's eve or day.  We were up on deck 14 at midnight  more that 6 feet away from anyone.  My DH and I tested yesterday as we work with our pregnant daughter-in-law.  We were both negative but now have to assess any symptoms  in case!  So there are people that had Covid from the cruise but did not know until they got home.

Hi.  We were on that cruise with you.  Based on what I saw, I'm convinced there were far more cases that weren't reported.  We masked indoors and generally avoided people.  Fell asleep by 10:30 on NYE.  Our cabin was on 15, and when the ship's horn blew at midnight, you had to peel my husband off the ceiling.  I, on the other hand, slept through it.  🙂 So we weren't on deck for the party, but we tested as soon as we got home.  Negative, but we'll test again in a couple days to be sure.  The airport experience was horrendous, so if we picked up the bug anywhere, that would be my bet.  

WhiteSoxFan - we disembarked yesterday. Because we often couldn't hear the Captain's morning announcement, I have no idea how many "official" cases there were, although because we waited til last call to disembark, I can say that we saw multiple black cars parked at a separate entrance right on the dock, with people being disembarked by medical personnel in hazmat gear.  I would bet there were more "unofficial" cases, as we noticed one visibly sick individual on the Retreat sundeck with fulminant cough (no mask of course) just hanging out with the family.  Very, very few people were masking indoors.  Celebrity is trying, but they're not getting much help from the passengers.  Risk assessment is a very personal choice.  If you're willing to spin the wheel and hope for the best, go for it.  But if you are not willing to risk being sick on your vacation and possibly being quarantined on deck 3 with a porthole, I really would wait.  We isolated to the extent possible, ate outdoors whenever possible and wore KN 95s religiously indoors.  It was not relaxing, nor did it feel safe.  The airport situation, though, was far worse.  Lots of unmasked clearly sick people hacking and coughing in close proximity.  We tested negative this morning, so we likely didn't catch anything on the ship, but will test again in a couple of days.  If positive then, I'll be convinced the FLL airport experience is to blame.  

Would we have gone if I knew how anxiety-producing the cruise would be?  No, sadly.  Did everyone on crew do everything possible to give us a great cruise? Yes.  But this is truly beyond Celebrity's control.  

We’re aboard now.  Easiest boarding ever. Sail away was a bit late, but we saw four police cars pull up on the dock and one person with luggage put off the ship before we sailed.  No idea what happened there.  Smooth sailing,  Many people masking in indoor areas (us included) many people, well, seemingly unconcerned.  To each their own.  We took one look at the large number of unmasked people in the gym and decided not to chance it.    Plenty of room to spread out and plenty of lovely outdoor spaces where even risk averse folks like me feel comfortable unmasked.  

15 minutes ago, misslab said:

We are on that same cruise and have to take our tests on Jan. 1 as well.  I read several places yesterday that there was a huge back up with proctors and people were trying for 2-3 hours to get online and get a proctor.  Apparently every individual has to do a separate test session, one family needed to test four people and spent the entire day trying to get it done.  I started following EMed on Twitter (they provide the proctors) and they did acknowledge the problem ("due to unprecedented demand...).  I really hope they get this fixed by next week.  I have been trying to find a back up plan for us locally and have come up with nothing so far, I think because it's a holiday.

Hi.  We tested this morning (12/25) and neither of us had more than a five minute wait.  You do need to log in separately for each person but the whole process was smoother than expected.

Hi.  Pre-pandemic, we often cruised on New Years.  In my experience, a few people really dress up, some dress up a bit, some not at all.  Everyone does their own thing, and that's fine.  We'll be on Apex for this sailing, and my husband is packing his tux and I my gown.  So if you want to dress to the nines, know that you won't be alone.  

Thank you to all!  I'm so looking forward to this cruise!

On 10/19/2021 at 8:25 AM, jagoffee said:

There is a double door to the Retreat Sundeck.  Does this picture help.  Let me know if you need a different angle.  The outside drain has a ramp, but that will not help you on getting over the water tight edge.  Going up and down the stairs might be a challenge at times.  (Obviously without the scooter).  If you need any other pictures, just let me know as I am current on the Apex.

Hi,

We'll be in one of those villas next month.  If you can, could you please tell me if we will have key card access back into the villa from The Retreat on deck 16, or if we can only exit onto 16, but have to return through the main door on 15.

Thank you!

On 7/19/2021 at 8:35 PM, gojigirl said:

Hi,

We really splashed out after canceling so many planned cruises due to the pandemic.  We were in a Penthouse Suite.  It was insane.  Over the top.  Really a once in a lifetime suite.  Previously, the best we've done is an aft Sky Suite.  So I can't comment on the Celebrity Suite.  I can say that I really like the Retreat.  It's best on the class of ship it was built for (Edge) but the retrofitting on Summit is lovely, even if the Retreat is a good distance from the sundeck etc.

 

 

Hello.  I'm considering booking the Summit for a 4 night cruise with myself, my husband, and our 13 year old daughter.  We are considering the celebrity suite.  As you were in the Retreat I'm assuming you had a suite.  The suite we are looking at would be $5500 for 4 nights.  Seems extreme but the perks look amazing.  Did you think it was worth it and do you mind telling me which suite you had?

 

Thanks

12 hours ago, gojigirl said:

Hello.  I'm considering booking the Summit for a 4 night cruise with myself, my husband, and our 13 year old daughter.  We are considering the celebrity suite.  As you were in the Retreat I'm assuming you had a suite.  The suite we are looking at would be $5500 for 4 nights.  Seems extreme but the perks look amazing.  Did you think it was worth it and do you mind telling me which suite you had?

 

Thanks

Hi,

Normally, we book a Sky Suite and have always been happy with it.  This time, after 18 months with no cruising, we really splurged and booked a Penthouse.  It was amazing.  I can tell you that we traveled with a friend who booked the Sky Suite that adjoined ours (the Sky Suite was cabin 6145, and I'm guessing there's a twin on the starboard side).  His  was a beautiful cabin with a very spacious bathroom.  We like the Retreat perks.  Luminae is terrific, the Retreat Lounge and the Retreat Sundeck are nice amenities, and the Retreat Hosts truly go above and beyond.  For us, it was well worth it.  

Best,

J

Chiming in to say an enthusiastic "DITTO!"  We were on this cruise as well, and after about a dozen Celebrity cruises, this one was the best.  The ship looks beautiful (I've cruised on Millenium class pre-Revolutionizing, along with Soltice and Edge class), the staff were warm, efficient and enthusiastic.  Service, food, facilities were all top-notch.  We were in The Retreat, and honestly, they spoiled us rotten.  Yes, you have to jump through some hoops (all of which went smoothly for us) to get tested and go to St. Maarten, and yes, the airport is a bit crowded on the return, but don't let that stop you.  If you're wondering whether it's worth it, consider when you will ever have the opportunity to cruise with so few passengers and so many crew members (all of them vaxxed). Want to have the pool to yourself, whenever you choose?  Want to be treated like an actual celebrity?  I say take this Summit cruise while you still can.  It was unforgettable.  We brought along a friend who has never cruised before, and by the end of the week, everyone was teasing him about how no other cruise could possibly live up to this one.  Even so, he's a convert.

3 hours ago, caymancouple said:

I emailed St. Maarten and just heard back.  YES, the Walgreens ID NOW test is accepted and it is the 72 hour test.

That's excellent news.  Thank you for sharing.  Will Celebrity also accept this test?  

1 hour ago, Jason26 said:

I’m on the Millennium now.  The hassle with the testing and travel is not too bad if you have the right plan.  We tested at a facility that turned around our PCR test on the same day.  So we tested Wednesday afternoon and uploaded our results that night.  Approval come in within a few hours.  We, however, arrived in St Maarten a day before and I’m glad we did.  It was nice checking out of our hotel at 10:00, grabbing breakfast and taking a cab at 11 AM to the cruise port.  Even though our check in was at 12:30, Celebrity allowed everyone to come into their air conditioned facility and we were on board by 12:15.  Honestly, I remember thinking how exhausted those that fly in the day of the cruise would be.   To be fair, we had a 5:00 AM flight to Atlanta; flying from Miami may not be that early.

 

Regarding the post cruise experience at the airport.  Thanks to this wonderful platform at to those that travelled on the first couple of cruises, we changed our plans.  We had the Celebrity tour with airport drop off.  We decided to cancel that and book a post cruise island tour with a company called D & A taxi.  We have  5 total and they can accommodate all of our luggage.  Our plan is to take that tour, grab lunch before we arrive at the airport around 1 PM for a 3:11 PM flight to Atlanta.  Not sure how that will work out, but I would imagine it will be better than standing outside the airport for a few hours.  By the way, the island tour for 5 was less expensive than the Celebrity transfer.

 

Perhaps I’ll feel differently after the cruise, but I would absolutely take this cruise again.  We have around 575 people on this cruise and it’s a chance of a lifetime.  Ironically the smaller crowd provides more opportunities to have the discussions with other passengers and the crew.  The cruise is absolutely wonderful and we’ve met so many great passenger and crew members.
 

Bottom line, there are some hoops to jump through and there are some hassles. If you have the right plan, it’s absolutely worth it.

 

Jason

Hi Jason,

Thank you for this.  We've decided to stick with our July 10 Millenium, and we're planning to take your approach to departure day.  Would you please consider posting an update after you return home to let us know how it goes? We would greatly appreciate it.

Enjoy your cruise!

7 minutes ago, alexkrn46 said:

It was around 9:45 am. we were also in the retreat and were offered to stay later in the retreat lounge. but we felt akward.  The retreat was absolutely awesome.

Thank you!  Given what I've heard about the airport situation, I'm willing to hang around the Retreat feeling awkward until they kick us off!  Glad you had a great experience.

6 minutes ago, alexkrn46 said:

We aimed to be the  last off due to our late departure, we waited for them to call last call.  The were assigning departure times, we used an independent taxi driver. No need to geet their early since they will pulll people with earlier flights  out of line

When was last call?  We're in the Retreat and wondering how late we can stay on the ship when we cruise next month (we have an afternoon flight).

Thank you!

To clarify, particularly for those not in the US or not familiar with the legal process, this is not a final judgment. It’s a preliminary injunction.  Think of it as a “for now” order while the court decides the merits of the case. That’s why it is time-limited and why the court sent the parties back to mediation. Those celebrating and those lamenting would be wise to note that nothing is settled yet.

I'll do my best to remember the day, in order.  We were picked up at the ship and drove the nearly three hours (if I recall) to Pointe du Hac.  We took a short rest stop at about the halfway point at a perfectly clean highway rest area/tourist info/cafe place with a surprisingly good French bakery.  We toured Pointe du Hoc with its moonscape of shell craters and Axis fortifications and bunkers.  Lots of climbing around and in and out, and a good view down the coast toward Omaha and Utah.  You'll also see the cliff the Rangers scaled and the Rangers memorial.  Then we drove to Omaha beach and yes, we did get right onto the beach and our fantastic guide sketched us a diagram in the sand as he explained the sequence of landings.  Omaha Beach itself is just amazing.  Then we went to the American Cemetary, where we had plenty of time to wander on our own.  Afterwards, we drove through the towns nearest Juno and Sword to Arromanches to view the remains of the artificial harbor and take a leisurely lunch.  We sat at an outdoor table at La Marine, right over the beach, and had a lovely seafood lunch.  After lunch we met our guide and drove to the Pegasus Bridge, site of the first glider landings and skirmish on the eve of D-Day.  (You might want to watch the film "The Longest Day" before you go).  After that, it was back to Le Havre with, again, a stop at the halfway point.  We truly enjoyed it and hope you do, too.  The entire cruise was fantastic, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I don't doubt all the recommendations for a private tour company, but since you expressed a strong preference for going through Celebrity (and because we generally do the same) I offer this recommendation.  We did the Exclusive Small Group tour through Celebrity last June and loved it.  There were only 6 of us, in a mini van, and our driver/tour operator was a true student of history.  Not only was he expert in all things Normandy, but in WWII history generally.  He was fantastic.  And with just 6 of us there was no waiting around for others to join the bus etc.  Highly recommend.  

Hi,

We were in one of the corner Sky suites on Reflection in January on deck 12 and I highly recommend it.  Yes, you may here the occasional chair being pulled out on the deck above (just outside the Oceanview Buffet) but really only during the day and I didn't find it bothersome.  The view and the size of the veranda were spectacular.  Plus, it's nice and quiet back there - no loud voices or running in the hall because you're so far back.  It's our preferred place.  Enjoy your cruise.

FSR44