jmarks

What exactly is On Demand TV? Booked on Sapphire this summer....

Thanks so much everyone! This helps tremendously!!

We are looking at cabins on the Sapphire. We'd like a covered balcony so the Baja deck seems like a good choice; but there is only one cabin available left on Baja; B256. It is located just off the elevator and what looks like the center stairwell, with a door leading to the stairs directly across from the door of the cabin, and another door leading to the hallway just to the right of the door. Wondering if this is a less than desired location and maybe that's why it was the only cabin remaining? The category is BB.

Also have a question about the view from the balcony; I realize there are balconies below the baja deck; do they obstruct your view of the ocean?

talking about the Sapphire here. I could get a BB closer to the front or a BD closer to the rear. BD is across the hall from the laundry so I wondered about noise from that

There are several different classes of balcony cabins listed but all show the same photo and square footage. Can anyone explain the differences, if any? Which would be considered "the best"?

I am excited if it's true that the Sapphire will have new mattresses in March. That's important to us and we are doing a Baltic cruise this summer. I looked at the CC refurbishment thread and saw "routine" for the Saphhire March 2018. Does that include mattresses/bedding??

Looking at two different dates for the Baltic Heritage Tour. Itineraries are identical other than the June sailing visits Warnemunde, Germany, and the July goes to Gdansk.

I would love to hear from anyone who has visited either or both of these ports; would it be a deal maker/breaker in choosing a sailing?

Thanks all. I know it's kind of like comparing apples to oranges but your comments are helpful. We have done two cruises, one on Regent and the other on Princess. We don't care about the shows, etc., but still thought Princess was a better value and were very comfortable on the ship. We are prepared to pay more if we go with Viking, but it's literally double the price at least. That's what got my attention. Thinking we can book our own excursions and do fancy things when we want with Princess and still have a very nice trip for a lot less money.

OK, it has come down to these two options. Viking Homeland tour is 2X the price of a similar itinerary on Princess, their Baltic Heritage tour.

Viking Homelands tour pros: Cabin more deluxe, smaller, new ship. Fewer people to deal with. Easier access to ports. Better itinerary, slightly, with fewer "at sea" days. Excursions are included, although they are pretty basic, and we'll likely book some extra anyway,

Viking cons: $$$$, travel to ports from US will be more complicated as it leaves from Bergen, ends in Stockholm.

Princess pros: Half the cost. Still gets us to the bigger ports; St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Copenhagen, where we can arrange our own excursions. Round trip from Southampton, so air travel much easier.

Cabin comfortable but not new; Sapphire got refurbished 6 years ago.

Will pay for more extras that are included with Viking, but still, difference in cost is considerable.

Princess cons: More people, 4 days at sea vs. 2 with Viking, will pay for more "extras" like use of the spa, etc.

WWYD?

OK, it has come down to these two options. Viking Homeland tour is 2X the price.

Viking Homelands tour pros: Cabin more deluxe, smaller, new ship. Fewer people to deal with. Easier access to ports. Better itinerary, slightly, with fewer "at sea" days. Excursions are included, although they are pretty basic, and we'll likely book some extra anyway,

Viking cons: $$$$, travel to ports from US will be more complicated as it leaves from Bergen, ends in Stockholm.

Princess pros: Half the cost. Still gets us to the bigger ports; St. Petersburg, Stockholm, Copenhagen, where we can arrange our own excursions. Round trip from Southampton, so air travel much easier.

Cabin comfortable but not new; Sapphire got refurbished 6 years ago.

Will pay for more extras that are included with Viking, but still, difference in cost is considerable.

Princess cons: More people, 4 days at sea vs. 2 with Viking, will pay for more "extras" like use of the spa, etc.

WWYD?