duquephart

Maybe just the shop you went to - although I was quoted "eight to ten weeks."

You need to go to Triberg for a cuckoo clock - unless tourist tat is OK with you.

Delivered by the guys who sold it?

If it's there when you go one way it's still there when you go the other way.

Can't help. We got stranded in Bergen due to a SAS strike.

(Jupiter and ?) = Orion.

Isn't it always a possibility?

The "tour" was over at 1:30. We wound up buying a carpet (another story) as well as some jewelry. This took some time. We left the shop not long before 4:00 and outside sat the guide, obviously waiting. To take us back to the ship? Noooooooooooo! We gave her a nice tip which she promptly turned over to a person she had waiting with her to take us back to the ship. Ever seen a tour guide do that? She then entered the shop. Why? We had the guy take us to a pharmacy for some cough drops. On the way back we ran into the guide again. She gave us both a huuuuuuuuuuuuge hug and handed over some more cash to the escort "to get a coffee or something." Connect the dots.

We knew about the whole carpet shop scenario from various threads here and were not surprised when our tour of Ephesus ended at such a place. You have to wonder how the guides choose which shop to "visit" (there are several). Are they allocated/assigned or is the guide free to take you wherever they choose? The guide clearly was getting a cut of the action and maybe the cruise line as well?

Please elaborate on "heard all about the requirement then."

There was no rug deal on our post stay. Spice Bazaar instead. in any event Istanbul has nothing to with Kusadasi.

The way the Breisach Black Forest excursion is described makes it sound like the cuckoo clock demonstration is optional - something you can do - rather than something Viking takes you to as suggested. In the case of the carpet demonstration/presentation you are funneled into something that no mention was made of in the excursion descriptions. Maybe that's what I mean by "set-up."

No different? The Black Forest excursion states " --- you may choose your immersion into Black Forest culture: take an invigorating forest stroll, attend a cuckoo clock demonstration --- " (and we all know what "demonstration" adds up to) while I can't find anything beyond "You will have free time to browse the craft stalls at the lower gate before returning to your ship." included in descriptions of excursions for Ephesus. Nowhere, that I can find, does it say something to the tune of "Your guide will take you to a rug 'demonstration' mandated by the Turkish government." That's a difference where I come from.

Black jeans are still jeans.

Not sure I see the implication. But, any way you look at it you are being handled. You are taken (dropped off actually) to a place that was not part of the excursion as published. What cruise/excursion takes you a cuckoo clock store in the Black Forest? And --- is it stated as part of the excursion?

Nobody is "forced" to do anything. But the whole carpet thing is clearly a set-up.

It's actually a kreel that sits atop the feebee next to the kanuter valve.

Ah.

Actually ----- there's also ES & PV on that "floor" as well.

Suite?

If I was getting several bills a day and could easily chage them into more preferable currency would I mind?

Either. Both welcomed.

Or to become a policy in the first place?

The same can be said for PJS. The whole extra area and second TV are game changers.

" --- must be --- "