duquephart

The bottom line is that we are very generous tippers, due in part to the fact that my wife (who in a previous life was a drunken sailor), is in charge. That we are really only throwing $$$ into Viking's coffers is upsetting.

When it comes to advertising bogus/teaser cruise prices Viking is no better than the rest of the pack - and they should be. As in the case of "resort fees", "convenience fees", "processing fees", etc., etc., etc., if you can't purchase the product for the price advertised the advertised price is a fraud. Viking is not upfront about what it calls gratuities, the average customer finds out about them in "Oh, by the way" fashion. They even get away with the "prepaid gratuities" nonsense.

The Kenai Park boat trip out of Seward was very good.

And by the way, I didn't make up the "turn in tips" part either - it's in here somewhere. Viking uses "gratuities" because it works better for them than "service charge" or "hidden fee" - count me among those who would prefer that Viking was upfront about this whole matter.

Found one source - to which you responded (post 29 under "Gratuities" thread):

True. And nothing to do with how tips are handled.

What are you going to do when you run out of banks?

Just posts buried in the various tipping threads. People who said they asked the servers about what becomes of the "tips." Can anything about Viking "gratuity" policy be verified?

Probably best to have it with you. We got some holders from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0929CR7LT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and stuck them in with the passports.

Verifly?

Is there a bar on the upper level of the Explorer Lounge of the ships with planetariums?

An "ex" is not necessarily dead.

It has been reported elsewhere that servers are required to "turn in" any tips they receive. It's also been reported that what you are really doing by paying the "gratuities" is contributing to the payroll account. The notion that there is a pile of "tips" at the end of a cruise that is divided up according to some secret formula is a fairy tale.

Kind of puts the lie to their "no nickel & dime" marketing BS.

No excursions to Tantallon offered? For my $$$ it's one of the most heart-stopping sights in Scotland.

Tasty, but way too thin to cook properly, so it won't be.

So --- back to the ship to change? Then walk/cab? What were others wearing? Thanks much!

So I can get crisp $1 bills once every couple of years?

I assume you went to Engebret for lunch? I'm wondering about dress code - doesn't look like a place you can just walk into wearing "tourist walking around" clothes.

I get told to just go to the machine.

"You get whatever comes out of the machine."

Anything to say about Engebret Cafe?

You: Will we still be tested upon boarding the ship? Geraldo: Thank you for your patience Ben. As of today we are no longer requiring tests either prior to departure or onboard. You: Nothing at all? Geraldo: Unless someone shows symptoms or the ships personnel determine that someone needs to be tested, or a passenger requests a test, no.

Am I seeing things? Are we down to just the test when boarding?

Ceremony of the Keys?