Mich3554

3 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

Interesting question...  We have been politely refused when not in an area that also has a food menu attached and I believe that it is down to that person's discretion as well.

 

 

Interesting.  On the cruise we were just on, both DH and I both ordered sodas in the Explorer’s Lounge during lunch, but not eating.  We were not charged for any of them.  

2 hours ago, HofstraJet said:

Yes, I saw that but it doesn’t make sense which is why I’m asking. Looks like someone cut and pasted the river information to the ocean side.
 

I can’t imagine an ocean cruise ship having 22” doorways in public spaces. It just doesn’t make sense and I’m asking if anyone can confirm what the passageways are like on the ocean ships. 

I suspect a wheelchair any wider than 22” will make passage down corridors for others more difficult coming in the opposite direction.  It’s probably more about not having bottlenecks here.

7 hours ago, dwlmg said:

I wish Viking would not delete a booking on My Viking Journey until after the cruise you had booked. Your return flight information is no longer accessible using Viking resources after you start your cruise. There is a possibility your flight may change. Yes you can carry your airline confirmation number with you but it would be nice to be able to see it on the MVJ site. If you booked Viking Air, being able to see the return flight through the Viking app would also be nice.

They send you all the info in your MVJ booking in a consolidated email as a PDF about 2 weeks before you leave.

However, I ALWAYS go directly to the airline site via the booking locator number they provide.  That is where you’ll get the most up to date info on your flight.

On 4/19/2017 at 10:51 PM, jiminyC_fan said:

My main thing is to not get a cabin close to a laundry room. Foot traffic, voices and the heat spoiled one cruise on another line. In fact, we were assigned one this time and I turned it down.

On Viking, you’d not know a laundry room was there without seeing the sign for it.  It’s very quiet.  

Above menu currently on the Venus right now.

10 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I assume that you are going on an aurora cruise. I am doing the same cruise.  I hope that you can set things up so they will notify you to wake up and go outside in the middle of the night if there are aurora out this.  This means that you should leave your warm clothing easily accessible so you can get dressed quickly to get outside.  At least that is my plan.

 

DON

They will supposedly call your phone on any sightings, they cue you about signing up for this on the TV after watching the safety video..  We finally are due to leave Alta today for Tromso.  We spent an extra day here, due to a pretty severe storm going on.  Unfortunately, seeing lights so far has been a bust for us.  
 

That being said, I have found that there is more than sufficient drawer and closet space on the Venus.  We have a PV, but over half our drawers are empty.  I’m using 3, DH 2.  Plentry of hanging space for bulky coats.  

Our experience on the Neptune last year was that Viking air was rescheduling everyone who was booked before 11 until after 1.  Despite us getting into NYC with plenty of time, they would not release the ship for while.  As I remember it, they finally allowed the first group off the ship at 9:15ish, we were in the second group that they released at 9:30, then stood in a very long line to get through customs.  We flew out of LGA, got there in time to check in, eat lunch and get on our 3 pm flight with about an hour to spare.
 

The big hold up was NYC officials would not release the ship.  This happened in FL when we got on, and in LA too.  

We went over to the Asian side of Istanbul to buy our rugs.  We also brought my Turkish friend who did the haggling for us.  The place was definitely off the tourist route, it was the dealer my friend also used for herself.  
 

Watching her haggling was an experience.  We had 2 rugs we were interested in, she negotiated for one and we decided to buy both but she had concluded negotiating for one.  We told her tgat we wanted both, so she had to start all over again.  The deal was sealed with tea.

On 1/24/2024 at 10:51 PM, Jim Avery said:

The Sky's rain finally caught up with us big time in Moorea.  We were on the boat cruise and it had a canvas top but no sides.  Everyone got completely drenched,  Couldn't see to take pix so everyone onboard voted to return to the dock.  Still, it ended up being the advertised 1 hour tour and we don't have to wash the clothes we were wearing..  Shoes and hats are going to take a while to dry.🍹

It poured on us last year on the Neptune.  Moorea and Bora Bora were done in downpours and we got drenched on the included excursion and the ATV trip.  

On 1/24/2024 at 8:26 PM, CCWineLover said:

and which menus were changed?  On our last cruise they did four different classes (limited to 12):  California, Italian, Greek, French

At last on the world cruise, the menus seemed to be regional.  The 2 classes I did then were Indonesian and Thai cooking.  We were near those places.  Up the coast of Norway for Northern Lights, we have Norwegian cooking, so this seems to hold out.  

4 hours ago, FetaCheese said:

Just off Star.

 

Had Lamb Shank in The Restaurant.  Was one of the best meals on voyage. Braised  tender, falling off the bone, and seasoned to my liking, really a huge shank (from hind quarter --  larger and meatier than forequarter shank which has a longer, thinner leg bone).  Prepared just like Greek Style.

 

Exec Chef was Joseph Dabassious, a real pro.

 

 

This is DH’s favorite meal.  

Northern Lights cruise has Norwegian cooking.  There are 4 sea days, class offered 2 of them.  

On 1/22/2024 at 11:54 PM, CCWineLover said:

Michelle -

I agree with you - eating later is better for us as well.

 

Interesting - in our past three cruises, they had not set the dates or menus for the cooking classes when we had boarded.  So there was nothing on the app or TV.  Going to Guest Services, we were able to be put on the list to be contacted by Viking when they finalized the classes.  It worked out fine.  This was on all three cruises (including last month).

Just got on the Venus and the cooking classes were available under the excursions (they have changed the menu…..not for the better IMO.  No need to go to guest services, I just reserved a spot on the TV.  

9 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Michelle -

I agree with you - eating later is better for us as well.

 

Interesting - in our past three cruises, they had not set the dates or menus for the cooking classes when we had boarded.  So there was nothing on the app or TV.  Going to Guest Services, we were able to be put on the list to be contacted by Viking when they finalized the classes.  It worked out fine.  This was on all three cruises (including last month).

We have 2 sea days when we leave Bergen.  I’ll have to check out the TV to see when they show up.  

3 hours ago, nini said:

Why are Americans required to pay in full a year ahead? I know... because they can. However, it sure turns off a huge part of the market- I know of many who will not book because of that. If the full payment is across the board, then more Americans would book and then the company could demand higher fares (not so good for all).

 

I have yet to pay anything other than 6 months in advance on any cruise.  Our first cruise, we took a trans Atlantic and booked it 3 months before sailing.  We booked another on board, and since then have not paid any more than 6 months ahead.  

38 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

I agree with all you said!  And the galley tours we've done are also fantastic!   Gives you a new appreciation for what it takes to serve all these meals to people!

Another fun thing we've done is to do the $69 cooking classes - done on sea days usually 9:30 or 10:00 to 1:30 or 2:00 and features different regional lunches (like Mexican, Californian, Italian, French, etc).  Need to book like an excursion at the Guest Services Desk.  Limit is 12.

 

Funny thing about The Restaurant.   We've also noticed lately the Long Lines ahead of opening.  Before COVID one never saw that and after COVID either, until about 9 months ago, and each cruise we are on seems to get worse.  People would line up at 5:30 for 6:00 dinner!!  What's even stranger, is they would line up for Manfredi's way early too - so much so that it stretched into the Attrium bar area (and Manfredi's you'd have a reservation so no fear of not getting a spot!).  Guess everyone these days is just anxious to get on with dinner!

 

Strangely, the same early bird behavior seems to occur at World Cafe as well.  Before you'd get there at 6 PM and be one of the first.  Our last cruise at 6 PM there'd be maybe 20 people already sitting down at tables waiting to get up and get their food!!  

I have found it faster to book these excursions on the TV instead of haunting guest services for when they drop.  You can find them listed in EXCURSIONS on sea days.  

Never really noticed the restaurant lines, but we get on the Venus the day after tomorrow so will take note.  It might be that we do not go anywhere near any restaurants when they open.  Our sweet spot seems to be in the 7-7:30 range.  

I called Viking with another question about the cruise about a week before we left.  They told me we had been assigned a cabin then.  

Yes, we docked there twice on the Neptune this past May/June..  There was construction going on though and we did not dock in the same location each time.  I do know that one time there was one much larger cruise ship docked next to us.  

I got a phone call yesterday letting me know that the WC dropped.  Routing is the same as the past couple of years, I had hoped it would be different. 
 

We have a cabin tentatively booked.  No decision yet.  

We did a private excursion on an ATV. In Isafjordur when we went.  The first time we did Viking’s excursion, and the guide was excellent.  He took us to the top of the mountain, where there was supposed to be a spectacular view (or there was when he went up 2 hours earlier).  In May, we hit rain, slept and snow on the way to the top, and it was totally socked in with fog.  

The private excursion, he took us waaay off the beaten track.  Our 4 hour excursion was twice the time and half the cost, same guide.  We had utterly spectacular weather.  

We leave for Bergen tomorrow for this cruise.  Hopefully we will be able to get out to the highway tomorrow morning to go to the airport.  I have yet to be seasick, even on the trip out to the Great Barrier Reef last year when over half the ship was seasick.  (I realized I just jinxed myself here!).

1 hour ago, sandshark said:

We will board the Viking Saturn a week from today in Istanbul.  We fly to Istanbul tomorrow.  But I don’t know the address or pier number where we will board the ship.  This information was not included in the envelope with the luggage tags.  Nor can I find it on the invoice or the My Viking Journey site.  Where can I find the embarkation port address? 
 

Berths are clearly marked at Galataport.  Once you get to the port, there are signs directing you to Viking.  It’s a huge facility, but very, very well marked.

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

With potato???  As far as I am concerned, it can't be called aioli without both garlic and olive oil. It's false advertising.  

 

"Aioli is a garlic and olive oil sauce that originated in the Mediterranean. The exact origins of the sauce are disputed, said to be either from the south of France or eastern Spain regions. The name 'aioli' itself is a compound of the words 'garlic and oil' in Catalan and Provencal languages."  (found on chefin.com.au)

 

Yes, I know.  We had this app on the World Cruise, and I was talking to the chef about it.  He was the one that told me it had a potato base.  There is likely olive oil in it, and there is definitely garlic (which is why I wanted the recipe).  IMO it was much better than other aiolis I have had, I wanted to take a bath in that stuff, it was so good.  Now I’m kicking myself I didn’t get the recipe at the time!  

2 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Sounds great -- was the aioli on the side???

 

As for the rest of the suggestions, thank you all!   I've started to keep a list in anticipation our first Oceans adventure since December, 2021. I'm looking forward to some change of menu.

 

@Clay Clayton -- great idea for a new thread! Thank you!                                      

Actually the garlic aioli (not sure if you can call it an aioli) is not oil based, but potato based.  On the world cruise, I talked to the chef about it and he told me to come back and he’d give me the recipe.  I forgot.  But I do know it was posato based, not an oil emulsion.  Soooo good.

Lobster risotto and the strip steak in Manfredi’s.  Almond croissants in the Living Room.  There was a scallop appetizer on the WC we had that I could have eaten the whole meal of it was so good.  World Cafe makes a very good fried chicken, I normally don’t eat chicken fried, but I was all over this.  They also do a good Mac and cheese.