Lorizack

1 hour ago, Gail Boertzel said:

Lorizack,

You have been an invaluable resource! Thank you for your responsiveness and sharing useful, practical information. I am so glad you have been happy with the cruise. I like the way the itinerary is arranged, going from colder/rainier weather to southern Spain. I wasn't expecting Malaga to be gorgeous so it will be a port to look forward to seeing. Enjoy your last few days before it is back to reality. These exchanges are why I enthusiastically recommend the Cruise Critic boards to friends. 

You are very welcome! Sharing info adds to my pleasure and it was valuable to me as well, preparing for our trip. Cruise Critic also gave us a good of travellers who connected before the Meet and Mingle online, and also at the gathering. We share tour buses, lounge couches and dinner tables with many of these folks, and that was really special. I’d advise everyone to sign up, attend, and actually mingle! I’m so glad we did.

7 hours ago, Gail Boertzel said:

Lorizack,

We leave tomorrow for Bergen to start our identical cruise on the Jupiter. Quick question (testing your memory) re Bruges. I know you did the Viking on your own excursion. Do you remember or know if Viking provided a shuttle from the ship to the town of Bruges? I think there is just a shuttle from the ship to the beginning of the port. A friend spoke to Viking's Live Chat who made it sound like there is a free Viking shuttle to town. We have arranged for a taxi to take us to town which we would not need if Viking provided transportation to town. But, if I'm correct, you actually paid for an excursion that was basically transportation to town, right? 

Was today an at sea day? Tomorrow, Malaga? Keep us posted!!

You must be so excited! It is a wonderful cruise. You are testing my memory though! As I recall, there was only a shuttle out of the port. Then you arranged your own transportation to Bruges, whether public transport or cab. It was overwhelming to us and in the end we did the Viking Bruges on your own. 

You will enjoy many of the ports where you can just walk back and forth from the ship. Bergen was a delight, and yesterday Malaga was unbelievable. Gorgeous, gorgeous and right outside our balcony. This morning we are looking out at Cartagena and planning to go out on our own after our morning tour.  But it is not a guarantee where the ship will dock. There were three ships in port yesterday and we got the prime berth! Today we are the only ship here.

Remember to take seasickness meds when you leave Bergen, if you are prone. I understand now from the staff that our experience was unusual, but be prepared!

Enjoy.

2 hours ago, lonagarr said:

Thanks, Peregrina! My plan was if I had the information now or any time before the 36 hour cutoff, I could cancel the excursion if I chose. Best laid plans of mice and men........a walk around Bergen, a boat trip on a fjord and eating freshly caught king crab.....someone would have to give a pretty bad review to make me want to cancel! Just weighing my options.....

What I can remember hearing, but can’t remember who said it, was that the excursion was good and they enjoyed it. But the husband mentioned that he was disappointed that he didn’t learned about crabbing, but just got to eat it. I will say, we’ve been served crab several times on the Sky this voyage. That’s very impressive! And tomorrow night....the famous chocolate buffet! 

4 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

Sounds like you had a wonderful day in Porto!  Last May we were there on the Jupiter, going the other direction.  It was a very brisk, cold, windy, day with fog for am and sunny for pm.   We were also warned about pickpockets but found them less observable than in Barcelona.   We also had a bit rough weather north of Porto.   Just think - you are heading into the nice weather time once you pass Gibraltar!!

We absolutely loved Malaga - and we didn't even go to the Alhambra.  Enjoyed one of the best optional excursions we've had on Viking - the tour to the Nerja caves - quite an experience!!    We also did the included walking tour in the afternoon in Malaga - and perhaps because it was a gorgeous day and we had an excellent guide - it was also one of the best included walking tours we'd had!  Enjoy!

Awesome news! We are doing the caves too,  Now I’m really excited. The forecast is for hot and sunny days ahead, too. Lovely.

Today in Porto we did the walking tour and Port tasting. We were bussed 30 minutes to Porto along a scenic drive, which our guide commentated. The bus dropped us and we walked through the scenic streets and squares for about 90 minutes. There was no opportunity to shop ( the shoes I saw!!!) and it was very crowded. We were cautioned several times about pickpockets.  We met up with our bus and crossed the river to a Port company. We had about a half hour tour along with a tasting of two ports and an opportunity to purchase. There were washrooms available there. Then a half hour back to the ship. We chose to take the port shuttle back outside the port gates. We walked to the beach, and sat at a small bistro to eat sardines grilled on the sidewalk. It was easy to do and we were quite comfortable. No shoe shops though... It is gloriously sunny here today.

The wifi was fine during our rough seas. The passengers had mixed reviews about their experience with sickness. Some were not affected, other than the challenges of walking around. Others took to their beds. I do think you need to be prepared for queasiness and be sure to take medication before it gets rough.   Midship was the most comfortable place to be. The Star Theatre, where all the additional activities were staged, was quite obviously rolling!  The staff did an excellent job of filling our additional sea day with fabulous lectures, games and a movie. 

We are in Porto this morning. Everyone is quite excited to go ashore today and walk on solid ground. We are doing the port tasting excursion, with a city walk included. Will let you know how things go. There is a port shuttle available but only in and out of the port area, as we are not permitted to walk. A cab into Porto is about 30 euro each way. But there are cafes and shops and a beach just outside the port area, where the shuttle drops you. 

On 9/24/2019 at 4:58 PM, lonagarr said:

Hello, Lorizak! It sounds like you are having a wonderful time so far which is making me even more excited!!! We are doing the Oslo extension as well, and your info is very helpful indeed. By the way, do you know of anyone on board who did the Scenic Bergen Fjord and King Crab excursion? If you do, could you ask them if it is really worth it and comment on here? I know you will be very busy enjoying your trip, but if you hear anything, please let me know. Have a wonderful rest of your trip, and I will be looking for any further comments from you! Thanks for your update - it is greatly appreciated!!!

I haven’t forgotten your question. The person I was planning to ask did a private fjord sail, so not what you are wondering about. But I continue to ask the question. It’s a good conversation starter!

We are rocking and rolling this morning, and I made a point of checking the shower floor. Not slippery at all.

Although we love the views from the Explorer Lounge, we’ve become fond of the Viking Bar in the Living Room. Staff there have learned our name and cabin number. And we see our fellow CC cruisers as they walk by, so are able to connect. It’s the little things, right? 

Yes there is most definitely a handrail. And the surface does not feel slippery. 

Lobster night in the Restaurant!! It wasn’t advertised, although fish and chips at the pool bar was. So be sure to check menus on the interactive screens each evening. My husband was a happy camper! I had lick-your-plate-clean seafood risotto. Enough said! Wondering if there’s a chance the famous chocolate buffet will show up for tomorrow’s unexpected sea day....

Apparently Falmouth is a tricky harbour to navigate, so sea issues, whatever they may be, are reason to avoid. So far we haven’t been told much. Will be sure to medicate before bed, just in case😀

Oh dear. Falmouth just got cancelled. No pub fish and chips for us, although the pool grill is serving it tonight.  An extra day at sea is now on our agenda. Not a hardship at all!

Today was Stonehenge. About an hour and half drive each way. Lovely scenery and places of historical note. We drove through the New Forest (which actually means very old) and saw villages and farms which follow the old style of letting livestock roam the forest and meadows. Charming! Stonehenge itself was bucket-list great. It just appears in the midst of sheep farms. Plenty of washrooms. A gift shop and tiny museum. Mostly it is the stones. We had the choice of following our Viking guide or using the site’s audio boxes and going alone. We went Viking, but I also had the audio system and they were very similar.  There is quite a bit of walking involved, and it felt crowded in places, but our guide assured us that today wasn’t too busy. Although it wasn’t cold, the wind howled, which added to the somewhat mystic effect. The excursion was over 5 hours long and we got back just after the World Cafe closed. The pool grill was overrun with hungry people so we went to the Viking Bar and enjoyed an open faced shrimp sandwich. 

There was a port shuttle offered here in Portsmouth which leaves every 20 minutes and visits several key points of interest. We had hoped to get out to a pub but the traffic and late hour made us nervous. Perhaps we’ll have better luck in Falmouth tomorrow.

16 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

The River cruise division offers a US version and a Commonwealth version of the Normandy Beaches. I wonder why they didn't do the same for Ocean?

Yes I noticed that on the River itinerary. I plan to mention it in my review of that excursion. For those who don’t know, Viking gives you the opportunity to review each excursion upon its completion. I believe there were 5 buses so perhaps one load of Canadians and Brits could have deviated a bit?

6 hours ago, Gail Boertzel said:

Sorry to keep bugging you. But you are our firsthand source of info!

Did you do any Viking excursions in Amsterdam? We are going to do the canal boat tour.

Thinking you are in LeHavre today or maybe yesterday. Any words of wisdom on that port?

I don’t mind your questions at all! In Amsterdam we did the included canal tour which is a great overview of the area. It starts just outside the cruise center. Then we took off on our own and explored, as we’d visited Amsterdam previously.  Others did Anne Frank or the various museums. Be advised that tickets to most attractions must be purchased in advance, online.  There’s no just showing up anymore.

Today we did the D Day excursion. It was very popular with about 150 people booking it! It was a great day. About two hours by bus each way. The guide keeps you informed on the way there, and lets you snooze on the return. We passed Juno beach, but sadly, we Canadians only got a glimpse. The next three beaches...Gold, Utah and Omaha were longer stops, with museums, the American cemetery and an actual beach walk. We learned and saw so very much! It was a moving and informative day. We had a delicious French lunch, complete with two different wines, and many bathroom opportunities. Viking took excellent care of us!

On 9/26/2019 at 8:55 PM, sparkles said:

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences!  What was the name of the waffle cart that your guide recommended?  I’m looking forward to trying an authentic Belgian waffle (DH is looking forward to the beer!). 😋 Also, was there a long wait to see the Madonna and Child?

Hope you had a nice dinner at the Chef’s table. 

I’m not sure of the cart name, but it was the only actual cart and not shop that we saw. There was no line to see the Madonna. The church had a steady stream of visitors but not crowded at all. Perhaps September is the month to visit! The church is free but you must purchase tickets in a building outside, in order to visit the Madonna.

Bruges today. A very gloomy day with on and off showers, but not cold. We took the Bruges on your own tour. We were dropped off outside of the town centre, at the bus drop, and given a few recommendations and a map on the bus. We walked into the centre and meet a  ‘free’ walking tour that someone on CC had prearranged, although you could just join up on the spot. Maximum 25 folks. Walk for 2 hours. Works on a tip at the end of the tour. Legendary Tours. Martin was our guide. Great tour, great history, little stories to bring the history alive. We were thoroughly turned around by the end, but really enjoyed it. We walked over 13000 steps, and over rough paths and dodging bikes...not for the faint-hearted! Then used our guide’s recommendation for a waffle cart and chocolate shop. We back-tracked and  visited Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child for 4 euros each. Had frites on a bench and then sat for a rest with beer and wine. An altogether charming spot to visit and a lovely day all round.

washrooms were in restaurants and also where we got tickets for Madonna and Child. 

Chefs Table tonight! 

3 hours ago, Gail Boertzel said:

Have you had your Meet and Greet yet? Just wondering what day of the cruise Viking will schedule it. If so, how was your turn out and did Viking make it worth your while?

The Meet and Greet was on day three, our first sea day, at 6:00. Invitation was on the desk on day 2. It was in the Wintergarden. Lovely appetizers, wine and some original cocktails created by our event bartender.  I believe 32 were signed up and perhaps 20 attended. Most stayed over the allotted hour. Senior hospitality staff attended and mingled for the first half hour or so. It was a nice event and many of us connected. 

6 hours ago, bethtraxl said:

Lorizak, thanks so much for these posts! We leave the 4th for Bergen for the same cruise so it is wonderful to hear of your experiences. I notice that you posted during a sea day. Were you using the ship's WiFi? I am hoping for connectivity even at sea to check on my mother-in-law who is 97.

We are only using the ship WIFI and have kept our phones on airplane mode. The wifi will be adequate for you to stay in touch with folks back home. It’s a bit slow when I post pictures to a group message site, but otherwise it does a great job at sea and in port.

1 hour ago, sinned19 said:

How`s the coffee and the cappuccino?  

Mostly an Americano drinker. They are fine. I had a delicious Irish coffee last night at the Viking Bar, and it was fabulous!

2 hours ago, ptkelley said:

Thank you so much for this info! Invaluable! I am looking forward to hearing more! 

When you say the North Sea crossing was choppy, I am wondering if it affected life onboard. Was the Spa or anything else closed? Were passengers afraid or just queasy? Thx! 

Nothing changed. Perhaps by some standards it wasn’t too bad, but many woke in the night and felt ill. Several others I spoke with were queasy all of our sea day yesterday.

6 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Glad to hear things are going well on the Sky. Hated to leave her the way we did -  hanging (more like swaying in the wind) on a cable below a helicopter!  Looking forward to the maiden voyage of the Venus year after next. 

 

I do have a question for you though...are there still the model ships in glass display cases on the mezzanine level of the Explorer's lounge?  Those cases (and the ships) were all destroyed during the cyclone. 

Yes, we’ve seen those models, so rest assured, they’ve been replaced.

Oslo and Bergen were gloriously warm and sunny. But Bergen is NOT known for sunshine, so beware. Apparently September is often the kindest month. Many rode the funicular up the mountain and said the views were unbelievable. Those who were able, hiked back down ( that’s very Norwegian!) and enjoyed it very much. Locals and tourists alike sit outdoors to drink coffee or beer, regardless of the weather.

Today in Amsterdam it is overcast with rain in the forecast for the afternoon. We are heading out armed with raincoats and umbrellas, so all is good.

The crossing from Bergen to Amsterdam was quite choppy, and a number of folks were not feeling well. Be forewarned that if you are sensitive, take your meds in the evening upon leaving Bergen, before bed, so that you don’t miss that important window.