KBs mum

All drinks are available at all times during 'bar open hours' and via room service, nothing is limited to meal times only, other than the included house wine/beer. Buying the package does not increase choice or availability, it is a merely a budgeting option

One thing is that Viking is set up for US passengers, the food and entertainment reflects that. Nothing wrong with it, but something to be aware of. The drinks package is worth it if you are going to have more than 3-4 drinks each outside of the house wines with meals. The Viking excursions are far more expensive than booking something independently, we only book via Viking if there is no other sensible option, often using them as transport only. The included tours can be useful transport. Viking usually arrange shuttle busses into the port town, if you want to stroll around on your own

Airlines connect through the country they are from, usually main hub airport, with a few very long haul having refuel stops. Code shares add a bit of variation, the connection will usually be a main hub airport of the operating airline

Am confused, how is the transport/safety situation in Israel a UK option?

If I'd booked Israel - Egypt I'd be annoyed to be stuck with the Greek Islands instead, nothing against them, but not what was booked. A substitute port in the same country is OK, but not a substitute country without the option to cancel and get a refund. If wanting to go to Greece, Greece would have been booked

Cruises/tourist trade has stopped, according to several newspapers freight and some ferries are still operating

Not anymore, it's incorporated into the terms and conditions for recent bookings now

A few low to mid range crowd pleasers in each category + a few things too expensive to be included, or only sold by the bottle, also not included

No, Viking wouldn't allow it when we tried, despite the TA being prepared to forgo commission (and us not being interested in OBC) , as they would be making money on the arrangements for the other 4 weeks we'd be away. Book via your TA, it saves hassle dealing with outsourced Viking call centres who don't understand UK legislation or requirements

Goods are taxed in the EU, but the tax may not be necessarily be called VAT. That's why duty free sales cost less and some taxes can be recovered by overseas visitors. It's also why the shops on the ship are often closed when in port. The UK has been adding VAT since the Napoleonic wars, regardless of being in or out of the EU

We tried to book transfers and were refused, I've never seen it offered as an option in the UK, but it may be possible once onboard

OneSixtyToOne has explained the shuttle/transfer difference, but don't be worried about about daft questions, if you don't know, you don't know. Somebody on here will have the answer. My advice would be to ask for a kettle in your room and take your own teabags, in a commercially sealed box (we take the twining 50 bag cartons) biggest mugs can be liberated from the world cafe, atrium bar has teapots

Genuine question, asked out of curiosity. How do the magnetic hook contingent manage in hotel rooms, which are fairly similar to Viking rooms? We just put the wooden tray on the desk then chuck all the day to day stuff into it

The laundry service is about equivilent to a hotel. We wash underwear and socks in the bathroom as they are pricey to send but only a few minutes to do. Everything else goes to the ships laundry. We take holiday clothes that are smart enough for evening but practical for the day, and resilient enough to survive industrial washers. We change when we get back after a day out, but what we wear for a few hours in the evening is worn for outings next day. Unless hot sweaty weather trousers go a few wears between washes. I have never used a communal washer/dryer and am not going to when on holiday. We include the cost of laundry as part of the cost in the same way as taxis etc

Viking don't usually operate shuttles on the last day, they only do transfers to airport or their extension hotel

Be aware that most of the posters cruise critic are from the US and use Viking air/Viking Air plus which we don't have in the UK. For us they book flights via the airlines they have contracts with in the same way as any TA. Business/first is available if you pay the difference, ticketed immediately. You've saved yourself a lot of hassle by using an agent, and using Viking only for the cruise itself. We can't book the transfers on their own, they are only included if you booked a flight or extension via Viking. Booking a private transfer is preferable anyway, Viking transfers tend to be at strange times and involve a lot of waiting around. The only thing is to check what time you have to be off the ship, usually it's 9am or thereabouts

Update - new advert, no kids, no casinos, no mention of quiet comfort. I'd rather have a casino which can be avoided than the music, live or recorded, that can't

All the burgers are cooked on the same hot plates, meat and vegan, so the vegan is not so, and the meat version is cross contaminated with the allergens in the vegan, and vice versa. Not widely signed, spotted it by chance on the room service menu and made further inquiries

The aircraft for short flights like that tend to be 2 2 configuration, with around 120 pax, as the flights are rarely longer than an hour it doesn't matter. I have a recollection that London to Newcastle is 50 minutes. BA domestic flights were originally set up to be a flying bus service. Now they are mostly a means to get to/from Heathrow. Cost and convenience are the driving factors for booking

They will get you from A to B safely. Their flight and cabin crew are good. Seats in all classes are below average, first is a decent business class. Gate staff tend to be clueless and reserved seats are changed without notice. One time this happened between check in and the gate. We'd been moved to the top deck. I asked what they thought the wheelchair arrangements made with the booking were about, they were nonplussed when I pointed out I couldn't get up the stairs! They're abysmal if you have a disability. KLM are much better. Even United are better. We only use them if its the only direct flight available. They're not bad enough to avoid completely, but don't expect much

The book swap reading corner in the atrium has modern fiction, whatever passengers had and wanted to swap

It's cheaper than earl grey, lapsang etc. being a mass market blend rather than a type. A decent big box catering make, but not good enough to drink black.

Something inexpensive such as Tetleys or Yorkshire tea bags, made strong then add milk and sugar. Drink from large mug

It's fun to comment, but Viking has a lot of outside investment, Hagen is likely a figurehead now (Viking UK's last filings suggest he is only barely a majority shareholder now) return on investment is the priority. It seems likely that fast expansion had had the usual result

No idea, probably yes, but we drink it without milk. The tea in the restaurants and lounges needs to be turned into builders tea to be drinkable