GerryL13

I get most of my communications digitally -- including bills. No brochures at all from Saga as they don't routinely mail those internationally. (I am flooded with brochures from Viking and Oceania, though.) With digital communication, I print out the pages I want to keep and highlight. So, yes, paper is consumed, but fewer pages, and it doesn't need to be carted around in airplanes or trucks.

I'd like to add to the rumors (or rumours). When I was on a Viking ship in December, an officer told me he'd heard that Saga was building a new ship. (This officer knew some of the Saga captains.) Coincidentally, when I was on SoA in May and asked at the Captain Q&A about a third ship, he said he'd let us know as soon as he heard. I'm doing lots of wishful thinking here. I guess we'll find out when we find out.

I might be mistaken about the life jackets, but the coffee machine was definitely tucked away on the top shelf of the closet (DV cabin). I managed to pull it down without dropping it on my head!

Some people are bothered on the final night of a cruise when their bags are packed and the empty hangers in the closet keep rattling. One person on a different cruise line posted a tip: push all the hangers together and put a bath towel folded longwise through the opening.

I asked the steward to remove the coffee maker, and it quickly disappeared. But toward the end of the cruise, I got Covid and was going to ask to have it brought back so I could make hot water for tea. Just before I asked, I discovered that it had never left the room. It was way up in the closet next to the life jackets. 😄

I've thought of seeing if I can get a larger cabin (than standard solo) by playing with the discounts, but since I fly in from afar, I book back-to-back cruises. Adding in the variable of trying to get the best deal on the same cabin for both cruises is more work than I want to load on my brain. I like the convenience of not having to change cabins between cruises, so I just go with the best solo standard that fits my needs -- for both.

I am a US citizen living in the US (West Coast). I finally took my first Saga ocean cruise(s) last Spring after years of waiting. As Covid was retreating and cruising starting back up, there were issues around non-residents cruising with Saga as they required a 10-day quarantine for anyone coming into the country -- or even from non-contiguous British Isles. Now the residency requirement is just for insurance. You will get a small discount for refusing the insurance and will need to get your own from a US insurer. (A much more expensive option, believe me.) I am prepping now for a summer 2024 pair of Saga cruises. I've booked a pair for 2025. And just this morning, I pre-registered for 2026! You will be welcome.

Just pre-registered for 2nd half 2026!!! 😁 Someone from Saga called me -- pre-arranged -- because there is no way to pre-register online. She took my payment info, and now I need to make a new folder for my file cabinet: Saga 2026.

I had breakfast at Barista most mornings on my cruise in October, sometimes including something from the Bakery. I liked it because it was calmer than the buffet. Occasionally, I'd pass through the buffet to pick up some fresh fruit on my way to Barista, where the morning fruit choice is limited. Coincidentally, when on Viking Ocean, I often had breakfast at Mamsen's in the forward lounge, again because it was calmer than the buffet.

Yes. I did back-to-back cruises last year and will do another pair of cruises this summer. I flew into Heathrow and spent the night at a nearby hotel. You will need to let Saga know a couple of months ahead of time where you will need to be picked up and dropped off.

You'll be fine. I made it through 5 formal nights with an LBD (little black dress) and a collection of accessories.

Last year I had the opportunity to cruise on Oceania Vista and on Viking -- both for the first time. One of the differences I really noticed was in the public spaces. The atrium on the Viking ship really is a Living Room -- as it is called. Very welcoming. A comfortable place to relax and gather. On the Vista, the atrium feels more like the lobby of a large hotel. More business-like than relaxing. Very little seating. Also, on Vista there is no promenade deck and no public areas to relax and see the ocean below the highest decks.

I also book from the States. The Summer 2025 schedule won't be out for a couple of months yet. When the online catalogue of trips comes out, you can review it and ask (by email or chat function) to have a sales rep call you to answer any question you might have and to book your cruise. (I don't have international calling, so I can't call Saga myself. I have never tried booking online.) It would help if you let them know in your pre-call communication, which cruise and which kind of cabin you are looking to book. A couple of caveats: You may already have figured out that you will not be eligible for the included insurance if you are not a UK resident. You will need to get your own insurance from a US company. You won't be able to set up a My Saga account without a valid UK address. But once you have booked a cruise, you can see your booking by using the Manage My Booking feature on the website. PS I'll be visiting Fort Pierce for a few days in March.

I was confined to my cabin the final two days and could order anything from the Restaurant menu -- didn't try to order from Manfredi's, but that might have been possible. I don't know whether anyone can order from the non-room-service menu during regular dining hours, but you might want to try. When the food was delivered, often the servers did not seem to realize I was confined.

And if you are experiencing rough seas, there are likely to be a lot of no-shows. So, if you are not prone to sea sickness, head to Manfredi's when the ship is rocking.😉

In October, a lift (aka elevator) on brand new Oceania Vista was often problematic and had been during previous month. It would frequently refuse to move, and a disembodied voice would announce that there were too many people, and someone had to get out before the doors would close -- even when there were only a few normal-sized bodies waiting to move. And it was one of the larger lifts. It seems that the more high-tech something is, the more likely malfunctions will happen.

Every item is tagged with your cabin number. There are three checks to make sure the number of items matches the number of items on your list. Tip: since the tags are applied thermally, you can remove them using heat. No mention was made of bags.

I did a tour this week on Star of galley and laundry. Very interesting. They use different machines for different types of fabric, so your items are not all washed together. Dry cleaning is a non-chemical process. ID labels are applied thermally, so they advised to use heat to remove the labels.

Currently onboard first Viking cruise. I do not find the products very scented at all. I don’t like perfumed products, and these have not been a concern for me.

I booked with Saga because I could not bring myself to pay double for a Viking ocean cruise. Have finally managed to get on a Viking cruise because I got a great deal by booking at the last minute (4 weeks prior to embarkation) on a Christmas sailing with plenty of empty cabins. I understand there are more than 30 solos on this trip, and most I have met signed up close to departure. I can be flexible and hope to find future last-minute deals with Viking, but I plan to continue booking with Saga. — From the Viking Star approaching Maui.

I am currently on Viking Star. My first time with the line. There are plenty of passengers willing to talk about Viking not being up to its previous standards. Excursions that miss the mark. Menu changes. I’m enjoying my experience as much as I did my initial Saga experience earlier this year.

@PGI GUY FYI Last night on Star went to Manfredi’s. Instead of a fish special of the day, they were offering Osso bucco. Said it was because they had complaint about it no longer being on the menu. Earlier in the week, someone said they had an excellent sea bass for the fish special.

Hi. Was following your posts before I boarded Vista in Miami to join my brother and SiL for Panama transit. (They were onboard with you.) The lack of sea views is, for me, the biggest disappointment about Vista. I loved the full wrap-around promenade and stunning multi-tiered aft sea views on Saga Spirit of Adventure in May. I will be comparing that experience when I board Viking Star next week. (First Viking Ocean cruise.) Will we be cruising together in April 2025? I am doing the Tokyo-to-Vancouver itinerary. (I'd love to do the round Japan itinerary that precedes it, but Oceania is pricey for solo travelers. Well, so is Viking, but I got a fabulous last-minute deal.)

Managed to get an EXCELLENT single supplement (i.e., almost 0) on a Viking Ocean cruise leaving within a month using code STS23. You can go onto the Viking website and see if it works on any upcoming ocean cruises coming up in next couple of months, but I think it is only valid until tomorrow (Nov 30). I believe it will work with the 33-day LA-Hawaii-Tahiti-LA itinerary early in 2023. Good luck. I'll be spending Christmas on a sea day!

I find the discussion about people wanting to dine only at two-tops ... interesting. I am a solo traveler. I often eat out alone, but on a cruise ship, I will ask to be seated at a shared table. I sure hope there are plenty of couples and groups who are willing to welcome a singleton at their tables on my upcoming cruise -- my first on Viking.