Steerpike58

I kept notes/screen shots. It's a 14-day Iceland cruise, from Rotterdam, but - it's for single occupancy so the rate is basically double the typical 'double occupancy' quote (which gets doubled at the end, for two). I've since been looking at lots of cruises, and the premium for choosing your own room seems to vary wildly, I believe depending on what range of 'other' rooms exist in inventory. So, for example, if there's only a few rooms left, and those rooms are at the bottom level of the category, the price difference is zero. But if you started out with, say, obstructed view', then go 'choose your own room', the difference jumps up because the range of rooms shown isn't restricted to obstructed view rooms only. Thats my current theory!

I try real hard on cruises, especially since Covid, to avoid elevators at all costs - I view elevators as germ concentrators, and stairs as weight-loss devices/gym substitutes 🙂 . But yes, I will find a way to get to the Cafe. Or just eat in the cafe ...

To clarify, on the itineraries I've looked at (4 looked at in detail today!), HA typically arrive at a port at 7 or 8am, and depart from the port around 4pm, 6pm, or very rarely 11pm - almost never spend any nights in the port. EG - (HA snippet from a longer itinerary here): Compare that to this from Viking, similar itinerary (In reverse) - this is from our recent cruise): (I just noticed they didn't state the departure time from Sihanoukville 🙂 - it left around 6pm I believe). As you can see, only in Hue (Chan May) did they arrive and depart the same day. It seems like Viking often give you two half-days in a port, and spend the night in port, while HA arrive very early, and depart very late, but are always sailing overnight. Again - not a scientific analysis, I just happened to compare these two in detail.

My friends tell me the Noordam has a 'dedicated VIP section' for CO within the main dining room area. So that's why they want me to get CO, so I can join them in that section. Makes sense.

Since you have experience with Viking, I do have a question for you if I may. Looking at the HA itineraries, it seems like HA very rarely spend an overnight in port. We just got back from a Viking cruise in Asia (Bangkok to Hong Kong), and HA have an almost identical itinerary (Hong Kong to Singapore). But comparing the two in more detail, we had 5 overnights in port, with some of them two nights/3 days (Bangkok, Sihanoukville, HoChiMin City, HaLong Bay, Hong Kong) while HA seem to only have one overnight, in Bangkok (but HA then goes on to two extra destinations). A couple of other quick reviews of itineraries suggested a similar pattern (though I'm still new to their itineraries, of course). Are overnights in port more expensive for the cruise line? I also noticed, Viking seem to give you two nights in both the start and the end port, while HA just 'depart' on the first day and 'arrive' on the last day. Not sure what to make of this - though it does give you (on the first port) a bit of a buffer in case you have issues with flying in.

Thanks for all your detailed responses! Very helpful! I'll try to ask follow on questions in context ... let's see if this works ... (crystalspin said): There are Nespresso type machines IN neptune suites but I have not heard much good about them! Also I have no memory of seeing anyone toast their own bread in the Lido. The Exploration Cafe is on Deck 3 on the Noordam, starboard between midship and forward stairwells/elevators. Lattes are not free, but they are reasonable and probably not worth booking with HIA. I hate Nespresso machines; I just want steamed milk with an espresso shot. The Exploration Cafe is on Deck 3; Google tells me the Lido Cafe is on deck 9 ... so I'd be running up and down stairs to go between the two. Is the Lido the main location for breakfast buffet, and can I at least order a latte in the Lido (served, and paid for)? Regarding toast - every breakfast buffet I've seen in the past few years (cruises, hotels, etc) has had a pile of fresh bread next to either a toaster, toaster oven or a 'conveyor belt' toaster. Do HA simply provide a stock of recently toasted bread in the buffet? I like my toast fresh, and 'very' dark (I call it cremated, for emphasis!). To restate my desires - I feel like my needs are incredibly 'basic' for breakfast - I don't want bacon/eggs/omelets/sausages/benedicts/porridge/cereal/pancakes, etc - just fresh toast, lattes, and fresh fruit. I guess I could 'place an order' for a latte if that's possible in the lido, but if it's a true 'buffet' (pure self-serve), maybe not? The Viking 'buffet' is more like a full-service restaurant that just happens to have a lot of stuff ready to be picked up. It has an army of cooks and waiters on hand ready to custom make everything, and they'll get you the latte if you ask (I just prefer to do it myself as it's faster). (crystalspin said): The number of specialty dinners included in HIA depends on the length of the cruise, which you did not mention. Duration would be 14 days. My travelling companions are HA veterans but they've been doing Neptune for so long I don't think they remember what it was like to be in the lower grade rooms! But they did suggest I get Club Orange, making it sound like I would need to do that to be able to hang out with them easily. Thanks again for your help! Edit to add (since no replies yet!) This description says (about the Lido Restaurant, at night) "A casual dinner with waiter service, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., incorporates a couple of entrees from the dining-room menu and other options, along with multiple appetizers, soups, salads and desserts." So does that mean, Lido switches from Buffet (breakfast and lunch) to 'waiter service' for dinner, and if so, does that mean there's no full-blown 'buffet' for dinner? Using the Viking example again, their 'World Cafe' 'buffet' is more of a hybrid full serve/buffet than a classic buffet; they have plenty of cooks on hand ready to grill a steak, salmon, mahi-mahi, tuna, etc plus there's an array of prepared items to take (eg, 'side dishes'). They don't serve you at the table - you have to walk up and either pick up food or order and wait for food. So is there anything like that with the Noordam?

Thanks for informing me about the 'quench' package! Works out at $21/day it seems - probably worth it if i drink 2-3 lattes and a few bottles of sparkling water, which is my daily dose. But it does say ''Enjoy ... bottled water ... and Exploration's Cafe Beverages". I'm still not clear on where exactly I can get a latte on the ship to have with my breakfast; I want to have the latte with my breakfast buffet; is that 'Exploration Cafe'? (You mention Lido Cafe above). With coffee, I don't touch a drop after breakfast, but during breakfast, I want them fast and furious! Since my friends already have the benefits of Club Orange, and will presumably make reservations and get seated, won't I simply be able to join them at their table, without needing my own 'priority access'? The extra entrees is obviously a benefit. When you say "all restaurants are available to you, you can make a reservation at Canaletto and Pinnacle Grill" (with the Club Orange), is that unlimited - like, every night if I so desired?

Thanks for the detailed replies to my message; I'll review and digest the info and probably come back with more questions shortly. In the meantime, I did a sample booking and was surprised to see the very high premium associated with choosing your own room! For a basic 'ocean view' room on a 14-day cruise, the difference between choosing my own room vs letting HA assign it was $700 - (and I think the premium was higher if I chose a better room class). Is this always the case and why do they charge such a premium? The more I go through the details, the more I see the 'value proposition' eroding between HA and Viking! The 'starting price' for HA is much lower, but - Viking include specialty coffees, sparkling water, basic wine/beer with meals, basic WiFi, specific room choice, one excursion per port, (some) specialty dining, and probably more I haven't figured out yet! It's still hopefully going to be cheaper, but not by as much as I first thought. I guess that's somewhat obvious! (not trying to turn this into a Viking vs HA debate, just making some observations!).

I'm new to HA after a couple of Viking Ocean cruises. I loved the Viking experience but the value proposition of HA is hard to ignore so I want to give it a try. I'm looking at a cruise on the Noordam, joining a couple who are already booked on a cruise in a Neptune suite. I will be joining them solo and will be going for an Ocean View or Veranda suite. I prefer self-service for breakfast. All I want is toasted bread (toasted by me, to my darkness requirements 🙂 ), fresh fruit, and a few cafe lattes. Viking has a 'pretty decent' self-service espresso machine in the buffet - it's not perfect, but it's better than waiting in a long line for a custom-made latte. Does HA have anything like this available with the breakfast buffet? If not, what are my options for a latte? As I understand it, the 'HIA' package includes specialty coffees so I guess that means Cafe Lattes are not free? I typically drink 2 or 3 of them in quick succession and don't like to wait, which is why the machine is such a good option. Since I'll be in a basic room and my friends will be in a Neptune suite, what options do I have to be able to dine with them? Are there restaurants they can use that I can't? This description suggests there's no exclusive dinner restaurants that Neptune gets that I don't, other than perhaps reservations at the Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto. They suggested I get the 'club orange' deal in order to be able to dine with them, but all I see in the Club Orange description related to dining is 'Priority seating in the Dining Room for breakfast and dinner with an expanded menu'. The 'Have It All' package refers to: ‘Specialty dining: Dinner at a fine dining restaurant’, and 'Enhance your cruise with award-winning specialty dining at Pinnacle Grill, Canaletto or Tamarind' - does that just mean ONE dinner at one of the specialty restaurants is included in HIA? I don't drink alcohol so have no real need for a 'beverage' package, other than for the 'specialty coffees' (which I can't live without). I also drink a lot of sparkling water with meals - is that included? Also - if I don't purchase the HIA package, do I get any internet access at all - is there a basic level of access provided for all? Edit to add: One final thing - I saw in this thread some mention of 'open seating' and 'designated seating' (or similar). We tend to eat later (7pm or later). How exactly does designated seating work? One more thing - if I don't dine with them some evenings, will I have trouble eating alone? I'm not always in the mood for dining with strangers. Thanks for getting me started on my HA journey!

Ahhhh .... all the extras! - excursions, upgrades, cabin upgrades, etc. Yes, I can imagine taking advantage of those. We were given the beverages package upgrade on our recent cruise, unasked. Ironically, I don't drink any more (and my partner manages about 1 glass of wine a night) so it was a bit of a waste!

Following on from my post about Bangkok, we also observed a bit of a problem with our excursion to Macau from Hong Kong. The excursion was scheduled to leave the ship at around 8am. The excursion coach left pretty close to on-time, and reached the ferry terminal by 8:40am. We then discovered that our tickets for the ferry to Macau were not until 10am - over a 1 hour wait in the ferry terminal. That's around 25% of the excursion time spent sitting in the (not very pleasant) ferry terminal. I imagine they bulk-buy the ferry tickets well in advance, and buy them for the 10:00 am departure to allow for delays in the ship's arrival, and/or delays getting the excursion on the road - fair enough. But - there is now a brand-new road from Hong Kong to Macau (apparently a spectacular series of bridges and tunnels), providing an alternative to the ferry. I asked our tour guide why we weren't using the road, he made some reference to traffic, but - even if the traffic were heavy, I can't imagine it would have taken an extra hour. My own reading about that road suggests it is under-utilized. Does anyone have any idea why they don't use the new road for the excursions to Macau? Once in Macau, we thoroughly enjoyed the old town, full of fascinating food options. But we only got a quick walk through the old town, no time to stop, and then on to the next venue (a temple). After that, we were taken to the 'revolving restaurant' at the top of the observation tower for lunch, then on to a very fancy casino. The lunch was outstanding, I have to say, but - we'd have much rather spent more time in the old town area and would have gladly skipped the modern restaurant and casino. Having the option to stay in old-town and re-join the group later would have been ideal (or just make our own way to the ferry terminal for the return trip).

Just curious - using simple numbers to illustrate the point, not representative of the specific cruise under discussion - if current cruise were $10,000 then 110% would mean a $11,000 voucher. What if you rebook on a cruise that is $9,000? Will they refund the difference of $2,000? If not, then it would suggest you really need to find a cruise of greater value to get any real benefit from the 110% offer.

Well at least now you know what to expect! I hope you can use the info in this thread to better utilize the time available. I'd be curious to know if Viking will allow you to stay an extra night in the hotel, and let you somehow join the included excursion the next day - that's what I would have done if I'd have known. Biggest challenge I can see is, they 'block book' the hotels so the hotel doesn't have any record of you as an individual until the month before arrival, so coordinating that one extra night at the hotel, and making sure you don't have to suffer a room change, could be a challenge. I'd be curious to know what Viking say!

It is wonderful how you simply have to get yourself on the ship and after that, it's all taken care of! Luckily, we're still very mobile so we don't have to rely on that. One thought may be to really splurge on 'local assistance'. Pay top dollar for guides and for 'transfers', and make sure they take care of everything. I've always avoided spending money on such things, but given the amount of money one spends on cruises, it may be 'in the budget'. Something to consider.

I can't say Viking out-and-out lied, but by saying that Day 2 is a 'free day to explore Bangkok' is certainly of dubious accuracy! On Day 1, we had to meet in the lobby at 8:00am for the 'briefing' (I took a photo of the instructions so I wouldn't forget), and we departed for the actual day 1 tour at around 9:00am (Grand Palace and Reclining Buddha). This meant we had to be up at around 6:30am for breakfast, which wasn't ideal since we didn't get to the hotel till 3am (not Viking's fault). Our tour ended with a 'lunch', and we had the afternoon / evening free - which was good. On Day 2, as you mention, we were supposedly 'free to explore Bangkok' but in reality, you had to be back at the hotel at 11am for the baggage ID, and then there wasn't much choice but to stick around for the 1pm departure to the ship. What really annoys me is, they didn't tell us any of this timing ahead of time, and thus didn't give us time to think or plan alternatives. There are three alternatives I would have considered; 1) stay longer in the city on day 2, and get my own transport to the ship in the evening, or 2) stay overnight in the city on day 2, and try to meet up with the 'included tour' on the 3rd day ('day 1' of the main cruise), or 3) stay overnight in the city on day 2 and ignore the 'included' day 1 main cruise tour, and just get a taxi to the ship before departure. Now, this is only my third cruise and I never anticipated all these logistical challenges, but this is the second time I've experienced bad timing with an 'extension', so from now on, I will dig deeply into the logistics and see if it's possible to get some flexibility with Viking; or - just ignore their extensions and work out my own plan. Your estimate of room costs for the Shangri-La are probably a bit high; Looking today on Hotels.com, I can get a good room for $200 USD for March 2025. But let's assume $250 with fees/etc. I would have gladly paid the extra $250 and paid for a taxi to the ship, had I known in advance this was the plan. I'm most annoyed we had to leave Bangkok at 1pm to get to the ship; the ship didn't sail for another 24+ hours so why not transport us to the ship in the evening at least, and give us a 'day' in Bangkok? I see from your copy/paste of the Viking description that they offer "... perhaps you would like to join a full-day optional tour to Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site." - that sounds like they are anticipating a later arrival at the ship for those people. I think your transportation estimates are very high - I can't imagine spending $200 for taxis from airport or to the cruise terminal. I would imagine the hotel would help you arrange such things reliably. This is the biggest craziness of all! Wow - I see NOTHING there that would warrant the increase in price! Amazing. We did our own 'pre-extension' to Japan for 5 nights and it was wonderful. We stayed at the GranVia hotel in Kyoto for $300/night, and paid quite a bit for bullet trains, etc - but compared to Viking prices, it was an absolute bargain. Our meal prices were ridiculously cheap (but then, we enjoy eating at noodle bars, etc!). In truth, I'm starting to question the value proposition of the whole Viking cruise concept. It seems to work out around $1,000 per day, for two. I absolutely adore the dining options on the ship, but if you assume $300/night for the cabin, $300/day for the convenience of being transported between ports, that still leaves about $400 for food - and the food isn't 'that' good! We planned our own 'land trip' through England and Scotland last year, staying at good hotels, eating really well, and renting a nice car, and I think it came out to about $500 / night.