Peregrina651

I figure that what Viking is doing is taking their river cruisetour and replacing the river portion with an ocean portion. That means that they already have the land portion down pat and they are building on it. We did our first Viking cruise on the Yangtze and it has been our golden standard for management and organization ever since.

Here is yet another take on your situation. If it is the Borghese you want, then plan to do it on your own, without depending on Viking. The calendar on MyVikingJourney.com or the latest edition of your Viking Guest Statement will tell you the currently scheduled arrival and departure times. Back on board time is usually 30 minutes before departure. Double the info once you are on board. "On you own" can mean anything from hiring a car and driver to take you from Civi to the Borghese and back to taking the train to Rome and back and using cabs or public transit to get around Rome. Me, I'd be at the top of the gangplank ready to grab the first cab I see on the pier to take me to the Civi train station or else the port shuttle to the front gate, then cab to the train station. In Rome, I'd take a cab because I would too excited to bother with subways and walking. If available and if I have an internet connection, I might consider Uber. But you know best what works for you. BUT, if you decide that heading into Rome is too much, I would heartily recommend either Ostia (Ancient Rome's seaport) or Taquinia (Etruscan Necropolis and quaint hillside town with Etruscan Archeological Museum). Not the Borghese (because nothing else is) but quite fulfilling with somewhat less wear and tear.

I'm with Rob. DV6 above the MDR, just aft of The Atrium, any cabin 3060 to 3073. They are quiet and not a lot of traffic in the corridors. I've done DV4 a couple of times and decided to go back to DV6. I just like it better -- and the few pennies savings doesn't hurt either. The only downside of the location is that the corridors leading out of the Atrium fore and aft must ramp up to the level of the cabins. Ceiling height in cabins is lower than the ceiling height of the Atrium. The ramps may be a challenge for those using walking aids or pushing wheelchairs. Cabins foreward of the Atrium can avoid the ramp using the forward elevators. Cabins aft of the Atrium cannot avoid the ramp (and this includes the two Explorer Suites).

If the pictures don't sell you that you have GOT to visit Tarquinia, then nothing will. We were there Great Courses does a helpful lecture series on the Etruscans. I don't know if it is available outside the US. I bought it (audio only) on Audible as part of my membership and it may be available for loan through the library as audio only or video.

There are restrictions on this code. You must have a future cruise on the books as of 11/21/23. It cannot be booked online.

We just booked under the Special Promo. I saw the date and asked our TA to ask for 6 months prior. As numerous folks have said many times, "It can't hurt to ask." We asked and they said okay.

We had originally planned to do Ostia with Viking our second day in Civi and to do Tarquinia on our own on turnover day. We didn't know at that point Viking would be offering tours for us on turnover day. Once on board, we moved Ostia to turnover day and added the Tarquinia shorex for the second day. Ostia was a 5 hour tour and we were back on board for lunch. Tarquinia was 4 hours. I did not look into other tour companies but it would not surprise me that there are tours available from Civi to Ostia, Tarquinia and other nearby destinations.

Good info for those in the UK. There is also a thread for sharing promos and codes where you might want to share this info (bigger audience). I'd share the link but my mobile cut&paste skills are lamentable. Just so that everyone reading this knows, the various markets have different rules and promos and this is a promotion in the UK market only. The markets are: US & Canada; Australia & NZ; UK.

If you do purchase future cruise certificates, you may use only one $200 certificate per person per booking. Also word on the street is that they will stop selling them in 2024. All existing certificates will be honored.

The Port runs a shuttle from the ship to front gate(s) or you can get a cab on the dock to take you into town. Passengers are discouraged from walking through the port as we are a hazard to the workers. Besides, it is a long walk. Multiple shuttles back to the ships; make sure yours is going to Viking. On our 2 day stay in Civi, one a turnover day, we did two Viking tours. One to Old Ostia, the seaport of ancient Rome at the mouth of the Tiber River and the other to see the Etruscan Necropolis and the Etruscan Archeology Museum in town of Tarquinia. Loved them both. Plus we had time to wander into Civi.

There is a 3.3% discount if you pay by e-check.

Ca Agreed. Anything paid pre-departure does not appear on your shipboard account and the crew has no way of accessing those transactions.

I think that on the first three ships that space is dishwashing space.

The further out you book, the better your chances of getting exactly the cabin you want. Viking cruises do fill up quickly but there can be a spate of cancellations just prior to when cancellations kick in. Cancellation grids (from https://docs.vikingcruises.com/pdf/2-230626_BookingAndSaleTermsAndConditions.pdf:

You are correct. Star, Sea and Sky (the first three ships) do not have the Asian section in the Aquavit Bar area. It was introduced either with the Sun (now sailing exclusively in China) or the ship after that one (can't remember the order of the ships after Sun).

Agreed. Definitely ask. TAs are not required to provide OBC or any other enticement for you to book with them.

Contact Viking at tellus@vikingcruises.com. Tell them how disappointed you are that the included tour you are trying to book is sold out and ask when they will be adding additional capacity. Give the particulars -- your booking number and the particular shorex that is sold out.

And, as someone with allergies (and for all readers with food issues of any kind), you should inform Viking before you board (fill out the forms on MVJ) and then confirm with the maitre'd when you board. From there on out, you have the chance to review the nightly menu in advance and choose your meal, if you are dining in the main dining room or Manfredi's. CT will already be informed of your allergies but it can never hurt to confirm with the maitre'd in advance. Viking understands that just because one member of the party has food allergies, does not mean that their roommate should be denied the pleasure of dining at Chef'sTable.

Very true but they do show what kinds of activities are offered and how the days are structured. Read enough of them and you can a feel for what a Viking cruise is apt to be like.

oops. changed my mind. sorry.

No, ask Viking to send you a copy --- but keep in mind that these times can differ from sail date to sail date. Example, cruises embarking at Greenwich, England are dependent on the river tides for arrival and departure. Our sailing is leaving at 2pm in the afternoon on Day 2 but other sail dates may get a full day in London before departing on Day 2.

NO! You are not too young! Age is a state of mind, not a number. And all the other stuff you mentioned doesn't matter either; it's nobody's business but your own and nobody is going to ask you about it. Don't let the word "luxury" mislead you. Although Viking is labeled by the list makers as "luxury," it is not a luxury cruise line; there are no white gloves or butlers on the ship, no exclusive bars or lounges, no formal evenings, no jackets and ties required, etc. Once you leave your cabin, no one knows what cabin you are in unless you tell them and everyone on board is treated as if they are traveling in the Owner's Suite. If Viking were a true "luxury" cruise line, I would have long since stopped sailing with them.

More correctly stated, Pacific Time. Regardless if is daylight standard time or not, it is by what you see on your clock, without having to worry if it is standard or daylight savings. The only folks who will run into trouble are states (AZ, HI) and countries that don't use DST or countries that change clocks on a different schedule than the US; there will be a period of confusion when just looking at the clock will not help Also, if you have logged in before Noon Pacific Time, you may have to refresh your screen after noon to see that excursions have open. The screen may not automatically change at opening time

Best to ask this one of Viking directly since it seems that prices are changing. Call them or use the chat. Since prices may vary from port to port, make sure that you have your booking number or port information handy. British Isle cruises for the most part dock at Greenwich. Your port of disembarkation will be shown on your Viking invoice. Also a good place to ask questions about British Isles Explorer cruise is https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2858648-british-isles-explorer-cruise/page/9/#comment-66515158 because there are lots of folks who are doing or have done that itinerary.

Yes! A shame to do that to the diet coke.