Peregrina651

Cannot agree with you on that one -- and I am only talking about the package description, not the per diem price of the package. This Silver Spirits beverage package includes premium wines by the glass, house champagne by the glass, cocktails, aperitifs, and any drink up to £18, throughout the day and anywhere on the ship; The Chef’s Table premium wine pairing; 30% discount on premium beverages above £40 GBP, and 50% discount for premium tasting events Since the drinks package is administered in USD and since those numbers will not change with the fluctuation of the exchange rate, for clarity shouldn't it be stated in USD on the order form? If I am given a description of the how the package works in sterling (or whatever currency), I am going to calculate the dollar equivalents before I go and, for stereling, I am going to come up a maximum drink price covered by the package as something in the area of 21USD, not the 18USD that it actually is -- and I would be annoyed because little things like this bother me. It is easy enough to be given the correct information in the first place, so why not just do it??

Many thanks, @Canberra601 and @Strangford Do you have the URL for where you found these documents? That way folks can always find their way to the most recent edition of the document. Viking may update the document but they don't change the URL -- and they certainly do make it hard to find things on the website. TIA! IMHO, the pitfalls of "dynamic pricing"!? But, all kidding aside, I think that since pricing on board the ship is in USD, that the program description should be stated on the form in USD -- because that is what pax are going to see on the bar menu. The person who got the best exchange rate on the day they bought the package! Viking sets the price and then doesn't worry about the day to day fluctuations of the currency market.

Good point! Can you post a link to the UK version of the same document? And can someone in the AUS/NZ market do the same? That way can serve all readers no matter where they are.

Rivers and Oceans have different policies. The onboard currency for all Viking Oceans ships is US dollars. The onboard currency on Viking Rivers varies depending on the itinerary. In the EU it is euro. In Egypt it is Egyptian pounds, etc. Gratuities are included in the fare in AUS, UK & NZ; you don't have to worry about any of this. US & CA, listen up. 1. Gratuity is calculated on nights not days. 15 days/14 nights. 2. The current rate on VO is $17US per person per night. Times 14 nights per person is $238US ($276 for two people). The tip pool covers the entire hotel staff, not just waiters and stewards. 3. We can pre-pay before leaving home or we can let Viking add the amount to our onboard account automatically. Those who wish to opt out of the scheme or to adjust the amount must do so at Guest Services once they board. Why an opt out system? Because in practice fewer guests opt out. The only folks who have to do some heavy duty math are the Canadians, who, with the fluctuating exchange rates between USD and CAD may save some money by pre-paying in Canadian$$ vs paying in USD once on board -- and neighbors to the north, you are on your own for this one cuz it is beyond my mathematical skill set.

In other words, you don't have to have the drinks package to have access to the premium wines. You can pay for them by the glass. BTW, here's a link to the drinks package description and what is actually covered by the package. https://cms-assets.viking.com/mar_content/global-brand-identity/Onboard_GuestFacing/US_CORP_SilverSpirits-AllProduct-2023.pdf Bookmark this link for future reference. Even if the package changes, the link will remain the same.

I gave you ammunition. It is up to you to decide how to use it --responsibly, of course. 🥴

I don’t remember what we paid two years ago but there are a couple of websites that approximate cab fares. Just Google it.

Bolded thread is in the Ports of Call forum, which get a lot of traffic and making it a very good sources of answers.

Yes, the included excursion is designed as a quick overview and to give folks time to explore on their own. SHOREX: Contact Viking (chat or phone call) and ask if they can send you the most current price list for the West Indies Indies Explorer shore excursions. It might take a few tries because not all of the agents know how to do it. HangUpCallAgain (HUCA) till you find an agent who knows what to do. If you are working with a travel agent, ask them to get it for you. These prices will be close enough to final prices that you should be able to figure your budget. Also, keep in mind that you don't have to use Viking shorex. CC has a section called Ports of Call and there is TripAdvisor, two places where you can find the names of independent tour providers. Services range from coach tour to mini-bus tours to private car with driver. DRINKS PACKAGE: In all of the years following the conversation, I've come to the conclusion that folks buy the package for one of two reasons. One, because it saves them money. The other because they like the convenience 1) of not having to keep track of the bar tab and 2) of being able to try new drinks and not feel obligated to finish a drink they really don't like. If you fall into the first category, then keep in mind what is already complimentary: • wine, beer, soft drinks with lunch and dinner (and juices at breakfast) • all coffees (except if it contains alcohol), teas and hot chocolate available 24/7 • liberal BYOB policy: • • anything in any quantity as long as it is legal, • • maybe consumed anywhere on the ship, • • no corkage fee for wine, • • appropriate drinking glasses/ice on request (mixers are a bar charge or take it from your mini-bar) To do the math, someone else is going to have to supply bar prices because I don't know what the current prices are.

I am following all of the roll calls for the itinerary, scrounging for whatever I can learn. Maybe our paths will cross in 2025.

IMHO, bad idea. I know how the DW feels; once I am in the neighborhood, I just want to get on board. But, you don't want to be there at 10am unless you have to be. For multiple reasons... • Even 10am is not a guaranteed start time for check-in. A lot depends on clearing the disembarking pax and getting the booths manned and set up for check-in. Why walk into the possibility of having to wait around before being able to even start checking in? • Why do you want to deal with the crowd that has been gathering at the terminal (some perhaps since early morning) waiting to board? Give Viking a chance to clear these hungry, cranky, sleep-deprived pax and get them on board. • There is nothing dreamier than managing to arrive at check-in with no one in line in front of you -- and it is a long-shot at 10 am. Eleven a.m. is much more reasonable/civilized if you are control of the timing -- especially if you manage to time it between buses arriving from the airport. BONUS ANSWER: My guess is that even if you clear immigration in San Diego, you will probably have to deal with it again in LA so that customs can have at the baggage you are carrying off the ship.

Viking will start boarding pax no earlier than 10am, no matter what it says on the invoice. They have to clear the ship of departing pax first. Once boarding begins, there is no hanging around waiting for your cabin category to be called; it is first come, first served to check in and board. Also, at 10am, they arestill setting up to handle arrivals. In general, Viking does not like to keep pax sitting in the terminal. The aim is to get guests checked in and on board as quickly as possible. There will be a gang of pax with early morning arrivals waiting to board at 10am. Therefore, don't plan on arriving at the pier before 11am-ish to give the crowd ahead of you to clear. Sitting in your hotel lobby or room is a whole lot better than hanging around a cruise terminal. We cruised through LA at the end of 2021. Our embarkation and disembarkation were in two different locations. We embarked at Outer Harbor #46 (Miner St, San Pedro CA if you are looking for it on a map). Tents were set up in the parking lot for check in. We arrived on our own sometime between 10 and 11 (a bit earlier than planned but traffic from LA was lighter than expected). Check in was slow because of Covid protocols and even then we spent very little time just hanging around waiting to board. Viking does not keep folks sitting in the terminal unless it is absolutely necessary and check in and boarding is first-come-first-served regardless of cabin category. On return, our disembarkation was into one of the cruise terminals, which meant that the next round of guests would be embarking not from a tent but from a cruise terminal -- with full facilities. I can't give details about the facilities because we never saw the arrivals area. Bottom-line: yes, you are excited and want to board your ship but hanging around a cruise terminal is as boring as hanging around an airport. Take advantage of your lovely hotel room and hang around there. Enjoy some real American TV😁. Or take a walk or find the nearest supermarket or liquor store to buy what you could not carry on the airplane. A 10:30am cab should be good timing -- not too much waiting at the hotel and not too much waiting in lines for check in and boarding.

It is one of the bits of data included in the e-docs that are sent to guests about 2 weeks prior to sailing. If you work with a TA, the e-docs may go to your TA to be forwarded to you. Check your Viking invoice; it will show you where your documents are being sent and you can ask your TA to have the edocs sent directly to you.

@expattraveler, three things 1. Thank you. Great, helpful post! I have already shared it on our roll call. 2. We need a thread here in VO dedicated to Japan even if Viking gets there only a couple of times a year. 3. Please join our roll call as "resident expert" on Japan. Right now it is an easy job, because the roll call is very quiet. You can "Follow" the roll call and choose to be notified by "Digest". That way, you don't have to navigate to the roll call unless you want to post something.

Happy to have you aboard and glad to have been helpful. So, what else can we help you with in the run up to your first Viking adventure? We have a fine line of answers in drinks package, shorex hacks, dress code quandries, gratuities, specialty dining, who to ask, when to expect and where to find. We also moonlight in practically unanswerable questions (when will Viking...?) and highly subjective topics (food, service, tour content, etc). Looking forward to sharing our expertise. All you have to do is ask.

Plenty of them. The dining rooms are designed so that tables can be moved to accommodate whatever configurations are needed. Check out https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/content/oceans-360/start.html -- Viking's 360° panoramas view of the interior spaces.

A third vote for Russell Lee.

1. FFCs are a dollar amount based on the actual dollars paid in. It is not a promise that you will be able to take the same cruise for the same price at a later date (a popular misconception). If you paid using vouchers you may lose those vouchers unless they were insured. 2. The only way to get a full refund from Viking is if Viking cancels the cruise. If the passenger cancels the cruise, even if it is 10 minutes before Viking makes its announce, then cancellation penalties are as stated on your Viking Invoice and then you have to put in an insurance claim to attempt to recover the rest. Read your insurance policy to see if you are covered; acts of war are generally not covered. 3. Heads up. When Viking does cancel a cruise, they will send an email to all passengers who have an active booking at the time the announcement is made. Read the whole email carefully. It may include a voucher and tell you that you have 10 days in which to request a cash refund. 4. IMO, don't get involved with vouchers regardless of what they offer. Take cash. Whatever bonus Viking offers to entice you to let them keep your money is not worth the potential future hassles and pitfalls. If you do take vouchers, make sure that they are covered by the insurance you buy when you use them to book you next cruise.

It is really not very clear what you are asking.

No rose-colored glasses. The blunt answer is, "No!" All of the places you are headed are so old that they offer a very mixed bag of challenges citywide -- cobblestones, poorly maintained sidewalks with no wheelchair cuts at the curbs, high curbs, uneven walkways, no elevators in some places, no ramps in places you would really like to have one, steep stairways, etc.etc. etc. -- and you never know what you are going to encounter until you get there. And we haven't even talked about the ship and the docks and getting on and off the buses -- more challenges. Your best travel plan is to plan for the worst. There is a lot of discussion spread all over the Viking Oceans forum about various kinds of walkers and rollators that fellow travelers are using -- and of course, more folks will chiming in with more suggestions. Finally, here is what Viking has to say. It is buried in their FAQ. Don't let it throw you off. The onboard staff and crew, as well as the tour guides and bus drivers are general as accommodating as possible: FROM THE FAQs: What are your wheelchair accommodations? Do the ships have elevators? Guests who have a disability, physical or otherwise, must travel with an able-bodied companion who can assist them as the staff is not permitted to lift guests or push wheelchairs. Guests need to provide their own wheelchairs, except in an emergency. Wheelchairs must not exceed 22" in width. For details regarding bringing a wheelchair on board, guests must complete the Accessibility Form and return to Viking no later than 30 days prior to departure. Motorized scooters are not typically suitable for international cruises and cannot be accommodated. While our ocean vessels have elevators, there may still be thresholds that could make movement difficult.Contact a Viking Expert at 1-855-884-5464 (1-855-8-VIKING) directly with additional questions and to obtain a copy of our Accessibility Form and policy statement.

I standby what I said: I am not advocating one way or another. I am simply pointing out that if you plan to travel with a motorized scooter, it should be cleared with Viking as per the FAQ. I would go on to say that 30 days in advance is cutting it too close; it should be done before cancellation penalties kick in (date given on your Viking invoice). Viking can change its policies and their enforcement at any time and without notice. Also, traveling on airplanes with a motorized scooter may have issues (the batteries are a fire hazard) and this should also be clarified before cancellation penalties kick in. Policies are not uniform from airport to airport nor from airline to airline. Get it all figured out before it is too expensive to cancel your trip.

That is hard to answer. What I think is inexpensive may be judged to be very dear by others -- or vice versa. It is not required that you use only the Viking provided shore excursions to tour the ports, although there are people who stick with the ship's offerings for the convenience. In most ports, there are plenty of independent options ranging from hiring a car and tour guide for 2 to small group tours on minibuses to coach tours similar to what the ship is offering. Many ports are easy enough to grab a map and explore on your own, either walking or using cabs to get from place to place.

What kind of mobility scooters did you see? According to the FAQ, motorized scooters are not allowed on board. If you plan on bringing one without asking Viking, you run the risk that you will be denied boarding (an expensive mistake). Just because people have seen them on previous sailings doesn't mean that they will necessarily be permitted in the future. Note that the FAQ specifically mentions motorized scooters but makes no mention of other wheeled mobility devices other than wheel chairs. Another thing to note if you are bringing a wheeled device is that access to Deck3 cabins that are aft of The Atrium can only be accessed via a ramp. Not so bad going up but going down could be a challenge. Deck 3 forward of the Atrium, the ramp can be avoided. FROM THE FAQs: What are your wheelchair accommodations? Do the ships have elevators? Guests who have a disability, physical or otherwise, must travel with an able-bodied companion who can assist them as the staff is not permitted to lift guests or push wheelchairs. Guests need to provide their own wheelchairs, except in an emergency. Wheelchairs must not exceed 22" in width. For details regarding bringing a wheelchair on board, guests must complete the Accessibility Form and return to Viking no later than 30 days prior to departure. Motorized scooters are not typically suitable for international cruises and cannot be accommodated. While our ocean vessels have elevators, there may still be thresholds that could make movement difficult.Contact a Viking Expert at 1-855-884-5464 (1-855-8-VIKING) directly with additional questions and to obtain a copy of our Accessibility Form and policy statement. Guests who have a disability, physical or otherwise, must travel with an able-bodied companion who can assist them as the staff is not permitted to lift guests or push wheelchairs. Guests need to provide their own wheelchairs, except in an emergency. Wheelchairs must not exceed 22" in width. For details regarding bringing a wheelchair on board, guests must complete the Accessibility Form and return to Viking no later than 30 days prior to departure. Motorized scooters are not typically suitable for international cruises and cannot be accommodated. While our ocean vessels have elevators, there may still be thresholds that could make movement difficult.Contact a Viking Expert at 1-855-884-5464 (1-855-8-VIKING) directly with additional questions and to obtain a copy of our Accessibility Form and policy statement. Guests who have a disability, physical or otherwise, must travel with an able-bodied companion who can assist them as the staff is not permitted to lift guests or push wheelchairs. Guests need to provide their own wheelchairs, except in an emergency. Wheelchairs must not exceed 22" in width. For details regarding bringing a wheelchair on board, guests must complete the Accessibility Form and return to Viking no later than 30 days prior to departure. Motorized scooters are not typically suitable for international cruises and cannot be accommodated. While our ocean vessels have elevators, there may still be thresholds that could make movement difficult.Contact a Viking Expert at 1-855-884-5464 (1-855-8-VIKING) directly with additional questions and to obtain a copy of our Accessibility Form and policy statement.

Viking offers one included shore excursion in each port. The rest of the offering are paid by you. Prices and range of prices vary by length and destination Included excursions are usually short introductory tours either walking or panoramic bus tours.

Remember that whatever it says on the harbor website is subject to change between now and the time the ship actually docks.