Peregrina651

Take them to your cabin if you aren't willing to turn them over to the crew for delivery. Just let them know about the breakables. If your cabin is ready for occupancy at that point, you can move in; you do not have to wait for the time stated on your invoice. If it is not ready for occupancy, then may I suggest the pool grill for lunch (Deck 7) or the Living Room Bar (Deck 1) for continental breakfast. You can leave your still-packed bags in the room; the stewards will work around them.

Okay, I'm seasoned. Here's what I think -- and it is supposition based on two things. 1. Once upon a time, in the good old days, before the pandemic, all of the seats in the specialty restaurants were available for pre-departure booking. Since the re-start in 2021, for whatever reasons, only a small percentage have been made available -- and we have seen the raft of complaints and angst that scheme generated. 2. Last week folks were complaining about not being able to get into MVJ; there is a whole thread about it. Seems to me that anytime techies are in there working, changing things, adding things, deleting things, we have troubles getting in. Therefore, I'm wondering if the techies were in there last week restoring the old "all seats are available for booking" scheme. It would account for the sudden availability of so many time slots. (Cancellations could only account for a few openings). But as I said this is only a guess and we won't know for sure until we hear reports from those who are actually using MVJ to make reservations.

Viking has never posted shorex prices on the website and they don't appear on MyVikingJourney until 120 days or so prior to sailing. It is a long shot but call Viking and ask if they can send you the information. It may take a couple of tries to get the information (not all of the phone agents know all of the tricks). You have named the cruises you are interest in and perhaps someone will see your post and share what information. BUT I say this reservations because "Bay of Bengal" is a new itinerary and I don't know it has sailed yet or if anyone has seen prices and the other two have are underway now for the first time since the resumption of operations (and pre-pandemic prices may be too inaccurate as shorex prices have definitely risen). You might try looking on the roll calls. I have a list for Hong Kong to Vancouver but no information for Bay of Bengal. 2023 FAR EASTERN HORIZONS Hong Kong to Tokyo DATES: April 13 – April 29, 2023 Viking Orion - Far East & Alaska - April 15-May 20, 2023 Grand Pacific Explorer - Vancouver to Auckland - September 17, 2023 Viking Orion October 10, 2023 Far East Horizons (14 day) & SE Asia Horizons (28 day) 2024 Far East and Alaska April 2024 Viking Orion, February-May 2024, Grand Pacific Explorer Viking Orion-Far Eastern Horizons-October 2024-Tokyo to Hong Kong

There are umbrellas in all of the cabin closets and there is a rack of umbrellas as you leave the ship. Even if I take the umbrella from the cabin, I return it to the racks as we return. Who needs to deal with wet umbrellas in the cabin? If I need an umbrella the next day, I know I can grab one as I leave for the day.

At least two hours including a bathroom stop coming and going. TIP: Estimate travel times for tours with Google maps.

That is a great back-up plan! For those who do have two log-ins, be aware that two people cannot be logged into your booking at the same time. (And that includes that you and your travel agent cannot be logged in the same time).

BTW, ask a pharmacist if you can use meclizine and Dramamine at the same time; bad interaction between the two drugs and all that. My, my, my how quickly this thread had drifted.....

LOL, and I thought you meant willing to cope with your seasickness.

Google maps can show you how far it is from the port to the lighthouse and give you a rough idea of how long it will take.

Try refreshing the page. I just got in but I had to press refresh a couple of times. Took about a minute. I've used this technique a couple of time recently.

So, I have to tell you, for laughs of course. Doris turned up on my online book group's feed this week. The puns are lost and the focus is on the Vikings themselves -- one of who looks like Terry Pratchett and another who looks like John Rhys-Davies in some movie. My immediate reaction was how quickly it made it to our little backwater.

Have fun. I'm following your Live-ish thread.

I'm on the same sailing as SantaFe1. I might not wait until I get home. Depending on my mood a year from now, I might start a "Live" thread and report as I go along.

Ditto! But then again, it's @Clay Clayton and he shares. Maybe if we are lucky he will do a "live" thread (hint, hint😉).

All tours listed on the website are not necessarily offered on all sailings. There is a caveat on the website to that effect. I wanted to copy it here but I'm working on a tablet and have no idea how to do it.

Yes, once onboard, all prices are in USD.

Even though it cost more than public transportation, we used the HOHO for our day in Edinburgh. We got off near to our first stop of the day (the Scottish National Gallery; best fish & chips ever in the Gallery restaurant). We wandered around town until we exhausted ourselves and then grabbed the HOHO for a scenic ride back to Newhaven. The bus stop was right at Newhaven: keep the water to your right as you walk along the edge of the harbor, at the street turn right and walk along the water until you get to the bus stop. (Remember, North Americans, the bus will be coming from the right.) We wanted to see Holyrood Palace but it was closed for the Holyrood celebrations at the end of June. (Currently closed: Saturday, 6 May 2023 - Palace closed; 18 - 27 May 2023 - Palace closed; and 29 June – 7 July 2023 - Palace closed). We will try again 2024.

We did Edinburgh in 2016 (with Midnight Sun). We did not take the included tour but did wander on our own inside the Castle, which is a series of building enclosed by a wall. If you don't go inside the gates of the Castle, there isn't much to see. If the walking tour doesn't take you into the Castle it may take you as far as the front gate and talk about the Castle. As we walked up to the Castle from the Scottish National Gallery Inside the grounds

We aren't bashing extra tips for those who have gone above and beyond. We are bashing the custom of walking up to the bar and throwing down $$$ before ever being served the first drink hoping that it will buy better service from the bartender with the unspoken message of "there is more where that came from if you treat me right."

NOTES for the NEWBIES: Shipboard currency on all Oceans is USD. Currency on rivers differs depending on the destination (euro in Europe, Egyptian pound in Egypt, etc.) so check the FAQ for your cruise. The tip pool covers tips for the hotel staff -- the ones you see from day to day and the ones who work behind the scenes (prep chefs, dishwashers, laundry, etc.). You may pay this in advance on MVJ (or as part of cruise fare for guests in AUS, NZ and UK) or it will be added to your shipboard bill at the end of the cruise. Bar prices include a 15% gratuity. Drinks package includes gratuities. Spa prices (for services) including the salon include a 15% gratuity. (Use of the spa facilities is included in your cruise fare). • There maybe a line for tips on the bill but it is there for the convenience of those who wish to tip in addition to the 15%. The downside is that it gives impression that something is expected; it is not. (File it under "damned if they do, damned if they don't). It is not necessary to slip the bartenders a tip at the start of the cruise to insure prompt service. If you are a regular, they will get to know you quickly enough. If you are not regular, you will be treated as if you were. Shorex do not include tips. Viking will say something about the recommended amount for guides and drivers in the e-doc that are sent out 14 days prior to departure. Pre- and post-cruise extensions are not included in the shipboard tip pool and tips are not included in the price of the package. Sounds like a staffing problem -- and tipping more won't fix that, even in the short run of a cruise.

Perhaps it has something to do with control of water usage.

LOL, Not really. I have a couple of items that are double tagged.

And here, all this time, I have been avoiding this project because I didn't want to haul out the iron and the ironing board. Time to get it over with! Thank you, Jim.

Or an iron with a towel between the tag and the iron so as not to damage the sweater. Wool can take a higher iron temp than then acrylic. If there is rayon in the blend it may need an even lower temp.

Wow. I can even see the little blighters in your photo!! We were there in early July and never needed anything (even though we did come prepared). I wonder if it is an early summer vs late summer thing? Nor did we need any of our rain gear, which my brother had told me was an absolute must. He still isn't talking to me; it was sideways rain the whole time he was there following their Midnight Sun adventure. Take the rain gear, take the bug repellent!!!! It's the only win-win!