rayandjean

I think it's great! Just relax and enjoy some light-hearted moments of fun and festive times.

I could listen to ABBA daily. That’s why I have their cd and play it. 

We did the visit in May 2022 and it was very enjoyable, so picturesque and such a welcoming family with delicious treats and great entertainment. The animals were such a delight, also. You will have such fond memories whenever you think of Bergen. 
 

Valerie

13 hours ago, Squawkman said:

I would bet the included 2 hour Acadia tour will still run with busing from Eastport.

That would be fantastic if we could still get to Acadia from Eastport. 

I am very disappointed that we aren’t going to be stopping in Bar Harbor, having never been in Maine (had seen the state while in Canada, looking across the water). We so wanted to tour Acadia National Park and wonder when Bar Harbor closed to cruise ships. We love Eastern Canada and the lobster and mussels were delicious and plentiful when we were there. 
 

Valerie 

We also loved the booklets; it was concise and non-bulky.  And the case was lovely!  I always wish some of the nice touches of so many things could return.  Just a thought...

Thanks for posting.  We are on one of those cruises and check frequently but missed when it finally showed up as very busy getting our Malta and the Adriatic squared away.  And some of the shore excursions are already sold out.  So it was helpful for us even if posted in the wrong area of Cruise Critic.  

I will keep my fingers crossed that Kotor will still be on the itinerary for the Oct 2/2021 cruise.  

Not yet. 

Just saw last evening that our final payment for Devine Down Under on 11/13/21 has been pushed out to Sept 14th.  Didn’t get notification from Oceania but found it when I was routinely checking my booking. 
 

Valerie

I would appreciate updates on upcoming cruises, especially during these difficult times.  

We have done Keukenhoff twice-in 2009 and 2019; we were there each time right about April 15th which is hailed as the best time.  However, we did learn that the flowers are all triple-planted so whenever you can get there during the short season it will be a delightful experience and you will enjoy viewing your photos over and over again.  To be in Amsterdam in the Spring is to include a visit to this fabulous place!

Valerie

Thanks for the great work you have done but unfortunately it’s mostly over my head.  Have been pretty much lost with computer anything since I bought a Mac about 3 years ago.  I don’t see our British Isle Explorer cruise on April 5, 2021 for the Venus or on any other ship.  Is that cruise on the spreadsheet?

Wish I were more savvy with this stuff.  Thanks. 
 

Valerie

I was just looking at an article on Cruise Critic which listed ships that will debut in 2020 and beyond.  Then there was a separate listing for luxury cruise ships and the first listed was Viking Venus and it showed the date of March 2021 for its launch.  First time I’ve seen that date listed.  Many questions about the validity of that info.  We are scheduled to sail on April 5, 2021. Has anybody else seen anything.  I thought the previous inaugural sailing was scheduled for Jan 19, 2021. I’m not at all surprised but just looking for additional verification.  I hesitate to contact Viking as I know how fluid this situation is. 

Just read your post; we had a similar cruising history to yours.  (Elite on Celebrity and Diamond on RCCL) plus Carnival, Norwegian, tours and cruises with Tauck and Vantage.  But then we were  captivated by our 1st Viking ocean cruise.  It was “Into The Midnight Sun”-same itinerary as “Northern Lights” but different season.  It was a WOW experience and we were hooked!  We next did “Scandinavia through the Kiel Canal” and are booked on “British Isles Explorer in April 2021.  
 

We have booked a deluxe veranda each time and love it; even love that they have a self serve laundry on each deck so I can keep up and not come home with suitcases full of dirty clothes at the end of the trip.  
 

Every detail on the ship has been thoughtfully done and delivers such warm vibes.  The dining choices are superb with specialty restaurants included rather than an extra and the food selections so memorable.  I could go on and on about the special meals we enjoyed.  
 

There are music venues around the ship, impressive art displays and the noise and commotion of art auctions, casinos and running kids are never there.  I have attended many presentations by speakers that present amazing presentations (which my husband has little interest in so he can spend uninterrupted time reading). 
 

I do miss trivia and maybe at some point that will be added.  We always take the included shore excursions in each port and the supplement with a few optional ones.  
 

Beer and wine is included at lunch and dinner so we haven’t added a Silver Spirits package but it is available.  There’s no loyalty exclusion spots and the Explorer Lounge is open to all always. The higher level cabins do get first opportunity to make dining and shore excursion reservations but I never had any problem getting reservations for our choices.  

We always pick first for itinerary, then value and make choices based on past experiences.  Sometimes we still pick a different company if we want a land tour or some particular destination.  And we always try to not have too much duplication.  But we always look at Viking’s site first. 
 

Our last trip was Jan 2020, had a May trip cancelled, and no place to go this fall.  Hoping next April’s trip is a go and then we have two more booked with Viking in 2022. The challenge is to stay healthy so we can make a few more bucket list stops. 
 

One more thing you asked was about cancellation policies.  If Viking cancels you will get all money back or the option of choosing a fcc of an additional amount.  If you’re thinking of booking, I wouldn’t wait too long because Viking just cancelled all cruises thru Dec 31, 2020 and most cruisers will be moving their deposits to other destinations and dates.  
 

Take a Viking cruise and see what ‘s your impression.  I really think a wonderful adventure awaits. 

Valerie and Don

To Cruise Critic:  I am requesting a roll call be opened for Viking Ocean-Venus-for the above date.  I have been unable to get this accomplished despite numerous attempts.  Thank you.

We also ended up making the World Cafe our restaurant of choice. Manfredi's and Chef's Table were great and we thoroughly enjoyed our dinners there. The Restaurant was also very nice for those that prefer a longer meal with people a bit more dressed-up. But it's hard-to-beat the leisurely pace of the Cafe with great crab legs, sushi and entrees cooked to your preference. No big ship frenzy to grab food before it runs out. With the views in the fjords plus lots of other people doing the same, what more could one ask for? Into The Midnight Sun was fabulous!

Valerie

How about Sanity or Serenity-certainly what our world needs more of...

We did the city stay in Rome prior to our med cruise in Oct 2016. It was well done and would recommend it and would personally do one again. Nice meals, got to do the Rome highlights and great tour guide. I felt this helped us to optimize our time there and everything was included.

Valerie

Just saw on the AARP website that there are some great air deals to europe for the Fall (like round-trip to London for $500 on Virgin Atlantic). None of this helps us as we did Viking air but thought maybe someone else might benefit if they haven't yet booked their air. Seems like there are also many more cabins available on the ocean cruises so maybe there will be cruise price drops for those still looking. We're all booked and paid in full; I wish now we hadn't been quite so hasty. Good deals come to those who wait (sometimes).

Valerie

Thom,

 

Have you written a review of your Vantage Duoro cruise? We are looking forward to our cruise in October and would love to hear the details! Did you do the pre-trip to Madeira? Pat

 

White port? I've enjoyed many reds... will be interested in the whites!!

We did the Madeira pre-cruise with Vantage and Manuela in 2013. It was a superb extension and she was a gracious and memorable program manager. Europeans frequently vacation on the island of Madeira and to enjoy its beauty was definitely a highlight of our trip. Since Vantage has revamped how they utilize program managers, I'm not sure if it stacks up the same but it was definitely one of our favorite cruises.

Valerie

Valerie, did you get to sample a lot of port?

 

FuelScience

Yes, we sampled great port!

It has been a while since we were on a river cruise with Vantage. I know we get free wine with dinner.

 

What do after dinner drinks cost? We are on Douro River cruise.

We did the Douro cruise in October of 2013 and the wine seemed to flow all day, every day. I would re-name it "Wine Cruise on the Douro". Portugal was so enjoyable and we had a great time traveling with Vantage friends.

Valerie

Spend the day in Bologna with Alessandro and the Italian Food Experience. Check them out on trip advisor. It was so wonderful there are not words to adequately express what an amazing day we had!

I am so disappointed in Viking's decision on this topic.