The Other Tom

Put your phone in airplane mode.  This automatically tuns off wifi but you can (and should) go into your settings and turn it back on.  Then you can use the ships wifi or whatever wifi is available for your email/texts.  Note that most public wifi is not secure so I would be cautious about emailing sensitive information.  

Alternatively, most carriers have an international plan that gives you the same voice/data limits you have at home.  For Verizon, it's $10 per day for every day that you use it. So it you only use it, say, on Monday, then your total bill is $10 even though it's activated for the time you are abroad. 

I don't see that on the link you provided.  Do you have more details?

30 minutes ago, oskidunker said:

Am looking at sfo to London Heathrow. Then Bergen back to sfo. Probably want to go a day early. 
 

1. any chance of getting a direct non stop flight? To lhr.

2. If I go a day early will they still provide transportation to the port?

would book Premium plus, hopefully United. 
 

tried on Oceania on  a different cruise and ended up booking my own as it was cheaper and I got non stop flights and avoided Turkish air.

1.  If you have air+, look at the flights that are acceptable to you (pick two or three and rank them), then ask for your first choice, then the second, etc.  I'd say you have a good chance of getting a non stop, assuming there are several choices.

2.  I think you have to pay extra for a Viking transfer if you go a day early.  Or just take a cab or Uber.

8 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Queen Elizabeth is on one side of all modern bank notes, it is the opposite side of the note that is different. Adam Smith is on the reverse side of the paper 20's, while the newer polymer 20's have JMW Turner.

Thanks!

On 8/7/2022 at 3:10 AM, SempreMare said:

 I definitely have some of these (20£ notes with Adam Smith, Queen Elizabeth, and a fancy hologram.)

Can you tell a difference between the Adam Smith bills and the QE bills with a hologram?  I'm thinking the QE bills with a hologram are the new polymer bills and are not subject to expiration.  

27 minutes ago, keokukjoe said:

Absolutely agree BUT really consider "early ticketing" as your flights, routing  and seating are not guaranteed until you are ticketed. A friend who advised me to get Air + AND early ticketing as on her last V trip, she had Air+ and a deviation (paid for both) but 2 months before the trip, Viking Air changed her flights even though the original flights were still available. She was on the phone for hours to try to get the original itinerary restored and wasn't totally successful. She didn't request early ticketing and paid the consequences. 

Agree you should request early ticketing but note that sometimes the airlines change flights as well.  Most times they will email you, but you should check frequently just to make sure.  

2 hours ago, Haqdeluxe said:

Paris traffic can mess up schedules, shortening your visit time even more.

Agreed.  We plan on a Paris only visit for several days.  

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

You are guaranteed at least the category you booked. A DV4 is a higher category cabin than a DV6. So they got an “upgrade”. 

Yep, I forgot that a lower number is better.  Thanks for reminding me.

13 hours ago, mhb1757 said:

We have had a GTY twice on VO.  DV6 both times. Once they had assigned a cabin 2 or 3 days after we booked and the other time room was assigned at check in. Both times they were DV4’s mid ship. Both were totally fine. I would do a GTY anytime if needed. 

I thought if you booked a GTY then you were guaranteed the level of cabin that you booked, in your case a DV6.  But you were given a DV4? 

12 minutes ago, linda_22003 said:

Can anyone advise on the advantage to "AirChoice"?

It allows you to fly in a few days early and/or stay a few days after the cruise.  You also have more control over your flights in that you can request a specific flight or flights according to your preference for leave/arrival time or layovers. Note they may not have your specific flight requests in their inventory, so it's best to have plan B and C before you call.  I'm not sure about the booking time, though.  And it may be $150 now, I'm not sure.

5 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

I’d like to suggest that we start a thread where those who receive emailed promos from Viking post them

Great idea!  Once I booked our cruise in March of this year (for 2023), the offers stopped.

4 hours ago, vakamalua said:

In one , there is only one (included) excursion listed--presumably if that fills up, everyone else is left to their own devices...

My guess is Viking will add more than the normal tour busses for this one and only excursion since, well, there's only one and they anticipate many if not all will take it.

6 hours ago, Alaskadaughter said:

shocked Viking told them the ship doesn’t have antiviral meds on board

I don't know about the supply chain for covid meds but maybe the industry tries to conserve it for those who really need it?  It's relatively easy to transfer meds between pharmacies on land but not so much on a ship.

Another suggestion is to join the roll call for your cruise and ask what others on your cruise are doing about air.  It may be too early for your specific cruise, but you can keep checking.

Viking Ocean Cruise Roll Calls - Cruise Critic Message Board Forums

6 hours ago, jaykaym said:

I plan to use Viking Air since there are many ways the connections getting to Istanbul could go wrong and I want Viking to be in charge

Viking isn't in charge....the airlines are.  I've read many reports of Viking "not informing" of airline changes.  To be fair, Viking air is understaffed (as are many organizations these days) and they are the "middle man" between you and the airline.  Personally, I'd book my own air.

6 hours ago, jaykaym said:

At this price  I'm considering only using Viking for the US to Istanbul portion and booking on my own for the Athens return to the US.

Normally, a one way ticket is much more expensive than it should be.  You can use the airlines website (or Kayak.com, etc) and book a multi city trip.  It's usually cheaper that way.

Edit:  The airline term for this is "open jaw".  You can google that for more info.

8 hours ago, ericosmith said:

another $150 to get what and when I want (and would that let me depart an airport that's not typically a gateway?)

You can depart from an airport that's typically not a gateway IF Viking has tickets from that airport.  Sometimes there's an extra fee for doing this.

15 minutes ago, IkonIke said:

How often are premium economy, business or first class flights changed at the last minute when using Viking Air? Interested in hearing stories because I get the impression when reading reviews that they upsell the tickets but then allow the seats to be bumped at the last minute to a less expensive seat with no reimbursement options. I hope this is not the norm, so I would love to hear some positive stories. 
 

I've never heard of that happening BUT airlines sometimes change planes, say from an A300 to 777, so that the seat configuration changes.  IF that happens, you most likely would get a seat change but hopefully stay in the same class of seat.  

In the remote chance you get bumped from, say, business to a lower class, then you should receive compensation.

Edit:  Viking has no control over the airline plane/seat changes. So they aren't the ones "upselling" you only to get "bumped" at the last minute.

Since you don't have info from Viking, I will hazard a guess.  

Look at the departure times from Buenos Aires back to the US.  I *think* they usually leave mid to late afternoon, but you should check.  My guess is the charter flight will arrive 2-3 hours before the departure time for flights back to the US.  That will give you enough time to check your bags, go through security, etc.  without giving you too much idle time just sitting around.  Again, just a guess.

Viking has announced no more daily testing on ocean cruises.  I haven't heard specifically about river cruises, but I assume the same would apply.

33 minutes ago, keokukjoe said:

Anyone here have experience with the Trip Mate insurance that Viking offers?

A few people have experience....

Showing results for '"Tripmate"'. - Cruise Critic Community

On 5/12/2022 at 2:03 PM, Janie1229 said:

Hi, we have never taken a Viking trip and are looking at the Viking Rhine Getaway trip. What are everyone's thoughts on purchase the trip insurance offered through Viking or getting trip insurance on your own? Thanks!

You can buy through Viking or on your own, but make sure you get what you want in a policy.  A good place to start is insuremytrip.com.  You can compare policies, prices, etc.

29 minutes ago, biggerbearmom said:

As soon as they show up you can change seats, flights, dates, etc.

I'm pretty sure you have to be ticketed to change seats, etc.

Viator is usually good but note they are a "middleman" and contract with other companies to actually provide the tour.

On 5/21/2022 at 1:31 PM, WestW said:

 

You do not need to contact Viking to make the payment. It can be done directly on the MVJ website.

 

Paying via e-check is done in two steps:

1) Create the linkage to your bank account by going to Payments & Cart / Payment Methods (once done this stays active as a payment option for all future payments in MVJ)

 

2) Make the payment by going to Payments & Cart / Booking Payments, select Make A Payment and selecting the ACH (e-check option).

 

Our experience, after using it multiple times, is that the transfer is executed immediately and takes one day for the transfer to hit your checking account.

 

 

Thanks!  Exactly what I was looking for.

9 hours ago, rrgator said:

as well as a few lowlights. 

Lowlights must've not been too bad...didn't see any in your post?