seaquay

Appears both Fincantieri and Meyers Werft have used the faulty panels.  Let’s hope we get clarity on ships affected and the impact on cruises on these from the shipping lines promptly.

I have recently tried to upgrade our flights via Viking Air.  Having checked the fare on the airlines own website for the exact flights and dates I have been given I was surprised when the amount quoted was more than I could purchase the tickets for myself.
 

Upon talking to Viking Air they also advised that if I wanted an allowance for the economy fare already included in my cruise cost taken off my final balance I would then loose my transfers. 
 

So not an offer of an upgrade at all but in actual fact an opportunity to buy a business class ticket for the same flights I have already paid for an economy booking on with Viking pocketing the additional monies.  

Just back off the Star and can confirm deck 5 has 4 combined washer/driers.  Even though I live in the U.K. and have had a combined washer/drier previously, getting clothes dry in these was impossible.
 

 It’s obviously a recent switch as the instructions in the laundry fixed to the wall indícate separate  machines, a photocopy of the instructions for the new machines is stuck on top of them.  
 

Having read the instructions I still couldn’t get clothes dry and by having combi machines washing/drying  cycles were much longer so restricting the number of machines available at any one time.

My agent received the following reply from Viking when they asked if a yellow fever vaccination was needed for Jamaica after we had visited Panama

Thank you for your email. 

As the guests are over 60, they can obtain an exemption letter for the yellow fever vaccination.

If the guests require the yellow fever vaccination, we will of course notify the guests via your agency closer to the time of departure, however, currently we have not received any notification from our operations team that guests on this sailing require the yellow fever vaccination. 

.

So wait and see

Just found this on the Jamaican high commission in london’s website so hopefully we are classed as staying for less than 12 hours

Yellow Fever Entry Requirement 

The Ministry of Health advises that:

1. Only individuals travelling from countries with risk of Yellow fever transmission, as listed on the current World Health Organization (WHO) International Travel and Health website, are required to provide proof of vaccination for entry into Jamaica.
2. Persons transiting through countries with risk of Yellow fever transmission, as listed on the current World Health Organization (WHO) International Travel and Health website, will not be required to provide proof of vaccination if stay is for 12 hours or less.

Please refer to the updated WHO link for countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and countries requiring yellow fever vaccination at:  http://www.who.int/ith/en/index.html

Has anybody been advised by Viking they need a yellow fever certificate to enter Jamaica if they have visited Panama on their cruise? 
 

Can anybody who has been in this suite tell me if you hear noise from below?

There has been a letter from Barbara Muckermann concerning the Muse Japan cruises posted on another board that readers may find informative

It would be nice to know if this also applies to Far East cruises that follow on from the Japan cruises. 

Has anybody else booked the pre ‘Walls and Warriors’ tour and received any feedback on the viability of this going ahead from either their agent or Silversea?

At the moment China is still closed for tourists, you cannot get a Chinese Visa and there are no direct flights from the U.K. allowed  at the moment ( even though we have been booked on the direct BA flight by SilverAir).

A  friend who does business in China feels the earliest China will reopen is after the Chinese Party Conference in October, which would potentially not allow time to get a visa, . and also make changing the flight to  an alternative route problematic.

Has anybody got first hand knowledge of this cabin. Although we do not need a wheelchair accessible cabin this is what Viking are offering us and it would be interesting to know what adaptations have been made.

On Silversea passengers Facebook page Barbara Muckermann has advised this is a CDC requirement.  Until the CDC changes it’s advise guess this will affect all cruise lines and not only Silversea

Visited Skagen with another cruise line a few years ago and went to Grenen and took the sandormen (tractor pulled trailer) to the point which was fascinating. 
 

At Skagen Art Museum we had an excellent guide who explained all about the Skagen Artists and their lovely works.

All in all a fascinating place where man is constantly battling the wind and sand, and where the sand often wins.

Just received our email from Silversea cancelling Japan for 2022.  Rebooking for 2024 and hopefully, as we originally booked in 2020, will eventually get there. 

Having read some of the above re flights I have just checked our flights from London via Dubai on Emirates.  Although the reservations are there the booking has a note saying it has not been ticketed yet and Emirates also advise that Japan is closed to tourists.

Reported in Japan Times today 17 Feb

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday that Japan will allow new entries of foreign nationals who are entering the nation for reasons other than tourism, such as foreign students and business travelers, starting March as part of an exit strategy of the sixth wave.

Thank you for the link.  Unfortunately point 5. Leads you to a whole list of announcements including this one, which has been in place for some time.  So even if you can get a visa at the moment entry to Japan as a tourist is still not possible 

this is dated Feb 10

Information about entering into Japan

• New entry of foreign nationals
  As emergency precautionary measure from a preventive perspective, new entry of foreign nationals is suspended. This measure will remain in effect at least until the end of February.
   

,

Looks like the Silver Muse is headed back to Long Beach again.

I like many other passengers would really like Silversea to make a decision on the cruises that are scheduled to go to Japan so we can make alternative bookings if needed.

Guess all we can do is look at the location of the ships  and see if they move in this direction.

Hi AstroExeter, I am on the 1st March cruise and plan to bring my DSLR camera with me, what lens would you suggest I pack?

Following the recent increase in omicron cases in Japan it is looking increasingly unlikely that Japan will open up for tourism any time soon.

Hopefully Silversea will make a decision on the 4 round Japan cruises in and the Tokyo to Seaward repositioning soon so the passengers booked on these can make alternative arrangements if needed.

Reuters, Japan Today, New York Times just a few of the publications reporting on this.

I understand that Japan has now extended its entry ban to at least the end of February.

I am flying Bergen to London on Norwegian , booked by Viking, in March and have got very conflicting information about the baggage allowance.   Viking told me I checked bag 20kg, one overhead bag and one underseat bag ( combined weight of both 10kg) per person.  The fare type on the confirmation from Viking would indicate it is one of the lowest you can get and so has restricted allowances. 

As the booking is now ticketed Norwegian have sent me a 2 page confirmation, page 1 shows I have 1 checked bag at 23kg, overhead and underseat bag per person but page 2 shows no overhead bag, very confusing to say the least. 
 

I have booked and paid for an extra checked bag via my agent as with camera gear, winter gear  and something to wear on the boat I am concerned that I would be over the limit and Norwegian charge considerably more at the airport if you turn up with an extra bag.

As an aside I have also paid to select my seat on the flight so should have extra leg room.

Not used to these extra charges as with the other luxury cruise line I regularly sail with this has never been an issue.

As the Muse is still off San Diego and according to the information I can find it is 15 days minimum sailing time, if she hasn't moved by the beginning of March and we still haven't been told anything then dont think I will be rushing to buy any Yen