Carolfay

I'm currently reading (and frequently laughing out loud at) "The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz" by Mordecai Richler.  Duddy is third-generation immigrant in Montreal, and there's ample local color.  There's a very popular series of Inspector Gamache mysteries by Louise Penny that are set in the area around Montreal.  "The Seats of the Mighty" by Gilbert Parker is a bit of a slog, but I learned a fair bit about the Seven Years' War.  (Getting prepared, as I'm leaving on a cruise from Montreal in a couple weeks . . .)

No orgeat?  If not, I may have to clutch my pearls . . .

Hands only for face washing - but I first use a wipe for my eye makeup

My sarcastic humor obviously missed its mark.  In fact, I do take this seriously, and I trust that Viking will enforce hygiene rules.

https://www.cruiselawnews.com/2023/06/articles/disease/gastrointestinal-illness-outbreak-on-viking-neptune-cruise-ship-sickens-over-12-of-guests/

Wondering if I should pack extra Pepto-Bismol and Immodium when I embark next month . . .

I'll be traveling solo on Viking Neptune at the end of July.  I also hope Viking offers some get-togethers for solo travelers, as well as options for shared dining tables.  In my previous cruises (Seabourn, Silversea, Oceania), I've always found it easy to meet people and have as much company (or as little) as I desire.

36 minutes ago, Meander Ingwa said:

Washington and Oregon have HUGE and excellent wine industry.  NO excuses

Hear, hear!

I sailed Regatta last summer to Alaska.  As I live near Portland, OR, I took Amtrak to Seattle and boarded there.  Very easy.  Outstanding cruise, too.

Looks like you missed my point.  Yes, there are porters aplenty, but I have yet to encounter one who knew what I was talking about when I said, "Where is the Luggage Forward representative?"  Most of the personnel at the cruise terminals apparently have never heard of this company.  My experience (and this, of course, is not everybody's) is that locating a Luggage Forward individual is a very hit-and-miss operation at the end of a cruise.  In Seattle last summer, I waited for more than an hour - with four other frustrated individuals in the same situation - until a man in an unmarked van showed up and identified himself as the Luggage Forward guy.  Just sayin' that it looks like their service is spotty.

Not trying to open up a can of worms here.  Just advising that this outfit is offering a service that they don't always entirely fulfill.  Use them if you choose - but advisedly.

And i haven't even started on my most recent experience - where my bag wasn't returned to me after my cruise for nearly a month.  Very poor customer communication and service, in my opinion.

Porter?  What porter?  Didn't happen in my experience.  Did I not hand over enough money?

I've used Luggage Forward five times on cruises.  Every time, when I have left the ship at the end of the cruise, no one in the cruise terminal has been able to direct me to the Luggage Forward representative or pickup point.  Most of the time, I've received blank looks when I ask where to take my bag.  In Venice and again in Seattle, I've had to wait more than an hour until a representative has arrived.  I'll likely continue to use their service, as I have few other options as a solo traveler, but be aware that there have invariably been hiccups when I've booked with them.

Thanks, all, for the excellent information.  I knew I could count on the Cruise Critic gang for enlightenment!

I'll be sure to put my name down if a tour is offered while I'm on board.

My idle curiosity has the better of me.  Any insights into why the Bayeux Tapestry (well, embroidery, really) has such a place in the heart of Viking Ocean?

The reproductions certainly have an important place in the ship decor.  Is it because the Normans (as in Norman Conquest) were "Norse Men" - and that's the Scandinavian tie-in?

I think the original tapestry is truly a wonder of the world, and I feel fortunate to have seen the real thing a few years ago.  Anyway, I'm looking forward to having the reproductions close at hand during my upcoming Viking cruise.

Whew.  I'd have been limp with disappointment.

I've done three very enjoyable Seabourn cruises (and two with Silversea and a couple Windstar and an Oceania) - and I'm booked for my first Viking Ocean cruise near the end of July.  The primary attractions were the itinerary (Montreal to NYC) and the chance to cruise on a nearly new ship (the Neptune).  I'm looking forward to comparing, but I don't imagine I'll find too much to criticize.  The number of passengers (about 900) is a bit of a stretch for my taste.  As one of my grandfathers was Sweden-born, I'm just fine with Scandinavian decor and edibles.  After my Viking experience, I'll be glad to field any queries from Cruise Critic folks.

They'll be able to make me a vesper, won't they?

Sounds familiar.  As near as I could figure, my bag sat in the baggage room at my hotel in Costa Rica for nearly a month.  In response to my repeated inquiries, I was told "we know where your bag is, and we're working with our agent."  They clearly had no idea.  Yes, it's convenient- when it works.  Take your best shot, and let the buyer beware.

I'll probably use Luggage Forward for my cruise in July, especially since there appears to be a 20 percent discount for Viking - but I had a negative experience with them when I concluded my Silversea cruise last October.  My bag apparently sat somewhere in Costa Rica for nearly a month (my cruise ended there), and the Luggage Forward folks were very poor at communicating with me during that time.  I had to nudge them repeatedly for information about my bag's whereabouts.  I'm pretty sure they had no idea what had happened.  The bag eventually founds its way to my home, contents intact, but I was very dissatisfied with their customer service.  The convenience of their service is very alluring, but their performance is not without hiccups.

Update: I eventually received my bag, all contents intact - but nearly a month after the Luggage Forward "guarantee" of return receipt.  Very poor communication from the company during this period.  I won't be using their service again.

Do be careful about using Luggage Forward.  I got off Silversea Silver Wind a month ago, handed over my big suitcase - and haven't seen it since.  So far, I'm getting a total runaround in my communications with them.  (Don't know about Luggage Direct; haven't used them.)

I got off Silver Wind just a short time before you boarded, highplanes, and had a lot of fun on the San Diego to Puntarenas itinerary.  I second your comments about the Hacienda Belen in San Jose - lovely property, very accommodating.

Chef Pia did an excellent job for us, and her cooking demo was very entertaining.  We had excellent service from the staff, all smiles and courtesy.  The air conditioning seemed to be struggling to keep up with the heat, and I think they did try to address the situation.  I caught only an occasional whiff of the much-mentioned sewage odor; perhaps I was just lucky enough to be at the less-affected end of the ship.

We had one passenger who was seldom seen without a cigar, but he was pretty easy to avoid.  The inside smokers' lounge does seem to allow quite a bit of odor to escape.

The Wind is just the right size for me, and I will continue to consider Silversea for future cruises.  I look forward to seeing more of highplanes' photos.  Enjoy the trip!

I'm just back from a Silversea cruise that included Acapulco as one of its stops. Honestly, my only concerns were the heat and the humidity.  I did a ship excursion that consisted of a hike on La Roqueta (spectacular view at the top), a bus tour that included the divers' cliffs, and a lunch at the historic Flamingo Hotel, with its Old Hollywood associations.  I felt no more nervous than I would in any other tourist town.  That said, I wouldn't advise walking around alone or venturing into areas out of the tourist districts.  Nasty things can happen anywhere - and they frequently do now in my own town, Portland, OR.

Sally Hansen products wear very well for me.  I paint only my toenails and like their very vibrant shades.