tallfir

Viking Air Plus booked our return flight from Santiago, Chile on 1/26/2024 to make a change of planes in Sao Paulo, Brazil then to ATL and then to PDX. No visa is/was required if you were changing planes and remaining in the terminal. Has anyone seen documentation that this will be the case after the new visa requirements go into effect? The Viking Jupiter does not stop in Brazil on the 1/9-1/26 itinerary. We will be technically arriving in Brazil by air and leaving by air a few hours later. Viking did send us the email and I called Air Plus and they said they didn't know the answer.

For what it's worth - Day 6 is back to Cartagena, Columbia as it was when the cruise was booked. I did not receive any communication from Viking to explain the change. Did anyone else receive anything from Viking?

Just returned home from Seattle after departing Ovation this morning. No reservations required for shows except the Cabaret in Two70. Easy to make reservations on app. The show played 3 different days. This was my 62nd cruise (32 on RCCL) and by far this Spectra's Cabaret show was hands down the WORST onboard entertainment that I have ever witnessed. Given that art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder, be sure to pack some extra sound deadening earplugs. It's BRUTAL!

lindajpe -- Did Viking ever get back to you regarding the report filed on June 11th?

This discussion of the American PVSA just adds to the absolute stupidity of these laws. Hundreds of foreign flagged ships leave West coast ports every year from San Diego, LA, SF and Seattle and the government allows them to use Ensenada and Victoria as "distant foreign ports" or whatever loophole or exception they can dream up. The only thing more stupid is Viking not explaining why the potential unattainable itinerary has been posted on MVJ. None of this frustration would be necessary if Viking just left the itinerary on its original schedule. They could wait until the last minute after the cruise departed from Florida and then inform the passengers of the change. They give themselves the right to do that for almost any reason in the cruise contract. What could the paying passengers do?

lindajpe - Thanks for the additional information. I also called Viking Customer Service and spoke to a rep. and her supervisor. Both were absolutely clueless! I look forward to seeing what kind of response you receive. I have been to Cartagena several times over the last 25 years. My first visit to Cartagena was in 1998 and there were armed military soldiers on almost every street corner. As a newbie cruiser from rural Oregon, I was really shocked! My last visit in March of this year, things were crowded but no military with guns. Cartagena is a large modern cosmopolitan city with a very long history. I chuckled to myself upon hearing the local tour guide lamenting the problems caused by all the illegal immigrants flooding Columbia. LOL.

Just checked the itinerary for the Viking Star - FLL to LA on 10/24/2023 and there is something really strange. My printed itinerary, which I received when booked, and the itinerary on the Viking Ocean Website shows Day 6 is in Cartegena, Columbia but on "My Viking Journey" it shows Cozumel, Mexico. Day 3 is also in Cozumel. If MVJ is correct, the ship stops in Cozumel on Day 3, then wanders aimlessly for TWO days in the Caribbean and then comes back to Cozumel. Then miraculously sails at warp speed to Colon, Panama overnight. I am not a sea captain or for that matter a STAR SHIP captain, but I think it is physically impossible to make it from Cozumel, Mexico to Colon, Panama overnight on a cruise ship. What do you seasoned sailors think? PS - According to a website called "BednBlue" at 15 knots it will take 2 days, 4 hours and 20 minutes to make the 785 nautical miles.