friendlyfifer

My post was about the old versus the new menu in Manfredi’s not about what is or is not available in other dining venues,

Apologies I must have been having a sensitive moment.

No, it’s saying Viking have perhaps cheapened the menu too much for me and perhaps for others.

I have been an advocate for menu changes for some time. My wish has been granted but I am left disappointed by the new menu. It is clearly a cheaper menu to produce with lobster, crab and salmon all missing. My next Viking cruise is later this year and I will be deciding whether or not to try another luxury cruise line.

Unfortunately the Success Cake has been the only gluten-free offering at Mamsen’s for years. Surely a change is long overdue. If you don’t already know, afternoon tea can be provided gluten-free. No need to pre-book, just turn up and advise your waiter.

The ABBA and Beatles shows need to be thrown overboard and n attempt made to rescue them. I remember both groups first time round. I like their music but I don’t want it on every Viking cruise for evermore.

That would explain the lack of EU passengers on board ocean sailings. I enjoy meeting passengers from around the world but have found that 80% of passengers on recent sailings have been from the US.

Thanks for the advice. Recife will be self-guided and we will book excursions in the other two cities. It is strange you should mention jacaranda trees. We have a house in Spain and we love being there when the jacaranda are at their best.

Many thanks for your prompt response. Your comments are most helpful. We are fit and able so will walk around Recife on our own and carefully consider, which tour, if any, we should take in the other two cities.

We will be on the Southern Atlantic Crossing in November and want to make the best use of our time in the above ports. If you have been to the cities before I would welcome your comments on the included Viking excursions. Should we arrange our own tours, simply walk off the ship and around the cities ourselves or take either an included or payable excursion with Viking? We are taking the post-cruise extension in Buenos Aires.

Many thanks for your response and for the link. I especially wanted to find out more about the slave trade on the visit to Dakar. Sadly Mindelo is a very poor substitute. I think a brief walk around town or a beach stop will be all we do.

We sail in November 2023. It is disappointing that Senegal is being dropped from the itinerary. It would have been one of a number of highlights of the cruise. I understand that passenger safety is important but petty crime seems to be the biggest threat. Viking dropped Dakar last year, this year and next year. Perhaps they should say at the time of booking that certain ports are likely to be dropped. Cape Verde is hardly a worthy substitute. It is a little like cancelling Rome and substituting Mallorca. However I will read up on Cape Verde and make the best of the visit.

ABBA and the Beatles were good the first time I saw them but cruise after cruise they have become shows that I have to avoid. Viking need to find a new format for the theatre. They also need to review menus in Mamsens and other restaurants. Like many people, I love Viking and am loyal to them but I clamour for variety.

No they don’t mention baseball caps. It was simply my contribution to the discussion. These caps are a pet hate of mine. They may be functional in the sun but they could never be called stylish. Hopefully I will not come across someone wearing one at my dinner table.

I would ask to change tables.🤣

My advice is to abide by the dress code outlined by the cruise line. You won’t be happy if you are refused entry to a dining room. My pet hate is men who wear a baseball cap at the dinner table. It doesn’t happen often I hasten to add.

The fitness staff are very good and there is the occasional stretch class. However, the ability of participants varies immensely and therefore the class is aimed at the least able. On my next cruise I think I’ll get a few 1-1 sessions and workout myself from then on.

The cruise line sets the dress code. If you don’t agree with it then choose another cruise line.

Google for ‘Valencia Art and Architecture Tour’. It is a walking tour of the city with an English speaking guide. It covers many of the sites recommended by Clay including the stunning food market. The tour lasts approx 31/2 hours and costs 45€ per person. Book it online. You will not be disappointed and will have time after the tour to explore this lovely city on your own.

Well this topic seems to be running out of steam. Thank you for all your input. Hopefully, Viking will be reading our suggestions and will gradually change service, where they can. As I stated at the outset, we all love Viking and small changes will encourage us to stay loyal to the cruise line and sail with them for many years to come.

If the cruise line saves money and single use plastics are reduced then it’s a win win.

Nothing is simple. Perhaps the answer is simply to stop giving out water at the gangway and encourage passengers to bring their own water bottles or buy a Viking one from the shop.

Thanks for picking up on the environmental issues. I agree wholeheartedly and always refuse bottles of water as I leave the ship. Shower products also need changing as you say.

Many thanks to you all for running with this topic. There are a number of areas where change would be appreciated by us, the loyal Viking passengers. Hopefully, Viking will be reading our suggestions and will make changes where possible and in time. No one has backed me up with my suggestion for liquid hand wash rather than bars of soap. There must be a mountain of half used bars at the end of every cruise. What happens to them? With this in mind, I would appreciate it if Viking could quantify the environmental /damage cost per passenger of each cruise. The cruise line and the passengers could then work to reduce this figure so that our impact on this fragile earth is diminished. Keep the suggestions coming.

I agree with you about new ports of call. On our most recent cruise over 70% of passengers had travelled with Viking before. And, as another commentator said, there are only so many times you want to visit Venice and Athens. Hopefully Viking will read this thread and make some changes. After all, we all love Viking and don’t want to find ourselves choosing another cruise line.