PaulS

Beautiful photos of the recent eclipse. We traveled about 50 miles west of Louisville to experience totality. Unfortunately, at the exact moment of totality a cloud partially obscured the view. Really enjoying your review.

We are definitely skipping Thunder. Although it is a great show, we are just too old for all of the crowds. This is the 150th Derby so all of the events are supersized this year. If you want to watch the Derby and are staying in California, I think it should be on TV sometime after 3:00 PM West coast time..

We were on the Summit last week for a short four day cruise in a Sky Suite. I thought the ship looked to be in good shape. Our room showed a little wear and tear but nothing that would prevent me from choosing the room again. Service in Luminae was great, George, the head butler, checked in every day but did not offer to do anything. Our Retreat Host/room steward was mostly AWOL. However, we did not ask for anything either.The only negative was the very loud music that the DJ played on the pool deck. We used the pool deck rather than the Retreat deck area since there was no shade up there. We enjoyed the short trip very much and wish we were on your upcoming 14 day cruise. The crew we spoke with were very excited to be going through the canal and up to Alaska.

We have been on Celebrity many times and have sailed in the Retreat four or five times. We have always found the experience to be wonderful, but pricing in the Retreat is getting quite high. Consequently, we decided to try Viking last year. We enjoyed it very much and are going back, however there are some big differences compared with Celebrity. The Viking ships are very, very nice and did not feel crowded at all. All of the venues are lovely and have a decidedly upscale atmosphere. The pool area is quite nice with padded loungers and the Wintergarden is also a quiet place to sit. While the buffet is still a buffet, the tables are all set with placemats and glassware and waiters are there to take your drink orders. The DV rooms are well laid out but might be tight if you need a wheelchair. To get a room comparable in size to the Sky Suite, you would need to book a PV or higher. Although the PV rooms are larger, the bathrooms are the same as those in the regular balcony rooms. They are, however larger than regular bathrooms on Celebrity and the showers are a good size. As you may know, there are no children, no photographers, no casinos, and no butlers. Internet is included in the published fares, but gratuities and the drink packages are extra. Also, the age of the passengers tends to be on the more mature side. I did not notice any chair hogging by the pool. You may be disappointed with the entertainment since you enjoy the Celebrity shows. The entertainment on our cruise was quite modest. They seemed to have some kind of entertainment most nights but nothing like the elaborate Celebrity shows. I hope this information might assist you when you decide if Viking is right for you.

I’m sure your Alaska trip will be wonderful. I will certainly follow along. Have a safe trip home.

My wife and I are not able to travel right now, so your trip has been our normal winter vacation. Thanks so much for taking the time to post all of your pictures and commentary. We have looked forward to reading it every day. If your next trip is already booked, I would like to know when and where so I might follow your future travels. Thanks

We took a Viking Christmas Markets cruise this past December and had a room in the “basement”. No other rooms were available when we booked, but it really was fine. The major downside was the room temperature. It was very cool all the time, but the weather was very cold and the river water was very cold. Be sure to ask for an extra blanket! Last year we went to Lucerne on our own after a river cruise and loved it. We stayed at the Hotel Schweizerhof. It wasn’t cheap, but it is a wonderful hotel in a great location on the lake.

I hope you will report back on this thread when you learn if your family’s trip will be impacted by the river levels as we begin the same trip in Budapest on Viking in two weeks.

We made our own air arrangements for an upcoming Christmas Markets cruise but purchased the two-day pre-cruise extension in Budapest and the two-day post cruise extension in Nuremberg. Since we purchased the extensions and arrive and depart when the extensions begin and end, Viking includes the transfers. We just had to tell them our air arrangements. I assume the same would apply for an ocean cruise, but maybe not.

Thanks for the tip about the gingerbread bakery in Nuremberg notamermaid. We are spending two days in Nuremberg after our river cruise and that looks like a great place to go.

Is the Romantic Market easy to get to from where the riverboats dock in Regensburg?

Notamermaid: We embark on our Viking Christmas Markets cruise in Budapest in 7 weeks. Based upon your experience, do you think the water levels will improve by then?

Thanks for your suggestion. There are no suites left now, but the last time there were, the price was significantly higher than when we booked last year. Our suite is aft also. We have not been on Princess for several years, so we are anxious to see if we still like their product. Reading reviews, like yours, will give us some things to keep in mind. Thanks for taking the time to do it.

I am looking forward to reading about your experience as my wife and I will be in a suite on the Caribbean Princess for two week in February. We purchased the “old” Plus plan and are wondering if we should pay extra to upgrade to the “new” Plus plan.

Thanks for the tip. The included excursions are all showing under the descriptions for each day.