2cruisecats

Copenhagen - Docked a short walk from the Mermaid. We did the included walking tour but had a terrible guide and members of our group kept dropping off on their own (or joined other grps). At the palace, map in hand, we headed off to the old canal area. It is easily to get about on your own and there is always the Viking shuttle for your return to the ship.

Helsinki - Included panoramic tour gave the highlights and the pick-up location for those wanting to stay in the city. It is walkable and safe but the centre is busy and crowded. Nice parks and cafes. Watch out for the cyclists! For the adventurous, and on a nice day, the ship is within walking distance.

It was great that Viking provided a free shuttle at the ports. Just make sure to get a port map and the pick-up location as you leave the ship.

Viking still offered the ice Bar tour in 2017. Did not take it.

Rode the funicular up the mountain in Bergen on our own. I walked the 4km down and back to the ship. Fun.

Optional Homies tours May-June 2017 Bergen to Stockholm that we took...

Full Day to Flam Flamsbana railroad: Very nice scenery & train ride. Bus ride long but fascinating. Roundabout inside a mountain tunnel.

Pulpit Rock: Overpriced. Not worth it. Walk 150 yards to Rodne or other tours under half price right near your ship.

A Day in the Life of a Viking Arlborg: Fun, not great.

Roskilde Viking Ship Museum & Cathedral: Went alone. Loved the ship museum & outdoor ship building

Charming Coastal Copenhagen: Wife took this alone. Loved it.

Bad Doberan Minster & the Molli Railway: fun relaxing afternoon trip; didn't want to travel to Berlin

Malbork Castle Tour: Poland. wife went alone & loved the castle tour

Palmse Manor House & Upper Tour Walk: Saw everything. Tallinn upper town walk, Estonia seacoast national park, fun manor tour & tasty, healthy country lunch. Loved it.

St Petersburg: 2 day private tour with TJ travel. Best ever. Guide was PhD @ Hermitage. Early quick entries everywhere. Fun lunches @ Russian restaurants. Saw more than Viking @ half the price.

Panoramic Helsinki & Porvoo: Panoramic = bus tour. Porvoo OK, but unimpressive. Best part was the half hour walking around Helsinki docks & shops. Not recommended.

Vasa Museum & Stockholm by Boat: included lunch at a very nice restaurant. You could easily do all this on your own at much less $.

Totally agree on the Full day to Flam -- it was way better than expected. The tunnels with huge roundabouts and the scenery. Think I liked it more than the actual train.

Pulpit Rock -- If I had done my homework, I would have booked private tour for us. Viking excursion was good, but crowded and over-priced.

We also did St Petersburg with TJ. Fabulous guide (former English prof) and driver (English speaking).

Stockholm is so easy to navigate on your own. The Vasa museum was great. We had a 2 day Hop On/Off Boat and bus pass and made good use of it.

We did the Homelands in 2018, Stockholm to Bergen. We did most of the included tours to get ourselves oriented and then stayed in the cities/towns to explore, often catching the last shuttle back to the ship. In most cases the guides were good (one big exception -- Copenhagen but then it is so walkable and we were docked close to the Mermaid). I suggest checking out private tour companies for SPB -- we had a packed 2 days with ours and the guide was great. We did a couple of the Viking "for fee" tours in Norway and these were very well done. And whether you start or end in Stockholm, take extra day or 2 to explore on your own if you can. We had 4 days there pre-cruise and loved it, there is so much to see & do. (Sign up for your CC meeting. Viking did a great job of hosting and it was fun to meet those fellow travellers we met on the CC boards. Several from that group have done recent reviews.)

If I had to answer what cruise line is comparable to Viking for on board entertainment, I would say Holland America is somewhat close.

 

My answer is based on numerous cruises on HAL (and experience on all the others mentioned) and statements about the on board cruise experience here on this forum.

Personally, I don't think that the entertainment on HAL and Viking are quite the same. On Viking, the stage shows are lighter, fewer cast members -- maybe 5 on our Homelands cruise-- and not "big productions". There was a comedian one night and they did bring in guests from the ports. Where Viking surpassed HAL was on the live music in the various lounges pre and post dinner settings. In addition to "the band" they had a trio (violin, cello & flute) , pianist and a great guitar guy and they rotated throughout the ship late afternoon and evening. We really enjoyed sitting with a pre (or post) dinner drink and listening to the various musicians.

Same cruise. Same wait list. Big sigh. We asked the onboard Viking consultant about it in May 2018 just after we boarded our Homelands cruise. It was already sold out. Our TA does keep checking with Viking. She says we may hear something a few months out. Just hope we then have enough time to book our flights (we prefer to do our own air) and pre-cruise visits.

We were in 7008 on the Sea. Very quiet hall with only a few cabins. No reason for anyone, other than cabin occupants, to wander down the corridor. No noise from above either.

A big THANK YOU to ShipsInBergen for all the great information provided on this thread. We spent 5 days resting and touring in your lovely city before travelling on to Oslo. You had mentioned that May 17th was your national day and that it was not to be missed. So true. We arrived in Bergen on May 15th and were in your lovely city on your national holiday. What a treat. The celebrations and parades! And everyone was so interested in sharing information about the customs and various local dress. We felt so welcomed. Bergen was definitely a highlight in our month in Scandinavia. Can't wait to return to Norway. Thank you. (And yes, we wandered all over the city. We will return.)

We did the Viking Homelands cruise in May and The Chefs Table menus changed every 2 days. The Chefs Table - we both enjoyed it and managed to visit 5 times (one was a repeat menu). The menus were available on your cabin TV or The Restaurant had the menus and schedule available. The new system of knowing the menu when you book sounds great.There were items on the menus we weren't sure about but with the smaller portions it was a great way to try new things. Heck, I even liked the tuna . If there is something on the menu you don't like, or can't eat, let them know in advance and they will substitute. Or, cancel and reschedule for another day. I really liked the idea of a wine pairing menu. I did not care for Manfredis though many others loved it. I found the servings too large but later I discovered I could have asked for "half servings".

I don't know about Iceland but we found in Norway (our Bergen Hotel) and Sweden (a restaurant near our AirBnB) that some places did not take "cash" -- credit only. And that restaurant only took Visa or MasterCard, no Amex.

We did a private 2 day tour with TJ in mid-May. As I wanted to revisit sights from my student exchange (late 70s) they customized a tour for us. On the 2nd morning, I mentioned that my husband wanted to try a certain traditional dish. Lunch on the 2nd day was to be a quick "grab and go" but we covered a lot of ground that morning. Noon passed by as did 1 pm and then our guide said -- lets go up this ally. She took us to one of her family's favourite places for a traditional lunch. We had a fabulous meal and a fun time with locals. What a great experience. Check out the local tour guides -- they all do a great job. Select the one that best meets your needs. Well worth it.

We did a private 2 day tour in May with TJ. Arrangements were easy and they take care of the visas. Both driver and guide spoke excellent English. No worries & a great tour. Also, no problem customizing the two days so I could revisit a few sights from my university "exchange" tour in the late 70s. What a wonderful city to visit. I would never tour it on my own but a private or small group tour is perfect. At the time we booked, there was no deposit for private tours but that has changed for several of the Russian tour groups. I believe Alla and TJ now require a 20% deposit a month before departure for private but not group tours.

Sounds lovely. Was this the evening jazz cruise? Was the boat open or enclosed? Thanks for information

For us, mid-May, it was an early evening cruise in an open canal boat, and we returned about 30 minutes before port departure. People along the shore danced to the music. It was a fun evening and we saw a different part of Copenhagen. At one bridge, we wondered if we could creep under it -- you could reach out & touch it. For our cruise, there were 2 booking times & we selected the latest which wasn't really that late except for we early diners. If you dine late -- 7:30 or later -- you are fine. I remember thinking our time was earlier than first posted in the excursions list -- probably changes depending on your cruise departure time.

Just back from Homelands -- Stockholm to Bergen -- but we did do a post cruise stay, self-organized, in Oslo. We took the train (actually bus as there were track issues) from Bergen to Oslo for a 3 day stay. Such great scenery along the way. Oslo is a very easy city to navigate on your own. If you are worried about managing your luggage on/off train and to hotel between the 2 cities, check out Norway Porter service. They pick up your luggage in Bergen (or Oslo) and deliver it to your hotel in the other location. Worked like a charm. The taxi between the Oslo airport and city is pricey but there are options -- bus or train/subway. The train stations in Oslo and Bergen are in the city and are easy access. When looking for hotels in Oslo and Bergen, check to see what is included. Our Oslo hotel had a great breakfast. In Bergen, the hotel had breakfast, mid-afternoon waffles and a light supper included in the price and was a 10 minute walk to the ship.

We did look at the Viking Iceland option, but, after discussing with friends who have toured Iceland, decided to skip the Viking Iceland option and arrange our own, longer, land trip at a later date.

(We did our own flight arrangements. If using Viking air, it probably impacts your pre& post cruise options.)

Eiddfjord is beautiful. We did the Flam trip from there. I know, not the complete "Flam trip" as we didn't sail in the fjord, but, I wouldn't have missed the bus trip (!) with the tunnels, the waterfalls, the scenery. And, we had a great guide. This was one of the 3 Viking trips we purchased.

As for the included tours, we used them as a way to introduce the port (except Stockholm, where we stayed 4 days pre-cruise and St Petersburg where we had a private tour) and then we set out on our own to enjoy the town and the people. Our only bad walking tour - Copenhagen. The guide, um, awful. Members of our group dropped off and joined others or just wandered off on their own, as did we. Most ports are easy to navigate -- make sure you know the all aboard time and can find the shuttle pickup spot or be able to find your own way back to the ship. The Copenhagen jazz cruise was fun. In Bergen, if taking the Greig excursion (lovely music) you will cover most of the sights included in the panoramic tour.

Has anyone cleared customs after docking in Montreal recently? This is the termination point for the Sept. 4 In the Wake of the Vikings TA, and we have a flight back to ORD that departs around 12:15 p.m. (We didn’t use Viking Ocean air arrangements). The ship is supposed to be in port at 4 a.m., but I’m wondering about the time to clear customs in Montreal, in case we dock later than expected, etc.

 

Thanks for any guidance/info!

The Montreal airport is pretty easy to navigate though I can't speak to US departures. I do hope you post about your cruise -- it is on my "must do" list.

On our May Homelands Cruise, there were passengers who left the ship the day of arrival. Others at 3 in the morning for flights. We left at 8:30 a.m. and walked our luggage to our hotel (next to the Blu) where they stored it. When we returned at the end of the day, the luggage was in our room waiting for us. We were in Bergen, a lovely city to explore, for 3 days before heading to Oslo. We ended up going by bus to Oslo as there had been a freight accident on the tracks -- quite a lot of confusion at the train station that morning. BTW, the bus trip over the mountains was great!

I would suggest walking your luggage to your hotel the night before. You could then drop your overnight bags on your way to the train station for your Flam tour. If you don't want to deal with your luggage on the train trip to Oslo, check out the Norway Porter service. Very efficient.

Thanks to everyone for your insight. I am glad to know that The Restaurant will provide a good experience.

With all the accolades, I am certain that the World Café provides outstanding offerings. I, however, hold that dining requires both great food and great service at 50% each. Unless I am misinformed, the World Café lacks service. I am too old, too stubborn, and my hand shakes too much to wait on anyone, including myself.

Again, many thanks for the information.

There were several passengers on our cruise who, the minute they walked in the cafe in the morning, had someone assisting them. Heck, the minute I sat down there was someone asking if I wanted juice, water, coffee? I said latte & it was delivered -- I could very easily have gotten it myself. I'd pick up fruit and yogurt and was asked if f they could carry it to my table. There really is a lot of staff in the Cafe and they are so very helpful. Yes, the World Cafe is a buffet BUT there is a lot of service and assistance when needed. In my opinion, the World Cafe does not lack service and will provide more when needed, just let them know.

In reading as many reviews as I can find, I find a lack of information on dining in The Restaurant. Most comments, good or bad, seem to center on the specialty restaurants or the self-service World Cafe. I would appreciate knowing:

 

 

1. Can reservations be made for dining in The Restaurant?
   
2. If not, is there generally a wait for a table? Is there a line?
   
3. Is dining at a leisurely pace with orders taken course by course?
   
4. Are tables for two readily available?
   
5. Apply the same questions to breakfast service.
   

Thanks very much to anyone who has experience with Viking Oceans' Restaurant. I know that many have lauded the World Cafe but I am not keen on buffets..

You can make reservations for The Restaurant, at least in the evenings, but we never felt the need to do this. There was never a wait, except maybe if we arrived at a prime time and were 3 or 4th in line and they had to seat "the line" but then easily got our table. Very fast; not really a wait as they always had someone ready to show you your table. Never had a problem getting a table for 2. We always ordered appetizer and mains and later ordered any chocolate things! Never felt rushed except for the last evening when everyone wanted to talk to their fav wine person or fav wait staff. (guilty)

We had breakfast in the World Cafe so can't speak to The restaurant. Try the World Cafe -- you will be surprised by the choices, the staff and yes, there were always tables available.

We were on the Viking Sea last month. The pool was small but great for a quick dip after a long day of walking. On the only sea day, the area was crowded. My husband used the gym and said the equipment was of good quality and well maintained. Also, the gym, pre-dinner, was not heavily used.

Check in with your roll call and also join the meet & greet -- Viking Sea did a nice one on our May homelands.

We just left St Petersburg. We paid TJ with our Canadian credit card. They charged in Rubles, no surcharge, but you needed to go to the gift store where they have access to credit machines. Quick in and out; no lines; no shopping. I imagine with a large grp there could be a wait. Cash can be paid directly to the guide eliminating the gift shop stop. New gov't rules require the tour companies to charge in their currency. Tipping is in cash -- US$, Euros or Ruble. It is suggested 5% for driver and 10% for guide. I put US $, for each,in an envelope with their name on it and did tip extra for our guide ( fantastic tour). I do not like to carry a lot of cash when travelling and hardly do so at home anymore. Credit cards are widely accepted in Scandanavia and Russian tour areas and in Stockholm we ate in at least 2 restaurants that had signs stating that they only accepted credit cards (and one did not accept Amex!).

We did not decide yet. We have been looking at the three smaller ships (<700 passengers) that are in the area since the CC folks all seem to see advantages with the smaller size vessels getting into ports, etc. : Oceania Nautica, Pacific Princess, and Azamara Journey. I think we have sort of ruled out the PP since that one sails later in September when the weather will probably be colder and the days will surely be shorter!

Have you checked out Viking Ocean? They have several sailings in your timeframe. Ships are a bit bigger (950) and it looks like the Homelands itineraries have availability.

Hei :)

 

Well the one thing that jumps out at me is that you'll be in Bergen for 17th May, which is the Norwegian national day. This is a really big deal here, with everyone partying (mostly dressed in traditional bunads). There are parades through town and a fantastic (and very busy) atmosphere. It's a really special thing, and my advice would be to set aside the 17th as a day to soak up the party atmosphere and see Bergen at its best!

 

For your other days I would recommend the standard mountain walks and fjord trips on sightseeing boats. If you enjoy art then the Kode galleries are great, and can be a great plan on rainy days.

 

The train to Oslo is lovely. There are places you could add in an overnight stop, but unless you're looking to stay for a couple of days and hike then I'd say you're better just having another day in either Bergen or Oslo :D

The 17th sounds like fun! If we were to take 2 days in an overnight stop between Bergen and Oslo (our plans are flexible), do you have a recommendation? We are more into photography than serious hiking.

Bergen & Oslo question(s)

We arrive in Bergen on May 15th and have booked a hotel for 4 nights. We then have 2 days allocated for travel to Oslo where we have 2 days booked before travelling to Brussels. Any suggestions on things to see (day trips?) during our 4 Bergen days and recommendations for our 2 "free travel" days would be appreciated. We are planing on booking the train to Oslo after we arrive in Bergen and are open to an overnight stop.

I don't know if these are "allowable" questions, but here goes --

All things being right in the world, we have a planned tour in SPB this May. I know we can (and will) pay for the tour via credit card but ...

Tip -- How was this handled?

Tip -- I assume cash, but what currency?

Tip -- What percent? (we have a guide and driver)

Also, if you stopped for lunch, how was payment handled? Credit card? Cash? And did you pay for your guide's lunch?

Was there a need for Russian currency during your tour or did most places take cards?