G. GIRL

Travelling Aug. 12- Venice-Athens on the Orion. I look forward to your review although I realize we are on a different ship. Any travel tips about cruising with Viking and port related tips are most welcome.

Hi, tips about Viking, just go !

Port tips are - in Croatia if you want to buy something ask if the take euros or pay by card otherwise you need local currency. I bought a replacement pair of sunglasses from a little market in Zadar port and they took euros no problem.

Sensible shoes, getting on and off the water taxis and boats in Venice is ‘interesting ‘ the boats are moving and the pontoon landing stations are moving too!

We’ll be on the Star in just over 2 weeks! 1st time Viking. How was the food? What was your favorite dish?

 

 

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Hi, the food is out of this world. The ribeye steak in Manfredies is delicious. If you think the buffet restaurant will be inferior to the other options, think again. That was like no buffet I’ve ever seen before, fantastic! This was our first time on Viking and I’m sure it won’t be our last.

We are doing the reverse itinerary, starting in Venice and with the add on tour in Athens. Looking forward to your review, and thanks in advance for taking the time to post your review.

Hi, you will love the ship. I’ve not had an email to say my review has been posted yet, they said it could be a few days. The itinerary is excellent and although we knew little about Montenegro it was one of our favourite places.

My DH and I are taking this cruise next April to celebrate our 25th anniversary. I would love to hear which excursions you did, and what you thought.

 

We will be arriving in Athens the day of departure, but have business class air booked, so hoping we are rested on arrival, so we can see some sights the first day.

 

I am looking forward to your review (and am excited about our first Viking cruise)

 

Robin

Hi, you have good need to look forward, the ships are amazing. Excursion wise, we enjoyed all we did but I will say that if you dock in Zadar go to the Krka National Park it is absolutely beautiful and would have hated to have missed seeing it.

Definitely looking forward to your review of excursions you took. We too are extending in Venice and considering a private tour.

Hi, we hired a private guide from ‘tours by locals’. It isn’t cheap but the places she showed us we would have never found on our own. Part of the trip went to the glass factory and was fascinating. When they take you through the showroom they say their is no obligation to buy but they hope you will. Oh, and the prices will make your toes curl up !

Viking has totally spoiled us for going with any other cruise line now. We had a fabulous time.

We have had an incredible journey on the Viking Star. I shall do a review but if anyone has any questions fire away!

Hi,

We are just about to do this trip, literally on Saturday. In the main I would say no you can’t do two trips as the timings don’t allow for it. There is one included one that goes at various times throughout the day just taking a couple of hours so if an optional tour got you back for just after lunch you could join an included tour if it left early afternoon. (You do have to book the included ones too when your booking slot becomes available).

We have only booked two included tours as the optional ones appealed more and went further afield, eg the Krka National Park in Croatia.

We have a two night extension in Venice and have booked a private guide so we are looking forward to going off the beaten track and having a boat to ourselves. I shall put something on here when we get back to let everyone know our thoughts.

We are off on the Star next week.

What off menu items did you ask for on room service?

We did a northern lights cruise to Norway but with P&O. It was in February and luckily we did see the lights but it was pure luck as the second night we were in Alta, the most northern point of the trip it was thick cloud. One tip I will give you is go to the expense of buying proper Arctic weather clothing. On the excursion to see the lights we were stood out for over two hours before they came out then out for a further two hours while they performed a magnificent display. It was -20 and a huge amount of people were so inadequately dressed they had to go back to the ship because they were so cold and missed the lights. The sort of coats people wear for a uk winter, jeans and knitted hats doesn’t cut it in Arctic Norway!

Where is home, if its Europe the replies will be different

We are from the UK. Our aircraft has no first class area just business class and economy. The seating is of the type where the middle seat has been removed to give you more space.

We have heard that the legroom isn’t any better than economy but we are hoping that the overall experience will be better. Let’s hope we are fortunate.

We’ve upgraded to business class for our flights to Athens and home from Venice.

What has been your experience of this service with B.A. ?

Thank you, I was thinking along those lines myself.

Definitely Pacific time. I booked ours a couple of weeks ago in the UK and they were available just after 8am.

I took a tip from another post and put all my selections in my wish list and printed it off writing on it our preferred start times if applicable. You’re then not wasting time making your mind up while you’re booking as for very popular tours they can sell out quickly. Some of the tours on our cruise were sold out before our slot became available and we are in a DV cabin luckily they were not on our wish list.

Thanks for your replies.

I have another question about the tags for the suitcases that have your stateroom number on. Do you attach them before you fly or put them on when you pick up your luggage off the carrousel?

Thanks

Hi,

When they refer to a ‘collard shirt’ for men does this include Polo shirts?

With regard to the spa, do they have nail salon that provides a gel polish infill service?

Thanks

( I received my pre cruise pack yesterday and I don’t know if I’m excited or having a little panic ! )

Is there a shop on the Star that stocks wine and spirits? I know they don’t mind you bringing something on board but I wondered if there was the option to buy the odd bottle of wine to have in the room to have a pre dinner drink or a bottle with a room service dinner.

We have just booked our excursions for our first Viking cruise. We have only been on one other cruise with P&O and the price of their excursions were far more expensive than Viking and none were included in the price of the cruise.

Thanks for your replies, I feel more confident about booking now.

My husband is fancying booking the chefs table on our upcoming cruise but I’m not sure. I’ve read it’s multiple courses but I have a very small appetite. Also I’ve read that it’s a ‘eat what you’re given’ menu and I don’t like fish very much and shellfish not at all.

Is there any leeway should there be something that is not to someone’s liking on the menu?

Can someone tell me where I can find the lunch and dinner menus.

Thanks

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If you google ‘beyond ships 2 Viking star menus’ there are some sample ones to see.

Thanks, I thought it may be a tall order.

4pm.

In Dubrovnik I fancy the trip that takes in a coastal boat trip a well a walking tour of the town. My husband fancies the trip that goes up the cable car. Is it possible to do the boat trip excursion and have time to go up the cable car and back on our own before we need to be back at the ship? The tour finishes at 1pm.

Thank you for that, I’ve now found the list. To be honest all the ones I fancy are the ones you have to pay for. Typical!