tine-tine

Hi cruisers, I am seeking help on a search of this forum where I am finding it impossible to get a result when I know the answer is in there somewhere! I am looking for V1 and V2 cabin posts to obtain information about these cabins from past guests and no matter how I try when I enter V1 or V2 into search field for this forum it draws a blank '0' results, now I know this to be wrong as I have searched previously and there is information there plus I have read posts generally and seen comments so why am I not getting any results back? When I search DV6 no problem, I appear to be doing something right when I search for other categories! This is driving me crazy so any help to maintain my sanity is welcome.

Being a first time disappointed Viking Ocean cruiser whose first Viking 26 night B2B cruise would have just ended a week ago, I have been rethinking plans for a future cruise and being an expert on some other lines but unknowledgeable of Viking booking hints & tips I was wonder the following:  can you ask to have your B2B cruise as two separate booking numbers? Is there any benefit in having one over the other? eg cheaper price = onboard promotions = earlier speciality dining times. I would be looking at entry level cabins not suites.

TA made an enquiry on our behalf regarding Jan/Feb 2022 Caribbean cruises from Miami when our 2021 b2b Caribbean cruise that included the Panama Canal  was cancelled, she was told that they were holding back the Caribbean cruises for that time until they had a better understanding of the situation. Sounded like there would still be a Miami departure itinerary early 2022.

I suppose what began to concern me more was the recent invitation through "talking viking" to participate in the book club reading survey. Parts of it seemed relevant to interest in what types of books you read and I thought maybe they want to know for the book club page or the on board library. There were questions and references on where you buy your books giving logos of these different companies like Amazon, bookstores, supermarkets etc plus some of the questions were slanted towards companies and locations where you purchase books. While happy to participate, probably out of lockdown boredom and partly as a panacea for my likely cancelled forthcoming cruise, I am slightly concerned that I may be giving my trust to Viking not to use a slight of hand to trawl for marketing by stealth too generously!

I suppose  the answer should be if you have alarm bells ringing then you should heed them but as I have still to do my inaugural Viking cruise and have not been in a position to discuss with other cruisers for their experience I though I would reach out as CC has always previously been a wealth of knowledge.

Thank you to those that responded, as it is early days of joining 'talking Viking' `I will hang on a bit a see how the requests progress!

Can Viking regulars shed any light on "talking viking"? We were supposed to be taking our inaugural Viking cruise at the end of January so are newbies to Viking and their peccadillos or strengths.

I was contacted recently to partake in "talking viking" which among other things was supposed to be group zoom discussions about viking and what you liked or not, I thought this strange as I had not yet cruised with the Viking but they assured me my participations was relevant. I enjoyed the experience of the discussion but I have also been contacted for surveys which I feel my be aimed more towards marketing of gathering information for other companies, has anyone else been involved with this and am I naively thinking it something of value. My instincts are telling me otherwise?

There are forums, blogs etc and you can earn community points, whatever they are, for participating in surveys, I couldn't find any mention on CC of this aspect of talking viking so what is the deal?

Thank you all for your reassurance, what an inspiring bunch you are. You have somewhat reassured me and what I believed to be the case that it is better to get the surgery earlier as I would have thought the younger you are the fitter you are more likely to be and the chance of a better recovery greater plus I want to be able to walk and do all the things other 'young' people do now not when my body has fallen apart and I can't be bothered any longer. Cruising for me is an expedition as we always go in January/February to the Caribbean mainly to get a bit of sunshine and to escape our Scottish Winter storms, that involves at many segments of travel and it is always a worry booking in advance as you dont know how fit or able for cruising you will be at the the of making the reservation. 

I love that such a complicated operation as the knee allows you to be discharged the next day, who would have thought and I have heard the robotic surgery is supposed to be a much speedier recovery, hopefully that may be available when my time comes.

There is nothing quite like personal experience so I am indebted to all your sound knowledge and advice.🙏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿❤️

Wow, from someone who is heading towards knee replacement I am amazed that you can be in for a hip operation as a day patient! I know surgery has moved forward considerably but I didn't think so far.  I am 67 and muy surgeon appears to be more reluctant to do knee surgery so young (and here is me thinking I am past it)! I believe it is more risky and wondered if my American 'cousins' have any views or reassurance about their experiences or knowledge of knee surgery advancements and a bit of reassurance to a scaredy cat. Our cruise, first on viking, is January February but I don't expect to be sailing, I have an upcoming appointment with my Consultant and a bit of expert knowledge might help me with my questions and come to an informed decision. I would really appreciate your response. Apologies if I am turning this into an episode of ER but you good Viking folk are always so helpful.

20 minutes ago, moatenote said:

 

With the Covid lockdown, I'm not doing much and I'll help you research this if you'd like'

Thank you for your very kind offer it is very sweet if you. I spoke with Viking recently and the cabins for one of the cruises are available but the other is full in my category.  I really do not expect the cruise to go ahead and to be quite honest I think we will pass the booking on to a later date, I was just interested for future bookings as it would be so much easier and save so much time for to be able to check online. 
 

it looks like in the U.K. there is no option to book just “request a quote” and someone will either phone or email. Maybe they want to give us the sales chat as we are more impressionable! 😂

This was to be our first Viking cruise as a wee change from Oceania so a bit disappointed, then I remind myself about the possible repercussions of foreign Travel at the moment and then I am calm again🙏
 

Thank you everyone for your comments and advice you are all such a helpful bunch. Keep safe. 

Has anyone in the UK had success with a dummy booking? I tried the above and all I could get was "request a quote" where I had to fill in my details and the contact for the quote being a choice of email or phone.

The reason I would like to access this information myself is I have a B2B cruise booked jan/feb where I would want to move my cabin to a better location keeping the same one for both cruises. I have phoned Viking direct to access this information despite booking through my TA as I felt it cut out unnecessary third party involvement during the pandemic, they were extremely helpful but it does involve them in extra work and would involve me repeatedly phoning to check until I was lucky which may be never. Accessing the information personally would save everyone time and effort.

Unsure how this would work for cruising the whole UK where different Devolved countries and regions have their own Healthcare systems and Scotland, Ireland and Wales have taken a more cautious and varied approach to lockdown easing than England, which places a different slant on docking and visiting ports in these areas which may not be open to large groups of visitors.

Besides all the above, cruising for me is a hot weather pursuit and my inaugral, eagerly awaited Viking jan/feb cruise looks increasingly like a distant dream as the complicated component parts of travel, land and cruising elements throw up too many negatives to make the investment in our cruise worthwhile. The UK being a very small country, it is easy to travel to any part of it in one day, while visiting on a ship would be delightful the cost of a cruise would far outweigh the cost of land travel. I think I will save my money for warm weather and if travel within Europe opens up a land based option would be more appealing.

Oxford University researchers in the UK began testing covid19 vaccine on humans last week, still a long way to go even if it is successful. Two tests groups given injections one with the covid19 and another with a control injection, then they have to wait to see if people in the active vaccine group contract the disease, then they have to start pumping up production of the vaccine which is a lengthy process to manufacture and distribute world wide. I would like to think that whoever is successful takes a humanitarian approach and does not profiteer but shares with the world, similar to Sir Tim Berners-Lee father of the web.

Hello JohnandLinda, because of lockdown I am trawling CC for a diversion and came upon this post. We will be first timers on Viking Ocean next January but have had experience with KLM flights through AMS with short layovers that were very different experiences. Both times we had the same scheduling departing Glasgow at the end of January with 1hr 10 mins layover at AMS, the first time it all went like clockwork, there is only one terminal building in AMS so it is a brisk walk between Gates and 1hr is ample time all going well.

Our second trip, this year, was a different story. There was fog in AMS and we had to sit on plane at GLW for first of all 50 mins which became 1hr 15mins, the captain kept us updated informing us that planes were being delayed at AMS which would have a knock on effect and we might be lucky and make the flight. This turned out to be the case having sprinted between gates they were still boarding last few passengers.

Breathing a sigh of relief we realised though we would be arriving in Miami the chance of our luggage being on the plane was negligible which was the case. We reported the missing luggage at the luggage pick up to staff and they filed the report and we were contacted the next day regarding our luggage which had gone on its own journey and would be delivered the following day, luckily we had 3 days in Miami pre cruise.

Moral of the story, short layovers are great when all goes well and I would not book one unless I had sufficient buffer to allow for mishaps. I always take hand luggage with a range of clothing and the airline provide allowance to acquire emergency requirements. KLM were excellent to deal with and very quick to respond and rectify the situation and I would have no hesitation to recommend them as an airline of choice.

The eggs on board in liquid form are pasteurised (gone through a heat process), if you want fresh whole eggs scrambled you have to ask at the grill station where they cook to order, which I do and have never had a problem apart from explaining that I like my scramble very soft! 

2 hours ago, LHT28 said:

There is  NO fat in tonic water  ..however there is sugar

LHT28 humour in saying was lost in translation, common saying in Scotland when referring to drinks that have sugar and diet versions, regular version frequently asked for with with a smile along with the quip ‘full fat please’. 😂🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

My husband and I both drink Gin with Diet Tonic, we have always had a supply on board but I don't know if it is the popularity of Gin at the moment but this years B2B cruise it became a real struggle to access diet tonic on Riviera. We had to start asking for the bottle on the table as bartenders were adding full fat tonic to our glass at the bar before being delivered despite asking for diet. When we did start asking for the bottle we frequently had a long wait while they hunted the ship for a supply, sometimes it arrived as a tin. Naughty of them adding full fat tonic as this would have medical implications for diabetics.

From my B2B this year I believe the Laundry is closed on turn round day as the staff are all dedicated to preparing the ship/delivering cases. 

You are given the exact times of the meeting place which on Riviera/Marina was Red Ginger on our past B2B's. All transiting guests meet there along with new crew members coming on board being processed then once all guests have arrived staff escort you through the terminal building, customs, then back on board, in total, including waiting time about 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Great time to have a chat with your fellow passengers as you wait for the all clear that disembarking passengers have all left the ship and the transit passengers can now go through customs. 

Documentation is delivered to your cabin well in advance explaining the process and if there is a special lunch in the GDR for transiting guests. All fairly painless, just follow instructions in your letter and from staff and all will be well.

LHT28 thank you for the information and links, this will give us an alternative for next year. We do like staying on board and watching everyone departing while we are still on board but maybe a wee trip mid day to escape the madness will be an adventure. Just hope the return trolley is just as obvious pick up and we dont miss sail away|

14 hours ago, LHT28 said:

they will give you instructions of where to meet  along with y our new cruise card & in transit card

The CD will usually walk you off then you can go around to the front re enter the building & wait there until  they zero the ship  usually about 1 hr

OR  there is a trolley that stops out front you can go for a ride to Biscayne  & shop for supplies

we usually go the Bayside mall for  coffee  & a wander

 

enjoy

Hi LHT28, my husband and I have done mainly B2B and have one for next year, I am interested in the location of the trolley and how to access? is it public transport? How far from the ship? Do you need cash to pay for ticket? etc. Obliged to receive any info you can give.Thanks.

14 minutes ago, ORV said:

I believe those shims to be about rattles, and have nothing to do with the handle closing. 

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the frame rattled as well as the door not closing tightly, creaked and groaned in certain conditions. The movement is what caused the door not to engage with the catch as it sits out of alignment. The maintenance man who attended could not rectify the problem stating it 'might' get looked at in dry dock!

For information of those travelling on Marina this post only refers to the Riviera and is a maintenance problem.

Hi Iais, The cabin was great otherwise and we had Joselin/Noime as cabin stewards and they were fabulous, happy smiley people who were professional and very low key but attentive to your every request, definitely the best we have experienced on Oceania. Most of the time the doors were ok but during windy/rough weather it was a problem as the wind howling through the door was disturbing, particularly when the Captain was going at speed. You will love the balcony. We booked the same cabin for our b2b next year but will check prior to sailing that the doors have been corrected in dry dock.I have attached some pictures and you can see that the handle does not push straight which is required to make an airtight seal. 

I have posted so anyone using the cabin in future knows that it has already been reported.

We have just returned from our Caribbean cruise and thought we would pass on some information regarding B3 7008 one of the extended balcony cabins. There is a problem with the cabin doors where the handle does not fully engage and during choppy seas and high winds the frame moves slightly breaking the door seal and allowing air to enter. The door frame previously had wedges placed round the top to try to prevent movement so Oceania are aware. We reported the problem while on board, the technician did his best to resolve, changing the handles which were damaged, probably as the door has to be banged hard to shut as it is out of alignment. I have posted so that future incumbents of the Cabin are aware that it has been reported and hopefully this will be resolved in the upcoming dry dock.

We have just booked on board for January 2020 and I can confirm from the Club Ambassador that it is indeed a Charter, we had wanted some of the dates that were blocked and she provided the information, obviously a company with big pockets!

13 hours ago, babysteps said:

The pictures reflect the special (sometimes Sunday) brunch that O does on select voyages - in the GDR and usually (always?) on a sea day of a longer itinerary. 

 

tine-tine you may not have missed anything - some shorter port-intensive cruises may not have a brunch at all.

Thank you and thank goodness for that I would hate to think I had missed a dining opportunity, I will be more vigilant reading the Currents in  future!😋

3 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

If you're referring to my pix above, that was a "brunch" held on a midweek sea day since every Sunday over the 3+ weeks of the recent Amazon cruise was a port day.

 

When it comes to dining venues, Sirena is different from the other R ships in that the GDR incorporates the newer Jacque's "Bistro" menu at lunch (no "Jacques" on R ships) and the two specialty restaurants are Red Ginger and Tuscan Grill (a combination of Toscana and Polo Grill). Other R ships have Polo Grill and Toscana restaurants along with changing Red Ginger items and several Jacques Pepin standards offered on the GDR dinner menu.

 

We are not big fans of Tuscan Grill since some of our favorite items from the two joined restaurants are not listed on the combined menu. Of course, with advanced notice, you can request some of the missing items (e.g., aragosta fra diavola). My preference would be to have Toscana and Red Ginger as the R ship specialty restaurants and modify the GDR menu to have three components: Abbreviated Polo Grill items, the already existing Jacques Pepin standards and the newer, everchanging International selections.

BTW, there are no "buffets" on Oceania ships. There is the Terrace Café (both O and R ships) with its cafeteria style setup including a la minute preparations and staff served plates, bar service and the option for al fresco dining.

Apologies Flatbush Flyer I was confused by the pictures as they had  Oceania Sirena on the bread table and I presumed the whole buffet was on the Sirena. I thought maybe on my previous cruises on O ships the buffet might have passed me by and I don’t like to miss out on a food opportunity while on board!

Excuse my ignorance, is it only the R class ships that do the "Midweek Buffet"? My cruises have always been on 'O' ships and this is something of which I was totally unaware! 😕