orchid2010

Hi, a young friend is taking a cruise on Viking from Rome to Venice for their honeymoon. They booked flights through Viking so they have airport transfers built in. However, they would like to spend a few hours in Rome after they land, prior to meeting their ship in Civitavecchia. They have two questions -- 1) what can they do with their luggage for the day? Will Viking take it to the ship for them, even if they travel later, or will they have to make other arrangements? and 2) what is the best way for them to get from Rome to Civitavecchia? They realize they should have planned an overnight in Rome to have more time, but their budget was limited so they are trying to make this work. Tips would be appreciated!

Just one tip about changing flights on MVJ -- I have Air+ so we have some flexibility in flight arrangements, which helps me get flights without multiple connections. You can review flight options on MVJ, but if you change them there you have to take the change for both legs, even if you only want to change one leg of the flights. I was able to find a new return flight on MVJ, then called Viking and asked for it. They changed just the one leg and it didn't cost any extra. The extra control with Air+ usually works well, but last October they changed a return flight 2 weeks before departure from a flight with one connection to a series of flights with two connections, leaving Budapest at 6 a.m. I called and begged for something better, since I was traveling with my elderly mother and every plane change required her to get through another airport. They offered nothing except wheelchair service (which she ultimately refused to use) leaving me carrying all of her bags and my own while we worked our way through airports in Budapest, Paris, New York, and finally home. Air+ was a disappointment, to say the least! This year, my husband and I are on the Jupiter from Rome to Barcelona. We used Air+ again and upgraded to premium economy, hoping that helped a bit. One thing I learned -- you can pay for premium economy, but they only give it to you on the transAtlantic portion of the flight. For changes in seat assignments, I find it easier to go directly to the airline's website. That allows me to see where ALL the seats are on the flight, not just the small section Viking contracted.

Kirtihk, that same thing happened to me a few months ago. Call immediately, and they might just give you the better promo code, without having to cancel and rebook. They did that for me when I called the day after booking a cruise, because I got a much better promo code in the mail. They don’t have to do it, but if you call right away you might get lucky. In our case, we ended up with cheaper flights, a free beverage package, and a cabin upgrade. It never hurts to ask!

So, yeah, looks like this thread has rambled off track a little, but it has been very entertaining, so thank you all! I love the OP's original question. I think you CAN overplan. But the judgement on that surely resides with the traveler who is doing the planning and their travel companions. I love to plan, not because I am a stickler for schedules, but because the months of planning before a trip are part of the joy of travel for me. I love diving into all the details -- ports, transportation, food and entertainment options, even rules and regulations. Learning about local culture, history, and potential adventures helps me stretch the fun of a trip for many months before I actually go. My spouse, on the other hand, wants me to do all the planning because he just likes to go with the flow. It is a match made in heaven, as I can plan to my heart's content, and when I float an idea past him, I know that he will always say, "that sounds like fun!" I make custom books for every trip with details about destinations, but I don't expect -- or even always want- to stick explicitly to the plan. Some of the most transcendent moments I have experienced in travel have been when we wandered off the planned itinerary because something looked more interesting. There is no wrong way to travel, except to be disrespectful of the people, culture, or environment you are visiting.

That sounds like a great idea, and a good walk is a lovely way to fight jet lag too, thank you!

Thanks for all the great ideas, everyone. I reached out to our travel agent for help, and came to the same conclusion suggested by @mhb1757 -- we would lose the transfers if we fly in a day early, plus get charged extra for the privilege. It is not a short trip from Munich to Regensburg. Our flights are not eligible for any upgrade aside from economy plus, and we don't need the extra legroom so it isn't worth the additional money. Now that I know they have a comfortable lounge where we can wait, I think we will be okay with current arrangements. Thanks so much for the thoughtful suggestions!

I have reached out to Viking to ask about the premium economy upgrade, that sounds like it might be a good option Thank you for the ideas.

@castlecritic, I don't know what time the transfer is -- I imagine we would have to wait for a little while after our flight arrives. We don't have the airline miles to afford business class and without those points, the upgrade for the flights would cost about twice as much as everything else in the trip. I will check with Viking on the shuttle times and see what kind of arrangements are planned.

I am traveling with my 84 y/o mother on the Romantic Danube cruise with Viking at the end of October this year. It is her first visit to Europe and her first river cruise, which has been a dream of hers for many years. I want to make the trip as smooth as possible for her. We have flights through Viking coming into Munich for a cruise departure from Regensburg. The flight comes in at around 7:30 a.m., then we have the Viking transfer to the ship. It is hard to sleep well on a plane, and I am wondering if we should fly in a day early to give her time to rest before the cruise departure. I am told that in addition to the $100 per person fee from Viking, we would also lose the Viking transfer from the airport and would have to make our own way. She is in good shape and ready for the trip, I am just worried about the combination of jet lag and sleep deprivation making her first day a little rough. Any good ideas would be appreciated!