milling73

Notamermaid - thanks for clarification. Be nice if us here could somehow book under European residency!!!! 
 

When older it is a test of optimistic faith to spend that much money year or more out, that we will take trip.
but as travel eases and more return, if we wait to within couple of months of when wanting to go - tours are sold out…

So its a catch 22. 
I just make sure our children have the booking info and company of future plans - to either get refund or change to their name. 

The odd thing about Viking bookings - posts are correct, they usually demand payment within 30 days of booking, even for cruises year out. Unless two cruises are booked, and then second cruise can be extended to 6 months out.
 

However for Other Countries - they allow final payment at 60 days from trip. Never understood why, but other international travelers have confirmed information is correct. 
 

Viking is aware other companies give much more leeway in payment terms.  But they seldom budge, even for frequent guests.  Their attitude seems to be - “then book with the other company”.

For summer cruising on Viking Danube - are passengers wearing shorts during day tours 

 etc?  
Have taken several river cruises in cooler months, and at dinner most were dresses / slacks. But have heard that dress becoming more casual. Husband would love to take some cargo shorts for July cruise. 

Can anyone cruising recently assist? 
 

Thank you…..

Thank you for a very helpful report.!!  Glad you had a great trip.

You are all correct in that we should work together to protect others as well as ourselves. However, we have all lived  with the risk of getting COVID everyday for over 2 years, and I am betting very few, if any —  living their normal life off the Viking cruise, tests themselves every - before going to the grocery store, gym, playground, restaurant or work.  And how many people do we all meet and possibly expose each day?  How many have had COVID with no symptoms at all? Or had such mild cases as to assume a cold or allergy? 
 

If we are okay with going out with others, and  living without daily testing precautions off the ship, shouldn’t a vacation be the same?  
 

neither us nor Viking  have any control on who we meet on excursions off the ship, our flight, in hotels etc.-  Or what virus exposed to,  The cruise is not a controlled group scenario, or even a fair playing field of meet all requirements, follow all rules,  and everyone will test negative.  In all likelihood, through no fault of their own or maybe even aware - someone will test positive. 
 

It’s more like that line from an old Dirty Harry, Clint Eastwood movie —- “Do you Feel Lucky, Punk?”

On 5/3/2022 at 3:26 PM, Canadian Sunset said:

I don’t get why people are so upset with daily testing. How hard is it to spit in a tube every morning?  My husband and I did it for 25 days and survived.  We also continue to wear masks now that we’re home.  Not a big deal.

The "big deal" is that a positive test result means that a trip costing thousands just ended..  Not all of us are relaxed or thrilled with the "dream vacation confined to cabin scenario".  Nor does the daily testing make us feel happily safer!  One can have every vaccine and booster there is, live in a mask, and still catch COVID,  probably a mild case similar to bad cold / flu.  Furthermore before COVID, no one was  tested, quarantine or removed from a Viking ship for being sick, unless they requested to do so or required doctor care. 

It is also true that many of us have vouchers with Viking from cancelled cruises - so it isn't like we can just jump to any other cruise line that doesn't do this daily testing.  Bizarrely enough, they won't accept a Viking voucher, so we are stuck with taking a Viking cruise before the voucher expires, or donating our money to them.

 Are Avalon crises requiring daily Covid testing and masks on Rhine or Danube? (As Viking does)

Avalon’s website is rather vague on procedures. 

Thanks for assist.!

Asking those who are on, or have taken  the Grand European or portions of - due to low bridges, etc — is the top deck open much when sailing? Do they allow guests there when docked at port? Do they offer bar service?

We have taken several river cruises, but most in early spring when too chilly to be up top, or on the older boats, and  I can’t remember much about top deck availability. 
 

Thanks for assist.!

Would you update on if they do the Covid test again? Or resume daily? Is that on all Europe river cruises right now?  We are considering the Grand European in late July. We 

thanks

Just to confirm - Avalon is not requiring daily PCR or spit tests for COVID, as Viking is doing?

Thanks….

Janetcbl -- All good suggestions, unfortunately we have been to Oslo and seen those things.  Once was enough.  One of more appealing aspects of the original Homelands (for us) was that it skipped Oslo - a truly lovely and upscale, business city, but, not nearly as fun to wander and observe as Copenhagen or Venice variety.  Again, all personal preferences.

Viking Homelands - July 12, 2022

Our cruise has different stops than what is listed on Homelands web page.  In reading these posts, and talking to Viking...it seems that the itinerary stops on this cruise, depends on the date taken.  We recently lost Mariehamn, and added another town in Sweden - Karlskrona, which shows no shore excursions at all.  We now have a15 day cruise with 5  "not much to see/do days".  Two days of Oslo is a day and half too much.  (IMO), and wish they had scheduled 2 nights in Copenhagen instead.  Far more to see and do there.  

We were told by an earlier Viking rep, that the $250 each shipboard credit would be placed on our account as soon as shore excursions appeared, and could be used towards booking such.  We found that is not true.  We only receive the shipboard credit -- AFTER boarding.  That is another bummer as many excursions sell out in advance.  Apparently that gift offer, is one given with limited use and stipulations.

Even though we have air booked, we are considering bailing on this, and moving to Grand European river cruise instead.

For anyone on a Viking river cruise in Europe right now --- are masks on board required?  Enforced?  I ask because so many countries in Europe have dropped mask requirements, and am hoping that the on the Viking ship and their bus tours  are not requiring them either. 

Can anyone assist?  Thanks!!!

On 3/14/2022 at 7:13 PM, bpolen said:

In the May 6th departure we now have 9 of our 15 days in either Norway or Denmark, unfortunately not a lot of variety with the ports of call.  Totally understand it is not Viking's fault but this is definitely not what we signed up for.  Working with our agent to see what alternative options we have.  

I agree -- so are we.  Viking told me in a phone call that if we do not like the revised itinerary, we have the option of a) cancelling and receiving a full refund, b) roll the trip to next year, c) change to an entirely different cruise.  Those are about as fair of choices as we could hope.  Problem is finding a cruise this year with availability.

Our July 12 Homelands cruise has the 2 islands (disappointingly) and overnight Oslo (also a bummer). Oslo sights can pretty much be covered in 1 day.  While Viking probably tried their best to create revised itineraries which must be a logistics nightmare, it still seems to us as passengers that we are receiving  less than exciting replacements for the 3-4 days involved.   Even Viking's own description of Mariehamm is that it offers a number of cafes / restaurants (and apparently very little else, as there are no shore excursions listed at all).  Since we are on a ship with multiple choices of free dining,  why would we be excited about spending a day deciding where to buy a meal?

We were also booked on this cruise for July 2022, and are trying to decide whether to keep or not.  Both The Finland island (close to Stockholm), and Bornholm (Denmark) offer very little to see or do (in our opinion).  And Oslo is  certainly no replacement for St Petersburg.  

We would have rather seen a day added at Copenhagen which has so much more to see and do, or for Viking to even extend travel further up the Norway coast, than what they did.  Kinda feels they just added stops to make up time, than  care whether anything was actually  offered as a comparable replacement.   

Will Homelands cruise be cancelled if Russia at war in Ukraine? 

Viking had the boat re-fitted and added 2 junior suite rooms. Trying to find someone who has sailed recently and seen them.

Thanks for assisting..

I checked with one large agency on a Viking river cruise with air, that they were advertising in a local ad, and the price they quoted me was actually higher than the price on the Viking website. When I questioned the price, they really didn't offer an explanation other than many travelers liked the convenience of a travel agency arranging all details. But once we book with Viking pretty much all is arranged anyway.

Maybe working with a specific agent long-term does provide discounts, but I have been able to negotiate terms and even pricing, with Viking on my own. And as we travel fairly frequently it just seems easier to make my own reservations / flights / and travel plans for extensions, rather than trying to reach an agent with a question or issue on my booking, or not liking their selection or prices.

For past cruisers of the Viking Mekong --- Does anyone have photos, information or opinion of the Junior Suite cabin on the Viking Mekong river cruise? (There are 2 -- cabin 301 and 302). The boat is Pandaw Tonle, but their website says all cabins are the same, and the boat is on lease to Viking. Viking website only shows 1 photo, and no room lay-out.

Thanks for assist!

Viking does give some leeway in their payment policy, but you have to ask "push" for it. We booked the Mekong cruise for Aug 2018, in late 2016. We were granted an extension of the final payment. But it took us several pricing inquiries, with different Viking reps and declining to confirm booking, until Viking granted us the extension. Apparently some Viking agents have more authority for leeway terms than others.

We truly enjoy Viking tours, but to us there is simply no reason we should pay 20 months in advance for a trip that is the price of a small car. Until we take the trip, we have cost Viking nothing. And has been noted Viking boats usually sail full, so it isn't like a cancelled cabin 90 - 180 days out, would go empty.

Yes we can get refunds through trip insurance or Viking's own policy, but all of that is a hassle, and the bottom line is there is no justifiable reason for that type of "pay in advance" policy. In all of our cruises with Viking we have received extended final payment terms, by politely refusing to book until we get it.

We were just on the Viking Baldur. We have found on river cruises, there is no set dinner attire, even at the Captain's dinner. Some will change to suit coat, dresses, to men in khakis / jeans and women in slacks & sweater or tunics / leggings. It really is your choice based on what you prefer -- if you like to dress up that is fine. If you packed more limited, that is fine too. Each night there was a wide-range of attire, and not everyone changed clothes for dinner.

Also there are 2 dinner options: the main dining room for the menu / much longer meal. Or the terrace dining for a smaller buffet (no menu). Those who ate there, definitely went casual. We ate there several nights and thoroughly enjoyed it.

We just got off the Viking Baldur from the Tulips & Windmills cruise. Viking has increased their security from previous cruises. Entry doors are now locked at night, as well as guard posted.

As far as rafting, we did have to cross another Viking boat one day, but staff were there watching who was coming / going. I saw them confirm with a passenger as to which boat they were accessing.

MickeyB

Do you have more info on the Mailing 2 -- 2018 free air to Asia (except China).

Or still have the flyer? that you could email? Viking doesn't show it, but I would certainly like to grab it.

Thank you!!!

We did go to Croatia in May, but ultimately decided to go on our own, via in country flights / car / train - touring most of Croatia, Slovenia and on to Prague. So I can't give a cruise review.

I do want to say though that Croatia is amazingly clean and beautiful -- Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar the coastal towns, but above all see Plitvice Lakes. Seeing them, actually hearing the constant rush of water throughout that park is a more apt description, was ultimately why we chose to go to Croatia and we were not disappointed.

Roads are well-maintained, and easy to navigate. Great public transport. Locals helpful and friendly. And scenery that never disappointed, whether by land or sea.

Again, please excuse a non-cruise review.