molymoo

There will usually be an "uptick" in the lecture schedule as well. On our Panama Canal cruise last year we had 10 sea days and there were multiple lectures sea days ... there was a "resident" historian, naturalist, botanist, and gentleman who regaled us with interesting and entertaining stories that pertained to our itinerary. They also had craft groups, bridge, and baggo tournaments. There is also the spa, which remarkably wasn't ever crowded, and of course the pools ... both were open and accessible. We enjoyed the lectures and usually a nap in the afternoon!

I'm sorry but this brings out my sarcastic nature (and I really do try to keep it under contro!l). Really, a YouTube video?!? That's really a reliable source of information! (sarcasm) And I'm sure that if the individual(s) making said video(s) say they are or were Viking employee(s), it's the absolute truth!! (sarcasm, again).

We have had several versions of Viking vouchers and the "conditions" have always been spelled out pretty clearly. We have never had any issues using them when we used them as outlined in those conditions. We are now working with Viking "voucher free" and glad of it but can't say dealing with them was particularly onerous nor did we ever feel that any entity was trying to "take advantage" of us.

Not sure it will be a "short experiment" as the pea soup has been on the menu in the late evenings for as long as I remember. It is delicious and wish that I was able to stay awake more often to enjoy it!

Sometimes it is a little "trickier"! Remember watching for "just the right moment" for a jump into the tender as the seas rocked the small boat up and down. All good fun, though, and the crew are wonderfully helpful!

Interesting!

We did this itinerary in December. We did the "Taste of Mexico" in Cozumel, the "Coffee, Cooking Lesson and Street Food" in Cartegena, the "Embera Indian Village Visit" in Colon, the "Monteverde Cloud Forest and Aerial Tram" in Puntarenas, and "Lands End & Whale Watching" in Cabo. Our ship skipped Leon as there were apparently still some COVID restrictions in place. We enjoyed all of the excursions but our two favorites were in Cartegena and Cabo.

Give them a call and they can clear things up. Having Air Plus gives you access to an agent to discuss flights with and my experience (of late) has been that they will try their best to accommodate your wishes but often it is not something they can do within the constraints of their contracts with the airlines. I have spent hours recently working with them on flights for our next few cruises and, although they were not able to put me on the flights I wanted, in one case their flights were actually MUCH better than anything I had researched. In two cases I am opting to book my own but that is not typical as we are two females travelling "alone" there are some instances where we prefer to have the Viking transfer (eg: Egypt).

Bring your own!

FWIW ... we were given an upgrade on our first ocean cruise and were placed in 7008. LOVED the location!!! It is quiet and has an almost "exclusive" feel to it! It's a short walk to the Explorer's Lounge and just a quick walk to the WC for breakfast in the mornings. The only downsides would be the fact that at the higher levels rough seas are rougher and there is no laundry room on that floor. It's easy enough to go down to use the ones on 6, 5, 4, or 3, but not as convenient as having one right there.

Do bear in mind that if you book an independent tour read the contract carefully regarding last minute cancellations. We have done the BIE twice and hit some of the same ports on our Midnight Sun cruise and every time we missed at least one port. Orkney (Kirkwall), the Shetlands (Lerwick) and Ullapool are all subject to weather related issues that can make docking impossible. On our last cruise we missed Kirkwall after about a half an hour of the crew trying valiantly to tie up at the dock. The wind was ferocious and apparently the harbor master eventually called it and we had an unscheduled sea day. We watched their attempts from our stateroom and it was disheartening to see all the busses and vans lined up waiting to take us on our excursions. I'm fairly certain that it is a situation they are accustomed to and a refund would be offered but always a good idea to check.

If you want a treatment on a specific day (like a sea day) or prefer a specific time (morning, for instance) you will probably want to book ahead of time in MVJ. Sea days tend to book up quickly as do afternoons in short stay ports. Bookings are easy to get onboard on days when you are in port ... especially an "all day" port.

We have done this itinerary twice and had some "common" ports on other cruises (Into the Midnight Sun). Weather does, indeed, often affect the ability to dock in the Orkney and Shetland Islands but we missed Ullapool once for weather as well.

We had a wonderful dinner at Engebret Cafe in Oslo. It is one of (if not the) oldest restaurants in Oslo and serves traditional Norwegian fare. It isn't "cheap" but really didn't feel like it was outrageously pricey and the service was great. Depending on the weather they have a lovely outdoor seating area and it is a very reasonable walking distance from the Thon Opera where Viking hosts many of their extension guests. When we were in Bergen we thoroughly enjoyed a food and culture tour that featured the fish market and a number of other stops where we enjoyed lots of wonderful Norwegian food; traditional and modern. I don't think the company we used is still doing tours but TripAdvisor describes one that sounds very familiar. Also in Bergen, Trekroneren has wonderful sausages that are worth a try. The reindeer is a favorite and is served with lingonberry relish and crispy fried onions. It's delicious and can be easily split as it is quite large. It is a walk up so you may have to eat standing up but it's worth it. They are right off the Bryggen just a few doors past the McDonalds ... which is one of the cutest McDonalds I've ever seen! Never been inside but the outside is adorable. Have a wonderful trip! Oslo is beautiful and Bergen charming. The train ride is wonderful as well!

FWIW ... although we loved the two times we were on the "top" deck in 8000 (thanks Viking for the upgrades!) it really isn't the "top" deck. The "sports deck" is above you and last trip we were right below the bowling area and heard the type of noise you might expect. There were some active groups onboard and there were several sea days. That said, it was mostly during the daytime and didn't really bother us ... once we figured out what it was!

We always book a PV cabin and based on our experience (twice on the British Isles itinerary) the chances are good that you will be able to book the excursions you want. No guarantees, but I would say the chances are good. Even after you book, watch the site (MVJ) as they will sometimes add excursions after the booking windows have "come and gone". As far as independent excursions go that would be something to "discuss" with the vendor when you book. Some will certainly refund any monies paid if a port is cancelled ... but I am guessing some will not.

While there are companies that will insure cruises that are paid (partially or totally) with vouchers be aware that many do not insure vouchers for which you have made no outlay in cash. In other words if you are issued a voucher as a good will gesture for missed ports (we had one on our last cruise) it will not be covered under many/most plans. Read the fine print!

Vouchers absolutely have different rules! The OP states that the vouchers she was given were for "a change in itinerary" ... in other words it was issued to compensate for passengers 'not getting what we paid for", not a refund for a cancelled trip. Entirely different animal. We have been given and used vouchers several times for several reasons and the "rules" regarding their use have always been clearly stated in the issuance communication. For example, we recently cancelled a cruise and under our "Risk Free" conditions of the booking we were given vouchers equivalent to all monies paid to Viking that we could apply to any new booking in the next 24 months. The communication that included the voucher number included the following: *This voucher can be used on any new Viking cruise and will be applied at booking. This voucher is transferable, cannot be used as payment for a Travel Protection Plan, and the voucher must be redeemed by the expiration date prior to final payment. Once redeemed, it cannot be re-issued or used towards another cruise, and any unused balance of the voucher is lost and has no cash value. Pretty clear. The OP was never going to get a refund ... the voucher she had was essentially a "good will gesture for her "inconvenience". Seems to be there is nothing to escalate.

Perhaps "shame on that agent" but we all know that the "agents" people speak of are simply the poor soul who happens to get the call, not someone necessarily well versed in the "ins and outs" of the "vouchers game". Additionally, during "COVID times' the rules of the vouchers that were being given to those cancelling or being cancelled changed frequently and I'm not sure anyone would necessarily know the stipulations attached to anyone's particular circumstances. All too often people do not "read the fine print" and make themselves aware of the conditions of their vouchers and assume that "one size fits all" ... it doesn't and as consumers it is up to us to protect ourselves as best we can and not rely on the "agent" to look out for us.

Really?!? Seems like a serious overaction to this relatively isolated incident (not that you're alone in this) ... perhaps you were going to have to cancel anyway ?

Not all of them! We took the "Rural Shetland" excursion and got to meet a couple of lovely little ponies ... it was stressed that "unlike some others" they do not bite! They didn't despite some up close and personal petting from most members of the excursion! The dogs were wonderful as well!

Wow! An agent waiting at the gate with boarding passes sounds great! Saved a lot of legwork for you. Not sure I see your situation as an emergency … unless you were in danger of missing your cruise. Eight hours in Heathrow is a pretty minor inconvenience in today’s travel industry … far from an “emergency “.

Having been to Paris several times and travelled with my daughter who lived there for a college semester, I have pretty much done most of what has been discussed. FWIW (and probably not much, honestly) if I had only three days I would forego leaving the city for the likes of Versailles and Monet's gardens and enjoy one of the most wonderful cities in the world. Granted, my trips have been in May and June but personally, I hated Versailles and found it a waste of time and energy. It was hot and crowded and when all was said and done it, for me, was just another palace full of gold and mirrors. The gardens were better by far, but again the crowds and heat made it uncomfortable. Monet's home and gardens might have been lovely but it was, again, hot and VERY crowded. Whatever charm there may have been was lost to me. It might be less crowded in October, but it will also be less "lush" in vegetation ... it isn't open past the 31st of October. The last time we were in Paris we vowed to avoid the "big" sites and concentrate on lesser known (and less crowded) attractions. It was the nicest trip we ever had! We visited Musée Jacquemart-André; a smaller gallery housed in a former mansion. It was a short walk from our hotel, it was quiet and uncrowded, and it was lovely! We visited the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and happened upon a wonderful Gucci exhibition/retrospective (and I care little for fashion ... it was just beautifully curated)! We pre-ordered a Paris Picnic and enjoyed a wonderful spread in one of the beautiful parks (Picnics in Paris by Zia ... they have a website) and it was one of the most wonderful meals we have ever had in Paris! I still have the tote bag and it brings back wonderful memories every time I use it to tote my groceries from the neighborhood store! Enjoy your time in Paris and if it is your first trip, of course you must do some of the "signature" attractions. The Louvre is worth a visit but keep it short ... you cannot see everything in three WEEKS, so stick to the "basics". Musee D'Orsay is great, but again if your time is limited enjoy the unique setting and some of the works. L'Orangerie is worth a trip but, unless you are a Monet "freak" you need not spend a full day. The Eiffel Tower is lovely but, frankly the views from the middle lever are better than the top.

We were there in the summer and they had a shuttle that ran regularly from the ship to Merrion Square pretty regularly throughout the day. The drop off point is central and you can easily walk to many places you might wish to see from there.

We took th We took the "one with the dogs" last summer ... I don't remember what it was called then but it is now know as "Rural Shetland". We thoroughly enjoyed the excursion, despite the horrible weather! There were about 20 people and the drive was not noticeably long. We had lots of time to spend meeting the ponies, learning about the Shetland sheep (and their ponies do not bite) and watching the amazing dogs in action and learning how they are trained. The visit to the restaurant afterwards was lovely ... it was cozy and warm and the snacks (soup and bread) were delicious. It is one of our favorite Viking excursions.