caskale

On 10/7/2023 at 7:50 AM, Mike07 said:

 

 

That's probably the best advice for this thread. You have to try a few cruise lines that compete at similar price points and find out what what cruise line works the best for you. The unfortunate part is sometimes regulars of a line have a poor(er) or less than ideal experience on a particular itinerary because it's the combination of staff, food, or whatever that made it worse. Everybody has off days, including cruise lines.

1 hour ago, Capt_BJ said:

the package also expands your wine/beer choices ... rather than being limited to the wine of the day you can choose any of the 'by the glass' and there are a bunch.  We often saw a fresh bottle being opened for our 'glass' choice. Ditto the 'included beer' is typically draft (for or last Ocean it was Carlsburg for the light altho the dark was something local and canned) .. package lets you pick any . . .

We were allowed to choose any beer without buying the package in February.

Vancouver is a great place to spend a day 😃

7 minutes ago, travelnn said:

We are sailing on Jupiter May 17 2020 beginning with London.

Which cruise is yours? 

That’s the one we are on,going with another couple. Doing Oslo on our own after.

8 hours ago, travelnn said:

We are also on the May 17 cruise!

I would like to find out the kinds of included excursions they offered.

Thanks!

We are looking at some private tours in some of the smaller ports. 

Thank you for all the great info as I plan our May 2020 cruise

1 minute ago, Hanoj said:

 

Which airline, what cabin class, and what home airport? 

 

We fly out of PDX (Portland, OR) and we need to get to Bergen and there are limited airlines (primarily Delta - partnering with KLM to Bergen, IcelandAir, and KLM). We may need to consider adding a pre-extension to Oslo to expand flight availability.

 

Did you use a web based consolidator or other service?

British Airways,booked economy then upgraded to Premium, flying from Vancouver .

We are starting in London,then staying in Oslo on our own, lots more choice fling that way. Booked on BA’s website

We booked our own air for next May,got a much better price than Viking was offering us, and got flights I wanted

1 hour ago, moatenote said:

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply---been enjoying the cruise too much!

We are in Holyhead, Wales today.  So far we've had 2 tender ports-Edinburgh and Ullapool.  Edinburgh was a bit dicey as the weather was not cooperating---very windy and off-and-on rain.  One tender was having problems before being boarded, so that delayed our tour group for about 15 minutes.  Ullapool tendering went off without any problems---and this is what I remember of all other Viking tenders we've been on during previous cruises.  Viking's tenders are very big and comfortable inside; the crew is great in helping people on and off, and unless the seas are very rough, the whole process is quite smooth.

 

Our excursions:  In Bergen, we had previously done the included bus tour here, so instead we walked up the trail to the top of Mt. Floyen, stopping often to breathe and enjoy the views.  It was a bit strenuous for us 73-year-olds who are not in the best shape.  But there are very long lines to buy tickets to ride up the funicular, and long lines to actually get on it.  And the funicular goes through a tunnel for awhile after leaving the boarding area.   We rode it back down and there was no line, and the views were great.

 

Lerwick--did the optional "Ancient Civilizations of Shetlands" and we all thought it was fantastic--highly recommend it.  It was rainy and windy, but it was still very educational and interesting.

 

Highlands/Invergordon-did the included tour, "Inverness Scenic Drive".  Bus ride, about 45 minutes to Inverness.  Tour guide had such a strong accent that we  had trouble understanding him.  Got off the bus for about 1.5 hours of free time, and it was windy and rainy again.  Went in to a few shops and walked along the river.  The weather may have clouded our opinion, but this was not a tour I'd choose to do again.

 

Edinburgh--4 of us did the optional tour, "Holyrood Palace and Edinburgh Castle"  A wonderful guide  who made sure we knew where to meet, etc.  I always appreciate that extra care shown by some guides.  Did a bus ride through the city and she pointed out interesting landmarks.  First stop was Holyrodn Palace--tour includes audioguides from the palace--the guide helped us understand the programming in the guide, not very clear on its own.  Self-guided tour lasted about an hour--interesting palace.  Back to bus and on to the Royal Mile.  Of course it's rainy and windy once again, and the RM was very crowded.  Lunch was NOT included in the tour, but Lyn, our guide had suggestions for places/areas (we walked a few minutes to the free Museum and had a good lunch in the cafe there, which was not very busy).  Met up with guide and walked a few minutes uphill to Edinburgh Castle.  Enjoyed seeing the Crown Jewels (there's a separate entrance if you go to the left side of the castle and toward the back).  Great views of city and the surrounding area.  Back on the bus and saw some more interesting sights around the city.  We enjoyed this tour and recommend it.

 

Orkney/Kirkwall-we did a private tour here with Rosemary from Wild About Orkney.  It was definitely one of the best tours I've been on.  The 4 of us in a private car and Rosemary was a terrific guide who loves the area and especially the archaeological sites.  Skara Brae was amazing.  Also included were the Italian Chapel (great!), Scapa Flow, Churchill Barriers, Skaill House, Cliffs of Yesnaby, Ring of Brodgar, Ness of Brodgar (an active archaeological site), and Standing Stones of Stenness.  Finally a good weather day too!

 

Ullapool-we did the included tour, "Explore Picturesque Ullapool"--Very windy and intermittent rain.  A good guide, a lovely setting, but not much here really.

 

Belfast-we did an optional Viking tour, "Giants' Causeway".  Long bus ride through some lovely countryside.  Once again, the guide was very hard to understand.  Drove by the Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge---good photo op.    Once we reached the Visitors' Center at the Giant's Causeway area, we were given vouchers to enter the VC and ride the shuttle down to the shoreline and back (or you could walk there).   Lunch not included and the guide did not tell us that there's a cafe in the VC (never saw a sign inside the center advertising this).  The basalt/lava formations are very interesting and there are numerous paths all around.  Rainy and very windy once again.  All in all, my least favorite optional tour.  Should have just bought a few postcards instead.

 

Liverpool-did optional Viking tour, "Roman City of Chester".  About a 45-minute bus ride.  Interesting city with well-preserved Roman walls (not as awesome as the walls of Dubrovnik, tho).  Guide took us through the Chester Cathedral---very interesting and a huge place.  Interesting bus ride around parts of Liverpool; saw parts of Albert Dock area (and we walked back over there after tour was over).  Ship is in Liverpool from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm, so you can take a tour and still explore some areas on your own.  We enjoyed the optional tour.

 

That's it for today---more to come!!

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for the great info

Booked with Boutique tours of North Wales,other people from cruise critic have used him. 

5 minutes ago, Hanoj said:

 

I suppose it depends on the airports used and the airlines available. We just initiated a booking for the Bergen embarkation. Delta has a direct flight from PDX to AMS with a connecting flight (via KLM Cityhopper) to BGO. Our return flight will be a nonstop from LHR to PDX. We like getting back home without connecting flights.

 

We were disappointed Viking’s Oxford & Highclere Castle extension is not available after August of 2019. 

Spent some time in Oxford last fall while wife attended a class there,great place to visit.Even if for a day trip if you can. Just confirmed my private tour in Holyhead today.

We chose to start in London just because it is easier to fly onto compared to Bergen.

planning on doing a mix of Viking tours and private tours.

1 minute ago, frenchhorn said:

We are booked from Greenwich to Bergen on May 2, and we'd love to hear about the excursions you take, private, Viking, or on your own.  Also, our cruise has Ullapool, Kirkwall, and Edinburgh marked as tender ports, and we have never done tenders.  We're interested in hearing how it works in those ports, especially how it affects your excursion plans.  (Greenwich is a tender port too, but we're not concerned about that port.)  Thanks for any information you can share!

We are doing May 17 and would appreciate hearing the same things about the cruise.

5 minutes ago, TrulyBlonde said:

I was brought up to follow the rules and have enough respect to abide by them. If it states, no jeans, teeshirts, sneakers, why not comply? 

If you don't mind spending your money on poor service that is your choice. I do not like to spend my $$$ on beds not being turned down or room cleaned in a timely manner, disappearing waitstaff, dirty dishes sitting in front of me and have to ask that they be cleared. 

We all have choices and I choose not to cruise with Viking anything again.

Saw many rule breakers on Oceania, bringing their own alcohol into restaurant,saving chairs around the pool area and staff not doing anything about it. Then a so called refined passenger challenging me to meet him onshore to sort it out. Rather turn my own bed down least I know where my hands have been lol

12 hours ago, TrulyBlonde said:

I agree and also have taken an Alaska cruise with O along with many other O cruises.  I have never seen any children on board an O cruise and if they were there, must have been hidden.

Service was our main issue with our Viking Ocean cruise. It even came down to asking for a glass of wine and to see that the waiter at the bar never returned. Maybe a one off..but not for that kind of money.  Don't get me started on the dress code that not is enforced. UGH!

Aesthetics only go so far....I will take the finer cuisine, better service, and a more refined passenger demographic and happy I am fortunate to have the choice.

Not sure how a dress code makes or breaks a cruise being good,but then maybe I’m not refined enough to go back to cruising on Oceania😀

We have booked it for May 2020, already looking into some private tours.

57 minutes ago, Hiking In Heels said:

We just got our email - are you inclined to use your credit? One of our fears is that cycle of throwing money down in hopes of things improving. I'm not sure we'll be able to afford another Viking cruise and get enough Paid Time Off from work before our discount expires, since we're in our 30s and work full-time.

We still enjoyed ourselves enough on this cruise,so we did book another one while on board,one with way less sea days though. Was able to use transfer the credit to it. It will be our third VikIng ocean cruise.

31 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Hey, there are two sinks at each entrance to the World Cafe.  With soap and clean towels.  Just chill out and wash your d*mn hands..😳

Yes there are sinks even if you enter from the infinity pool area,and a sink by the pool grill too. It only takes a minute 

23 hours ago, Hiking In Heels said:

Thank you!! I will let you know how it goes.

On this cruise with you we were sent a 500 dollar voucher each against a future cruise.

On the Star right now and they are still asking everyone to either wash or sanitize as you enter dining rooms.

unfortunately do to high winds and seas had to miss Santiago de Cuba

As of lunch today,we are able to serve ourselfs in the World Cafe.

The staff are asking us to wash our as we enter dining rooms,they are not keeping salt and pepper shakers on the table . Even when we checked in for the cruise they would wipe down between passengers. I feel they are as much ch as the can to keep the Star clean.

2 hours ago, Jack E Dawson said:

That's good news casual, thanks for the report. Any word on what the mechanical issue was or was there actually a problem?

No mention of that so far.The spa and gym are open as usual,in the World cafebthey serve the food.

On board now all pools are open,they gave us a letter explaining about the virus on the last cruise,and to remind us to wash our hands often.all is great so far 

We board the Star later today,will see what the situation is. At least she made to Miami on time