OceanPatter

On 1/31/2022 at 8:15 AM, Clay Clayton said:

So how those of us that are extra fluffy and in my case extra tall and some balance issues.  Just how hard is it to get in the Rib/zodiacs and more importantly how hard is it to got out once onshore?  Would love to do this cruise and it would certainly be inspiration to loose some weight and increase our fitness level but given I had to use my hiking sticks to climb the Great Wall worry that I won’t be able to really take advantage of being in Antartica. 
 

TIA for your and anyone else’s advice!

Wondering the same thing as Clay … how difficult is it to get into/out of the zodiacs? It might be a make-or-break deal for someone with mobility issues, alas.

Thank you, Heidi13, for the apt recap. In the past, there was all this discussion about Crystal vs Viking/luxury vs non-luxury, etc. In retrospect, those were trivial considerations  … especially when the real issue should have been insolvency vs financial viability.

NMCruiser123, what a loyal following you’ve developed here on cruisecritic. And almost 50k views of your thread … amazing. It speaks in part to the kindness of the HAL ‘family,’ who adopted, supported and cheered you on. (Of course, it was quite evident early on, that you’re very laid-back, friendly and just plain cool.)

Please update us on your future cruise … we’ll be all ears.

Gcorgain, not sure if this has already been mentioned … but there’s a similar running thread on the Holland American board titled ‘Zuiderdam Quarantine.’ The OP is NMCruiser123 and he is a bit further along than you (on #days in quarantine). His thread has garnered tremendous interest (and sympathy). People have viewed his situation as a cause célèbre.

Haha, NMCruiser123, you’re ‘young’ enough to be adopted by many of the folks on this thread! Perhaps that’s why we’ve all taken a liking to you …

NMCruiser123

Another wow … you wait until now to disclose that you have another cruise booked for February??

The big question that looms will be: Will he or won’t he? Ha, think of all the sequels you could pen after this one. And if you embark again, we would love to learn what you pack in your ‘potential quarantine’ bag.

Despite your misfortune, you have entertained/educated us immensely. To which we are ever so grateful.

Wow, your thread has hit more than 28K views! Impressive, as it even exceeds ‘Bill and Mary Ann’s’ world cruise thread. You’ve become a big celebrity! Can’t wait for your final sign-off when your ordeal ends.

Szpal/OP—you are probably one of the most civil, balanced and well-organized posters on all of cruisecritic. Can’t thank you enough for so calmly and openly sharing your ordeal, and responding to people’s queries.
 

Would love to sail with you one day. Until then, safe travels.

15 hours ago, larry1365 said:

Regent today cancelled their world cruise. Will leave SFO and go to the Caribbean and Amazon for segments adding up to 120 days. Not aware that Viking has announced a final WC itinerary. 

Happy travels to those on the Viking WC. We’re here in San Francisco and noticed that the Regent Mariner - which was about to embark on its WC - had been quietly docked at the cruise terminal for three days. Something was definitely amiss, and we share the disappointment in the odd turn of events.

At the end of the day, I think all we want is safe travels.

Very gracious of you, Bfsroyal, for candidly updating us on your developments. This is where cruisecritic shines … allowing us to benefit from actual information like yours. 
 

Hope the time passes quickly, and you have safe travels home after leaving the hotel.

3 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Travelwell,

 

I concur that you are the perfect fit for Viking's demographic.

 

Ship size - yes, Viking is a little bigger than your preference, but that does provide some additional entertainment options. The other consideration is the average space per pax. A generic metric is dividing gross tonnage by number of pax. Using that metric, Viking is very close to some of the supposed luxury brands. However, nothing can impact the pax experience more than the ship design and Viking's modern ships really excel. Ships seem very spacious, with lots of quiet spaces throughout the ship.

 

Prom. Deck - this is also a must for us, with 4 laps = 1 mile. In addition, you can walk laps up on deck 8, with stairs up to dk 9 available for extra workout.

 

Viking Crew - having actually worked in the industry, I pay special attention to the crew hours of work/conditions. First of all, Viking's crew retention rates are in the mid 90%, which is exceptional. They are provided free wi-fi, with better bandwidth than the pax. At the onset of COVID shut-down, the Viking crew were treated significantly better than mainstream lines:

• Crew at home and unable to fly to their ship, were started on 1/2 pay once their leave ended
• Crew on board empty ships, or almost empty ships (8 pax), worked every 2nd day, receiving 1/2 pay. Cross training introduced to enhance promotion opertunities.
• On Viking Sun, the crew were so appreciative, they produced a thank you film for the Hagen family and Executive.
• During the initial COVID shutdown, Florida had a plethora of cruise ships waiting for the US CDC to approve crew repatriation. Over 100K crew member remained aboard for many months. Other ships remained off Florida, but Viking sailed their ships, except Orion, to Portsmouth, where the UK Govt accepted crew member repatriation. All crew members who could return home, were repatriated

Drinking - as a minimal drinker, Viking's model of included beer/wine at lunch & dinner will work for you. Unlimited bottles of water provided when going ashore.

 

Dining - we always request sharing tables, which were always available at dinner. Apparently, most don't do sharing at breakfast, but we always found other pax to chat with.

 

Crew - simply amazing.  On the first night, the MDR host asked that we give him a couple of days to remember our names & cabin numbers - he knew them the next day. Every morning, at sea, DW headed to the Atrium dk 1 sitting in the lounge chairs. She ordered tea from the bar, pouring it into her own mug. After a couple of days, the young lady asked her to drop her cup on the bar and to go find a seat. The waiters delivered her tea and returned multiple times for refils. In the Star Theatre, our favourite waiter ordered drinks as soon as he saw us enter. Just before the show started he dropped off another couple of drinks - no need to order. 

 

Enjoy your experience with Viking.

Kudos, Heidi13, for your awesome insights on Viking’s above-and-beyond treatment of its crew. Hope you don’t mind my sharing of this info on the Crystal board (as an attempt to cross-pollinate and level the playing field).

What amazing contributions you, Jim Avery, Azulann, and others make to this board.

Only minimal cruising on both lines, but here are top things that stayed with (and mattered to) me:

Regent (Explorer)

+ luxurious cabins with even more luxurious bathrooms

+ exquisite food on amazing place settings, that scream ‘elegance’

+ marble and bling in public spaces (if you’re into that)

- small things overlooked in the design of public spaces

Viking

+ heavenly spa retreat on par with destination spas (pool/jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, ice room, mood lighting, gas fireplace … you get the drift)

+ Scandinavian design sensibility, including chairs and seating of all types … that lull you into sedentary bliss

+ technology intelligently deployed (video screens, theater projection, constellations, etc.)

+ no casino, no kids (just clean cruising)

+ afternoon tea with 19 types of loose-leaf teas (yes)

- average wines

It’s nice (and a privilege) to enjoy both lines.

21 hours ago, Azulann said:

I must say the Crystal and Regent forum are  having a hard time believing that Viking  rank number one. Their loyalty to their  ships and cruise line goes back decades for many. 

 Many totally misunderstand the design and decor of a Viking Ship.  Scandinavian decor is not stark as one wiife said. It is all about form and function and the aesthetic of using nature , comfort and always the view of sky or sea , not more marble and crystal chandeliers and velvet.  

They are hanging on to their "luxury" label for all its is worth , even if they  book a Oceanview stateroom . They wax about the crew that are like family. I always read that as an  Upstair , Downstairs  beacon to  the class system  in ole Europe/ England.

None of them  mentioned the good liverposti or Success cake and waffles in Mamsen, or the resident t historian ,and guest lecturers , curated books  etc. 

Viking origins are rooted in their  river cruises and brought to the ocean  with additional space ,food venues and still the "thinking person " cruise .

I wish those other lines  good fortune that they can remain afloat  after the COVID period for their followers. 

Hello, Ms. Azulann! Always appreciate your grounded perspectives, and do hope to cruise with you again. Or enjoy San Juan again, the start of that wonderful cruise …

On 11/9/2021 at 7:27 PM, Steve Q said:

Below is a link to the just released cruise rankings from U. S. News & World Reports.

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/11/10/what-are-the-best-cruises-in-the-world-viking-disney-are-big-winners.html

Sorry, Steve … didn’t see your post. I just started another thread on it.

Perhaps no one here cares. This was actually mentioned on the Crystal board, and anyone who tried to defend Viking there didn’t get very far. (The debate always deteriorates into whether Viking is considered luxury … jeez.)
 

So for those of you who have sailed both lines, perhaps you can go over to Crystal and weigh in (or not). On one hand, it’s good to know that Viking cruisers are confident in their choice, and are indifferent to rankings.

P.S. Hello Jim Avery! Glad to see that you and a few others are still the mainstay of this board.

Nice photos of San Francisco, nimi17! When working out on the roof of our sports club yesterday (across from the port), the Koningsdam was in prime view. I was so excited to see the trend towards normalcy. Earlier in the week, the Majestic Princess was docked here, representing the first cruise ship in San Francisco since the pandemic started.

We’ve been on the Koningsdam twice, once on the Baltic itinerary. Great memories.

Safe and pleasant travels to you.

Markham, we’ll look so forward to meeting you on the Quest in 2023! We booked the 45-day  segment, which had plenty of availability only a few months ago.

We didn’t know how to proceed with travel insurance, and ended up foregoing the early purchase for pre-existing coverage. We’ll just purchase medical evacuation at a later date.

2 hours ago, markham said:

Yes, let’s plan on a terrific expedition cruise experience with the Wind. It would not take much on the “people side” for Silversea to deliver a more satisfactory experience than the one I had on the Cloud with the CD (who announces the groups to appear for embarking on the zodiacs) to make for a more convivial place. 
 

As for the physical plant, it will be what it will be, and I hope for the best. I remember sliding myself into the pool on deck and leaping out in a second. The water was way too hot and as a consequence the expo team could not do some exercise they showed up to start. All due to old systems and/or lack of monitoring. With the low deck side doors for zodiac boarding open the heat in all the corridors would whoosh out of the ship when the large automated doors to the pool deck opened. The Cloud was originally built for warm weather cruising. Ditto the many cabin floods resulting in people changing cabins on 5 deck. And the seating in the MDR was so flat and tired they were painful. Very disappointing at those prices is one way to look at this cruise. I would be gratified if all these things have since been addressed on the back of passenger feedback!

 

The expedition nature of the cruise meant very casual dress standards and a very good series of lectures on all sorts of topics. Lots of folks with shared interests, especially photography. While the lack of sightings of wildlife and heavy glacier ice retreat were let-downs for me, I was enriched by the lectures and saddened by the living standards of the local peoples. A most memorable cruise as a result.

 

You are all very fortunate to go to Antarctica now and reserve those cabins. I wish you a wonderful voyage!

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

Appreciate your balanced insights. A few months ago, we booked one of the Quest’s 2023 Antarctica sailings. Hoping that will give Seabourn enough time to settle back into normalcy. And Antarctica is the Quest’s sweet spot, no?

Seabourn’s 2021/22 Antarctica season (on the Quest) has just been canceled … so good luck to all of you on the similar Silverseas itinerary.

Patti! So thrilling to read your posts. I know how much you wanted to cruise again with Viking, and now you’re finally onboard with your sister. Wishes do come true.
 

Remember our cruise on the Viking Sea from San Juan to Barcelona? It still ranks as my most memorable … the dinners with you and Louise, our Cruise Critic group dinner at Manfredi’s, and our roll call’s two cocktail parties with Viking staff. Priceless.

Wishing you a wonderful cruise around Bermuda, and the joys of many more …

43 minutes ago, Babr said:

If you do not want the pre-existing condition waiver, then there is no requirement to buy right away.
 

Just be sure that you do not have a pre-existing condition as defined by the insurance policy. Any change in meds that causes your condition to become unstable will be considered pre-existing if you have to file a claim.

 

Also be sure to check if the pre-existing condition clause includes family members not traveling with you  such as elderly parents.

Sorry, Babr ... meant to reply to your comment above.

Thanks, Babr, for the additional guidance. Overall, it's good to get the pre-existing condition covered. On the other hand, it does require one to buy right away. At least we have a few days to mull this over.

Travel insurance (trip cancellation), however, does seem pretty expensive, at about 12% of the cruise cost. Our credit card already covers $20K (w/o pre-existing condition coverage), which is great ... but our cruise exceeds that amount quite a bit. Hence the consideration of insurance.

Thank you, Jersey42, for your informative reply.

Thank you, Jersey42 and Suzanne123. Forgive me for my basic questions, as we've always waived travel insurance. Because of our ages and an upcoming Antarctica cruise, insurance now seems prudent.

Some of the GeoBlue plans seem to duplicate MedJet's coverage for evacuation. We're actually seeking broader coverage for the risk of a medical issue/accident that prevents us from going on the cruise (after final payment). The insurance would mitigate the loss of money spent on the cruise. I know that some credit cards will cover up to $20,000 of the trip cost (for two people), but we need to insure for more.

What have you done, or would advise? Thank you.

Sorry for duplicating this post on another thread. I was told that in order to get the pre-existing medical condition coverage, the policy must be purchased within a certain number of days from the cruise deposit. However, if the pre-existing medical condition is waived, there doesn't seem to be a time limit on when the insurance needs to be purchased.

Jersey42--I wasn't aware that the pre-existing condition coverage could be purchased as late as a day before the trip begins ... this is contrary to what two insurance agents have told me. Can you please confirm/clarify? Thanks.