On board The Star

[bsrkent]

I just looked at all the Roll Call listings and don't see Viking Star anywhere for July 25, 2015 sailing. I know I'm missing something but can't figure out what. Unless it's this dang iPad?

Help, 🙏😎🚢✈️🎫

 

Toby, welcome to Cruise Critic... All the roll calls are in a separate section, reserved to be viewed only by those who have registered with the site.

Clearly you have registered (in order to post) but you must be signed in to access these roll calls... make sure you are signed in then go here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1880099

[OBX Cruisers]

After signing in, go to the "Roll Calls" section; then "Viking Oceans Roll Calls"; and look down the list for "Viking Star Stockholm to Bergen July 25, 2015." Our group is about 6 down but that changes to further down if we don't have a recent post.

Just reply that you're on the cruise too and you're "in." You might like to look back through the previous pages for our Roll Call to see who else is there, what tours we're taking, etc.

See you soon!:)

[paquebot]

I know you're probably tired of my unsweet tea woes, but just when you think the problem's solved....

 

Tonight in The Restaurant, I got a new waitress and told her unsweet iced tea. She disappeared, brought my husband's wine - I reminded her about the iced tea. As the Starter came I reminded her again. She came back a few minutes later and said they had called all the restaurants on board and the only thing available was sweetened peach iced tea in a can. She had obviously not gotten the memo!

 

So, I ordered hot tea. I spoke to the head waiter on the way out and he said "of course we have unsweet iced tea." He asked me who my wait staff person was, and of course I didn't know her name but told him my table number. Not that I want to get anyone in trouble, but all the wait staff at this point should know how to get unsweet iced tea.

 

I know this is a picky issue, but you'd think they'd have this one ironed out by now.

 

On the other end of the spectrum, the 3 scales that Viking bought in Venice work a little too well. I've gained 6 pounds since Istanbul. Yikes! :eek: Obviously the food onboard is good! I need to stay away from the high tea service in the afternoon in the Wintergarden - those scones with clotted cream and jam are a killer.

 

Oh, oh! Ask Viking to offer a spa menu, with kale smoothies and fresh juice coolers. Call room service service for the miso soup. Eat oatmeal. Does that help??!! Glad to hear you are not starving. xo Paquebot

[id4elizabeth]

Miss all of you that got off in Venice. You would have loved this segment!

[paquebot]

Elizabeth,

 

I don't know your plans for that port, but if you haven't been to Nice, it's a fabulous city with a wonderful market (on Cours Saleya) and fabulous museums. Just outside the center of town is also the Chagall Museum, a mind blowing little place with his huge Old Testament paintings.

 

And Eze, high in the foothills, is a little jewel. Monte Carlo is a bore, unless you like to gamble, fancy super luxury cars, pricey restaurants, and mega yachts in the harbor. A glimpse of the Grimaldi Palace and you've pretty much covered the place.

 

Eat at Manfredi's as often as possible!

Paquebot

[OBX Cruisers]

Eze was just featured in the "Amazing Race". It's one of my favorite spots on the Med. Sooooo picturesque. We were part of a small group that went with a private guide quite a few years ago. Be sure to arrange a tour there if you can.

[Vineyard View]

Totally agree with assessment of Eze... Loved it

 

Totally agree with assessment of Monte Carlo.....Not all excursions over the years have been winners....that one was not ....at least for us.

Edited April 25, 2015 by Vineyard View

[algaes]

Viking can advertise also sorts of interesting and creative tours but they don't happen if not enough people show up.

 

DW was very excited about Tuscan Cooking Lesson (journey in Lucca valley, stately mansion, make your own pasta, bottle of wine...). Two days before Florence stop a letter shows up in the room stating the tour was cancelled due to lack of participation. Last sentence of notice letter begins, "We hope this will not affect your enjoyment of the cruise..."

 

Not Viking's fault at all but they certainly wrap themselves in the aura of these alternative tour options in their claim to be a different kind of cruise.

 

Picking a replacement tour means going to the Excursion Desk and waiting in line during the few hours it is open in AM and PM provided you are not ashore, at dinner, etc. during those hours. Also you are in the dark about offerings as the excursions info on the TV and on the myvikingjourney.com website do not reflect what is available as included tours are often not displayed.

Edited April 26, 2015 by algaes

[id4elizabeth]

Leo - bummer - I know she,was so looking forward to this one too!

 

We did the Viking optional Herculaneum tour back to back with the Pompeii tour. It was a lot of walking and an exhausting day. My pedometer showed 6.3 miles when we got back to the ship. Some of our fellow travellers were really struggling by the end of the second tour. I would not recommend doing both these for mobility impaired passengers.

 

There was supposed to be 45 minutes between these 2 excursions, but in reality there ended up being only 15 minutes due in large part to the security checkpoint at the port. We had to return to the ship between Herculaneum and Pompeii which was a waste of time as you pass by Herculaneum to get to Pompeii from Naples. I had enquired at the ShoreEx desk the day before about taking a taxi from Herculaeum to Pompeii after the Herculaeum tour (we'd pay the taxi fare) to meet up with the second tour in Pompeii and was told no way. Not wanting to create a problem, we came back to the ship. Now, today is Sunday and we ran into zero traffic - not sure this would work on a weekday. (They also told me at the ShoreEx desk they would not hold up the Pompeii tour for us should we get delayed in Herculaeum. This turned out to be ironically untrue as our tour guide for Herculaeum was the one and only tour guide for the afternoon Pompeii tour, so it would not have left without our tour guide and hence us but I guess the ShoreEx staff were unaware of this fact.)

 

Both tour groups were way too large. First group was 44 people and second was 43 people. It takes a long time for the toilet break for groups that large. And the tour itself was unwieldy at times because of its size.

 

I liked Herculaeum best, but my DH liked Pompeii best.

[algaes]

Cinemas are not yet available for showing movies.

 

Tonight was the first movie shown on Viking Star I believe - an under the stars presentation on pool deck at 8:45 pm of 155m long Gladiator, the Russell Crowe movie.

 

Movie started a few minutes late and the roof was not closed until several minutes into the movie. It was 59 degrees out with a ship's breeze so those waiting were bundled up in clothes and towels.

 

Wintergarden, which has regular furniture and backs up to the pool area, is not really an option as a music track continues to play on the speakers in this space, not the movie soundtrack.

 

I left about 30 minutes into the movie when Caeser dies. There were approximately 30 passengers watching the movie and some crew members standing on the periphery.

 

Waiters were coming around for drink orders before and, discreetly, during the movie. Waiters also came around first with free bags of chips and later with glasses of ice water.

[PopsA]

Due to an unfortunate event two of our passengers on our day tour to the Normandy Beaches D-Day tour on May 10th have had to drop out.

 

This leaves two seats open. The cost per seat is $145 for a 8 seat van tour on Bayeux Shuttle, one of the best tour operators covering the Normandy Battlefield.

 

If you are interested please contact me. This tour is going regardless as it is paid in full already and does not require the seats be filled to go.

 

We have filled the two vacant seats. Thank you to all who enquired about the trip. Best wishes for a fantastic Mothers Day in Rouen!

[id4elizabeth]

We took this optional tour today and thoroughly enjoyed it, but it was a lot of walking. We went first to Lucca and the bus dropped us off at the southern gate of the old city. Because the guide was worried about the church closing, we first walked to the northern edge. Saw that church which was lovely. Then we wandered back to the southern end to see the Cathedral which was very impressive. Then we walked back to the northern side to see the eliptical 'square' that was once a Roman amphitheater. Then we had free time for lunch but our guide said the cafes in this 'square' were not very good and where she directed us to go was back at the southern end. So lots of walking, but thankfully Lucca is a level town without steps. It's also a charming very picturesque town.

 

Back on the bus to go to Pisa. This tour included going into the Duomo and the Baptistry. Perhaps because my expectations were low, but Pisa exceeded them. Although it was crowded, it wasn't unbearably so. Long walks to and from the bus parking lots though, but again all level.

 

My pedometer registered a little over 7 1/2 miles.

[LadyVol1]

For cabins that don't have much storage, I just had a thought. The Star's laundry service returns folded laundry in 6" tall covered white leather boxes measuring 13"x15". I would think you could ask a steward for some and either put them under the bed or in the closet or on the shelves. Just a thought! Here's a photo of one:

 

[Fuss]

Good idea!! I've already started worrying about how things will fit in DV2 cabin

A question-- have you used the self serve laundry yet? I read on one of these posts that there was detergent available-- also something about an automatic dispenser. -- can we bring our own and use it? I worry about using strange detergents-- my skin doesn't always like it.

Thanks

[editor@cruisecritic]

Great idea!

 

Carolyn

 

For cabins that don't have much storage, I just had a thought. The Star's laundry service returns folded laundry in 6" tall covered white leather boxes measuring 13"x15". I would think you could ask a steward for some and either put them under the bed or in the closet or on the shelves. Just a thought! Here's a photo of one:

 

[ATTACH]347727[/ATTACH]

[paquebot]

We took this optional tour today and thoroughly enjoyed it, but it was a lot of walking. We went first to Lucca and the bus dropped us off at the southern gate of the old city. Because the guide was worried about the church closing, we first walked to the northern edge. Saw that church which was lovely. Then we wandered back to the southern end to see the Cathedral which was very impressive. Then we walked back to the northern side to see the eliptical 'square' that was once a Roman amphitheater. Then we had free time for lunch but our guide said the cafes in this 'square' were not very good and where she directed us to go was back at the southern end. So lots of walking, but thankfully Lucca is a level town without steps. It's also a charming very picturesque town.

 

Back on the bus to go to Pisa. This tour included going into the Duomo and the Baptistry. Perhaps because my expectations were low, but Pisa exceeded them. Although it was crowded, it wasn't unbearably so. Long walks to and from the bus parking lots though, but again all level.

 

My pedometer registered a little over 7 1/2 miles.

 

Elizabeth, you must be positively svelte by now, with all that walking! I love Lucca. Hope you tried the gelato. BTW, when you stop in Monte Carlo, if you plan to head to Nice, and specifically to the Matisse Museum, the Chagall is in the same part of town, in Cimiez.

 

Paquebot

[applecruise]

You will need your passport with you in St. Petersburg. We were there on a Viking river cruise in 2012 and you carry your passport with at all times. We also had visas because we were on our own in Moscow before the cruise and in St. Petersburg afterwards. We had to have invitation letters form the hotels we stayed in to get the visas.

 

This trip, we have booked a private guide with TJ Travel and already have our "tour tickets". They are licensed or permitted with a blanket visa for cruise ship passengers in Russia less than 72 hours but the guide must accompany you at all times. No being on our own wandering around.

 

Russia has made a lot of progress since the USSR days but it is still a controlled/monitored society. It can be a little creepy. You will see Ford police cars and a new Volvo Assembly plant in St. Petersburg. You'll also see lots of Cadillac Escalades and BMWs as well. Not what most people think of when they see Russia.

 

St. Petersburg has a lot to see and sites are on par with Versailles and the Louvre. We did a Viking tour to the off-site Hermitage repository and it was very interesting to see how much they have that is not even on display.

Thanks for the info. To clarify- do you mean that if you book with TJ Travel you do NOT need to have visas? It seems like it is a hassle to get visas ahead of time we were just going to take tours from the ship. Thanks, Joyce and John:)

[applecruise]

Someone mentioned (and I thought it was here) about taking the Flam Railway without taking the ship's tour. Could you share more info about that and what time you are going? I thought it could be fun for a group of us to do that.

Thanks,

Joyce:)

[OBX Cruisers]

We are on the July 25 Stockholm to Bergen cruise and have booked with TJ Travel for a 2 day tour in St. Petersburg. We provided TJ Travel with very basic info - birthdates and Passport Numbers and we are covered under a "blanket" visa through their company for our time on their tour. Anytime we leave the ship we must be with our guide. They have been very easy to work with and I will feel very comfortable in their care. We are a small private group of 8 which we met through our "Roll Call". I look forward to being able to move quickly and see a huge amount in a very busy 2 days.

[OBX Cruisers]

Again, we're on the July 25 Stockholm to Bergen cruise and will be in Flam on Thursday, August 6. This may work for you if you know you'll be at the pier and not tendered on your date. You can check this out at http://aurlandhavn.no/cruise-2/ship-arrivals-2015/

 

We went to the visitflam.com Web site and booked the roundtrip Naeroyfjord Fjord Cruise (boat/bus) for the morning and Flamsbana train for that afternoon. That web site allows you to see the schedule and purchase tickets. (We didn't purchase the combo package as the times weren't right. Each of these trips were booked separately. I emailed them several times for assistance and they were prompt in responding and very helpful. It was easy to pay by credit card and we printed off "tickets" right here at home.

 

The Star, arrives in Flam at 9 a.m. at the pier. We have tickets for the boat which leaves Flam at 10 a.m. The Naeroyfjord cruise boat is very close to where we dock. See map at - https://www.visitflam.com/globalasse...y-map-2014.pdf

This map is also available in the FAQ list at visitflam.com.

 

We get to Gudvangen at 12:15 p.m. The shuttle bus then leaves Gudvangen at 12:30 p.m. and gets back to Flam at 12:50 p.m. (Per the Visitor's Centre, this is a shuttle for tour ticket holders only which leaves right from the pier.)

 

We then have round-trip tickets for the Flamsbana - 1:35 to Myrdal and returning by 3:40 to Flam. In plenty of time for the Star sailing at 6 p.m.

 

Hope this helps!

[almelanson]

We are sailing from Bergen on June 13 in a DV1 cabin. We would appreciate photos of a DV1 cabin if possible, i.e main cabin, bathroom and veranda. Thank you in advance.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Dauntless]

travelinsubman at wordpress.com has reviews with pictures of all cabins, other than the owner's suite

[Traveler103]

Thanks for the info. To clarify- do you mean that if you book with TJ Travel you do NOT need to have visas? It seems like it is a hassle to get visas ahead of time we were just going to take tours from the ship. Thanks, Joyce and John:)

 

Correct. If you book with TJ Travel, Alla or one of the other tour operators in St Petersburg they cover you under a blanket visa. You will have to stay with the guide and you cannot wander off on your own. These tour companies are set up for this kind of cruise ship connection. They have canned tours and group tours or you can customize what you want to see. As we have been there before, we customized our tour to be a private one with just the sites we were interested in. You have flexibility. You do not need Russia visas if you go with a tour company. Google them - TJ and ALLA were both very responsive and we communicated several times. There websites have a lot of info on payment, costs, etc.

[Traveler103]

Someone mentioned (and I thought it was here) about taking the Flam Railway without taking the ship's tour. Could you share more info about that and what time you are going? I thought it could be fun for a group of us to do that.

Thanks,

Joyce:)

 

We will be in Flam on 11 June and the ship will be anchored so we will have to be tendered in. We are taking a "UNSPOILED NORWAY" Viking tour from 1000-1230. We are then taking the train from Flam to Myrdal at 1335 arriving at 1431 and the Myrdal to Flam return trip at 1443 arriving at 1540. The train depot in Flam is a short walk from the dock and the Star sails at 1800 so we should be OK on time. We passed on the boat cruise / bus ride as we have done that before.

As OBX cruiser said, you can book your train on line and reservations are recommend. For a nominal charge, you can also insure the cost so if something happens you are not completely out. The whole round trip is 840 NOK for two adults (less than 110 USD).

 

Hope that helps.

[DianeLikesToTravel]

For cabins that don't have much storage, I just had a thought. The Star's laundry service returns folded laundry in 6" tall covered white leather boxes measuring 13"x15". I would think you could ask a steward for some and either put them under the bed or in the closet or on the shelves. Just a thought! Here's a photo of one:

 

[ATTACH]347727[/ATTACH]

 

I can't understand how they could build these cabins without adequate storage, and I certainly don't want to store my clothing in a box under my bed. If I was willing to do that I could just live out of my suitcase. The whole point of taking a cruise is to unpack once and sail between ports, at least that is what I've been told.