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SEA-borne Observations

Rawmac

By Rawmac,
in Viking Ocean

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Rawmac

Rawmac

Posted
Posted

On Sea just now, Bergen to Athens.

 

First Impressionsi

WOW! WOW! Mind is boggled! From the putting green in the sky to the cold room in the Spa, it's all new and different and classy. Very classy! For

new "future guests", I won't describe all in detail, so you can boggle too!

 

Theatre

Big big surprise here. Very comfy, with good views. Good sound and lighting. And to cap it all . . . . but it's a surprise, and I won't spoil it for you. The Viking Singers and Dancers are (a word grossly overused, but apt here) AWESOME! We've had two shows so far, and on a scale of 1 to 5 , they get a ten. Much better than TV. Such talent of all eight members. The CD is no slouch either, a very talented lady. The band in Torshavev night club is super too.

 

Cabin (DV)

Don't try to swing a cat! But the cabin's for sleeping, and very comfy beds they are. Storage is a bit tight, but the cases can fit under the beds for non-hanging stuff. Not a great problem. More proper wooden hangers available from your steward. Good shower, hose-and-handset with four settings. Take an old credit card for the lights isolator. Big fridge with racks for big bottles bought ashore. Big safe for jewels, and many, many more on sale at vast cost on board. Nice cabin.

 

Shopping

Expensive. WOW. Expensive. The emporium has bits and bobs you may have forgotten, and forgetfuulness is fined. The display space for chocolate and sweeties is equal to the space for medicines! Clothes are largely Viking merchandise, and pricey, but the shop doesn't cater for those with lost luggage --no socks or underwear!

 

Dress code

Clearly described before and on board, but a surprising number have a problem with "elegant" in the evening. There are jackets and ties, mainly by the Brits, who want to dress properly for dinner. We knew bnefore we booked that scruff was out, so why . . . ..?

 

Food

Very good, but why is hot food tepid at best? It should be piping hot, on hot plates. Not been to the speciality restaurants yet, a treat to come.

 

Time for trivia so must go and prove ignorance.

 

PS. All staff are GRRREAT!

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binbin854

binbin854

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the review. I hope our cruise doesn't have too many people that don't get the casual dress code. My husband is not packing any ties and maybe one jacket. No cocktail dressy clothes for me either.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

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Fitzall

Fitzall

Posted
Posted

We pick your cruise up in Athens en route to Venice.

 

Your thoughts are my thoughts re dress code. Intend to bring smart casual for the restaurants but nothing too fancy. What do the think the nationality breakdown is? I gather mainly US ..... Any Aussies?

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Rawmac

Rawmac

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Most men wear s/s shirts or collared polo shirts, tailored long trousers in the mdr and ladies skirts or trousers with tops. But there are those who didn't bother to " dress for dinner" and turned up in "go-to-the-supermarket and mow-the-grass" clothes. Doesn't do a lot for the " ambience".

 

There's something on in the 500 (approx) seater very comfortable theatre at 9.15 each evening, an imported " star" or the Viking Singers and Dancers, each of whose shows are better than the previous one, which seems impossible! There is also the 70 seat Torshaven nightclub with a fantastic 4-ice band and two good singers, with huge repertoire for listening and dancing. Look forward to the evenings!

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Fpacifico

Fpacifico

Posted
Posted
On Sea just now, Bergen to Athens.

 

First Impressionsi

WOW! WOW! Mind is boggled! From the putting green in the sky to the cold room in the Spa, it's all new and different and classy. Very classy! For

new "future guests", I won't describe all in detail, so you can boggle too!

 

Theatre

Big big surprise here. Very comfy, with good views. Good sound and lighting. And to cap it all . . . . but it's a surprise, and I won't spoil it for you. The Viking Singers and Dancers are (a word grossly overused, but apt here) AWESOME! We've had two shows so far, and on a scale of 1 to 5 , they get a ten. Much better than TV. Such talent of all eight members. The CD is no slouch either, a very talented lady. The band in Torshavev night club is super too.

 

Cabin (DV)

Don't try to swing a cat! But the cabin's for sleeping, and very comfy beds they are. Storage is a bit tight, but the cases can fit under the beds for non-hanging stuff. Not a great problem. More proper wooden hangers available from your steward. Good shower, hose-and-handset with four settings. Take an old credit card for the lights isolator. Big fridge with racks for big bottles bought ashore. Big safe for jewels, and many, many more on sale at vast cost on board. Nice cabin.

 

Shopping

Expensive. WOW. Expensive. The emporium has bits and bobs you may have forgotten, and forgetfuulness is fined. The display space for chocolate and sweeties is equal to the space for medicines! Clothes are largely Viking merchandise, and pricey, but the shop doesn't cater for those with lost luggage --no socks or underwear!

 

Dress code

Clearly described before and on board, but a surprising number have a problem with "elegant" in the evening. There are jackets and ties, mainly by the Brits, who want to dress properly for dinner. We knew bnefore we booked that scruff was out, so why . . . ..?

 

Food

Very good, but why is hot food tepid at best? It should be piping hot, on hot plates. Not been to the speciality restaurants yet, a treat to come.

 

Time for trivia so must go and prove ignorance.

 

PS. All staff are GRRREAT!

Great review so far. The Brits hate how Americans dress at dinner, lol.

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binbin854

binbin854

Posted
Posted
Most men wear s/s shirts or collared polo shirts, tailored long trousers in the mdr and ladies skirts or trousers with tops. But there are those who didn't bother to " dress for dinner" and turned up in "go-to-the-supermarket and mow-the-grass" clothes. Doesn't do a lot for the " ambience".

 

 

 

There's something on in the 500 (approx) seater very comfortable theatre at 9.15 each evening, an imported " star" or the Viking Singers and Dancers, each of whose shows are better than the previous one, which seems impossible! There is also the 70 seat Torshaven nightclub with a fantastic 4-ice band and two good singers, with huge repertoire for listening and dancing. Look forward to the evenings!

 

 

Do people dress differently for dinner at world cafe or chefs table or manfredis?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

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huntersyaya

huntersyaya

Posted
Posted

We never looked horrible anywhere we ate (no jeans but no jackets or ties either) We did dress up a little bit more for manfriedi's and the chef's table just because they are smaller, you are noticed more, and the restaurants have slightly better ambiance.

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CharTrav

CharTrav

Posted
Posted
Swing a cat?

 

 

 

Regarding the dress code are you saying people are under or overdressed? We were planning on khakis and polos or ss shirts for hubby, slacks or leggings and tunics for me.

 

 

 

Thanks for keeping us updated.

 

 

I'm on the Star right now having some wine on our verandah while we cruise towards Stockholm. Dress code here in the evening - speaking as one who does NOT like to dress up - varies. Some really dude it up. Especially if they're doing the specialty restaurants. Others like me do nice chinos and polos with better than usual walking shoes (we've only eaten in the world cafe). Others - especially if they've just returned from a long ShoreEx day and famished - just go to the World Cafe as is and eat. Haven't seen any downright slobbiness. Does this help?

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Rawmac

Rawmac

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To put this sorry issue to bed, here is what the Viking Daily of 31 July said:

 

"Daytime attire is casual. Swimsuits, brief shorts, cover-ups and exercise attire should be reserved for the pool area and Sports Deck

 

Evening attire is elegant casual. Suggested attire for ladies includes a dress, sweater or blouse with a skirt or slacks. For gentlemen, trousers and a collared shirt is suggested. Ties and jackets are optional; they are not required. Jeans are not recommended."

 

All clear?

 

This seems to be applied in all eating places by most of the passengers as a minimum standard, and there are those who wish exceed this. Fine. No problem.

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OziNewbieCruiser

OziNewbieCruiser

Posted
Posted (edited)

Interestingly the FAQ on dress code on MVJ also states 'Dinner in The Restaurant remains casual, with daytime dress deemed appropriate'.

Personally I am more concerned about people's behavior than how they choose to dress. Each to their own.

Edited by OziNewbieCruiser
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binbin854

binbin854

Posted
Posted

Heres the full text from the webiste as of today:

 

What is the dress code?

During the day on board and ashore, dress is casual including shorts, jeans and comfortable shoes for walking tours. Swimsuits, brief shorts, cover-ups and exercise attire should be reserved for the pool and Sports Deck. For evenings, while there are no “formal nights,” the recommended dress is elegant casual for most restaurants, performances or other special events. Suggested attire for ladies includes a dress, or a sweater or blouse worn with a skirt or slacks; for gentlemen, trousers and a collared shirt. A tie and jacket are optional, but not required. Dinner in The Restaurant remains casual, with daytime dress deemed appropriate.

 

I wonder if its the same info in all countries?

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  • 2 weeks later...
comcox

comcox

Posted
Posted
Always interested in looking at new opportunities, but there seems to be a lack of real pictures.

Are there any real pics of these ships, public rooms and staterooms. I looked on the web site and it appears to be just computer generated images.

 

I found some short videos on YouTube that gave me a good idea of the public spaces but I haven't found pictures of the different cabins yet.

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Vineyard View Great Review Rare

Vineyard View

Posted
Posted

FM - the website does have a list under My Journey of the spa services. They are typical cruise prices, but from experience they do a nice massage!

 

The casual/daytime dress for The Restaurant is new since we sailed the Star last year. At that time the World Market was listed this way, but not The Restaurant. We found that most guests followed the guidelines, and those who did not were a minority. It will be interesting to see if The Restaurant changes in attire moving forward....

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  • 2 weeks later...
inborn traveler

inborn traveler

Posted
Posted

Did the Sea's maiden voyage. Youndo not even want a cocktail,dress. I had a nice sundress ans light coverup, dress black pants and two nice tops.. Hubby had navy blazer and no tie. We were right there with everyone else.

 

 

 

Thanks for the review. I hope our cruise doesn't have too many people that don't get the casual dress code. My husband is not packing any ties and maybe one jacket. No cocktail dressy clothes for me either.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

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