On board now Viking Sea random thoughts

[PatriciaF]

Some comments regarding the itinerary, ship, and amenities

 

There is a future cruise desk and offers additional discounts if you book onboard. Does not have open booking, you have to pick a cruise and date. Additional $200 to $500 discount per person in addition to your repeat cruiser discount. Will match the current discounts being advertised on line.

 

Minibar. We are in a Penthouse Veranda cabin. Mini bar had a bottle of champagne, four mini liquors (vodka, gin, whiskey, and one more, I believe was a cognac), two each Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, and Schwepps Tonic, two small candy bars. I had it changed out to all vodka, 2 cokes, 4 diet cokes, and 2 bitter lemons. A small package of potato chips were by the coffee maker.

 

Coffee maker has 6 pods, Parisian, decaf, and espresso. Also can switch out to what you want.

 

Coffee bar on 1 forward has the best coffee.

 

Food is good to very good. Service is good to very good but if the world cafe is busy, the servers quickly get behind.

 

Full room service menu so if you don't want to stand in line and the restaurant (main dining room) isn't open until after your shore excursion starts, it's a good option.

 

Wifi is good to very good.

 

Yesterday we were the only ship in Santorini and it seemed busy. Can't imagine if six or more ships are in port what the crowds are like. But it was a very short wait for the cable car down to the tenders unlike the last time we were here and the Equinox was the last ship to leave and we had to wait 45 minutes to get the cable car.

 

Take a swimsuit, the spa area is unbelievable must do.

 

In Katakolon today, signing off.

[Lottie A]

Thank you for your comments. Please keep them coming! :)

We are very excited to be embarking Viking Sea in January.

[easyboy]

That was an encouraging feedback! Hoping for more positives.

 

 

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[Canadian Sunset]

We were on the previous Viking Sea cruise that ended in Athens. We were in a deluxe veranda and loved the king size bed. Everything else you say is true. I don't think we'll ever consider any other cruise line.

 

 

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[PatriciaF]

More thoughts

 

Received new Quiet Vox systems. Much lighter weight than the older ones, but would prefer ones you could clip on versus having the hanging from your neck.

 

I admire some of the guests that are doing the walking with walkers, canes, and wheel chairs. Surfaces are irregular, lots of elevation changes, and stairs. If you are a couch potato like I am, start walking now. According to our phones, we walked over 3 1/2 miles on our tour of Olympia. Very few places to sit so be prepared to stand over an hour.

[Fpacifico]

More thoughts

 

Received new Quiet Vox systems. Much lighter weight than the older ones, but would prefer ones you could clip on versus having the hanging from your neck.

 

I admire some of the guests that are doing the walking with walkers, canes, and wheel chairs. Surfaces are irregular, lots of elevation changes, and stairs. If you are a couch potato like I am, start walking now. According to our phones, we walked over 3 1/2 miles on our tour of Olympia. Very few places to sit so be prepared to stand over an hour.

Thanks

[Peregrina651]

More thoughts

 

Received new Quiet Vox systems. Much lighter weight than the older ones, but would prefer ones you could clip on versus having the hanging from your neck.

 

I admire some of the guests that are doing the walking with walkers, canes, and wheel chairs. Surfaces are irregular, lots of elevation changes, and stairs. If you are a couch potato like I am, start walking now. According to our phones, we walked over 3 1/2 miles on our tour of Olympia. Very few places to sit so be prepared to stand over an hour.

 

So many helpful hints and observations!!! Please keep them coming.

 

I don't like things around my neck either so I just put the QV in my pocket. BUT I do like the fact that on the newer QV used on the Sea (don't know if the Star has been changed over) have a standard headphone jack so that you can use your own headset; now I keep the freebies from the airplane to use with the QV.

[Fpacifico]

So many helpful hints and observations!!! Please keep them coming.

 

I don't like things around my neck either so I just put the QV in my pocket. BUT I do like the fact that on the newer QV used on the Sea (don't know if the Star has been changed over) have a standard headphone jack so that you can use your own headset; now I keep the freebies from the airplane to use with the QV.

 

Great ideas

[comcox]

Patricia,

 

If you have a moment I would love the answers to a couple of questions about the Sea as I will be sailing her in a couple of months.

 

Is it true the "library" collection is primarily non-fiction books? Does the ship have a paperback exchange section anywhere?

 

What hours are the pools and gym open?

 

Thanks so much.

[PatriciaF]

Patricia,

 

If you have a moment I would love the answers to a couple of questions about the Sea as I will be sailing her in a couple of months.

 

Is it true the "library" collection is primarily non-fiction books? Does the ship have a paperback exchange section anywhere?

 

Most of the books I have seen around the book appear to be non fiction. I have seen a couple of popular fiction paperbacks on the shelves. I have not seen a paperback trade section. I bring my Kindle and borrow ebooks from my library using the Overdrive app.

 

What hours are the pools and gym open?

 

Today's Viking Daily states that the gym is open from 6am to 10 pm. The Nordic Spa with the inside pool, hot tub, steam,a d snow room is open from 8 am to 8 pm. The infinity pool and large pool have been open but have few users.

 

Thanks so much.

 

See my answers above. The spa facilities are first class including a swimsuit spinner so you can dry your suit before returning to your cabin.

[PatriciaF]

We are in the last cabin on deck six aft except for the suites. I tried to post a picture taken on my iPad from our balcony, but it is not loading. We have had some noise, but not much of furniture? Being moved around early in the AM.

 

If you are sailing in the summer, you may have a shaded balcony depending on the alignment of the ship to the sun and my reduce the solar gain.

 

For us in December, it just blocks the view

[Jay23]

Thank you for all your tips and info. All very helpful. WE will be on Sea in February in the Med but not the same itinerary though. J

[travelberlin]

Thanks for sharing your impressions with us. Could you please post the drink list that is included in the silver spirits package? We are specially interested on the wines being offered.

[Canadian Sunset]

Re books on Sea: We were on the cruise portion prior to PatriciaF and there were no paperbacks available until people started putting them on the shelves at the end of the two weeks. My husband managed to find a fiction hard cover, but I really didn't look too hard because I had downloaded library books to my iPad. I did see many people reading the older books that were on the shelves.

[Lottie A]

I think it would be nice to have some fiction reading books onboard. I tend not to bring "real" books with me now, due to their weight. I read books on my IPad but it is not easy when you are outside and the sun is shining on the screen. Some current fiction books onboard would be appreciated.

[Fpacifico]

I think it would be nice to have some fiction reading books onboard. I tend not to bring "real" books with me now, due to their weight. I read books on my IPad but it is not easy when you are outside and the sun is shining on the screen. Some current fiction books onboard would be appreciated.

 

Consider buying a pocket kindle. I have glaucoma so I need to increase font size also very easy reading in the sun

[Lottie A]

Consider buying a pocket kindle. I have glaucoma so I need to increase font size also very easy reading in the sun

 

Thanks for that suggestion Fpacifico but I already have a pocket Kindle. I really don't like it for reading....much prefer the Kindle app on my IPad, but there is a problem with reading it in direct sunlight...however I doubt it will be blazing, bright sunshine in The Med in January, so I will cope. :)

[travelberlin]

Thanks for that suggestion Fpacifico but I already have a pocket Kindle. I really don't like it for reading....much prefer the Kindle app on my IPad, but there is a problem with reading it in direct sunlight...however I doubt it will be blazing, bright sunshine in The Med in January, so I will cope. :)

 

I also prefer the real books instead of the digital versions. I enjoy very much to go to the library on the ships and pick up books that maybe I would have not bought myself. I hope Viking cruises will have a good library and I am also thankful that our cruise passengers leave their old books.

Edited December 10, 2016 by travelberlin

[PatriciaF]

Thanks for sharing your impressions with us. Could you please post the drink list that is included in the silver spirits package? We are specially interested on the wines being offered.

 

The Reataurant, aka main dining, has a table topper that lists 5 wines by the glass, one prosecco, two whites, two reds. I haven't had any luck posting photos, but will take a picture and write the names down. All have an asterisk stating available on silver spirits package.

[Jay23]

Going back to reading a Kindle in the bright sun.... You can read the Paper White Kindle in all light levels as it has a "back light" adjustment. J

[planterx2]

Comcox - We have just returned from the Star and there was an area in the Viking Living Room labeled "Book Exchange". It was all fiction/paperback left from previous passengers. Over the course of our cruise my husband and I left 5 books and all were picked up by other passengers to read. I did notice the last morning that the number of books had increased, probably due to the fact that upon packing, passengers decided they did not want to have to carry the books home. The area was around the corner in the Viking Living Room so you had to know it was there. Look around in that area and hopefully you will find something other then non-fiction.

[PatriciaF]

Thanks for sharing your impressions with us. Could you please post the drink list that is included in the silver spirits package? We are specially interested on the wines being offered.

 

Premium wines by the glass in The Reaturant

 

Prosecco Riondo 5.50

 

White

 

Tommasi Le Rose Pinot Grigio 6.00

Domaine Uby, Colombard, Ugni Blanc, 6.00

 

Red

Valpolicella, Corvinone Rondinella 6.00

Papa Luna, Shiraz, Motoro, La Mancha. 6.00

 

Note with the Silver Spirits package you will receive the premium wine pairings in Chefs Table at no additional cost, usually 25.00

 

I did not see any card at Manfredi's.

 

While you may be limited to the number of reservations you can make on line before the cruise, there is no limit once on board. Manfredi's appears to fill up faster than Chefs Table. It takes about 2 hours for dinner in either specialty restaurant compared to only one in The Restaurant.

[Fpacifico]

Premium wines by the glass in The Reaturant

 

Prosecco Riondo 5.50

 

White

 

Tommasi Le Rose Pinot Grigio 6.00

Domaine Uby, Colombard, Ugni Blanc, 6.00

 

Red

Valpolicella, Corvinone Rondinella 6.00

Papa Luna, Shiraz, Motoro, La Mancha. 6.00

 

Note with the Silver Spirits package you will receive the premium wine pairings in Chefs Table at no additional cost, usually 25.00

 

I did not see any card at Manfredi's.

 

While you may be limited to the number of reservations you can make on line before the cruise, there is no limit once on board. Manfredi's appears to fill up faster than Chefs Table. It takes about 2 hours for dinner in either specialty restaurant compared to only one in The Restaurant.

 

Thanks

[Lottie A]

Premium wines by the glass in The Reaturant

 

Prosecco Riondo 5.50

 

White

 

Tommasi Le Rose Pinot Grigio 6.00

Domaine Uby, Colombard, Ugni Blanc, 6.00

 

Red

Valpolicella, Corvinone Rondinella 6.00

Papa Luna, Shiraz, Motoro, La Mancha. 6.00

 

Note with the Silver Spirits package you will receive the premium wine pairings in Chefs Table at no additional cost, usually 25.00

 

I did not see any card at Manfredi's.

 

While you may be limited to the number of reservations you can make on line before the cruise, there is no limit once on board. Manfredi's appears to fill up faster than Chefs Table. It takes about 2 hours for dinner in either specialty restaurant compared to only one in The Restaurant.

 

Good to know we can get more reservations at Manfredi's. We like the look of the menu and we're hoping to be able to dine there at least twice or three times. :)

[Celiac Cruiser]

Thanks PatriciaF......all good information. We sail in 5 months. Am anxious to get on board and enjoy. Cheers!