Tips for New Viking Ocean Cruisers

[roothy123]

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

I don't need phone service. I don't plan to check work emails neither. I try to stay as disconnected as I can during vacation. But I feel better if I have access to internet off the ship, so I can use apps, such as Google Maps, Trip Advisor and of course CC Forums. ;)

Well, I was in Venice, Athens, Kotor and Dubrovnik, but don't think I used my phone much while off-ship (too busy on that port-intensive cruise!), so can't tell you how reception was in those areas. However, I would guess it is pretty good....

 

On occasion, I've downloaded maps that can be used offline, or found an app with maps that can be used offline.

 

Enjoy!

[AdventureGal79]

T-Mobile's "One" plan lets you use your data and texting in 140+ countries, included with the plan. Italy and Croatia are covered. If you think you might need those services away from WiFi, it might be worth getting a SIM card for your phone (if they offer month-to-month?!).

 

Telephone usage costs extra, unsure on the prices. More here if you're interested:

https://www.t-mobile.com/optional-services/roaming.html?icid=WMM_TM_Q217INTERN_KU7Y3ZEX0YQ8553

[sleepybobo]

T-Mobile's "One" plan lets you use your data and texting in 140+ countries, included with the plan. Italy and Croatia are covered. If you think you might need those services away from WiFi, it might be worth getting a SIM card for your phone (if they offer month-to-month?!).

 

Telephone usage costs extra, unsure on the prices. More here if you're interested:

https://www.t-mobile.com/optional-services/roaming.html?icid=WMM_TM_Q217INTERN_KU7Y3ZEX0YQ8553

 

Too bad I don't use T-Mobile. Am stuck with AT&T because of the corporate discount I have. AT&T's international plan sucks.

 

I am thinking of getting a cheap SIM card (1 GB or less) in Venice if I come across a tech accessory store. SIM cards usually cost less in Europe than in the US. If not, I guess we'll still be okay with free WIFI onboard and port terminals.

 

Have a wonderful voyage with your mom! I'm also traveling with my mom. :)

[AdventureGal79]

Too bad I don't use T-Mobile. Am stuck with AT&T because of the corporate discount I have. AT&T's international plan sucks.

 

I am thinking of getting a cheap SIM card (1 GB or less) in Venice if I come across a tech accessory store. SIM cards usually cost less in Europe than in the US. If not, I guess we'll still be okay with free WIFI onboard and port terminals.

 

Have a wonderful voyage with your mom! I'm also traveling with my mom. :)

 

Thanks!! We switched from AT&T to TMo about a month ago, it was the same price (okay, $1.50 LESS) than AT&T, even with a 23% corporate discount. But our contact was up with AT&T.

 

Have a great time! This will be my first trip to Venice, your itinerary also looked very tempting (okay, I admit, I just want to be independently wealthy and live on a cruise ship!).

[sleepybobo]

Have a great time! This will be my first trip to Venice, your itinerary also looked very tempting (okay, I admit, I just want to be independently wealthy and live on a cruise ship!).

 

This will be my second time in Venice. I did an European bus tour 22 years ago and spent a day in Venice. It's so long ago. I don't remember much. I was in high school then. So, this will feel like my first time in Venice. I wish I can spend more time there, but figure this won't be my last time there. I'll definitely come back for more.

 

All of Viking's Mediterranean itineraries are tempting. I've already have my eyes on the Iberian Explorer and Italian Sojourn.

 

Happy sailing! Let's share our thoughts after we come back.

[philw1776]

That sounds right, although one thing I'm not sure of is whether you can get beer or wine at the Pool Grill and Mamsen's during their posted hours, or if the included beer/wine is just provided at the typical lunch/dinner venues (Dining Room, specialty restaurants, World Cafe). Does anybody know?

 

Beer & wine is free @ Pool and Mamsens during posted meal hours

[stretchcruz]

Yes you can get it at the pool grill even without eating.

[jetwet1]

Too bad I don't use T-Mobile. Am stuck with AT&T because of the corporate discount I have. AT&T's international plan sucks.

 

I am thinking of getting a cheap SIM card (1 GB or less) in Venice if I come across a tech accessory store. SIM cards usually cost less in Europe than in the US. If not, I guess we'll still be okay with free WIFI onboard and port terminals.

 

Have a wonderful voyage with your mom! I'm also traveling with my mom. :)

 

If you are getting to Venice by train, there is a place right in the station that sells Italian SIM cards.

 

There is no place at the airport. There are a couple of places right by the Rialto bridge, just look for TIM or Vodafone signs. The packages are pretty cheap, especially compared to US plans so it's well worth doing, a $20 sim card was plenty for our two weeks in Italy.

 

Edit:

 

Here you go, take a look here

 

https://www.tim.it/offerte/mobile/estero/dallitalia/tim-for-visitor-uk

Edited September 1, 2017 by jetwet1

[sleepybobo]

If you are getting to Venice by train, there is a place right in the station that sells Italian SIM cards.

 

There is no place at the airport. There are a couple of places right by the Rialto bridge, just look for TIM or Vodafone signs. The packages are pretty cheap, especially compared to US plans so it's well worth doing, a $20 sim card was plenty for our two weeks in Italy.

 

Edit:

 

Here you go, take a look here

 

https://www.tim.it/offerte/mobile/estero/dallitalia/tim-for-visitor-uk

 

Thanks! This is helpful. I'll check out TIM or Vodafone in Venice.

[Dauntless]

Beer & wine is free @ Pool and Mamsens during posted meal hours

 

Yes, but they are also operating at other times that are listed as snacks or some such and at that time you will be charged.

[stretchcruz]

Beer & wine is free @ Pool and Mamsens during posted meal hours

Phil...nice to know about Mamsens. Did you just go up to the bar in the Explorers Lounge and ask for a beer or wine? And was it both lunch and dinner? We were onboard 3 weeks and I was in Explorers but never thought to ask!

[BarbarianPaul]

If you are getting to Venice by train, there is a place right in the station that sells Italian SIM cards.

 

There is no place at the airport. There are a couple of places right by the Rialto bridge, just look for TIM or Vodafone signs. The packages are pretty cheap, especially compared to US plans so it's well worth doing, a $20 sim card was plenty for our two weeks in Italy.

 

Edit:

 

Here you go, take a look here

 

https://www.tim.it/offerte/mobile/estero/dallitalia/tim-for-visitor-uk

 

 

 

Just got back from a Viking Baltic cruise. I purchased some sort of ATT international plan just in case, like I always do, but I never wound up using it. The internet on the Viking Star was relatively good, and since I had already enabled free ATT wifi calling on my iPhone, every call I placed was free.

 

 

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[philw1776]

Phil...nice to know about Mamsens. Did you just go up to the bar in the Explorers Lounge and ask for a beer or wine? And was it both lunch and dinner? We were onboard 3 weeks and I was in Explorers but never thought to ask!

 

Waiters/waitresses would come over to our table at Mamsens and ask us whet we would like to drink. You could also just go up to the bar. Nice service.

Same thing with the pool bar as I previously said during posted meal hours. I am not a beer drinker but enjoyed the different selection of tasty dark beers offered each day.

 

We were not on the Silver Service package and obviously were not charged anything. Only ate there at lunch, not dinner.

[roothy123]

Yes, but they are also operating at other times that are listed as snacks or some such and at that time you will be charged.

 

Yes, good to point that out.

 

Opening times for lunch and dinner are not always the same each day, but here's what was typical for a full-day-in-port day on our recent cruise, according to the Viking Daily:

 

Lunch: Pool Grill, World Cafe and Mamsen's (Explorers' Lounge) open 11:30 to 2:30; The Restaurant closed for lunch.

 

Snacks are available at Pool Grill 2:30 - 5 but you'll be charged for beer, wine, mixed drinks, and I think soda. Snacks are also at Mamsen's 4 to 5 and 10 PM to midnight, but no alcoholic or soda freebies available during those times. (Of course, if you really want a soda but don't want to pay for it, you just might have one in your room mini-fridge!)

 

Dinner: The Restaurant, Chef's Table, Manfredi's, World Cafe all open 6 - 9 PM.

 

Room service is 24 hours a day, but I don't know what their freebie policy is!

[stretchcruz]

Thanks!

[BarbarianPaul]

Yes, good to point that out.

 

Opening times for lunch and dinner are not always the same each day, but here's what was typical for a full-day-in-port day on our recent cruise, according to the Viking Daily:

 

Lunch: Pool Grill, World Cafe and Mamsen's (Explorers' Lounge) open 11:30 to 2:30; The Restaurant closed for lunch.

 

Snacks are available at Pool Grill 2:30 - 5 but you'll be charged for beer, wine, mixed drinks, and I think soda. Snacks are also at Mamsen's 4 to 5 and 10 PM to midnight, but no alcoholic or soda freebies available during those times. (Of course, if you really want a soda but don't want to pay for it, you just might have one in your room mini-fridge!)

 

Dinner: The Restaurant, Chef's Table, Manfredi's, World Cafe all open 6 - 9 PM.

 

Room service is 24 hours a day, but I don't know what their freebie policy is!

 

 

 

For breakfast, the World Cafe has somewhat limited hours. They stop serving breakfast at 9:30 am.

 

 

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[RJ2002]

Very helpful roothy123. Thanks very much for posting the lunch and dinner meal times (a/k/a 'drinking' times!)

[Ingra Tor]

Since a lot of river cruise (only) passengers, I thought it might be helpful to start a "Tips" thread for new Viking Ocean cruisers to read before their upcoming ocean cruise.

 

If you have a Viking transfer to the airport, expect to get up VERY early. It's just what cruise lines have to do....

 

Hi Roothy,

I think that this may be due to time of flight and airport. We have returned from Bergen on a Viking transfer twice with evening flights to London. On both times we had to leave the cabin by 0800 but had full use of the ships facilities untill Viking took us to the airpirt at about 1600 hrs.

[CharTrav]

For breakfast, the World Cafe has somewhat limited hours. They stop serving breakfast at 9:30 am.

 

 

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Some of these times are adjusted based on what's happening that day - excursions leaving very early for example. And why it's essential to read the Viking Daily left on your bed every evening containing info about the next day. I scanned and posted all the Dailys from our Viking Homelands in 2016 to GoogleDrive (requires a Google account to access) and DropBox (no Dropbox account required - works best to just download). I can post those links again here (may even be farther down in this thread) or you can search for posts I've made on this topic elsewhere in the Forum.

 

 

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[BarbarianPaul]

Some of these times are adjusted based on what's happening that day - excursions leaving very early for example. And why it's essential to read the Viking Daily left on your bed every evening containing info about the next day. I scanned and posted all the Dailys from our Viking Homelands in 2016 to GoogleDrive (requires a Google account to access) and DropBox (no Dropbox account required - works best to just download). I can post those links again here (may even be farther down in this thread) or you can search for posts I've made on this topic elsewhere in the Forum.

 

 

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Though the cafe did open early to accommodate all the people on early excursions, I believe it always closed at 9:30 AM, even on sea days.

 

 

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[Vineyard View]

I hope on New Years Day they will stay open just a bit later!😂😂😂😂😂😂

[CharTrav]

I hope on New Years Day they will stay open just a bit later![emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

 

 

 

I'd be really really surprised if they don't throw some ginormous party with all the stops out.

 

 

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[Vineyard View]

I hope so!! And if that is the case 9:30 might be way too early to stop serving breakfast!!

 

I am also hopeful that Christmas Day will be special - we have never been gone from family on that holiday.

[Peregrina651]

I hope on New Years Day they will stay open just a bit later!😂😂😂😂😂😂

 

Continental breakfast is available at the bar on deck 1 and Mamsen on Deck 7 and is available starting at 6:30 am until almost lunch time (when they swap the pastries for sandwiches).

[Vineyard View]

Thanks Peregrina! I knew Mamsens would be open but wasn't aware of the bar on deck one. Sounds like not only is that 'the coffee' place, but all types of light offerings I missed last time!!