Very disappointed in Viking at this moment

[zitsky]

Some people, myself included, are reluctant to wander the city when half asleep. Easier to get lost, but i suppose you can always call a taxi. Could this be part of OP's reason for being upset.

 

As for me, I have considered the advice here and will try not to nap or sit in the hotel.

[Roz]

Chock this up as a learning experience.

 

Roz

[Mark_T]

That's why I asked specifically WHAT Viking has promised its customers. And still no one has let us know.....

 

Viking always list the number of hotel nights and certainly never promise or offer 'early check-in' as a service.

 

The problem is always going to be that less experienced travelers don't know how to spot the issues like a very early flight and a hotel being used for the first night...

 

We would often prefer connecting flights with a little time to kill over a direct flight that gets in crazy early.

 

For transatlantic flights to Europe we tend to prefer the latest possible flights as it is easier to sleep in the evening local time, and you don't arrive too early at the destination.

[rothbury]

I was going to stay out of this but I have to bring up two points in this discussion. I don't want to sound like I'm piling on the OP either but if you look at the signature line....They are certainly not new to European travel. Maybe they set their expectations a little high but I have to agree with most of the posters that the best way to avoid jet lag is to stay awake until evening from my experience.

On the second point. I looked back at some previous bookings that involved pre-cruise stays with Viking. Nowhere, either in the contract or otherwise does it say anything about a room being available prior to normal check-in. Viking has always provided a shortcut to the website for the hotel so that you can do your own investigating as to what is offered. Not too long ago someone was complaining about the hotel being changed the day of arrival without prior notice. Now, that is a reason to complain! You plan on staying up and visiting certain sites and they put you in an entirely different location. That I would have a problem with.

[Hoyaheel]

On the second point. I looked back at some previous bookings that involved pre-cruise stays with Viking. Nowhere, either in the contract or otherwise does it say anything about a room being available prior to normal check-in. Viking has always provided a shortcut to the website for the hotel so that you can do your own investigating as to what is offered.

Thank you - that is very helpful, and certainly what I would have expected in this scenario.

 

But I would never want to assume. You know what happens when you assume ;p

[Wendy The Wanderer]

The devil's in the details, as the saying goes. "Hand waving" doesn't cut it, so I always would study the fine print in a case like this.

 

That being said, I'm a DIYer as well. Always book our own hotels, and always alert them to ask for early check-in, knowing that they can't control this completely, but just to put in the request, politely.

 

In Rome last year the room wasn't ready, but they had a place for our luggage, and we went out and walked to the Colosseum and around the neighbourhood to help with jetlag. In Paris the year before, they announced happily that our room was ready on arrival! We considered this a lovely bonus!

[mlld3536]

We have taken 12 trips to Europe (plus another three by my husband alone), all but one booked DIY. Without exception these have left from the DC area between 5 and 10 pm, so all "red-eye." Most available flights are like that. When these flights include a stopover, they generally arrive when a room is ready for us. But direct flights arrive in the morning, and the only thing to do is leave the bags at the hotel and go do something, either settle in to a cafe or possibly ride a tour bus so we can get a sense of the city. I'm so used to this situation, I never think about it, and I imagine that whoever handles air arrangements at Viking is too. Perhaps cruise companies should provide a kind of fact sheet for the assistance of Europe newbies to help them prepare for this situation. But as has been pointed out, OP is not a newbie for European travel. As the late great Gilda Radner said, "There's always something!"

[CPT Trips]

Thanks to OP. Their post lead me to check on our first night hotel for a bus tour. We arrive in the morning and as the Festival and Tattoo are going on in Edinburgh, early check in is doubtful, but I did request it.

We'll be off to the national museum whether we get a room or not. It's just a matter of whether we have an opportunity to freshen up.

[Donray]

Why would the OP think that they would have a room at that time in the morning? First off Viking works with people to get transport time that the customer wants. They might pat extra, but the OP should have had enough sense to know that hotel rooms are not available until the afternoon.

[RDC1]

That's why I asked specifically WHAT Viking has promised its customers. And still no one has let us know.....

 

[i am a DIYer, don't just "call" myself that. Totally not sure what that has to do with this post - I stated it because it means I look for information when I travel and I DON'T know what companies who do bookings for other people promise -which is why I asked here for that information.]

On the Viking Cruise that I took they provided the transfer to the hotel, but did not guarantee room prior to normal check in. They would work with the hotel to get one if available, but no guarantee.

 

We have found that the hop on hop off is a good activity after dropping our bags at the hotel, while waiting until check in.

[Got2Cruise]

Thanks to OP. Their post lead me to check on our first night hotel for a bus tour. We arrive in the morning and as the Festival and Tattoo are going on in Edinburgh, early check in is doubtful, but I did request it.

We'll be off to the national museum whether we get a room or not. It's just a matter of whether we have an opportunity to freshen up.

 

 

 

I was in Edinburgh in July. So jealous you will be there during Festival and Tatoo! You will love Edinburgh. Download Rick Steves walking tour of Royal Mile for free. I follow a few Edinburgh pages on FB they've been broadcasting live.

 

 

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[WarEagle76]

Out of curiosity, I checked the Viking website. It took about 10 seconds to click on "My Trip" and "FAQ" to find the following:

 

Check-in time at most hotels is often in the early afternoon and if you arrive earlier the hotel may allow you to check in if your room is ready or will store your luggage so you can explore on your own. On departure day, guest disembarkation (ship) is generally at 10:00 a.m. and hotel check-out is generally at 12:00 p.m.

[Solent Richard]

I am writing this from the lobby of the Tivoli Lisboa in Portugal. Our flight arrived at 5:20 am today and it is now 9am and we still do not have a room. There was a Viking rep here earlier and she told me this is happening every week. I can't imagine why Viking things people want to pay these prices to have to crash like college students in a hotel lobby after a red eye flight. If you know you won't have rooms for us then don't book us on those flights. I am sure there is no 60-year-old who would book the trip knowing they would be sleeping in a hotel lobby all morning!

 

 

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Early arrival is a problem when flying to Europe from the US and the only way I know to avoid the shock of having to wait for an available room is to reserve a room for the night before. Of course the hotel/Viking would charge you for that. You can't expect the hotel to leave rooms empty and lose a night's revenue.

 

...and wouldn't we all complain even more if Viking had booked an earlier than standard check-in and then passed the hotel's additional costs onto our cruise bill.

[CPT Trips]

I was in Edinburgh in July. So jealous you will be there during Festival and Tatoo! You will love Edinburgh. Download Rick Steves walking tour of Royal Mile for free. I follow a few Edinburgh pages on FB they've been broadcasting live.

 

 

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We booked specifically for Tattoo. Long ago, and far away I served in a US unit located in the BAOR zone in Germany and then in Berlin. That's where we learned what a Tattoo is, the Brits know pageantry . . .

I'm hesitant to walk the Royal Mile on my own on arrival day as that's our guided tour the next day.

[ural guy]

We booked specifically for Tattoo. Long ago, and far away I served in a US unit located in the BAOR zone in Germany and then in Berlin. That's where we learned what a Tattoo is, the Brits know pageantry . . .

I'm hesitant to walk the Royal Mile on my own on arrival day as that's our guided tour the next day.

 

Enjoy the trip, we were there in June and the seating areas were already being erected. We had a great view of them and the castle from the Air B&B we rented.

 

The city was crowded then, can't imagine what it will be like with all the festivities.

[Canal archive]

Your so right whatever hotel you'll count yourself lucky if you get in your room anywhere near 12 o'clock.

 

I'm so green your off to the tattoo were off to our place in Scotland in September and then hiring a Narrowboat to do the Forth & Clyde canal plus up the Falkirk wheel and to see the Kelpies.

Happy European cruising CA

[Got2Cruise]

We booked specifically for Tattoo. Long ago, and far away I served in a US unit located in the BAOR zone in Germany and then in Berlin. That's where we learned what a Tattoo is, the Brits know pageantry . . .

 

I'm hesitant to walk the Royal Mile on my own on arrival day as that's our guided tour the next day.

 

 

 

It's just a nice place to stroll with shops and places to eat ( and drink lol).

 

 

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[CPT Trips]

"I'm so green your off to the tattoo..." OK? Boot, spanner, and nappy I can translate into American, but green? The wicked witch? Kermit (as in "its not easy...")? Or envious? Help.

[CPT Trips]

dup . . .

[capriccio]

It's just a nice place to stroll with shops and places to eat ( and drink lol).

 

 

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And since you'll be there during the Fringe Festival there will be performances on every block to keep your interest. The Tattoo was definitely one of the absolute highlights of our world wide travels.

[CPT Trips]

So well have a leisurely stroll back to the hotel from the museum.

[jpalbny]

CPT Trips. Envious, no doubt. I think you've got it.

[scluvsrain]

Just left Edinburgh a few days ago after seeing Tattoo on opening night. It was FABULOUS!

 

 

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[harrodsfan]

Exactly.

In addition, while it is tempting to take a nap after an overnight flight, it is not a good idea. It is best to spend most of the day being active and then go to bed early. This allows one to get adjusted to the local time faster.

If you sleep most of the day, you'll be up during the night and tired the next day again - not a good plan.

A vey good point!

[mthayer295]

I am guessing you don't fly overseas often. Almost all overseas flights from the US arrive early in the morning. It is common for you to go to the hotel and store your bags with them, and then go off and explore.

Whatever pre-hotel package you bought (2 nights, 3 nights, etc) Viking will deliver that amount of nights, and any other components you bought in your package. To have a room for you when you arrived early in the morning would necessitate that they book the room for the night before.

Don't be a whiner, this is customary European travel. Continue on like a well traveled person and go out and take a brisk walk and enjoy the scenery. Who sits in a hotel lobby for hours?

 

 

I actually do extensive international travel for work and am very aware of the typical flight patterns and my company always books me for the night before to ensure a room. In this case Viking picked the flights and... they had a full shipload of guests departing for the Hemming who had to be out of their rooms by 8am. So with hundreds of empty rooms it seemed hard to understand why we had to lay in the lobby until 10am. I do expect that with the amount of money both the Tivoli Lisboa and Viking are making on these trips that they will accommodate the few passengers who arrive this early especially when it was Viking's choice to put us on that early. I will say that after this incident our trip was flawless. The hotel was fabulous and the cruise was even better.