Suggestions that could make Viking even better!

[dln929]

Here’s a little one: swap out the Freyja products for something that smells less masculine. The lotion in particular smells like aftershave. Maybe a nice neutral citrus or lavender? Or no scent at all ...

That's such a subjective thing as we all like different scents. To me the Freyja scent is almost imperceptible. But I am reminded of "All About Rose" which was the custom-blended toiletry line that Azamara used it have. Ewwww! It smelled not like aftershave to me but Old Man From Another Century aftershave. I was so happy when they ditched it. On the other hand, however, I had a friend who loved it and begged Azamara to keep it. Only goes to show how one man's trash is another man's treasure.

 

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[Twitchly]

Yes, scent is subjective. Most of our suggestions here are, yes?

 

Here’s another: make these wonderful lectures available after the cruise via a private link. I’ve been to conferences that did this and found it to be a wonderful way to catch up on what you missed.

[philw1776]

Improve Viking Air such that after paying them $100, they don't assign you to the only row whose seats do not recline on an overnight flight to Europe.

[Geosez]

Bottom left appears to be the roller skate setting. Good to know I can bring mine and keep them clean! 🤣🤣

 

 

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But will TSA let them through or do they have to go in checked luggage?

[Clay Clayton]

But will TSA let them through or do they have to go in checked luggage?

 

 

 

As long as you are wearing them you should be fine. 🤪

 

 

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[Geosez]

And what a great way to get through the Atlanta airport!

O K - enough!

[pask]

Improve Viking Air such that after paying them $100, they don't assign you to the only row whose seats do not recline on an overnight flight to Europe.

 

 

 

Go to the airlines web site and change you can change your seats if there are some left.

 

 

 

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[kruzer1]

Viking Homelands and others go to do many Countries that it’s very difficult to get foreign currency for tipping. Why died today Vikingbiffer onboard small amounts of cash conversion or tip prepaid cards for guests to use?

[AnnBraun]

We have been discussing tipping in foreign currency vs. Euros in places like Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia and Croatia. In Western Europe, tipping in Euros or even dollars is acceptable but one comment was that leaving Euros in places like Bulgaria was rude, because the guide would have trouble exchanging it.

 

We just finished the Passages to Eastern Europe and found that getting local currency was next to impossible at the docking sites and even our Activities Director told us that tipping in Euros or Dollars was fine. Apparently the ships do not carry currency for all of those countries on board.

 

We talked about this problem with other passengers, because in some cases we had to over-tip and in others, we had no money left for a decent tip.

 

One passenger recommended that Viking could offer a small packet of currency, like Romanian Lei, Croatian Kuna, as well as Bulgarian, and Serbian currency. Packets with $20 to $40 for each of those one-day stops would be great, just to cover tips, and they can certainly charge a service fee for that. Souvenirs were not a problem because most vendors took credit cards.

 

I was able to get Lei in Bucharest at an ATM but it only gave me 20,000 and 50,000 notes, which are useless for tipping. Getting change for those big notes was impossible. I asked on the Ship and they said I could leave that as part of my shipboard tip, which I did.

 

We are looking to do the right thing for the great guides that serve us on these cruises, but buying those currencies before the trip, even from AAA, is not viable in such small amounts.

[philw1776]

Don't see why buying currencies from AAA in small amounts is a problem. If you want to buy $100 total to save fees for example buy $20 currency X and $10 currency Y and $70 in euros. i did that for 4 currencies in Homelands, no problem.

[Cyber Kat]

Don't see why buying currencies from AAA in small amounts is a problem. If you want to buy $100 total to save fees for example buy $20 currency X and $10 currency Y and $70 in euros. i did that for 4 currencies in Homelands, no problem.

 

Just heard that AAA is not doing currency exchange anymore. Haven't had time to check it out yet - if so it is a problem :o

[Peregrina651]

Just heard that AAA is not doing currency exchange anymore. Haven't had time to check it out yet - if so it is a problem :o

 

Hmmmm. Wondering if that is across all of AAA or just certain regional associations or even just individual offices.

 

Googled it. Found Northeast region is still offering it and that it can even be done online. Did not read much further.

 

On the other hand, I really like the idea of being able to buy packets on board.

[russg140]

[LOL - somehow the thread got hijacked by Speed Queen, AAA and others!]

 

So, back to the OP's ideas for improvement.

 

We're looking forward to our first VO cruise in 6 weeks (Into the Midnight Sun) on Sea. We just got our fancy pouches with our trip booklets. Opened up and saw that it was customized with my name and highlighting my cabin. That's where it ended. We've booked all our shore ex's and alternate dining reservations, and would have found a Cruise Summary page (like the one you can print from MVJ) showing what we have for each port (arrival, ex's, dining if applicable, departure) all in once place. Might be too difficult from a printing standpoint, but I don't need a booklet full of excursions and their descriptions (which comprise 85-90% of the booklet) if I've already got mine booked. Save on printing, use less paper? Just a thought.

 

p.s. - regarding the butler conversation: been there, done that, got the tee shirt - pass. We tend to book higher end cabins and free "things" sweeten the pot. I have a feeling the butler idea may go the way of the dodo as people do see it as an elitist perk.

[broker1217]

[LOL - somehow the thread got hijacked by Speed Queen, AAA and others!]

 

So, back to the OP's ideas for improvement.

 

We're looking forward to our first VO cruise in 6 weeks (Into the Midnight Sun) on Sea. We just got our fancy pouches with our trip booklets. Opened up and saw that it was customized with my name and highlighting my cabin. That's where it ended. We've booked all our shore ex's and alternate dining reservations, and would have found a Cruise Summary page (like the one you can print from MVJ) showing what we have for each port (arrival, ex's, dining if applicable, departure) all in once place. Might be too difficult from a printing standpoint, but I don't need a booklet full of excursions and their descriptions (which comprise 85-90% of the booklet) if I've already got mine booked. Save on printing, use less paper? Just a thought.

 

p.s. - regarding the butler conversation: been there, done that, got the tee shirt - pass. We tend to book higher end cabins and free "things" sweeten the pot. I have a feeling the butler idea may go the way of the dodo as people do see it as an elitist perk.

 

Amen. We threw the whole packet away. A waste of paper.

[aquidneck1]

My cruise summary page is totally blank except for dates and ports. No arrival time, no excursions, no departure times. I may not have had excursions booked(lowest cabin level) when they printed it but final confirmed arrival and departure times would have been nice.

[Peregrina651]

[LOL - somehow the thread got hijacked by Speed Queen, AAA and others!]

 

So, back to the OP's ideas for improvement.

 

We're looking forward to our first VO cruise in 6 weeks (Into the Midnight Sun) on Sea. We just got our fancy pouches with our trip booklets. Opened up and saw that it was customized with my name and highlighting my cabin. That's where it ended. We've booked all our shore ex's and alternate dining reservations, and would have found a Cruise Summary page (like the one you can print from MVJ) showing what we have for each port (arrival, ex's, dining if applicable, departure) all in once place. Might be too difficult from a printing standpoint, but I don't need a booklet full of excursions and their descriptions (which comprise 85-90% of the booklet) if I've already got mine booked. Save on printing, use less paper? Just a thought.

 

p.s. - regarding the butler conversation: been there, done that, got the tee shirt - pass. We tend to book higher end cabins and free "things" sweeten the pot. I have a feeling the butler idea may go the way of the dodo as people do see it as an elitist perk.

 

Viking uses a third party contractor for the docs mailing. At the time they are putting the packages together for mailing, passengers are still choosing tours and making dinner reservations, so the info you would like to see isn't available for everyone.

 

File this one under 'you can't please all of the people all of the time'. There are people who love the docs booklet and would rather not receive it as a digital file. Having a digital vs physical option would be nice--but we will still get a departure packet because of the luggage tags they use to get our luggage to our cabin, etc.

 

For the digitally attuned, by the way, there is a Viking app that you can use on board that includes your shorex and ofther calendar items. See the thread Viking Voyager app .

[Peregrina651]

My cruise summary page is totally blank except for dates and ports. No arrival time, no excursions, no departure times. I may not have had excursions booked(lowest cabin level) when they printed it but final confirmed arrival and departure times would have been nice.

 

Yeah, that doesn't sound right. E-mail the folks at tellus@vikingcruises.com and see if they can fix it for you. Maybe if they can't get you the booklet, they can at least do a digital version for you.

[georose]

My cruise summary page is totally blank except for dates and ports. No arrival time, no excursions, no departure times. I may not have had excursions booked(lowest cabin level) when they printed it but final confirmed arrival and departure times would have been nice.

 

Our first Viking cruise, 50 day Viking Empire, we had a booklet personalized with all our tour reservations, recommended restaurants in each port. We did not get this for our second tour. We were very disappointed. It would be great if Viking could do this again. It was very helpful.

[Cyber Kat]

Hmmmm. Wondering if that is across all of AAA or just certain regional associations or even just individual offices.

 

 

 

Googled it. Found Northeast region is still offering it and that it can even be done online. Did not read much further.

 

 

 

On the other hand, I really like the idea of being able to buy packets on board.

 

 

 

Someone in the other group - where I read about this - said it is regional. I will have to stop in to our office here and ask [emoji16]

 

 

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[Eaches]

I agree to leave promenade as is. No chairs please. It’s not a very wide space and you have to walk off all the food you had...lol Jokes aside, there are people who don’t stop running or power walking while on vacation and chairs could be safety problem. You have a chance to seat on your veranda or upstairs on the 9th floor - there are very cozy places there with nice chairs and sofas.

I also agree about knowing in advance if Viking has a shuttle in the port and where is drop off/pick up place. It helps to plan your time in port in case you weren’t able to book an excursion.

Maybe I’ll update this post after my cruise...or maybe not :)

 

 

 

I agree with your observations all but one . The port director/tourism board of the port sets up most of the shuttle sites and pick up areas and not Viking.To get this information early can be difficult or impossible.

 

 

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[aquidneck1]

Yeah, that doesn't sound right. E-mail the folks at tellus@vikingcruises.com and see if they can fix it for you. Maybe if they can't get you the booklet, they can at least do a digital version for you.

 

 

I am able to print out a pretty good copy from the website so I will not bother them. Thank you though.

[Clay Clayton]

I am able to print out a pretty good copy from the website so I will not bother them. Thank you though.

 

 

 

FWIW, your selections will appear on the app once you log on while onboard. And here is a hint, if you don’t want to stand in line to make Chef’s Table or Manfredi’s reservations you can do with the app...and be able to see the menus for all locations aboard. Just an FYI, the menus may change. We selected a night at the Chef’s Table on Day 1 only to discover a few nights beforehand that the menu in the Restaurant has changed so had to cancel Chef’s Table so hubby could have lobster.

 

 

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[CruisingCattie]

Yes, scent is subjective. Most of our suggestions here are, yes?

 

Here’s another: make these wonderful lectures available after the cruise via a private link. I’ve been to conferences that did this and found it to be a wonderful way to catch up on what you missed.

 

Great idea. You don’t always have time to get to all the information you want to see so having it available for a limited time after the cruise sounds like a great idea. I have also been to conferences that offered lectures after the event and found it helpful.

[russg140]

Is the app the same one that has the information about the artwork?

[georose]

Is the app the same one that has the information about the artwork?

 

It's called Viking Voyager.