Attention: Host - Re: Viking Expeditions

[emileg]

Please note that Viking has set up a new cruise division called Viking Expeditions. As of now, they will have two 378-passenger ships: The Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris. They will explore Antarctica, the Arctic, the Great Lakes and Canada, plus some repositioning cruises. While there are Cruise Critic roll calls for these ships under Viking Ocean Cruises, may I suggest a new cruise line category called Viking Expeditions. Viking considers Expeditions one of its three categories, which also include Oceans and Rivers.

 

https://www.vikingcruises.com/expeditions

 

We are excited to be on the Inaugural Cruise of their first expedition ship, the Viking Octantis, for January 12, 2022, which sails from Ushuaia to Antarctica.

 

Thank you so much. 

 

Emile

 

[Peregrina651]

5 hours ago, emileg said:

Please note that Viking has set up a new cruise division called Viking Expeditions. As of now, they will have two 378-passenger ships: The Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris. They will explore Antarctica, the Arctic, the Great Lakes and Canada, plus some repositioning cruises. While there are Cruise Critic roll calls for these ships under Viking Ocean Cruises, may I suggest a new cruise line category called Viking Expeditions. Viking considers Expeditions one of its three categories, which also include Oceans and Rivers.

 

https://www.vikingcruises.com/expeditions

 

We are excited to be on the Inaugural Cruise of their first expedition ship, the Viking Octantis, for January 12, 2022, which sails from Ushuaia to Antarctica.

 

Thank you so much. 

 

Emile

 

 

There is no Host for this forum. The chances of this suggestion being read here by CC staff or hosts are slim.

 

You can contact CC directly at community@cruisecritic.com or help@cruisecritic.com.

 

Then again, audience-size-wise, it might be better to incorporate discussion of VE along with VO.  Audience is everything; you can't have a meaningful discussion without an audience -- and right now VE does not have an audience even in this forum. There are only a handful of threads about Expeditions. VE roll calls are already with VO ships. There are eight of them so far and less than half of them have any replies.

 

Audience-building in a separate forum may face obstacles, especially considering the small size of the target audience. Currently, VE has two ship that is one-third the size of a VO ship, of which only one will be operating in 2022. Considering that the Cruise Critic penetration into the sailing market is only about  2-3%, it will be an up-hill battle to build an audience -- with luck, two or three people per sailing.  VR cruises face the same obstacles; that is why many of their roll calls are by itinerary and not by sailing. At least if VE joins with VO it will have a leg up on finding an audience since VE guests may already know about and follow VO.

 

Even as part of VO, people are going to have to want to start asking and answering questions and sharing information to get things going -- and so far on VO, there have been very, very little talk about VE.

 

 

[Porcupine 52]

We have reservations on the Antarctic trip.  As of yet there isn't a ship or really any thing to talk about.  

[emileg]

9 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

There is no Host for this forum. The chances of this suggestion being read here by CC staff or hosts are slim.

 

You can contact CC directly at community@cruisecritic.com or help@cruisecritic.com.

 

Then again, audience-size-wise, it might be better to incorporate discussion of VE along with VO.  Audience is everything; you can't have a meaningful discussion without an audience -- and right now VE does not have an audience even in this forum. There are only a handful of threads about Expeditions. VE roll calls are already with VO ships. There are eight of them so far and less than half of them have any replies.

 

Audience-building in a separate forum may face obstacles, especially considering the small size of the target audience. Currently, VE has two ship that is one-third the size of a VO ship, of which only one will be operating in 2022. Considering that the Cruise Critic penetration into the sailing market is only about  2-3%, it will be an up-hill battle to build an audience -- with luck, two or three people per sailing.  VR cruises face the same obstacles; that is why many of their roll calls are by itinerary and not by sailing. At least if VE joins with VO it will have a leg up on finding an audience since VE guests may already know about and follow VO.

 

Even as part of VO, people are going to have to want to start asking and answering questions and sharing information to get things going -- and so far on VO, there have been very, very little talk about VE.

 

 

 

Thank you for your thoughtful insights and helpful suggestions.

Edited January 31, 2021 by emileg

[Roger88]

28 minutes ago, Porcupine 52 said:

We have reservations on the Antarctic trip.  As of yet there isn't a ship or really any thing to talk about.  

I always wondered, isnt it like cold to go on these trips? I dont feel it right to wear coats n stuff while enjoying my vacation on board,, do you like visit  warm places as well? Are there any warm places in Antarctica? 

[emileg]

As suggested by Peregrina651, I have begun a new topic called Viking Expeditions Thread. Let us move our discussion over.  Thanks.

 

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by emileg

[Peregrina651]

40 minutes ago, Porcupine 52 said:

We have reservations on the Antarctic trip.  As of yet there isn't a ship or really any thing to talk about.  

 

2 minutes ago, emileg said:

As suggested by Peregrina651, I have begun a new topic called Viking Expeditions Thread. Let us move our discussion over.  Thanks.

 

Great idea,  Emile. I was just about to suggest something similar to Porcupine.

 

Here is how you can fill that new thread now to spark more conversation. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but you still want to prime the pump. Here is a list of things that you can start sharing -- and keep updating over time:

• a list of all the roll calls,
• a list questions that people might want to have answered before sailing (weather, what to and what not to pack, etc). Start with the questions and then share the answers
• links to helpful information 
• links to helpful threads elsewhere on CC, especially the Ports of Call section,
• thoughts about pre- and post-cruise activities (it is a long flight to Buenos Aires and then on to Ushuaia, some people may want to arrive early to get over the long flight and considering that it is such a long flight, may want to see more of the area than what is offered on the cruise AND for the Great Lakes, we may well have a number of local experts who can answer questions and help) --
• post any time Viking shares new information about the ships or itineraries

and I would post them one at a time over a few weeks or months just to keep the thread on page one of the forum page (the list of threads).

 

AND, post a link to the thread in each of roll calls. Explain that it does not take the place of the roll calls but is a place to share information about VE and in the future where folks who have already sailed can help those who are planning to sail by answering questions and sharing their experiences.

[emileg]

24 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

 

Great idea,  Emile. I was just about to suggest something similar to Porcupine.

 

Here is how you can fill that new thread now to spark more conversation. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but you still want to prime the pump. Here is a list of things that you can start sharing -- and keep updating over time:

• a list of all the roll calls,
• a list questions that people might want to have answered before sailing (weather, what to and what not to pack, etc). Start with the questions and then share the answers
• links to helpful information 
• links to helpful threads elsewhere on CC, especially the Ports of Call section,
• thoughts about pre- and post-cruise activities (it is a long flight to Buenos Aires and then on to Ushuaia, some people may want to arrive early to get over the long flight and considering that it is such a long flight, may want to see more of the area than what is offered on the cruise AND for the Great Lakes, we may well have a number of local experts who can answer questions and help) --
• post any time Viking shares new information about the ships or itineraries

and I would post them one at a time over a few weeks or months just to keep the thread on page one of the forum page (the list of threads).

 

AND, post a link to the thread in each of roll calls. Explain that it does not take the place of the roll calls but is a place to share information about VE and in the future where folks who have already sailed can help those who are planning to sail by answering questions and sharing their experiences.

 

All wonderful ideas. Thank you so much. I will also wait for some response so it doesn't look like I am, and I don;'t want to be, the only one posting.

[emileg]

1 hour ago, Roger88 said:

I always wondered, isnt it like cold to go on these trips? I dont feel it right to wear coats n stuff while enjoying my vacation on board,, do you like visit  warm places as well? Are there any warm places in Antarctica? 

 

Roger, Please post these good questions on the new thread.