Viking Expeditions Thread

[brosen1]

Sorry, but I'm not sure if my slide show pdf successfully attached to my previous post, so here it is again.  Open in full screen mode in Adobe Acrobat for best viewing.

1137108679_Antarcticaslideshow.pdf

[MSEm]

Thanks  to amyr for posting the links to Pat's and Jeff's videos Enjoyed watching Pat's Quick Review of the Ship.

Also Jeff's Intro, Day 1 & Day 2 videos have a lot of very useful info for this trip.

Thanks to both for the postings.

[amyr]

6 hours ago, MSEm said:

Thanks  to amyr for posting the links to Pat's and Jeff's videos Enjoyed watching Pat's Quick Review of the Ship.

Also Jeff's Intro, Day 1 & Day 2 videos have a lot of very useful info for this trip.

Thanks to both for the postings.

I particularly enjoyed that Jeff posted pictures of all their clothes, both Viking's and what they bought and talked about everything.  I'm looking forward to the rest of the days, but he hasn't posted them yet.

 

[miami mama]

Thank you for reposting Brosen1. Nice pix. What happened with the golf balls you hit?

[brosen1]

2 hours ago, miami mama said:

Thank you for reposting Brosen1. Nice pix. What happened with the golf balls you hit?

Don't worry, I didn't leave them on the glacier. They're in my office next to my hole-in-one golf ball. 

[PeabodyMa]

On 2/6/2022 at 3:44 PM, Hazard10 said:

No one ended up in the water.

 

The bays we did the kayaking in, it would be impossible to fall out of the ones we used unless you deliberately wanted to fall in. We also wore special suits.

They are custom made and extremely steady. 

 

You use pedals by your feet to move forward and back and a dial to your left to turn. This keeps your hands free to take photos and enjoy the scenery.

The staff who come out with you use traditional kayaks.

 

I have lots of kayaking photos of interested.

Hazard10, thank you. Your info is very helpful.

 

Are the kayak pedals a push pedal system that you push up and down with both your feet? Or are they rotational  pedals, like a bicycle? 

 

Do the pedal kayaks also have paddles available to use?

 

 

[deec]

Can't wait for next January on the Polaris!

My husband wears size 12 boots and is XXL Tall....did you see any BIG MEN  with Viking gear that fit well? 

[MSEm]

Question on the boots.  Are the boots worn over "regular" shoes or is it just the boots?

Also I wear LLBeans , 5ft 2 in  size18 petite or 20 petite pants.  Are the pants and jackets in sizes for not tall. I also need coats in shorter sleeve length? I have a Talbots Women petite 1x that fits wells.

How did Viking determine what "size" an individual needs?

[Frenchberet]

31 minutes ago, MSEm said:

Question on the boots.  Are the boots worn over "regular" shoes or is it just the boots?

Also I wear LLBeans , 5ft 2 in  size18 petite or 20 petite pants.  Are the pants and jackets in sizes for not tall. I also need coats in shorter sleeve length? I have a Talbots Women petite 1x that fits wells.

How did Viking determine what "size" an individual needs?

 

Excellent questions!  Can anyone provide a size chart for the expedition jacket, pants and boots?  I'm short too and hoping they offer some petite options.  Appreciate any info!

 

[Clay Clayton]

2 hours ago, deec said:

Can't wait for next January on the Polaris!

My husband wears size 12 boots and is XXL Tall....did you see any BIG MEN  with Viking gear that fit well? 

According to one of the series of videos that Jeff Sanders posted to YouTube, Viking has you select the clothing from Ship to Shore Traveler.  I checked and they have clothes and boots in bigger sizes.  https://www.shiptoshoretraveler.com/
 

We only watched a couple of the videos but I’ve booked marked them in case we ever book this cruise as he appears to do a very through job of documenting it and advising on things to do ahead of time. This is a link to the first of 5 videos currently posted   He has just posted the fifth one, sounds like he has more to publish so you might want to subscribe  

 

Edited February 19, 2022 by Clay Clayton

[MSEm]

Thanks Clay. I just checked the women sizes on shiptoshoretraveler.  Reg XS to reg XL. But XL is a size L in other brands. The clothing will be too long for me.

[emileg]

We were scheduled for the February 15th sailing of the Octantis to Antarctica. We arrived in Miami for the overnight at the Sheraton, but Monday morning one of us tested positive. We were put in quarantine for five additional nights at the hotel and arrived home today. We are both in good health and showed absolutely no symptoms. Very likely either a false positive or asymptomatic case. We were very devastated at first, but now accept the loss.

 

Krys and I wish all of you wonderful expeditions ahead on Viking. We hope to do try again in two years.

[Frenchberet]

30 minutes ago, emileg said:

We were scheduled for the February 15th sailing of the Octantis to Antarctica. We arrived in Miami for the overnight at the Sheraton, but Monday morning one of us tested positive. We were put in quarantine for five additional nights at the hotel and arrived home today. We are both in good health and showed absolutely no symptoms. Very likely either a false positive or asymptomatic case. We were very devastated at first, but now accept the loss.

 

Krys and I wish all of you wonderful expeditions ahead on Viking. We hope to do try again in two years.

I am so sorry to hear that you missed your cruise.  The information you’ve shared on this forum has been very helpful and I was looking forward to your report.  Glad you are both feeling well.

[deec]

so sorry..hope you can reschedule !!

[f.razmus]

EMILEG, so sorry to hear about this.  What an absolute bummer; I'm wondering what happens from Viking's standpoint....do they automatically allow you to reschedule at a future date?  We are scheduled for 3/8 and my greatest fear is what you just went through.  I plan to quarantine the week prior but those false positives are scary and are out of our control.  Seems so unfair.  

[brosen1]

2 hours ago, emileg said:

We were scheduled for the February 15th sailing of the Octantis to Antarctica. We arrived in Miami for the overnight at the Sheraton, but Monday morning one of us tested positive. We were put in quarantine for five additional nights at the hotel and arrived home today. We are both in good health and showed absolutely no symptoms. Very likely either a false positive or asymptomatic case. We were very devastated at first, but now accept the loss.

 

Krys and I wish all of you wonderful expeditions ahead on Viking. We hope to do try again in two years.

Emile, so sorry, but try again! Good luck, Barry

[Helenct]

12 hours ago, emileg said:

We were scheduled for the February 15th sailing of the Octantis to Antarctica. We arrived in Miami for the overnight at the Sheraton, but Monday morning one of us tested positive. We were put in quarantine for five additional nights at the hotel and arrived home today. We are both in good health and showed absolutely no symptoms. Very likely either a false positive or asymptomatic case. We were very devastated at first, but now accept the loss.

 

Krys and I wish all of you wonderful expeditions ahead on Viking. We hope to do try again in two years.

 

9 hours ago, brosen1 said:

Emile, so sorry, but try again! Good luck, Barry

Emile, saddened to read this post.  Hoping our paths will cross soon.  Helen & Rick. 

[amyr]

I'm so sorry Emileg, I was so much looking forward to following along with you.  It will be hard to wait the two years to try again, but I'm sure you have many wonderful trips booked to fill the time.  The fear of a false positive, an asymptomatic case, or even catching Covid are what's making us continually cancel our trips out of the country as they come up.  We're just sticking to extended road trips around the US for now.  We left the US once, to Iceland for a couple of weeks, and it was wonderful, but the knowledge that we had to test negative to come home was always just sitting there in the back of our minds.  It was last summer, before Omicron, and they had almost no Covid, but is was enough to make us realize we were done leaving the country for a while.

 

So sorry you were stopped just short of it.

[photopro2]

13 hours ago, emileg said:

Krys and I wish all of you wonderful expeditions ahead on Viking. We hope to do try again in two years.

Such a disappointment for you, especially after starting this excellent thread which has been of so much interest and help to others including myself.

In two years Viking should have smoothed out the all wrinkles (e.g. the subs) and I very much hope that you can travel then, when we have all put this pandemic thing behind us. 

Edited February 20, 2022 by photopro2
spelling!

[emileg]

Thank you all for your kind words.  Here are answers to some questions people have asked here and also on the February 14th roll call:

 

We were one of three couples on this trip where one person tested positive. All of us had no symptoms. Viking reps at the hotel went by the instructions Viking issued for any passengers who tested positive. Viking arranged for the quarantine at the hotel for the next five days and paid for all food and lodging. We were not permitted out of the room, except things got clarified two days before we left that the person who tested negative could leave the room.

 

We did not use Viking Air, so air changes were on us. Viking has never reimbursed us for almost $6,000 in lost airline fare to Buenos Aires. We did not incur any additional airline expense as a result of leaving early.

 

We could either rebook the trip or use the insurance. As TripMate trip interruption covers 150%, it was a no brainer to file a claim. According to two reps I spoke with, the positive covid test is a covered peril. If Viking rebooked us, we would have to pay for the insurance all over again. At the end of the stay at the hotel, a Viking doctor pronounced my wife recovered so we could travel.

Edited February 20, 2022 by emileg

[CharTrav]

2 hours ago, emileg said:

If Viking rebooked us, we would have to pay for the insurance all over again.

Speaking from experience, if you rebook using Viking's FCVs - assuming that's what they intend to give you - the cost for TripMate will be based on what you actually pay in currency for the rebooked trip. If the rebooking is completely covered by FCVs then the cost for TripMate will be at the absolute bottom of its scale - a few hundred dollars each. If your rebooking is not covered entirely by the vouchers then the cost for TripMate will be based on the difference between the total cost for your rebooking and the vouchers applied. Still much less than what you paid for your initial booking.

 

Remember too that the vouchers are based on all monies paid including what you paid for TripMate with your initial booking. This was a very very pleasant surprise to me when our Med cruise in 2020 was cancelled. Especially given that we were within weeks of departing and had paid for a number of optional excursions. Our 125% FCVs were based on everything we had paid Viking. 

 

Basically TripMate works off a scale of ranges: more than this and less than that then insurance is this much. There is a minimum insurance of a few hundred dollars for a total cruise cost at booking of less than a few thousand dollars/pounds/etc. . I actually got a copy of the chart from my Viking TA which, even tho it's a few years old, I've found quite useful to estimate beforehand the cost of TripMate for an intended cruise. 

 

Bottom line - if Viking is giving you FCVs - don't worry about the TripMate cost. It'll be very small.  

Edited February 21, 2022 by CharTrav

[Clay Clayton]

What are folks thoughts on the new expedition cruises? The price on the Cork to Rio cruise is very reasonable compared to other pricing on these newest ships but seems it me you won’t get to enjoy any of the special aspects of them.  
https://www.vikingcruises.com/expeditions/cruise-destinations/grand-journeys/atlantic-and-equator-sojourn/index.html#search/sfym=2022-10&sftcm=40-144856

[deec]

Clay that cruise doesn't have ANY stops so I am not sure sure it would be as fun as a TransAtlantic crossing...smaller ship is nice but I am guessing entertainment would be lacking and not sure how much outside seating like loungers are available.  BUT with FREE airfare what a great way to spend extra time in Ireland and RIO!!!!  Can you tell we are tempted?

[Clay Clayton]

54 minutes ago, deec said:

Clay that cruise doesn't have ANY stops so I am not sure sure it would be as fun as a TransAtlantic crossing...smaller ship is nice but I am guessing entertainment would be lacking and not sure how much outside seating like loungers are available.  BUT with FREE airfare what a great way to spend extra time in Ireland and RIO!!!!  Can you tell we are tempted?

Like us….but the 10.5 hour flight home from Rio in econ might make it not worthwhile. 

[photopro2]

Viking have now added a 360° tour of Viking Octantis in the same style as they did previously for the Ocean fleet.

 

https://www.vikingcruises.com/expeditions/content/expeditions-360/start.html