LIVE from "Iceland's Natural Beauty" -- All Sailings, 2021

[mhb1757]

We are having a Beautiful sunny and warm day in Djupivogur. Started out a bit iffy but couldn’t be nicer now. I have been in short sleeves since mid morning. Here are a couple of tidbits for future cruisers…

if you are using Apple devices (iPhone, iPad etc) don’t plan on using the Viking Voyager app for much. Android users don’t seem to be having issues but the app shuts down every time you try to use it for anything. If you delete the app and then reinstall it, it will work for anywhere from 12 to 24 hours then you have to do it all over again. You can just ask your cabin steward for a paper copy of the daily health survey if you get tired of messing with the app. 
 

Don’t lose sleep if you can’t get the dining reservations you want in advance. We were able to get both Manfredis and Chefs Table on days and times that worked for us after boarding. No need for reservations at the Restaurant. Haven’t seen any appreciable wait any evening yet. 
 

Also if you want to dine at a table with others…no problem. Just show up at the same time and request a table for whatever party size you want. They are happy to seat you. 
 

we also had no trouble making reservations at the spa for the thermal suite. We have been every day except today. 1 hour blocks. It is very nice since they limit it to 6 guests per hour. 
 

they are keeping a waiting list for sold out shore excursions on board, so if you want one and have not been able to book it be sure to get on the waiting list when you board. I was chatting with the lady next door. She waitlisted for both of the ATV excursions and got on both of them. 
 

And last but not least I would strongly suggest packing some insect repellent and sun screen. I didn’t think I had been out in the sun long enough to burn, but my face got way more than I expected. Really high UV index I’m guessing! And the bug spray made me a very popular person on a couple of excursions. It helped a lot. 
 

it has been a great week so far. Hoping those of you sailing in the weeks to come have such amazing weather. 

[LindaS272]

1 hour ago, FoggyEthan said:

People really do love the ice lagoon, but you have to decide whether 5 hours on a bus is worth 45 minutes on the water. Also, if not the ice lagoon, what would you do instead?

The drive there and back is stunning scenery—well worth it, IMO.

[Liz55]

10 minutes ago, mhb1757 said:

We are having a Beautiful sunny and warm day in Djupivogur. Started out a bit iffy but couldn’t be nicer now. I have been in short sleeves since mid morning. Here are a couple of tidbits for future cruisers…

if you are using Apple devices (iPhone, iPad etc) don’t plan on using the Viking Voyager app for much. Android users don’t seem to be having issues but the app shuts down every time you try to use it for anything. If you delete the app and then reinstall it, it will work for anywhere from 12 to 24 hours then you have to do it all over again. You can just ask your cabin steward for a paper copy of the daily health survey if you get tired of messing with the app. 
 

Don’t lose sleep if you can’t get the dining reservations you want in advance. We were able to get both Manfredis and Chefs Table on days and times that worked for us after boarding. No need for reservations at the Restaurant. Haven’t seen any appreciable wait any evening yet. 
 

Also if you want to dine at a table with others…no problem. Just show up at the same time and request a table for whatever party size you want. They are happy to seat you. 
 

we also had no trouble making reservations at the spa for the thermal suite. We have been every day except today. 1 hour blocks. It is very nice since they limit it to 6 guests per hour. 
 

they are keeping a waiting list for sold out shore excursions on board, so if you want one and have not been able to book it be sure to get on the waiting list when you board. I was chatting with the lady next door. She waitlisted for both of the ATV excursions and got on both of them. 
 

And last but not least I would strongly suggest packing some insect repellent and sun screen. I didn’t think I had been out in the sun long enough to burn, but my face got way more than I expected. Really high UV index I’m guessing! And the bug spray made me a very popular person on a couple of excursions. It helped a lot. 
 

it has been a great week so far. Hoping those of you sailing in the weeks to come have such amazing weather. 

This is great info...thanks!

[azjoy]

16 hours ago, FoggyEthan said:

Might I ask you the favor of asking a related question for me? I'm in a similar situation. We are not on the official transfers because we are spending mid-day at the Blue Lagoon, but I had also thought that we could relax on board for a bit.

 

I'd like to know if it is possible to "add on" the transfer to The Pearl (where they are holding passengers until it's time to go to the airport) and spend time there, without getting the whole transfer out to the airport. We'd obviously rather not spend $49 each for a 15 minute transfer just to The Pearl in order to have a place to stall for a couple hours.

 

Thanks!

-- Ethan

 

I was told that you should ask the question when you board the ship.   They seem reluctant to say something is possible when you're on a different sailing or possibly the other ship.  

 

FYI- I've heard nothing to indicate they are transferring anyone to Perlan. I know someone said it was done on the first cruise but there was no mention of it in the letter given to us regarding transfers for this cruise. I can think.of many reasons but don't want to speculate.   Good luck!

[azjoy]

23 hours ago, azjoy said:

We made our own flight arrangements for a late flight (5pm) on Saturday and reserved a private transfer to airport to pick us up at 9:30am.  This was done AFTER contacting Viking and being told we only needed to leave the ship between 9 and 10am. 

Now on board, we were advised we have to leave ship by 8am.  We have escalated to Guest Services Management and are awaiting a reply.  Will advise when they respond.

 

(Our transfer includes a stop that doesn't open until 10am so we don't want to leave earlier and stand around outside for an extra hour.)

 

Net:  they've given us special permission to remain in the atrium until 9am.  Then we have to exit.  We're satisfied with this end result.

 

Unfortunately it took 2 days and followup from us, including asking for an appointment with the Guest Services Manager, to get the answer.  

 

The Manager told us she had to get approval from the General Manager for our request and that we were the first guests to ask.

 

I would advise subsequent cruisers who are interested in this accommodation to go to Guest Services ASAP when you board. 

[DaveSJ711]

3 hours ago, FoggyEthan said:

People really do love the ice lagoon, but you have to decide whether 5 hours on a bus is worth 45 minutes on the water. Also, if not the ice lagoon, what would you do instead?

5 hours on a bus in SE Iceland isn't the same as 5 hours on a California freeway. The scenery on the way to the lagoons is breathtaking. Nobody will be bored with the drive.

[VI_Lounger]

1 hour ago, LindaS272 said:

The drive there and back is stunning scenery—well worth it, IMO.

Did it. Loved it. It is a long drive but the stunning scenery never ends. I'm sure it helps to have the endless sun we got today. I also  limited my coffee intake though but this bus actually had a working bathroom for emergencies! One note if you get the sunny day is the lagoon gear is very heavy and warm so glad I wore my thin raincoat instead of the winter weight. It's also a 5 minute walk to zodiacs on gravel trails and our boat took on some water so glad for waterproof shoes. I will post pictures as soon as we get them downloaded but I say it's a must do if you can relax and enjoy the ride..or catch up on napping as some did!

[DaveSJ711]

6 minutes ago, VI_Lounger said:

Did it. Loved it. It is a long drive but the stunning scenery never ends. I'm sure it helps to have the endless sun we got today. I also  limited my coffee intake though but this bus actually had a working bathroom for emergencies! One note if you get the sunny day is the lagoon gear is very heavy and warm so glad I wore my thin raincoat instead of the winter weight. It's also a 5 minute walk to zodiacs on gravel trails and our boat took on some water so glad for waterproof shoes. I will post pictures as soon as we get them downloaded but I say it's a must do if you can relax and enjoy the ride..or catch up on napping as some did!

Did the bus stop at Diamond Beach?

[TayanaLorna]

For those who have been on Viking included or optional excursions, has there been any times when you need ISK to use rest rooms?

[VI_Lounger]

1 minute ago, TayanaLorna said:

For those who have been on Viking included or optional excursions, has there been any times when you need ISK to use rest rooms?

Not once. Signs were posted to pay but were left unlocked. Great restrooms on all excursions.

[VI_Lounger]

12 minutes ago, DaveSJ711 said:

Did the bus stop at Diamond Beach?

Yes, but the cubes were out to sea and not many left. On the glacier side, the floating cubes were stunning. Still waiting to get my pictures posted but the other half is in need of a quick nap!

[Seaharvest]

2 hours ago, mhb1757 said:

We are having a Beautiful sunny and warm day in Djupivogur. Started out a bit iffy but couldn’t be nicer now. I have been in short sleeves since mid morning. Here are a couple of tidbits for future cruisers…

if you are using Apple devices (iPhone, iPad etc) don’t plan on using the Viking Voyager app for much. Android users don’t seem to be having issues but the app shuts down every time you try to use it for anything. If you delete the app and then reinstall it, it will work for anywhere from 12 to 24 hours then you have to do it all over again. You can just ask your cabin steward for a paper copy of the daily health survey if you get tired of messing with the app. 
 

Don’t lose sleep if you can’t get the dining reservations you want in advance. We were able to get both Manfredis and Chefs Table on days and times that worked for us after boarding. No need for reservations at the Restaurant. Haven’t seen any appreciable wait any evening yet. 
 

Also if you want to dine at a table with others…no problem. Just show up at the same time and request a table for whatever party size you want. They are happy to seat you. 
 

we also had no trouble making reservations at the spa for the thermal suite. We have been every day except today. 1 hour blocks. It is very nice since they limit it to 6 guests per hour. 
 

they are keeping a waiting list for sold out shore excursions on board, so if you want one and have not been able to book it be sure to get on the waiting list when you board. I was chatting with the lady next door. She waitlisted for both of the ATV excursions and got on both of them. 
 

And last but not least I would strongly suggest packing some insect repellent and sun screen. I didn’t think I had been out in the sun long enough to burn, but my face got way more than I expected. Really high UV index I’m guessing! And the bug spray made me a very popular person on a couple of excursions. It helped a lot. 
 

it has been a great week so far. Hoping those of you sailing in the weeks to come have such amazing weather. 

Thank you so much for the information. And I am glad you are having beautiful weather and a fun time on board. I hope you enjoy the rest of your cruise and have a good flight home.  

[anaco_angler]

FWIW, I was going through notes from our port call in Isafjørdur in 2016. We walked through town after our shoreX, probably along the main street leading to the port, and stopped at a shop called Karitas. I believe it's sponsored by the Lutheran church. There are about 10 ladies who hand knit woolen items for sale in the shop to benefit their local charity. There were several ladies knitting while we wandered through the small shop and I found a hand knit hat which I really liked. I don't remember the price but it seemed reasonable and it was obviously authentic. Bear in mind that Icelandic woolen items can seem a bit scratchy but definitely warm especially in damp weather. Hopefully the shop is still there.

[DJVKN]

8 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Is it the “Vog” from the volcano we’ve been hearing about?

Our taxi driver tells us it is. He wore a mask for personal reasons when he dropped us at the port.

We had an absolutely fabulous day doing the zodiac lagoon excursion.

Jenna, CD was on our excursion and said there are 700 on next week’s cruise.

[SteelCity Cruiser]

21 hours ago, hodges97 said:

we are on the Jupiter at the end of August so you guys may not be able to help me.  But, I have a new hard side bag that's pretty big.  How much clearance is there under the bed?  I've got my old battle scared rolling duffle that will fit for sure.  But this bag is 2 years old and I haven't been able to use it.  LOL

 

We took a big-old 31" hard sided case on our river cruise 2 years ago and it fit under the bed.  Assuming the bed/room designs on the ocean vessels are similar, yours should fit.

 

[Peregrina651]

10 hours ago, Jay23 said:

I understand that of course but I thought they lived there.  To  where do they migrate ????    J

Arctic terns migrate to Antarctica.  Eider ducks to Labrador(?).  Can't remember the others.  One migrates just as soon as the chick's hatch, leaving them to mature on their own and eventually fly to join their parents.  

[DaveSJ711]

18 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

Arctic terns migrate to Antarctica.  Eider ducks to Labrador(?).  Can't remember the others.  One migrates just as soon as the chick's hatch, leaving them to mature on their own and eventually fly to join their parents.  

Weren't you going to the lagoons today? How was the trip?

[Peregrina651]

12 minutes ago, DaveSJ711 said:

Weren't you going to the lagoons today? How was the trip?

 

Yup!  Good timing. I was just about to hit send, when your post appeared. 

 

Loved the lagoon.  Did not do a facer either into or out of the boat.  

 

GEAR:  They give you a jacket and life vest but not pants.  The jacket is very warm and the sun is very strong.  Did not really need the down vest under it today.  Also did not need rain pant -- but if their is rain in the forecast, you may want to bring them along.  Make sure that your jacket has enough room to zip it comfortably and have a good range of arm motion.  Waterproof shoes a good choice but not essential unless it is raining.  

 

Long ride.  Lovely nap coming and going.  

 

Pit-stop in Hofn coming and going.  Local library.  Long line.  Clean facilities.  Six unisex bathrooms with sinks.  Facilities also at the restaurant right there at the zodiacs.  

 

Two photo stops on the way home in addition to Hofn.  

 

I thought that the party planners did a good job of coordinating the 6 or so buses and all the moving parts -- feeding us, clothing us, avoiding bottle necks. 

 

Yes, it was worth the long drive to get there.  

 

 

[PeabodyMa]

14 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

We are tendering this morning in Djupivogur.  Our cabin is right over the tender. Man, is that noisy! 

 

We are off to the glacier lagoon this morning. Woo-hoo! 

 

It rained overnight. But this morning it is that strange combination of fog and sunshine that we have been getting all week. 

What 3rd floor rooms are above the tender? Thank you in advance!

[Tom.in.nc]

4th level from about 4050 to 4085 are above tenders.

3056,7,8,9 are adjacent.

Edited July 8, 2021 by Tom.in.nc
Typo

[Clay Clayton]

15 minutes ago, PeabodyMa said:

What 3rd floor rooms are above the tender? Thank you in advance!

I don’t think any.  I suspect Pergegrina is on Deck 4 or higher. 

[Shipshape54]

On 7/7/2021 at 3:47 AM, DJVKN said:

Gym is open by appointment for 45 minutes per person I believe. I friend of ours is going daily and most times no one is manning the desk and no one is  in the gym so he just goes in and works out.

Thanks for the info.

[Snit13]

8 hours ago, TayanaLorna said:

As far as airport wheelchair assist I always see them waiting where passengers exit the aircraft no matter what airport or airline.  I don't believe Viking has any wheelchair assist anywhere.  In the Passenger Ticket Contract page 18 Section 12. Passenger's Warranties and Fitness; Pregnancy; Accessibility Limitations; Health and Special Needs you will find Vikings requirements and your notification responsibilities.  Even though Viking personnel offer a helping hand as we get on or off the gangway, we must be able to walk it without using a wheelchair, walker etc.  A helping hand or two is also given as we board or disembark a tender but we must make the step up or down on our own.  

I am traveling with 3 friends so would not need help getting on/off ship.  I would have an issue standing in line at airport for multiple hours.  Viking has an area to sign for assistance thus I signed up.  Whatever will be will be.  I have been renting a scooter for Royal Caribbean the past few years.  New to Viking so haven't a clue to their policies.

[PeabodyMa]

40 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

I don’t think any.  I suspect Pergegrina is on Deck 4 or higher. 

 

27 minutes ago, Snit13 said:

I am traveling with 3 friends so would not need help getting on/off ship.  I would have an issue standing in line at airport for multiple hours.  Viking has an area to sign for assistance thus I signed up.  Whatever will be will be.  I have been renting a scooter for Royal Caribbean the past few years.  New to Viking so haven't a clue to their policies.

 

Edited July 8, 2021 by PeabodyMa

[Clay Clayton]

Just now, PeabodyMa said:

 

Do you know room numbers above the tenders? If you're at Guest Services, would you mind asking them? I'smd really appreciate it. 

I’m not onboard. But if you take a look at the online deck plans you can figure it out.