Hawaiian Sojourn shore excursions

[kjbacon]

We are on the December 20 sailing of this itinerary and with less than 2 months to go, there are no shore excursions available to book in MVJ. If you are on the December 4 sailing, please let us know if you have shore excursions available to book. My TA has called Viking 3 times over the last month about this and 3 times he has been told that they will be listed any day now. I’ve never experienced anything like this on any cruise line in over 40 years. Are we going to hear that this itinerary is going to be cancelled? Does anyone have any thoughts on this? 

[Twitchly]

We’re leaving on a cruise 3 weeks after you, and we have no excursions listed yet, either. In our case, I suspect it’s because our cruise includes Israel, which still hasn’t made a formal announcement about tourist requirements for entry. So we aren’t even sure the cruise will happen. 
 

I don’t know what the holdup is for Hawaii, but I know they have an acute shortage of labor there, which may be contributing. 

[bottomfeeder]

I'm on the December 4th sailing and have no shore excursions available yet either.  Fingers  crossed that the cruise will actually happen.

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, kjbacon said:

We are on the December 20 sailing of this itinerary and with less than 2 months to go, there are no shore excursions available to book in MVJ. If you are on the December 4 sailing, please let us know if you have shore excursions available to book. My TA has called Viking 3 times over the last month about this and 3 times he has been told that they will be listed any day now. I’ve never experienced anything like this on any cruise line in over 40 years. Are we going to hear that this itinerary is going to be cancelled? Does anyone have any thoughts on this? 

 

To put it in perspective, there hasn't been a COVID pandemic for the last 40 years that has put many tour vendors either out of business, or they have insufficient labour available to provide service. These are difficult times and if you want to cruise, patience is required.

 

If you track the Orion's Roll Call threads and the Viking Board threads, you would have seen that Orion's current cruise only had the shore-ex posted about a month prior to departure. In addition to probably new ports, the existing ports probably don't have the same infrastructure available, so they are searching for new vendors and new tours. The Orion's new schedule was only released in August, so they haven't had much time.

 

The Panama Canal sailing shore-ex are already posted, so they should now be working on Hawaii, which for Viking is all new ports. When we booked the 4th Dec cruise back in Augusr, I didn't expect to see shore-ex posted until end Oct to middle Nov and don't see any reason to change that estimate.

[kjbacon]

15 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

To put it in perspective, there hasn't been a COVID pandemic for the last 40 years that has put many tour vendors either out of business, or they have insufficient labour available to provide service. These are difficult times and if you want to cruise, patience is required.

 

If you track the Orion's Roll Call threads and the Viking Board threads, you would have seen that Orion's current cruise only had the shore-ex posted about a month prior to departure. In addition to probably new ports, the existing ports probably don't have the same infrastructure available, so they are searching for new vendors and new tours. The Orion's new schedule was only released in August, so they haven't had much time.

 

The Panama Canal sailing shore-ex are already posted, so they should now be working on Hawaii, which for Viking is all new ports. When we booked the 4th Dec cruise back in Augusr, I didn't expect to see shore-ex posted until end Oct to middle Nov and don't see any reason to change that estimate.

 

No, I haven’t been lurking on other people’s roll calls.

 

Viking needs to do a better job communicating with us. I have two upcoming cruises booked on two other lines and the shore excursions are available to book on both. Viking needs to get their Covid testing directions communicated clearly and correctly in all their venues. They need to state when the shore excursions will actually be posted for an individual’s cruise in their MVJ. Simple. Excursions for Hawaiian Sojourn will be available November xx.

 

Your directive regarding required patience is not likely to be adopted as a motto by any cruise line.

[C-sea]

We are also on the Hawaiian Sojourn on December 4, 2021. Viking could reduce stress of their clients, whom have put their faith in Viking Ocean to be a professional company, by keeping an open and frequent communication of the current situation. This communicating of no information is needlessly unsettling and a type of communication in its own right.

[C-sea]

Also, when we were planning our "Malta" Viking Ocean "Jupiter" cruise (which we cancelled after experiencing the stress of airline "gatekeepers" and the particular documentation hoops of international travel twice, Bermuda and Iceland, we needed a break!) There was no advance notice of the listing for shore excursions, they were just there one day, so my advice is to check daily in MVJ, as they may just show up. 

[Heidi13]

6 hours ago, kjbacon said:

 

No, I haven’t been lurking on other people’s roll calls.

 

Viking needs to do a better job communicating with us. I have two upcoming cruises booked on two other lines and the shore excursions are available to book on both. Viking needs to get their Covid testing directions communicated clearly and correctly in all their venues. They need to state when the shore excursions will actually be posted for an individual’s cruise in their MVJ. Simple. Excursions for Hawaiian Sojourn will be available November xx.

 

Your directive regarding required patience is not likely to be adopted as a motto by any cruise line.

 

Personally, I don't require Viking to suggest pre-boarding requirements, as in accordance with the Terms & Conditions we agreed on paying the deposit, we as pax are required to determine what is required. I am more than capable of conducting this type of research.

 

When we booked Hawaii, we had already found local labs that would do the required tests with 2 day, 1 day, or < 12 hr turnaround. Since I expected the requirements to change, I wasn't worried, as in the worst case scenario, we had a choice of 2 labs to get test results in under 12 hrs. Sorry, but with proper planning, I can't get stressed over something that is still 6 weeks away and the requirements will probably change anyway. I note some others from smaller towns do not have the same number of testing options as us.

 

I also couldn't care less when they post shore-ex, as if they are overly delayed, I will already have booked private tours. Sorry, but don't buy into the hype of tours opening early for higher grade cabins. However, having tried to book private tours for next year's World Cruise, I have found a number of vendors that are no longer in business, so no doubt Viking is experiencing the same issue.

[Jim Avery]

19 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Personally, I don't require Viking to suggest pre-boarding requirements, as in accordance with the Terms & Conditions we agreed on paying the deposit, we as pax are required to determine what is required. I am more than capable of conducting this type of research.

 

When we booked Hawaii, we had already found local labs that would do the required tests with 2 day, 1 day, or < 12 hr turnaround. Since I expected the requirements to change, I wasn't worried, as in the worst case scenario, we had a choice of 2 labs to get test results in under 12 hrs. Sorry, but with proper planning, I can't get stressed over something that is still 6 weeks away and the requirements will probably change anyway. I note some others from smaller towns do not have the same number of testing options as us.

 

I also couldn't care less when they post shore-ex, as if they are overly delayed, I will already have booked private tours. Sorry, but don't buy into the hype of tours opening early for higher grade cabins. However, having tried to book private tours for next year's World Cruise, I have found a number of vendors that are no longer in business, so no doubt Viking is experiencing the same issue.

Great points Andy.  Any cruise ship stop in Hawaii or anywhere else for that matter is only a sample.  Possible excursions are limited and well known for the most part.  There is absolutely no need to constantly try to rush to the head of the line.  As has been said before, if choices are not available until boarding that still gives one nearly a week of sea days to book with the excellent onboard staff.

[kjbacon]

2 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Personally, I don't require Viking to suggest pre-boarding requirements, as in accordance with the Terms & Conditions we agreed on paying the deposit, we as pax are required to determine what is required. I am more than capable of conducting this type of research.

 

When we booked Hawaii, we had already found local labs that would do the required tests with 2 day, 1 day, or < 12 hr turnaround. Since I expected the requirements to change, I wasn't worried, as in the worst case scenario, we had a choice of 2 labs to get test results in under 12 hrs. Sorry, but with proper planning, I can't get stressed over something that is still 6 weeks away and the requirements will probably change anyway. I note some others from smaller towns do not have the same number of testing options as us.

 

I also couldn't care less when they post shore-ex, as if they are overly delayed, I will already have booked private tours. Sorry, but don't buy into the hype of tours opening early for higher grade cabins. However, having tried to book private tours for next year's World Cruise, I have found a number of vendors that are no longer in business, so no doubt Viking is experiencing the same issue.

Having one heck of a tough time trying to understand where you are coming from and/or what you are hoping to convey to me. It would seem to me that you understand that pre-boarding requirements are not suggestions on the part of Viking. Do you think it’s a good or bad idea for Viking to have the incorrect pre-boarding requirement in MVJ for my specific cruise?

 

 

 

[Roger88]

2 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Great points Andy.  Any cruise ship stop in Hawaii or anywhere else for that matter is only a sample.  Possible excursions are limited and well known for the most part.  There is absolutely no need to constantly try to rush to the head of the line.  As has been said before, if choices are not available until boarding that still gives one nearly a week of sea days to book with the excellent onboard staff.

I always enjoed those stops in Hawaii. I mean its one of those nice places you often see on post cards and dream of visitng. Cant wait to visit it once again. People there are always wonderful 

[CCWineLover]

5 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

I always enjoed those stops in Hawaii. I mean its one of those nice places you often see on post cards and dream of visitng. Cant wait to visit it once again. People there are always wonderful 

We too!  We've been to Hawaii so many times (by air from California) - but never by sea.  We are really looking forward to this unique experience!

On our past Viking Cruises, there are always a group of people who are pushy, demanding, and trying to beat everyone out to the front of whatever line there is.  That is just society these days (at least in the US) and has been exasperated by COVID.   We just let them do their thing, chill out, and try to be thankful again, that we have the health and wherewithall to be able to even go on cruises like this with all the great experiences.  It is not a rat race!

[duquephart]

50 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

We too!  We've been to Hawaii so many times (by air from California) - but never by sea.  We are really looking forward to this unique experience!

On our past Viking Cruises, there are always a group of people who are pushy, demanding, and trying to beat everyone out to the front of whatever line there is.  That is just society these days (at least in the US) and has been exasperated by COVID.   We just let them do their thing, chill out, and try to be thankful again, that we have the health and wherewithall to be able to even go on cruises like this with all the great experiences.  It is not a rat race!

 

Exacerbated as well.

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, duquephart said:

 

Exacerbated as well.

So much for that auto checker 🙂

 

[Heidi13]

6 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Great points Andy.  Any cruise ship stop in Hawaii or anywhere else for that matter is only a sample.  Possible excursions are limited and well known for the most part.  There is absolutely no need to constantly try to rush to the head of the line.  As has been said before, if choices are not available until boarding that still gives one nearly a week of sea days to book with the excellent onboard staff.

 

So true Jim, once onboard the shore-ex crew motto seems to be, even the impossible takes just a little longer.

 

Before booking we hoped for 23:00 departures, as we would have tried a couple of evening Luaus, as we used to spend about 6 weeks a year in Hawaii and always attended 1 or 2 each visit. But in port times of 08:00 to 18:00, were disappointing, as we would have missed all the good stuff in the evenings.

 

Before cancelling Hawaii, we might have booked a private tour on Kauai, as that's our least visited island, but the others, if we booked anything, it would be the included once on board. Unless, we had a group interested in going to the beach or a pub/brewery. Some ports we might even have had a relaxing pool day, getting some practice for Komodo Is.😁

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, kjbacon said:

Having one heck of a tough time trying to understand where you are coming from and/or what you are hoping to convey to me. It would seem to me that you understand that pre-boarding requirements are not suggestions on the part of Viking. Do you think it’s a good or bad idea for Viking to have the incorrect pre-boarding requirement in MVJ for my specific cruise?

 

 

Since your cruise is still almost 2 months away, confusion over testing requirements, that are most likely going to change again, in my opinion, really isn't a major issue. At this time, my suggestion is to research where you can get tests with results in <1, 2 or 3 days, so once the final requirements are know, you already know which lab to book the test. No stress. I completed this step as soon as we booked the Hawaii cruise.

 

Yes, Viking's communications were unfortunate, but to err is human. It is also their first time working with the US CDC, so hopefully they learn from the error and develop a procedure that meets the requirements of both the US CDC and the Viking Safety Management System, then clearly communicate it to the pax.

 

Having worked in the industry, I don't categorise errors as good or bad, they are learning opportunities. The industry no longer plays the "Blame Game". Viking made a human error, so I expect they will review the circumstances and learn from it, so future communications are more factual. From a risk perspective, although Viking provided some eroneous information, your cruise is still almost 2 months away, so minimal risk.

[Jim Avery]

BTW, the CDC does not make "Laws".  They issue recommendations.  What is done with them has been all over the place in the last 2 years....

[SantaFe1]

Agreed.  And I have pointed that out to Viking  again and again.  But they are adopting the CDCs recommendations as mandates.  We are willing to accept Viking’s flawed interpretations because we want to travel, but I understand why you would not.  

[DaveSJ711]

10 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

We too!  We've been to Hawaii so many times (by air from California) - but never by sea.  We are really looking forward to this unique experience!

Reading this thread reminds me of my first trip to Hawaii, way back in 1976. I spent a month hitchhiking around Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island. I spent less than $100 the entire time I was there. No posh buffets or fancy excursions for me!

 

Travel was certainly simpler then, though lacking a few creature comforts. Two things I learned: (1) don’t sleep on the beach without reading the tide table first, and (2) don’t sleep in a sugar cane field if you want any part of your body to feel comfortable in the morning.

[duquephart]

Don't have to worry about sugar cane fields anymore.

[kjbacon]

On 10/23/2021 at 12:10 PM, bottomfeeder said:

I'm on the December 4th sailing and have no shore excursions available yet either.  Fingers  crossed that the cruise will actually happen.

The fact that both cruises are consistent, without excursions, is probably a good sign that we are both sailing (as opposed to one sailing had info and the other did not). Do I understand correctly that your itinerary has stayed the same and only the December 20 has changed the itinerary? Hopefully, this will all get sorted out sooner before later and Viking will improve their communications and accuracy in MVJ very soon!

[kjbacon]

18 hours ago, C-sea said:

Also, when we were planning our "Malta" Viking Ocean "Jupiter" cruise (which we cancelled after experiencing the stress of airline "gatekeepers" and the particular documentation hoops of international travel twice, Bermuda and Iceland, we needed a break!) There was no advance notice of the listing for shore excursions, they were just there one day, so my advice is to check daily in MVJ, as they may just show up. 

Our traveling friends (who we are holiday-ing with in Hawaii) gave us the same advice. They did the sailing to Greece RT Malta and said the shore excursions just showed up in MVJ and there was quite the rushed scramble with everyone booking at once. Thank you, I’m checking a couple times a day.
 

We selected our summer 2022 cruise mostly because of the Iceland stops and I’ve wanted to go there for years! What did you enjoy most about Iceland and do you have any recommendations for an Iceland newbie?

[BitburgBoy]

Where did it say about port departure times? 1800, guess it’s no luau for us.

[Heidi13]

43 minutes ago, BitburgBoy said:

Where did it say about port departure times? 1800, guess it’s no luau for us.

 

Arrival and departure times are included on the invoice received, once you make a booking. The itinerary normally starts on page 3.

[janetcbl]

6 hours ago, kjbacon said:

Our traveling friends (who we are holiday-ing with in Hawaii) gave us the same advice. They did the sailing to Greece RT Malta and said the shore excursions just showed up in MVJ and there was quite the rushed scramble with everyone booking at once. Thank you, I’m checking a couple times a day.
 

We selected our summer 2022 cruise mostly because of the Iceland stops and I’ve wanted to go there for years! What did you enjoy most about Iceland and do you have any recommendations for an Iceland newbie?

I have been to Iceland many times. The thing that constantly amazes me are the geological features. Don’t miss Thingvellir National Park, where the two tectonic plates come together (also the “home” of the oldest parliament).  Years ago you could stand with one foot on the North American plate, the other foot on the European. You can visit this area on many tours from Reykjavik called “The Golden Circle”, but you might get more out of a private guide if really interested.  Iceland is one of my favorite places in the world!  Enjoy!  Oh, and be sure to try skyr (Icelandic style yogurt).