anyone on the viking ORION right now?

[rosewood jo]

Are there 1 or 2 shows in the evening.  Is it best to book 7 or 7:30 dinner as show is at 8:30 & 9:30?  Trying to book dining and didn't know which time is best to eat and see shows?   Also what's you favorite restaurant that's not to be missed?   Again, never been on Viking so don't know the ropes.....thanks jo

on the Feb 23, 2022 panama canal / central am cruise

[Peregrina651]

57 minutes ago, rosewood jo said:

Are there 1 or 2 shows in the evening.  Is it best to book 7 or 7:30 dinner as show is at 8:30 & 9:30?  Trying to book dining and didn't know which time is best to eat and see shows?   Also what's you favorite restaurant that's not to be missed?   Again, never been on Viking so don't know the ropes.....thanks jo

on the Feb 23, 2022 panama canal / central am cruise

 

SOP is one show per night at 9:15.  Occasionally they will do 2 shows but it is not predictable.  

 

Favorite restaurant: all of them.  

 

[Mich3554]

Shows are usually at 7:30 or 9:15 for just about every recurring show they have.  Waiting around for the 9:15 show now.  There have been a few shows where there is a single time around 8, and we have had a few at 3:45 in the afternoon.

They are now being streamed into your rooms if you want to avoid Star Theatre.  We have done this a couple times when we were tired and were in for the night.  

[rosewood jo]

Thks for ur quick response.   We will be on the Orion for the first time in Feb:). What’s your fav restaurants?  Are the all that different?   

[rizello]

The restaurants are the same on all the ships, as I understand.  We really enjoyed Manfredi's and Chef's Table.  We only ate in the restaurant twice.  There were only 178 passengers on our ship so we had the run of the place so we ate in Manfredi's three times and Chef's Table three times.  I'm not sure that is typical, but we took advantage of the opportunity to eat there as much as we could.

[OKCowboy]

How many passengers are on Orion now?

[Heidi13]

6 minutes ago, OKCowboy said:

How many passengers are on Orion now?

 

On the cruise disembarking today in San Pedro they had just under 300 pax. This low number was due to a significant itinerary change a couple of weeks before the cruise.

[Paul73]

A quick topic deviation, please.  What is the height of space under the bed?  We’ll be on the WC 2023 and wondering if our large suitcases will clear the height clearance. Thanks, enjoy your cruise and stay well.

[2oldishcoots]

4 hours ago, Paulswanderlust said:

A quick topic deviation, please.  What is the height of space under the bed?  We’ll be on the WC 2023 and wondering if our large suitcases will clear the height clearance. Thanks, enjoy your cruise and stay well.

We put our largest suitcases under the bed on the last world cruise. Not a problem at all.

[Mich3554]

5 hours ago, Paulswanderlust said:

A quick topic deviation, please.  What is the height of space under the bed?  We’ll be on the WC 2023 and wondering if our large suitcases will clear the height clearance. Thanks, enjoy your cruise and stay well.

There is at least a foot of space between the floor and the bed frame.  There was space on top of a 11.5” page, so about 13”.  Our 25” suitcases fit under there easily.

[Paul73]

37 minutes ago, Mich3554 said:

There is at least a foot of space between the floor and the bed frame.  There was space on top of a 11.5” page, so about 13”.  Our 25” suitcases fit under there easily.

Thank you so much, that answered the question with room to spare!  Appreciate your quick response, safe and enjoyable travels, and happy holidays.

[Peregrina651]

15 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

On the cruise disembarking today in San Pedro they had just under 300 pax. This low number was due to a significant itinerary change a couple of weeks before the cruise.

 

The cruise embarking today is the same changed at the last minute itinerary.  I asked as we checked in this morning how many would be checking and was told 350. Even though it is a Christmas+New Years cruise, there were not a lot of last-minute booking. I keep asking and I'm getting answers in the 350 to 400 range.  

 

About 2/3rds of our roll cancelled when the itinerary was changed. 

[rosewood jo]

What changed in your itinerary? What ports?

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, rosewood jo said:

What changed in your itinerary? What ports?

 

When the Hawaiian ports closed to cruise ships, they changed to a Mexican itinerary.

[cruiselvr04]

Mexico instead of Hawaii?  Yes I’m sure a lot cancelled over that.  Sad.  So want this pandemic to go away so normal travel can return. Sigh.

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, cruiselvr04 said:

Mexico instead of Hawaii?  Yes I’m sure a lot cancelled over that.  Sad.  So want this pandemic to go away so normal travel can return. Sigh.

 

I honestly think that it will take a few more years for the cruise tourism industry to return to anything near the pre-pandemic normal.  There is so much that has to be rebuilt.  Not just consumer confidence but infrastructure as well.

 

In the meantime, cruising these days is for the intrepid, for those who are willing to put up with the protocols, the last minute changes to Itineraries and flights, delays in finalizing shorex, etc. -- not to mention the risk of contracting Covid in spite of all the precautions. 

 

Personally, right now, we don't care where the ship is going as long as it goes. 

[Peregrina651]

5 hours ago, rosewood jo said:

What changed in your itinerary? What ports?

 

Absolutely everything.  It went from "Hawaiian Island Sojourn" to "Mexican Riviera Sojourn" in the blink of an eye.  We are now calling at La Paz, Mazatlán, Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo and Cabo San Lucas with two overnights instead of none and 8 sea days instead of 10.  

[rosewood jo]

Are there any ports that won’t let u stop in Mexico, Central America or Caribbean?

[Mich3554]

10 hours ago, rosewood jo said:

Are there any ports that won’t let u stop in Mexico, Central America or Caribbean?

No one can really answer this question as countries have the ability to refuse a ship at almost the last moment.  This has happened several times to us.

So what is ok today may not be ok tomorrow.

[Mariastreby]

We will be on the Orion to the Panama Canal in February. So I’m watching what’s going on with your cruise closely. We may have to sail right by several countries that will deny us stopping there. With Omicron cases supposedly extremely high by just January 1st, I don’t see how cruises can keep on going. Viking is one of the safest companies to cruise with, but ships of all brands can’t keep sailing around the ocean, never stopping. I wonder how far we are from March of 2020. We’re not afraid of getting sick ourselves, as we’re now boosted, but breakthrough cases will keep on occurring, according to all the new data. This is so disheartening….

On 12/22/2021 at 5:05 AM, Mich3554 said:

No one can really answer this question as countries have the ability to refuse a ship at almost the last moment.  This has happened several times to us.

So what is ok today may not be ok tomorrow.

 

[KTRaveller]

Appreciate your answers to practical questions.  We're wondering whether they have sign ups for hot tubs, sauna, ice cave etc in the spa and if so, can that be done from the room screen?  Are there limits to how many slots a person can grab -- hope so!  Are there any limits to numbers in the pools or outdoor hot tubs?  Exercise room?  Thanks so much.  We're counting down the days to the French Polynesia cruise departing San Pedro January 5.  

[Mich3554]

17 minutes ago, KTRaveller said:

Appreciate your answers to practical questions.  We're wondering whether they have sign ups for hot tubs, sauna, ice cave etc in the spa and if so, can that be done from the room screen?  Are there limits to how many slots a person can grab -- hope so!  Are there any limits to numbers in the pools or outdoor hot tubs?  Exercise room?  Thanks so much.  We're counting down the days to the French Polynesia cruise departing San Pedro January 5.  

The exercise room has limits, but they are by shutting down equipment.  Every other treadmill, bike and elliptical was shut off for distancing.  

[slewis7]

Thermal spa area is by appointment for 45 minute intervals.  We were able to sign up for every sea day at the start of the cruise.  They limit how many guests can be in that area in a time slot.

Edited December 26, 2021 by slewis7

[PasadenaDave]

On 12/21/2021 at 10:36 AM, Peregrina651 said:

 

I honestly think that it will take a few more years for the cruise tourism industry to return to anything near the pre-pandemic normal.  There is so much that has to be rebuilt.  Not just consumer confidence but infrastructure as well.

 

In the meantime, cruising these days is for the intrepid, for those who are willing to put up with the protocols, the last minute changes to Itineraries and flights, delays in finalizing shorex, etc. -- not to mention the risk of contracting Covid in spite of all the precautions. 

 

Personally, right now, we don't care where the ship is going as long as it goes. 

That was our thought late last winter when we booked a Mexican Riviera Cruise with Princess.  We had an incredible deal, very inexpensive and convenient since we can drive in less than one hour to the dock.  The cruise was the week beginning Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend.  We took a one hour walk in Cabo and Mazatlan and did not get off the ship in Puerto Vallerta.   The only people we saw ashore without masks were tourists.

 

I found the ship to be the safest place to be during Covid since we were all fully vaccinated and had a negative test two days prior to sailing.  The food wasn't very good, but it was really nice to be at sea.

 

Now waiting for our Viking Istanbul to Venice cruise in May

[Peregrina651]

However...

 

While I agree with you that I feel safe on board a ship, particularly on Viking, safe is a relative term. 

 

Even if everyone is vaccinated, it is not a 100% guarantee that a voyage will be 100% Covid free.  Even vaccinated, we can contract Covid and we can be asymptomatic carriers of the disease. Pre-boarding tests only show your status at the moment the test was taken but you could be walking around for days spreading the virus before you get a positive test. One confirmed positive and your ship is now at the mercy of the local governments, who will decide whether you may call there.  

 

The more passengers who consistently follow the ship's protocols, the safer we all our.