Are excursions announced before dining reservations are opened?

[FolsomMike]

A question for experienced Viking cruisers…Our cruise is scheduled for late July and we are hoping that excursion information will be posted before the dining reservations are opened. This will allow us to pick our dining times/locations based on the times/itineraries of the excursions. Thoughts?

[millybess]

We aren’t as experienced as most, but here is our take:

That was the way our cruise in May was set up, but we chose our dining days/times to not conflict with sail away times, as we don’t like to be in a restaurant for sail away — we would rather be outside somewhere taking it all in. However, on the Acquavit in a warm climate would be good for sail away. We also book sea days for speciality dining. 

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, FolsomMike said:

A question for experienced Viking cruisers…Our cruise is scheduled for late July and we are hoping that excursion information will be posted before the dining reservations are opened. This will allow us to pick our dining times/locations based on the times/itineraries of the excursions. Thoughts?

 

Please check your Guest Statement invoice, as it will advise, based on your cabin category, the date specialty dining, restaurant, and shore-ex will open. These dates are normally after the itinerary section.

[molymoo]

Generally you can book excursions a week before you choose specialty dining.  BUT … things aren’t necessarily what they should be right now.  It will largely depend on your specific cruise.  
We are booked on a British Isles cruise that leaves Bergen on July 1.  They have yet to post the excursions available for booking.  We are (as of today) 82 days to departure.  Those booked in PJS (for example) should have been able to book excursions on day 87 and will make specialty dining reservations two days from now … booking for the Restaurant has already opened for everyone.
 It will be difficult to know what time to book dining based on excursion times.  We’re just going to have to be sure that our dining is booked (as much as possible) after the ship is scheduled to leave each port.  

[janetcbl]

2 hours ago, molymoo said:

Generally you can book excursions a week before you choose specialty dining.  BUT … things aren’t necessarily what they should be right now.  It will largely depend on your specific cruise.  
We are booked on a British Isles cruise that leaves Bergen on July 1.  They have yet to post the excursions available for booking.  We are (as of today) 82 days to departure.  Those booked in PJS (for example) should have been able to book excursions on day 87 and will make specialty dining reservations two days from now … booking for the Restaurant has already opened for everyone.
 It will be difficult to know what time to book dining based on excursion times.  We’re just going to have to be sure that our dining is booked (as much as possible) after the ship is scheduled to leave each port.  

We are in that category and were  able to book specialty dining, but still have not been able to book excursions ( we are 10 days beyond what we were told would be our excursion booking date.)

[OnTheJourney]

1 minute ago, janetcbl said:

still have not been able to book excursions

There has been inconsistency with this on MVJ. 

[Calgal]

Today was our first day to make Dining reservations for a sailing leaving June 16th on Viking Venus. We are a family of seven and were told there is nothing available. After 45 minutes talking to the Agent, she found us ONE reservation for 6 persons. All the other days nothing!

My daughter also checked and she found something for 8:30 pm! Really ?

Please let me know your experiences, thank you.

[austinetc]

18 minutes ago, Calgal said:

Today was our first day to make Dining reservations for a sailing leaving June 16th on Viking Venus. We are a family of seven and were told there is nothing available. After 45 minutes talking to the Agent, she found us ONE reservation for 6 persons. All the other days nothing!

My daughter also checked and she found something for 8:30 pm! Really ?

Please let me know your experiences, thank you.

You're immediately introducing an strange situation by trying to reserve an odd number. Viking's reservation system most likely assumes pairs. Computers are stubborn that way.

 

It won't help you now, but I suspect that once you're on board, the human staff will work something out.

 

By the way, reservations for specialty restaurants on our cruise this week only opened up on MyViking Journey 20 days ago, despite the expected 60 days. We ended up able to make one extra reservation. Things might work out for you. 

[Heidi13]

36 minutes ago, Calgal said:

Today was our first day to make Dining reservations for a sailing leaving June 16th on Viking Venus. We are a family of seven and were told there is nothing available. After 45 minutes talking to the Agent, she found us ONE reservation for 6 persons. All the other days nothing!

My daughter also checked and she found something for 8:30 pm! Really ?

Please let me know your experiences, thank you.

 

We spent 100 days on Viking Sun and never made a single dinner res prior to embarkation. Never had a problem eating where and when we wanted. Every time we went to a specialty restaurant we booked that afternoon, or even just turned up. The longest wait was about 1/2 hr.

 

 

[duquephart]

Made dinner reservations a few weeks ago. Still waiting for excursions to be available. Viking has eliminated room category priority.

[philw1776]

2 hours ago, duquephart said:

Made dinner reservations a few weeks ago. Still waiting for excursions to be available. Viking has eliminated room category priority.

Not happy with this

[duquephart]

I can understand Viking having problems getting things organized in places like Mariehamm. I can not understand their unwillingness to rejigger the priorities. They are taking something away that we paid for.

[Mich3554]

14 hours ago, Calgal said:

Today was our first day to make Dining reservations for a sailing leaving June 16th on Viking Venus. We are a family of seven and were told there is nothing available. After 45 minutes talking to the Agent, she found us ONE reservation for 6 persons. All the other days nothing!

My daughter also checked and she found something for 8:30 pm! Really ?

Please let me know your experiences, thank you.

My experience is that we have never gotten onto the ship (even pre Covid) with a dining reservation and we have always eaten where we wanted, pretty much when we wanted (and never at 8:30).  I don’t know what I want for dinner tonight, I’m not about to guess what I will want 2 months from now.

Also consider that special offerings at the pool grill usually don’t get announced until the day of the event.  If they are offering lobster in the Pool Grill, I’m going to be there, not at The Restaurant!

[WNcruiser]

On 4/19/2022 at 6:03 AM, duquephart said:

On 4/19/2022 at 6:03 AM, duquephart said:

Viking has eliminated room category priority.

 

Is this an actual policy change? Or is it just temporary due to logistical issues with tour companies in the ports due to Covid? 
 

We specifically booked a PV for the early access to excursions. The website still lists the days for each category. 

Edited April 21, 2022 by WNcruiser

[duquephart]

Policy and reality are two different things. Policy = excursions are open to me at 87 days. Reality = 60 days and still unable to book for one stop. Admittedly, Viking has some problems and is hustling. They should, however, IMHO rejigger the priorities so the higher class staterooms still have some advantage. It's called getting what you paid for.

[janetcbl]

3 minutes ago, duquephart said:

Policy and reality are two different things. Policy = excursions are open to me at 87 days. Reality = 60 days and still unable to book for one stop. Admittedly, Viking has some problems and is hustling. They should, however, IMHO rejigger the priorities so the higher class staterooms still have some advantage. It's called getting what you paid for.

Same exact problem here….we also booked a more expensive stateroom than usual for the same reason. We can’t book any excursions yet. Excursions were suppose to be open for us March 30th…..nothing….Dining reservations did open as scheduled.

[duquephart]

As pointed out above/elsewhere, some folks (even in OS) are getting "beat out" of desired excursions.

[SailorPaulH]

2 hours ago, janetcbl said:

Same exact problem here….we also booked a more expensive stateroom than usual for the same reason. We can’t book any excursions yet. Excursions were suppose to be open for us March 30th…..nothing….Dining reservations did open as scheduled.

 

Here is my latest communication with Viking in regard to the shore excursions:

 

Hi Jameson - I am waiting for an update as to when Shore Excursions can be booked and paid for. I am on cruise #XXXXXXX (JS3 cabin) and I was supposed to have access 11 days ago. Thanks - Paul.

 

Jameson at 14:55, Apr 21:
I'd be happy to assist you here with checking your sailing for any shore excursion delays.!

 

Jameson at 14:55, Apr 21:
Paul, please allow me a moment here to check your booking.

 

Jameson at 14:56, Apr 21:
I see you're joining us on our Iceland's Majestic Landscapes sailing, 07/06/2022. I have your passenger names as XXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXX.

 

You at 14:56, Apr 21:
That is correct

 

Jameson at 14:57, Apr 21:
I see that the shore excursions were to be available on 04/10, but I found that there has been a delay on finalizing the shore excursions for your sailing. I'm sorry they are unavailable for any guests at this time.

 

Jameson at 14:58, Apr 21:
We are finalizing them with local vendors still, which is far past the timeline we have to finish them in order to have them on time for guest selection.

 

Jameson at 14:58, Apr 21:
We have do not have an estimated time of delivery for this sailings shore excursions to be added online currently, but hope to have some updates soon.

 

You at 14:58, Apr 21:
Will cabin priority be honored?

 

Jameson at 14:59, Apr 21:
You can reach out to us here to check. Priority access will be still provided, assuming we can get them accessible, no less than 50 days ahead of departure.

 

Jameson at 14:59, Apr 21:
Any shore excursions you may not be able to get, we save majority for onboard bookings either way.

 

Jameson at 15:00, Apr 21:
The same is for dining as well in case you may not have gotten the times or venues you wish to have.

 

You at 15:00, Apr 21:
Ok. Thank you for your answers and time.

 

Jameson at 15:00, Apr 21:
You're welcome Paul!

 

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I get they have logistical issues, but they just needed to be more transparent with customers in the first place. A simple, pre-emptive, honest statement on their website would have helped.

 

 

[catlib55]

On 4/7/2022 at 6:26 PM, FolsomMike said:

A question for experienced Viking cruisers…Our cruise is scheduled for late July and we are hoping that excursion information will be posted before the dining reservations are opened. This will allow us to pick our dining times/locations based on the times/itineraries of the excursions. Thoughts?

We are booked on Into the Midnight Sun June 11-25. We have made as many dining reservations as we could (Manfredi's had no reservations available, Chef's Table had one) and booked as many restaurant reservations as we could. Shore excursions are still not available for any of the ports.