Port arrival/departure times

[melgirl]

DH and  I have booked our first Viking cruise - Bergen to New York -  departing 

Aug 2,2023. I understand that restaurant /excursions can only be booked about 70 days in advance, but I’m wondering how to find out what arrival/departure times are, so that I can look at the feasibility of booking independent tours. The list of excursions showing on the cruise itinerary seems fairly limited in some ports. Is it possible that more tours will be added closer to departure? Thank you for any information that you may have.

Ann

[CurlerRob]

4 minutes ago, melgirl said:

DH and  I have booked our first Viking cruise - Bergen to New York -  departing 

Aug 2,2023. I understand that restaurant /excursions can only be booked about 70 days in advance, but I’m wondering how to find out what arrival/departure times are, so that I can look at the feasibility of booking independent tours. The list of excursions showing on the cruise itinerary seems fairly limited in some ports. Is it possible that more tours will be added closer to departure? Thank you for any information that you may have.

Ann

 

@CCWineLover just posted this on another thread, regarding your port times. Be aware that what is on your invoice is only a guide - lots can happen to change the times!

 

 

Regarding excursions, you didn't mention the ports that you find limited - but some are quite sparsely populated (Greenland, Svalbard for example) and hence have limited tourist infrastructure. In today's post-pandemic world, with the tour business still very much in recovery mode, I would actually expect the list of potential excursions on the itinerary now to be close to the max possible, but pleasant surprises can always happen.

 

If you have not sailed the high north, you will love this trip, no matter what the excursions look like! 🍺🥌

[melgirl]

Thank you for your help. Much appreciated. I’m away from home at the moment, but will certainly look at the invoice.😀😀

[CurlerRob]

4 minutes ago, melgirl said:

Thank you for your help. Much appreciated. I’m away from home at the moment, but will certainly look at the invoice.😀😀

 

A small teaser for Svalbard ... the caption means "Over all of Svalbard" (and it's not a joke). 🍺🥌

 

[SailorPaulH]

On 2/2/2023 at 11:26 PM, CurlerRob said:

 

A small teaser for Svalbard ... the caption means "Over all of Svalbard" (and it's not a joke). 🍺🥌

 

I follow the vlog of Cecilia Blomdahl (on YouTube) who lives in Longyearbyen, Svalbard - many great videos of life and nature in Svalbard. Locals must be armed when outside the town limits for last resort defense against polar bears.

[CurlerRob]

1 hour ago, SailorPaulH said:

I follow the vlog of Cecilia Blomdahl (on YouTube) who lives in Longyearbyen, Svalbard - many great videos of life and nature in Svalbard. Locals must be armed when outside the town limits for last resort defense against polar bears.

 

Thank you - I'll look her up. The picture was taken at the dock, a short walk from Longyearbyen town.

 

You are correct about the town limits - and in the town of Ny-Ålesund, about 70 miles farther north, they make it crystal clear ... 🍺🥌
 

[Clay Clayton]

8 hours ago, CurlerRob said:

 

Thank you - I'll look her up. The picture was taken at the dock, a short walk from Longyearbyen town.

 

You are correct about the town limits - and in the town of Ny-Ålesund, about 70 miles farther north, they make it crystal clear ... 🍺🥌
 

If you or anyone has info on an excursions that increases the chances of seeing a polar bear, I am all ears!

[CurlerRob]

3 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

If you or anyone has info on an excursions that increases the chances of seeing a polar bear, I am all ears!

 

Clay, unfortunately, it's difficult to do so. While some expedition lines tout their trips as about polar bears, sightings are notoriously unreliable. There are no organized "see a bear" tours in Svalbard as they are prohibited. https://en.visitsvalbard.com/visitor-information/polar-bears

 

Our 2015 "sighting" was pure luck. The Captain moved inshore and announced a bear on shore. The only way we ever would have known was due to the kindness of a guest with a massive telephoto lens - who showed a group of us his pics. Mom and two cubs. My tiny 'point and shoot' was not useful ... 😢

 

 

If this is a major bucket list item for you guys, I'd suggest a look at this option for another time: http://www.churchill.ca/p/polar-bears . Much closer to you and your dollar will go a lot farther! (I lived a few hundred miles south when I was a young child).

 

Not trying to be Debbie Downer here - with luck you'll have the same or even better fortune than we did! 🍺🥌

[OneSixtyToOne]

4 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

If you or anyone has info on an excursions that increases the chances of seeing a polar bear, I am all ears!

Visit the San Diego Zoo 

[Clay Clayton]

3 hours ago, CurlerRob said:

 

Clay, unfortunately, it's difficult to do so. While some expedition lines tout their trips as about polar bears, sightings are notoriously unreliable. There are no organized "see a bear" tours in Svalbard as they are prohibited. https://en.visitsvalbard.com/visitor-information/polar-bears

 

Our 2015 "sighting" was pure luck. The Captain moved inshore and announced a bear on shore. The only way we ever would have known was due to the kindness of a guest with a massive telephoto lens - who showed a group of us his pics. Mom and two cubs. My tiny 'point and shoot' was not useful ... 😢

 

 

If this is a major bucket list item for you guys, I'd suggest a look at this option for another time: http://www.churchill.ca/p/polar-bears . Much closer to you and your dollar will go a lot farther! (I lived a few hundred miles south when I was a young child).

 

Not trying to be Debbie Downer here - with luck you'll have the same or even better fortune than we did! 🍺🥌

Thanks! I’m gonna keep my 🤞