Maybe live New York to Iceland on Saturn 30/08-13/09

[Beachlover1989]

2 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

If you haven't discovered it already the thread I've linked below has lots of great hints and advice for first time Viking cruisers:

My biggest recommendation to maximize your value, find a travel agent that provides the maximum kickback of their commission that Viking allows-$150pp on cruises up to 7 nights, $300pp on 8-14 night cruises, and $500pp on cruises of 15 nights or more. This is enough to cover the daily service charge/gratuities and leave a little left over for the bar tab. 🍸

Hope you will like Viking as much as we do!

Oh my gosh!  Thank you so much!  I never have much luck with the search feature on cruise critic, so thanks for sharing!!!  Actually, the more I read about Viking, the more excited I get to put something on the books!!!  We have only sailed Celebrity for many years, but have become disillusioned and disappointed by all of their recent changes....

[Beachlover1989]

8 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Hope you will like Viking as much as we do!

If you don't mind me asking - is there a place on Viking's website that lists all the inclusions of each type of stateroom?  I've had a heck of a time finding layouts and inclusions. TIA

[OneSixtyToOne]

48 minutes ago, Beachlover1989 said:

If you don't mind me asking - is there a place on Viking's website that lists all the inclusions of each type of stateroom?  I've had a heck of a time finding layouts and inclusions. TIA

https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/ships/viking-sea.html

[Beachlover1989]

3 minutes ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/ships/viking-sea.html

Thank you!!!

[uktog]

Day 2 dinner.

Food excellent served at the right temperature and tasted so good. The service is still a little slow and tonight we never even met the waiter for our table which was weird. But as we had a lovely dinner we forgive this one more time. Our choices 

 

DH - the beet salad 

The wellington medium well as he asked

The Apple crumble (hint always check out the vegetarian menu he’d have mist this otherwise 

Me

 

Escargo (can’t get the picture to upload) 

 

The tempura medley

The panna cotta- what an intense strawberry flavour 

 

[LindaS272]

😋Yum, I always get the escargot.

[mchell810]

9 hours ago, Mackdogmolly said:

Interested in how they handle the bar experience once In Canadian waters.

 

Would you elaborate on this; is there an expected change? Some problem? 

I know in Saudi waters alcohol cannot be served but I've never heard of anything similar for Canada.

 

TIA

[uktog]

The rule is they can only have one bar open on each level whilst in Canadian waters. From the daily I can see no impact except on Deck 7 where they are using all the bats but at different times 

 

[uktog]

A couple of little touches we liked. (It’s the little things that matter they say)

 

On embarkation, we discovered in our room, a kettle and some teabags as well as the coffee maker. We are actually not tea drinkers so had the attendant take them away, but we thought it was a nice touch that they seemed to have identified the guests from the UK and put kettles and teabags into the rooms.

 

Some  people may not like this, but the second thing we like is that they do not issue paper maps for each port , rather they place a QR code to the relevant section of Google Maps on the back page of the daily. I really like this because our experience on Azamara has been dreadfully printed maps out of date and not very clear. I know you can get to Google Maps yourself but this is just a very helpful little touch but also contributed to see if the environment by not putting lots of paper into the room

[Mackdogmolly]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

The rule is they can only have one bar open on each level whilst in Canadian waters. From the daily I can see no impact except on Deck 7 where they are using all the bats but at different times 

 

I also thought that the rule was that the bars could not be open before noon.

[uktog]

6 minutes ago, Mackdogmolly said:

I also thought that the rule was that the bars could not be open before noon.

I did too but no mention yet. We’ve had lovely bubbles on the balcony this morning which I brought on as it’s Charles birthday. Planned ahead!

So far Viking especially their food is knocking the socks off Azamara 

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

A couple of little touches we liked. (It’s the little things that matter they say)

 

On embarkation, we discovered in our room, a kettle and some teabags as well as the coffee maker. We are actually not tea drinkers so had the attendant take them away, but we thought it was a nice touch that they seemed to have identified the guests from the UK and put kettles and teabags into the rooms.

 

Some  people may not like this, but the second thing we like is that they do not issue paper maps for each port , rather they place a QR code to the relevant section of Google Maps on the back page of the daily. I really like this because our experience on Azamara has been dreadfully printed maps out of date and not very clear. I know you can get to Google Maps yourself but this is just a very helpful little touch but also contributed to see if the environment by not putting lots of paper into the room

Like you I was pleased with the QR code until I went to use it. I had hoped it would take me to a tourist map with the cruise port and sights highlighted. Just taking me to the standard google map was fine but not helpful to my needs at the time I was using it. 

[Mackdogmolly]

22 minutes ago, uktog said:

Viking especially their food is knocking the socks off Azamara 

Good to know, as I’ve heard it’s not their strongest area.

[Mackdogmolly]

Happy birthday to your DH!

[OneSixtyToOne]

5 hours ago, uktog said:

The rule is they can only have one bar open on each level whilst in Canadian waters. From the daily I can see no impact except on Deck 7 where they are using all the bats but at different times 

Weird regulations usually have an origin story. I wonder what incident prompted this one? Did someone build a booze cruise ship with bars everywhere? Is this a remnant of Prohibition when Americans would go to Canada to drink?

Edited September 1, 2023 by OneSixtyToOne

[photopro2]

On 8/31/2023 at 1:04 AM, Clay Clayton said:

All we ever saw were "sample"'menus

Same for me, I've never seen chef's table menus on linked to specific dates on

MVJ

[photopro2]

27 minutes ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

Weird regulations usually have an origin story. I wonder what incident prompted this one?

I was thinking the same thing, I wonder if one of our Canadian readers have an explanation?

[SJD117]

6 hours ago, uktog said:

On embarkation, we discovered in our room, a kettle and some teabags as well as the coffee maker. We are actually not tea drinkers so had the attendant take them away, but we thought it was a nice touch that they seemed to have identified the guests from the UK and put kettles and teabags into the rooms.

We are confirmed tea drinkers (I’ve always detested coffee, just can’t drink it). Each time we begin a cruise we ask our stewards to bring a kettle to the room. They’re always happy to help — but I do wish the rooms were prestocked and that we didn’t have to ask.

[millybess]

1 hour ago, photopro2 said:

I was thinking the same thing, I wonder if one of our Canadian readers have an explanation?

We are trying to repair our reputation? 🍷🍺🥂😇

 

Liquor outlets and bars must be closed while in port. Under no circumstances should liquor be given or sold to visiting Canadian residents, shore personnel, or stevedoring personnel while the ship is in port.

.......

The CBSA will conduct spot checks to ensure compliance and this privilege will be revoked if any bar is open without permission or if any Canadian resident visitor, shore personnel, or stevedoring personnel is served in a bar. In addition, monetary penalties may be assessed to the cruise line.

 

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/cscp-pdnc-eng.html

[OneSixtyToOne]

50 minutes ago, millybess said:

We are trying to repair our reputation? 🍷🍺🥂😇

 

Too late. 😉

 

[uktog]

I will be interested in seeing what happens on our sea day as we’ve technically one more Canada stop after then

 

First todays daily papers

 

 

We have been to Halifax and Peggy’s Cove before but on that trip apart from the Titanic graves we missed the town. 
So we booked the included hop on hop off bus tour. Great tour on old fashioned London route master buses. A 90 minute circuit without getting off or as in our case we got off once at the beautiful public gardens. (I plan, I had a wet weather itinerary involving the Maritime museum.). Loved the live bus commentaries from local guides no wonky ear pieces to battle with

 

The main gates of the garden are only unlocked if a member of the UK Royal family visits. I had my Charles it’s his birthday but no he still has to go through the side gate 😂

The gardens are traditional Victorian so has to have an iron fence, a bandstand and paths wide enough for two ladies in crinoline dresses to walk together. 

 

They must also plant traditional flowers - the bees love the dahlias 

 

And how cute to see a red squirrel not the nasty greys. This one was very tame 

 

We got off the bus the stop before the end enjoyed the Boardwalk, stopped for local

beer and lobster rolls and just soaked in the wonderful weather. 

 

 

 

Now back relaxing onboard we love this part of the ship. The bar staff are attentive but not hassling you all the time shouting Bar Service. 

 

A note of caution despite all the times we were told yesterday about the hop on route taking 90 minutes without stops people thought they could do stops and museums at some stops and missed their afternoon excursions. We stopped once for 30 min at the park and would have been back at the ship by about 1215 if that helps next years planners. We were on the first batch leaving the ship at 10 there were four buses then and we were bus 4. 

[OneSixtyToOne]

2 minutes ago, uktog said:

I will be interested in seeing what happens on our sea day as we’ve technically one more Canada stop after then

 

First todays daily papers

 

 

We have been to Halifax and Peggy’s Cove before but on that trip apart from the Titanic graves we missed the town. 
So we booked the included hop on hop off bus tour. Great tour on old fashioned London route master buses. A 90 minute circuit without getting off or as in our case we got off once at the beautiful public gardens. (I plan, I had a wet weather itinerary involving the Maritime museum.). Loved the live bus commentaries from local guides no wonky ear pieces to battle with

 

The main gates of the garden are only unlocked if a member of the UK Royal family visits. I had my Charles it’s his birthday but no he still has to go through the side gate 😂

The gardens are traditional Victorian so has to have an iron fence, a bandstand and paths wide enough for two ladies in crinoline dresses to walk together. 

 

They must also plant traditional flowers - the bees love the dahlias 

 

And how cute to see a red squirrel not the nasty greys. This one was very tame 

 

We got off the bus the stop before the end enjoyed the Boardwalk, stopped for local

beer and lobster rolls and just soaked in the wonderful weather. 

 

 

 

Now back relaxing onboard we love this part of the ship. The bar staff are attentive but not hassling you all the time shouting Bar Service. 

 

A note of caution despite all the times we were told yesterday about the hop on route taking 90 minutes without stops people thought they could do stops and museums at some stops and missed their afternoon excursions. We stopped once for 30 min at the park and would have been back at the ship by about 1215 if that helps next years planners. We were on the first batch leaving the ship at 10 there were four buses then and we were bus 4. 

 

Have you attended any lectures? I'm curious about the quality of the presentations.

[Selion]

Calf live on day 1.  Fava beans on day 2's menu.  You didn't happen to have a nice Chianti with your dinners, did you?

[uktog]

30 minutes ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

 

Have you attended any lectures? I'm curious about the quality of the presentations.

Yes very impressed by Corey Sandy and heading to hear a second speaker Joseph Shaeffer shortly. 

[uktog]

20 minutes ago, Selion said:

Calf live on day 1.  Fava beans on day 2's menu.  You didn't happen to have a nice Chianti with your dinners, did you?

I didn’t but I might tonight as we are heading for Manfredis