Booked our first Viking Ocean Cruise

[millybess]

43 minutes ago, mofrances said:

 @californiagirlwe are booked on this cruise for November 2024 as well, although the earlier one on the Orion. First time Viking cruisers so very much looking forward to the experience! Are you doing the pre or post extensions? We are - the pre in Bangkok and the 2-night post in Bali. Can't wait!

 

On another note, I saw your post related to Diet Coke on board. All I can say is I certainly hope so! Two weeks of Diet Pepsi is unthinkable!😄

Are you doing the Ubud post extension?  We are booked for that in early 2025. 
 

I’m with you on the Pepsi. I’ve only seen Coke, Diet Coke and occasionally Coke Zero on board. Maybe that differs from ship to ship and others might chime in on this. 

[longterm]

On 9/16/2023 at 3:50 PM, californiagirl said:

For these reasons we chose the lowest veranda cabin category.  I think someone jokingly referred to it as steerage class.  We like the location of the cabin. 

We always go for the cheapest DV category because I've found that getting the excursions we want, and getting into the restaurant we want, has been no problem at all. 

 

So far, I've always gotten us booked on the excursions we preferred; so far as the specialty restaurants go, we don't care for Chef's Table, so 1 or 2 dinners there is all we would care for anyway. When it comes to Manfredi's, I found that, even when we were in a penthouse veranda, available spots were all gone by the time I tried to book--and I tried at the moment reservations opened up for our category.

 

On our next cruise in July, we'll eat at The Restaurant most nights and get Manfredi's whenever we can, and that'll work fine for us. In my opinion, the slight advantage that is gained by paying more for a higher DV cabin is not worth the extra price.

 

So far as location goes, I always select a cabin away from the atrium, and this too has been no problem at all for us. 

 

As to the snarky "steerage class" comment, I would give that exactly the respect I'd give to someone telling me that.

[Johannaj]

On 9/16/2023 at 2:50 PM, californiagirl said:

Question: is there an extra fee for the specialty restaurants?  I realize we won’t have priority reservations.

No extra fee for the specialty restaurants.  Book early, though - the specialty restaurants are not all that large.

And, yes, Viking is far more sophisticated than Princess.  Viking's target audience is people who want to learn about and have experiences with other cultures.  

 

Regarding cabin and class - I book whatever veranda cabins have the best price at the moment.  I do not care to book a cabin on the lowest deck because I want a full-size window.  We did book one of the lowest priced cabins once when money was tight - it was OK, but I really like having a big window and, in warm weather especially, a veranda.

Edited October 26, 2023 by Johannaj

[duquephart]

10 hours ago, longterm said:

We always go for the cheapest DV category because I've found that getting the excursions we want, and getting into the restaurant we want, has been no problem at all. 

 

So far, I've always gotten us booked on the excursions we preferred; so far as the specialty restaurants go, we don't care for Chef's Table, so 1 or 2 dinners there is all we would care for anyway. When it comes to Manfredi's, I found that, even when we were in a penthouse veranda, available spots were all gone by the time I tried to book--and I tried at the moment reservations opened up for our category.

 

On our next cruise in July, we'll eat at The Restaurant most nights and get Manfredi's whenever we can, and that'll work fine for us. In my opinion, the slight advantage that is gained by paying more for a higher DV cabin is not worth the extra price.

 

So far as location goes, I always select a cabin away from the atrium, and this too has been no problem at all for us. 

 

As to the snarky "steerage class" comment, I would give that exactly the respect I'd give to someone telling me that.

 

There's more to "better" accommodations than more reservations.

[Clay Clayton]

28 minutes ago, Johannaj said:

No extra fee for the specialty restaurants.  Book early, though - the specialty restaurants are not all that large.

And, yes, Viking is far more sophisticated than Princess.  Viking's target audience is people who want to learn about and have experiences with other cultures.  

 

Regarding cabin and class - I book whatever veranda cabins have the best price at the moment.  I do not care to book a cabin on the lowest deck because I want a full-size window.  We did book one of the lowest priced cabins once when money was tight - it was OK, but I really like having a big window and, in warm weather especially, a veranda.

All Viking Ocean staterooms have verandas. 

[Johannaj]

I must be thinking of the river boats - 

[island lady]

9 hours ago, Johannaj said:

I must be thinking of the river boats - 

 

I don't know of any inside cabins on the river boats?  All Longships are identical.  Last week I  just returned from European Sojourn.  With low water levels we had to do an all too common "ship swap".  Vidar to Lif.  Both the same, but our suite was definitely different on Lif...half the storage and a bit different on layout than Vidar. 

 

There are "French Balconies" and "Duck cabins" (which are just windows at water level...no balconies)...but they are not inside cabins, which I consider as "no balcony or windows and are in the inside of most ocean ships.  

[LindaS272]

1 hour ago, island lady said:

no balcony or windows and are in the inside of most ocean ships.  

But not Viking.

[Peregrina651]

On 9/16/2023 at 8:40 PM, Clay Clayton said:

The only things that are not already included in your fare once you are onboard are:

-Daily Gratuities (we cover this with the shipboard credit our Travel Agent provides)

-cocktails, wine, sodas at non-meal times

-wines that are not the included offerings at meal time

-optional excursions

-massages, treatments, etc. at the spa

-Kitchen Table cooking classes

-wine or liquor tastings

 

 

And caviar

[island lady]

3 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

But not Viking.

 

 

Yes, I was explaining there are no actual inside cabins on Viking.   The "Duck cabins" on the river ships don't have a balcony, but they do have a high up large window.  Called "Duck cabins" since you can see Ducks swimming by the window.  The bulk of those cabins are actually under the water level.  

[Peregrina651]

16 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

 

Yes, I was explaining there are no actual inside cabins on Viking.   The "Duck cabins" on the river ships don't have a balcony, but they do have a high up large window.  Called "Duck cabins" since you can see Ducks swimming by the window.  The bulk of those cabins are actually under the water level.  

 

"Duck cabins" is new to me. I've always heard the cabins below the waterline referred to as "aquarium class." Live and learn.😉

[duquephart]

Also "steerage" class?

[island lady]

8 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

"Duck cabins" is new to me. I've always heard the cabins below the waterline referred to as "aquarium class." Live and learn.😉

 

LOL...I love your version as well!  😄 

[shadowlover]

I've heard them called "swan rooms" and they are my favorite on the river ships.  We store all of our stuff on the huge window shelf.  On river cruises we absolutely only go to the cabin to sleep.  I would never pay extra for a better cabin.  I had the lowest category recently and I absolutely loved it!  It is all elegant and calm and lovely and I can't wait to go again!!

[duquephart]

30 minutes ago, shadowlover said:

I've heard them called "swan rooms" and they are my favorite on the river ships.  We store all of our stuff on the huge window shelf.  On river cruises we absolutely only go to the cabin to sleep.  I would never pay extra for a better cabin.  I had the lowest category recently and I absolutely loved it!  It is all elegant and calm and lovely and I can't wait to go again!!

 

Where do you shower?

[longterm]

8 hours ago, island lady said:

 

I don't know of any inside cabins on the river boats?  All Longships are identical.  Last week I  just returned from European Sojourn.  With low water levels we had to do an all too common "ship swap".  Vidar to Lif.  Both the same, but our suite was definitely different on Lif...half the storage and a bit different on layout than Vidar. 

 

There are "French Balconies" and "Duck cabins" (which are just windows at water level...no balconies)...but they are not inside cabins, which I consider as "no balcony or windows and are in the inside of most ocean ships.  

Actually, some Viking river ship staterooms don't have verandas; I was on the Grand European a little more than a week ago, and my brother and his wife had one of those rooms.

 

But no, there are no inside cabins on Viking ships.

[Mike07]

2 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Where do you shower?

 

There's generally water all around the ship.

[Mike07]

4 hours ago, duquephart said:

Also "steerage" class?

 

Steerage is on the floor below the dining room... So isn't that like 1?

[island lady]

13 hours ago, longterm said:

Actually, some Viking river ship staterooms don't have verandas; I was on the Grand European a little more than a week ago, and my brother and his wife had one of those rooms.

 

But no, there are no inside cabins on Viking ships.

 

Yes, that was what I was stating when I called the ones on deck #1 "Duck Cabins".  I described them in detail.  

 

There are also the ones I mentioned that are "French Balconies".  We had one of those in our bedroom area...and a full walk out veranda in the living room section.  The French Balconies are simply sliders and a rail.  Cannot walk out of the room on an actual balcony, but it is nice to open to the fresh air with that large opening.  You see a lot of them in France, Spain..etc. at the hotels.  

 

Expedition ships have them, but they slide up and down..not side to side like the river ships. 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by island lady

[Johannaj]

19 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Where do you shower?

Most people shower in the bathroom area of their cabin.  I suppose that on a rainy day one could do an outdoor shower.  😉

[CCWineLover]

On 10/28/2023 at 11:11 AM, island lady said:

 

LOL...I love your version as well!  😄 

Someone asked about showering.  🙂

We were warned, and they were correct - make sure never to drop the soap when you in those small showers!!!

[CCWineLover]

On 10/28/2023 at 11:08 AM, duquephart said:

Also "steerage" class?

yeah - better though than the Titanic steerage!

And they do call them Swan Rooms - we got to seem many swans up close and personal on the Rhine river outside those tiny windows!  no ducks though.

[island lady]

13 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

yeah - better though than the Titanic steerage!

And they do call them Swan Rooms - we got to seem many swans up close and personal on the Rhine river outside those tiny windows!  no ducks though.

 

We had a lot of Ducks on our Danube river cruise.  Enjoyed feeding them a couple of croissants at one port.  😄 

[duquephart]

Good for you. Maybe. Not good for the ducks.

[island lady]

2 hours ago, duquephart said:

Good for you. Maybe. Not good for the ducks.

 

Yeah, you are right.  As soon as I stopped feeding them...they all blew up.  Then the gators had a meal.