Silver Spirits Beverage Package with Viking

[CCWineLover]

1 minute ago, Insanityx4 said:

It depends where your OBC comes from. Ours was from Viking because they changed ships and dates on us so the Polaris could be repaired after the rogue wave. It was already in our account. If it comes from a travel agent as a perk it's not usually added until you board the ship or a few days before.

@Insanityx4   Our travel agent gives OBC's as a perk and they get applied to our Viking Cruise anywhere from 60-90 days out, so we usually have used it for excursions.  Didn't know that some people don't see the TA OBC until you board the ship or a few days before.

[Insanityx4]

9 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

How interesting!  May I ask, what winery in NorCal?  

I've met so many winemakers who are really more beer drinkers.  One told me it takes good beer to make good wine, so to speak!

Trefethen Family Vineyards in Napa. Hubby worked for them for 43 years and moved from winemaker to VP over the years.

Edited March 31 by Insanityx4

[CILCIANRQTS]

8 minutes ago, Insanityx4 said:

Trefethen Family Vineyards in Napa. Hubby worked for them for 43 years and moved from winemaker to VP over the years.

Where the 1976 vintage was declared “The Best Chardonnay In the World”in Paris in 1979!! Nice.

[Insanityx4]

10 minutes ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

Where the 1976 vintage was declared “The Best Chardonnay In the World”in Paris in 1979!! Nice.

Haha, I think we might still have a bottle or two of that left!! Likely over the hill by now though!

Edited March 31 by Insanityx4

[CILCIANRQTS]

2 minutes ago, Insanityx4 said:

Haha, I think we might still have a bottle or two of that left!!

For display only, of course! 

[Insanityx4]

1 minute ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

For display only, of course! 

Still in the bottle!

[CILCIANRQTS]

3 minutes ago, Insanityx4 said:

Still in the bottle!

We’ll be at Grgich Hills next week.

I’ll bet they have a bottle or two of Chateau Montelena still around!!
Also going to Freemark Abbey - it’s going to be a great week!!

[Insanityx4]

1 minute ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

We’ll be at Grgich Hills next week.

I’ll bet they have a bottle or two of Chateau Montelena still around!!
Also going to Freemark Abbey - it’s going to be a great week!!

The weather should be good! We have had a rainy winter so far. Have a great trip!

[CCWineLover]

So funny!  We just watched again the movie Bottle Shock for the first time in 10years or so.  We first visited Napa in 1976 to wine taste so it brought back those memories as well.  And don't forget Chalone (down towards us in Paso)....

Will have to stop by our next visit to Napa 🙂

Have enjoyed Trefethen (and Freemark Abbey)  as well as Stags Leap (which won best red in 1976).

Have to put a biased plug in for our region in Paso Robles though.  There's some good wines here too 🙂

 

[Insanityx4]

4 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

So funny!  We just watched again the movie Bottle Shock for the first time in 10years or so.  We first visited Napa in 1976 to wine taste so it brought back those memories as well.  And don't forget Chalone (down towards us in Paso)....

Will have to stop by our next visit to Napa 🙂

Have enjoyed Trefethen (and Freemark Abbey)  as well as Stags Leap (which won best red in 1976).

Have to put a biased plug in for our region in Paso Robles though.  There's some good wines here too 🙂

 

Husband went to school with Gary Eberle. We have known him since the mid 70's. UC Davis. 

[CDNPolar]

14 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

@Insanityx4   Our travel agent gives OBC's as a perk and they get applied to our Viking Cruise anywhere from 60-90 days out, so we usually have used it for excursions.  Didn't know that some people don't see the TA OBC until you board the ship or a few days before.

 

We have bookings in 2025 and 2026 and our TA OBC is on our invoice immediately on booking.

 

The OBC from our TA will apply if we go to MVJ and purchase optional excursions, SSBP, or pre-paid gratuities.

 

The things we look at on the invoice after booking are the final payment date, the cabin number, the dates if we are coming in early or staying after, and then that the OBC is there.

 

I also did not know that some don't see this until just before boarding.

 

We have received OBC or rather SBC from Viking for various reasons and that is not available until we board the ship, but it is still stated on the invoice.

 

Is this a difference between US and Canada invoicing?  Perhaps?

[island lady]

16 hours ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

We’ll be at Grgich Hills next week.

I’ll bet they have a bottle or two of Chateau Montelena still around!!
Also going to Freemark Abbey - it’s going to be a great week!!

 

Aww...I still have sample glasses from Freemark Abby and Grgich Hills!  Beautiful wineries!  

 

I worked as a wine distributor for northern California wines to restaurants in my county here in Florida.  Wonderful career...great samples to enjoy.  😉 

 

And I still love my wine....I don't drink other alcoholic drinks except wine.  Such a wino I am.  🍷😄 

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

Is this a difference between US and Canada invoicing?  Perhaps?

 

Or perhaps that different TAs have different timing as to when they inform Viking.

[millybess]

4 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

We have bookings in 2025 and 2026 and our TA OBC is on our invoice immediately on booking.

 

The OBC from our TA will apply if we go to MVJ and purchase optional excursions, SSBP, or pre-paid gratuities.

 

The things we look at on the invoice after booking are the final payment date, the cabin number, the dates if we are coming in early or staying after, and then that the OBC is there.

 

I also did not know that some don't see this until just before boarding.

 

We have received OBC or rather SBC from Viking for various reasons and that is not available until we board the ship, but it is still stated on the invoice.

 

Is this a difference between US and Canada invoicing?  Perhaps?

I don't think there is a difference between U.S. and Canada invoicing.  We never see our OBC from our TA until the day after we board

[Insanityx4]

I really think it depends on your travel agency as to when the OBC in added to your account and available to be used. With us is when we board the ship.

[SantaFe1]

4 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Or perhaps that different TAs have different timing as to when they inform Viking.

Unlike others here, mine adds the credit upon making final payment 6 months out.  That way I can use it toward shore ex.

[CCWineLover]

2 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

Unlike others here, mine adds the credit upon making final payment 6 months out.  That way I can use it toward shore ex.

I just asked our TA and they said that OBC's can be put on the account from a TA whenever the TA requests it.  Many agencies apparently have a policy of automatically getting that on right away when final payment is handled, and others handle it on an individual case.  So yes, it all depends on your agent and your agency.

We like them on early and DO see them on the Viking invoice (around page 3 or 4 I believe), where it summarizes vouchers, SBC's, and OBC's and what's available and what's used.  We also see it on MyVikingJourney under payment.   When on early, if you buy excursions, it will take it from the credits (if allowable) unless you override that.

[SantaFe1]

1 minute ago, CCWineLover said:

I just asked our TA and they said that OBC's can be put on the account from a TA whenever the TA requests it.  Many agencies apparently have a policy of automatically getting that on right away when final payment is handled, and others handle it on an individual case.  So yes, it all depends on your agent and your agency.

We like them on early and DO see them on the Viking invoice (around page 3 or 4 I believe), where it summarizes vouchers, SBC's, and OBC's and what's available and what's used.  We also see it on MyVikingJourney under payment.   When on early, if you buy excursions, it will take it from the credits (if allowable) unless you override that.

Exactly!

[CCWineLover]

5 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Aww...I still have sample glasses from Freemark Abby and Grgich Hills!  Beautiful wineries!  

 

I worked as a wine distributor for northern California wines to restaurants in my county here in Florida.  Wonderful career...great samples to enjoy.  😉 

 

And I still love my wine....I don't drink other alcoholic drinks except wine.  Such a wino I am.  🍷😄 

Here here!  Love my wines (witness my CruiseCritic handle, where by the way, CC stands for "Central Coast", not CruiseCritic).   

I envy your job!  Great samples would be a plus!

Would be fun to get a group of wine lovers together who also enjoy traveling like we all do.

[CILCIANRQTS]

5 hours ago, island lady said:

 

Aww...I still have sample glasses from Freemark Abby and Grgich Hills!  Beautiful wineries!  

 

I worked as a wine distributor for northern California wines to restaurants in my county here in Florida.  Wonderful career...great samples to enjoy.  😉 

 

And I still love my wine....I don't drink other alcoholic drinks except wine.  Such a wino I am.  🍷😄 

Our daughter is in the business - Jackson Family premiums.

She’s absolutely loving it!
And we’re loving the substantial discounts she gets!! 🍷😋

[CILCIANRQTS]

2 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Here here!  Love my wines (witness my CruiseCritic handle, where by the way, CC stands for "Central Coast", not CruiseCritic).   

I envy your job!  Great samples would be a plus!

Would be fun to get a group of wine lovers together who also enjoy traveling like we all do.

Doing the Viking River Bordeaux cruise this Fall. An almost entirely wine-driven experience.

[island lady]

15 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Here here!  Love my wines (witness my CruiseCritic handle, where by the way, CC stands for "Central Coast", not CruiseCritic).   

I envy your job!  Great samples would be a plus!

Would be fun to get a group of wine lovers together who also enjoy traveling like we all do.

 

Ahhh...sadly (but not really 😉 ) I have since retired 15 years ago.   I still love my wines and will jump on every wine tour we can get.   Lucky the DH loves to do so ......and loves wine as well.  🥰

[island lady]

12 minutes ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

Doing the Viking River Bordeaux cruise this Fall. An almost entirely wine-driven experience.

 

Ooooh...yes yes please!!   

 

We did the 3 week European Sojourn last year.  Loved it!  But really want to do the Bordeaux wine cruise next like you are doing.   

 

Have three ocean (Orion/Venus), and two Expedition(Octantis) cruises lined up before I book that however.  

[Peregrina651]

23 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Would be fun to get a group of wine lovers together who also enjoy traveling like we all do.

 

Our second river cruise with Viking was filled with a group of bridge-players put together by a guy whose business was organizing and escorting such tours. In multiple ports along the way, they had arranged bridge games with local bridge clubs. Language was no barrier to finding clubs.

 

So it seems to me that there must be something similar out there for oenophiles.