I guess the experience depends on when you go and who are your tour escorts. Itinerary What's Included More Dates About This Ship Staterooms Deck Plans On May 28, 2019, QPA signed a long-term agreement for building and operation/management of the new container terminal Laurentia. Im a photographer, adding a couple of days is very interesting to us. In some areas that could raise the room cost quite a bit. When you book an extension with Viking, all of your transfers are included, even if you did not book your flights with Viking. I don't know what class it was, but the windows were small and the seats not very well padded. An optional Viking excursion in Vienna, the Heurigen Evening provided a high-spirited authentic Viennese gemtlichkeit experience. A shuttle from the ship took our small group of five couples and our guides to the citys 19th district where numerous vineyards are located with their wine taverns called Heurigen. /expeditions/images/longitudinal-world-cruise-v2-iii_478x345_tcm40-173201.jpg. Port Quebec's cruise ship terminal "Ross Gaudreault" (the old one) is located near Old City, along the neighborhood Petit Champlain. Enjoy the earthy sounds of the didgeridoo and the thrilling dances of the Maori. EnerDels battery packs provide an off-the-shelf solution to enable the electrification of buses, commercial vehicles, trains, subways and trams to address urban mass transit needs. LauraS You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By The deal was signed with HPH (Hutchison Port Holdings) and CN (Canadien National). Current statistics show that the port handles annually 1400+ vessels. I know that the hotel's a little high, but there are always extra expenses that come up, like a souvenir or a museum entry fee, or perhaps an Uber. Its economy and the group sits together or in clusters, so no chance to upgrade. If booking directly with vy.no, I came up with ~$150 per ticket. Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. Yes, it was a bit expensive at $1700 pp, but it included transfers from Rome airport to Perugia (2 1/2 hour drive), three nights in a converted castle, all meals except one lunch, and three days of guided tours before being dropped off at our ship. Pre and post extensions are available in Sydney and Auckland. I used United frequent flyer points to book Premium Plus seats. I'm going to have to look into that Vigur Island opportunity. Before I return to Japan, I'll learn at least some rudimentary phrases; it shows respect and I've always enjoyed trying to converse in foreign languages. Of all the add-ons I feel most likely not to take advantage of these as some of our best Italian meals have been in tiny family owned places. Explore this car-free island by carriage, bicycle or on foot; kayak along the shoreline. We love the smaller ships and service that Viking provides, as well as the excellent itineraries they offer. NTW about language. Discover North Americas wilderness while sailing the striking waterways of the Great Lakes. Inaugural cruise brand visits included the companies MSC, TUI, Hurtigruten, Scenic, Peace Boat Japan (NGO/humanitarian aid organization). We were sent on this train after being stranded in Bergen by the SAS strike. Designed and engineered to meet the needs of cruise tourists and the community at large, Terminal 30 can serve several purposes at once. Next photo shows the old and new versions of the Ross Gaudreault Cruise Terminal. https://www.vigurisland.com/about. The project was budgeted CAD 31,9 million, of which CAD 15M by Quebec's Government, CAD 11,9M by the Port, and CAD 5M by the City. Whew, thought I had missed something! Learn the history of the Atlantic Ocean, called the Sea of Atlas by the ancient Greeks. They speak better English than do. We first look at the extension we are considering to see what Viking is offering and specifically what is included. a given budget to spend? One of Germanys most renowned and intriguing cities, Nuremberg is surrounded by 13th-century walls that have many fully intact gates and watchtowers. It is Easier It is certainly easier to book your entire trip with Viking and this may be the best reason to do so. @longtermI'm curious how you came up with a budget of $1500 if doing yourself. Discover hidden inlets by kayak or admire scenic vistas while hiking historic trails. My daughter was an exchange student there 25 years ago. Explore the colonial town of Montecristi; visit the home of the iconic Panama hat. In December 2017, Quebec Port Authority (QPA) announced its plan for building a new container terminal at the "Beauport 2020" site. I looked at daylight hours, and found that the average day in Oslo during July has18.0 hoursof daylight, with sunrise at 4:21 AM and sunset at 10:21 PM, so we'd be good to take that train. This will open up Stacker and allow access to the Other Options tab, which are Config-specific settings. Do your research on the hotel rate and the cost and ease of transport from the airport to the hotel and decide whether you are better off doing it on your own. Enjoy additional days to explore your embarkation or We rented a car to get from Venice to Lake Como and did our overnight in Sirmione on Lake Garda. If you do it yourselves, it likely will be less a hassle and cheaper. Our upcoming Tuscany and Greece extensions involve visiting a bunch of places and sites in addition to meals and hotels. The project is for expanding and redesigning the existing terminal (at Pointe-a-Carcy) and also installing a new mobile terminal at Wharf 30 (Estuary sector). You may want consider them in your discussions with Viking Air. We're considering adding the pre-cruise and post cruise extensions offered by Viking. WebExplore the untamed beauty of Antarctica on board Vikings state-of-the-art expedition vessel and experience a journey like no other to one of the worlds last unexplored You cant wander off the path, but you can sort of take your time and move away from the group a little bit. Sail the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean, the Earths largest body of water. $1500 - TOTAL ESTIMATE TIP: If you have booked your air through Viking, you can still schedule your own extension. Felicity was our guide. The dining car is just a takeout place, and alcohol needs to be consumed in the dining car. While some people love the idea of Viking taking care of everything, other travelers may prefer more flexibility. Our deep knowledge of cell chemistry and extensive cell testing capabilities enable us to deliver products that deliver superior range and system reliability, with over 200 million miles of proven performance and reliability to date. Most Japanese people speak English!". In Oslo, I booked two nights at the Thon Hotel Opera (same hotel that Viking uses for the post-excursion for $250/night including taxes (I booked directly with the hotel website). And with incredible guides, this was truly a stress-free extension with absolutely everything taken care of for us. Well also talk with our travel agent about the options of changing to a hotel downtown, additional deviation fees, and transfers before making a decision on how to get the best value. We felt we got fair value for our extension. It is also country'sonly transcontinental railway company (Nova Scotia to British Columbia) and serving both Canada and Midwestern-Southern USA. It includes transfers, hotel and breakfast plus the availability of a Viking representative for local information. We were on our own and since the train was not available, we flew the one hour flight from Bergen to Oslo. We're on the BIE cruise this May (London to Bergen) and plan to spend 3 days post cruise on our own - 1 extra night in Bergen at the Thon Hotel Orion (at $138 USD through booking.com) and 2 nights in Oslo. I always feel like a bumpkin when interacting with Norwegians and their multiple language fluency. Since we may never get back to Iceland, and Im a photographer, adding a couple of days is very interesting to us, but $1700 for two nights is a bit difficult to justify. We are traveling from Charlotte. WebThe Delta Center is coming back to Utah. Long a hub of French culture, cuisine and architectural splendor, Paris is one of the most romantic destinations in the world. As part of the project, a second cruise terminal will be also built and opened by 2025. It was clear that most of the people in the car were commuters. The second extension, Ultimate Italy Tuscany, was completely escorted. In the second example, the Ultimate Italy Tuscany extension, notice that this extension includes transfers, accommodations, all meals, 3 guided tours (which kept us busy all day, every day) and is fully escorted by a Viking Tour Director. We did exactly that for both the Tuscany and Rome extensions, arriving in Tuscany a few days prior to the start of the extension and by staying a few days after the Rome extension. Admire the regions natural beauty and look for seals and birdlife on Brion Island. Some passengers may like to just stay on the ship to relax and partake in onboard lectures and activities, but since Viking cruises are very destination-oriented, there is much to be discovered at each port. Each of the included tours that weve taken has given us a great introduction to a place. Set sail from Ushuaia to the Falkland Islands, renowned for their spectacular landscapes with rugged coves and white-sand beaches. Sail Europes most iconic rivers: the Moselle with its steep vineyards; the castle-studded Rhine; and the Main, lined with quaint villages. Is it days/weeks/months before the cruise? Also as "lackcreatvity" as accurately said, often the included breakfast is a normal part of the room so the "included breakfast" feature of the pre cruise extension is just another example of cruise companies stretching the truth past the breaking point. The number of handled tourists was ~133000 (including 92000+ passengers and ~41000 crew). Savor the diversity of Torontos food scene; see the citys sights by bike. Season 2017 was the port's record year with handled a total of 201,000 cruise ship tourists (32% increase over 2016). WebMore days means more to discover, with extension packages you can add before or after your Viking cruise or cruisetour. We have decided to also do pre and post extensions. From $1,199 | 2 Nights, From $3,999 | 5 Nights, From $4,999 | 4 Nights, Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link, Most Indoor & Outdoor Viewing Areas At Sea. I forget the exact cost but when we compared it to what we paid for the previous four days of hotel and touring it was very comparable. On our first day, after touring the zoo we went to a banquet facility where we were seated at tables of 8or 10 and had wella banquet on a huge lazy Susan in the middle of the big round table. We had no trouble finding places to eat near the hotel and the pick-up point for the tours we had booked was across the street. Thanks much for your input. By I know that the hotel's a little high, but there are always extra expenses that come up, like a souvenir or a museum entry fee, or perhaps an Uber. See the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, 9/11 Memorial, Central Park and more. Of course, these folks never got a chance to see Rome! They only offer "plus" seating which I believe is their first class experience. In the period 2007-2017, the seaport reported growth of 80,5%. Discover the romance of Paris and Prague and all the quaint small towns in between on this 12day journey, including two nights each in Paris and Prague and a scenic river cruise along the Moselle, Rhine and Main Rivers. Not very fancy, but the views from the train are great! Sail the South Atlantic Ocean, separated from the North by the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Many signs are also in English. Our only regret was that we should have chosen a 3 day gap between the cruises to have allowed more time at Lake Garda, or even a couple of more days to spend in Milan. The redevelopment project resulted in doubling the terminal's passenger capacity (up to 400,000 passengers annually), improving the port's infrastructures and berthing capacity (by allowing bigger-sized vessels) and upgrading port's logistic services (embarkation/debarkation operations). I don't think there was an option to upgrade. An included lunch is usually at a restaurant and usually a fixed menu with sit-down service. Survey the Rhine from 900-year-old Marksburg Castle. Then that was clears and seems like we had fruit and other small desserts. Admire the tranquility of the End of the World; visit Tierra del Fuego National Park. The global airline will assume the naming rights for Utahs premier sports and entertainment center which is home to the Utah Jazz and more than 320 evenings of events each year effective July 2023 as part of a multi-year partnership between the two organizations. Just pricing the Bergen Oslo part, it comes to about $800 USD for the two of us (2 nights in Oslo plus train tickets). Whether you are planning a road trip across North America or have an urban European adventure in mind, our goal is to provide you with sensible, useful travel advice. I see that the ship stops in Isafjordur. The most ridiculous part of the whole thing is the included price of the hotel room. There is a Viking host at the hotel to assist you with any questions you have. There are no excursions or other meals included. Pre & Post Cruise Extensions vary by itinerary and are subject to change. Port Quebec City cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The list of travel documents required at the terminal includes: cruise ship ticket, boarding pass, ID, passport, plane tickets, baggage tags. As deepwater port, it allows ships with max draft 15 m (49 ft) at low tide and provides the shortest connection from Europe to North America's Great Lakes region - continent's industrial and agricultural core. Cruisers' Choice Awards! https://www.vigurisland.com/about. Also, if we go on our own, we would have to fly home from Oslo instead of Bergen; I know that I have to pay $100 per person to make alternate flight arrangements (which we will do anyway because we are flying into London a few days early), but how does Viking charge when you fly home from a different city? We did all our transactions with hand signals; I was surprised that more Japanese people didn't speak English, but of course, in our arrogant American way, most Americans speak English only, while expecting other countries to just fall in line and understand us. The Island is owned by a single family. We're leaning towards booking it ourselves, which would be cheaper in the long run anyway. I found that it was actually cheaper to fly from Oslo to Toronto (via KEF) on Icelandair than from Bergen, as when I was booking, the Bergen flight routed through Oslo. Germanys oldest university town, Heidelberg and its castle are situated in the Neckar Valley just east of the Rhine. If your extension is in the beginning or ending city of your cruise, Viking refers to it as a Deviation. then we are likely to book with Viking. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates just follow the corresponding ship-link. TIP: At the time of booking, be sure to check the hotel location and ensure that you like it. WebMore days means more to discover, with extension packages you can add before or after your Viking cruise or cruisetour. It is currently ranked Canada's largestfreight railway (in terms of revenue and network size). Navigate the waters of the Chilo Archipelago or explore the wooden walkways of Tortel. In response to the OP's question about how Viking can get away with charging $1700 for the excursion, the reason is that people just don't bother to do the math or else they don't care about over paying. We stopped about halfway at another banquet facility for a meal similar to the one the day before. The new terminal will be linked with the existing rail- and road networks. The tour escorts stayed in the cars with their "groups" and gave us a running commentary on what we were seeing; including history, geology, culture, and current events. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Pre Cruise Extension question from a New Viking Cruiser, Forum Assistance - Welcome to Cruise Critic, Announcement: Upgrade Your Horizon ~ Sponsored by Regent Seven Seas Cruises. $1500 - TOTAL ESTIMATE It also gives you a chance to make some friends for the cruise you are about to take, or share memories of the trip just completed with the Viking group at the hotel. NTW about language. Planning your own trip offers complete flexibility in how you spend your time. Clearly, these two extensions are completely different in terms of what is offered, but of course the price is different too. Also, if we go on our own, we would have to fly home from Oslo instead of Bergen; I know that I have to pay $100 per person to make alternate flight arrangements (which we will do anyway because we are flying into London a few days early), but how does Viking charge when you fly home from a different city? Sail the Drake Passage; its waters are among the coldest and the deepest on Earth. Traverse the South Atlantic Ocean and follow in the wake of Captain James Cook. The new terminal is sized 9447 m2 (~101,690 ft2) and makes Quebec City the Saint Lawrence River's only homeport with capacity to accommodate large passenger liners. We took the Umbrian pre-cruise extension in Sep before our Rome-Barcelona cruise. There have been a number of threads discussing this train and booking it. Mikeannie, you've received some very good responses. Wrzburg is home to the Bishops Residenz, one of Germanys largest and most ornate palaces and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Part of what you are paying for, of course, is convenience in regard to transfers, etc. We were met at the airport and our tour director stayed with us throughout the entire extension. Walked to Reykjavik Kitchen and Old Iceland Restaurant for excellent dinners. We're doing the Iceland and Norway Artic Explorer cruise in June, 2013. As we are traveling from Australia to Europe for this, I wanted to book the pre hotel for a few extra When do Viking confirm hotels for extensions? Choose Your Hotel When you extend with Viking, they select your hotel and accommodations. So now lets discuss under what circumstances you may want to plan your cruise extension with Viking. Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. You can read about them here. Enjoy additional days to explore your embarkation or disembarkation city, or see a new destination altogether with a choice of exciting cities. To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below. I plan to extend on my own to Milan afterwards so it will be a hybrid situation. I wouldn't hesitate to do any kind of independent travel in Norway for any reason. Investigate Nova Scotias shoreline and immerse in its untamed natural beauty. TIP: If you are booking your own extensions, no transfers will be included. Explore this revitalized town along the shores of Lake Michigan. On a cruise company pre cruise extension, you pay for the room for yourself and then pay for it again for your spouse. Seems like breakfast is a common provided meal. Yes, the "plus" seating is their 1st-class seating. (But no, not $1700!). Our meals were not only at the villa where we stayed, but we also visited many restaurants, including lunch on a farm and dinner at a winery. Port Quebec (aka Port de Quebec/locode CAQUE) is an inland port in Quebec City, as well as Canada's oldest and the Province's second-largest (after Montreal). An included dinner depends on whether it's attached to another activity or not. Few cities embody the past as authentically as Prague, the Czech Republics atmospheric capital. I decided to schedule the train trip on our own rather than using Viking, since it'll be cheaper and we can get reserved 1st-class train seats. It included some great group dinners. The only downside is not getting transfers from Viking, but with carryon bags and a short distance to the ship and to the train station in Bergen, it won't be a problem; we've done our own transfers in Amsterdam and Rome in the past, without any trouble at all. Enjoy additional days to explore your embarkation or disembarkation city, or see a new destination altogether with a choice of exciting cities. The initiative was part of the port expansion project and the decision was based on multiple technical and commercial studies. Since we never write about places we havent been ourselves, you can be sure that everything you read and pictures you see are things we have actually seen and done. We have only done one pre-cruise extension. Is there a fixed meal provided? The building's ground floor is sized 5862 m2 (~63100 ft2); while the upper floor is sized 3585 m2 (~38600 ft2). Thanks for the input. Got good pictures with my phone, but the telephoto won the day! WebItinerary and shore excursions are subject to change and may vary by departure. So, lets take another look at those two examples from above. Excursions In some cases, Viking will offer an included or even optional excursions during the extension. After the walk you go to one of the buildings for coffee and pastries. Viking Cruise Lines has become a major player in not just river cruises, but ocean cruises as well. WebMore days means more to discover, with extension packages you can add before or after your Viking cruise or cruisetour. Enjoy additional days to explore your embarkation or . CC Help Jenn Phase 3 (CAD 13,62 million) is for installing a new mobile terminal at wharf 30 (Estuary) to serve operations that the Ross Gaudreault can't. Explore ancient civilizations and gaze upon the Chilean fjords towering ice shelves. Breakfasts are usually at the hotel -- fixed or buffet depends on what the particular hotel offers. On our Viking pre we received final details about hotel and included excursion about a month before. Sail the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn, where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet. Sail the Drake Passage; its waters are among the coldest and the deepest on Earth. That seems extreme. Admire magnificent coastal vistas of soaring cliffs; marvel at a variety of birdlife. Not surprising these days, unfortunately. Many people take comfort in the fact that if there is an issue anytime during the trip, Viking will handle it. We're also doing our own flights for our May '23 London to Bergen cruise , arriving a day early in London and departing 3 days later from Oslo. or a ticket to a buffet? Set sail from Ushuaia to the Falkland Islands, and call at South Georgia, one of the least visited places on earth. Having looked at our Viking invoices, they have changed the hotels multiple times. This service is very nice and ensures you always have access to someone who can help you with any issues or questions. WebMore days means more to discover, with extension packages you can add before or after your Viking cruise or cruisetour. Normally when you book a hotel room, the room rate in the same for you and your spouse. So keep any eye out for a potential change. Viking offered an optional Peking Duck dinner for $50 or $60 dollars a person. Puffins galore, but also many other birds. The trip to Vigur Island is a MUST!!!! This 15-day cruise includes one complimentary shore excursion in all nine ports. The new "Terminal 30" is near Ross Gaudreault Terminal and in close proximity to the train station Via Rail (Quebec City-Windsor Corridor Terminus). One of our cruises started in Venice, and we did the Florence and Tuscany pre-extension. British Isles Explorer - Bergen to London - Cruise Overview Taste legendary Moselle Rieslings. longterm, Sunday at 08:53 PM in Viking Ocean. The second day, we toured the Forbidden City in the morning and then started the 2+ hour drive to the port. Sail the legendary Path Between the Seas, an engineering marvel completed in 1914. We would also have to pay for transfers in Bergen and Oslo, and would not get a tour in Oslo, but I can certainly arrange a private one. WebGetting started First of all, you need to navigate to the Config Manager tab inside OpenBullet and create a Config, or edit an existing one. More days means more to discover, with extension packages you can add before or after your Viking cruise or cruisetour. Great location, cost was 670 for two nights including taxes and breakfast. Enjoy additional days to explore your embarkation or disembarkation city, or see a new destination altogether with a choice of exciting cities. Our modular battery pack designs and product configurations allow us to rapidly deliver customized solutions for superior performance and reliability, no matter the application. I'm constantly appalled at the bad grammar I see online, the butchered English spoken by talking heads on TV, the tortured headlines on news sites. Explore more before or after your expedition. . Time Change Acclimation Most travelers will be flying internationally for their cruise and will have at least one connection. WebCruise Magnificent Mekong Explore the stunningly scenic and culturally distinctive lands that lie along the remarkable Mekong River on this 15-day cruisetour. if you take the extension with Viking you do not have to pay for deviation of $100.00 pp if taking Viking Air, there is that.. First off, welcome to Cruise Critic and the Viking Oceans forum! It was a far more interesting trip than our trip in 2018 but apparently not all tour escorts do the same. Perched on a hilltop above the city and the Moselle River, the 1,000-year-old Reichsburg Castle is Cochems signature landmark. Visit the colorful La Boca barrio and Plaza de Mayo, and walk in the footsteps of Eva Pern. We also have booked the Thon Opera.