aungrl

Gorgeous photos, especially that first one! Thanks for taking the time to post.

Thank you. Very pretty! Are they shipping it to you or are you carrying it home?

Picture of the pelt?

We did the Tulum Mayan ruins excursion with a different cruise line before we discovered Viking, and the description above is basically identical to the one we took. So while I don't have direct experience with the Viking excursion, if it's as described, this was one of the best excursions of that entire cruise. Of course, YMMV regardless of cruise line, since so much depends on the quality of the guide.

This was our first Chef's Table menu several years ago and we loved it. I'm glad you got to experience it and enjoyed it, too!

This is very interesting. I think it would have a great deal of value if populated across all the various options. It also sounds like a lot of work! But thanks in advance if you do proceed with it.

Okay, thanks! I sort of had it figured out from the blue nose picture. Very impressed with that one, btw. 😊

Whoo Hoo!!! I knew they'd come through for you. So awesome! I can almost taste it now. Which one of your traveling companions is in the top photo?

Knowing that Viking monitors this board, I actually thought they might make an effort to have them on this sailing just for you! (Seriously.)

First question for tomorrow morning - pistachio buns?? Inquiring minds are waiting to know!

The gown is gorgeous and you absolutely can't beat the price!

Agreed - great hats! And very happy faces (you and Mike). Now the adventure really begins!

It seems to me that, if you'll be a nervous wreck on the day you're departing, and really do prefer a day-time flight, that you should fly in the night before and spend the night at either the TWA hotel, or another nearby airport hotel. That eliminates your primary concern, and you can start your vacation off relaxed instead of worried.

I have this exact same hoodie from LL Bean and love it for all the same reasons. It gets a lot of use both on cruises and just in general.

Have a great voyage, Clay! Happiest to Mike. Will be following along and living vicariously for the next two weeks through you guys.

Ah, I should have been more clear in my original post. I was commenting on Oceania from the early 2000 era to Oceania just BEFORE the pandemic. I haven't sailed on any of the Oceania ships since 2018 or thereabouts, and so have no idea of anything that may have happened to the good or the bad because of the Covid staffing and supply and other operational shortages.

Good point. And that's not an insignificant advantage.

This is our experience exactly. Prior to NCL, Oceania was far and away our favorite line. We sailed twice after that acquisition and began our search for something else. Sad, because back in the day, they were truly special, IMO. (Although we didn't mind the R-class ships.)

Thank you! Very clear, and makes complete sense.

Yes, please. Post the review comparing V and SB here, as I'm guessing everyone who was interested in your cost analysis will be interested in this, as well. Thanks for creating a new thread for this one. Very helpful to see it laid out this way.

This is a serious question, not sarcastic or a jab at all. When you say "privacy benefits" vs. "security", what is the difference? (Maybe also a dumb question, but I tend to conflate those two concepts in my head when it comes to online activity.)

I would appreciate it if you would post the comparison here on the Viking board, and I'm sure others would, as well. Thanks for doing all this legwork. I'll check into what's happening with Oceania on July 1, as I wasn't aware.

Yes! Totally forgot to mention this - truly iconic.

Second both of these. We lived in the Chicago area for four years and these were the top two things we took visitors to experience. But there are so many wonderful things to see and do that it's easy to tailor a couple of days to your own interests. People fall into two or three camps in terms of "best deep dish pizza" in Chicago, and I'm firmly in the Giordano's camp. There's one within easy walking distance of Millennium park, just off Randolph.

Couldn't agree more! And Oia is where my friend was "based" during his time on Santorini. Our first and second trips to Italy were land trips, and we have wonderful memories of Venice, Florence, and Rome from those visits. It's very different than visiting briefly on a cruise ship; particularly, as you note, when it comes to Venice. One other example. We were fortunate many many years ago to visit Egypt for three weeks. (I was working for a large financial services firm that required two weeks off for everyone, regardless of role, back in the day, and I tacked on a third week with special permission. My husband was self-employed and managed to make it work.) The trip did include a 5-day cruise up a part of the Nile, but the immersion in the rest for the country really impacted both of us, and cemented our view that the best travel is, as you say, a combination of both land and sea.