Azulann

Good evening ,  fellow Viking cruisers!

Got the  cutest birthday greeting from Viking. I message form marine and a bird hat song form the crews with nautical flags spelling out Happy Birthday. 

 It's the little things that I Iove about Viking.

 Cheers ! 🥂

Patti

 P.S. At my new  age, it does not take much to entertain me. 😁

Best shopping is the old town.  Be sure to wander the small narrow side streets for some great authentic Sweden crafts and linens in various stores. Also the museum stores are wonderful too. I got everyone back home unique gifts which I gave to them at Christmas. 

1 hour ago, ropomo said:

When we docked in 2019, it was about 100 yards from the photography museum  (google it for map location), no terminal, just pop up tents. Very close to old town. Shuttles available and water hop on hop off stop at photography museum.

Same in June 2023 when we boarded the Viking Neptune in Stockholm.

What a beautiful sail away to reach the  ocean. It took about 1/2 hr and through lots of little islands with the typical red summer homes hugging the rocky shores of the islands! 

Enjoy your cruise. 

Loving your trip report and  pictures .  I  too like to decide  at a port or two  that I will  not do any excursions, basically having my own sea day , with nap and total day of just soaking up the pampering on the beautiful Viking ship.

I find the older I get the more I need a sea day to  catch my breathe and savor the day doing mostly nothing.

10 hours ago, Mlb4chris said:

I’m super excited to purchase interesting wines in all the ports.

So happy for you  in  booking your first Viking Ocean cruise. One of reasons I love Viking is you can buy wines  and bring them on board.I have done that at many ports  on my various Viking cruises.

My favorite is  Cava from Spain . I always buy bottles when in any Spanish port. Bring to the restaurant in afternoon and  they will have it chilled for you for your  dinner and keep it for the next meal if you don't drink it all. I also keep bottle in my cabin and have  cabin steward bring a bucket of ice every afternoon /evening.

I have  the purchased the SS beverage package for its convenience. It is only $25. pp per day on Viking.  Other's like Celebrity charge  $50 or more a day for  their drink packages.

You have a great itinerary for your  cruise first cruise .

Welcome to Viking Forum .  🥂

Yea,🥂 looking forward to your new adventures and your ports of call. 

Love that you are doing both pre and post days to  make it a wonderful  vacation. 

Clay , Happy Birthday! Your celebration pictures are wonderful. What a great Viking Crew!!!!!. 

Loving all your fabulous pictures of your excursions in France.

It is a joy following along your WC on Viking Sky  

Clay, I  love your description and pictures  of your  tour in Morocco above and the great meal you had. 

I have been to Tangiers twice.  Got some Argon oil and spices  including saffron last time. It was all so good. Wish I had bought  more.

 Three times Casablanca port on my previous  cruises have been cancelled, so I figure it was never meant to be ...

I am also following your pictures on X too. 

Cannot believe that your WC is now in final count down days. 😔

1 hour ago, duquephart said:

Thank you! What size is the one shown? Stunning!

It is 5’7”x4’.

Have fun finding a rug for yourself in Istanbul. Have a great cruise and do post here if you have time 

Cheers!

Patti

4 hours ago, duquephart said:

Were you able to dig out the names of the dealers? Leaving in three days.

Just got email  from friend in AZ.  The name rug dealer  shop is 

Adnan&Hasan&Kilim Store. Can find it on Trip Advisor, with web site and lots of recommendations. I bought mine in the Grand Bazaar from the older gentleman. I had emailed him first. It is a small rug for use under my coffee table in my LR. 

Her is a picture of it at Christmas time. 

I  wonder how many  passengers a river boat holds?  Nice statistics. Viking  has hit the sweet spot, 93 % or more  are full ships in my view.

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

 

Great day in Walvis Bay! While we didn’t get the grill surprise that those on the included tour got, we did get a surprise when offered the chance to sand surf!  Mike says he felt like a 10 year old again!

You and Mike are living your best life right now.🎉 Love, love you  videos and pictures here on on X too. 

I have wondered what is happening on the Neptune. Glad to hear from you!

A little port drama from some passenger on another cruise ship posting on this wonderful thread.  WOW🤣

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 I think you will get more responses if you  post your questions about electric wheelchair and cruise ports on this Cruise Critic Forum:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/114-disabled-cruise-travel/

9 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

If one combination of promos doesn’t fill the ship, they may try another, but the net cost tends to be very similar.

Thanks for the analysis! I have booked two cruises using the  promo for cruisers who have a booked cruise before  a certain date. One for 2025 and another for 2026.

 I have yet to wait till last minute to book a Viking cruise to hopefullyget a  bargain. 

So glad you are taking another cruise shortly

. I was beginning to worry, I had not seen any new trip reports  from you.

 I do not have a cruise booked till fall of 2025 so  love my virtual vacations reading trip reports. Your is always a favorite of mine. 

I remember the TA , Same as yours, I was on. We too had rough seas leaving  Madeira till we got into the Med. 

I  never get seasick on a  boat or ship.  I feel like I am rocking in a cradle in a storm on the ocean.  Must be my Danish heritage. 😁

 Love to read about well feed cruisers who are being pampered by the crew! Enjoy every minute.

I  did go to Torshaven on some my first Viing cruises. But now I cannot stay awake and full of energy after 9:30 pm.good to now they have some really interesting liquor.

1 hour ago, photopro2 said:

am thrilled to see the number of posts that have been made to the thread over these four years. Hopefully this will continue to be a virtual home for all sorts of chat, even now that the lovely lounges are again fully operational in the beautiful and amazing real wide world.

 

Skål! 🥂

Thank you  for this thread. I can't believe it was 4 years ago , indeed, a different time for all of us.!

Enjoy your  TA on the Jupiter. I was on it last June .  Now I have to wait till Oct 2025 for my next cruise. But this Virtual Explorer  thread and reading the other  Viking forum threads will do just fine.

 It is snowing out my window today ! 

Cheers 🥂

Patti 

Thans for the  report of your cruise currently not he Jupiter. My last cruise in June 2023 was on the Jupiter. 

Could some one post how are the bartenders int he Aquavit bAr?  Is Michael one of them. They were the greatest. Loved the Cava I  got each evening pre dinner in the  Aquavit Bar with friends.

Jim, glad you and your luggage are safe and sound back in AZ. 

Now you are land locked like many of us enjoying the  WC gang that are going forward  to Africa and points North.😊

Love the video of the pilot boat  and your send off. 

Also love the pictures of Feta's of Manfredi's dinner. 

My sister and I love eating there the first night on board.

It is a great way to start your cruise.

A variety of interesting  lectures await you all  on this lovely TA. Thanks for the lists posted.

How many are on board making this wonderful  Atlantic crossing?

Keep your pictures and videos coming for  us land lock viewers.

Looking forward to the live trip report.

Feta. I hope you and other Viking cruisers Mae it to the ship today.! 🤞 

Thank you so much for  posting this summary of your latest cruise . 

Good to hear that the Restaurant is still very good. I loved eating there last June  on the Viking Jupiter. I always order seafood when ever it is on the menu .

23 minutes ago, ustowas said:

how was the included tour?

I went back and reread my trip report. here's my post on Mariehamn Aland Island:

Author
#69  
Posted June 14, 2023
Day 3, Mariehamn , Arland Island
Final recap.
Took the included  panoramic  bus tour this morning. Out guide was informative about the  history of Arland Islands, the life of islanders, Nordic culture , and  its strategic place during the Cold War and today   in light of the current Russia/ Ukraine war. 
 
 As we drove by the Russian consulate , she pointed out that every day at 5pm there are protest in front  of the building.  They have been  waiting for a meeting with the consular for over a year. No answer to their request.  
She is worried that  "Mr. Putin is  following  in the footsteps of the Russian Czars. "    I got a new appreciation  of  impact  in the minds of everyday people who live closer than any  Americans or cruise passengers to current realities.  
 
Driving  over 12 island in our two hour bus tour on well maintained  paved roads.  I  found the landscape to be idyllic , scent of pine trees filled the  air,   saw deer running across the road,  drove by small farms. every turn one gets a glimpse of the water,  
Bicycles  are everywhere in the town used by  young  and old, well kept modern sturdy houses with metal roofs. 
Mariehamn is 5 hr  ferry ride from both Finland and Stockholm.
It reminded me of Northern MN ,pine forest, outcrops of rocks ,and water. I see why people come  to this island  during the summer for vacation.
I will  upload pictures in a separate post because slow wifi.
This port was a wonderful surprise."

Today's thoughts. 

There is a free trolley that runs through the town. We  took it from our last excursion  stop  in a small bay with marina. Looking back now we spent too much  time wandering around the town and should have  done more stops near our ship on the  trolly. Also there is a maritime museum next to ship that we did not have time to visit. 

It was  a great day with perfect weather, the best guide and had a great experience of this beautiful island.