Viking Venus Maiden Voyage

[OnTheJourney]

8 hours ago, JDincalif said:

Posted this on another thread, but seems more appropriate on this one:

In addition to emailing tellus@viking.com regarding the Viking Venus cruise, we asked our TA to investigate. Her contact at Viking responded that details regarding our maiden voyage cruise will be provided by email in the next couple of months. 

 

Quote

 

 

Thanks JD...my thought as well. I suspect we'll be part of a non-public sailing, or else opened to us first. Will be interesting. 

Edited June 16, 2019 by gretschwhtfalcon

[DGHOC]

I rang Viking over the weekend and they have called back today.

 

They can't give specifics yet, that info will be following shortly, but I suggested to the consultant that the Chairman's invited cruise would precede the Barcelona to London one which appears to be the Venus first sailing already open for bookings. She agreed that that would probably be the case but cannot give any info out yet as all needs to be finalised.

 

So presumably about the 19th January? Details will follow soon no doubt.

 

 

[OnTheJourney]

Sounds reasonable....19th to the 26th or similar....

[OnTheJourney]

Just sort of bumping this topic up since, from what I've been hearing, the Sky passengers should be getting some specific info on the invitation cruise within the next few weeks. As has been mentioned before here, it seems increasingly likely that it almost has to be some sort of Venice to Barcelona itinerary, immediately before the maiden voyage to London. 

Edited July 17, 2019 by gretschwhtfalcon

[OnTheJourney]

Anyone have any further word???  

[JDincalif]

On 8/16/2019 at 8:48 PM, OnTheJourney said:

Anyone have any further word???  

No news yet from the left coast. Eager for details but enjoying the anticipation.

[Haworth]

Nothing from the UK either, not bothered about the final details but would like to get some dates sorted out as I have a busy year in 2020 and need to attend/move an AGM in January.

[OnTheJourney]

Here's something that I suspect all the Sky guests might enjoy seeing....  http://sky.coreysandler.com/a-night-to-remember-viking-sky-from-bergen-to-the-perfect-storm

 

I loved Corey's presentations, and couldn't find anything on his blog about our sailing, and so wrote to him. He sent me the link to it. Interesting info about the entire cruise as well. I will also post it on the Viking Sky Survivors thread. 

[JDincalif]

 

14 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Here's something that I suspect all the Sky guests might enjoy seeing....  

Thanks for seeking this out and sharing it with all of us. 

[OnTheJourney]

Thought it would be interesting. Corey has really good photography too - worth looking at. 

[OnTheJourney]

Talked to Viking today. The information I got regarding out complimentary cruise is that there is no further information available but should be by 2021 (?!)  I then asked her - isn't more likely that we'll hear something by next year?  She said that is very likely. She also mentioned that we'll be informed by email (but I'm betting also by a letter). So that's it for now...the wait continues....

[Heidi13]

I can provide a suggestion as to why Viking are unable to confirm dates at this time. From memory, I believe they have a cruise scheduled from Barcelona in early 2021. The dates for departure shipyard after the build/trials at this time is still a very much an objective, or informed guess.

 

Remember reading that steel cutting for Tellus was 3 or 4 months ago, but don't recall reading about the Venus being started yet. If Venus goes into service in Jan 2021, I would expect the yard to start building the mega blocks shortly, with the keel laying possibly Oct - Dec 2019. Therefore, we could still be a few months until she actually starts construction. Float-out from drydock to the fitting out berth could be April to June of 2020.

 

Therefore, I wouldn't expect confirmation of handover date to owners at least until she goes to the fitting out berth. So it could be late Spring/early summer before you receive confirmed dates.

 

The other consideration is that while the build contract will have a delivery date, most of them also include bonuses for early delivery & penalties for late delivery. While the SY will aim for the delivery date, it can at times be more cost effective to pay delivery penalties than employee overtime to achieve the deadline.

 

All a best guess, but hopefully explains why Viking most likely can't confirm exact dates at this time.

[OnTheJourney]

Thanks for all that....you obviously know a good bit about the processes involved with the shipbuilding, delivery, etc. It all sounds very reasonable and I suspect you're probably right on target with likely not hearing anything till next year. There is a to-be-expected impatience with this since not knowing makes it really hard to book other trips between winter and spring of '21 due to potential interference. 

Edited August 23, 2019 by OnTheJourney

[Heidi13]

21 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Thanks for all that....you obviously know a good bit about the processes involved with the shipbuilding, delivery, etc. It all sounds very reasonable and I suspect you're probably right on target with likely not hearing anything till next year. There is a to-be-expected impatience with this since not knowing makes it really hard to book other trips between winter and spring of '21 due to potential interference. 

Affirmative, took a break from driving ships, spending 5 yrs managing a shipyard.

[OnTheJourney]

So now we know!!!!  Just got the email for the inaugural cruise that pertains to the Sky guests. It is Jan. 18-25, 2021 - Rome to Barcelona. The email said "invitation with details to follow". A bit disappointing in that I was hoping for longer than a week, since I'd rather not pay to fly all the way  to Europe for much less than 2 weeks, so not sure what I'll do with this. Depends on what else is offered with it and also if there are any pre or post-extensions. If not, sort of hesitant to go for just the 7 days. With extensions it could wind up being around 11 days. Another option is to book a B2B - using the cruise immediately after, which is Barcelona to London (Jan. 26 - Feb. 2).  Doing so, however, presents an interesting situation in that the 1/26 sailing is already open to the public and so it'd be likely that Sky guests may very well wind up changing cabins for the 2nd week. Thing to do would be to book that cruise asap so as to guarantee a room. Think I'll wait for the "further details". 

Edited August 28, 2019 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

I don't care for the dates either personally - I try to avoid traveling in the winter if at all possible. Always worry about weather either leaving or returning (let alone during the trip depending on where it is). I wasn't quite as worried about the Sky Northern Lights trip since it was almost mid-March. We did an Antarctica trip in February and I fretted over that for over a year before - thankfully lucked out with nice weather. So January?  I don't know...love the idea of the invitation, but not sure all the worry over it, etc. would really be worth it. I live in a very rural area and our property, during some of these winter storms, can get blasted with snow and create huge drifts in the driveway, so I always have to secure a service that would come over and take care of things. No family close by to do it. 

Edited August 28, 2019 by OnTheJourney

[Liz Masterson]

Lordy...

Its a FREE cruise! 

GO!

 

I’m fairly confident you’ll be glad you did. Carpe diem!

[OnTheJourney]

If it was spring - March / April - I probably wouldn't even hesitate. I'll await the 'further details' and then decide.

[Haworth]

I have to say the we are happy with the dates, timing etc, readily accept the flying to and from London makes the equation much easier.

 

[DGHOC]

7 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

So now we know!!!!  Just got the email for the inaugural cruise that pertains to the Sky guests. It is Jan. 18-25, 2021 - Rome to Barcelona. The email said "invitation with details to follow". A bit disappointing in that I was hoping for longer than a week, since I'd rather not pay to fly all the way  to Europe for much less than 2 weeks, so not sure what I'll do with this. Depends on what else is offered with it and also if there are any pre or post-extensions. If not, sort of hesitant to go for just the 7 days. With extensions it could wind up being around 11 days. Another option is to book a B2B - using the cruise immediately after, which is Barcelona to London (Jan. 26 - Feb. 2).  Doing so, however, presents an interesting situation in that the 1/26 sailing is already open to the public and so it'd be likely that Sky guests may very well wind up changing cabins for the 2nd week. Thing to do would be to book that cruise asap so as to guarantee a room. Think I'll wait for the "further details". 

 

Have you changed your name gretschwhtfalcon, I recognise your 'voice'?

 

I don't know whether you have ever visited either Rome or Barcelona but both cities are utterly fabulous and certainly worth extending this cruise for. I agree with a previous poster, Girona is a wonderful little city and the Salvadore Dali museum close by is a must visit.

I would most certainly recommend winter trips to the Med, we do it a lot. It's not crippling hot, there aren't throngs of tourists so much more civilised and quiet, no queues for galleries, churches and museums and you get a better view of what life is like for the locals. They are always much happier to engage with you when it's quiet, I think they must get mightily fed up with the steaming troops of tourists in the summer when they are trying to go about their everyday lives.

 

The only hot tip would be to pack a telescopic brolly and a rain proof cagoule just in case. The weather is pretty mild in winter in the cities of the western med, unlike the temps we experienced in Norway!

[JDincalif]

We're delighted with the itinerary for the reasons DGHOC described, for the privilege of a complimentary inaugural cruise, and for the opportunity to celebrate with Viking Sky survivors. Hope to see many of you in 2021.

[OnTheJourney]

DGHOC....yeah...it's me. Changed my username for various personal reasons. OK...you and JD have me rethinking (plus I've been reconsidering during today). I've never been anywhere in the Med and so it is an opportunity. The thing I won't do is 'wing it' on my own in any foreign country. If it's with group travel or an extension of a group trip or cruise - fine. So one of the things that would seem a shame is to fly into Rome for this extension, and then not get to see anything in Rome. Also, I've had my eye on a wonderful Italy tour with Tauck for several years already. It'd be great if that could be done in conjunction with this cruise but I doubt that they run it as early as January. Not even sure it ends in Rome - have to check. I'll probably wind up doing this inaugural trip. The chance to do an inaugural cruise of this type is likely a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. All that being said, I'm really not happy with scheduling such a faraway trip during the winter. Not that there is anything to worry about in the Med, but it's the worry over what can happen here in PA that could play havoc with the plans to get to the airport, or back home, or bad weather while we're away. We live in a very remote rural area and so I always have to secure a service to come over and take away any snow that accumulates. There is no family close by to watch over things here. So, if I proceed with booking this, I know I'll worry the entire next year or so as to what will happen with the weather come January. I avoid traveling during the winter if at all possible, save for many a bus trip that's only away for a few days. The Northern Lights wasn't quite as much of a worry (though I did anyway) since it was nearly mid-March, and we did Antarctica in February (worried about that trip a full year and several months after booking it - turns out weather was fine). You get the idea.....   I'll try to talk myself into it and then hope for the best (then likely worry about it for the next 1.5 years or however long. 

[OnTheJourney]

8 hours ago, JDincalif said:

We're delighted with the itinerary for the reasons DGHOC described, for the privilege of a complimentary inaugural cruise, and for the opportunity to celebrate with Viking Sky survivors. Hope to see many of you in 2021.

How do you know what the itinerary is?  Our email didn't have that info. I researched a similar trip that Viking runs from Barcelona to Rome, but no guarantees it'll be the same I suppose. 

[cruisinchrissy]

12 hours ago, DGHOC said:

 

Have you changed your name gretschwhtfalcon, I recognise your 'voice'?

 

I don't know whether you have ever visited either Rome or Barcelona but both cities are utterly fabulous and certainly worth extending this cruise for. I agree with a previous poster, Girona is a wonderful little city and the Salvadore Dali museum close by is a must visit.

I would most certainly recommend winter trips to the Med, we do it a lot. It's not crippling hot, there aren't throngs of tourists so much more civilised and quiet, no queues for galleries, churches and museums and you get a better view of what life is like for the locals. They are always much happier to engage with you when it's quiet, I think they must get mightily fed up with the steaming troops of tourists in the summer when they are trying to go about their everyday lives.

 

The only hot tip would be to pack a telescopic brolly and a rain proof cagoule just in case. The weather is pretty mild in winter in the cities of the western med, unlike the temps we experienced in Norway!

Hi DGHOC ,

Great to hear from you. I agree with your thoughts on the Med in Jan too.

sounds like a fabulous opportunity.

We are looking forward to it !!

[cruisinchrissy]

9 hours ago, JDincalif said:

We're delighted with the itinerary for the reasons DGHOC described, for the privilege of a complimentary inaugural cruise, and for the opportunity to celebrate with Viking Sky survivors. Hope to see many of you in 2021.

Well said. Hope to see you too .