Ultimate World Cruise 245 days and all the parts. Ongoing review, questions, opinion

[Jim Avery]

5 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

If I had 2 guesses for watering holes you would visit in Dublin, The Temple Bar would definitely have been one of them. Haven't tried the Brazen Head before, so on the list for the next visit.

Haha, takes an old sailor to know an old sailor..🍺

[Hanoj]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

If I had 2 guesses for watering holes you would visit in Dublin, The Temple Bar would definitely have been one of them. Haven't tried the Brazen Head before, so on the list for the next visit.

 

When in Dublin, the Brazen Head should be your first "port of call."

 

http://www.brazenhead.com/

[NY Nick]

Just found this page Jim.  Great content, thanks.

[NY Nick]

7 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Got our 

magnetic maps last night. The same maps from the Inaugural WC was our very favorite souvenir from that trip

Please share a pic.

 

[Jim Avery]

[Jim Avery]

A giant fridge magnet with a silver magnetic pin currently set on Dublin..🍺🍺🍺

[Cyber Kat]

12 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

I would love it if Viking sold these on all the itineraries!  I've often thought about getting a magnetic travel map.  I'd buy one if they sold them!

 

[Bridget2010]

On 8/30/2019 at 4:21 PM, Tom.in.nc said:

Hi, Clay.  I see we all made it back fro Barcelona after out fine TA crossing.

We are considering the Viking Hong Kong to Alaska for 2021.

Tom and Sylvia 

Hey Tom & Sylvia

We signed up for that cruise just before leaving home. It already has an active roll call. Come join us.

Connie

[TrulyBlonde]

Cheers Jim....Enjoy your trip

[NY Nick]

3 hours ago, Hanoj said:

 

When in Dublin, the Brazen Head should be your first "port of call."

 

http://www.brazenhead.com/

 

[NY Nick]

3 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

A giant fridge magnet with a silver magnetic pin currently set on Dublin..🍺🍺🍺

 

That's outstanding.  We've got a few maps going already.  Perfect for our "gallery".

The US map has 280+ pins, plus all the "thread" lines were cross-county road trips, including one Amtrak cross-country as well.  We're trying to improve our World map with this trip.

[Jim Avery]

As a FYI for us shipmates, the remnants of Hurricane Dorian are due north of Scotland sometime next week.  Hoping we will be tucked into some port somewhere but Scotland, Bergen, Faeroes are all coming up in a week or less.  I have heard a ginger martini helps....🍸

[Clay Clayton]

Jim at the rate Dorian is moving, you may very well be off the ship before he gets to Scotland.  My poor brother in Charleston SC has been stuck at home since Sunday and it’s finally getting there later tonight...maybe. 

Edited September 5, 2019 by Clay Clayton

[Jim Avery]

Liverpool today.  A very convenient port as we docked city center on the Mersey River.  Much Beatles related activity of course so we naturally took the Beatles Experience tour.  Started at the Albert Docks at the Beatles Museum.  Interesting but if you expect a Graceland type experience you will be disappointed.  Our guide and coach driver, Paul and Mark, were excellent.  Paul provided lots of interesting commentary but not too much.  How many of us have been stuck on a coach with guides that NEVER SHUT UP!!!  So we appreciated the balance of his commentary with Beatles music.  We went by all the pertinent Fab 4 related homes, schools, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields and of course the Cavern Club.  In all we really enjoyed it.  Went back to the Albert Dock for a pub lunch (and a few pints) at the Pumphouse Pub.  Food and pints were very good and a short scenic stroll back to Viking Sun.  Shopping, if needed, is very close to the ships dock as well.  In all, Liverpool is a great port call.  

[Jim Avery]

2 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Jim at the rate Dorian is moving, you may very well be off the ship before he gets to Scotland.  My poor brother in Charleston SC has been stuck at home since Sunday and it’s finally getting there later tonight...maybe. 

Right on Clay.  Have you ever seen such a storm simply stop over the Bahamas?  Those poor people.  Haven't seen many pictures yet but it was bad.  Having lived in the Florida Panhandle for 35 years I feel their pain.  Many times directly hit and lots of sideswipes.  But Weather Underground forecasts show the remnants somewhere near North of Scotland next Tuesday.  Someone thinks it is going to get into gear at some point.  One thing about going to sea... weather happens.🍸

[Clay Clayton]

Yes, it’s just awful in the Bahamas. Video below  

 

[Hanoj]

1 hour ago, Jim Avery said:

Right on Clay.  Have you ever seen such a storm simply stop over the Bahamas?  Those poor people.  Haven't seen many pictures yet but it was bad.  Having lived in the Florida Panhandle for 35 years I feel their pain.  Many times directly hit and lots of sideswipes.  But Weather Underground forecasts show the remnants somewhere near North of Scotland next Tuesday.  Someone thinks it is going to get into gear at some point.  One thing about going to sea... weather happens.🍸

 

Not alleging anything since I have no expertise in weather modification (though there is extensive history - even Leonardo Da Vinci's notes included ideas for such), but this image and Jim's observation makes me wonder about possible explanations.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Hanoj
typo

[Geosez]

Jim - Re the panhandle, my first thought when we started seeing pictures like that above was “Gee, kind of looks like Mexico Beach.”  Parts of that area still look like that almost a year later.  Talk about the “Forgotten Coast”!

Ha!  Ginger martini!  With a twist of green apple, I suppose?

[Liz Masterson]

Ginger martini?! Oh my! 🍸 

[TayanaLorna]

5 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

As a FYI for us shipmates, the remnants of Hurricane Dorian are due north of Scotland sometime next week.  Hoping we will be tucked into some port somewhere but Scotland, Bergen, Faeroes are all coming up in a week or less.  I have heard a ginger martini helps....🍸

 NHC 5pm report AST today has Dorian at 56.0 N and 45.5 W in 96 hours with 60 mph winds and dissapated at 120 hours.  Going over Nova Scotia and Newfoundland as a Cat 1 or 2 hurricane Saturday into Sunday.  You all will still be on the other side of the Pond.

[brownblonde]

8 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Liverpool today.  A very convenient port as we docked city center on the Mersey River.  Much Beatles related activity of course so we naturally took the Beatles Experience tour.  Started at the Albert Docks at the Beatles Museum.  Interesting but if you expect a Graceland type experience you will be disappointed.  Our guide and coach driver, Paul and Mark, were excellent.  Paul provided lots of interesting commentary but not too much.  How many of us have been stuck on a coach with guides that NEVER SHUT UP!!!  So we appreciated the balance of his commentary with Beatles music.  We went by all the pertinent Fab 4 related homes, schools, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields and of course the Cavern Club.  In all we really enjoyed it.  Went back to the Albert Dock for a pub lunch (and a few pints) at the Pumphouse Pub.  Food and pints were very good and a short scenic stroll back to Viking Sun.  Shopping, if needed, is very close to the ships dock as well.  In all, Liverpool is a great port call.  

We had a great guide with 4 of us, always liked the Beatles but really learn so much about them after that tour. 

[Jim Avery]

8 hours ago, TayanaLorna said:

 NHC 5pm report AST today has Dorian at 56.0 N and 45.5 W in 96 hours with 60 mph winds and dissapated at 120 hours.  Going over Nova Scotia and Newfoundland as a Cat 1 or 2 hurricane Saturday into Sunday.  You all will still be on the other side of the Pond.

Saw the computer models on the Weather Underground and it shows the remnants crossing the pond as they often do.  Naturally it won't be a hurricane, just crummy weather.

[Jim Avery]

Greetings from chilly, drizzly Scotland.  As high winds caused our scheduled stop in Holyhead, Wales, to be cancelled, Viking managed on short notice to put together a stop at Greenock with several tours to Glasgow and district.  The area of Wales was full of historic areas but the tour of Glasgow was interesting and well done given the timing.  The ship has been riding very well with no excessive motion.  I think the type of stabilizers on the Sun  work nicely.  Chengkp75 would know more about the type and engineering involved so maybe we shall hear from him.  I was just a lowly boat driver.  But then my favorite bartenderess refers to me as Captain every time I show up.  Tells others I am the "spare Captain" in case of need.  The crew continues to be great and a few favorites from the Inaugural as well as this cruise are leaving in Bergen.  A good number of passengers seem to be leaving in Bergen as well.  Guess we will have some new troops arriving.  🍸

Edited September 6, 2019 by Jim Avery

[Tom.in.nc]

Baking scones with famed Irish chef Catherine Fulvio.

(See NetFlix show: Lords and Ladles)

[Tom.in.nc]

Some photos from our tour to Wales