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

[Heidi13]

7 hours ago, photopro2 said:

That is fabulous news; almost like leaving your private yacht to board your private jet 😁 🛩️ Ok.....I know that it will be quite a big plane really but you get the point!

In fact I am a bit of an aviation geek so would love to hear about the aircraft, route etc when you are home and have had chance to rest.

Thanks again for taking us along for the ride. Safe travels!!!!!

Will do. The flight from Dubai to Seattle departs and heads almost due North, going right over the pole. Unless we are stopping for refueling, my best guess is a B-777, B-787 or A-350

 

Once we get home, I can confirm.

[Insanityx4]

We did the same route from Dubai to SFO over the pole, the weird part was that it was daylight the entire way, all 16 hours!

[Mich3554]

Emirates flies the route Dubai to Seattle.  It is 14 butt numbing hours that goes over the pole.  We did this a few years ago, no refueling.

[Heidi13]

Viking booked every single remaining business seat on all flights to N/America. However, Emirates stop flying today, so no more flights.

 

Viking has chartered an A-330, which is currently sitting in Dubai, but the local authorities require additional documentation, which is delaying our disembarkation. We are confirmed as spending another night on board Viking Sun and hope to disembark tomorrow about 18:30.

 

The Magical Mystery Cruise continues.

[Nippy Sweetie]

What a ghastly end to what promised to be a wonderful cruise. Hanging about waiting for planes and wondering how it will be back home must be very stressful. Good luck with it all. Soon you'll be home sweet home. 

[DaveSJ711]

46 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

Viking booked every single remaining business seat on all flights to N/America. However, Emirates stop flying today, so no more flights.

 

 

Did Viking book every economy seat, too, or did the company conclude there was no demand for the "cheap seats"? 

[stretchcruz]

Oh my gosh Andy!! Sorry you are in limbo, and safe travels back. I hope they don't make you get off at 2 AM or some such nonsense!!!☺️

[Heidi13]

10 hours ago, stretchcruz said:

Oh my gosh Andy!! Sorry you are in limbo, and safe travels back. I hope they don't make you get off at 2 AM or some such nonsense!!!☺️

We all got a night's sleep aboard, although we had to change cabin, as our cabin had already been stripped for deep cleaning.

 

Just heading to breakfast. Expect to receive an update from Beven within the hour.

 

Last night they opened Manfredi's and the Pool Grill for dinner, at short notice. Breakfast and lunch today in MDR.

[Islandbc]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

We all got a night's sleep aboard, although we had to change cabin, as our cabin had already been stripped for deep cleaning.

 

Just heading to breakfast. Expect to receive an update from Beven within the hour.

 

Last night they opened Manfredi's and the Pool Grill for dinner, at short notice. Breakfast and lunch today in MDR.

Hope that you are in the air and on your way home by the time we wake up in beautiful B.C.  Safe travels.  Hope to welcome you home soon.

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, Islandbc said:

Hope that you are in the air and on your way home by the time we wake up in beautiful B.C.  Safe travels.  Hope to welcome you home soon.

Thanks Janet - while life aboard is excellent and we really don't want it to end, I think most, if not al,l want to get on the plane for closure.

[Heidi13]

We received an update from Beven, with no new news. Still working with the local authorities, similar to the experience in Indonesia.

 

However, the Magical Mystery Cruise now has about 85 pax and 425 crew. Therefore, the pax/galley crew ratio is now about 1:1, so aboard our private yacht, each of us has a personal chef preparing our meals, as we await our private jet. 😁

 

 

[photopro2]

aboard our private yacht, each of us has a personal chef preparing our meals, as we await our private jet. [emoji16]

Love it!

Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using Forums mobile app

[Heidi13]

During dinner this evening, the Financial Officer came around the ship to find all 8 of us Canadians and invite us to a meeting in Chef's Table.

 

Viking has had a charter flight arranged for a number of days to take all of us home, but Governments are involved, so the process hasn't gone rather smoothly. Apparently the problem was the 8 Canadians landing at a US airport.

 

Therefore, while our Governments obviously can't get the job done, we must sadly say goodbye to our many US friends aboard the Viking Sun. They depart the ship at 22:30 for the airport, where they will fly home on the Viking Charter flight.

 

This amazing ship will shortly be down to 8 passengers, while Viking tries to find a way of getting us home. 

[Hanoj]

2 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

During dinner this evening, the Financial Officer came around the ship to find all 8 of us Canadians and invite us to a meeting in Chef's Table.

 

Viking has had a charter flight arranged for a number of days to take all of us home, but Governments are involved, so the process hasn't gone rather smoothly. Apparently the problem was the 8 Canadians landing at a US airport.

 

Therefore, while our Governments obviously can't get the job done, we must sadly say goodbye to our many US friends aboard the Viking Sun. They depart the ship at 22:30 for the airport, where they will fly home on the Viking Charter flight.

 

This amazing ship will shortly be down to 8 passengers, while Viking tries to find a way of getting us home. 

Have you asked about permanent residency aboard the ship? Could be worse outcomes. This is an interesting possibility. Might Viking offer timeshare type arrangements where folk could live on a ship as a second residence for part of the year? Perhaps this is already what a WC or longer segment is like. But, I'm thinking about a situation where "residents" wouldn't be compensated for disruptions to itineraries. It would be like staying at certain resorts where some have ownership or timeshare interests and others are public guests.

 

I applaud your attitude of gratitude. It's an example to us all. Be well.

[Heidi13]

3 minutes ago, Hanoj said:

Have you asked about permanent residency aboard the ship? Could be worse outcomes. This is an interesting possibility. Might Viking offer timeshare type arrangements where folk could live on a ship as a second residence for part of the year? Perhaps this is already what a WC or longer segment is like. But, I'm thinking about a situation where "residents" wouldn't be compensated for disruptions to itineraries. It would be like staying at certain resorts where some have ownership or timeshare interests and others are public guests.

 

I applaud your attitude of gratitude. It's an example to us all. Be well.

I asked about signing on Articles, but don't have my Certificate of Competency. With this crazy world, in all reality, we have no idea how long we will be aboard - could be days, weeks or even months.

 

At present, we are heading to the gangway to bid those leaving a safe flight home. The crew better have a supply of Kleenex on hand.

 

Tomorrow will be a new day and we can start to focus on our situation and the potential options, remembering that aboard this great ship we are very safe and healthy.

[aungrl]

Wow! I’m sure it’s disconcerting to have ongoing uncertainty, but it’s comforting to know that you’re in such good hands.  I hope your daughter won’t be too worried.  As you’ve been saying, you couldn’t be anywhere safer or more comfortable.  Good luck, and we’ll all look forward to hearing “what happens next”.

[Hanoj]

19 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

I asked about signing on Articles, but don't have my Certificate of Competency. With this crazy world, in all reality, we have no idea how long we will be aboard - could be days, weeks or even months.

 

 

 

I'm a practicing CPA. I have sufficient credible evidence to certify your competency. 

[Jukebo1x]

Crazy as this may sound, I see 2 options:

Canadian Government plane or ...you 8 complete the WC on The Sun...
just brainstorming...not making jokes

 

[vnb2003]

23 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

I asked about signing on Articles, but don't have my Certificate of Competency. With this crazy world, in all reality, we have no idea how long we will be aboard - could be days, weeks or even months.

 

At present, we are heading to the gangway to bid those leaving a safe flight home. The crew better have a supply of Kleenex on hand.

 

Tomorrow will be a new day and we can start to focus on our situation and the potential options, remembering that aboard this great ship we are very safe and healthy.

My 🎩 is off to you and Viking!

 

I’m sure Viking will find a good solution. Meanwhile enjoy great company and beautiful ship. Wishing all WC safe flight home.

[Jim Avery]

Andy, I envy y’all possibly spending the duration of these strange times on board the beautiful, virus free Viking Sun. There’s a book in there somewhere.🍺🍺😎

[SantaFe1]

26 minutes ago, Jukebo1x said:

Crazy as this may sound, I see 2 options:

Canadian Government plane or ...you 8 complete the WC on The Sun...
just brainstorming...not making jokes

 

These were exactly my thoughts.  But then what about the 400+ crew and officers, none of whom are US citizens, I wouldn’t think.  Any idea of when the Sun will depart Dubai and where it is going?  Still London Tilbury?

[stretchcruz]

Oh my gosh! I saw that Beven's wife had to get off and is back in Australia. Sure hope that they figure something out for you.

[Heidi13]

Well our US friends departed the ship at 22:30, with 6 of us forming an honour guard with the crew wishing them a safe flight.

 

Viking Sun departs Dubai at 06:00, bound for the Suez Canal. We have a meeting with GM tomorrow AM to discuss how the ship will operate.

[stretchcruz]

Holy moly!!! Now you are going to the Suez Canal. This is the most unbelievable cruise ever. Sending good thoughts your way.

[Clay Clayton]

Wow! Now it really is a personal yacht. If none of the 8 was booked into the Owner’s Suite perhaps you suggest they cycle the remaining guests through it.