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

[DaveSJ711]

33 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

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. 

 

Eight Canadians left on a Viking cruise ship.  The mind boggles.

Edited March 25, 2020 by DaveSJ711

[Jim Avery]

37 minutes ago, DaveSJ711 said:

 

Eight Canadians left on a Viking cruise ship.  The mind boggles.

Each couple can have their own bar. 🍸

[MadMarine]

1 hour ago, DaveSJ711 said:

 

Eight Canadians left on a Viking cruise ship.  The mind boggles.

Dut, dut, dah, di, dut..  Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale
a tale of a fateful trip,.....  fair winds and following seas to our awesome, intrepid Canadian sailors!

Mad

[odblnt]

Wow. This is the topic without end. Just like some of those down in "Floataway Lounge."

 

We're supposed to be on the Sun in October (Good Lord willing) and we're looking forward to seeing the accommodations.

 

Waiting for your next chapter.

 

Pete

[SantaFe1]

1 hour ago, MadMarine said:

Dut, dut, dah, di, dut..  Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale
a tale of a fateful trip,.....  fair winds and following seas to our awesome, intrepid Canadian sailors!

Mad

Oh, Mad.  A “three hour tour.”  LOL. Sad to miss Spain with you!!

Edited March 26, 2020 by SantaFe1

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

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. 

All of us were offered Explorer Suites, but at Guest Services last night Judi was tentatively offered 7001. However, we might actually prefer a fwd or aft facing cabin, provided we have reasonably smooth sailing.

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Each couple can have their own bar. 🍸

So true Jim, not only do we have personal Chefs, now we have personal bartenders & wine stewards 😁🍺

 

However, at 🍷 tasting this afternoon, we will all have to share the 1 and only Sommelier.😊🥂

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, odblnt said:

Wow. This is the topic without end. Just like some of those down in "Floataway Lounge."

 

We're supposed to be on the Sun in October (Good Lord willing) and we're looking forward to seeing the accommodations.

 

Waiting for your next chapter.

 

Pete

This is an amazing ship & crew. However, the crew are stuck aboard, as we are, so many of them are entering extended contracts. When we finally reach a port where we can disembark, hopefully the crew will also get off, but they will have extra leave due. Therefore, many crew may be on leave by October.

 

Even if the current crew are on leave, Viking have amazing hiring practices, and seem to always get the best crews.

[stcroixguy]

Heidi13 , thank you for the continued update.  While this has been an interesting journey and I have enjoyed lurking here, I’m sure home will be a good sight.  Best of luck.  Viking is a class act and continues to impress with how they take care of their passengers. We have two future cruises booked, the first in September. I’m wondering if the world will be settled by then. 

[Dukefan]

Heidi13,

 

I have looked forward to your posts every day for the last month.   Your cruise has been a pleasure to experience with you via the cruise critic board at a time when so many other pleasures are on hold.

 

Thank you!!!

 

DukeFan 

[Liz Masterson]

WOW... crazy times... wishing you all a safe journey!

 

[stretchcruz]

15 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

All of us were offered Explorer Suites, but at Guest Services last night Judi was tentatively offered 7001. However, we might actually prefer a fwd or aft facing cabin, provided we have reasonably smooth sailing.

Is 7001 the Owner's Suite??

Where did you end up. I'd be thrilled with an Explorer Suite!

Do you all eat in Manfredi's? Or how are they handling the food? 

What a crazy ride.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Wow, I really impressed with Viking.  Enjoy that big cabin, whatever one you choose.  I'm wondering where you'll end up, and how will get home.  Oceania Marina made it back to Miami apparently, from South America where she was denied landing.  I'm wondering what happens to the Canadian pax onboard that ship.  Not a pretty sight.  It's made news here because one of the passengers is former Toronto mayor and senator, Art Eggleton. 

[odblnt]

8 hours ago, stretchcruz said:

Is 7001 the Owner's Suite??

Where did you end up. I'd be thrilled with an Explorer Suite!

Do you all eat in Manfredi's? Or how are they handling the food? 

What a crazy ride.

Just looked at the deck plan, and 7001 IS the Owner's Suite.😲

[OnTheJourney]

Enough with playing musical cabins. It's great and all, but....let's just please get everyone home for safety's sake. What's the hold up?  Just read that there are like 30 cruise ships still out there somewhere? Why?  

Edited March 27, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[Wendy The Wanderer]

10 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Just read that there are like 30 cruise ships still out there somewhere? Why?  

 

Because no ports want them, and the ports' countries don't want the occupants of the ships, and the local airports aren't flying, and countries don't want non-citizens.

[CharTrav]

I thought everybody got off the ship in Dubai. Is it still underway with passengers?

[CharTrav]

Just finished reading the posts over the past week. Brought tears. I feel for the 8 who got left behind and the crew who I know are making your "bed of rocks" as pleasant as can be. For one, you know you will remain virus free. And kudos to Viking for being the only cruise line as far as I can tell who was able to successfully get nearly all its passengers home  As another poster mentioned, there are another 30 ships out there sailing around like the flying Dutchman. 

[DaveSJ711]

10 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Enough with playing musical cabins. It's great and all, but....let's just please get everyone home for safety's sake. What's the hold up?  Just read that there are like 30 cruise ships still out there somewhere? Why?  

 

Each country is looking after its own interests.  That's understandable at one level and regrettable at another.

 

Whether we like it or not, cruise ships - including Viking ships - are now perceived as floating Petri dishes.  Just look at the Zaandam, and before that the Costa Luminosa, and before that the Grand Princess, and before that the Diamond Princess, and before that the Westerdam.  These debacles are cumulative.  They will have a lasting and negative impact on the cruise industry.

Edited March 28, 2020 by DaveSJ711

[CharTrav]

14 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Enough with playing musical cabins. It's great and all, but....let's just please get everyone home for safety's sake. What's the hold up?  Just read that there are like 30 cruise ships still out there somewhere? Why?  

Good question and observation. 👍🏼

[CharTrav]

3 hours ago, DaveSJ711 said:

 

Each country is looking after its own interests.  That's understandable at one level and regrettable at another.

 

Whether we like it or not, cruise ships - including Viking ships - are now perceived as floating Petri dishes.  Just look at the Zaandam, and before that the Costa Luminosa, and before that the Grand Princess, and before that the Diamond Princess, and before that the Westerdam.  These debacles are cumulative.  They will have a lasting and negative impact on the cruise industry.

But let's not forget or ignore the great job Viking has done. That none of the passengers on any of their ships contracted covid-19. That speaks volumes to the great job they've done. Other cruise ships may be floating Petri dishes but none of the Viking ships. None.  

[DaveSJ711]

3 minutes ago, CharTrav said:

But let's not forget or ignore the great job Viking has done. That none of the passengers on any of their ships contracted covid-19. That speaks volumes to the great job they've done. Other cruise ships may be floating Petri dishes but none of the Viking ships. None.  

I‘m not “forgetting” or “ignoring” the job Viking has done.  Nor did I say that Viking ships are in fact Petri dishes.  I simply commented that, due to recent and well-publicized debacles involving other lines (including the ongoing crisis involving the Zaandam), the cruise industry has been tarred with a very broad brush.  Like it or not, cruise ships in general are now perceived as Petri dishes.  That was my point.

[CharTrav]

Totally agree with your point but wanted to express my frustration with how Viking’s ships unfortunately get painted with the same brush as the ones who IMHO deserve it. Viking definitely does not. 

Edited March 28, 2020 by CharTrav

[Captain_Morgan]

5 hours ago, CharTrav said:

Totally agree with your point but wanted to express my frustration with how Viking’s ships unfortunately get painted with the same brush as the ones who IMHO deserve it. Viking definitely does not. 

 

Sadly, cruise ships  in general ARE a form of petri dish irrespective of the amount paid to use them or number of people onboard.  Anytime you've got a dense concentration of people in a contained environment for a prolonged period of time you're ultimately risking transmission of any contagious property be it a cold, flu, norovirus, or in this case coronavirus.  

Viking is not unique because they've not reported cases as there are plenty of other lines who are 'clean' but its those with the current issues that make the news, and ultimately the industry in general is going to be reeling for a good while because of this.

[Jim Avery]

I am hoping some good comes from this.  Possible limits to crowding on ships and planes (one can dream) or for sure developing better air filtration and circulation systems for the sealed environments. Just like most of us, the "brain trusts" at the various travel lines are sitting around doing a lot of thinking.   I hope some better practices develop.  Time will tell.