Live! Viking Venus : Western Med Escape Oct 12-18

[Azulann]

Background

My first cruise was  11 days in the Western Med. on the Celebrity Century, in an inside cabin. 

My overwhelming reaction was pure joy.

It was the perspective of seeing land from the water on a deck of the ship. The landscapes, the mountains, towns, large and small were a delight.  

All this from the deck of a ship on the water. The same sea that  the Phoenicians , Greeks, Romans, North African sailed, viewing the landscape from past eras.

I have cruised  in the Med on an additional 4  cruises.

Now number 5...

 

Viking Venus

The newest ship the the Viking fleet began it journey in the time of COVD while we were all locked down in 2020-2021.

It was built for all of us who love to cruise to enjoy.  Here is  how it happens.

 

https://viking.tv/tv/this-week-on-viking-tv/mondays/journey-of-a-ship-the-viking-venus-story

 

 

[Azulann]

Viking Venus : the naming of the ship with an artistic event.

 

https://viking.tv/tv/this-week-on-viking-tv/tuesdays/alastair-miller-in-conversation-with-artist-daniel-wurtzel

 

Never heard of Daniel Wurtzel. But I was brough to tears watching this art event on the Viking Venus last summer.  This interview got me thinking  about how art and the use of technology can be  so creative.

 

I love Viking  cruises not only for their unique design , and Scandinavian understatement of good taste,,  but their  commitment to history, art and food of the various destinations. 

 

Be sure to do the self guided  tour of the ship's art work  found the Viking Voyage app.

Cheers!

 

Patti

 

[Louhut1]

Looking forward to following along with you.   Have a great time!

Louise

[Peregrina651]

Bon voyage to you all! Looking forward to your reports.

[Azulann]

Packing  Day 

Almost done and will zip the suitcase after dinner from Panera. I have a clean empty frig.

I will bring one free checked suitcase , 25 inches and a purse and nylon zippered bag to carry on plane. I not doing overhead carryons anymore. 

Have  my folio of all printed out documents . No book , just a magazine and my iPhone. Hope there are some good movies on the overnight flight . 
I do love that Viking ships have free laundry rooms with irons. Makes it easier for  less clothes to bring. Also they do having pressing and dry cleaning  for a fee. Way to use some OBC. 
our roll call is  all ready too. Everyone got the negative test results! 
 

cheers!

 

Patti
 

[aungrl]

1 hour ago, Azulann said:

Packing  Day 

Almost done and will zip the suitcase after dinner from Panera. I have a clean empty frig.

I will bring one free checked suitcase , 25 inches and a purse and nylon zippered bag to carry on plane. I not doing overhead carryons anymore. 

Have  my folio of all printed out documents . No book , just a magazine and my iPhone. Hope there are some good movies on the overnight flight . 
I do love that Viking ships have free laundry rooms with irons. Makes it easier for  less clothes to bring. Also they do having pressing and dry cleaning  for a fee. Way to use some OBC. 
our roll call is  all ready too. Everyone got the negative test results! 
 

cheers!

 

Patti
 

Have a wonderful trip!!!!

[Azulann]

Just finished breakfast at MSP. 
For check in United guy looked at my vac card , EU barcode on form  and latest negative covid test. 
he also said Viking  is a class act! They chartered the newest plane of LF for our flight to Malta according to him.

My Mantra today is slow and easy , one step at a a time…. 
 

[stcroixguy]

I look forward to following you on your trip.  As we fly out of msp, I am curious, where did you get your Covid test and how long did it take?

happy journey

[Azulann]

18 minutes ago, stcroixguy said:

I look forward to following you on your trip.  As we fly out of msp, I am curious, where did you get your Covid test and how long did it take?

happy journey

I live in St. Paul. Got my covid test through Valley Medical. Paid $119.00 but got the results with in 24 hrs. It is drive through in Mpls , and Woodbury . They also have saliva test at Airport parking ramp B. This is through Vault and state. Of MN. It is free but can take up to two days  . 

[Azulann]

Sitting in the Lufthansa lounge , relaxing having run the gauntlet of EWR airport and terminals. Nice couple from MN on my first flight . It will be their first cruise . They will be spoiled after the biking. Emus. 
whole group of folks II lounge goin on a River  cruise in Portugal. 
travel day is always full of surprises both good and not so good. 
BTW , the N95 mask will

probably kill me in my sleep on the plane . It is so tight I can hardly breathe. But in the LF lounge you can wear cloth masks or nothin when you are eating and drinking .

 

look forward to meeting other cruisers at the gate in about 2 hrs , including the rest of my party who are in the air right now 

[FlyerTalker]

For everyone's info - on Lufthansa flights, as well as inside German airports, it is a German government requirement that "medical masks" be worn.  This covers the common "blue paper" masks, as well as those with "95" designations.  Other types of cloth or neoprene masks are not allowed per German law.

 

Since the LH lounge at EWR is on USA soil, that requirement is non-applicable.

[Clay Clayton]

Have a GREAT cruise!

[Azulann]

Travel Day ends ! 
let’s just say it is no fun wearing a mask on a 8 hr flight . Nice plane, great on board viewing options  . Only got 1 hr of sleep. 
getting to old for these long flights.

 

 

 

[Azulann]

Viking Venus in Malta !

View from our aft balcony . 
In  Malta  and Spain we can wander around on our own. In Italy we have be in Viking excursion.

dinner at 8pm with two lectures late this afternoon and movie under the stars .

i will be sound asleep by 10 pm 

 

 

 

Edited October 12, 2021 by Azulann
Picture upside down

[FlyerTalker]

43 minutes ago, Azulann said:

Travel Day ends ! 
let’s just say it is no fun wearing a mask on a 8 hr flight . Nice plane, great on board viewing options  . Only got 1 hr of sleep. 
getting to old for these long flights.

 

For those who can't seem to sleep on TATL red-eyes, there is another option.

 

Both Delta/Virgin Atlantic and American/British Airways offer daytime flights between JFK and LHR.  So you can fly during the time when you would normally be awake.

 

A provision in the connection rules for international flights means that you can have a "connection" that lasts up to 24 hours, rather than the much shorter time for domestic connects.

 

Now, this does stretch out your travel times, but eliminates the red-eye.  For example, you could fly from anywhere in the USA to New York and stay the night.  Or from the east coast, go in the same morning.  Then catch a flight the next morning to LHR and stay overnight at an airport hotel.  Then, go to your onward destination the next morning.  Yes - a couple of hotel nights and more days in transit.  But for those who are retired and get beat up by the red-eyes, it lets you get a good night's sleep in a real hotel bed and a better jump on beating the jet lag.

 

If anyone wants more info, just post a reply and I can explain more.

[TayanaLorna]

50 minutes ago, Azulann said:

Viking Venus in Malta !

View from our aft balcony . 
In  Malta  and Spain we can wander around on our own. In Italy we have be in Viking excursion.

dinner at 8pm with two lectures late this afternoon and movie under the stars .

i will be sound asleep by 10 pm 

 

 

 

That is good news to hear re wandering on own in Spain.  Enjoy.

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

For those who can't seem to sleep on TATL red-eyes, there is another option.

 

Both Delta/Virgin Atlantic and American/British Airways offer daytime flights between JFK and LHR.  So you can fly during the time when you would normally be awake.

 

A provision in the connection rules for international flights means that you can have a "connection" that lasts up to 24 hours, rather than the much shorter time for domestic connects.

 

Now, this does stretch out your travel times, but eliminates the red-eye.  For example, you could fly from anywhere in the USA to New York and stay the night.  Or from the east coast, go in the same morning.  Then catch a flight the next morning to LHR and stay overnight at an airport hotel.  Then, go to your onward destination the next morning.  Yes - a couple of hotel nights and more days in transit.  But for those who are retired and get beat up by the red-eyes, it lets you get a good night's sleep in a real hotel bed and a better jump on beating the jet lag.

 

If anyone wants more info, just post a reply and I can explain more.

Thanks!   We actually tried to do this before and were able to do so if we booked directly with the airlines (from the West Coast to UK).  However, if we used Viking Air, they did not permit this.  They said that these overnight connections were not part of the contract with the airlines.  So it may depend on the specific itineraries, dates, times, and contracts which can and does change all the time these days.

[FlyerTalker]

47 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Thanks!   We actually tried to do this before and were able to do so if we booked directly with the airlines (from the West Coast to UK).  However, if we used Viking Air, they did not permit this.  They said that these overnight connections were not part of the contract with the airlines.  So it may depend on the specific itineraries, dates, times, and contracts which can and does change all the time these days.

 

All the more reason NOT to use cruiseline arranged air.

[les37b]

Just speaking with friends on with you.... They asked a barman who said there were approx 550 onboard and 150 from UK.....

 

Sound right? They are living it so far.

[Azulann]

8 hours ago, les37b said:

Just speaking with friends on with you.... They asked a barman who said there were approx 550 onboard and 150 from UK.....

 

Sound right? They are living it so far.

Yes, it is so nice to hear the British accent again ! Meanwhile , a new friend from our roll call said to me “ I love your Minnesotan accent “yesterday .😎

[Azulann]

A day in Malta

 

This  is want greeted us  from our aft balcony this morning 

 

Edited October 13, 2021 by Azulann
Upload video

[Azulann]

MSC C glided past us 

Edited October 13, 2021 by Azulann

[Heidi13]

The sail in/out of Valletta Harbour is spectacular. Enjoy, and hoping to see more great photos.

[Islandbc]

21 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

Thanks!   We actually tried to do this before and were able to do so if we booked directly with the airlines (from the West Coast to UK).  However, if we used Viking Air, they did not permit this.  They said that these overnight connections were not part of the contract with the airlines.  So it may depend on the specific itineraries, dates, times, and contracts which can and does change all the time these days.

We were also told by Viking Air that we could not book an overnight connection from the west coast of Canada to FLL.  The inability to find a reasonable flight and the difficult timing issues with PCR tests resulted in the cancellation of our Panama cruise scheduled for Nov.

[FlyerTalker]

One more note regarding making overnight connections:

 

This "gimmick" utilizes the 24 hour rule for connections, thus allowing for a "through" fare from origin to destination.  When you exceed the allowable connection time, you "break" the fare - meaning you now have two one-way segments added together rather than a single price from start to finish.  This can be significant.  For example, doing this with LAX-JFK-LHR-BCN, you would only pay the through fare LAX-BCN as long as you stay within the allowed connection times.  If you exceed the 24 hour allocation, you "break" the pricing into segments - say you stay 2 days in London, you now would pay LAX-LHR plus LHR-BCN.

 

One can even utilize this trick with red-eye flights from the east coast.  All that's required is that you arrive within 24 hours of your onward flight.  So, let's say you have a 5pm departure across the Atlantic.  As long as you arrive at the USA gateway AFTER 5pm on the previous day, you don't "break" the fare.  So one could run into Manhattan, see a play, stay in a hotel with a good dinner and then leave the next day - all without any increase in the ticket cost.