LIVE from the Viking Neptune World Cruise includes FTL and LA

[cruising denise]

On 12/27/2023 at 8:35 AM, Kountess said:

I cannot seem to find the link to your blog.  I'd love to follow along since we'll be on the Sky next year for the WC.

Hello!  Like Steve and Debby, we are on the Sky.  Our blog is at:

 

https://eddieanddeniseworldcruise.blogspot.com/

[Kountess]

1 minute ago, cruising denise said:

Hello!  Like Steve and Debby, we are on the Sky.  Our blog is at:

 

https://eddieanddeniseworldcruise.blogspot.com/

I did find your blog earlier, and I am enjoying both yours and Steve and Debby's immensely!  I may not comment, but rest assured that I appreciate your posts and the effort that goes into keeping up a blog.  I am getting lots of tips that I will refer to as I plan for our world cruise.

[Jim Avery]

Made it! Back home in 4046. Ship looking great. More to come 

[Liz Masterson]

3 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Made it! Back home in 4046. Ship looking great. More to come 

Oh HURRAH! I look forward to your posts!

[Clay Clayton]

3 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Made it! Back home in 4046. Ship looking great. More to come 

Wish we were all on the same ship. Maybe 2029?

[cruising denise]

On 1/8/2024 at 5:45 PM, Kountess said:

I did find your blog earlier, and I am enjoying both yours and Steve and Debby's immensely!  I may not comment, but rest assured that I appreciate your posts and the effort that goes into keeping up a blog.  I am getting lots of tips that I will refer to as I plan for our world cruise.

Happy to help!  We had so much time generously given from the class of 22/23.  If there are questions we can answer after we return home (🫢) and as you plan your trip, don't hesitate to ask.

[Jim Avery]

It’s a beautiful day anchored off Santa Barbara with only slight motion. No giant waves to be seen.

on the Pool Deck burger front I can confirm DW had one of the quarter inch thick with pink center types. Yuk. I had my usual BLT. Good 

saving space for tonight. So many options 🥃

[aungrl]

19 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Wish we were all on the same ship. Maybe 2029?

That's a great goal - maybe then we can come, too!

[BobCatter]

Our third Welcome Reception since boarding in Lisbon. I think we're finally on our way! 

[Jim Avery]

Sea day.  A deep swell giving us an easy rolling motion .  Just right for sleeping.  Made the gym yesterday so started today with eggs bennie..  Good but ham instead of Canadian bacon.  The crew seems very attentive and very friendly.  The barman at the atrium bar remembered us from prior cruise.  Go figure.  Some pals from past world cruises here as well.  Lots of hugs and a nice time last night.  5 sea days to Honolulu.  Amazing how we are so settled in.   CC Meet & Greet is Friday.. 🍹

[Jim Avery]

I forgot to mention transfer from LAX to the ship.  No bus for us.  The nice Viking rep made a call and we and another couple were whisked away in an Escalade,  Quite a nice ride in.  Gym a bit ago was as crowded as I have ever seen on a Viking ship.  Attests to the passenger mix that seems a bit younger and certainly more active than our last wc.  Still managed to get the workout wr wanted by just rearranging the order.  Equipment seems to be the newest models.  Very nice.  Glad to get that over with.  Heck, its almost lunchtime...🍹

[cruising denise]

1 hour ago, Jim Avery said:

I forgot to mention transfer from LAX to the ship.  No bus for us.  The nice Viking rep made a call and we and another couple were whisked away in an Escalade,  Quite a nice ride in.  Gym a bit ago was as crowded as I have ever seen on a Viking ship.  Attests to the passenger mix that seems a bit younger and certainly more active than our last wc.  Still managed to get the workout wr wanted by just rearranging the order.  Equipment seems to be the newest models.  Very nice.  Glad to get that over with.  Heck, its almost lunchtime...🍹

Sea days certainly do seem to fly by...We're on day 4 of ours on the Sky for this stretch, no problem keeping busy all day!  

[Jim Avery]

Sea day, gym, food.  Not a bad day.  On the Sky wc thread is a bit of info about wether to Suez or not.  Reportedly Mr. Hagen told them the decision would be made in Mumbai.  That seems to cut it short if we are to arrive in Greenwich on schedule.  I guess we shall see.  Some crew buzz on here about changes but nothing solid.  Have to consider finding ports for food, booze, and fuel.  Takes a certain amount of planning.  The adventure is on!

[Heidi13]

14 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Sea day, gym, food.  Not a bad day.  On the Sky wc thread is a bit of info about wether to Suez or not.  Reportedly Mr. Hagen told them the decision would be made in Mumbai.  That seems to cut it short if we are to arrive in Greenwich on schedule.  I guess we shall see.  Some crew buzz on here about changes but nothing solid.  Have to consider finding ports for food, booze, and fuel.  Takes a certain amount of planning.  The adventure is on!

 

Jim - they may not make the final decision until Mumbai, but the planning for a Cape route has to be completed well before that. Especially when considering the stores, which are shipped about 3 months early, to a port on the itinerary.

 

If they don't decide until Mumbai, they will have numerous containers of stores sitting in various ports. Then they will have to scramble to find local goods for 2 ships, only 3 days apart.

[Jim Avery]

Right-o Andy.  I had posted much the same somewhere.  Can't just pull a ship into a port and say "fill er up".... And they would not have made arrangements for appropriate libations....

[Penspack]

30 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Sea day, gym, food.  Not a bad day.  On the Sky wc thread is a bit of info about wether to Suez or not.  Reportedly Mr. Hagen told them the decision would be made in Mumbai.  That seems to cut it short if we are to arrive in Greenwich on schedule.  I guess we shall see.  Some crew buzz on here about changes but nothing solid.  Have to consider finding ports for food, booze, and fuel.  Takes a certain amount of planning.  The adventure is on!

I don't recall Hagen's exact words, but the sense I got was that Mumbai would be the deviation point, not the decision point. For all we know, they have already decided and just not telling us yet until logistics are all worked out

[BobCatter]

Thanks Diana for putting together the Meet and Mingle!

[DJVKN]

50 minutes ago, BobCatter said:

Thanks Diana for putting together the Meet and Mingle!

My pleasure. It was so nice to faces to the many we have chatted with over the many months. 
What a wonderful cruise we shall all have.

Edited January 13 by DJVKN

[DJVKN]

I just want to say Wow! We had such a nice turn out for our Meet and Mingle yesterday. Knowing how busy everyone is already I greatly appreciated those who stopped by to say hello, introduced themselves and of course what a warm welcome from the Viking staff. 
if you see Mara tell her thanks as she and her team along with food and beverage were the folks who sent out the invitation and poured drinks and passed appetizers around. It was a real pleasure to put a face with a name. 
Skol! We will see you around the ship.

Diana and Myron

[Jim Avery]

Sticky buns at the World Cafe. Picture doesn’t show much but if you have ever had them you know what is good. Rolly sea day but sun poking through the clouds. Some speculation about changing routes to come but I think Andy’s post on the other WC thread sums up the options perfectly 

[Clay Clayton]

If the Japanese menu appears on Neptune, be sure and go!   Wonder if the chef onboard with us will be moving to Neptune in Bora Bora🤔

 

 

[Jim Avery]

"Clay,. who is your chef?

This Neptune thread is not near as chatty as the Sky one.  No real speaking of how we might have to divert and when.  We do share a common thread with the tv stories.  Odd that two separate ships would have the same "broken antenna" issue at the same time...😎

[Twitchly]

16 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

This Neptune thread is not near as chatty as the Sky one.

You’ll just have to make up the difference yourself, Jim. 🍷

[stretchcruz]

19 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

"Clay,. who is your chef?

This Neptune thread is not near as chatty as the Sky one.  No real speaking of how we might have to divert and when.  We do share a common thread with the tv stories.  Odd that two separate ships would have the same "broken antenna" issue at the same time...😎

Jim, the antenna was broken the entire 33 day cruise Nov/Dec to Hawaii and French Polynesia. Broken at sea, worked in port. Sometimes. Viking Star.

[Jim Avery]

3 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

You’ll just have to make up the difference yourself, Jim. 🍷

Just so busy.  Had a nice "panorama" of Oahu then rode the shuttle into Waikiki. Shopping for sandals for Lois and I got Cheetos....  I will say the food at Manfredi's was a disappointment last night.  Following up on others I have to say the bistecca was pretty thin and rather meh.  Soups were also a strong suit but 4 I have tried, including new england clam chowder have been under seasoned and watery.  Need a boost in the food department as well as the tv department.  Wifi so far is working pretty good.  Hawaii is a disappointment in that we have a day and a half in Honolulu and that's it.  5 more sea days to Polynesia.  And weather has been routinely gray and bumpy.