hollyrik

On 2/7/2020 at 5:19 PM, Squawkman said:

Did anyone here receive an email about this regarding Ocean cruises that embark in the next 90 days? I didn’t - and I embark in 44 days.

We received an email re this from Viking 2/6/20 regarding our 4/5 departure on the Oriron Bali-Bangkok cruise.

I understand.  Yes, our cruise skipped Pearl Islands AND had to abandon landing at Isla Parida.

3 hours ago, new_cruiser said:

They told us at the start that they are taking Pearl Islands for all the cruises because the anchorage is too exposed resulting in water that's too rough to run excursions. 

We were on this cruise as well.  I looked out our stateroom the morning we arrived at Isla Parida and saw these little motor boats, barely bigger than a rowboat, being thrown around in 2-3 foot seas.  I told my wife "We aren't going ashore in one of THOSE!  Let's stay aboard." about 5 minutes before young Captain Simon announced we were abandoning any idea of landing there.  Good choice.  Although it was the second missed port call of the cruise (having by-passed Cartegena due to the repairs at Aruba), I felt Windstar and the crew handled the emergent situations well.  Although we did not avail ourselves of the landing added at Drake Bay due to the Isla Parida situation, we felt the cruise rated a 4+ star rating (including the section from Barbados to Aruba which we also were on.)  Not having the sports platform did not seem to really impact the cruise, as all the toys usually launched from there were towed into beaches at the appropriate calls.

Very helpful DanishViking. Tak!

Rik

Viking Ocean's Viking Homelands cruise arrives 8:00am and departs 1:30pm. Although the line offers a reasonably priced ($59) 3-hour tour that includes Lindholm Hoje, we are wondering if it's possible to get more time at the museum, and less at other less-interesting ( to us) sights, by taking bus or taxi to/from the museum.

PPT reportedly had free wifi as a test this summer (2014). Otherwise (and since?) it has been a service you had to purchase via cards available for purchase.