Azulann

Clay, your pictures are amazing . I will never get to Australia so I am delighted to follow your posts. You are on a fabulous journey on your WC and looks like you are having a great time making new memories!

Oh I am so sorry to hear that. All rework the person went to to gather all theinforamtion. I hope there is a full turnout for the informal one. It isalwyas so fun to meet the folks you having been positing with on your roll call for months before the actual cruise. Which ship is doing this long voyage? Could it be because it consist of multiple segments? I have only been on itineraries that are stand alone 10 or 11 day sailings. thanks for pointing out it is not automatic.

I wish Cruise Critic would just take down their "meet and mingle" link on their home page. If they are not going to be partners in this as before the pandemic, then say so ,please! Viking is more that happy to respond to our roll calls if one poster takes the initiative to let Guest relations know with names and staterooms # once on board.

So glad you are doing a trip report. The resident historian and other guest lecturers sound very interesting. You will have lots to do n your sea days.

Every optional excursion I have taken with Viking have been well worth the money. The guides are outstanding on these tours and groups can be anywhere for 5 to 20 people.On our Scenic Scandinavia cruise in the Baltic last June, our optional tour of Aland Island, Gdansk, and Copenhagen were worth every penny. Learned so much and enjoyed the openness of the guide to answer questions and give us some great history of the places we were visiting with humor and passion.

Go to top of this viking forum. You will see a link to Viking roll calls Hit the link. . Find your ship and hit the link . scroll down to your particular sailing . this is your roll call and you will find the folks on your upcoming cruise.Just post your comment. Welcome to Viking cruises . You will love the ship and various activities on sea days, and entertainment each eveing. Not super fancy like a brawny production number but here good singers sand bands and various guitarists, classical groups in the bar areas in the evening. .

Yes my first Celebrity ship was the Century. I did a Panama Canal cruise on the Century with friends. We dined in Murano for Christmas and New Years Eve. Will never forget....

Your photos of Murano's brings back such fond memories for me when I was sailing Celebrity ships. I remember the dover sole and of course all the wonderful desserts. I am loving your trip report so much .

I love the overnight ports at beginning or even end of Viking cruises I have booked. But then I love these ports .I like that feature .We still do a pre and post hotel per cruise too.

If I remember right, when Viking Ocean first started they called Manfredi and Chef Table , alternative restaurants. It was the cruisers who began to refer to hem as "specialty" venues. I agree with your premise but I do not think that is part of the business model for Viking. I do eat at Manfredi at least once and love the various Chef Tables offerings. They are reasonable portions and an adventure in eating food and preparation I would never had ordered on my own. I still like the Restaurant for dinner most night.

Love your book title. I like reading biographies. Great way to relax on a sea day!

I absolutely love your travel style ! Your patio room is awesome!

So happy this morning when I checked CC and read your first post : a Celebrity cruise in the sun and fun for one week with your husband! Look forward to your wonderful narrative as always.

Clay if your friends tell Viking that she is being referred by you and your cruise #number she get $100.00 OBC credit and you get $100.00 creditor person for future use . But they have to ask the Viking agent about this. It is not automactic. Love your pictures and the blue sky and temp in NZ.

Viking Ocean has two World cruises about five days apart , both heading to NZ and then onward. Both left LA after New years. Talk on both ships that they will probably go around Horn of Africa and be in London in May. Viking has not officially said what the new itinerary will be.

WOW is right. On my last Viking cruise I really wanted some potato chips . Not one to be found onboard even in the little shop within one of the stores on the ship. Wonder if they are just spoiling the WC's with these nibbles at the living room bar?

Give me a couple of days and I will talk to my friend who now lives in AZ. It was her cousin who lived in Istanbul as a teacher and they bought many rugs from this dealer. My other source I will check out is my neighbor in my condo building. He is from Istanbul and in fact his parents are here visiting. I will also ask him too for a name. Stay tuned... BTW when is your Viking cruise?

I had a private guide take us to the church of Chora. He gave us a wonderful explanation of the mosaics, and the history of church I found it fascinating. I bought a book there too of the mosaics . I treasure that book . We also went to a lovely restaurant with our guide . We bought him lunch . It was a great day .

Cruise Critic has not restarted their m &m for rolls tot sign up for and when they reach 25 folks CC would arrange with cruise line a m&m. So now each roll call on Viking can get a list together of people's name, state room numbers and someone can arrange with Gust relation / CD or Hotel director for the meeting. I did this for our sailing back in June. It was wonderful as usual with drinks, appetizers, music and officers attending.It is a great way to get to know people from your roll all and then see around ship ,on excursions etc. I always meet new friends, some I still keep in contact with after I get home.

Question for the WC's : How is the night sky when lookin at stars? I expect you really can see the brilliant's of night sky on a sea day night.

Great video and music . It reminds me of the video I saw at the Maritime Museum in Astoria OR, near the mouth of the Columbia River. Showed pilot and CG boats around Cape Disappointment also know as the Graveyard of the Pacific. They were doing training exercises in that type of wave action . But I am far from any ocean, but just made a delicious Sidecar cocktail with very good Cognac , paired with aged havarti cheese , olives. BTW, I will be back in San Juan PR before my next Viking Cruise in Oct 2025. We will stay again at the El Convento hotel in old town a day before our cruise and a day after our West Indies Explorer cruise. I know you live in PR! I loved walking around San Juan. Cheers, Patti

Thank you so much ! I have a cruise in 2026 on Vesta , but I have not even started a roll call for my viking Sea in 2025....I think I will wait a bit to start a roll call for my sailing....😊

I loved the Dover sole, once at Manfredi and also at the Restaurant!

I am following both WC currently on Viking forum and three blogs. Everyone is having a great time or just going with the flow. . They did mention the dryer on 5 floor will have replacement parts when they get to NZ. they also mention the lose of live tv when in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. What a great adventure you are on, relax and enjoy. 😍

thank you for writing a trip report/blog. I have enjoyed reading about your travels on Silverseas forum too. I like your style of observation.