Viking Sun World Cruise ongoing review/comments

[Alicomp]

I also enjoyed following along on your World Cruise through Cruise Critic. Thank you. We boarded with some of you on December 15 in Miami, however we were only on the first "leg" and disembarked in LA on January 6, when the rest of you boarded. I'm glad you had such a wonderful time and that Viking provided you a first class experience.

[nanface]

Thanks Jim, Eaches and everyone else who took the time to share their experiences on this mega thread. I have been a lurker, thoroughly enjoying your reviews, comments and photos. You have helped me get so excited for our first Viking Cruise coming up in October. Thanks from all of us stow-a-ways on your world cruise.

[georose]

I discovered this thread only about 2 weeks ago. I am finally caught up. Thank you everyone for your most valuable insights. It is good to hear the overall experience was excellent in spite of a few glitches and the many industrial ports. Thankfully, Viking always makes it right.

 

Also, thank you to Passepartout, Bruce and Kathy for your blogs. Loved your stories and your amazing photos.

 

Happy travels!

[stretchcruz]

OK I have passepartout blog and Rick and Bev but can you please post the links to Bruce and Kathy? Thanks!!

[Shoalwater]

To Jim and all the contributors on "our" WC, many thanks. Your postings helped me "experience" the WC and reach a decision on the pending 2019 one that we held reservations for, and we cancelled. It was by daily following along we could vicariously place ourselves on the ship (sailed 3x with Viking Ocean, once with Heather, the "best"), and when the roulette wheel stopped spinning the ball landed on "no". We have been to over half the ports on the 2019 voyage, and so gains did not outweigh costs. However, it was great to open up this post and see what new things you and the others discovered, both to your surprise and enjoyment, and to your disappointment. You and others presented the whole enchilada. So, as y'all disembark for what must be a slightly melancholy moment, Godspeed in all your onward journeys in the years to come, and maybe we'll share a voyage or two before the "ship" heads to the breakers.

[georose]

OK I have passepartout blog and Rick and Bev but can you please post the links to Bruce and Kathy? Thanks!!

 

http://ourwideworld.com/2018/05/05/a-sunny-day-in-london-town/

 

http://www.rtwwithkathy.com

[stretchcruz]

Thanks!!! Bookmarked.....I've got some reading to do!

[Wagnerite]

Staying on our own in London and saw people from the boat as Wiking puts them in our hotel. At Shakespeares Globe and met two women from boat. It’s like we never left.

 

Chuck and Glenda from NC had 44 hour journey home and had to sit up all night at JFK! Hope for better but at least it’s not right after getting off boat!

 

Long rewarding voyage but never again!

[Mrs Miggins]

Saw the ship in Greenwich at the weekend. She looked wonderful. Greenwich and London hot, sunny and full of tourists. Thank you for sharing your journey. Looking forward to returning to Viking at New Year and in the meantime B2B on Azamara in June plus Scenic on the Rhine in October. Aren't we all so lucky to have the opportunity.

[Big Mort]

Hi,

 

I am sorry I don't know where to start as we are new to cruise critic, and have only done a few cruises with Princess so far. We are looking at the 2019 Viking world cruise and have mixed feelings between the amazing itinerary and the fact it is 8 months long on a relatively small ship.

 

With 45 pages I thought it might just be easier to ask myself than look to see if anyone else already has the same query, is the entertainment all quite formal, or is there the equivalent of a DJ on deck, and a disco on an evening? I like to dance so this is quite important, we did one Cunard cruise, the ship and food etc was lovely, but the entertainment was a bit to formal for us.

 

Thanks for your help.

[Vineyard View]

Hi,

 

I am sorry I don't know where to start as we are new to cruise critic, and have only done a few cruises with Princess so far. We are looking at the 2019 Viking world cruise and have mixed feelings between the amazing itinerary and the fact it is 8 months long on a relatively small ship.

 

With 45 pages I thought it might just be easier to ask myself than look to see if anyone else already has the same query, is the entertainment all quite formal, or is there the equivalent of a DJ on deck, and a disco on an evening? I like to dance so this is quite important, we did one Cunard cruise, the ship and food etc was lovely, but the entertainment was a bit to formal for us.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

So many of us enjoyed following this thread. It is so full of incredible information and outstanding pictures. It it were me looking at taking the WC with Viking, I believe I would peruse this entire thread. In doing that it would provide me with invaluable information and a tool that would assist me in deciding if this was a good fit for us. Everyone has different expectations and goals when choosing a cruise. This thread might be long, but I honestly think it could be extremely helpful to you Big Mort.

[Tom.in.nc]

Hi,

<snip>

Is the entertainment all quite formal, or is there the equivalent of a DJ on deck, and a disco on an evening? I like to dance so this is quite important, we did one Cunard cruise, the ship and food etc was lovely, but the entertainment was a bit to formal for us.

Thanks for your help.

 

First, nothing on that ship could be considered formal. You do not ever need to wear a tie.

The nightclub,Torshaven, almost always has a very good live band and a couple of singers playing 60’s and newer dance music.

The forward lounge often has a duo pre-and post dinner singing similar music and some people dance there while others sit drink and chat.

 

We very much enjoyed the genre of music and if you’re over 50 you probably will too.

 

Go for it! We are doing it again in 2019!

 

Tom

[SantaFe1]

We are also doing the 2019 WC in January, 128 days around both capes. This thread has been excellent, both as a travelogue and as commentary on the cruise itself. It contains lots of good tips for the next world cruisers, too. It’s a big outlay of money for a WC, so definitely worth a few days reading the 45 pages of this thread. And you will love Eaches’ pictures. Many from last year are going again in 2019 and 2020.

[deec]

some lessons learned:

used almost 2x as much tooth paste as at home ( I kept track before leaving)....brushed our teeth more. A little more deodorant...more showers daily. Came home with almost all of of the OTC medications but it was comforting to know we had them.

 

Faithfully took the stairs, walked the deck on sea days, ate well but mindfully, enjoyed cocktails and wine....and managed to loose a few pounds!!!!

 

We did use the pool quite a bit and still did not need all the sunscreen ( I brought 4 bottles)

 

They had plenty of extra hangers for us!

 

Access to WiFi is sometimes painfully slow so plan accordingly for bill paying etc. I set all mine up on auto pay so had no worries and when wifi was good I could check my statements. Early on it was impossible to download books to my Kindle so plan ahead. Later in the cruise others were successfully in downloading during the night. My husband was very happy he had the lap top to work on photographs during the cruise and had plenty of SDcards. The "cloud" could not always be accessed! Even after discarding many photos we have over 1000 images from 2 cameras (many days I did not use mine) and an Iphone!

 

We had some extra magnets and suction cup hooks that were very useful for hanging hats, light jackets etc.

 

The shore excursion folks were so helpful in tweaking some of our choices for optional excursions, make sure to utilize their expertise!

 

The crew was exceptional....NO is seldom part of their vocabulary.

If it matters we usually docked starboard side to the dock.

Sunsets, Sunrises and FULL Moons should be savored! Don't forget to find the Southern Cross once you cross the equator.

What a truly wonderful experience.

[stretchcruz]

Wow!! You lost weight!! Such a great experience for you and I'm so happy that you got to experience it. I hope you will send me a link to your 1000 pictures. I took that many on our BBB cruise last year where we met you...and I haven't had the chance to even organize them. Maybe someday....when I retire...:):)

[SantaFe1]

some lessons learned:

used almost 2x as much tooth paste as at home ( I kept track before leaving)....brushed our teeth more. A little more deodorant...more showers daily. Came home with almost all of of the OTC medications but it was comforting to know we had them.

 

Faithfully took the stairs, walked the deck on sea days, ate well but mindfully, enjoyed cocktails and wine....and managed to loose a few pounds!!!!

 

We did use the pool quite a bit and still did not need all the sunscreen ( I brought 4 bottles)

 

They had plenty of extra hangers for us!

 

Access to WiFi is sometimes painfully slow so plan accordingly for bill paying etc. I set all mine up on auto pay so had no worries and when wifi was good I could check my statements. Early on it was impossible to download books to my Kindle so plan ahead. Later in the cruise others were successfully in downloading during the night. My husband was very happy he had the lap top to work on photographs during the cruise and had plenty of SDcards. The "cloud" could not always be accessed! Even after discarding many photos we have over 1000 images from 2 cameras (many days I did not use mine) and an Iphone!

 

We had some extra magnets and suction cup hooks that were very useful for hanging hats, light jackets etc.

 

The shore excursion folks were so helpful in tweaking some of our choices for optional excursions, make sure to utilize their expertise!

 

The crew was exceptional....NO is seldom part of their vocabulary.

If it matters we usually docked starboard side to the dock.

Sunsets, Sunrises and FULL Moons should be savored! Don't forget to find the Southern Cross once you cross the equator.

What a truly wonderful experience.

 

Deed, what a lovely post. You have been so helpful. Thanks for sharing your adventure. Hope you will be on CC for ours.

[Jim Avery]

Finally safely home after a wonderful week or so in England with friends and family. Perfect English Spring weather the entire time! I have a few thoughts on this fantastic voyage but are a bit overwhelmed with catching up upon "re entry" so will get to it in a day or so. Have to say I miss Wagnerite in the gym.....:o;p And hello to GlendaC the "house mother" of the ship. Your recipes are great!:cool:

[deec]

I am shipsick ( homesick for the SUN)....I had to go to Costco...have to think about what to have for diner before I sit my bottom down....pick up my towel...make my bed...do my own laundry...be ENTERTAINED, CHALLENGED, and ENGAGED....think about trying to get get my 10,000 steps...miss talking to lots of great folks everyday....watch the stars....experience a new cocktail...SMILE nonstop....just BE....EXPERIENCE amazing cultures and people and our world..............Thank YOU Viking and the most wonderful crew of the SUN!!!!

[stretchcruz]

I'm so happy that you had a great time and I could live vicariously through you....if I ever did it a HUGE problem would be sharing a bathroom for 5 months....don't know if we would survive :D

[Wagnerite]

We hit the ground running. I really enjoyed the experience on the Beautiful Viking Sun. We don't have a ton of contact with people here in Hershey as we live in a tiny condo and our car is in the garage so we only see neighbors occasionally. We say hi and that's about it. On the ship, we actually knew people by name! The thing I missed most about being on board was the choice. I plan the meals, shop for food and organize our day around the gym(miss you too Jim!) or a walk when weather is good.

 

Another thing is the feel of the Sunday New York Times and the crossword!

 

I do miss the noon announcements and Trivia(which is only a game). The routine as set forth in the Viking Daily and by our Drill Instructor has prepared us for life in "The Home" should that ever come, although we have no children so will have to put ourselves there.

 

Yes, I am kidding. Life on board was easy, though forcing Carol to take the stairs was a constant battle. We are probably superficial people so it was enjoyable knowing just enough, but not too much about our shipmates and, of course, the amazing crew! Everyone was so friendly and we learned a lot, but as Dorothy said: "There's no place like home!"

[Bridget2010]

Hi,

 

I am sorry I don't know where to start as we are new to cruise critic, and have only done a few cruises with Princess so far. We are looking at the 2019 Viking world cruise and have mixed feelings between the amazing itinerary and the fact it is 8 months long on a relatively small ship.

 

With 45 pages I thought it might just be easier to ask myself than look to see if anyone else already has the same query, is the entertainment all quite formal, or is there the equivalent of a DJ on deck, and a disco on an evening? I like to dance so this is quite important, we did one Cunard cruise, the ship and food etc was lovely, but the entertainment was a bit to formal for us.

 

Thanks for your help.

 

Did you mean you were looking at the 2020 World Cruise? It is 245 days, but they have it split into two parts so you could do half.

 

The 2019 World Cruise is only 128 days and might be of more interest, if you like the itinerary. We are doing the 2019, but 2020 was too long and we have been to almost all of the ports. I guess 2020 will be the year we stay home and get a dog.

[deec]

IMO the entertainment in the Star theatre was very varied. We had some amazing talent talent come aboard....and some OK acts...but it was always something to do after dinner. the entertainers would be aboard for a number of days ..do 1-2 shows and perhaps share a night then leave...every one of them that I met and engaged in conversation was happy to chat! We had quite a few "local shows" which were all excellent!! Torshaven had dancing with the Viking Band most every night and it was lively! depending who was playing in Explorer's Lounge before/after dinner there were usually a few couples enjoying the dance floor.

 

 

the entertainers were diffferent than a "typical" 14 day cruise because there was not one group of performers who put on different shows in the theatre.

[georose]

Did you mean you were looking at the 2020 World Cruise? It is 245 days, but they have it split into two parts so you could do half.

 

The 2019 World Cruise is only 128 days and might be of more interest, if you like the itinerary. We are doing the 2019, but 2020 was too long and we have been to almost all of the ports. I guess 2020 will be the year we stay home and get a dog.

 

There are 2 world cruises beginning in 2019. The second one starts later in the year and goes into 2020. Another world cruise starts early 2020. So many world cruises, easy to get confused.

[Jim Avery]

Finally a bit caught up. We sure liked it when someone else did everything for us..... I can see why some have chosen to live full time on cruise ships. Some final thoughts and a few things learned on this fantastic adventure we recently completed. First, the real star of this show was the crew onboard. They are among the best, if not the very best we have experienced. Always friendly and always capable. This starts with on board management as management is responsible for training and observing crew. The General Manager, Sujith Mohan, is one of the hardest working people I have ever seen. Always with a smile and a few words, Sujith starts with the 5am Walk a Mile and seems to be everywhere all day. I once asked him if he ever sleeps. He laughed and pointed to the 4 stripes on his coat sleeve and said "those 4 stripes entitle me to 4 hours of sleep a day". I believe him. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention our very experienced "Designated Driver" Captain Knutsen. Well over 30, 000 sea miles and not a bit of drama. As a former ship captain I was watching his ship handling. He has a very expert easy touch with the ship and as we sailed away in Greenwich for the last time, not a single dent visible anywhere.:cool: All the tight places and strange ports and not a ding. Most other cruise ships are banged up around the waterline. Good job Captain. So, now we have to try and sort through some 2,000 pictures to make a large album. So much stuff. It still seems sort of a blur but I would say to those considering such an adventure or saying "some day" as we did, just go for it. It is a lot of work before, during, and after catching up at home but so worth it. And, to be blunt, it is not going to get cheaper and none of us are getting any younger. The first question friends ask about our voyage is would we do it again? At present no. Not because we didn't enjoy it but any true circumnavigation would, of necessity, include a fair amount of repeats that we might not really care about doing over. We do think a 30 to 45 day regional cruise would be a good next step. That or back to back to back somewhere. Time will tell. I did learn a few things to look for when next we plan a longish cruise. During the booking process, I would ask the cruise lines to give me a list of the times the ship arrives and departs each port. We had several "drive by" ports where we only had a very few hours ashore. Hardly worth the trouble so I would ask that. Another important consideration is to ask where the ship is docking in each port. As we learned, quite often we were far out from the destination in some remote container port which necessitated long shuttle rides to get into town. I would take these into consideration in choosing a cruise in the future. Also, we spent a lot of sea time steaming rather slowly. Some days averaging only 10 knots. This is not just Viking though it is industry wide. Saves fuel we are told. I only wish I could have taken QE2's World Cruises back in the '70s and '80s. That ship was capable of 35 knots flat out and often steamed between ports at 30+ knots. One notable WC had similar number of ports to ours but was a World Cruise "Around the World in 80 Days". Most were in the 90 day range. Viking Sun (and sisters) are designed and equipped for only a 20 knot top speed. Heck, passenger ships in the 1890's did that kind of speed. I would consider looking at time between ports when comparing future cruises. We could have spent more time in ports for sure had they increased speed to at or near 20knots. Again, not a Viking problem but an unfavorable industry trend. These quibbles aside, we had an absolutely fabulous adventure and are so glad we did it and did it with Viking. I do believe that those of us on the Inaugural WC got the best deals likely to ever be offered. Hard to believe we have been out of our "home" of a third of a year for two weeks already. We were taken by surprise at how emotional we felt at the Captain's farewell talk when they showed that great video summary of the trip. Also, it was strange to leave our cabin. It had really become home. Best wishes to all our fellow travelers and maybe we shall sail again some day. :cool:

[Redwarrior68]

Jim, deec et al: Thanks to you and everyone on the thread for keeping a lively discussion going thoughout the trip. Lorraine and I enjoyed the trip immensely due to all the factors well documented here. The crew was the best, the food great, and we too exercised to keep our weight in check. I was the nut running 2.5 miles on sea days so I could eat gelato for dessert. We made a number of great friends and are booked on next year's WC to South America and Africa. We are also booked for China/Tibet in Oct 2019 and Israel/Egypt in Feb 2020 to satisfy our desire to spend longer days at the UNESCO sites in those countries. Best wishes to all and, "See you around the ship. :cool::cool: