Live report of Viking Sea Transatlantic March 27

[OceanPatter]

Azulann, who are Louise and Marilyn? Do you have 2 roommates? Not possible on VO. I think I am confused! Enjoy...our friends Sailoraz are aboard and are having a great time as well. Looking forward to following your adventures!!

 

Haha, let me answer for azulann about Marilyn ... that was the name of the bar in San Juan. Large posters of Marilyn Monroe adorned the walls, and it was a perfect spot for cold beer near the El Convento.

 

We’ve started our journey across the Atlantic, and are undergoing a night of rock-and-rolling seas. We also heard our first lecture yesterday - a delightful talk by a biologist on whales and dolphins ... learning that whales (or was it dolphins?) can squeeze a puffer fish for the toxin to give themselves a natural ‘high.’ Who knew?! The talk was just the right mix of edification/entertainment/great visuals.

 

We continue to be mesmerized by the Scandinavian design and art on the ship - so intelligently thought out. As vcdarty (on our roll call) said, it’s like no other cruise ship. There’s even an art guide - we have yet to download - that describes each (numbered) piece of art. Even the posters of the Bayeaux tapestry on the staircases are amazing.

 

I’ll let azulann tell you about our meet+mingle in the wintergarden, and give her inimitable trip update.

Edited March 29, 2018 by OceanPatter

[Azulann]

It is a sunny morning on this our first of 6 sea days across the Atlantic.

Our roll call meet and mingle was last night in the Wintergarden. Senior Gator brought the cruise critic name tags. We had over fifty cruisers and a large crew turnout. I met the general manager of the ship. Told him how the ship has lived up to all the marketing brochures I have received.I am still smitten with the design .He said ,the level of service ,was what he was most proud of on the Viking ships.I agreed.

I have found the service out standing.

For instance , breakfast in the World Cafe , wait staff, immediately asked us if we wanted coffee orange juice water. Throughout our meal, the wait staff was always near by, never had to wait for any additional request. It reminds me of the old days on Celebrity Century .

Yesterday's excursion was the included bus tour of the island of St Maartin.

Our driver guide was in his 60's. He told us about the salt trade that was the main economy on the island until refrigeration and tourism of the 60's changed the landscape of the island.

The hurricane effects were still apparent every where you looked, but the roads were in good shape and the rebuilding of hotels and business will take another couple of years

I bought my grandchildren the nicest shirts and sundress at the flea market on the French side.Paid full price and was happy to contribute to the relief effort.

Going to the resident historian's morning lecture.Topic is piracy of the 16th and 17th century.

Oh and will take my first trip to the laundry room today[emoji3]

 

 

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Edited March 29, 2018 by Azulann

[OceanPatter]

Full disclosure: Azulann is as bubbly and personable in person as she is in her posts.

 

My sea day routine:

Up at 8

Light breakfast in World Cafe, followed by latte in the living room

Putzt in cabin/do emails/gaze at sea

Attend lecture (awesome projection system in theater!)

Work out in gym, then steam/ice (no TVs on machines, so resort to playing mahjong on treadmill)

Light lunch at Mamsen’s/eye success cake/gaze at sea

Attend 2nd lecture

Nap like a baby

Afternoon tea in Wintergarden

Reflect by pool

Drinks in Explorer Lounge (with azulann and Louise!)/gaze at sea

Dinner somewhere on ship

Possible entertainment

Call it a night

Repeat

 

Boring for sure. Relaxing as hell.

[SoccerMom#3]

Sounds like an absolutely ideal day(s) especially the multiple "gaze at sea" activity.:D

[Aviator of the Seas]

One recommended activity during ocean crossings: bet who's the first to see a bird on the other side of the pond.

[Azulann]

One recommended activity during ocean crossings: bet who's the first to see a bird on the other side of the pond.

 

 

 

That is a great idea.

Reminds me of my morning reflection during my walk around outside deck two. Water,water everywhere and the explorers Erickson and Columbus navigated this ocean and its uncharted waters. Here I am on a very modern ship sailing the same waters today.

 

We spotted the first ship on the horizon yesterday. It was a tanker.

 

 

 

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[Aviator of the Seas]

That is a great idea.

Reminds me of my morning reflection during my walk around outside deck two. Water,water everywhere and the explorers Erickson and Columbus navigated this ocean and its uncharted waters. Here I am on a very modern ship sailing the same waters today.

 

We spotted the first ship on the horizon yesterday. It was a tanker.

 

 

 

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I did the same crossing but on the other direction. Barcelona-Mallorca-Cartagena (Murcia)-Canary Islands-Puerto Rico, which is the same route my great-grandfather and his brothers took when they moved from Jaén to Puerto Rico in the 1890s. A rite of passage for me. I also gazed at the ocean all the time, mesmerized by its enormity and the challenge it must have been for our ancestors, almost always a one way trip.

 

Continue enjoying. And thank you for taking us along.

 

Fair winds and following seas

[Twitchly]

I did the same crossing but on the other direction. Barcelona-Mallorca-Cartagena (Murcia)-Canary Islands-Puerto Rico, which is the same route my great-grandfather and his brothers took when they moved from Jaén to Puerto Rico in the 1890s. A rite of passage for me. I also gazed at the ocean all the time, mesmerized by its enormity and the challenge it must have been for our ancestors, almost always a one way trip.

 

 

 

How wonderful!

 

This makes me want to sail from Bergen to New York like my Norwegian great-grandfather did at around the same time.

[OKCowboy]

I attended the afternoon movie-Dunkirk. Great movie but had drownings and sinking ships. Wonder if Titanic is the next movie?

 

 

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[OceanPatter]

Another warm, lazy day at sea. In his noon report, the captain alluded to complaints about cabin creaks and groans the last two nights. (Of course, the swells had something to do with it.) But he attributed it to the modular design of the super structure ... which makes the creaking unavoidable. Lucky are those who are heavy sleepers.

 

In strolling through the ship, we can’t get over the insanely different types of chairs/sofas across the public spaces. There must be well over 100 types ... an interior designer’s dream! Our favorite was the leather, hard-back chairs next to the bar on deck 1. And then, tonight, we discovered the blue reading chairs with matching footrests a few rooms down. I’d love to play Goldilocks and try each one. And the amazing thing is that all the furniture, art and videos blend seamlessly together ... as if it were part of some vast Nordic estate.

 

We were heading down to the Restaurant for dinner, but ended up staying in the World Cafe and dining on sushi/sashimi. We learned that the tuna came from Holland, and the salmon sashimi from Norway. Go figure.

 

We get a reprieve tonight from moving the clock forward an hour (a drawback in going east). And I’ll let Azulann or Senior Gators tell you about the second meet + mingle we’ll be having near the end of our cruise. That could well be a cruisecritic first!

[photopro2]

Enjoyed meeting Azulann and Louhut in Torshavn this evening, we were there with at least 60 other passengers - see there is life on the ship after 11pm despite what you may have heard :)

 

 

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[Azulann]

Calm seas and sunshine is the order of the day this morning. We are on our third sea day.

Had a delicious Italian pasta meal in Manfredi last night. Then ran into photo pro and his wife in Torshavn as he posted above. The place was packed.

Today we have a open "office hour" with resident historian ,Mark Callaghan. I find the added features of round table discussion and the open conversation with historian to be a big plus for Viking.

This afternoon he will present the topic of Queen Isabella of Spain. One of the powerful women monarchs of Europe at the time.

Then we will try the spa and its various features. More relaxation and conversation with many of the CC members on board. We will have a second M&M on our last sea day. The general manager Tom Aberg extended the invitation to Senior Gator and the whole group. He said we had the largest group ever on Viking Sea. The conversation among all attendees was excellent . so Viking will sponsor another one on our last sea day.We are a chatty group with many interests and have really connected with each other on this cruise.

 

 

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[Jammy Bun]

Loving all your reports - keep them coming!

Do you know if the ship was sold out for this voyage?

Thanks

Janet

[Azulann]

Loving all your reports - keep them coming!

 

Do you know if the ship was sold out for this voyage?

 

Thanks

 

Janet

 

 

 

Yes this sailing was totally sold out ,even the Owner's suite. I met a mother/ daughter from San Juan who booked this cruise only two weeks ago.

Tonight,we had a shared table, a couple told,us that they were given an interesting offer from Viking. they had done a TA last year.Booked this cruise while on board. A couple of weeks ago, they got a call from Viking to cancel this sailing. Viking would book them on the next Sea cruise on April 10 and pay their airfare to and from their home state of Florida. they declined .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[jamscckmc]

May I ask what category stateroom you are in?

[Azulann]

May I ask what category stateroom you are in?

 

 

 

We are in a DV3 stateroom

 

 

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[stretchcruz]

And you are up very late!!!

[theduffys]

Can you tell me if there is an organized bridge game onboard.

 

 

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[Jammy Bun]

Yes this sailing was totally sold out ,even the Owner's suite. I met a mother/ daughter from San Juan who booked this cruise only two weeks ago.

 

 

Thanks! We're thinking about making this trip next year and were wondering how late we dare to leave the decision. We would want to be on the starboard side, so we may already be too late!

[vcdarty]

OceanPatter’s comments on the aesthetic of our Viking Sea are spot on and more so. To add a few Very miscellaneous collection of notables:

The finger-friendly tapered shower controls

The dandy shelf unit in that shower

The varied, pleasing assortment of small tables scattered throughout the ship

The wooden bread “baskets” in the Restaurant

The decorative allusions to the Eddas in the Wintergarden and elsewhere

The subtle use of Nordic runes in important design elements

The wonderful wooden undersink carvings in public bathrooms

The tomato-red interiors of the jewelbox elevators

The amusing “live-action” video of the Bayeux Tapestry on 2 Deck

The excellently curated art collection throughout

No glitz no kitsch no casino

That Bayeux Tapestry, again, in stairwells (commemorating, oddly, a Nordic defeat)

The mossy dried centerpieces in Wintergarden

The convincing if fake moss and succulents and other plants scattered about

The linens

The generally low-key non-obnoxious piped music

 

And so on . . . .

[kentchris]

That Bayeux Tapestry, again, in stairwells (commemorating, oddly, a Nordic defeat)

If that's not an April Fool joke you may like to think about it a bit more...

[Azulann]

Can you tell me if there is an organized bridge game onboard.

There is posted in the Daily each day:

Informal Bridge 10:00AM to 3:00pm

Join fellow guests for a hand of bridge.

It is at chef table

 

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[Azulann]

And you are up very late!!!

 

 

 

[emoji485][emoji322][emoji3][emoji7]

 

 

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[OceanPatter]

I spy, you spy

 

Who can find these wonderful things on the ship:

 

- big world globe that spins on an axis

 

- four coins that represent the Viking Sea

 

- two ravens named Huggin and Muninn

 

- shelf for an exchange of books

 

And what else?

[bottomfeeder]

OceanPatter’s comments on the aesthetic of our Viking Sea are spot on and more so. To add a few Very miscellaneous collection of notables:

 

That Bayeux Tapestry, again, in stairwells (commemorating, oddly, a Nordic defeat)

 

And so on . . . .

 

 

I guess it depends on your point of view whether or not it's a Nordic defeat. The Normans were (several generations prior to William the Conqueror) a group of "vikings" who moved into what became Normandy and were given land in an effort to placate them/avoid war. "Norman" meant "Northman"/"Norseman"/Norwegian. The Saxon nobles in England certainly had Nordic roots as well to some extent, though generally came to England a little earlier than the Normans settled in Normandy. The Saxons also were more Danish/Germanic in ancestry, a smaller amount Norwegian while the Normans appear to have come direct from Norway. At least, that's the most recent thinking of the experts from what I've read.

 

Sorry, I'm kind of a freak about medieval British history. :)