Live report of Viking Sea Transatlantic March 27

[vcdarty]

Yes. No historian I, frankly. But have long understood, perhaps incorrectly, that Saxon connections with the “viking” generations past had a degree of validity. Cf. the Sutton Hoo excavations and wonderful loot. Probably only my romantic version of history.

 

But meanwhile. The linguistic world depicted in Beowulf is transitional twixt an older world/language á la “Viking” and another, perhaps proto-Christian, worldview that we call Old English. Drastic oversimplification here.

 

But late. And pedantic. Stand ready for corrections.

[Azulann]

Surprised this morning when we returned from breakfast to find a large Lindt chocolate bunny in a bed of grass in our stateroom. A Easter gift from the "Viking Sea family"

Did laundry ,discovered the sport deck and its sheltered seating area at the bow of ship. Another sunny day with the pool deck roof opened.

Had afternoon tea for the first time. It was delightful.

I still have not started reading my next book, too busy going to the lectures and having conversations with newfound friends about travel, history, art and how to set your iPhone clock ahead each night .[emoji57]

Ended the evening at the Beatle tribute show on the pool deck. Candid camera showed on the big screen many of the folks dancing to the music. The pool deck and Wintergarden were packed for this show featuring songs we all know by heart.

Tomorrow we take a bridge tour on our fifth day at sea. Looks like we might have rain when we get to Madeira and the weather will be cooler.

First thought of "oh, this all will end in 9 days..." But there is always the future cruise desk to take care of starting another sailing in you future .

 

 

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[OceanPatter]

And while Azulann did the Beatles show, I went to the Met’s HD performance of La Boheme (Star Theater). You’ve gotta love the diversity in entertainment on this ship.

 

We also booked a future cruise for late 2019 ... on a long sold-out cruise (spot opened up). Who makes reservations so far in advance?! You’ve gotta love the commitment of these Viking customers.

 

Issue: what to do with the chocolate Easter bunny. Bring it home (no)? Ponder it (maybe)? Eat it (yes)?

[stretchcruz]

Eat it. A bite every day. Can you please post the deals offered onboard for future booking onboard? There's another thread going about that. Thanks! Keep enjoying!

[Eaches]

And while Azulann did the Beatles show, I went to the Met’s HD performance of La Boheme (Star Theater). You’ve gotta love the diversity in entertainment on this ship.

 

We also booked a future cruise for late 2019 ... on a long sold-out cruise (spot opened up). Who makes reservations so far in advance?! You’ve gotta love the commitment of these Viking customers.

 

Issue: what to do with the chocolate Easter bunny. Bring it home (no)? Ponder it (maybe)? Eat it (yes)?

 

 

 

Give it to your room attendant- most love chocolate!

 

 

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[Clay Clayton]

Glad to hear your crossing is going as well as ours did two weeks ago!

 

 

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[Azulann]

Eat it. A bite every day. Can you please post the deals offered onboard for future booking onboard? There's another thread going about that. Thanks! Keep enjoying!

 

 

 

Here is the most current onboard bookings discount.

It was in a letter about 2020 bookings. Usual two for one off brochure price. $200pp past passenger discount

.booking on board receive $200pp for 7-9 days,$300 for 10-12, $400. For13-15 and $500 pp for 16 plus days.

Finally you also receive OBC, to use on this current sailing for booking multiple Cruises. $100 for one cruise, $250 for 2 and $500 for three or more.

 

 

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[stretchcruz]

Perfect! Thanks! That's exactly what I got last year.

[Azulann]

Glad to hear your crossing is going as well as ours did two weeks ago!

 

 

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Clay you inspired me to do this.But I do not know how to post pictures from my phone. I am following your on going blog on word press too.

All your observations are spot on. I have found my new cruise line .

Today is our last of six sea days in a row and our final turn your clock ahead night.! Lazy day slept in till 9:00. Had salad at the pool grill for lunch. Another lecture at 5 and dinner at Chef table.

Hope to do the the Viking Art guide around the ship today.It is a app on my phone.

In each stateroom there is a framed photograph .

Alongside it is a drawing of the scene by a Chinese school child. This was the idea of the Viking Owner.

Nice touch in our stateroom.

The photo is of Copehagen,ad the child is a 5th grader from Jingzhou,China .

It's a sign!! My next cruise will include Copenhagen,Denmark the country of my ancestors.

 

 

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[Clay Clayton]

Hmmm, we had the same drawing and photo in our room!

 

I loaded Tapatalk onto my phone and it makes loading pictures easy...just like you were adding them to a text.

 

Are y’all porting in Valencia?

 

 

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[PRH]

Anything about passing Gibraltar? Time? Party?

 

 

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[Azulann]

Hmmm, we had the same drawing and photo in our room!

 

I loaded Tapatalk onto my phone and it makes loading pictures easy...just like you were adding them to a text.

 

Are y’all porting in Valencia?

 

 

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We will be in Valencia on Monday April 9.

We have one more port than your sailing. we are going to be in Tangiers on April 6

Either we had the same stateroom 5106 or they use the same photo in more than one stateroom.[emoji848]

 

 

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[Clay Clayton]

Since we were on different ships me thinks they use the same art in multiple staterooms.

 

We will be leaving next Monday as y’all arrive but have a great visit. Presuming your included is the ale as ours, while we enjoyed the aquarium, I would suggest that rather than riding the bus back to the ship to wait and then catch the shuttle into town that you consider catching Bus 95 (there is a stop at The Oceanagraphic) and going into town. Below is a screenshot showing the route of #95. If you get off at the Torres de Serranos stop you will be at basically the same location where the Viking shuttle picked up and dropped us off. You do need to confirm that this is the same location they will use for your ship since we were here during Las Falles and they may be taking you closer into the city center. After you get off the bus simply walk across the bridge towards the towers and then bear left and you can follow the signs towards most of the major sights. Viking also gave us a good map.

 

I recommend a walk through the city center towards the Mercado Central. You might want to try to get on one of the Free Tours ( google it) as they have both morning and afternoon tours in English. They start at the Plaza de Vergin which is very near the Torres that I suggest as your bus stop.

 

If you decide to take my advice and grab bus 95 (and not waste at least an hour riding back to the pier and then back to town in the shuttle ), it cost 1.5 euros per person, the driver will make change and you simply pay the driver when you board.

 

I wouldn’t bother trying Paella at any of the places on the street-it’s just Rice and Stuff. But if anyone wants to know how to get to El Palmar (where paella was invented) on the bus, let me know.

 

Have a great time!

 

 

 

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[Clay Clayton]

Oops. Forgot to attach the map of route #95

 

The blue badly drawn arrow is where the Viking shuttle dropped us. The green line is showing how one walks across the bridge.

 

 

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[Azulann]

Thanks for all the info on Valencia. We are Dyi in the morning And tour I’m the afternoon.

I totally was out of my mind when I said that maybe you had my too Lol Lol

 

 

 

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[Azulann]

I will not post from my iPhone anymore. See above post[emoji50]

We had our first dinner at Chef Table. There were four of us. We combined two tops into table for four this morning . It was easy.

Seated and given the menu . It was titled Erling's Scandinavia Bristo.

It brought a smile to my face. Old great uncle Erling Christensen, a rutabaga farmer, would have been proud.

I have never done a set menu and wine pairing before. It was a creative, tasting meal with various wines. I love all three courses, reindeer comsomme, salmon declinaison with pickled cucumber lingonberry infused tartare.

Granita was Lapland delight, berries beets and whipped cream.

Main course was lamb and cabbage .

Dessert was Cloudberry soup with panna cotta and chocolate .

Will try to book for another night later this week.

Looking forward to arriving in Funchal, Madeira in the morning.We will have room service breakfast as we sail into port, watching from our balcony.

 

 

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Edited April 3, 2018 by Azulann

[sunbrookgal]

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.

 

Oh my.. All I remember was a wonderful, FAST 7 sea days. Took in the pool, lectures, Cooking Classes (3 but should have done 6). The evening shows, taking to our passage mates and the crew. on and on,, before we knew it we were in Barcelona. :( what a great way to travel. Azulann I am glad you had a great trip. so did we,,, be it a few weeks ago on the Sky.

[goldenrod]

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[Azulann]

Arrived in Madeira this morning a half hour before the Cunard Queen Victoria showed up. We got the spot nearest the port terminal. An easy walk into Funchal. We explored the center of town in the morning. Grab a light lunch before our 1:30 included tour.

At lunch I noticed the glass sliding windows were open in the World Cafe providing more al fresco dining spaces during our day in port.

First time in Madeira. I would come here for a land vacation. It is lush, terraced gardens and grape vines, banana trees.flowers everywhere. Our tour was a bus ride to top of the mountain on narrow well paved switchback roads. Then a stop at a fishing village for a drink of puncha, a very strong drink. I do not mind these two and a half hrs tours. It Is a good way to see some of the area away from port and guide gave us an informative and entertaining history of Madeira during the ride. Had a seafood dinner in the world cafe with friends Ocean Chatter and her husband.

 

 

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Edited April 4, 2018 by Azulann

[Clay Clayton]

We liked Funchal too. Sounds like you had better weather...our ride to the viewpoint was mostly foggy and when we got there we couldn’t see a thing. Oh well, hopefully it will be clear when we are back in November on our way back to the US.

 

 

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[OceanPatter]

Don’t you just love Azulann’s and Clay’s posts?? Brief, colorful and engaging.

 

Our six straight seas days across the Atlantic must be a record for the longest stretch without stopping. We’ve heard sightings of a whale (spout, that counts) and dolphins, and just yesterday I spotted small porpoises sailing through the air near the ship. Of course, it was someone’s yell that alerted me ...

 

Loved, loved Madeira. We did back to back excursions ... Levada walk in the AM, followed by a delightful Taste of Madeira in the PM. The walk was fine, although we have most of the same plants in northern CA, short of sugar canes. Fascinating to learn that Madeirans went to Hawaii (a while ago) to help with the sugar plantations and also brought along the islands’ first ukelele. The terraced farms reminded me of Bali, the narrow switchbacks of rural China, and the cosmopolitan Funchal of ??. But after 1.5 Punchas (not recommended), I was out of it.

 

Then back onboard for sail away. There’s nothing like the ship’s spa/pool area with its mood lighting. I escape daily for the steam room/sauna, but after a gym workout, of course. It really puzzles me why Viking doesn’t have ‘tv’ on the machines, where they can broadcast BBC news, enticing excursions, future cruises, re-broadcasts of lectures, etc. (Viking, are you listening in?)

 

But honestly, I have been so impressed by Viking’s responsiveness to our suggestions/comments. They even found ginger beer for our dark-and-stormy.

 

We are, however, having a bit of an issue with noises in our stateroom. These are most noticeable at night when the ship increases its speed and the seas are rolling (as in the past two nights). Something in the wall behind the headboard slams/bangs with each roll of the sea, and sometimes this cascades down to the wall in the sitting area. These are not normal creakings, and keep us wide awake until sleep finally takes over.

 

The end of our cruise sadly is coming into view (four more days). I’m starting to taper off the eating to get back to normalcy ... but not the imbibing. And what will I do without my daily Azulann-fix??

[photopro2]

We echo the comments of our fellow travellers about the high quality of every aspect of the ship. People have asked in the past about what there is to do on a transatlantic - we have found that our difficulty is not finding things to do but fitting everything in. Ocean Patter gave a good summary of a typical daily routine back at post #28 which we very much agree with, except to say we’ve not been bored for a moment!

We are going to claim the first sight of a bird at 07.23 yesterday as we approached Madeira, unless anyone can beat that?! We were also given a fine farewell from the dolphins swimming alongside as we left the port of Funchal.

We have just finished our pasta lunch, cooked fresh on the aft deck and are about to rush off to learn all about the Bayeux Tapestry and the history of Tissot watches - a great his and hers combination :)

 

 

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[dln929]

I am thoroughly enjoying following along this transatlantic adventure and now my mind is spinning with possibilities. We're on Sky next week but we're also doing a Viking Christmas markets cruise in December...and whaddya know but there's a Viking TA also in December...we could sail home to Miami rather than fly...ooooh dear! I might find myself walking perilously close to the future cruise desk....;p

[Clay Clayton]

I am thoroughly enjoying following along this transatlantic adventure and now my mind is spinning with possibilities. We're on Sky next week but we're also doing a Viking Christmas markets cruise in December...and whaddya know but there's a Viking TA also in December...we could sail home to Miami rather than fly...ooooh dear! I might find myself walking perilously close to the future cruise desk....;p

 

 

 

We looked at taking that TA home but decided after being away from Family for 9 months that they might kill us if we were gone for Christmas! So we are sailing back on a non-Viking line. Will provide me a good opportunity for a comparison review.

 

 

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[Azulann]

We echo the comments of our fellow travellers about the high quality of every aspect of the ship. People have asked in the past about what there is to do on a transatlantic - we have found that our difficulty is not finding things to do but fitting everything in. Ocean Patter gave a good summary of a typical daily routine back at post #28 which we very much agree with, except to say we’ve not been bored for a moment!

We are going to claim the first sight of a bird at 07.23 yesterday as we approached Madeira, unless anyone can beat that?! We were also given a fine farewell from the dolphins swimming alongside as we left the port of Funchal.

We have just finished our pasta lunch, cooked fresh on the aft deck and are about to rush off to learn all about the Bayeux Tapestry and the history of Tissot watches - a great his and hers combination :)

 

 

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HA!

You win First Place for the bird sighting yesterday. Good luck with your trivia placement today and on the last sea day[emoji322]

 

 

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