The Virtual Explorers' Lounge

[photopro2]

The Explorers' Lounge is our favorite place on the ships and one of our favorite places in all the world. This is not only because of expansive views and the fact that Mamsen’s is just around the corner. It is also because, for some reason, this is the place where we often seem to ask folks drinking at the bar “may we join you?” Those four words have resulted in meeting the most charming of people and enjoying fascinating, enriching conversations that we will never forget.

 

That interaction continues to a degree though this forum. However, while the topic structure of the forum is certainly helpful for asking questions and passing on information on particular themes, people are (quite rightly) discouraged from posting comments that drift too far from the subject of that topic.

 

I would like to propose this Virtual Explorers' Lounge topic as the place where everyone can let their conversations take any direction they wish just as in the real Explorers' Lounge - CC forum guidance permitting of course!

  

As well as offering the opportunity for more social interaction this could perhaps provide a partial solution to topic drift as people would be able to suggest “drifters” post here to continue their chat, rather than clogging up a particular topic.

 

If enough people feel it would be useful, then our moderator might even consider making the topic a “sticky” where everyone can find it easily. 

 

What do you all think?

[Jim Avery]

Great idea! May we join you? And I’ll have a vodka martini, straight up, one olive, thank you very much.🍸🍸

[Nippy Sweetie]

Great idea. We all need a seat in the virtual explorers lounge right now. Can I sit near the window leaning back on one of those furry throws? I'd like an open sandwich please and a mimosa. 

[photopro2]

Sorry about the oversized text in my first post, that is what comes of cutting and pasting from word! Maybe our kind moderator can correct that for me?

 

[jonthomas]

Great idea. I will be here. With maybe a slice of success cake from Mamsens.  So many of us feel very  isolated at a time like this. Having a place to come to and raise any topic is just the most useful thing right now. 

[photopro2]

36 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

And I’ll have a vodka martini, straight up, one olive, thank you very much.🍸🍸

Coming right up!!!!

38 minutes ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

Can I sit near the window leaning back on one of those furry throws?

Go ahead, there is unlimited seating - even those pairs of seats looking straight out front are still free!

[photopro2]

Thanks jonthomas. 

Yes it seemed like the right moment to put the idea forward, as the last ship is disembarking and so many of us are in lockdown. How is that going where you are? 

[deec]

Honey Bunny....( I can't remember his "real" name ...Inaugural WC...Explorer's Lounge... )The best Old Fashion ...no wait maybe I will have an Expresso Martini...or a Caprihina!  They were all yummy.  I did not discover The French75 until our Amazon trip!  Although not on VO the lady bartender on last fall's "France's Finest" VRiverCruise made the BEST I have ever had...not sure what her secret is!

 

photopro2, We are supposed to fly into London June 22 to spend some time exploring London before boarding the SUN for the "Into the Midnight Sun". Cruise.  I am still wishing but not hopeful this will happen!  Staying at St. Ermin's we thought it would be a good location for walkig.

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

Oh my, that's a spendid idea. I bought my Mamsens cup on my Viking Sky crossing in December, just so I'd have a piece of Viking in my home. The upper level of the Explorers Lounge is my favorite "perch". Truth be told, the whole ship(s) is so beautiful it's hard to have a favorite as each public room has its unique ambiance. Explorers Lounge, The Living Room, The Wintergarden, The Restaurant all hold warm cozy thoughts. Having longer itineraries can let a person to feel that they've moved in. I know I did.

 

So this being an open topic of conversation let me mention what a pleasure it is to experience the family like warm camaraderie between fellow passengers & crew that quickly develops on Viking ship. Words can not express how pampering & pleasant the hard working crew are. I've been treated like royalty, & almost got the impression that I owned the ship. In all my years of cruising I've never experienced a more congenial group of fellow passengers. My last cruise(Viking Sky - March 6th) I sailed as a solo.

Never once was I left alone. Every meal, every day it was a dizzying delight of a social whirlwind! Yay!

 

The Viking experience truly feels like a family. As such, in these unprecedented challenging times my thoughts & prayers are for the whole Viking organization. For my fellow Viking passengers i hope that you are home safe with your family & loved ones. God willing, we shall meet on another Viking ship!

[Frenchberet]

I’m in!  Experiencing a bit of withdrawal right now from our Australia/NZ trip.  Missing the beautiful ship and Orion crew... 

[lackcreativity]

I want a seat over in the corner where I can read or chat with the interesting people who bring their books along. "What are you reading?" is the perfect conversation starter. Of course, I am also fond of the area over by the faux fireplace. It's so cozy. 

 

We are scheduled to board the Jupiter on October 25. That's far enough away to hold onto some hope we will actually get to do so!

[Hanoj]

Perfect. We can have our drink (no need for virtual ones) and social distancing too.

[SantaFe1]

Love it!  I’ll have a glass of Overstone Sauvignon Blanc please.  And two of those club chairs in front, to the side of the piano!

[Jim Avery]

Was up to True Value a while ago buying a rattle can of paint to spray a couple of metal lizards and a guy who works there thanked me for wearing “such a bright and cheerful” shirt. Haha, a lime green Sunset Bar St Maarten souvenir from last October on the Sun. He said it’s good to be reminded there’s fun stuff out there.🍺😎

[Hanoj]

Did you answer the CC poll about expected cruise frequency after things settle down? I answered somewhat less. With the market decline I will likely be working longer and tightening spending to improve our financial position for retirement years before modifying our asset allocations towards less risk.

[ropomo]

My I treat everyone to a Silver Spirits Beverage Package?  BTW, top shelf is not excluded for this cruise.

[Peregrina651]

7 hours ago, photopro2 said:

Sorry about the oversized text in my first post, that is what comes of cutting and pasting from word! Maybe our kind moderator can correct that for me?

 

 

The font size was fine; it was actually easier on the eyes than the default size.

 

Next time you cut and paste, highlight what you have written and then click on the SIZE drop down menu, the one next FONT at the top of the composing box. Select 16 for the size. That should take care of the size issue regardless of where you did your typing.  Don't choose default; that does something else that I have yet to figure out.

 

Otherwise, thank you for starting this oasis. I'm pulling up a seat, grabbing my club soda with a twist (and pretending it is a Lemon Drop Martini) and am ready to sit back and let the conversation and the scenery  float by.

 

 

Midnight Sun, June, 2016

[AuntieWerewolf10]

I will join you at the bar, a glass of Vino Verde please!

[Hockeyump]

Mine's a lemon drop martini as well please.  I was at the bar but will take my drink to a window seat to avoid the person, there's always one(!), who wants to talk politics.  Happy to always have a considered discussion as I like to try and understand how it all works in other countries. However this person stepped outside the boundaries.

 

I'll be back later!

[Nippy Sweetie]

Just back from shopping at our local M&S. Very scary. Felt like a science fiction film. Marshals on the door allowing one person in as another leaves. 30 minutes max permitted. However, it was well stocked and everyone was being careful to stay behind the hazard lines marked all over the floor. I'm in Scotland btw. Suspect our next cruise to Alaska will not be on. 

Lovely to come back to the explorers lounge. A hot chocolate would go down well right now. 

[Travelswithmycamera]

What a great idea to relive our wonderful moments spent in the Explorers Lounge enjoying the view ahead.  Not to mention the serene surroundings  and delectable goodies.  We'll have a nice glass of wine and a diet coke to cheer our good memories.

[photopro2]

It is uplifting to have had so many positive responses and that the Virtual Explorers' Lounge has gathered such a crowd so quickly. So many new and old friends to chat with......Where to start......with some of the early posts maybe, and if I miss you out I am sure we will catch up later 😊

 

20 hours ago, Myrtle Ave. Mayhem said:

I bought my Mamsens cup on my Viking Sky crossing in December

We had no idea that they were for sale, certainly on the shopping list on the next trip. I really agree with all you say and join you in prayers for everyone at Viking, on and off shore.

 

19 hours ago, lackcreativity said:

I want a seat over in the corner where I can read or chat with the interesting people who bring their books along. "What are you reading?" is the perfect conversation starter.

My wife is a public librarian so that will chime with her I know. I expect she will pitch in with her own comments at some point.

 

18 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

spray a couple of metal lizards

???? Sorry Jim, but I have to ask.......... metal lizards?🤷‍♂️

 

18 hours ago, Hanoj said:

Did you answer the CC poll about expected cruise frequency after things settle down? I answered somewhat less.

We are a little more optimistic (naive?) and put about the same. We are fortunate not to be completely reliant on investments  and the markets have always come back in the end - though it could take a while this time around 😟

 

19 hours ago, SantaFe1 said:

I’ll have a glass of Overstone Sauvignon Blanc

Excellent choice, we took a wine tasting tour while in Blenheim NZ a few years ago. Started making notes but they were illegible after about the 20th sample.

 

14 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

Midnight Sun, June, 2016

Beautiful Picture! It brought back lots of memories - thanks for the tech tips too.

 

2 hours ago, Travelswithmycamera said:

What a great idea to relive our wonderful moments spent in the Explorers Lounge enjoying the view ahead.

Another great photo which brings those moments back to mind, thank you.       

[Jim Avery]

3 minutes ago, photopro2 said:

It is uplifting to have had so many positive responses and that the Virtual Explorers' Lounge has gathered such a crowd so quickly. So many new and old friends to chat with......Where to start......with some of the early posts maybe, and if I miss you out I am sure we will catch up later 😊

 

We had no idea that they were for sale, certainly on the shopping list on the next trip. I really agree with all you say and join you in prayers for everyone at Viking, on and off shore.

 

My wife is a public librarian so that will chime with her I know. I expect she will pitch in with her own comments at some point.

 

???? Sorry Jim, but I have to ask.......... metal lizards?🤷‍♂️

 

We are a little more optimistic (naive?) and put about the same. We are fortunate not to be completely reliant on investments  and the markets have always come back in the end - though it could take a while this time around 😟

 

Excellent choice, we took a wine tasting tour while in Blenheim NZ a few years ago. Started making notes but they were illegible after about the 20th sample.

 

Beautiful Picture! It brought back lots of memories - thanks for the tech tips too.

 

Another great photo which brings those moments back to mind, thank you.       

Haha, not too many martinis. “Yard Art”. In Arizona metal sculptures and plants abound. No watering but every couple of years a rattle can spray with Rustoleum keeps the rust away. Also waxing my car.😳 Surely could use a Bloody Mary from the bar.😎

[photopro2]

21 hours ago, deec said:

We are supposed to fly into London June 22 to spend some time exploring London before boarding the SUN for the "Into the Midnight Sun". Cruise.  I am still wishing but not hopeful this will happen!  Staying at St. Ermin's we thought it would be a good location for walkig.

St. Ermin's is really well placed. London is a very walkable city anyway and the underground is excellent for places a little further out.

You might want to check out https://skygarden.london/ There is a bar and it is right across the river from The Shard so gives a fantastic high angle view over the river, Tower Bridge and The Tower of London. Tickets are free but it is best to get them on line in advance if possible.

We did "Into the Midnight Sun" on The Sun last year and used to live just a few hundred yards from where the ship will be moored in Greenwich. If you have any questions do ask! 

[photopro2]

4 hours ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

Just back from shopping at our local M&S. Very scary. Felt like a science fiction film. Marshals on the door allowing one person in as another leaves. 30 minutes max permitted.

 

If it was like that in (posh) M&S, then imagine what I expected from my morning shop at Asda (Walmart) 😉 In fact Asda was not too bad even though there was a oneway system to follow around the shelves marked on the floor (strange times) and very long queues at the checkout with everyone keeping two meters apart. Fortunately I am registered for the self scan "shop and go" system so had no wait at checkout at all.

 

That talk of shopping (and your location in Scotland) reminds me of our call at the port of Newhaven for Edinburgh. Living in a more southerly area of same island as you do, we had already explored Edinburgh so spent most of the day enjoying The Viking Sun. However we did take the tender to shore and then walked the short distance to Asda's in Leith. We bought  a couple of bottles of Prosecco to enjoy on the last leg of our trip down to London then got the tender back to the ship. That was by far our most enjoyable shopping trip ever! 🛒