The Virtual Explorers' Lounge

[Lilyskittymom]

Dee - we are fellow Michiganders, from Novi.  I'd love to get together with you for coffee, when life begins to have some semblance of normal.

 

Maria

[deec]

That is a great idea, Maria.  I think our itinerary choices are very similar!!! 

[Heidi13]

On 7/24/2020 at 8:12 AM, deec said:

Yangon is a great addition.  We have done an  Irawaddy river cruise and it was probably my favorite destination.  However since we went Myanmar (Burma) has had some significant political struggles.

 

I can figure our WHY Viking has chosen the Star to do an extended cruise!!!

 

Clay,  you have done a TransAtlantic so you really would have been 'around the world'....we needed to add the TA part so we are doing Buenos Aires to Barcelona 3/22!

 

Dee - best guess of why the Sun is being replaced by the Star is that the Sun is scheduled for drydocking in 2022 for her 1st Special Survey. Can only assume that Viking were unable to schedule the D/D outside the WC dates.

[Heidi13]

On 7/24/2020 at 9:02 AM, Clay Clayton said:

maybe they will be moving Sun’s crew to Star so other than the closet drawers and the smaller gym and the outside exercise equipment would you really be able to tell the difference?😂

 

Clay - we are booked on the Star for a couple weeks next year for the Midnight Sun. Personally, the gym isn't an issue, as I prefer walking around Dk 8 & 9, but for a longer cruise the lack of the 3 additional drawers is a show stopper.

 

Aboard the Sun, we filled all of the drawers. When we are aboard the Star, I expect the drawers will be assigned - DW 3, me 0. Not bad for a couple of weeks, but for 4 months, it doesn't work. Maybe, we will be surprised and find they added extra drawers during layup.

 

We are still considering a 3rd WC, but it won't be 2022, possibly 2024, 25 or 26. Hopefully the Sun will be back and we like the itinerary one of those years.

[Peregrina651]

45 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

When we are aboard the Star, I expect the drawers will be assigned - DW 3, me 0.

 

And there is a problem with this?

 

[Clay Clayton]

On 7/24/2020 at 12:26 PM, Jim Avery said:

Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play.😎

I think the lack of drawers and a smaller gym is a bit less impactful than the death of a husband and president.  YMMV 

[Heidi13]

6 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

And there is a problem with this?

 

 

Nope - I always remember, "Happy wife, happy life"😁

[Jim Avery]

19 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

I think the lack of drawers and a smaller gym is a bit less impactful than the death of a husband and president.  YMMV 

OMG Clay!  That's an old gag.  Heard Bob Hope say it.  It staggers me how unbelievably touchy the world has become.  

[Jim Avery]

And yes, fewer drawers and a smaller gym really are game changers in 120+ days.  If I didn't hit the gym regularly I would have to spend all that OBC on new clothes...😱

[Jim Avery]

Andy, in our DV on the Sun we had 4 extra drawers.  Assignment: DW 3/ Me 1..  How good is that?

[PasadenaDave]

Touchy?  You should try posting a contrary opinion on Next Door!  I commented about my wonderment as to why intercollegiate sports are offered at Community Colleges and I pointed out how the UCLA baseball complex is located on VA land which was slated decades ago to house low income victims of battle.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

DW 3, me 0. Not bad for a couple of weeks, but for 4 months, it doesn't work.

Does the WC include free unlimited laundry?  If so, use the laundry for clothes storage by always having a couple of bags out for cleaning.

 

We had free unlimited laundry on some caribbean cruise and it allowed us to pack very lightly, and everything was always fresh and neatly pressed.  We had four days pre-cruise in Barbados so loaded up laundry bags while unpacking first day on the ship and sent them out first night.  Now that was a real luxury 🙂

Since then we opt for laundry packages if fare does not include free laundery.  No more fisticuffs over the free launderettes 😉

 

[Jim Avery]

Ragnar, laundry service is included in upper level accommodations.  All the rest can send out laundry and it's not too pricey.  DW likes doing her own and launderettes are included (including detergents) and are not too busy except the obvious crunch times.  Hardly any fisticuffs.   There was tell of a pair of 80 something men getting into a fight in one of the launderettes and the instigator being put ashore but I have no personal proof of that.  Still, it makes for a great shipboard rumor.  Especially as this is the Virtual Explorer's Lounge....🥃😎

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Nope - I always remember, "Happy wife, happy life"😁

 

You understand perfectly!

 

[SantaFe1]

On 7/24/2020 at 10:26 AM, Jim Avery said:

Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play.😎

Actually, I laughed out loud when I read this...

We would love to do this new WC, but we have a dog again, so unless she can share a cabin next door with Karine Hagen’s dog Finse (or maybe move into the owner’s suite!) I don’t think we can do another WC next year.😞

[Jim Avery]

Congrats on the fur baby. We have not gotten to that point yet. I think if you buy the Owners Suite you get to bring your dog.😎 The hot tub is a great place to wash doggie. And we will babysit when y’all need one.🍸😎 We would love this WC as well.

[Heidi13]

56 minutes ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Does the WC include free unlimited laundry?  If so, use the laundry for clothes storage by always having a couple of bags out for cleaning.

 

We had free unlimited laundry on some caribbean cruise and it allowed us to pack very lightly, and everything was always fresh and neatly pressed.  We had four days pre-cruise in Barbados so loaded up laundry bags while unpacking first day on the ship and sent them out first night.  Now that was a real luxury 🙂

Since then we opt for laundry packages if fare does not include free laundery.  No more fisticuffs over the free launderettes 😉

 

 

When we were moved to the Suites, all 8 of us were given the free laundry perk for our last 3 weeks. On our first WC, we had free laundry, but not when in a DV aboard Sun.

 

Actually never found it an issue or inconvenience. When returning from my walk about 07:00, I grabbed the bag and filled 2 machines. By the time I finished showering, etc it was ready for the dryer. Only once, when trying to do laundry after coming back aboard did we experience a queue.

 

Also noted a lady many mornings heading to the laundry at 05:30, as I headed out for a walk. She was finished by 07:00, when I started.

 

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, Jim Avery said:

OMG Clay!  That's an old gag.  Heard Bob Hope say it.  It staggers me how unbelievably touchy the world has become.  

Oh I know the gag....I wasn’t touchy or didn’t mean to be. 

[Clay Clayton]

5 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

When we were moved to the Suites, all 8 of us were given the free laundry perk for our last 3 weeks. On our first WC, we had free laundry, but not when in a DV aboard Sun.

 

Actually never found it an issue or inconvenience. When returning from my walk about 07:00, I grabbed the bag and filled 2 machines. By the time I finished showering, etc it was ready for the dryer. Only once, when trying to do laundry after coming back aboard did we experience a queue.

 

Also noted a lady many mornings heading to the laundry at 05:30, as I headed out for a walk. She was finished by 07:00, when I started.

 

And if it ever becomes a problem you can do what we had to do once, start it on the way to dinner and set a silent phone alarm and move from the washer to the dryer between appetizer and entree. 😂

[SantaFe1]

7 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Congrats on the fur baby. We have not gotten to that point yet. I think if you buy the Owners Suite you get to bring your dog.😎 The hot tub is a great place to wash doggie. And we will babysit when y’all need one.🍸😎 We would love this WC as well.

Unfortunately, the Owner’s Suite is sold out, as are all the suites but 1.  But our PV1 is available ( and it has LOTS of drawer space!) .  Our WC went up the west coast of Australia and then over and around Africa, so lots of new things to see and do on this one.  As we all learned this year, a lot can happen in a few months, so who knows where we will be by Dec. 2021.  But this WC is certainly on my radar!

[vslparis]

56 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

And if it ever becomes a problem you can do what we had to do once, start it on the way to dinner and set a silent phone alarm and move from the washer to the dryer between appetizer and entree. 😂

That is a great idea ! Thanks for the reminder about that. I have thought of it before but then I forget to set the timer. They should post a notice on the door about doing that  as a reminder as you head out 😉

We try to get a cabin as close as possible to the launderette so that I can gather our stuff, quickly stick my head in to see about availability and if they are are full, it takes 2 seconds to just toss the bag back into the room for later.  

We booked the 2022 WC on Wednesday and moved up to a PV2 from our usual DV ( wanted more room and a closet that wasn't opposite the bed for 4 months) , so we will be just a bit further from the laundry room this time.

 

[deec]

We had free laundry on the first WC and it was so awesome!  After 120 days I was ready to pitch anything that had been boiled too much.  BUT I love when I am folding laundry and find a 4100 tag!!!

[SantaFe1]

6 minutes ago, deec said:

We had free laundry on the first WC and it was so awesome!  After 120 days I was ready to pitch anything that had been boiled too much.  BUT I love when I am folding laundry and find a 4100 tag!!!

So funny!  I put on a pair of white shorts this morning and saw 6013 inside.  Made me homesick.

[Clay Clayton]

Same (except I like your staterooms better!)

[lackcreativity]

The only way we will ever get to join a World Cruise is in the Virtual Explorer's Lounge, but I did just check the itinerary for the one scheduled for December 2021. That would be practically perfect for my wish list. I wouldn't even complain about the lack of drawer space!