The Virtual Explorers' Lounge

[deec]

Nippie Sweetie,  has your country been told you will be "at home". for 12 weeks.  Just trying to figure out if our Viking "Into the Midnight Sun" will be cancelled.  :(.

[JerryInIL]

Thought we better check out the lounge to prepare for our May Adriatic sailing.  Viking newbies.  2 glasses of Chianti please.  

[duquephart]

2 hours ago, JerryInIL said:

Thought we better check out the lounge to prepare for our May Adriatic sailing.  Viking newbies.  2 glasses of Chianti please.  

 

Pick up your money and pack up your tent

You ain't going' nowhere

[JerryInIL]

6 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Pick up your money and pack up your tent

You ain't going' nowhere

Hope there is money to pick up.

[Twitchly]

May we join you? Our favorite spot on the ship! And we can share a virtual drink with all of you without fear of infection. My husband is recovering from what is almost certainly Covid-19 (will get test results soon); we feel a bit like lepers at the moment. So it’s fun to come here for a few minutes and put that behind us.

Loved the panoramic views from the lounge. We never really took to the Living Room; although it was lovely, we missed being able to see outside. And the ambience was wonderful with the star charts lit up ...

[Clay Clayton]

Yeah I always thought the Living Room would be nicer if they didn’t cover the windows so much...even with not much of a sea view it would be so much nicer. 

[cocopico]

Plenty of seating right now  . . .

[Jim Avery]

35 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Yeah I always thought the Living Room would be nicer if they didn’t cover the windows so much...even with not much of a sea view it would be so much nicer. 

Said the same thing time and again.  One of the very few things I would physically change on Viking.  Who needs the macrame, or what ever it is?  Even a view with lifeboats would show the sea or a city scape.   

[Jim Avery]

22 minutes ago, cocopico said:

Plenty of seating right now  . . .

Well, it's still early here out West.  Even we have some standards.....😎

[stretchcruz]

31 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Well, it's still early here out West.  Even we have some standards.....😎

All rules are off during quarantine😁😁

[duquephart]

5 hours ago, JerryInIL said:

Hope there is money to pick up.

 

Sailed right past 'em.

[CharTrav]

Just fell on this thread as I was looking around for a thread (or threads) where I might learn how passengers on the rest of Viking's ocean fleet managed. Already know about the Sun and the Sky; all but 8 Canadians off the Sun and heading toward the Suez Canal end port unknown and everybody off the Sky with the Sky seemingly anchored off Ft Lauderdale (if I can believe Vessel Finder).  But what of Jupiter, Orion, Star and Sea? Again, using vessel finder - Jupiter is slowly cruising up the east coast of South America near Brazil, Orion is anchored near Melbourne (decided not to head to Vancouver?), Star is docked at Tilbury, and the Sea is anchored near Gibraltar. But what of the passengers? I'm assuming that like the Sun, Viking did it's usual great job of getting all their passengers off and  they are all now home. Rather than poke around at the roll calls for each of the cruises that were underway on March 11, thought I'd be lazy and ask here. Anybody know?

[deec]

We were suppose board the Sea  to do the TA  from San Juan to Barcelona on March 12....cruise canceled at the last moment.  Fortunately we had decided to cancel an the 10th before our flight to San Juan on the 11th.  My best guess is that she left for Barcelona with only crew aboard!

[AuntieWerewolf10]

Christmas Eve Martini on the Sky 2019

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, CharTrav said:

Just fell on this thread as I was looking around for a thread (or threads) where I might learn how passengers on the rest of Viking's ocean fleet managed. Already know about the Sun and the Sky; all but 8 Canadians off the Sun and heading toward the Suez Canal end port unknown and everybody off the Sky with the Sky seemingly anchored off Ft Lauderdale (if I can believe Vessel Finder).  But what of Jupiter, Orion, Star and Sea? Again, using vessel finder - Jupiter is slowly cruising up the east coast of South America near Brazil, Orion is anchored near Melbourne (decided not to head to Vancouver?), Star is docked at Tilbury, and the Sea is anchored near Gibraltar. But what of the passengers? I'm assuming that like the Sun, Viking did it's usual great job of getting all their passengers off and  they are all now home. Rather than poke around at the roll calls for each of the cruises that were underway on March 11, thought I'd be lazy and ask here. Anybody know?

 

All of the ships are empty of pax except for the 8 Canadians on Viking Sun. 

 

[CharTrav]

1 hour ago, deec said:

We were suppose board the Sea  to do the TA  from San Juan to Barcelona on March 12....cruise canceled at the last moment.  Fortunately we had decided to cancel an the 10th before our flight to San Juan on the 11th.  My best guess is that she left for Barcelona with only crew aboard!

Good. Know I'm displaying my laziness. Could have checked my spreadsheet to see which cruises were underway on March 12 and make an educated guess. But my computer is two floors away. And it's so much more fun to ask here! 😁

[CharTrav]

31 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

All of the ships are empty of pax except for the 8 Canadians on Viking Sun. 

 

Thanks! My admiration for Viking is reinforced. 

[CharTrav]

On 3/24/2020 at 4:16 PM, Hanoj said:

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.

Where was this poll? I don't wander much in cc forum. Just check my activity menu for things I follow and occasionally the one I've set up for new Viking threads. 

[Peregrina651]

9 minutes ago, CharTrav said:

Where was this poll? I don't wander much in cc forum. Just check my activity menu for things I follow and occasionally the one I've set up for new Viking threads. 

 

It is/was in  the right sidebar along with other announcements from CC. Does not appear in the individual threads or on activity stream pages. Go to the Viking Oceans forum and you will see it.

 

 

 

[CharTrav]

2 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

It is/was in  the right sidebar along with other announcements from CC. Does not appear in the individual threads or on activity stream pages. Go to the Viking Oceans forum and you will see it.

 

 

 

You're gonna make me have to shift to my iPadMini (have to find it) or my workstation. No see here in iPhone. Btw - did you see the news about the return of the CCForum Mobile App? I've installed it and I'll gladly abandon this mobile browser  interface and the activity streams!!!! That I've never liked but learned to accept. 

[CharTrav]

5 hours ago, CharTrav said:

Thanks! My admiration for Viking is reinforced. 

I was going to mention the Canadians and had included them as I was poke typing but somehow they got lost as I typed, backed up, edited, etc. 🙄

[CharTrav]

And by the way, the revitalized mobile app is great for searching for posts but not so great for entering and formatting same. Unless you know how to enter formatting tags. Which can get tedious. 🤪

[Nippy Sweetie]

Deec, not entirely sure how long UK lockdown will last. 'shielded' patients not allowed out at all. Over 70s supposed to be restricted. The rest of us have to stay at home except for 4 reasons : key work (medics etc), food (only) shopping, pharmacy visits and one restricted walk for excerise a day.

There's no time limit. The govt are basing potential reactions/restrictions on an algorithm based on numbers of cases etc. 

We're not expecting our July Alaska cruise to go ahead. 🙁

However, we're getting used to life under lockdown. Lots of Zoom meet ups and video chats. We'll all put on pounds from the comfort eating and lack of our usual amounts of exercise. 

It's lovely to think of being in the Explorers Lounge again one day. ☺️

Edited March 29, 2020 by Nippy Sweetie

[photopro2]

Deec, sadly Nippy Sweetie is right - there is no time limit; On Tv just this morning UK's Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove, when asked how long the UK's lockdown will last, said: "I can't make an accurate prediction, but everyone does have to prepare for an extended period."

 

I feel sure that even when the legally enforced lockdown ends it will not be lifted in one go but progressively with people, for instance, first being allowed to return to work while social venues like bars and restaurants still remain closed. Lifting the full range of "legal" restrictions will gradually follow eventually but it seems certain that people will be encouraged to put some sort of limit on social interaction for many months. That takes us well into summer and maybe into the fall before things return to some sort of normal.

 

If you are able to be flexible on dates you might want to look at rebooking on to the July 12th 2020 Midnight Sun sailing as that, of any this year, has the best chance of taking place.

 

Not the news you wanted to hear I know - sorry 

[deec]

That is what we have expected to hear.....I would reschedule now, however, we have booked our own air!  Delta not letting us re-schedule that far out yet!  I have not checked with Insurance about covering the air if the cruise is canceled.  I know for our canceled TransAtlantic (air and cruise booked through Viking) I can move the insurance to a future cruise. We may never book our own air again.  Also have air to China for the fall. but that cruise may happen.  Trying to be positive but realistic.!

 

Now back to Explorers Lounge....just finished a great breakfast with a waffle smothered with fresh berries... I think the "naturalist" has spotted a pod of dolphins....what fun to watch!  ahhh some birds too....land ho!