Viking Ship Locations

[JeriGail]

3 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Viking Sun now about 5 to 6 miles from the Mersey Bar Pilot Station, then it is a long pilotage of 15 to 20 miles into Liverpool. Probably another 90 - 120 mins before we know where she is docking.

Does the Sun take on a local pilot there?

[Heidi13]

3 minutes ago, JeriGail said:

Does the Sun take on a local pilot there?

 

Affirmative, at present the pilot tender (Petrel) is approaching the Sun, which has reduced speed to 10 kts. She will now follow the buoyed channel under the direction of the pilot.

Edited July 4, 2020 by Heidi13

[BigAl94]

Here's a bit of inside knowledge. The three ships were actually having no work done in Belfast. It was a move by Harland & Wolff in the hope of securing future business (clever) and was around the fact that berthing fees for ships having work done were a lot less that lay up fees. Maybe it has backfired in terms of one of the berths.

[chengkp75]

4 hours ago, Dukefan said:

What about Cammell Laird Shipyard as a destination?  They don't refit many Cruise Ships but I believe they have the capability. If Viking wants to get these three ships all refitted by September, maybe three ships at one time was more than Harland & Wolff could schedule with their other commitments to Stena.

As far as a shipyard is concerned, docking a cruise ship isn't much different than any other ship.  The vast majority of hotel refurbishment/renovation is done by outside sub-contractors brought in by the cruise line.

4 hours ago, BigAl94 said:

Surely no need to refit a three year old cruise ship?

Ships need to be surveyed "twice in 5 years", so this could be the "intermediate survey" (roughly half way between new build and the first statutory drydock.

4 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

There is no regulatory requirement to drydock, as her first docking should be about Spring 2022. However, they could be docking early, when the ship is out of service, to save taking it out of service for a couple of weeks in 2022.

 

Even if not drydocking for the 1st Special Survey, they could be completing wet dock work they couldn't complete alongside the regular berth in Norway.

Andy;  any insight into visibility alongside docks in Belfast and Liverpool?  Could be that underwater survey was not possible in Belfast?  

[Heidi13]

7 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

 

Andy;  any insight into visibility alongside docks in Belfast and Liverpool?  Could be that underwater survey was not possible in Belfast?  

 

Haven't been into Belfast with a ship and only once into Liverpool - remember that day rather well, as my first ship docked in Gladstone Docks on Dec 24th 1975. At that time, I wouldn't think that underwater surveys were possible, but not sure about now.

 

If scheduling i/w surveys, probably would have been better remaining alongside in Norway.

 

I also haven't been into Cammell Laird in Birkenhead, as we always used the King George V graving dock in Southampton.

Edited July 4, 2020 by Heidi13

[JeriGail]

The Sun is visible in the Wirral cam

[Heidi13]

Looks like she is going to the pax terminal, as she is turning around and docking into the flood tide.

[JeriGail]

The Sun is visible in the Wirral Waterfront cam:

https://www.wirralcam.org/wirralcam2016/waterfront2.shtml

 

[Jammy Bun]

She’s at the Cruise terminal, in the heart of the city.  We’ve cruised from there twice, and once from the docks at Bootle.  One of the best cruise ports that we’ve experienced - with history, shopping, bars and museums minutes walk from the ship.  And friendly natives.  (But I am very biased, it’s just over an hours drive from our home!)

 

[Jammy Bun]

Local newspaper reports say she’s just sheltering from high winds?  (It has been exceptionally windy for the time of year, but even so?)

And someone filmed her arrival at Pier Head

 

[Heidi13]

The Orion is back at sea, having departed HK anchorage. Destination is listed as "High Seas"

[Dukefan]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

The Orion is back at sea, having departed HK anchorage. Destination is listed as "High Seas"

What does "High Seas" mean as a destination?

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Dukefan said:

What does "High Seas" mean as a destination?

It means that the Navigation Officer is bored.  Probably because there is no definite destination ordered, just "head towards this area, and we'll let you know when you get close".

[Heidi13]

Agree with the Chief, although I would describe it as a Deck Officer with a sense of humour. Since departing Melbourne they have used "For Orders" and "TBD", so keeping the AIS destination fresh and unique.😁

 

Pax are not aware of many of the "activities" taking place on the Bridge and no doubt the ECR. Best I recall was our son as 3rd Officer, he was the only English speaking officer on the Bridge, so was tasked with all the Noon announcements. The Shore-Ex SAP called him every morning and provided a word he had to incorporate into that day's announcement.

 

Some of the words I recall were metamorphic and lipstick. Since we knew of the activity, our task was figuring out the word he had to include. Pax all thought he was providing nautical tidbits and were not aware why many officers were paying rapt attention to the announcement

[JeriGail]

Why does Marine Traffic show the Sun's destination as Belfast with an ETA of 08:00 this morning?

[Heidi13]

Looks like the Deck Officers have entered a return to Belfast into the AIS, but have entered an incorrect ETA.

 

The distance is a little less than 200 miles, so about 12 hrs at 19 kts from dock in Liverpool to the pilot station.

[JeriGail]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

Looks like the Deck Officers have entered a return to Belfast into the AIS, but have entered an incorrect ETA.

 

The distance is a little less than 200 miles, so about 12 hrs at 19 kts from dock in Liverpool to the pilot station.

I just checked Marine Traffic again and the Petrel is now next to the Sun, so maybe they're getting ready to depart.

[Heidi13]

13 minutes ago, JeriGail said:

I just checked Marine Traffic again and the Petrel is now next to the Sun, so maybe they're getting ready to depart.

 

When alongside the pilot boards from the gangway. I suspect this is the pilot boarding station, as 2 pilot tenders were docked inshore of the Sun.

[BigAl94]

You can view her here https://www.wirralcam.org/wirralcam2016/waterfront2.shtml  Not going anywhere soon! Belfast not showing on AIS

[JeriGail]

3 hours ago, BigAl94 said:

You can view her here https://www.wirralcam.org/wirralcam2016/waterfront2.shtml  Not going anywhere soon! Belfast not showing on AIS

I was watching that web cam last night to see if I could watch her depart, but the rain was so heavy, I couldn't even see the other side of the river.

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, BigAl94 said:

You can view her here https://www.wirralcam.org/wirralcam2016/waterfront2.shtml  Not going anywhere soon! Belfast not showing on AIS

 

Yes, when I checked this morning the new voyage added yesterday has been deleted in favour of the previous one from Belfast to Liverpool.

 

Change of plans, or just teasing us to provide more topics for speculation.😁

[Jim Avery]

5 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Yes, when I checked this morning the new voyage added yesterday has been deleted in favour of the previous one from Belfast to Liverpool.

 

Change of plans, or just teasing us to provide more topics for speculation.😁

Haha, they are toying with you Andy.  And you thought all those beers were "free". 🍺😎

[Heidi13]

Just now, Jim Avery said:

Haha, they are toying with you Andy.  And you thought all those beers were "free". 🍺😎

 

Darn Jim - after you mentioned free cruise and free beer yesterday, I started packing the cases. Where do I sign up, even an overnight Liverpool to Belfast would have been worth the flight.😀

[Dukefan]

Looking at CharTrav's combined cruise schedule ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/v0h7vvslptkwg2n/Viking Ocean Cruises (2020 to 2022).xlsm?dl=0 ), it appears the Viking Orion does not have a cruise scheduled until November 11, 2020 (Australia and New Zealand Cruise).   Does this mean that this ship will just continue sailing the "High Seas" as it is doing now for the next four months with no one but a minimum crew on-board!!!  Viking Orion is the only ship currently showing no scheduled sailings in October, 2020.

Edited July 11, 2020 by Dukefan

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, Dukefan said:

Looking at CharTrav's combined cruise schedule ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/v0h7vvslptkwg2n/Viking Ocean Cruises (2020 to 2022).xlsm?dl=0 ), it appears the Viking Orion does not have a cruise scheduled until November 11, 2020 (Australia and New Zealand Cruise).   Does this mean that this ship will just continue sailing the "High Seas" as it is doing now for the next four months with no one but a minimum crew on-board!!!  Viking Orion is the only ship currently showing no scheduled sailings in October, 2020.

 

OMG! an entire 4 month contract slow steaming to nowhere. Although it sounds like easy work, for the watchkeepers, it is extremely boring and results in the contract really dragging on.

 

If they do remain unassigned until 11th November, they will need to dock/anchor for stores & bunkers at least once. They may also have a number of crew changes. Unfortunately, those remaining onboard probably won't get shore leave.