LIVE from "Iceland's Natural Beauty" -- All Sailings, 2021

[NeilP57]

Live from Sky. 
 

Sorry but couldn’t resist a couple of puffin pictures from today. 
 

 

[Seaharvest]

19 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

I'm fine with the laid back cabaret-style and I like the Abba show, but the cast currently on the Sky is not one of the better casts I have seen/heard on board.

I agree. I have enjoyed the show more in the past.

[Seaharvest]

7 hours ago, bardstowntraveller said:

Did you wear a bathing suit coverup or just go straight from locker room into baths?

Just straight in. It is a short walk to the in lake pools and you could lay your cover on the railing if you wanted but there is no need.

[Seaharvest]

6 hours ago, susanlik said:

Thanks for great discription

Did you really me the lake was only 50 degrees F....yoh obviously did not swim in it....correct

I did. It felt great after being in the hot water for a while. Then the cool water then back into the hot. While I was in the lake I met a man from a nearby town so we talked awhile. Try it!

[Wander58]

1 hour ago, NeilP57 said:

Live from Sky. 
 

Sorry but couldn’t resist a couple of puffin pictures from today. 
 

 

What Outstanding pictures!  I hope we are as lucky in mid-August.  I had heard it was a late spring so maybe we'll still have a chance.

[KarNog]

4 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

I suspect they meant 50°c. Approximately 122°f. 

122 F? That's 3rd degree burns for a child. You'd be the lobster in the thermidor if you sat in that very long. lol

[BarbRN]

1 hour ago, NeilP57 said:

Live from Sky. 
 

Sorry but couldn’t resist a couple of puffin pictures from today. 
 

 

 

[BarbRN]

That’s amazing. Are you a pro?

[KarNog]

19 minutes ago, BarbRN said:

That’s amazing. Are you a pro?

When I take photos of birds, that's precisely how they look in my mind's eye. 

Reality?

Edited August 3, 2021 by KarNog

[IheartNYC]

3 hours ago, SteelCity Cruiser said:

Does anyone have a screenshot of the Chef's Table menu for the Xaing (spelling?) evening?  I have the Great Britain and Asian Panorama but need  the 3rd for my photo book!  TIA

Ate at Xiang last night and it was great. We overheard a group asking for some tea and we didn't even think about it but it does make the experience a bit more authentic if they offered Chinese tea,  which they didn't. The highlights of the meal were the coconut granita (palate cleanser), wok fried beef tenderloin (so tender) and the chilled mango cream...the others were just okay. 

[SkystheLimit]

11 hours ago, TayanaLorna said:

Paolo, the resident guitarist was the best on the Sky!

Absolutely!  Very talented young man.

10 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

I don’t normally like the guitarists much but Paolo changed my mind!  I think he may be the best all around entertainer I’ve seen onboard a Viking ship. 

Agree completely!  He is very talented and we loved his voice and humor.

[IheartNYC]

We took an outside tour to Dynjandi waterfalls and it was breathtaking! I really wanted to see this waterfall but it was sold out on the Viking website and so I researched and came upon the Arctic shorex website. I was very skeptical at first but I finally booked the tour after a person posted here at CC that they booked a tour through them and loved it.

Shout out to Runar who was our amazing guide! We were the only ones that booked the tour through them and we're so grateful that they didn't cancel on us. It essentially became a private tour for 2. Runar was very patient in answering all our questions and even accompanied us as we trekked up towards the landing closest to the waterfall. Also, he said he wanted to get a headstart so as to avoid the 4 Viking buses going to the same place So we had the waterfalls all to ourselves at least a good 30 minutes before they all came.

Also, this tour cost us ISK15000 which is equivalent to roughly $120. So much cheaper than what Viking was charging. We then went to a farm (birthplace of one of their founding fathers, Jon Sigurdsson) that had a small museum,  a restored turf house and a chapel. Try the home baked goods they sell on the farm. The oatmeal/rhubarb bar and the Skyr pie paired with coffee were amazing!! All in all a perfect way to spend 5 hours at Isafjordur. We started  at 830am and got back to the ship at 140pm. We even had ample time to catch one of the afternoon complimentary Viking tours to Bolungarvik which was also great. I'm glad we were able to support a smaller tour company. Don't hesitate to book with them.

 

https://arcticshorex.com/tours/isafjordur-dynjandi-westfjords/

[kate7047]

6 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

I suspect they meant 50°c. Approximately 122°f. 

Yikes!. I'm sure it's 50 F.  50 C would be too hot to tolerate, scalding in fact. A hot tub is maybe 104-106 F, or 40-41 C

[Dukefan]

12 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

I don’t normally like the guitarists much but Paolo changed my mind!  I think he may be the best all around entertainer I’ve seen onboard a Viking ship. 

I agree - Paolo was great!!!!!

[NeilP57]

5 hours ago, BarbRN said:

That’s amazing. Are you a pro?

Not at all, strictly amateur. 
 

It’s just a bridge camera that I leave on automatic all the time. 
 

My secret is that if you take 100’s and 100’s of pictures every now and then you may get a good one. 
 

 

[SteelCity Cruiser]

7 hours ago, IheartNYC said:

Ate at Xiang last night and it was great. We overheard a group asking for some tea and we didn't even think about it but it does make the experience a bit more authentic if they offered Chinese tea,  which they didn't. The highlights of the meal were the coconut granita (palate cleanser), wok fried beef tenderloin (so tender) and the chilled mango cream...the others were just okay. 

Thank you SO MUCH for this.  I loved this menu from start to finish.  We also loved the wines they served with each course and now we have a list of all of them for future reference!!

[NeilP57]

7 hours ago, IheartNYC said:

The highlights of the meal were the coconut granita (palate cleanser), wok fried beef tenderloin (so tender) and the chilled mango cream

Live from Sky. 
 

We were also in the Chefs Table last night and the beef tenderloin was the highlight for us. 
 

The red wine served with it was superb. (in the stemmed glasses - why do they do that, it’s not necessary - they know who are having the premium pairing) 

 

We listened to Paolo last night in the Explorers lounge and we enjoyed this very much. However we felt his voice suits some types of song (eg John Denver and The Eagles better than others). 
 

We are off on the Northern Treasures tour today. 
 

Weather continues to be grey and overcast. It would be good to have some sunny blue skies but equally we are glad it has been reasonably dry. 
 

The sea has been very flat so far. We crossed the Arctic circle at 8pm last night. 
 

TTFN 

[Jay23]

40 minutes ago, NeilP57 said:

Live from Sky. 
 

We were also in the Chefs Table last night and the beef tenderloin was the highlight for us. 
 

The red wine served with it was superb. (in the stemmed glasses - why do they do that, it’s not necessary - they know who are having the premium pairing) 

 

We listened to Paolo last night in the Explorers lounge and we enjoyed this very much. However we felt his voice suits some types of song (eg John Denver and The Eagles better than others). 
 

We are off on the Northern Treasures tour today. 
 

Weather continues to be grey and overcast. It would be good to have some sunny blue skies but equally we are glad it has been reasonably dry. 
 

The sea has been very flat so far. We crossed the Arctic circle at 8pm last night. 
 

TTFN 

Thank you for the lovely Puffin Pics.   I am much afraid that they will be closest we will get to these special birds.   I much appreciate your posts Neil. 

[susanlik]

2 hours ago, NeilP57 said:

Live from Sky. 
 

We were also in the Chefs Table last night and the beef tenderloin was the highlight for us. 
 

The red wine served with it was superb. (in the stemmed glasses - why do they do that, it’s not necessary - they know who are having the premium pairing) 

 

We listened to Paolo last night in the Explorers lounge and we enjoyed this very much. However we felt his voice suits some types of song (eg John Denver and The Eagles better than others). 
 

We are off on the Northern Treasures tour today. 
 

Weather continues to be grey and overcast. It would be good to have some sunny blue skies but equally we are glad it has been reasonably dry. 
 

The sea has been very flat so far. We crossed the Arctic circle at 8pm last night. 
 

TTFN 

Please review the tour and let us know what the temperatures are like inland

have fun

[frickwg]

While I see pre-cruise, shore-ex, on the myviking, no mention of post cruise to airport.  Is it offered???

[Jay23]

19 hours ago, JM0115 said:

If you have time on disembarkation day, there is a 1 hr tour out of Reykjavik to a small island close to the city with something like 30,000 puffins on it. Viator has it.  We liked it a lot.

I should have made myself clearer.  We will be there in September and the Puffins will have left.  ........   How I would have liked to see 30,000 of those birds.  J

[JM0115]

39 minutes ago, Jay23 said:

I should have made myself clearer.  We will be there in September and the Puffins will have left.  ........   How I would have liked to see 30,000 of those birds.  J

I am no Puffin expert, but I thought the naturalist on the short excursion we took out of Reykjavik on our own said that they were around all year long, but could be wrong about that.

[susanlik]

2 hours ago, JM0115 said:

I am no Puffin expert, but I thought the naturalist on the short excursion we took out of Reykjavik on our own said that they were around all year long, but could be wrong about that.

That wood be amazing

We are not there until september

[BarbRN]

15 hours ago, NeilP57 said:

Not at all, strictly amateur. 
 

It’s just a bridge camera that I leave on automatic all the time. 
 

My secret is that if you take 100’s and 100’s of pictures every now and then you may get a good one. 
 

 

That’s me

[Heartgrove]

3 hours ago, susanlik said:

That wood be amazing

We are not there until september

 

The Atlantic Puffin comes ashore to breed in the spring and summer, but then spends the remaining time at sea.