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

[Clay Clayton]

14 minutes ago, ejc14 said:

According to flightaware the incoming flight (Delta 1038) was just over an hour delayed leaving ATL, but should be arriving in BOS at 9:36.  Hopefully that'll be enough time to get #266 to KEF out on time.

 

Thursday's flight Delta # 266 left BOS about 1.5 hours late but was not cancelled.  My sense is that flights on the east coast have been affected by Elsa.  

I’m hoping it won’t leave on time.  At least 8 folks on this plane (at least 7 of whom are cruisers) need to make that flight. 
Our 4:01 departure was initally delayed until 4:29, due to a weather delay, then we had an aircraft swap, a ground stop due to lightening, then a maintenance issue and then they couldn’t fuel the plane because the hose wouldn’t reach one of the wings and the pump wasn’t moving fuel.  They resolved that, and we finally got a fuel truck. It’s now 8:06 so 4 hour delay at least.  We took the 4pm flight because we didn’t want to change having to run through the airport if had I’d taken the 7 pm one.  It of course left an hour ago. 🤯. 
 

So fingers crossed we get to Iceland…my DMIL is mad that I told her we would be having Legal Seafood Lobster rolls for dinner and obviously aren’t. 😢

[ejc14]

23 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

I’m hoping it won’t leave on time.  At least 8 folks on this plane (at least 7 of whom are cruisers) need to make that flight. 

Where are you coming from?  

[kate7047]

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

Yeah, the gate agent here can’t figure out the discrepancy. The inbound flight is supposed to land 5 min after boarding is said to begin on the app. 
 

 

Both Flightaware and Flightstats have 10:42 departure listed. I generally find them accurate. Have a safe flight! 

[ValarieDennis]

1 hour ago, ejc14 said:

Where are you coming from?  

They’re coming from RDU - Raleigh Durham.

[ValarieDennis]

2 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

I’m hoping it won’t leave on time.  At least 8 folks on this plane (at least 7 of whom are cruisers) need to make that flight. 
Our 4:01 departure was initally delayed until 4:29, due to a weather delay, then we had an aircraft swap, a ground stop due to lightening, then a maintenance issue and then they couldn’t fuel the plane because the hose wouldn’t reach one of the wings and the pump wasn’t moving fuel.  They resolved that, and we finally got a fuel truck. It’s now 8:06 so 4 hour delay at least.  We took the 4pm flight because we didn’t want to change having to run through the airport if had I’d taken the 7 pm one.  It of course left an hour ago. 🤯. 
 

So fingers crossed we get to Iceland…my DMIL is mad that I told her we would be having Legal Seafood Lobster rolls for dinner and obviously aren’t. 😢

Clay, looks like you are landing in the same terminal as your outbound, Terminal A. Don’t know if they are holding the flight for you all, but it is delayed a bit.

[ValarieDennis]

1 hour ago, kate7047 said:

Both Flightaware and Flightstats have 10:42 departure listed. I generally find them accurate. Have a safe flight! 

They just delayed Clay’s flight to 10:55 and have started boarding. They have a shot on making it.

[SkystheLimit]

5 minutes ago, ValarieDennis said:

They just delayed Clay’s flight to 10:55 and have started boarding. They have a shot on making it.

The flight from RDU
 blocked in at 10:19.  Same concourse for departure to KEF that is now scheduled for 10:55.  Looks hopeful for  them since they did not have to change terminals.

[ValarieDennis]

1 minute ago, SkystheLimit said:

The flight from RDU
 blocked in at 10:19.  Same concourse for departure to KEF that is now scheduled for 10:55.  Looks hopeful for  them since they did not have to change terminals.

Same concourse is key.

[Liz Masterson]

I really hope Clay and Mike and DMIL are in that flight! 
At least if they are not the ship’s next port is a long drive away… 

[Clay Clayton]

Thanks for all your good thoughts! We made it. They had just started boarding by the time we made the trek from A2 to A19 which involved two escalators and a tunnel under the tarmac. 
 

We left about 45-50 minutes late but landed only 3 min late….but have been sitting on the tarmac waiting for a gate for 20 minutes and just started moving. But we are here!   See y’all soon!

[oakridger]

Great news Clay!  I'll be watching for any info you feel like sharing while there.  Have a wonderful cruise!

 

~Nancy

[Seaharvest]

Thank you to all those who sent us information from the Sky this week. Thank you for taking the time out of your cruise  to keep us updated.  It was helpful and hopeful. Safe travels home. 

[Snit13]

4 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Thanks for all your good thoughts! We made it. They had just started boarding by the time we made the trek from A2 to A19 which involved two escalators and a tunnel under the tarmac. 
 

We left about 45-50 minutes late but landed only 3 min late….but have been sitting on the tarmac waiting for a gate for 20 minutes and just started moving. But we are here!   See y’all soon!

Glad you made it Clay.  Looking forward to your posts during your cruise.  

I know the issues with flying quite well as my husband was in Aviation Management with EAL until they bit the dust.  Have been through many interesting flight experiences over the years as a pass rider.  

Now that you are safely there enjoy.

[ValarieDennis]

4 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Thanks for all your good thoughts! We made it. They had just started boarding by the time we made the trek from A2 to A19 which involved two escalators and a tunnel under the tarmac. 
 

We left about 45-50 minutes late but landed only 3 min late….but have been sitting on the tarmac waiting for a gate for 20 minutes and just started moving. But we are here!   See y’all soon!

Checked 1st thing when I woke up and saw you all at the Blue Lagoon. Have an amazing time and tell mom sorry about that lobster roll🥰

[Clay Clayton]

Greetings from aboard Viking Sky!  Nice to see Jupiter anchored within site. 
 

No reservations required for The Restaurant this week. Menus seem to be a repeat of what I believe were the ones on the 1st cruise. 
 

Lots of folks at the excursion desk-some are canceling or changing from what I overheard. 
 

I didn’t have any issue with getting to the 2mm line on the test tube (4 good spits) but Mike wasn’t as successful. 
 

From the number of folks walking around  and saying “oh look there Ethel, isn’t that pretty”, I think there are a fair number of Viking Virgins aboard. 
 

If there is something specific you want me to check out.  Let me know. 

[Clay Clayton]

Greetings from aboard Viking Sky!  Nice to see Jupiter anchored within site. 
 

No reservations required for The Restaurant this week. Menus seem to be a repeat of what I believe were the ones on the 1st cruise. 
 

Lots of folks at the excursion desk-some are canceling or changing from what I overheard. 
 

I didn’t have any issue with getting to the 2mm line on the test tube (4 good spits) but Mike wasn’t as successful. 
 

From the number of folks walking around  and saying “oh look there Ethel, isn’t that pretty”, I think there are a fair number of Viking Virgins aboard. 
 

If there is something specific you want me to check out.  Let me know. 

[NeilP57]

2 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

If there is something specific you want me to check out.  Let me know.

Hi Clay, Is there much of line for speciality restaurant reservations? Any news on availability? Our lowly V cabin precludes us from making reservations before we board in 3 weeks time. 
 

 

[SantaFe1]

10 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

No reservations required for The Restaurant this week.

So they just canceled everything you had and you go when you want, like in the old days?  Hurray!  Although we didn’t have any trouble moving things around when we were on board.

[cfgrandma]

37 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

If there is something specific you want me to check out.  Let me know. 

Clay, thank you for all of the tips you have passed along.  We are Viking first timers and will be arriving on July 20th. i have learned a lot from all of you and are counting down the days.

 

If you have a chance would you take a picture of the ship at the Skarfabakki dock. I am making a scrapbook for my granddaughter to leave behind telling her where and what we will be doing each day.

[oldgeez]

I see a number of happy reports from the Blue Lagoon. Congratulations.

We've been to Blue Lagoon a few times. Has anyone tried the new one near Reykjavik, the Sky Lagoon? We'll be in Reykjavik for a few days before our 14 August sailing and was planning to give it a try.

 

[Oceanlover21]

We have a trip to the Blue Lagoon planned on our arrival day. The driver is meeting us at the cruise port at 12:30 pm. We arrive in Reykjavik at 6:30 am. For those who have gone before us, do you think we will make it to our driver in time?  

[JM0115]

Comments from the embarkation day on Viking Sky July 10 Iceland.  

 

Landed around 6:30 am and it took us about 45 minutes from the time of landing until we got to the Viking reps who were waiting for us for transfer to the Harpa Concert Hall.

 

Got to Harpa around 8:15 or 8:30am for check in (easy) and then  breakfast.  They were too busy at  the check in area with prior buses so we drove around Reykjavik for an ad hoc "tour". Then we went to breakfast which was nice after pretty much zero sleep or very little sleep.  A cold breakfast of a quiche-like thing, some other pastries, and fruit and yogurt and COFFEE!

 

Had to wait around with basically nothing to do until we were taken to the ship at 11am.   Got on the ship around 11:45 or so.  Muster "training" in the Star theatre (quick and painless) then to the World Cafe for lunch.  At 12:10 it was announced that all cabins were ready for passengers which was really great.  Watched safety video in our rooms which we had to verify and had to spit in the tubes (which for me took a lot of spitting!).  

 

Crew are very nice (as always).  Unpacked - napped - short swim in the main pool (capacity 4) and hot tub (capacity 2).  Tonight we have Chef's Table - Lotus menu.  

 

If anyone has any questions let me know.  It is great to be back on board!

[Liz Masterson]

15 minutes ago, oldgeez said:

I see a number of happy reports from the Blue Lagoon. Congratulations.

We've been to Blue Lagoon a few times. Has anyone tried the new one near Reykjavik, the Sky Lagoon? We'll be in Reykjavik for a few days before our 14 August sailing and was planning to give it a try.

 

I will be in Reykjavik this winter to see the Northern Lights and am looking forward to visiting the Sky Lagoon! I hope you'll post about it both here and over on the thread below: 

 

[Wander58]

33 minutes ago, JM0115 said:

Comments from the embarkation day on Viking Sky July 10 Iceland.  

 

Landed around 6:30 am and it took us about 45 minutes from the time of landing until we got to the Viking reps who were waiting for us for transfer to the Harpa Concert Hall.

 

Got to Harpa around 8:15 or 8:30am for check in (easy) and then  breakfast.  They were too busy at  the check in area with prior buses so we drove around Reykjavik for an ad hoc "tour". Then we went to breakfast which was nice after pretty much zero sleep or very little sleep.  A cold breakfast of a quiche-like thing, some other pastries, and fruit and yogurt and COFFEE!

 

Had to wait around with basically nothing to do until we were taken to the ship at 11am.   Got on the ship around 11:45 or so.  Muster "training" in the Star theatre (quick and painless) then to the World Cafe for lunch.  At 12:10 it was announced that all cabins were ready for passengers which was really great.  Watched safety video in our rooms which we had to verify and had to spit in the tubes (which for me took a lot of spitting!).  

 

Crew are very nice (as always).  Unpacked - napped - short swim in the main pool (capacity 4) and hot tub (capacity 2).  Tonight we have Chef's Table - Lotus menu.  

 

If anyone has any questions let me know.  It is great to be back on board!

 

[Wander58]

Just now, Wander58 said:

We are on the Aug 17 sailing and are doing our own transportation from the airport.  Could you find out if we are supposed to go to Harpa or if we can go direct to the port?  We arrive on the UA flight from Newark at 6:30am so even getting through immigration & customs and the ride to town, we'll still be pretty early.