Live from the Viking Star World Cruise 2021-22

[deeandbobcruisers]

Dee and I are curious if the 11 passengers and crew that are infected were removed from the ship today in Panama or are they allowing them to isolate in cabins for the 10 days?

[onlyslightlymad]

Another watcher here I'm afraid.  Just looking at your itinerary on the Viking website but I think it must be out of date as it lists ports that are not currently open to cruise ships.  Do you have a link to the current itinerary?

[UWDawg]

23 minutes ago, onlyslightlymad said:

Another watcher here I'm afraid.  Just looking at your itinerary on the Viking website but I think it must be out of date as it lists ports that are not currently open to cruise ships.  Do you have a link to the current itinerary?

@onlyslightlymadyou can see the current revised post-LA itinerary under the following Cruise Critic post: #1488

[GKTV32162]

World Cruise Day 7/152 - Atlantic to Pacific and back

 

https://kolbsontheroad.blogspot.com/2021/12/world-cruise-day-7152-atlantic-pacific.html

[UWDawg]

5 hours ago, UWDawg said:

@onlyslightlymadyou can see the current revised post-LA itinerary under the following Cruise Critic post: #1488

@onlyslightlymad and @larry1365FYI... I noticed that @Aquadesiac posted the revised itinerary on her Round The World Writer blog.  This will be a useful link to share with your non-CC member friends and family, plus she is an excellent writer and I enjoy reading her unique spin on the 21/22 Viking World Cruise; I think you will too.

https://roundtheworldwriter.blogspot.com/p/2022-viking-horizons-revised-itinerary.html

[Essiesmom]

Panama Canal today:  Gatun Locks

 

 

Upper right corner, from Agua Clara cam

 

 

Cerro Luisa cam for Pedro Miguel Locks

 

 

 

You are having lovely weather.  EM

 

Edited December 31, 2021 by Essiesmom

[Essiesmom]

Miraflores Locks

 

[Aquadesiac]

14 hours ago, UWDawg said:

@onlyslightlymad and @larry1365FYI... I noticed that @Aquadesiac posted the revised itinerary on her Round The World Writer blog.  This will be a useful link to share with your non-CC member friends and family, plus she is an excellent writer and I enjoy reading her unique spin on the 21/22 Viking World Cruise; I think you will too.

https://roundtheworldwriter.blogspot.com/p/2022-viking-horizons-revised-itinerary.html

Thanks for the shoutout, UWDawg! BTW, the DH and I used to live in downtown Seattle (2nd & Vine in Belltown) so we know right where Sammamish is! Counting down the days & hours now. Looking forward to meeting you in LA! 

Diana & Brian from MO

[UWDawg]

The Viking Star is now in the Pacific having made it through the Panama Canal.  

[UWDawg]

1 hour ago, Aquadesiac said:

DH and I used to live in downtown Seattle (2nd & Vine in Belltown)

What a small world.  DW used to live on Queen Anne hill before we were married.  back in the late 80's or early 90's we used to occasionally go to a restaurant/ bar right about 2nd & Vine named "Two Dagos from Texas" which was owned by two brothers of Italian descent.  One brother was the chef and the other was more of the business manager.  GREAT food!  But sadly they moved on.  

 

We're looking forward to meeting you in person once we board in LA.

[stargazers]

Yahoo!! She is getting closer!! Thanks for the pictures! 😃

[Captain Ricky]

On 12/28/2021 at 6:36 PM, njhorseman said:

The itinerary examples you gave when you said " US cruises do this all the time" are closed loop cruises, which only require a call at any foreign port, so the stops at Mexico and Canada fulfill the requirements. The cruise you're on is not closed loop, and for those cruises the PVSA requires a port call at what is defined as a "distant foreign port". Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama do not qualify as distant foreign ports, but Cartagena does because it's in South America. Without the Cartagena call and no other distant port being on the itinerary for passengers who embarked in Fort Lauderdale and disembark in Los Angeles the cruise will violate the PVSA.

Are you sure?  Cruises that go from Seattle to Whittier, Alaska are not closed loop and I believe they use Victoria BC as a "distant foreign port."   (If I could delete this I would because reading more on the PVSA I find that I was wrong.)

 

Edited December 31, 2021 by Captain Ricky

[Heidi13]

3 minutes ago, Captain Ricky said:

Are you sure?  Cruises that go from Seattle to Whittier, Alaska are not closed loop and I believe they use Victoria BC as a "distant foreign port." 

 

Any ship going from Seattle to Whittier must be US Flag. The cruise lines received a relaxation of the US PVSA, but only for R/T cruises from Seattle.

 

Victoria, BC does not meet the US PVSA definition of the "Distant Foreign Port", as it excludes all ports in:

• Canada,
• Mexico
• Central America,
• Bermuda
• Caribbean (except ABC Islands)

[Captain Ricky]

19 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Any ship going from Seattle to Whittier must be US Flag. The cruise lines received a relaxation of the US PVSA, but only for R/T cruises from Seattle.

 

Victoria, BC does not meet the US PVSA definition of the "Distant Foreign Port", as it excludes all ports in:

• Canada,
• Mexico
• Central America,
• Bermuda
• Caribbean (except ABC Islands)

This means that every time some passenger is offloaded in Sitka (where I live) for medical reasons, and it happens a couple of times a year, that the line is fined if the ship originated in Seattle and made a stop in Victoria?

[njhorseman]

11 minutes ago, Captain Ricky said:

This means that every time some passenger is offloaded in Sitka (where I live) for medical reasons, and it happens a couple of times a year, that the line is fined if the ship originated in Seattle and made a stop in Victoria?

Yes.

[GKTV32162]

World Cruise Day 8/152 - Panama Canal

Post 1 of 2 - the transit

 

https://kolbsontheroad.blogspot.com/2021/12/world-cruise-day-8152-man-plan-canal.html

[GKTV32162]

World Cruise Day 8/152 - Panama Canal

Post 2 of 2 - birds of the canal

 

https://kolbsontheroad.blogspot.com/2021/12/world-cruise-day-8152-panama-canal.html

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, GKTV32162 said:

World Cruise Day 8/152 - Panama Canal

Post 1 of 2 - the transit

 

https://kolbsontheroad.blogspot.com/2021/12/world-cruise-day-8152-man-plan-canal.html

 

Unable to comment on your blog, so may I suggest a few corrections to your post regarding the Panama Canal operation.

 

Locks - You mentioned that both Pedro Migual & Miraflores have a single lock, stepping down to the Pacific. The last locks (Miraflores) are actually a double set of locks. These are the locks with the Visitor Centre observation platform. The original Canal has a total of 6 locks - 3 up and 3 down.

 

Pilot Boarding - As a Norwegian Flag ship, she most definitely follows OSH requirements, which are outlined in the Ship's Safety Management System Manual, as required by the ISM Code. When the pilot launch is about the same height as the Shell Door, the boat pushes alongside the ship and holds position. The Pilot then steps onboard, and is flanked by a crew member on each side to steady him. If at a different height than the Shell Door the Pilot steps on a ladder, while the boat pulls away as the Pilot climbs the ladder. If the Pilot falls he lands in the water, where he is hauled out, rather than hitting the boat.

 

Pilot - while the ship has a Pilot, in the Panama Canal, the Master/Pilot relationship is the exact opposite of other ports or channels. In other places, the Pilot provides advice to the Master, but in the Canal, the Pilot assume responsibility for the navigation of the vessel from the Master.

 

Mules - the number of Mules depend on the ship's size. On Panamax sized cruise ships, we used 8 mules.

 

Charges River - you only spend a brief period in the river, as after passing Gamboa you enter the Gaillard Cut, which was the portion of the Canal that was dug out.

 

Tug Assistance - on cruise ships, the tugs are not supplied for steering assistance, as the transit speed is above the ship's minimum steerage. As in many ports, they are provided to assist in stopping the ship in the event of a propulsion/steering failure.

 

 

[PeabodyMa]

12 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Unable to comment on your blog, so may I suggest a few corrections to your post regarding the Panama Canal operation.

 

Locks - You mentioned that both Pedro Migual & Miraflores have a single lock, stepping down to the Pacific. The last locks (Miraflores) are actually a double set of locks. These are the locks with the Visitor Centre observation platform. The original Canal has a total of 6 locks - 3 up and 3 down.

 

Pilot Boarding - As a Norwegian Flag ship, she most definitely follows OSH requirements, which are outlined in the Ship's Safety Management System Manual, as required by the ISM Code. When the pilot launch is about the same height as the Shell Door, the boat pushes alongside the ship and holds position. The Pilot then steps onboard, and is flanked by a crew member on each side to steady him. If at a different height than the Shell Door the Pilot steps on a ladder, while the boat pulls away as the Pilot climbs the ladder. If the Pilot falls he lands in the water, where he is hauled out, rather than hitting the boat.

 

Pilot - while the ship has a Pilot, in the Panama Canal, the Master/Pilot relationship is the exact opposite of other ports or channels. In other places, the Pilot provides advice to the Master, but in the Canal, the Pilot assume responsibility for the navigation of the vessel from the Master.

 

Mules - the number of Mules depend on the ship's size. On Panamax sized cruise ships, we used 8 mules.

 

Charges River - you only spend a brief period in the river, as after passing Gamboa you enter the Gaillard Cut, which was the portion of the Canal that was dug out.

 

Tug Assistance - on cruise ships, the tugs are not supplied for steering assistance, as the transit speed is above the ship's minimum steerage. As in many ports, they are provided to assist in stopping the ship in the event of a propulsion/steering failure.

 

 

Heidi13, Thank you for sharing your expertise. I learn a lot from your posts.

[GKTV32162]

7 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Unable to comment on your blog, so may I suggest a few corrections to your post regarding the Panama Canal operation.

 

Locks - You mentioned that both Pedro Migual & Miraflores have a single lock, stepping down to the Pacific. The last locks (Miraflores) are actually a double set of locks. These are the locks with the Visitor Centre observation platform. The original Canal has a total of 6 locks - 3 up and 3 down.

 

Pilot Boarding - As a Norwegian Flag ship, she most definitely follows OSH requirements, which are outlined in the Ship's Safety Management System Manual, as required by the ISM Code. When the pilot launch is about the same height as the Shell Door, the boat pushes alongside the ship and holds position. The Pilot then steps onboard, and is flanked by a crew member on each side to steady him. If at a different height than the Shell Door the Pilot steps on a ladder, while the boat pulls away as the Pilot climbs the ladder. If the Pilot falls he lands in the water, where he is hauled out, rather than hitting the boat.

 

Pilot - while the ship has a Pilot, in the Panama Canal, the Master/Pilot relationship is the exact opposite of other ports or channels. In other places, the Pilot provides advice to the Master, but in the Canal, the Pilot assume responsibility for the navigation of the vessel from the Master.

 

Mules - the number of Mules depend on the ship's size. On Panamax sized cruise ships, we used 8 mules.

 

Charges River - you only spend a brief period in the river, as after passing Gamboa you enter the Gaillard Cut, which was the portion of the Canal that was dug out.

 

Tug Assistance - on cruise ships, the tugs are not supplied for steering assistance, as the transit speed is above the ship's minimum steerage. As in many ports, they are provided to assist in stopping the ship in the event of a propulsion/steering failure.

 

 

Thanks for all the corrections. I noted them at the top of the blog post and added them in their entirety at the bottom.

[DJVKN]

@GKTV32162 Garry, thank you for your blog post. Very enlightening. Thanks for the picture of a DV closet and how you utilized it. I have seen many pictures of the cabin but either the closet doors are always closed or empty. It's nice to see one in use. We were originally in a DV cabin but after cruising in a PV to Iceland, we changed cabins.  (We were on the same sailing as you to Iceland but never ran into you) Look forward to meeting you and Arlona in LA. 

Diana and Myron

[Travelerstory]

12 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Unable to comment on your blog, so may I suggest a few corrections to your post regarding the Panama Canal operation.

 

Locks - You mentioned that both Pedro Migual & Miraflores have a single lock, stepping down to the Pacific. The last locks (Miraflores) are actually a double set of locks. These are the locks with the Visitor Centre observation platform. The original Canal has a total of 6 locks - 3 up and 3 down.

 

Pilot Boarding - As a Norwegian Flag ship, she most definitely follows OSH requirements, which are outlined in the Ship's Safety Management System Manual, as required by the ISM Code. When the pilot launch is about the same height as the Shell Door, the boat pushes alongside the ship and holds position. The Pilot then steps onboard, and is flanked by a crew member on each side to steady him. If at a different height than the Shell Door the Pilot steps on a ladder, while the boat pulls away as the Pilot climbs the ladder. If the Pilot falls he lands in the water, where he is hauled out, rather than hitting the boat.

 

Pilot - while the ship has a Pilot, in the Panama Canal, the Master/Pilot relationship is the exact opposite of other ports or channels. In other places, the Pilot provides advice to the Master, but in the Canal, the Pilot assume responsibility for the navigation of the vessel from the Master.

 

Mules - the number of Mules depend on the ship's size. On Panamax sized cruise ships, we used 8 mules.

 

Charges River - you only spend a brief period in the river, as after passing Gamboa you enter the Gaillard Cut, which was the portion of the Canal that was dug out.

 

Tug Assistance - on cruise ships, the tugs are not supplied for steering assistance, as the transit speed is above the ship's minimum steerage. As in many ports, they are provided to assist in stopping the ship in the event of a propulsion/steering failure.

 

 

Heidi  13 Jan and I look forward to having a drink with you and Judy in the explorers lounge after we depart LA January 8, 2023. Your insight has been great and we would like to pick your brains on our yours WC 2023.

[GKTV32162]

World Cruise Day 9/152 - Happy New Year

https://kolbsontheroad.blogspot.com/2022/01/world-cruise-day-9152-new-day-new-year.html

[Captain Ricky]

On 12/31/2021 at 2:30 PM, Captain Ricky said:

This means that every time some passenger is offloaded in Sitka (where I live) for medical reasons, and it happens a couple of times a year, that the line is fined if the ship originated in Seattle and made a stop in Victoria?

What about runners.  Every season we have several people who miss the boat, pier runners as the ship pulls out.  Do they pay the fine or does the cruise line?  Curious.

[PasadenaDave]

13 hours ago, GKTV32162 said:

World Cruise Day 9/152 - Happy New Year

https://kolbsontheroad.blogspot.com/2022/01/world-cruise-day-9152-new-day-new-year.html

Thanks so much for your blog.  Besides being a traveler, I’ve been an armchair traveler ever since I could thumb through a National Geographic and an atlas.