Most scenic times during English channel cruising day on Viking Mars?

[SempreMare]

Any guesses as to

1) Which would be the most scenic times during English channel cruising day?

2) What location on the Viking Mars would be good for viewing beyond the room's balcony?

 

Details: 

• Thursday: Depart Dover at 6 PM 
• Friday:       "Scenic Cruising: English Channel" 
• Saturday;  Arrive Dublin 8 AM
   
• Viking Mars in mid-September
• Penthouse Junior Suite 7000 port (left) side.  Looks like it will be facing France's coast line after leaving Dover.
• First Viking cruise

 

[pontac]

Sunset will be around 19:30 and sunrise the following day around 06:50 so there's not much time before dinner/breakfast to see the view even if the clouds/rain stay off 🙂. 

 

The English channel is the world's busiest sea lane so the Captain won't have free hand in how close he/she stays to the shore but will be directed where to go.

 

The narrowest part is between Dover and Calais, about 21 miles so there should be good views of both the French and English coastlines at first.

 

In the morning, as you approach Dublin you should get good  views of Ireland from your cabin  the closer you get to docking

 

However I should imagine that Scenic Cruising is marketing speak for time spent at sea.

[Jim Avery]

You are right about "Scenic Cruising".  Two things to consider.  First the English Channel is as you say very busy and involves a Vessel Traffic System.  The Captain goes where he is directed barring some emergency.  Also the EC is approximately 22 miles wide at the narrows.  For the most part you shall see the sea..... And ships, lots of ships.🍸

[Jay23]

Not much to see except the sea and a lot of ships.  Misleading description of the English Channel.  J

 

[Heidi13]

9 hours ago, SempreMare said:

Any guesses as to

1) Which would be the most scenic times during English channel cruising day?

2) What location on the Viking Mars would be good for viewing beyond the room's balcony?

 

Details: 

• Thursday: Depart Dover at 6 PM 
• Friday:       "Scenic Cruising: English Channel" 
• Saturday;  Arrive Dublin 8 AM
   
• Viking Mars in mid-September
• Penthouse Junior Suite 7000 port (left) side.  Looks like it will be facing France's coast line after leaving Dover.
• First Viking cruise

 

 

Departing Dover, bound for Dublin, the ship will steam West through the English Channel.

 

On clearing the Dover breakwater the Master may steer south to clear the coast, but must then alter to Stbd to join the traffic separation scheme at a shallow angle. The Westbound lane is on the UK side.

 

The initial course is SW to a position off Dungeness, then a small alteration to a position off Eastbourne. By the time you are an hour or two out of Dover you really don't see much land. However, as Jim mentioned, you will see lots of ships. Once in the traffic lane, the ship is at least 10 - 15 miles off the coast. Been a while since I did this route, so memory is a little hazy. Past Eastbourne you really don't see much land.

 

With respect to the best place on the ship to view the scenery, I always prefer the deck fwd of Explorers.

[SempreMare]

18 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

With respect to the best place on the ship to view the scenery, I always prefer the deck fwd of Explorers.

Many thanks for all your detail @Heidi13

 

Some context for this question:  I've gone from begin dis-interested in cruising to being an avid fan based on how awesome viewing the Alaska coastline was from my first cruise. 

 

My first and only cruise so far was Aug 2019 to Seward to Vancouver on Holland America in a Neptune Suite.  I was so intoxicated by simply watching the coastline change from Seward to Vancouver that I literally missed dinners and went to bed hungry. 

 

The coastline stayed visible for so long into the night that I didn't want to miss any of the awesome views just for a meal.  I eventually became wise to the deadlines for ordering room service.  The Neptune Suite desk was perfectly situated up against the window to see the coast roll by.  

 

Even though by most anyone else's standard's here in this forum it would not be "Scenic viewing", I'll probably be jumping up and down excited just by seeing the crowded ships go by.  🙂

 

I've copied and pasted your notes into my cruise doc for that day.

[LindaS272]

1 hour ago, SempreMare said:

I eventually became wise to the deadlines for ordering room service.

And with Viking you can order 24/7.