Just back! Our VIKING SKY-mazing 7 day Ancient Mediterranean Treasures - 6/25 to 7/2/2022. Full trip report with tons of pix!

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, Sleep7 said:

👋Hi Heidi13!

I'm following this thread with great interest!

Did you say that you were on the cruise with only a handful of others?

What happened?  Were they sick? When was this?

Please fill me in!😊

 

We were on the 2020 WC, which ended in Dubai due to COVID. The Dubai Govt required all pax to leave the country on their national airline, but they ceased operations with still about 90 Canadian & US citizens onboard.

 

Viking arranged a charter flight to Newark, then onward flights for all, but the US Govt refused to let the 8 Canadian land to then catch flights home.

 

The 8 of us got the best deal, having the ship to ourselves, with a full crew.

 

I did daily posts on our blog, so check it out. We were treated like royalty. 

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Curious as to what makes you say that?  Too big?  Location?  We were really happy with our chairman's cruise upgrade to PS1 on deck 8 - loved that room. Spoiled us for sure. 

 

Definitely way too big, considering that my first trip to sea was in a cabin 1/2 the size of a DV and there were 3 of us. For DW it is also not a good location, as way more movement.

 

The design, especially of the balcony is poor, with no access fwd. The Bridge has the best view on the ship, so why not design the ship to have balconies across the front, where pax can sit and enjoy the same view as from the Bridge.

 

On a cruise ship, the cabin is our bedroom and the public spaces the living area, so don't see the point of that much space.

[OnTheJourney]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

For DW it is also not a good location, as way more movement.

 

Sounds like your wife, like myself, probably more prefers mid-ship locations. I have motion issues, and so was concerned about being up on deck 8 for the chairman's cruise, but the Med was smooth as glass and so no problem. One evening and overnight was a bit rough. Didn't feel too well at dinner already. 

 

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

On a cruise ship, the cabin is our bedroom and the public spaces the living area, so don't see the point of that much space.

Good point. 

 

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

The design, especially of the balcony is poor, with no access fwd.

Hadn't thought of that. Doesn't seem to make much sense. 

[Sleep7]

12 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

We were on the 2020 WC, which ended in Dubai due to COVID. The Dubai Govt required all pax to leave the country on their national airline, but they ceased operations with still about 90 Canadian & US citizens onboard.

 

Viking arranged a charter flight to Newark, then onward flights for all, but the US Govt refused to let the 8 Canadian land to then catch flights home.

 

The 8 of us got the best deal, having the ship to ourselves, with a full crew.

 

I did daily posts on our blog, so check it out. We were treated like royalty. 

👋Wow.. just skimmed (and will go back and read more carefully when I have time) your absolutely amazing reporting of what was truly a Magical Mystery Tour.

The details, the photos and the continuity truly captures a time in all of our lives that were unprecedented.  Viking really outdid itself in taking care of their flock in a world wide emergency.

What a journey.. what a story that you recorded and reported.  I'm truly wowed!

👏BRAVO!👏

 

[OnTheJourney]

30 minutes ago, Sleep7 said:

What a journey.. what a story that you recorded and reported.  I'm truly wowed!

Then, when you're done with Andy's incredible tale during such unprecedented times, check this one out also, especially if you're not familiar. A different type of emergency.  DW and I were on this (quite an experience for our very first Viking cruise!) and were among the 400+ passengers evacuated by helicopter. This story is kind of fading into the background already since it was pre-covid and hence a different era entirely!  Still....worth a look. Scariest experience we've ever had. 

 

 

Edited August 25, 2022 by OnTheJourney

[Sleep7]

Just now, OnTheJourney said:

Then, when you're done with Andy's incredible tale during such unprecedented times, check this one out also, especially if you're not familiar. I was on this (quite an experience for our very first Viking cruise!) and was one of the 400+ passengers evacuated by helicopter. This story is kind of fading into the background already since it was pre-covid and hence a different era entirely!  Still....worth a look. 

 

  I was on 

Oh my goodness! Can't believe you were on that. I followed that story so closely and watched a ton of videos on youtube about it!

What a fright that must have been.😬

[OnTheJourney]

11 minutes ago, Sleep7 said:

What a fright that must have been

Yeah, you could say that. We knew we had to get back on a ship within a reasonably short period of time, and so did a cruise the following October. It went well, but certain things (like the shipwide signal when the captain came over the PA system to make an announcement) still sort of gave us the creeps. For months after we'd also feel a tad shaky during a storm or even when helicopters flew overhead. 

 

Having been on that cruise is why the "Chairman's invitational cruise" came about that we were just on back in May. Viking came up with a nice cruise for the "Sky Survivors" last year but it was (of course) canceled due to covid. The one we wound up doing came about rather unexpectedly with only two weeks to decide on it, but it was well worth it. Similar to Andy's tale, Viking treated us like royalty following the incident, and not only the financial compensation and free cruise opportunities that came along, but especially during the chairman's cruise. We even got to meet Karine and her husband and the famous Viking dogs! Mr. Hagan was onboard also for part of the trip and gave a wonderful (and rather humorous!) presentation. Karine's presentation was simply amazing and surely brought many people to tears since it was so heartfelt. Her video montage showed how crew and staff from so many ships bonded together to support what had happened during and after the Sky event, as well as incorporating footage of things the crews did during covid when no ships were sailing. It was most interesting and, again, very moving. The initial chairman's offering would have been the maiden voyage on the Venus. Slightly different itinerary than the one on we did on the Mars. Sorry I don't have a blog for you to peruse though 😁

 

Edited August 25, 2022 by OnTheJourney

[Travel R]

42 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Then, when you're done with Andy's incredible tale during such unprecedented times, check this one out also, especially if you're not familiar. A different type of emergency.  DW and I were on this (quite an experience for our very first Viking cruise!) and were among the 400+ passengers evacuated by helicopter. This story is kind of fading into the background already since it was pre-covid and hence a different era entirely!  Still....worth a look. Scariest experience we've ever had. 

 

 

 

Wow, just wow.  Glad y'all made it out of there okay and able to tell your tale.

[Sleep7]

20 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Yeah, you could say that. We knew we had to get back on a ship within a reasonably short period of time, and so did a cruise the following October. It went well, but certain things (like the shipwide signal when the captain came over the PA system to make an announcement) still sort of gave us the creeps. For months after we'd also feel a tad shaky during a storm or even when helicopters flew overhead. 

 

Having been on that cruise is why the "Chairman's invitational cruise" came about that we were just on back in May. Viking came up with a nice cruise for the "Sky Survivors" last year but it was (of course) canceled due to covid. The one we wound up doing came about rather unexpectedly with only two weeks to decide on it, but it was well worth it. Similar to Andy's tale, Viking treated us like royalty following the incident, and not only the financial compensation and free cruise opportunities that came along, but especially during the chairman's cruise. We even got to meet Karine and her husband and the famous Viking dogs! Mr. Hagan was onboard also for part of the trip and gave a wonderful (and rather humorous!) presentation. Karine's presentation was simply amazing and surely brought many people to tears since it was so heartfelt. Her video montage showed how crew and staff from so many ships bonded together to support what had happened during and after the Sky event, as well as incorporating footage of things the crews did during covid when no ships were sailing. It was most interesting and, again, very moving. The initial chairman's offering would have been the maiden voyage on the Venus. Slightly different itinerary than the one on we did on the Mars. Sorry I don't have a blog for you to peruse though 😁

 

Wow.. glad to hear and no surprise at all that Viking took care of "their flock" with kindness and generosity.  I'm so glad your (and all the passengers and crews) story had a happy ending.

Happy that you were able to cruise again and obviously still enjoy it so much! 😃

[Heidi13]

13 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Sounds like your wife, like myself, probably more prefers mid-ship locations. I have motion issues, and so was concerned about being up on deck 8 for the chairman's cruise, but the Med was smooth as glass and so no problem. One evening and overnight was a bit rough. Didn't feel too well at dinner already. 

 

Good point. 

 

Hadn't thought of that. Doesn't seem to make much sense. 

 

They do require the main frames, so the Naval Architects decided to leave the cabin uncluttered and place the main frames outside the bulkheads, blocking access to the fwd balcony. Since fwd balconies provide the best views, I personally don't consider they took the best option.

[Mitina]

19 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

Naval Architects decided to leave the cabin uncluttered and place the main frames outside the bulkheads

That explains the lack of access.  Very informative answer (as always!)

Thanks

[OnTheJourney]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

Since fwd balconies provide the best views, I personally don't consider they took the best option.

Andy, indeed a great explanation as expected!  In reference to the part I highlighted, this is why a good many people aren't (or at least weren't) happy about what Celebrity did with their private "Retreat" area at the front of the ship. Reserved for suite guests, the rest of the pax lost a good bit of what was formerly public space, let alone a view forward. A wonderful perk for sure but I thought just a bit over-the-top. Providing a substantial amenity for one group by taking something away from everyone else? Oh well...I'm sure it fills up suites. 

Edited August 25, 2022 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

16 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

I did daily posts on our blog, so check it out. We were treated like royalty. 

I must revisit all this....so much has happened since then, but surely worth going back to it  - especially a day-by-day account. You remaining 8 were sort of like 'flying dutchmen'. 

[Sleep7]

9 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

I must revisit all this....so much has happened since then, but surely worth going back to it  - especially a day-by-day account. You remaining 8 were sort of like 'flying dutchmen'. 

I love that reference.. my parents were huge opera fans and The Flying Dutchman was one of their

faves!😃

Edited August 25, 2022 by Sleep7

[OnTheJourney]

8 minutes ago, Sleep7 said:

I love that reference!😃

LOL...what made me think of it is the old Twilight Zone episode "Judgment Night":  

 

"We ride the ghost of that ship every night. Every night, Herr Kapitan, for all of eternity. They can die only once. Just once. But we could die a hundred million times. We ride the ghost of that ship every night...every night for eternity..."    

 

Great episode. Check it out if you never saw it. 

Edited August 25, 2022 by OnTheJourney

[OnTheJourney]

27 minutes ago, Sleep7 said:

The Flying Dutchman was one of their

faves!😃

Wagner. Not sure I'm familiar with the music from that one. 

[Sleep7]

2 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Wagner. Not sure I'm familiar with the music from that one. 

I'm still smiling thinking about my parents (huge Wagner fans) so thank you so much for that one!

[Travel R]

1 hour ago, OnTheJourney said:

LOL...what made me think of it is the old Twilight Zone episode "Judgment Night":  

 

"We ride the ghost of that ship every night. Every night, Herr Kapitan, for all of eternity. They can die only once. Just once. But we could die a hundred million times. We ride the ghost of that ship every night...every night for eternity..."    

 

Great episode. Check it out if you never saw it. 

 

Great episode!!!

 

Wagner, I'll skip.

[OnTheJourney]

1 hour ago, Travel R said:

Wagner, I'll skip.

Actually,  me too. Although I'm a musician, not into too much opera. 

[OnTheJourney]

2 hours ago, Sleep7 said:

so thank you so much for that one!

Always nice to spark a pleasant memory....my pleasure. 

[OnTheJourney]

2 hours ago, Travel R said:

Great episode!!!

It really is!  I think my all-time fav though is "Time enough at last" with Burgess Meredith. Fantastic story. 

  

Edited August 25, 2022 by OnTheJourney

[Travel R]

1 hour ago, OnTheJourney said:

Actually,  me too. Although I'm a musician, not into too much opera. 

 

For me, I have a hard time separating the man from his music.

[OnTheJourney]

2 hours ago, Travel R said:

For me, I have a hard time separating the man from his music.

https://www.wqxr.org/story/308187-wagner-explainer-can-we-separate-man-his-music/

[May B]

This has been so much fun to read! Thank you Sleep7, and everybody who chimed in.

 

I’m so happy to see you made it into the cemetery on Rhodes. We had a private tour with one other couple, but the cemetery wasn’t open when we stopped by. Those headstones are difficult to read! Do you happen to remember if anybody knew what Leah Mazal Tov meant on one of them? 
 

And let me tell you, my friends and relatives who travel often in business class are delighted to share what their experience is like. I think they are aware how fortunate they are. 
 

Safe travels to everybody, and safe time at home, too. 😃

[Sleep7]

8 hours ago, May B said:

This has been so much fun to read! Thank you Sleep7, and everybody who chimed in.

 

I’m so happy to see you made it into the cemetery on Rhodes. We had a private tour with one other couple, but the cemetery wasn’t open when we stopped by. Those headstones are difficult to read! Do you happen to remember if anybody knew what Leah Mazal Tov meant on one of them? 
 

And let me tell you, my friends and relatives who travel often in business class are delighted to share what their experience is like. I think they are aware how fortunate they are. 
 

Safe travels to everybody, and safe time at home, too. 😃

👋Hello May B!

I'm so glad that you enjoyed my report and all of the fun that followed... it truly was a wonderful cruise!

As far as the headstones.. I'm so sorry but I don't have any information about the inscriptions.  I don't read Hebrew so I don't know where Leah Mazal Tov is written and the guide didn't mention it.  Since you missed the cemetery I went back through my pix and there was one I didn't include which was a Holocaust memorial.  I enlarged the words so you could see what it said.😊

Safe and happy travels to you always too!!😍