Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Live from the Viking Neptune World Cruise 2022-23

Mcobean

By Mcobean,
in Viking Ocean

 Share

Recommended Posts

Heidi13

Heidi13

Posted
Posted

A question for those pax aboard the Neptune, as I am frequently reading of complaints with challenges using the wi-fi. I have also noted many, many photos being posted from the ship, both on the multiple blogs and the multiple FB groups DW reads.

 

To those posting photos, are you posting photos straight from your phone/camera, or are you compressing. The photos from my cameras are 30-40 megs, but before posting to the blog, I convert them to jpg, shrink them to 1024 pixels on the longest side and compress them to about 300K for uploading.

 

On the couple of times I forgot to compress a photo, it wouldn't upload.

 

Are you posting photos straight from the camera, or shrinking and compressing them in post processing? If posting straight from the camera, what is the average size of the photos being uploaded.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
DesertCruiser2000

DesertCruiser2000

Posted
Posted

So from what I'm reading you all got to go to Komodo and see the Komodo Dragons.  We are going to be on Viking Mars in a couple of weeks and we have been told we don't get to go and being rerouted to the island of Rinca.  There is only one excursion that says we must walk on some raised platform to see things with a walk through a place that we might see wildlife and might see the Komodo Dragon.  Not happy as we've waited for this cruise since 2019.  Have tried to find something more for Rinca as they say it's part of the Komodo National Park, but can't find anything.  Anyone else find anything?  Or has someone already done this detour location and have more info.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
dd57

dd57

Posted
Posted
29 minutes ago, DesertCruiser2000 said:

So from what I'm reading you all got to go to Komodo and see the Komodo Dragons.  We are going to be on Viking Mars in a couple of weeks and we have been told we don't get to go and being rerouted to the island of Rinca.  There is only one excursion that says we must walk on some raised platform to see things with a walk through a place that we might see wildlife and might see the Komodo Dragon.  Not happy as we've waited for this cruise since 2019.  Have tried to find something more for Rinca as they say it's part of the Komodo National Park, but can't find anything.  Anyone else find anything?  Or has someone already done this detour location and have more info.

According to the blogs, they went to Rinca island, not Komodo island.  They saw lots of dragons.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
CurlerRob

CurlerRob

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, DesertCruiser2000 said:

So from what I'm reading you all got to go to Komodo and see the Komodo Dragons.  We are going to be on Viking Mars in a couple of weeks and we have been told we don't get to go and being rerouted to the island of Rinca.  There is only one excursion that says we must walk on some raised platform to see things with a walk through a place that we might see wildlife and might see the Komodo Dragon.  Not happy as we've waited for this cruise since 2019.  Have tried to find something more for Rinca as they say it's part of the Komodo National Park, but can't find anything.  Anyone else find anything?  Or has someone already done this detour location and have more info.

 

A quick Google search shows a great deal of information about Rinca Island - for example: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g1820452-d3253186-Reviews-Rinca_Island-Rinca_Komodo_National_Park_Komodo_East_Nusa_Tenggara.html

 

Rinca Island is part of the park. The "might see" language your are concerned about is a normal disclaimer for any wildlife viewing excursion - it was present on our ShoreEx both times we visited Komodo Island - and despite the disclaimer, there were lots of critters to observe.

 

Rinca may even be a bit less overrun with local sales folks. On Komodo, you have to run a gauntlet of t-shirt and crafts sales in order to get back to the tender dock. Enjoy your visit - be sure to pay close attention to the guide's instructions for your safety. 🍺🥌

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Pushka

Pushka

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

A question for those pax aboard the Neptune, as I am frequently reading of complaints with challenges using the wi-fi. I have also noted many, many photos being posted from the ship, both on the multiple blogs and the multiple FB groups DW reads.

 

To those posting photos, are you posting photos straight from your phone/camera, or are you compressing. The photos from my cameras are 30-40 megs, but before posting to the blog, I convert them to jpg, shrink them to 1024 pixels on the longest side and compress them to about 300K for uploading.

 

On the couple of times I forgot to compress a photo, it wouldn't upload.

 

Are you posting photos straight from the camera, or shrinking and compressing them in post processing? If posting straight from the camera, what is the average size of the photos being uploaded.

Can you set up your camera to take both RAW and jpg at the same time to reduce the work? Also just taking a snip from the bottom edge of each photo reduces size considerably. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
mstadleraz

mstadleraz

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

A question for those pax aboard the Neptune, as I am frequently reading of complaints with challenges using the wi-fi. I have also noted many, many photos being posted from the ship, both on the multiple blogs and the multiple FB groups DW reads.

 

To those posting photos, are you posting photos straight from your phone/camera, or are you compressing. The photos from my cameras are 30-40 megs, but before posting to the blog, I convert them to jpg, shrink them to 1024 pixels on the longest side and compress them to about 300K for uploading.

 

On the couple of times I forgot to compress a photo, it wouldn't upload.

 

Are you posting photos straight from the camera, or shrinking and compressing them in post processing? If posting straight from the camera, what is the average size of the photos being uploaded.

From the photos I have posted directly onto Cruise Critic, they have downloaded directly from my phone. As for internet, there have been spotty coverage areas such as leaving Thursday Island enroute to Komodo and Bali. However, Samerang reception was very good.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
mstadleraz

mstadleraz

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, DesertCruiser2000 said:

So from what I'm reading you all got to go to Komodo and see the Komodo Dragons.  We are going to be on Viking Mars in a couple of weeks and we have been told we don't get to go and being rerouted to the island of Rinca.  There is only one excursion that says we must walk on some raised platform to see things with a walk through a place that we might see wildlife and might see the Komodo Dragon.  Not happy as we've waited for this cruise since 2019.  Have tried to find something more for Rinca as they say it's part of the Komodo National Park, but can't find anything.  Anyone else find anything?  Or has someone already done this detour location and have more info.

During COVID, Indonesia developed the site on Rinca and is fully controlled tour with guides and security. The Komodo option, from my understanding is no longer available for any tours. You cannot go off on your own no matter who/ what tour company used. This is for the health of the wildlife and the individual.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Heidi13

Heidi13

Posted
Posted (edited)
3 hours ago, Pushka said:

Can you set up your camera to take both RAW and jpg at the same time to reduce the work? Also just taking a snip from the bottom edge of each photo reduces size considerably. 

 

Affirmative, on both camera bodies, I can save both RAW & jpg versions of each image. However, I found it doesn't save much time, as I select and move the images I will include in the blog to a working folder, then complete a batch conversion in the background, while I work on other things.

Edited by Heidi13
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Heidi13

Heidi13

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, mstadleraz said:

From the photos I have posted directly onto Cruise Critic, they have downloaded directly from my phone. As for internet, there have been spotty coverage areas such as leaving Thursday Island enroute to Komodo and Bali. However, Samerang reception was very good.

 

What is the size of each image taken by your phone?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
cruising denise

cruising denise

Posted
Posted
8 hours ago, mbviking2023 said:

We spent our first full morning in Bali visiting a private home and taking a Gamelan lesson.  It was great!

 

Pictures and videos of us attempting to play the instruments on the blog:

http://twohappysloths.com

20230302_090708a.jpg

20230302_094240G.jpg

These posts are amazing, Mike!  Thanks so much for the great documentation!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
DesertCruiser2000

DesertCruiser2000

Posted
Posted

Thanks for all the pictures.  So nice to see and hear we will see what we have been waiting for for 3 years.  

Of course we'll get to get off the ship if Indonesia gets their app fixed that we are required to put our passport and COVID vac info in.  You are very lucky you missed this transition as it's a mess.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
mstadleraz

mstadleraz

Posted
Posted
22 minutes ago, DesertCruiser2000 said:

Thanks for all the pictures.  So nice to see and hear we will see what we have been waiting for for 3 years.  

Of course we'll get to get off the ship if Indonesia gets their app fixed that we are required to put our passport and COVID vac info in.  You are very lucky you missed this transition as it's a mess.

 

Not sure the apps are needed. We never used those at all. Viking provided the information aboard and we used a different site for Bali. Sometimes they checked the Viking documentation and sometimes they did not. Never checked covid information; possibly getting it from the ship since everyone has to have been vaccinated.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
DesertCruiser2000

DesertCruiser2000

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, mstadleraz said:

Not sure the apps are needed. We never used those at all. Viking provided the information aboard and we used a different site for Bali. Sometimes they checked the Viking documentation and sometimes they did not. Never checked covid information; possibly getting it from the ship since everyone has to have been vaccinated.

Thanks for the insight.  Our TA has called Viking and they didn't understand the problem.  LOL  They said just enter the data.  I'm going to go with your info and see what happens.  Worst case, we can't get off ship! LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mcobean "Live from...." Rare

Mcobean

Posted
  • Author
Posted
On 3/5/2023 at 11:37 PM, Heidi13 said:

A question for those pax aboard the Neptune, as I am frequently reading of complaints with challenges using the wi-fi. I have also noted many, many photos being posted from the ship, both on the multiple blogs and the multiple FB groups DW reads.

 

To those posting photos, are you posting photos straight from your phone/camera, or are you compressing. The photos from my cameras are 30-40 megs, but before posting to the blog, I convert them to jpg, shrink them to 1024 pixels on the longest side and compress them to about 300K for uploading.

 

On the couple of times I forgot to compress a photo, it wouldn't upload.

 

Are you posting photos straight from the camera, or shrinking and compressing them in post processing? If posting straight from the camera, what is the average size of the photos being uploaded.


while the internet is not great, it is the best I have ever had at sea. With a bit of patience I have been able to do all I need.

 

I do convert images to lower quality jpegs, about 100k each, before I upload. My experience trying full size images has been the same as you mentioned, they fail to upload 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...