Live from the Viking Neptune World Cruise 2022-23

[Lilyskittymom]

15 hours ago, deec said:

Agree...If I want a Mega ship entertainment/games I will book one. Please Viking do not change your culture!

We're definitely not interested in the kitschy stuff.  Not only would I not attend, I'd make Guest Services and the CD know why.  They can't adjust, if they don't know there's a problem.

 

Maria

 

[Floater69]

33 minutes ago, Lilyskittymom said:

We're definitely not interested in the kitschy stuff.  Not only would I not attend, I'd make Guest Services and the CD know why.  They can't adjust, if they don't know there's a problem.

 

Maria

 

Relax , Sparky. It sounds like a lot of fun. You are not required to attend, much less participate.

[spangler]

For those on the WC, as you settle in and review your calendar I want to let you know we have openings for the overnight tour to the Taj Mahal on April 1 and 2.   If you are interested please let me know (include email address) and I will send you the details. 

[stretchcruz]

They are currently doing ship building on Viking Jupiter too. Someone on the site that must not be named put up a bunch of pictures of the snowmen on this cruise. Very creative! Lots of participation it looks like. I'm loving reading the blogs.

[deec]

Spangler...does viking still offer an overnight trip to the Taj Mahal or did you Have to plan one yourselves.  Missing the Taj Mahal was the only big regret  I had from the WC we were on.  Although whenever a group left the ship for overnight excursions they did bring back colds and coughs!!!

[Heidi13]

9 minutes ago, deec said:

Spangler...does viking still offer an overnight trip to the Taj Mahal or did you Have to plan one yourselves.  Missing the Taj Mahal was the only big regret  I had from the WC we were on.  Although whenever a group left the ship for overnight excursions they did bring back colds and coughs!!!

 

Dee - although we had to cancel, I have followed the shore-ex offering and am not aware that Viking have included any overnight shore-ex in any port this World Cruise.

[mstadleraz]

There are no Viking sponsored shore excursions. We figured since we were in India and potentially will not be there again, we opted to do an overnight to the Taj Mahal with a group. @spangler is one of the participants. 

[molymoo]

11 hours ago, Goosebear Mum said:

Well, I have just read a report showing the snowmen, and they look lovely. The winning one is great 🙂 https://www.checkthisoffourbucketlist.com/post/fullmåne

 

Not seen anything about the creation of boats

 

The marriage game questions (saw on another blog) not sure which now.  May have probably watched the first one, but probably no more if it were repeated. Sounds like those there enjoyed it.

We’re on Neptune now, although we’re leaving in LA.  We saw the snowman “contest” in the Viking daily but really weren’t particularly interested.  Didn’t realize it was going to be such a big to do.  Never heard anything about boats … maybe that was part of the trans-Atlantic segment … several of the WC’s have been since then (and before).  
I agree that activities like these and “The Marriage Game” are not typical of Viking, I assumed they were trying to come up with activities to keep the word cruisers occupied.  This ls a lively and social group!  I’m guessing (and hoping) that shorter itineraries will be more like what we’re used to.

[Pappri]

Did they allow this WC to get a couple of bottles of liquor for your room as they did on previous WCs?  It was mentioned in the roll call that they wouldn’t be allowing that this time.

[Travelerstory]

Our day in Cabo. Can't say enough good things about the staff working the Tender.

 

https://storysworldcruise22-23.blogspot.com/2023/01/cabo-san-lucas-thursday-january-5-2023.html

[Pushka]

I find all the WC blogs wonderful and reading them all. Because the ship goes to the same place almost at the same time as my next cruise in April I feel like I'm already onboard. How sad. 😂

[FrökenFluff]

54 minutes ago, Pappri said:

Did they allow this WC to get a couple of bottles of liquor for your room as they did on previous WCs?  It was mentioned in the roll call that they wouldn’t be allowing that this time.

We haven’t got an offer for that, but neither did we ask for it. Same on our last 2020 world cruise.

[Mich3554]

3 hours ago, Pappri said:

Did they allow this WC to get a couple of bottles of liquor for your room as they did on previous WCs?  It was mentioned in the roll call that they wouldn’t be allowing that this time.

They brought a couple of bottles of wine around for us.  We haven’t opened them yet.

[Mich3554]

5 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Dee - although we had to cancel, I have followed the shore-ex offering and am not aware that Viking have included any overnight shore-ex in any port this World Cruise.

Nope, no Viking excursions.  I called the WC desk to ask about this and got a totally unsatisfactory answer as to why they hadn’t scheduled it.  The poor girl on the phone I spoke to just seemed cluelessly illogical, so just shook my head and went my own way.

[spangler]

5 hours ago, deec said:

Spangler...does viking still offer an overnight trip to the Taj Mahal or did you Have to plan one yourselves.  Missing the Taj Mahal was the only big regret  I had from the WC we were on.  Although whenever a group left the ship for overnight excursions they did bring back colds and coughs!!!

As mstalderaz mentioned Viking is not offering overland excursions for this WC even though they listed them prior to opening up excursions for booking.   They are listing overland excursions for the 23/24 WCs.  I imagine Viking will repeat for 23/24 and drop them just prior to opening excursions for bookings.  We worked with Memphis Tours for our excursion to the Taj Mahal.

 

[spangler]

2 minutes ago, Mich3554 said:

Nope, no Viking excursions.  I called the WC desk to ask about this and got a totally unsatisfactory answer as to why they hadn’t scheduled it.  The poor girl on the phone I spoke to just seemed cluelessly illogical, so just shook my head and went my own way.

We had same experience.

[NY Nick]

And todays 15 seconds of fame goes to…
 

Back here in the US, every Sunday morning there is the Willie Giest show. A Sunday morning show with news of the week. One segment they do every week towards the end is show pictures of people with their coffee mug from places near and far. This morning they showed a couple that was… “Going under the Centennial bridge in Panama on a World Cruise.”  They didn’t name the cruise line and I missed the names. Do they look familiar?

(bottom left)

 

 

 

[KBs mum]

On 1/6/2023 at 3:46 AM, KaySuth said:

Lamingtons - oh, we should be so lucky.  Exactly how do you think we should describe lamingtons to someone who has never experienced them?????  It's worth a try though - effort/reward.

Small cubes of Victoria sponge with coconut Icing? 

[Goosebear Mum]

Have fun, those of you joining today.  I’ve enjoyed all the blogs from everyone onboard so far 🙂 

[Pushka]

3 hours ago, KBs mum said:

Small cubes of Victoria sponge with coconut Icing? 

Light sponge cut into small squares. Each rolled in melted chocolate then tossed in shredded coconut. I made some in the UK using some of your prepackaged sponge for the Aus UK wedding. . For those on the cruise, every supermarket sells them. The more chocolate the better but some bakeries don't make them very well. And the coconut needs to have large shreds not small ones so you can taste them. 

Edited January 8, 2023 by Pushka

[KAM69]

Did Viking offer a pre cruise hotel? If so which hotel and when was it offer prior to your cruise?

 

Also please comment on the value this provided you.

 

Cheers 

[Mcobean]

Good Morning everyone

 

https://www.viking23.com/2023/01/09/orca/

 

https://www.viking23.com/2023/01/09/friends-lunch-and-a-christening/

 

Cheers

Daryl

 

[ldpetrillo]

Was the naming ceremony “live” or was it a tape of the ceremony? In other words, were all the participants actually on the ship Sunday? 

[Mich3554]

5 hours ago, KAM69 said:

Did Viking offer a pre cruise hotel? If so which hotel and when was it offer prior to your cruise?

 

Also please comment on the value this provided you.

 

Cheers 

Boarding in FLL, the pre cruise hotel was the Westin Beach Resort.  Knowing what I now know, I’d have booked someplace on our own.  I usually do for other cruises and have never in the past had an issue.  In FL, we would have been cooling our heels in the terminal rather than the lobby of our hotel when the USCG dragged their feet on the inspection.  I think it was after 3 before we wound up boarding.

[PeabodyMa]

45 minutes ago, Mich3554 said:

Boarding in FLL, the pre cruise hotel was the Westin Beach Resort.  Knowing what I now know, I’d have booked someplace on our own.  I usually do for other cruises and have never in the past had an issue.  In FL, we would have been cooling our heels in the terminal rather than the lobby of our hotel when the USCG dragged their feet on the inspection.  I think it was after 3 before we wound up boarding.

How was the Westin Beach Resort location and room?