Live from the Orion Auckland to Sydney Dec22 - Jan5

[katlew]

Happy New Year!

Yesterday was NYE. It was a beautiful day to be stuck anchored off Australia if we have to be stuck. We mainly sat around the infinity pool with some of us taking a dip from time to time. 

There is lots of talk of the tv news stories on Australia tv & Fox that have been picked up elsewhere. We’ve heard everything from we are all being exposed to a fungus to the boat is limping from port to port being refused entry. We personally think there has been some pretty sloppy journalism starting with the first tv story which seemed to be completely taken from one passenger on the ship. Anyway, most folks seem to be taking the disappointment in stride & I’ve heard many people talking about their next Viking cruise already. The biggest fear right now is the cleaning won’t be done in time to get to Melbourne tomorrow & we’ll end up at sea for 8 days straight.

Anyway, back to NYE. The boat had two parties set up, one around the pool & one in the Atrium. The pool was with the band & the atrium with the classical duo. There were lots of people very dressed up & the ship provided hats & noise makers. We started in the Explorers Lounge where we were served caviar & vodka. Then it was lobster Thermidor in the restaurant for dinner. The restaurant the packed & even at 8pm there was a wait for a table. After dinner we went to the pool party. It was packed & we ended up around the wintergarden where they opened all the windows to the pool area. There were lots of people dancing & a champagne toast was provided. They showed the fireworks from Sydney 1/2 before our new years on the big screen. The staff certainly worked like crazy tonight for us!

Beautiful sunny morning again & we’ll head to the New Years buffet soon. Let’s hope we get good news about Melbourne soon.

[millybess]

14 minutes ago, katlew said:

Happy New Year!

Yesterday was NYE. It was a beautiful day to be stuck anchored off Australia if we have to be stuck. We mainly sat around the infinity pool with some of us taking a dip from time to time. 

There is lots of talk of the tv news stories on Australia tv & Fox that have been picked up elsewhere. We’ve heard everything from we are all being exposed to a fungus to the boat is limping from port to port being refused entry. We personally think there has been some pretty sloppy journalism starting with the first tv story which seemed to be completely taken from one passenger on the ship. Anyway, most folks seem to be taking the disappointment in stride & I’ve heard many people talking about their next Viking cruise already. The biggest fear right now is the cleaning won’t be done in time to get to Melbourne tomorrow & we’ll end up at sea for 8 days straight.

Anyway, back to NYE. The boat had two parties set up, one around the pool & one in the Atrium. The pool was with the band & the atrium with the classical duo. There were lots of people very dressed up & the ship provided hats & noise makers. We started in the Explorers Lounge where we were served caviar & vodka. Then it was lobster Thermidor in the restaurant for dinner. The restaurant the packed & even at 8pm there was a wait for a table. After dinner we went to the pool party. It was packed & we ended up around the wintergarden where they opened all the windows to the pool area. There were lots of people dancing & a champagne toast was provided. They showed the fireworks from Sydney 1/2 before our new years on the big screen. The staff certainly worked like crazy tonight for us!

Beautiful sunny morning again & we’ll head to the New Years buffet soon. Let’s hope we get good news about Melbourne soon.

Happy New Year to you katlew and all on board. 

[Newleno]

2 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Either way, most unfortunate to have yet another mishap for Viking, especially so soon after the Antarctica and riverboat incidents. 

Dont forget the Viking Sky,  Although sloppy journalism and rumors have stated that this very expensive trip of a life time Christmas/New Years cruise have not even made it to one port.  

Edited December 31, 2022 by Newleno

[katlew]

42 minutes ago, Newleno said:

Dont forget the Viking Sky,  Although sloppy journalism and rumors have stated that this very expensive trip of a life time Christmas/New Years cruise have not even made it to one port.  

We have made it to two ports, Rotorua & Wellington, so that’s something anyway.

[katlew]

Well, we just heard no Melbourne for this cruise either. Cleaning isn’t going fast enough. We’ll go full speed to Melbourne for a two hour stop to load critical supplies & then head full speed to Sydney. The captain “hopes” we will make Sydney at our planned time. This floating hotel is very nice, but we’re bummed. We are expecting very good compensation!

[Pushka]

8 minutes ago, katlew said:

Well, we just heard no Melbourne for this cruise either. Cleaning isn’t going fast enough. We’ll go full speed to Melbourne for a two hour stop to load critical supplies & then head full speed to Sydney. The captain “hopes” we will make Sydney at our planned time. This floating hotel is very nice, but we’re bummed. We are expecting very good compensation!

I just heard this from a very disgruntled passenger on a FB group. I'm so sorry for you all, while compensation will be offered, going on trips like this involves so much planning and organisation for home, possibly work, airfares etc etc that a 'Free cruise' doesn't go far enough. Of course things happen but it seems that this is something that shouldn't have happened. Something has changed in NZ it seems. 

[Serendiptydesign]

1 hour ago, Pushka said:

I just heard this from a very disgruntled passenger on a FB group. I'm so sorry for you all, while compensation will be offered, going on trips like this involves so much planning and organisation for home, possibly work, airfares etc etc that a 'Free cruise' doesn't go far enough. Of course things happen but it seems that this is something that shouldn't have happened. Something has changed in NZ it seems. 

In 2018 Nz made a change to ensure we can maintain our water ways  this is not a new issue. From what I have read 6% of the ships that have entered NZ waters have been requested to clean the hulls.

[Twitchly]

I think we’ll pass on cruising to New Zealand. 

[Pushka]

42 minutes ago, Serendiptydesign said:

In 2018 Nz made a change to ensure we can maintain our water ways  this is not a new issue. From what I have read 6% of the ships that have entered NZ waters have been requested to clean the hulls.

I guess in the context of Covid wiping out cruises in our region for 3 years it's something that wasn't picked up properly. 

[Serendiptydesign]

1 hour ago, Twitchly said:

I think we’ll pass on cruising to New Zealand. 

Please do visit Nz it is a lovely place well I am biased we live there. May be fly in and rent a car. If you pm privately we  live 20 minutes from Martinborough wine district and offer accommodation. 

Edited January 1, 2023 by Serendiptydesign

[stretchcruz]

I am so sorry for all of you. We so enjoyed our Auckland to Bali cruise in 2019. A floating hotel is very nice but doesn't compare to the ports and adventures that you were planning on. I'm sorry.

[CurlerRob]

4 hours ago, katlew said:

Well, we just heard no Melbourne for this cruise either. Cleaning isn’t going fast enough. We’ll go full speed to Melbourne for a two hour stop to load critical supplies & then head full speed to Sydney. The captain “hopes” we will make Sydney at our planned time. This floating hotel is very nice, but we’re bummed. We are expecting very good compensation!

 

I continue to be so impressed with your civility and calmness given a very painful situation - kudos to you! So many others would be in full rant mode, which doesn't really help with such a huge disappointment.

 

Here's hoping that Viking's compensation will allow you to take a similar trip on again - you have unfortunately missed out on most of two of the finest countries in the world. Keep well! 🍺🥌

[Babr]

On 12/29/2022 at 11:31 PM, katlew said:

If you see my latest post, the boat was passed as clean in quite a few countries before this trip. They did not expect the inspection in NZ to be any different. We do have travel insurance & will see what Viking plans to compensate us & then see if we need to contact them. We were getting a 50% voucher but now have been told they will call us about compensation when we get home.

What kind of claim would insurance cover in this instance? I can’t think of which provision would cover snail infestation.

[katlew]

1 minute ago, Babr said:

What kind of claim would insurance cover in this instance? I can’t think of which provision would cover snail infestation.

Yeah, we don’t think insurance will cover anything after looking. We except Viking to compensate us well.

[katlew]

1 hour ago, CurlerRob said:

 

I continue to be so impressed with your civility and calmness given a very painful situation - kudos to you! So many others would be in full rant mode, which doesn't really help with such a huge disappointment.

 

Here's hoping that Viking's compensation will allow you to take a similar trip on again - you have unfortunately missed out on most of two of the finest countries in the world. Keep well! 🍺🥌

We keep saying we could rant & rave & really have a worse time or make the best of the hand dealt to us. We will come back, though probably not as a cruise. 

[katlew]

9 minutes ago, katlew said:

Yeah, we don’t think insurance will cover anything after looking. We except Viking to compensate us well.

I mean expect!

[Newleno]

24 minutes ago, katlew said:

We keep saying we could rant & rave & really have a worse time or make the best of the hand dealt to us. We will come back, though probably not as a cruise. 

If you have time please consider staying down under, great cruises for that part of the world this January (example balcony on princess $866, 13 days on jan 16, hits all the places you missed, tell Viking to compensate you in CASH, then book another cruise line).  Not just Princess, that was just one great deal of all the great deals on main stream cruiselines in January,  New Zealand is magnificent by cruise.  

[Stickman1990]

10 hours ago, Twitchly said:

I think we’ll pass on cruising to New Zealand. 

They’ll be heart broken I’m sure

Do you really think NZ should not protect its environment from contamination by foreign pests?

[Jim Avery]

1 hour ago, Stickman1990 said:

They’ll be heart broken I’m sure

Do you really think NZ should not protect its environment from contamination by foreign pests?

Only if they test every single ship of all sizes

[katlew]

7 hours ago, Newleno said:

If you have time please consider staying down under, great cruises for that part of the world this January (example balcony on princess $866, 13 days on jan 16, hits all the places you missed, tell Viking to compensate you in CASH, then book another cruise line).  Not just Princess, that was just one great deal of all the great deals on main stream cruiselines in January,  New Zealand is magnificent by cruise.  

Wish we could, but gotta get back to work. 

[katlew]

Day six at sea is done & so is the hull cleaning! We are on the way to Melbourne to restock tomorrow. It was a warm, sunny, calm day anchored. Dolphins were playing off the back of the boat around the dive boat. It was a quiet day after last nights NYE festivities.
There was a huge New Years brunch today instead of lunch. A mix of tasty breakfast & lunch items plus a fabulous dessert assortment. Everything was served with free mimosas & bloody marys.

We always think of Viking ships as quiet, but we went to Torshavn for a drink after dinner & it was hopping. Not a seat in the house & lots of dancers. 

[The Other Tom]

8 hours ago, Babr said:

What kind of claim would insurance cover in this instance? I can’t think of which provision would cover snail infestation.

Several ports were missed.  Trip interruption?

[Babr]

1 hour ago, The Other Tom said:

Several ports were missed.  Trip interruption?

No. Itinerary change post-departure. Nationwide has some cruise-specific policies that reimburse non-refundable shore excursions. 
 

I’m not sure even that would apply here. Insurance would probably see this as a maintenance issue which is the responsibility of the cruise line.

[uktog]

I phoned Liverpool Victoria excellent when Viking did not call at advertised ports in terms of giving a sum per day for each port missed, the figure was per person. They also reimbursed private excursion costs

Our problem was getting the paperwork from Viking to prove that the ports had been missed on board. They declined to give anything in writing that showed ports had been missed, which frankly was ridiculous as other lines, openly give that to guests who ask.
We did eventually manage to get the paperwork via the London office, but it was as if Viking was in denial that they had not called at ports. 

I do hope those on board to manage to be treated appropriately given the circumstances.
It is not right that people fly halfway around the world for a dream trip, having given up precious annual leave to do so, and then find that for reasons beyond their control, but potentially within the control of Viking, the advertised voyage was not delivered. 
Good luck. 

[downsmead]

50 minutes ago, uktog said:

It is not right that people fly halfway around the world for a dream trip, having given up precious annual leave to do so, and then find that for reasons beyond their control, but potentially within the control of Viking, the advertised voyage was not delivered. 
Good luck. 

This is the issue! It will be interesting to see what Viking offers. We have missed ports before on Viking and have been given some OBC but this is completely different.