Sun Viking

[mation101]

I have seen a few cruisers on this board who have been on this tiny jewel.

 

I sailed with my family on 14 day Caribbean cruise in 1994. It only held like 700 passengers, and after 14 days I swear everyone knew everyone.

 

We had twin cruise directors, and they were everywhere!!

 

If anyone remebers this ship I would love to hear your stories.

[mation101]

Sorry I meant to type 1984, the Sun Viking was long gone in 94

[aloha of the seas]

I was the person who started a thread for people that I called "Royal Founders". Those of us who sailed on the original fleet of which the Sun Viking was on of.

 

We sailed out of San Juan on an 8 day Southern Caribbean cruise right after a hurricane came through. The ship was small and many of the passengers decided to cancel last minute. It was like having a private yacht with some close friends take us on a cruise to the islands. Some of the islands were still recovering, but all and all we had a great time Good Sailing, Murf

[delton]

We cruised on the Sun Viking in 1995 from Bombay to Singapore and in 1997 from Hong Kong to Beijing, what a geat little ship and yes you met everyone of the 700 passengers on board. No need for speciality dining, excellent food and excellent service in the dining room was the norm.. She was sold in 1998. We wish she was still around or that they would build a few more just like her. 700/800 passengers, for us, is just about right. :) :)

[RKF]

Our first cruise in the early 80's was one the Sun Viking and then next one on the Nordic Prince. The only time we had an inside cabin was on the Sun Viking - one day did not get up till noon! Had a very memorable 10 day on the Nordic Prince.....stormy weather which created a wonderful late night dancing event with the large waves and ship's movement - those ships did not have the stabilizers of today's... Thanks for helping me go down memory lane! --Ron

[dickens56]

We sailed on the Sun Viking in 1987. It is true about getting to know everyone. There was about 17 of us. It was our second cruise. The first was Song of Norway. Another great ship. Alot of wonderful memories.

[wheels afloat]

Our first cruise, in May 1985,was an anniversary gift from wife's mom. Flew from So.Cal to Miami. RCI put us up at Hyatt (very new) Saturday nite. Cruise was 10 day Eastern Caribbean, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Antigua, Martinique and Barbados. Had an outside with a little porthole next to the back engines and boy was the room small, even by today's standards and noisy, slept like a baby! Per Moen, captain; Tony and Phil, cruise directors and waiter was Fermen (Spain). Just a great time and met life long friends as well. Also did Nordic Prince 2 yrs. later, same itenerary. A couple years ago on Celebrity Mercury Mexican Riviera cruise, we met up with a dinner tablemate from that cruise and both looked decent for 20+ yrs.

Could walk around the ship on Promanade Deck and had some great memories from the people on the cruise. Never forget "Welcome aboard the Sun Viking"

[KelJ]

DH and I sailed on the Sun Viking in July of 1991 to Alaska out of Vancouver. It was our first cruise. We had an oceanview cabin, and our bed folded up and down from the wall! The ship felt huge to us, and we were hooked!

[pcur]

Check out my avatar: 1974!

 

The Sun Viking had the former pastry chef from the French Embassy in Washington, D.C. when we sailed her, and words cannot describe the amazing pastries that man could produce. Never seen the likes of them since. The pastry chef on the Millie came close, but no one could make them the way they melted in your mouth.

 

We loved our cruise on the SV: Southern Caribbean for 2 weeks.

[Batch5]

Sun Viking was the last of three similar ships built for Royal Caribbean, being delivered from Helsinki builders Wartsila in 1972. She was 18455 tons as built, and differed from her two predecessors in that the bow was one deck higher, allowing a few additional cabins. Unlike her "sisters", she was not lengthened. She initially operated on 7 and 14-day cruise out of Miami, but later served throughout the world, breaking new territories for RCCL, when superseded by larger ships in the Caribbean. She was sold to Hyundai, becoming their Hyundai Pongnae.

[ondeckatsea]

Of the 16 ships we've sailed on with Royal Caribbean the Sun Viking will always stand out as our favorite. It was one of the last cruises in the Caribbean before she was sold and it was the first week Capt. Ole Johan Grunhaug took over. He had his wife, little baby son and his inlaws on board and could be seen pushing a stroller around the deck and eating in the Windjammer. We will never forget seeing a pod of whales right next to the window while we were eating breakfast. What a thrill. Faces of the other passengers became familiar and it truly felt like a private vessel (never can remember how to spell yaght, yatgh, you know what I mean.) We were all set to book it again when she was sold and were very sad to see the cruiseline dispose of her so heartlessly. If given the choice of sailing on the Oasis or the Sun Viking you can guess which one we would choose. I really think that these huge ships eventually will become white elephants.

[sailor moon]

It was my very first cruise ship! I went with 3 other college girls and we squeezed into a 4 person (upper bunks) inside stateroom. The cruise was for 7 days in the carribbean. I fell in love with cruising and have never looked back. At the time the ship seemed so huge and elegant. The year was 1982.

[khcruisers]

7/10/1988 was our very first cruise, and we picked RCCL's Sun Viking (10 day southern cruise)with stops at St.Thomas, Antigua, Barbados, Martinique, and St.Marrten. What a great cruise, best all around cruise. You got to know your cruise staff CD Jimmy Brooks), Captain (Leaf Otto Bang) and passengers. We liked the teak decking, and open deck (verandah cafe) seating for morning coffee and treats. We will complete our 10th (RCCL) cruise on Freedom of the seas next May (2009) and have booked a May cruise on The Oasis in 2010.

[RCCLCARIB]

She was a wondeful ship........RCCL was the first and only cruise company to build cruise ships specifically for cruising........not converting cargo/ ocean liners to carry pax.

[lovinbuzz]

That viking crown lounge on the back looks tiny! Could you even sit up there? Was there a bar?

[Cruising6]

This ship brings back wonderful memories. I was on a 10-night sailing from Miami to the Caribbean in August of 1986. You got to know all the passengers and crew. They did not have a casino just two slot machines, I believe, outside one of the lounges. I had just graduated high school and I shared an inside cabin with my parents. Every night when I would blow dry my hair, it would blow a fuse and all of the rooms in our hallway would be in the dark and my dad would have to go find the cabin steward. I still have my seapass card and the compasses (Captain - Kjell Karlsen, Cruise Director - Frank).

[travelwide]

That viking crown lounge on the back looks tiny! Could you even sit up there? Was there a bar?

 

Yes! and it was small. What I remember is that to get to it you had to walk up an outside stairway which was a lot of "fun" on a windy sea night.

[markchang]

The Sun Viking was my very 1st ship and I wish I were able to find fellow crewmembers and passenger from that time.

Here is a link to my RCCL photo album on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8423&id=100000979994313&l=4534de5702

[swwake]

This was also my first cruise. I was about 15 years old in 1983. We did a 14-day to Caracas, Venezuela and back. I will never forget it.

 

When we sailed from Miami, at the time, they allowed guests onboard for bon voyage. My cousins joined us in the Viking Crown Lounge and on deck for some sunbathing that afternoon. I have pictures of this.

 

My sister and I participated in tons of teen activities. I have a sticker we got to wear that said "I'm a Night Owl". I think you got it if you stayed up and out past a certain time.

 

There were lots of games, talent shows, I remember a make-your-own hat competition where we made Kentucky-Derby-style hats and modeled them for the passenger judges. There was a costume contest, where I remember I was some sort of a bat.

 

I also remember we met Bill(?) Baskin from Baskin-Robbins on that cruise. And Cindy Bogdan (who was the daughter of Peter Bogdonavich - whoever that is - haha). Back then, I think you often saw celebrities and wealthy business owners on cruises.

 

It was the vacation of a lifetime, and my Mom always says she saved up her teacher's salary for 2 years before and paid off the bill for 5 years after, but she would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

I loved that ship!

[maitaiguy]

Second cruise for us. January 1992, a 7 day cruise out of LA to the Mexican Riviera. Yes, it held about 700 people but our cruise was far from sold out, only about 500 pax on board.

 

Captain Leif Ottto Bang was our captain and we had the good fortune to be invited to the Captain's table one night.

 

The Viking Crown Lounge was a favorite to watch sunset and have a cocktail before dinner. The outside stairs were interesting and the bar held only a few people, 15 or so would be a great crowd in there.

 

I always did the morning walk for Shipshape Dollars with about a hundred people and then straight to morning stretch. Following that we would go make sure the pool bar opened on time!:D

 

There was Quest one night and our team won! Yeah!

 

Great food and terrific service. You got to know a lot of your fellow passengers during the week too.

 

Great ship and a truly wonderful crew!

[Beforethemast]

My Dad and I sailed on her in June 1988 when I was 22. I remember Leif Otto Bang. We got a kick out of that name. I believe our servers were Fernando and Ismael? We did a Southern Caribbean 10 day cruise and like others have said, you did get to know most everyone on board. Great food, intimate surrounding. And the ports of call - St. Thomas, Barbados, etc. were outstanding.

[daveky]

We sailed on the Sun Viking in 1987. It is true about getting to know everyone. There was about 17 of us. It was our second cruise. The first was Song of Norway. Another great ship. Alot of wonderful memories.

 

Sounds familiar here. Sailed Sun Vking June 1991 to Alaska which was my second RCI ship, Song of Norway being my first RCI ship. Captain Bang was our Captain and as others mentioned, ship was very small but very closeknit. Captain and other staff would come in and sit with the passengers during the shows, etc (reminds of the Love Boat shows). Have dined with Captain Bang (Bang Bang) ever since when sailing on the Song of America and Navigator. It came by accident as to when I saw him on the larger ships, mentioned I sailed with him on Sun Viking and he said that was his favorite ship, and an invitation for dinner would show up later in my cabin. He's a great host at his table and loves his job. Really enjoys cooking in his cabin and can tell you where to buy the best ingredients at each port. LOL.

 

Dave

[jkskrap]

Love to see this thread.

 

Our first cruise was in June 1989 on the Sun Viking. My parents had booked the cruise for our whole family to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. They booked their cabin, one for my sister and her husband, one for my brother and his wife, and one for me. When my mom told me about it the summer before, she said, "I bet you will have someone special to bring on the cruise by then." I thought, "Hah! Not likely!" I was 29 and very single.

 

Long story short . . . I started dating Ruby in September '88, moved in together in January '89, proposed on Valentine's Day '89 and got married on the cruise in St. Thomas in June of '89. Guess what the anniversary gift is for your 40th anniversary? Ruby! (lordy, lordy, I swear ... and my mom told that story a million times)

 

It was fantastic and we absolutely loved the ship! When we went on Vision a few years later we met the captain and told him we had sailed on Sun Viking. It turned out he had once been the captain of the Sun Viking and he almost teared up talking about her. She was very special!

 

I have been thinking about this for awhile, and wondered what others would think: Wouldn't it be great if RCI would name their new Sunshine ship Sun Viking II or even Sun Viking of the Seas? Should we start a petition? Just an idea!

[jkskrap]

[MCC retired]

Cruised aboard the Sun Viking 1983 .

Unique 7 night Itinerary was from Barbados to Miami. (Wow!)

She was the only one of RCCL's 3 original ships that was not stretched.

 

Tiny cabins not unlike the Monarch & Majesty today.

You really felt like you were on an ocean cruise and not a floating resort.

Ship rolled one night , end tables , in most cabins fell over.

Dining room furniture slid to one side.

Free drinks followed the next day.

Viking Crown Lounge was tiny . Accessed by an outdoor stairway only.