Sun Viking

[Realtor at Sea]

This was our third cruise sometime in the '70's before the cruise line became a large corporation. We did the 14-day trip all the way to Caracas and back and the food was absolutely wonderful. However, at that time they were serving only

700 passengers and it was not a large corporation answerable to stockholders, etc. it would be fun to see a photo of Sun Viking next to Allure!!

[Loyal2RCCL]

The 3 original RCCL ships were great. Excellent food and service, beautiful ships and small cabins, but back then all the lines had small cabins.

 

I remember when Song of America came out, she looked HUGE... LOL

 

I often thought it would be cool if RCCL leased back one of their original ships, and used it for a special round the world cruise.

[DELTABLUE]

What wonderful memories here! We considered many options for our first cruise. Our TA advised that if we went Royal, we'd never be happy with anyone else. Pretty close to true.;) Of the options available at the time, we selected a 7 day trip that was the first half of a 14 day cruise out of Miami on the Sun Viking. We boarded 6/23/84. We stopped at Jamaica, Antigua, Curaçao, Caracas and debarked in Barbados. There were about 600 passengers on with us. I remember this booming voice coming over the PA the first day for the noon report. With no warning you heard, in a heavily accented voice,

 

"Hoppy Birsday to you!

Hoppy Birsday to you!

Hoppy Birsday whoever you are!

Hoppy Birsday to you!"

 

This is my first memory of our wonderful captain, Kasper Skjerve. He liked to sing and did it any chance he got. He had a different song for each port. Here is the one for La Guaira... ( melody of Loch Lomond )

 

"You take the tour bus and I'll take a taxi

And I'll be in Caracas a fore yee.

Just be sure that you are back on time

Or the Sun Viking will sail without you!'

 

Just gotta love that man!:D Also loveable was our CD Greg Maxwell. He seemed to be all over the ship at once. Robert, our waiter from Jamaica, got me to try blue cheese dressing for the first time. Before then, blue cheese was the nasty, stinky stuff I remember my grandmother liking. How wonderful that was! Think of all the calories I can now blame on Robert.:p It was a hike up to the Viking Crown Lounge but the views from up there were well worth the effort. I remember that on one of the decks you would pass a port hole that looked into the pool on an upper deck. I also have a memory of chimes being played before dinner time. does anyone else remember that? And I remember that all of the announcements were made in a number of languages.

 

I could go on with more great memories but will stop here. I'll refrain from digging out the pile of papers I collected on that trip, including my ticket.;)

[PLEIKU68]

Our first cruise in 1978 aboard the Sun Viking. I remember the "singing captain", anyone remember "Jelly Belly" a drink server by the pool. Wonderful memories of this ship. Our last time on her was Singapore to Hong Kong. The last I heard of her was that she was a casino ship in Hong Kong but that was years ago. Wouldn't it be great to have a small ship like that again, good food, good cruise and a booklet at the end showing where everyone was from. Still have several of those books. Happy sailing to all. We are off on the Jewel of the Sea's Transatlantic on 8/31 :):)