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Everything posted by Clay Clayton
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Noon update from Sky as we make our way to Port Elizabeth, South Africa. According to the Captain, winds are now up to 40 knots, with 50-55 knots gusts (gale force), waves are 15-16 feet and itâs rainy. The good news (again according to the Captain) is that it is going to get better overnight. The bad news is that it is going to get worse before it doesđł. #washingmachine IMG_4777.mov
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My new favorite dessert-exotic wave! Perfect combination of tart & creamy passion fruit curd, sweet, crunchy & sweet meringue, smooth whipped cream and fresh fruit. Yummy!!!
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Our optional excursion today from was a game drive to Bonamanzi Game Preserve. This park doesnât have lions so our eyes were peeled for the other four of the âBig Fiveâ-elephant, rhinos, buffalo, and leopard. Given it was a daytime drive we knew the chance of seeing a leopard were pretty slim. Unfortunately our vehicle was driven by a very knowledgeable guide who wasnât familiar with the park and his vehicle had issues. I was really hoping to see giraffe and we also knew there were nyala, impala, warthogs, wildebeast and zebra in the preserve. Nobody saw elephants or rhinos but everybody including us saw all of the those. But our group didnât see any giraffes or buffalo unlike everybody else. Lunch was tasty but was Very disappointedđ€Ź when everyone else was sharing their giraffe and buffalo photos. All due to a bad driver. But on the way back to the ship in the big tour bus, we saw giraffe! #daysaved Africa exceeds anything youâve ever heard.
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Thanks! I hope Iâm wrong and we donât end up there but if we do. Your recommendations are most appreciated. Am I understanding correctly, the included tour is on school buses? Given we have a heap (and will have more if we donât get to Dakar) would you think the 4x4 might be a good use of our âfunny money?â
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Iconic Iceland, Greenland and Canada Excursions Question
Clay Clayton replied to molymoo's topic in Viking Ocean
We did the whale watching and the most demanding thing was the temperature once the boat got going. Take your coats, hats, gloves even if it doesnât feel like youâll need them. There is a small part of the boat that is inside but best views are out front. Keep your expectations on seeing whales relatively low. We saw Minke Whales and a pod of dolphins so it was a great morning. The included tour there was also enjoyable-the botanical garden is beautiful (or was when we were there) We did the ice lagoon on our land visit. I was worried about the zodiac entry and exit also due to my balance and knee issues. That turned out not to be a big concern-the issue I had was the climb up and over the berm that surrounded the lagoon. You can see the berm behind Mike in his fashionable survival suit. It was a rocky gravel path that was pretty steep. I hadnât planned on taking my hiking stick but was glad I had it. The lagoon ride was great fun putting on the survival suit, not so much! -
Seems to me this is either the tour operators fault or the guests for not giving them the correct all aboard time (with a margin for error). Iâm a big proponent of independent excursions and have never in all our cruising had an issue-but we always tell the operator we want to be back to the pier at least an hour before the all aboard time and sometimes longer. I hope someone on CC will post the name of the operator so that nobody else books with them. Iâve found that conscientious tour guides always have a plan B. On one tour on South America I had arranged for a small group, the guide got a phone call when we were on the way back to the ship. Another guide working for a different company was calling as their van had blown a tire. Our guide asked if we would be willing to pick up those passengers, rather than them cutting it very close while they changed the tire. We of course welcomed our fellow guests-and as I recall, our new friends insisted on paying the tips to the guide for all of us.
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I just hope some of the new menus we have gotten to have will make it into regular rotationđ€
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LIVE from the Viking Neptune World Cruise includes FTL and LA
Clay Clayton replied to BobCatter's topic in Viking Ocean
Just finished the New Chefâs Table South African menu designed by Chef Beni who has been with Sky for several months and is a warm and wonderful guy (and whom I helped push to add salt to the gritsđ) OMG, dinner was so good! Pictures and notes are posted over on the 21 menus thread. Go make reservations now-Beni is boarding in Cape Town to share with yâall. Iâd make reservations for one of the sea days a few days after he boards even if the menu says something else-we heard about the new one from him a couple of weeks ago, but the menu didnt show up on the app or calendar at the podium until a couple of days ago. We hope Beni will be rejoining us after he visits yâall but he says that hasnât been decided yet. đ€ #SkyGetsEverythingFirst -
Just finished dinner-OMG, so good! Pictures and notes are posted over on the 21 menus thread. Neptune-go make reservations now-Beni is boarding in Cape Town to share with yâall. Iâd make reservations for one of the sea days a few days after he boards. We hope he will be rejoining us but he says that hasnât been decided yet. đ€ #SkyGetsEverythingFirst
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Enjoyed an incredible meal designed by Chef Beni tonight aboard Sky at the Chefâs Table featuring his interpretation of South African cuisine. The amuse had really incredible flavors. The yellowfin course was fine but our least favorite-would have preferred it as a smaller amuse and given us a larger fish cake and more chalaka sauce! #yummy. The main course was the best beef dish weâve had in a long time-the corn cake was a perfect foil to the oh-so-tender meat. Dessert which Beni told us afterwards was a dish offered at all restaurants in South Africa, was a delicious cake with hints of ginger and molasses. We hope we can get in again before we get to Cape Town when Beni leaves us to share this menu aboard our sister World Cruise ship, Neptune. (Iâll update the listing of all Chefâs Table Menus when I have better wifi)
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Enjoyed the âFormalâ Dinner tonight. Pictured are -Goat cheese soufflĂ© -Snow Crab Timbale -White Tomato Cappuccino (needed more tomato) -Onion Soup (needed cheese I am told) -Lobster -Filet -Cannoli (weâre still crunchy I am told) -SoufflĂ© Lots of Officers and others visiting tables, generally a wonderful atmosphere. Given how busy the restaurant was, have to believe Mexican Night at the World Cafe was a ghost town.
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Frankly I didnât ask them but they did say it took awhile and some negotiations to cancel it. From what Iâve heard itâs likely carpel tunnel or tendinitis, he didnât play for several days and hoped it would resolve. But he was scheduled to play a day or two ago and when it came time, I was told he said â I canât feel my handâ. So better for him to not injure it any further and get it fixed. Agree with you and will greatly miss him.