Azulann

It is German night in World Cafe . The music 🎶 is German songs , German food and beer. They will be open late for the passengers who went to Berlin

So sorry the weather did not cooperate . It was a great port day and so much to see and learn about Gdańsk I cannot believe we have had perfect weather even on our one rainy morning. You will have to book another cruise that includes Gdańsk 😊

The other cake shown above is an apple cake. My sister reported it was good . The resident historian is Dr. Candace Weddle Livingston . She is very good and gives an informative lively presentations. Also aboard is resident Astronomer Dr.Paul Riley. I do know Dr Livingston is here through June at least. Cruise director is Edward . He popped on each bus this morning to wish all passengers a great excursion ! asst. cruise director is Francesca who has a great voice along with Edward .

Rostock

Rostock tour conducted by a Welsh guide who has lived in Germany for 30 yrs. Walking tour on the Main Street in town for 1 hr and and 30 min of free time . Rostock was bombed by Allies in World War II . it was historically part of the Hanseatic League and after World War II was part of East Germany . Visited StMary’s gothic church begun in 1240’s . During war the sextant hide the baptismal font in a field with other other church pieces .

I can smell the fresh air just looking your our photo. When you get a gem of a guide it makes the excursion perfect in every way. The field of flowers , the sea, and the little red houses are perfect scene the I think of Iceland.

Day 7 Waremunde ( Berlin) Germany 600 passengers left for Berlin this morning. The rest of us are doing other excursions or DIY exploration or having a personal sea day. My sister Paulette went to Berlin, I am going to Rostock (2/12 hr tour) and rest of day relax . Today the World Cafe was open at 5:15 for guests and when the Berlin group returns at 10 pm there will be a full buffet of German food waiting for them. The service on board the Jupiter has been outstanding. Waiters, bartenders, even the folks who welcome you back from an excursions with hot chocolate and warm towels are friendly, always asking how you how is your day, do you need anything, and always "It is my :pleasure ..." Carlos in Aquavit Bar and Floyd in Viking Bar knew after one day what my sister drinks :coffee expresso in morning and club soda from bottle with limes during the day. Crew are truly international. Many from Indonesia, Philippines but others from Vietnam, Mexico, Belarus, Kenya, and Peru.

It is pickled herring in the bottom picture. They also have herring in wine sauce and in mustard sauce . the open face sandwiches are shrimp and the rare roast beef on great bread . Tonight I had the destination dinner in Restaurant . It was Fznish soup with dumplings. Pork entree with gravy and applesauce , dessert was Aebelkage, apple cake with whipped cream ! I was in heaven !

Late lunch in Mamsen deli including success cake.

I honor if Denmark and Nordic countries we have visited on this cruise this what I had for breakfast. At Mamsen

Day 6. Bornholm Denmark 🇩🇰 This morning I stepped on the land of my people . Denmark 🎉🥰 Included tour was a bus ride outside of Ronne. It is Sunday and all shops are closed . IMG_0684.mov

I think you might on to something Rereading it , I do see fragments of conversation that makes sense ,about topics we have discussed but still creepy . I will cal Apple when ai get home to ask about it

Day 6 Karskronsa , Sweden We had early breakfast on our balcony , one of the best things to do on a cruise. Karlskrona is a tender port. Watched them lower the tender boat onto the water. tonight is cC meet and greet on Wintergarden st 6:00 and dinner at chef table at 7:30 great day on the Baltic

Day 5 Gdansk Poland Recap : Our excursion was : Gdansk and Organ concert. We were 18 on a the bus. Our guide Ola has a PHD and is 40 yrs old , Polish who is married to a German. The organ concert was magnificent. It was in one of two Gothic churches we visited in the old city. They have this organ concert every day during the summer. Then we walked through old town to another Church St. Mary's. We had one hr of free time. I bought my granbdaughesr amber jewelry . My sister and I had periogies snack and I had a local beer in a sidewalk cafe. Ola was rich inn information about the Hanseatic league and the grain warehouses we saw. MOst importantly she explained the history of Gdansk under German, Soviet rules and finally independence and now part of the EU. It was a mindful overload of facts, her personal history of three generations under the various governments. My first takeaway was , as an American, I have no experience of what it means to be living in an occupied country, the center of wars for centuries, Ola stories of the German occupation, then being part of the Soviet Union after the 2nd World war, and then freedom as an independent state being three generations behind the rest of the EU were sobering. But good things are happening but always there is the lingering threat for Poland being between Russia and Germany. Pool deck barbecue was very tasty, The Band then played and had people dancing, high energy evening. Fun night on the Jupiter. I am having a difficult down load why pictures and posting them. CC seems to get stuck and I will do it when I have better wifi than the ship. But it might not be till Copenhagen and at our hotel there. I am loving this cruise b beyond my heritage for its ports full of surprise and variety of historical and current places in the global economy , politics and culture. Another 5 days to go.,,, .

Yes, I had one for breakfast this morning on the Jupiter. Down by the pizza station. It was very good

Day 5 Gdańsk Poland sitting in Star theater waiting to be called for our excursion Two churches , organ covert in one of them and walk around old town . Tonight there will be a barbecue of ribs, pork chop and chicken dinner at the pool grill !

Day 5 Gdańsk Poland sitting in Star theater waiting to be called for our excursion Two churches , organ concert in one of them, and walk around old town . Tonight there will be a barbecue of ribs, pork chop and chicken dinner at the pool grill !

Day 4 Gotland ( Visby ) Sweden Recap of the Day. We took the excursion " Visby and the West Coast.(4hrs) Will download pictures later. Bus ride outside of Visby to the West coastal area . Saw a burial place in the shape of a ship done in large stones, it is from the Bronze Age. Went to a small church from the 13 C. Our guide, Mary Anna treated us to a hymn which she sang inside the church !. Another Swede who can sing beautifully. Then to the old fishermens' homes along the coast. Small red painted homes facing the beaches. Fishing is not viable now because the Baltic Sea has less fish, so these quaint homes are rented out to folks in the summer. We then did a short walking tour of Visby visiting a church and learned about the Hanseatic league who built houses for the sale of goods both for import and export in Visby within the walls of the town. Our guide again was so informative. She had a great sense of humor, very dry, and her use of metaphors in her stories was a bonus. She was telling us in the fall they kill the sheep and use all part of the animal. Everyone drinks schnapps at these gatherings. At the end of the evening: "they drink so much that when they get up to leave they realize their knees have already left for home , so they fall over drunk".😁 Did laundry in the morning before our excursion. It took 1 hour to do three loads of wash. No one was in the Laundry when we got there. Had dinner off the Classic menu (always available)in the Restaurant, Had shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, and New York (7oz) steak . All very good and steak was excellent. Poached Pear and ice cream ,off daily menu ,for dessert. Went to the Explorer Lounge to watch sunset, listen to guitarist and at 10 pm my sister had a bowl of the Mamsen pea soup to cap off the day. Another good day in the Baltic Sea. Tomorrow we arrive at Gdansk at noon, stay till 7pm. Our roll call got invitations in our stateroom to attend meet and mingle on Sat in the Wintergarden. Weather continues to be perfect and the Baltic Sea is calm. Patti

No patia None on the Jupiter .🥲

I will ask around . I will also check my guide book I picked up in Mariehamn. A nature hike would be lovely this time of year . Will report back .

I am Patti"s sister. There are no cons for the DV1s on the aft, Cabin 4123 will soon have my personal name plate on it!

Good morning Deb, I heartily agree with your post about beds, food and guides. The difference between your guide and ours in Mariehamn was night and day. The included excursions buses are the luck of the drawer which bus you are assigned. I will praise our tour guide and suggest she train the otter guides Viking uses in Mariehamn when I fill out the survey, I too find the service by all the crew I have interacted with to be superb as always . When we walked off the ship in Marianhamn, and senior staff and captain were all clapping as we descending the gangplank, with smiles "have a great day " . I was smiling too and excited to be on Viking again sailing the oceans. Let's compare notes again later today after our excursions. We don not go out till 12:30 so we have a sea day morning with breakfast in Mamsen and doing some laundry while others are off teashop on excursion. Patti

Pictures of Mariehamn Arland Island

Day 3, Mariehamn , Arland Island Final recap. Took the included panoramic bus tour this morning. Out guide was informative about the history of Arland Islands, the life of islanders, Nordic culture , and its strategic place during the Cold War and today in light of the current Russia/ Ukraine war. As we drove by the Russian consulate , she pointed out that every day at 5pm there are protest in front of the building. They have been waiting for a meeting with the consular for over a year. No answer to their request. She is worried that "Mr. Putin is following in the footsteps of the Russian Czars. " I got a new appreciation of impact in the minds of everyday people who live closers that any Americans or cruise passengers to current realities. Driving over 12 island in our two hour bus tour on well maintained paved roads. I found the landscape to be idyllic , scent of pine trees filled the air, saw deer running across the road, drove by small farms. every turn tone gets a glimpse of the water, Bicycles are everywhere in the town used by young and old, well kept modern sturdy houses with metal roofs. Mariehamn is 5 hr ferry ride from both Finland and Stockholm. It reminded me of Northern MN ,pine forest, outcrops of rocks ,and water. I see why people come to this island during the summer for vacation. I will upload pictures in a separate post because slow wifi. This port was a wonderful surprise.

Kent, my sister has never been to Greece. I have been there twice. So we booked the Greek Odyssey cruise in Feb 2025. Four of the ports will be new for me, all on the Greek mainland. The others I have been to and will find something new to explore. We got her favorite aft DV1 stateroom and doing the post Greek extension with Viking too. 🥳 BTW, the wifi is fine now as weasel toward Visby Sweden.Sorry you are having so much trouble on your cruise with it. As others you have said, maybe it is the Northern region you are on you cruise..