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Viking Sun World Cruise ongoing review/comments

Jim Avery

By Jim Avery,
in Viking Ocean

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Jim Avery

Jim Avery

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Thank you! I have all this info on my WC calendar. I think you are from Arizona, and we from Santa Fe, so don’t know about Mexican food in NZ. But... watching the Grammys, and just saw Reba MacIntire as the new Colonel Sanders for KFC.. anything is possible...!

After nearly a month on the ship, it was GREAT Mex food. Food onboard is very good but sooner or later you want something else for a change. Not Sonoran style, probably more Mexico City style but still fit the bill just right.:cool:

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SantaFe1

SantaFe1

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After nearly a month on the ship, it was GREAT Mex food. Food onboard is very good but sooner or later you want something else for a change. Not Sonoran style, probably more Mexico City style but still fit the bill just right.:cool:

 

I’ll keep that in mind. Do you remember the name of the place?

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Vineyard View Great Review Rare

Vineyard View

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We had the pleasure of spending three weeks in NZ several years ago. At the end we both said, if not for family and distance, we would truly explore the opportunity to live there. So agree with your thoughts on that! Great pictures and looks like perfect weather!

Thank you all for continuing to share your wonderful journey with all of us.

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MMDown Under Holiday Sharing Rare

MMDown Under

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According to Sydney Ports Schedule, Viking Sun will be berthed in Sydney from Saturday, 10/2 - Sunday, 11/2, as follows -

 

Saturday, 10/2 - 6.00 am to 5.00 pm White Bay 4

Saturday, 10/2 - 6.15 pm OPT, Circular Quay

Sunday, 11/2 - 5.30 am departing OPT

Sunday, 11/2 - 6.30 am to 6.00 pm White Bay 4

 

4 trips under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, past Luna Park - impressive!

 

Welcome to Sydney's beautiful harbour.

 

PS I am enjoying reading your interesting thread.

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Jim Avery

Jim Avery

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Today became another sea day due to high winds at Napier. I have to agree with the Captain's decision as the harbor at Napier has a rather tight entry. They say we shall have a bit of extra time tomorrow in Wellington. Rain is forecast. Probably will not be the last adjustment due to weather, etc. :cool:

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louhut

louhut

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Today became another sea day due to high winds at Napier. I have to agree with the Captain's decision as the harbor at Napier has a rather tight entry. They say we shall have a bit of extra time tomorrow in Wellington. Rain is forecast. Probably will not be the last adjustment due to weather, etc. :cool:

 

 

 

I’m sorry you didn’t get into Napier. We were there for 4days after a cruise a couple years ago. We loved this town. We also have dreamed of living in this wonderful country. It was a really charming town. Am following your cruise and really enjoying it. Would love to do this also. Continue to have a good time.

 

 

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Eaches

Eaches

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I’m sorry you didn’t get into Napier. We were there for 4days after a cruise a couple years ago. We loved this town. We also have dreamed of living in this wonderful country. It was a really charming town. Am following your cruise and really enjoying it. Would love to do this also. Continue to have a good time.

 

 

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2abd1b55fa9509b00f6543e6480698a3.jpgecc3136da1fada9c8a0ddb3d88f12c67.jpg

We are in Wellington, NZ today , the island had bad storms for the past few days with some people trapped for a time due to the weather . You wouldn’t think so this morning, beautiful and sunny, but it’s again going bad this afternoon.

 

 

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Jim Avery

Jim Avery

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Another day in a beautiful New Zealand city. Today Wellington, the Capitol of NZ. I am constantly impressed by how neat and clean NZ is. No graffiti, no trash, no beat up cars, no homeless visible. The houses are so well maintained and anywhere there is grass it seems to be mowed and trimmed. The port provided a shuttle bus for us independent travelers and dropped us right in the center of the city a block or two from the cable car or waterfront with all the shopping anyone could want. No real shopping for us just walkabout. That and we just had to pop into McDonalds for a Quarter Pounder with cheese meal. :eek::eek: Sometimes you can get tired of "fancy" food. And the food on board is consistently good but it has now been a month since a fast food fix. :cool:

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MMDown Under Holiday Sharing Rare

MMDown Under

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That's interesting that we move berths while in Sydney. Had not heard that before but sailing under the iconic bridge will be a treat. Still enjoying NZ and with OZ next, we have a great couple of weeks ahead of us.:cool:

 

I suspect it may be because Viking is a new line and the OPT at Circular Quay was already booked by other cruise ships. This way you get to stay opposite the Opera House for a night out on the town, if you wish. This is our busiest time of year for visiting cruise ships. Celebrity's Solstice came in to Sydney Harbour today, a day early, because their captain decided to outrun the cyclonic seas.

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Jim Avery

Jim Avery

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Imho, the ship handles well. Has the familiar "Fincantieri shake" in any head seas but so far we have not had any dramatic moments. A great deal of how a ship handles the seas is related to the skill of the Captain. Captain Knutsen is very skilled. Minor course changes can make a large difference in comfort level. For example, when the swells have been larger, I have noticed at dinner time we have the seas directly on the stern for "smoothest" ride. Later in the evening course changed and some motion but, for us, that just enhances sleep time. Heading mostly West has helped too. We missed Napier due to the strong winds from that bad storm to the South but all seems well today. At some point we will probably have a chance to see how she does in large head seas. Maybe not. The sea shall tell..:cool:

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Jim Avery

Jim Avery

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Today we are docked in the port town of Lyttleton, the closest to Christchurch. Again a shuttle provided from the ship to the town. Christchurch was hit by bad earthquakes in 2011 and still shows damage and large gaps in the neighborhoods where obviously buildings used to stand. And, for the first time in NZ, we saw graffiti and some shabby areas. I know we have only seen a small portion of NZ and all countries have some less than beautiful areas so this was noticeable mainly in its contrast to the beauty of Auckland and the other ports visited in NZ. That's the point of travel, to see and experience different places. Found a great cheesemonger and bought some beautiful cheeses. Not that the cheese on board has been bad, just that it is of necessity more processed than the natural farm cheeses on offer today. Will go great with the very good bread on board..... And a little wine too. :cool: Rather cold, cloudy, and drizzly this morning. We hope those who took the 8 hour excursion to the Southern Alps have better weather than the low clouds we have here. I am sure someone will weigh in with their experiences.

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CharTrav

CharTrav

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Imho, the ship handles well. Has the familiar "Fincantieri shake" in any head seas but so far we have not had any dramatic moments. A great deal of how a ship handles the seas is related to the skill of the Captain. Captain Knutsen is very skilled. Minor course changes can make a large difference in comfort level. For example, when the swells have been larger, I have noticed at dinner time we have the seas directly on the stern for "smoothest" ride. Later in the evening course changed and some motion but, for us, that just enhances sleep time. Heading mostly West has helped too. We missed Napier due to the strong winds from that bad storm to the South but all seems well today. At some point we will probably have a chance to see how she does in large head seas. Maybe not. The sea shall tell..:cool:

 

What is the "Fincantieri shake"?

 

 

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Jim Avery

Jim Avery

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What is the "Fincantieri shake"?

 

 

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It is when a ship hits a larger wave with a noticeable "boom" followed by a shake, shake, shake, vibration. Fincantieri builds the majority of new cruise ships. They are usually the low bidder. Naval Architects, aided by computer design, have maximized interior hull space at the expense of smooth cutting through seas by making the bows transition from the sharp stem to the full width of the beam in around 15% or so of the ship's length. Do not be fooled by long overhanging bows, they provide reserve buoyancy but do not "cut" through the waves like purpose built liners. For example, the QE2 (now retired) was built in Scotland and was very good at handling the extreme conditions of the North Atlantic. The hull plating was heavy duty relative to minimum standards and the bow took fully about a third of the ship's total length to achieve maximum beam. This allows a ship to cut through waves rather than thudding into them but at the expense of less interior (revenue producing) volume. In the years I ran ships, you could always tell which ones were better than the others by the way they handle head seas. Not to say Viking Sun is improperly built or unsafe by any means, just saying the Architects and computers have determined, to the millimeter, the amount of steel to be used. And as far as I know, the ship was not designed to cross the North Atlantic, just the southerly parts where the seas are usually more benign. Remember ships used to be transportation year round and had to be ready for all conditions. Now passenger ships are "entertainment" and are repositioned seasonally to sail mostly in good climates. Its what the customers want. Fincantieri is very good at satisfying what their clients want and for a price. And the Viking Sun is a very beautiful ship. Hope this rambling helps.;p

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