Viking Sun World Cruise ongoing review/comments

[Jim Avery]

Our first visit to Australia has been most anticipated. Yesterday Melbourne was lots of new info for us. It is a modern big city and seemed crowded and rather noisy in a NYC type of way. One of the guides explained that fully 40% of Australia's population lives in Melbourne or Sydney. A bit like thinking of 40% of the US living in NYC or Atlanta. Must be miles and miles of just miles and miles inland.... We went walk about in the morning then had an afternoon tour on the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant, a beautifully restored antique tram car. Along with tootling about in parts of Melbourne we got a nice meal, some decent Australian wines (beer and spirits as well if you want) and a lively, entertaining crew. To be honest, we didn't see all that much of Melbourne but what we did see was nice. In all a good way to spend a few hours. Nearly flat calm sea day today sort of low key but with a few whale/dolphin sightings this morning. Looking forward to two days in Sydney.

[Eaches]

Our first visit to Australia has been most anticipated. Yesterday Melbourne was lots of new info for us. It is a modern big city and seemed crowded and rather noisy in a NYC type of way. One of the guides explained that fully 40% of Australia's population lives in Melbourne or Sydney. A bit like thinking of 40% of the US living in NYC or Atlanta. Must be miles and miles of just miles and miles inland.... We went walk about in the morning then had an afternoon tour on the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant, a beautifully restored antique tram car. Along with tootling about in parts of Melbourne we got a nice meal, some decent Australian wines (beer and spirits as well if you want) and a lively, entertaining crew. To be honest, we didn't see all that much of Melbourne but what we did see was nice. In all a good way to spend a few hours. Nearly flat calm sea day today sort of low key but with a few whale/dolphin sightings this morning. Looking forward to two days in Sydney.

 

 

 

Jim ,

Here are some photos taken during our excursion in Melbourne

 

 

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[Eaches]

Jim ,

Here are some photos taken during our excursion in Melbourne [ATTACH]414179[/ATTACH]a [ATTACH]414180[/ATTACH][ATTACH]414181[/ATTACH][ATTACH]414182[/ATTACH][ATTACH]414183[/ATTACH]

 

 

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[deec]

We had a great day viewing kangaroos, koalas, a couple of wallabies an emu or two with a “barbie” lunch and a fascinating local aborigine who shared his great ancestry including a didgeridoo tune and boomerang throwing tips! Our guides were engaged and quite knowledgeable. Did you know that a kangaroo can “pause” gestation....This is a trip of a lifetime and I learn something everyday...even if if it is only the introduction to a new cocktail by a favorite bartender!

[editor@cruisecritic]

Love the world quilt idea -- thanks for posting (and thanks, too, Jim Avery). It's so much fun to follow you along on this cruise!

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Chief Content Strategist

Cruise Critic

 

Hi all: We are on current WC and echo all of the positive comments posted about the ship and journey so far. More activities than we can fit in a normal day and challenged to balance eating with time in the gym. Wife doing a "world quilt" with about 10 other folks. Individual quilts but pooling material from each port. I'm doing Team Trivia, running 2 miles per sea day, reading, and going to lectures. Except as already noted, fellow passengers are wonderful. Question for those on the current WC. Anyone interested in scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef? You would need your certification card. Overall, trip is fabulous.

[SantaFe1]

We had a great day viewing kangaroos, koalas, a couple of wallabies an emu or two with a “barbie” lunch and a fascinating local aborigine who shared his great ancestry including a didgeridoo tune and boomerang throwing tips! Our guides were engaged and quite knowledgeable. Did you know that a kangaroo can “pause” gestation....This is a trip of a lifetime and I learn something everyday...even if if it is only the introduction to a new cocktail by a favorite bartender!

 

I’m surprised any of you can even chose among the shore excursions. They all look fascinating. The marsupial adventure might have been my choice, but the Colonial Tram restaurant looks like so much fun. Thanks to all of you for sharing your words and pictures!

[baz48]

Are the included excursions interesting enough, or do you feel that you really need to purchase the optional excursions? If you didn't have the big onboard credits, would you still have purchased the optional excursions?

[Jim Avery]

Are the included excursions interesting enough, or do you feel that you really need to purchase the optional excursions? If you didn't have the big onboard credits, would you still have purchased the optional excursions?

As you might suspect the paid for excursions are usually a bit to a lot better than the included but not always. We are generally now just skipping the included that are bus tours or "walking tours". As is necessary, these move at the speed of the slowest and use busses with approx. 50 passengers. Included tours might use similar busses but generally speaking involve more "out of bus" experience. Our usual drill in most places in the world is to do our own thing whether our own walking tour, finding a friendly cabbie for a local tour or taking more elaborate tours. It is always better in smaller groups. The exception, I suspect, will be in "troubled" places like Egypt and others where we will certainly stay with the organized group. And yes, we would be buying excursions without any "included" excursions. I have to say Viking is, so far, very organized with the excursions and the coaches have been like new for the most part but big crowds are big crowds. :cool:

[helenandfrank]

Viking Sun is on national TV in Australia this morning (on Seven TV Network). They have done a live cross from the dock and will board shortly (after pax leave for tours) to do some live reporting.

[jiminyC_fan]

We had a great day viewing kangaroos, koalas, a couple of wallabies an emu or two with a “barbie” lunch and a fascinating local aborigine who shared his great ancestry including a didgeridoo tune and boomerang throwing tips! Our guides were engaged and quite knowledgeable. Did you know that a kangaroo can “pause” gestation....This is a trip of a lifetime and I learn something everyday...even if if it is only the introduction to a new cocktail by a favorite bartender!

 

Awww, you explanation of your day gave me the goosebumps. What an awesome day! (and no, I didn't know that a kangaroo can pause gestation :D)

[SantaFe1]

So I have just watched the Olympics opening ceremony in Mountain time, 16hours later. Where are you? Do,you get to see the Olympics? Are you hours ahead?

[stretchcruz]

I'm not there, but it is currently almost 3 in the afternoon tomorrow!!😁😁

Can't wait till next Feb when we do Auckland to Bali!!

[Jim Avery]

So I have just watched the Olympics opening ceremony in Mountain time, 16hours later. Where are you? Do,you get to see the Olympics? Are you hours ahead?

 

Yes, Heather has the Olympics coming on board. Wouldn't get me the Bama/Georgia championship but Luge and Ice Dancing rate!!:eek: In Sydney we are UTC +11. 11 hours ahead of London. Lots of time ahead of Mountain time. Wikipedia has a reasonably good explanation of the Time Zones and International Date Line. Yes we are watching yesterday's news live today.:cool:

[Jim Avery]

I'm not there, but it is currently almost 3 in the afternoon tomorrow!!😁😁

Can't wait till next Feb when we do Auckland to Bali!!

Aint it fun?? When we were young they used to tell us "you are the future". Who knew, now we are in the future......;p:cool:

[deec]

Tonight was our third SPECIAL evening entertainment. After record crowds for the Tahitian dancers the performance is now held on the pool deck. If you can stand there are great views from deck 8 too! These performances have been very authentic feeling and an added cultural experience. Maybe Eaches can post some pictures. I can’t seem to figure out getting pictures posted.

[helenandfrank]

We hope you all enjoyed Sydney. We watched your sail away live streamed on Sydney Harbour CCTV from the comfort of our air conditioned lounge room. Enjoy your trip north to Brissie (ie Brisbane).

[Jim Avery]

We hope you all enjoyed Sydney. We watched your sail away live streamed on Sydney Harbour CCTV from the comfort of our air conditioned lounge room. Enjoy your trip north to Brissie (ie Brisbane).

Sailaway from Sydney was fantastic. Will get into more detail tomorrow and hope Eaches posts her usual great pictures. Sydney was great! :cool:

[Eaches]

Blame it on the Silver Spirits!🤣[emoji23]🤣[emoji23]

 

 

 

Sounds like a plan

 

 

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[vandrefalk]

Jim

FINALLY have had time to catch up with your great adventures! Been busy, including a trip to Cocoa Beach where we actually saw a launch — not the big one by Musk but impressive nevertheless.

Am thinking part of a WC might be the only way I get to AUS and NZ. Ship is much larger than I am used to so how does it feel? You’ve done large ships before but since we swore off mass market, largest we’ve done

is regent navigator at 490. Doing Silversea (at 296) around UK in August — Ragnar, guess who is going to Bovington!

Have also noted that the owner’s mother’s name is the same as my middle name ! Good Norwegian name!

I loved the sea days on SD on the fall crossing and seriously thinking about the westbound crossing in spring 2019. Will be back on SD in 2+ weeks.

So what is the best part so far? People, food ,location, ship? Can you make it til May?

Hope Lois is feeling much better — give her our best!

Vandrefalk

[Jim Avery]

Sailaway from Sydney was fantastic. Will get into more detail tomorrow and hope Eaches posts her usual great pictures. Sydney was great! :cool:

 

Sydney exceeded our expectations by far. It is a beautiful, modern, very walkable city with water and waterfront everywhere. Many ferry services to outlying areas or just across the harbor. Viking, as usual, provided water taxi service from the boat (when docked at White Bay) every half hour to Circular Quay. We were able to relocate to Circular Quay for Saturday night and that was a very welcome perk as from there the attractions of City Centre are readily walkable. It is far from cheap to move a ship about like that. Harbor Pilots, Tugs, Line handlers all have to be paid so thanks again Viking. A contingent went to the Opera House for the opening night of Carmen so had a short, glamorous walkabout in Sydney. We chose to wander about "The Rocks" and managed to find The Fortune of War, reportedly Sydney's oldest pub. Don't know if that is true but a fine old pub with a friendly staff and great local beers. The fish and chips was good too. When time came for sailaway, Aussie National TV, supposedly Good Morning America, and BBC had filmed the ship and news choppers were overhead as we departed dock at White Bay. We sailed under the bridge for the 4th time past the Opera House and then, as we approached the Navy Base, Captain Knutsen spun the ship 180 degrees and proceeded back by the Opera House (so those on the other side got equal views") and back to the Harbor Bridge. Then pivoted another 180 degrees and again headed for sea. A fantastic experience on board but it must have been amazing to watch from all the waterfront businesses and homes as well. It was the maritime equivalent of Tom Cruise's Maverick doing a "flyby"...Hope it shows up on the BBC and I am sure we shall see it on the World Cruise video. Thank you Captain Knutsen for an unforgettable experience. Just one of many so far... If you have any interest in ever doing one of these voyages, stop putting it off and go for it. It will not be cheaper in the future...;p:cool:

[Jim Avery]

Jim

FINALLY have had time to catch up with your great adventures! Been busy, including a trip to Cocoa Beach where we actually saw a launch — not the big one by Musk but impressive nevertheless.

Am thinking part of a WC might be the only way I get to AUS and NZ. Ship is much larger than I am used to so how does it feel? You’ve done large ships before but since we swore off mass market, largest we’ve done

is regent navigator at 490. Doing Silversea (at 296) around UK in August — Ragnar, guess who is going to Bovington!

Have also noted that the owner’s mother’s name is the same as my middle name ! Good Norwegian name!

I loved the sea days on SD on the fall crossing and seriously thinking about the westbound crossing in spring 2019. Will be back on SD in 2+ weeks.

So what is the best part so far? People, food ,location, ship? Can you make it til May?

Hope Lois is feeling much better — give her our best!

Vandrefalk

 

Hi Karen,

Hope you and the Col. are all well. Sounds like you had another great SeaDream cruise. You are right about NZ and Australia. We would not have endured the very long flights to come here. NZ and Australia are, so far, the only places in the world we have visited that I could gladly move to. As much as we love Jost van Dyke, no way could we actually live there. Same with many, many places. Great visits but not realistic for living. The ship, at 48,000 GRT would have been a big ship 20 or so years ago. Now it is, what they call a "Small Ship" but I would call it "medium". There are lots of Regent and Silversea past passengers on board including a few that have taken many World Cruises. For the most part, at least the ones we have conversed with, they prefer this ship. Viking Sun is beautiful and feels very spacious unless there is a special event when all passengers want to be in the same place. The crew is fantastic. Imho easily as good as SeaDream. Food has been very good but I don't think I could eat SeaDream food every day for 4 months. Yes we did run into McDonalds in Wellington. :eek: You can only eat fancy for just so much time then back home basics feel very good. That fixed us up for a few weeks.;p If you loved the SeaDream sea days you would be very happy here. Nothing to do but it seems to take all day to do it. Seriously, lots of groups forming up for everything from trivia to quilting. All forms of card games and other have their followers. The pools are kept spotless and the aft pool is a glass wall infinity pool sticking out over the stern. Fantastic views from that pool. We are managing to hit the gym on sea days and it is nicely outfitted and rarely too busy so getting your routine done is easy. Hopefully we will finish the voyage wearing the same clothes we started in. This ship has the most glass I have ever seen on a ship. Almost all the public spaces have floor to ceiling glass. All the railings have glass, all the balconies have glass and amazingly, unless the seas are rough putting sea spray on everything, the glass is magically clean. Not sure how they keep up with it but have seen our cabin attendant cleaning ours. Our attendant is easily the best we have ever had. Our space is always spotless and you know Lois is picky about that stuff. BTW, the bath is easily 3x the size of SeaDream's. I suspect you and Col. Clint would really enjoy this. Crossing the Pacific had a few too many sea days for our taste but then the Pacific is vast. Now we are getting into ports every day or every few days and sea days are a welcome break to re charge for the next expedition. All the best, J & L.:cool:

[vnb2003]

Jim, thank you so much for such a detailed reviews of the events. I feel like I lived through them :) Enjoy every moment!

[louhut]

Sydney exceeded our expectations by far. It is a beautiful, modern, very walkable city with water and waterfront everywhere. Many ferry services to outlying areas or just across the harbor. Viking, as usual, provided water taxi service from the boat (when docked at White Bay) every half hour to Circular Quay. We were able to relocate to Circular Quay for Saturday night and that was a very welcome perk as from there the attractions of City Centre are readily walkable. It is far from cheap to move a ship about like that. Harbor Pilots, Tugs, Line handlers all have to be paid so thanks again Viking. A contingent went to the Opera House for the opening night of Carmen so had a short, glamorous walkabout in Sydney. We chose to wander about "The Rocks" and managed to find The Fortune of War, reportedly Sydney's oldest pub. Don't know if that is true but a fine old pub with a friendly staff and great local beers. The fish and chips was good too. When time came for sailaway, Aussie National TV, supposedly Good Morning America, and BBC had filmed the ship and news choppers were overhead as we departed dock at White Bay. We sailed under the bridge for the 4th time past the Opera House and then, as we approached the Navy Base, Captain Knutsen spun the ship 180 degrees and proceeded back by the Opera House (so those on the other side got equal views") and back to the Harbor Bridge. Then pivoted another 180 degrees and again headed for sea. A fantastic experience on board but it must have been amazing to watch from all the waterfront businesses and homes as well. It was the maritime equivalent of Tom Cruise's Maverick doing a "flyby"...Hope it shows up on the BBC and I am sure we shall see it on the World Cruise video. Thank you Captain Knutsen for an unforgettable experience. Just one of many so far... If you have any interest in ever doing one of these voyages, stop putting it off and go for it. It will not be cheaper in the future...;p:cool:

 

 

 

Wow! Having sailed from Sydney. It is such a spectacular sight. To see it that many times, so exciting. It is one of the most incredible sailaways ever, Following your wonderful trip.

 

 

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[stretchcruz]

You guys are making me so excited for our Auckland to Bali cruise next year!! Thanks so much!!

[Jim Avery]

After the wonderful sights of Sydney we are docking in an industrial port some distance from Brisbane. But who cares? We are off to kiss a Koala! Maybe it is hug a Koala..... Doing stuff with Koalas and 'Roos today..:cool: