The Virtual Explorers' Lounge

[Heidi13]

52 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

Andy, you are more than kind!  I’m glad you are getting out again.  I believe you have a new RV this past year.  And hope you can cruise again.  We are loading up on cruises against the day we can’t any more. But I am hoping for a long time!!

 

Sadly, the RV is now 10 yrs old, but I did purchase a new F-450 last year, to haul it over the mountains. Glad that Martin could assist. Enjoy your days in Vancouver.

[SantaFe1]

OK, I am sick of Rocky Mountain winter.  We had an almost white out blizzard here today.  I want a Mai Tai.  To make me think of  warmer climes.  I know Viking doesn’t do umbrella drinks, but I’ll take one without the umbrella.   Please!  Only 25 days till we go to Greece, Turkey and the Mediterranean.  Yay!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 21, 2023 by SantaFe1

[duquephart]

50 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

OK, I am sick of Rocky Mountain winter.  We had an almost white out blizzard here today.  I want a Mai Tai.  To make me think of  warmer climes.  I know Viking doesn’t do umbrella drinks, but I’ll take one without the umbrella.   Please!  Only 25 days till we go to Greece, Turkey and the Mediterranean.  Yay!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Viking doesn't make a Mai Tai. They say they do but they don't.

[Clay Clayton]

9 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Viking doesn't make a Mai Tai. They say they do but they don't.

I saw that on the recently posted menus and thought, “I don’t remember the MaiTai I had in Hawaii having amaretto🤔 Of course, the Viking one doesn’t  cost $22 either! 😂

[duquephart]

Amaretto? Apricot brandy? Pineapple juice? Not even close to a Mai Tai.

[Jim Avery]

9 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Viking doesn't make a Mai Tai. They say they do but they don't.

It’s a Norwegian Mai Tai.😳🍹

[SantaFe1]

2 minutes ago, duquephart said:

Amaretto? Apricot brandy? Pineapple juice? Not even close to a Mai Tai.

Yes.  Yuck!

 

Still snowing here.  Maybe I’ll switch to an Irish coffee.

Edited January 21, 2023 by SantaFe1

[Peregrina651]

Snowing at home.  Not snowing on Viking vacation. 😁

[UWDawg]

19 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Viking doesn't make a Mai Tai. They say they do but they don't.

Some Tiki cocktails in Viking Star’s Torshavn (4 May 2022).  

Left to right: Mai Tai, Plunter’s Punch, Rock Lobster

 

Mai Tai recipe per the Torshavn bar tender:
•    40 ml Bacardi white rum
•    20 ml Apricot liqueur
•    10 ml Amaretto
•    10 ml Myers dark rum
•    200 ml Pineapple juice

Shake the white rum, apricot liqueur, amaretto and pineapple juice with ice.  Strain into iced glass.  Layer with dark rum on top.  Garnish with pineapple.
 

Much different than Trader Vic's recipe.

https://www.moodymixologist.com/blog/original-mai-tai-recipe

Edited January 22, 2023 by UWDawg

[Heidi13]

21 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Viking doesn't make a Mai Tai. They say they do but they don't.

 

Wasn't my experience on Viking Sun, as I enjoyed a few of them in the L/R bar prior to dinner.

[duquephart]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Wasn't my experience on Viking Sun, as I enjoyed a few of them in the L/R bar prior to dinner.

 

Enjoy all you want - but that is not a Mai Tai.

[duquephart]

8 hours ago, UWDawg said:

Some Tiki cocktails in Viking Star’s Torshavn (4 May 2022).  

Left to right: Mai Tai, Plunter’s Punch, Rock Lobster

 

Mai Tai recipe per the Torshavn bar tender:
•    40 ml Bacardi white rum
•    20 ml Apricot liqueur
•    10 ml Amaretto
•    10 ml Myers dark rum
•    200 ml Pineapple juice

Shake the white rum, apricot liqueur, amaretto and pineapple juice with ice.  Strain into iced glass.  Layer with dark rum on top.  Garnish with pineapple.
 

Much different than Trader Vic's recipe.

https://www.moodymixologist.com/blog/original-mai-tai-recipe

 

Good article. Beachbum Berry has also attempted to straighten people out on this one (as has Martin Cate and many others). Three of the ingredients above have no business being within miles of a Mai Tai. The rums are also very weak ----- Bacardi white is the Budweiser/Coors of rums and Meyers gets it's color and flavor artificially.  Merchant's Reserve is a good approximation of the flavor profile Trader Vic experimented with and most serious Mai Tai afficianados favor well aged Jamaican and Martinique Agricole rums. Come to my house for a Mai Tai and you will get a Mai Tai:

 

Mai Tai - Trader Vic’s 1944

·       2 oz. Aged Jamaican Rum (Appleton Estate 12)

·       2 oz. Martinique Rhum Agricole (Rhum Clement VSOP)

·       1.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

·       1 oz. Orange Curacao (Pierre Ferrand)

·       ¾ oz. Orgeat Syrup (Liber)

·       ½ oz. 2:1 Demerara Simple Syrup

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with crushed ice and a couple “agitator” cubes. Shake vigorously until well mixed and chilled. Pour out, with shaker ice, into a double old fashioned glass. Add extra crushed ice to fill glass. Garnish with spent lime half and mint sprigs.

[Heidi13]

10 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Enjoy all you want - but that is not a Mai Tai.

 

Wow, didn't realise you were also on the World Cruise, to know what drinks were produced.

[Twitchly]

There are worse occupations than traveling the world in search of the best Mai Tai. 🍹
 

Based on my vast experience, I’d like to nominate the one served up by Tahiti Nui in Hanalei on Kauai. Perfection.

 

(FWIW, Viking’s was pleasant but didn’t really taste like a Mai Tai to me.)

 

 

[duquephart]

24 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

There are worse occupations than traveling the world in search of the best Mai Tai. 🍹
 

Based on my vast experience, I’d like to nominate the one served up by Tahiti Nui in Hanalei on Kauai. Perfection.

 

(FWIW, Viking’s was pleasant but didn’t really taste like a Mai Tai to me.)

 

 

 

There's a reason why. The dark rum float is suspect (and very common) as is the color but it's probably at least in the ballpark.

Many places we visited on all four "main" islands would have two (or more) Mai Tais on the list ---- their take on the drink and an "Original 1944" version. Vic Bergeron brought the Mai Tai to Hawaii (from Oakland, CA) when he was hired by the Matson Shipping Line to develop a drink menu for The Royal Hawaiian. The best Mai Tai we had was at Tikis Grill and Bar Waikiki and even they prostituted it with "housemade passionfruit foam".

Edited January 22, 2023 by duquephart

[Azulann]

It is Friday happy hour here in the North. I will have a nice appletini, please. 

Having read the  Viking forum today , getting excited about my upcoming real Viking cruise in June. 

One thing I like about Viking is their Resource link on your itinerary page for your cruise. 

 I just got one the the books recommended from my friend  who did the  Trade Routes of the Middle Ages last Sept.

 The book is "The Edge of the World', a cultural history of the North  Sea and the Transformation of Europe" by Michael Pie

So I have good reading to later tonight and this weekend.

Cheers!

 

Patti

 

[farmecologist]

1 hour ago, Azulann said:

It is Friday happy hour here in the North. I will have a nice appletini, please. 

Having read the  Viking forum today , getting excited about my upcoming real Viking cruise in June. 

One thing I like about Viking is their Resource link on your itinerary page for your cruise. 

 I just got one the the books recommended from my friend  who did the  Trade Routes of the Middle Ages last Sept.

 The book is "The Edge of the World', a cultural history of the North  Sea and the Transformation of Europe" by Michael Pie

So I have good reading to later tonight and this weekend.

Cheers!

 

Patti

 

 

Minnesotan here too ( Rochester ).   Winter is getting old fast!  We do have an NCL cruise coming up in a couple weeks...and a Viking river cruise this summer.  But this depths of winter stuff...no thanks!

 

BTW - We are considering a Viking transatlantic ocean cruise at some point.  Viking ocean seems like our kind of crowd. 👍

  

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, Azulann said:

It is Friday happy hour here in the North. I will have a nice appletini, please. 

Having read the  Viking forum today , getting excited about my upcoming real Viking cruise in June. 

One thing I like about Viking is their Resource link on your itinerary page for your cruise. 

 I just got one the the books recommended from my friend  who did the  Trade Routes of the Middle Ages last Sept.

 The book is "The Edge of the World', a cultural history of the North  Sea and the Transformation of Europe" by Michael Pie

So I have good reading to later tonight and this weekend.

Cheers!

 

Patti

 

 

Also from the North, but the North Wet Coast, where we are thankfully rid of that horrible white stuff and freezing temperatures. Just sitting down, enjoying a pleasant hazy Milkshake IPA, prior to dinner.

[Azulann]

1 hour ago, farmecologist said:

 

Minnesotan here too ( Rochester ).   Winter is getting old fast!  We do have an NCL cruise coming up in a couple weeks...and a Viking river cruise this summer.  But this depths of winter stuff...no thanks!

 

BTW - We are considering a Viking transatlantic ocean cruise at some point.  Viking ocean seems like our kind of crowd. 👍

  

It always helps if you have a winter getaway . A cruise in a few weeks, lucky you! I usually go someplace warm during winter season but not this year for  various reasons.  I know  you will enjoy your curie and the sunshine, beaches etc.....

I have never done a river cruise, but my first Viking Ocean cruise was a transatlantic from San Juan to Barcelona in late March -mid of April. I loved it and was hooked on Viking, having only cruised on Celebrity.

I got back home from  a couple extra days in Barcelona , and two days later we had a huge snow storm ! Yuck, I think that year I got  my flower planted on Memorial Day weekend. 😀

[Azulann]

44 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Also from the North, but the North Wet Coast, where we are thankfully rid of that horrible white stuff and freezing temperatures. Just sitting down, enjoying a pleasant hazy Milkshake IPA, prior to dinner.

A couple  go time zones earlier than us and near the Pacific. I like that kind of North. Enjoy your dinner and weekend.

BTW, does you friend, I called him Z , still work for Viking? He was restaurant manager on the Orion  in 2021. He took such good care of us on that cruise .   

[SantaFe1]

59 minutes ago, Azulann said:

A couple  go time zones earlier than us and near the Pacific. I like that kind of North. Enjoy your dinner and weekend.

BTW, does you friend, I called him Z , still work for Viking? He was restaurant manager on the Orion  in 2021. He took such good care of us on that cruise .   

Can’t wait to get out of here in two weeks.  Horrible cold and snow.  Pueblo architecture has flat roof, so canales for rain gutters.  Here is a picture of ours.

 

[Twitchly]

I know, I’m weird, but I’m loving the snow. It brightens up everything and makes the indoors feel cozy. If it’s going to be winter, I want snow.

 

 

[Heidi13]

7 hours ago, Azulann said:

A couple  go time zones earlier than us and near the Pacific. I like that kind of North. Enjoy your dinner and weekend.

BTW, does you friend, I called him Z , still work for Viking? He was restaurant manager on the Orion  in 2021. He took such good care of us on that cruise .   

 

Affirmative, Zharko is on the Expedition Ships, last I heard. Now married and has a new baby. Just saw a photo of the baby this morning.

[amelia3171]

Hello

 

We are counting the days until our Trade Routes of the Middle Ages cruise this April. One of few positives of Covid-times was discovering the joys of Viking on one of their UK only cruises (that and working from home 2 days a week). 

 

We are independently doing the train to Oslo and plan on using a luggage service to get our bags to the airport hotel in Oslo. Only problem is they want to pick our bags up from the port at 6.00am and our train isn’t until 11.45. 

 

My question is can we get off the ship at 6.00 to hand over our bags then get back on the ship to have breakfast and disembark at around 09.00?

 

I’ve emailed tellus but I am interested in any real life experiences. 

[CurlerRob]

12 hours ago, amelia3171 said:

Hello

 

We are counting the days until our Trade Routes of the Middle Ages cruise this April. One of few positives of Covid-times was discovering the joys of Viking on one of their UK only cruises (that and working from home 2 days a week). 

 

We are independently doing the train to Oslo and plan on using a luggage service to get our bags to the airport hotel in Oslo. Only problem is they want to pick our bags up from the port at 6.00am and our train isn’t until 11.45. 

 

My question is can we get off the ship at 6.00 to hand over our bags then get back on the ship to have breakfast and disembark at around 09.00?

 

I’ve emailed tellus but I am interested in any real life experiences. 

 

We had the same question regarding a trip this June. If you are overnighting in Bergen, as I suspect you are, on our trip I have arranged with Porterservice AS (likely your luggage carrier) to collect our bags late evening (~2130) the night before disembarkation (arrival day in Bergen).

 

There will be no problem taking your bags off at that time and returning to the ship - then you can sleep in a bit. Just email the company and ask. (0600 was not how I wanted to start a long train travel day 👿). 🍺🥌

Edited January 29, 2023 by CurlerRob
Typo