There's this and then there's that

[The Other Tom]

10 hours ago, deec said:

one's head will not get cold in a restaurant on the ship

You have no way of knowing if my head gets cold or not.  

[Jim Avery]

37 minutes ago, The Other Tom said:

You have no way of knowing if my head gets cold or not.  

Then by all means wear the da** ball cap.

[Twitchly]

2 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Then by all means wear the da** ball cap.

Problem solved. You’re welcome.

[Mrs Miggins]

Friend onboard this TA reports some good and some bad.

The bad:  Apparently some engine problems meaning they will miss lovely Funchal.  Hopefully making the Spanish Coast and Cadiz by Saturday.

Impossible to find hot coffee, new coffee machines in World Cafe, one not worked since Day 2, the other spasmodic.  Best offering (as we all know) from the Atrium but still only luke warm.

Reduced Wine list.

The good:  Great lectures - from former White House Exec and from a Trans Atlantic and Pacific rower who was a former marine.

Entertainment very good  despite the usual Abba and Beatles, but the singers have devised some their own shows - last night a Dusty Springfield tribute.  Guitarist did an unplugged session in Torshaven which was packed.  Cruise Director Show tonight.  He is from Berkshire and has musical theatre experience in London. Great voice apparently.

Trivia going well (my friend plus husband and 2 others won)

Bridge lessons

 

My friend wrote her email from the Atrium watching Baggo between lectures with her luke warm coffee.

Despite the few negatives they are having a great time.

[philw1776]

19 hours ago, ropomo said:

There was a man on our Viking Homelands in 2019 that wore a viking helmet, complete with horns, the entire cruise regardless of location or activity. His behavior generally matched his wardrobe.

Those Vikes captured my wife (blue) on the 2017 Homelands cruise.

Edited March 21, 2023 by philw1776

[Jim Avery]

Nice beard Phil😳🍹

[duquephart]

20 hours ago, Mrs Miggins said:

Perhaps informing this individual that the ancient  Viking helmets did not have horns and are therefore historically inaccurate might not have gone down well.

 

Try doing that at a Minnesota Vikings football game.

[SJD117]

3 hours ago, Mrs Miggins said:

Friend onboard this TA reports some good and some bad.

The bad:  Apparently some engine problems meaning they will miss lovely Funchal.  Hopefully making the Spanish Coast and Cadiz by Saturday.

Impossible to find hot coffee, new coffee machines in World Cafe, one not worked since Day 2, the other spasmodic.  Best offering (as we all know) from the Atrium but still only luke warm.

Reduced Wine list.

The good:  Great lectures - from former White House Exec and from a Trans Atlantic and Pacific rower who was a former marine.

Entertainment very good  despite the usual Abba and Beatles, but the singers have devised some their own shows - last night a Dusty Springfield tribute.  Guitarist did an unplugged session in Torshaven which was packed.  Cruise Director Show tonight.  He is from Berkshire and has musical theatre experience in London. Great voice apparently.

Trivia going well (my friend plus husband and 2 others won)

Bridge lessons

 

My friend wrote her email from the Atrium watching Baggo between lectures with her luke warm coffee.

Despite the few negatives they are having a great time.

 

We were on last year's transatlantic from San Juan to Barcelona --  the same month (March), the same ship (the Viking Sea), the same missed port (Funchal), and the same reason (engine problems). Is there some hidden vortex out in the North Atlantic? Is the Sea doomed to miss Funchal forever and ever?  😛

 

At least our cruise didn't have lukewarm coffee. Or so I'm told -- I don't drink coffee. 

[Jim Avery]

Sounds like they have an official list of excuses.  

[longterm]

17 hours ago, The Other Tom said:

I challenge you to shave your head and see....

Sadly, I have more than 40 years of experience that informs me that my head's not going to get cold in a restaurant, unless I'm dining outside on a chilly night. If a Viking ship restaurant is that cold, I'll just get room service (hasn't been necessary thus far).

 

There's just no justification for wearing a hat, cap, beach wear, political crap, or (God forbid) tacky fake Viking helmets, in a nice restaurant--unless it's Mickey D's or Cracker Barrel, in which case you might be overdressed. But if someone insists on wearing a baseball cap in a restaurant, displaying for all that he's a classless goober, he should wear it backwards, and remove all doubt.

 

And to anyone who says, "It's my right..." Yep, and it's the right of the restaurant manager to throw your ass out. 

[Hobson1754]

3 hours ago, longterm said:

Sadly, I have more than 40 years of experience that informs me that my head's not going to get cold in a restaurant, unless I'm dining outside on a chilly night. If a Viking ship restaurant is that cold, I'll just get room service (hasn't been necessary thus far).

 

There's just no justification for wearing a hat, cap, beach wear, political crap, or (God forbid) tacky fake Viking helmets, in a nice restaurant--unless it's Mickey D's or Cracker Barrel, in which case you might be overdressed. But if someone insists on wearing a baseball cap in a restaurant, displaying for all that he's a classless goober, he should wear it backwards, and remove all doubt.

 

And to anyone who says, "It's my right..." Yep, and it's the right of the restaurant manager to throw your ass out. 

Like it 🤪🤪

[FetaCheese]

5 hours ago, SJD117 said:

 

We were on last year's transatlantic from San Juan to Barcelona --  the same month (March), the same ship (the Viking Sea), the same missed port (Funchal), and the same reason (engine problems). Is there some hidden vortex out in the North Atlantic? Is the Sea doomed to miss Funchal forever and ever?  😛

 

At least our cruise didn't have lukewarm coffee. Or so I'm told -- I don't drink coffee. 

Was on Sea, TA, Dec 2022 BCN/SJU.  Also missed Funchal, weather issues.  V substituted Gran Canaria.

[Azulann]

5 hours ago, SJD117 said:

 

We were on last year's transatlantic from San Juan to Barcelona --  the same month (March), the same ship (the Viking Sea), the same missed port (Funchal), and the same reason (engine problems). Is there some hidden vortex out in the North Atlantic? Is the Sea doomed to miss Funchal forever and ever?  😛

 

At least our cruise didn't have lukewarm coffee. Or so I'm told -- I don't drink coffee. 

Our 2018 TA on the Viking Sea did port at Funschal. Great day on the island.

We did miss Casablanca. It was the second time I missed  once on Celebrity and then on Viking Sea.  But I have been to Tangiers twice!

[Clay Clayton]

We made it to Funchal on both our Viking  transatlantics-had a great time both days.  Hope we get to dock next month aboard Norwegian Epic🤞

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, FetaCheese said:

 

Was on the TA on the Sea December 2021 Barcelona-San Juan.  We were very fortunate to get to see Funchal/Madeira.  It was an unexpected treat - such an amazing place.  Reminded me a bit of Hawaii (the Big Island).  Our guide even then told us many of the natives went to Hawaii in the late 1800's / early 1900's to work in the fields, and brought the ukulele with them, along with their Portuguese food dishes.  Interesting story, if true.

[deec]

We did a garden tour when we stopped last year with a revised itinerary from Buenos Aires to Barcelona.  It was gorgeous in the Spring sunshine.  We thought it would be a great spot to just BE for a number of days.  We did not do the ride down the hill...maybe next time!

 

[sugarside]

Afternoon tea in Funchal,Madeira during an independent stay one December.

[Messybill]

22 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Sounds like they have an official list of excuses.  

Here's the track I have been making from the GPS position on my phone every morning.  The last position was taken at 7am (local time which is GMT)  today, and the previous ones between 6 and 7 am.  (So they represent roughly 23 or 24 hours of progress)

 

So what are the mariners' opinions of the following:?

1. It seems we made at least the same progress yesterday (with the faulty engine) as we did the day before, in spite of the apparently worse weather.  The weather today, by the way, seems considerably less adverse.

2. It sure looks like making Funchal by noon tomorrow (which would be the original target) is in fact possible.

 

I would like to say that the food on this cruise has been uniformly excellent, and for the most part so has the weather.

 

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by Messybill

[Messybill]

Sorry about the duplicate map.  I had upload it multiple times due to the internet connection....

 

Here is our current position and approximate heading.  (No doubt the real mariners can tell  from the elevation we are in the Explorer's Lounge)

 

Edited March 22, 2023 by Messybill
forgot something.

[Jim Avery]

Yes, in our experience with Viking world cruises, they surely do like to go slow.  Yes, yes, it saves fuel but aren't we all paying to get somewhere?  I don't buy the same engine excuse at the same place twice at least.   Trips my BS meter.....🍹

[Messybill]

25 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Trips my BS meter.....

Mine too.  Do you agree that we could have made it to Funchal?

[Jim Avery]

4 minutes ago, Messybill said:

Mine too.  Do you agree that we could have made it to Funchal?

It certainly seems possible.  Lots of reserve time in that leg.  But then I have no knowledge of other items such as dockage availability, etc.  Lots of things are "possible", again it is just strange to see the same excuse in the same place at least twice.

[Messybill]

This morning at 8:30 GMT we are 138 mi, from Funchal.  Yesterday we travelled 435 mi. so we are moving at 18.125 mph, and I calculate we will pass very close by Funchal at about 4pm.  4 hours late.

 

[Jim Avery]

15.7knots.  Still in the "dawdle" range.  She is capable of 22 knots+ full out. but they rarely approach that, speed burns fuel don't you know....😎

Edited March 23, 2023 by Jim Avery

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

We missed Funchal on our Neptune trans-Atlantic in December. Gran Canaria was the substitution. I wish more Viking trans-Atlantic itineraries would call at Ponta Delgada instead of Funchal.