Live from Viking Saturn June 7-21 NYC-Canada-Greenland-Iceland

[CCWineLover]

Cold and windy but quite interesting tour to Vigur Island just now.  Not many puffins but lots of ida ducks and of course, the arctic turns, who, we learned, return every year from Antarctica on exactly May 10!  Who knew.  Simply amazing.  

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, CCWineLover said:

Clay -

this picture of you and Mike truly inspired us!  We hop to try several other hot dogs on the rest of our circumnavigation and back in Reykjavik!

Try other things too!  The best meal we had (other than hot dogs) was probably at the truck stop/filling station near Vik.  I was appalled at paying $22 pp for lunch at a truck stop but boy was the lamb shank and scalloped potatoes lunch good!

Edited June 16, 2023 by Clay Clayton

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, CCWineLover said:

Cold and windy but quite interesting tour to Vigur Island just now.  Not many puffins but lots of ida ducks and of course, the arctic turns, who, we learned, return every year from Antarctica on exactly May 10!  Who knew.  Simply amazing.  

Not many puffins because it’s too early?  If we don’t see puffins, I’m gonna have some disappointed cruise mates to deal with for the following 13 days. 

[Packman1000]

1 hour ago, CCWineLover said:

we learned, return every year from Antarctica on exactly May 10!  Who knew.  Simply amazing.  

I wonder if leap year messes up there flight plan?😆

[Meander Ingwa]

Puffins are more likely in burrow nests now.  When not in burrow will feed out at sea,  the change usually happens dawn and dusk.  Eiders are fun and colorful to see.  That lamb shank is mighty nice.  Shank is the only form of lamb i will eat.

[jkadventures]

4 hours ago, Hobson1754 said:

Yes, we’ve booked Grayline’s Golden Circle Tour the day we board our cruise in September - (we arrive day before) and booked it following your recommendation. It costs less than half the price of Viking.  They will pick us up from our hotel & I’ve been advised that they will drop us at the cruise terminal after tour 🤞

Thanks for the information! I’ll check them out.

[CCWineLover]

33 minutes ago, Packman1000 said:

I wonder if leap year messes up there flight plan?😆

I wondered that too!

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

the arctic terns, who, we learned, return every year from Antarctica on exactly May 10!  Who knew.  Simply amazing.  

 

1 hour ago, Packman1000 said:

I wonder if leap year messes up there flight plan?😆

 

I love how there is always someone taking the time to ponder life's deepest questions. I also like how there is always some smart-alec with an answer.

 

Leap year is not a problem. They take an extra day in the Canaries on the way north.

[PRH]

Thousands of puffins have succumbed to bird flu.

[Peregrina651]

25 minutes ago, PRH said:

Thousands of puffins have succumbed to bird flu.

 

Could you please share where you read this?

[PRH]

29 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Could you please share where you read this?

The effect on the Farne Islands

Cliff-nesting birds appear to have been the most heavily impacted by the bird flu outbreak, as they nest close to one another,with guillemots, kittiwakes and young puffins, known as pufflings, also among those recovered.Apr 24, 2023

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk › b...

The Farne Islands and bird flu | National Trust

[Meander Ingwa]

@PRH is correct.  Sea birds, last year, were devastated by bird flu in the UK as well 

[uktog]

Same applies to St Kilda, Bass Rock and other seabird nesting sights in Scotland last year was devastating it will take ten years to recover they reckon. They will be restricted access only for humans to help the recovery- disappointed for anyone for whom seeing birds on their habitat is they key reason to travel I hope they recognise the great contribution they will take to the species long term by not going. 
 

In Reykjavik there’s a fantastic virtual reality museum which includes a puffin experience I’m going to head for that 

[uktog]

@CCWineLover

Thanks for all this wonderful information I’m wondering would you be able to tell us which chef’s tables are being used (do not need the menus) and which one was on the night of Halifax. 
Someone has a birthday that day on our cruise and I’m trying to decide chef’s table vs Manfredi and I can book next week (appreciate it might change!)

Thanks a lot 

[mikenannie]

It appears that the Viking Saturn webcam has stopped updating, same with the overview showing its position. 
 

https://viking.panomax.com/saturn/#

 

Maybe that’s due to the poor internet connectivity. 

[TayanaLorna]

11 minutes ago, mikenannie said:

It appears that the Viking Saturn webcam has stopped updating, same with the overview showing its position. 
 

https://viking.panomax.com/saturn/#

 

Maybe that’s due to the poor internet connectivity. 

Yeah i noticed the last photos were 6-13.

[Peregrina651]

4 hours ago, uktog said:

I’m wondering would you be able to tell us which chef’s tables are being used (do not need the menus) and which one was on the night of Halifax. 

 

Even having that information is no guarantee of what will be served on your sailing.

 

Chef's Table menus are on their own schedule and the menu changes every three days without regard to the start date of each new cruise. What was served in Halifax on one cruise is not a predictor of what will be served in Halifax on future cruises. Even knowing what menus were served on the last sailing is not a predictor of what will be served on the next sailing.

[uktog]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Even having that information is no guarantee of what will be served on your sailing.

 

Chef's Table menus are on their own schedule and the menu changes every three days without regard to the start date of each new cruise. What was served in Halifax on one cruise is not a predictor of what will be served in Halifax on future cruises. Even knowing what menus were served on the last sailing is not a predictor of what will be served on the next sailing.

Thanks however I would still like to know the menu rotation 

[PRH]

6 minutes ago, uktog said:

Thanks however I would still like to know the menu rotation 

What peregrina said.  3 day rotation and no guarantee on which menus will appear on any given ship or in what order.  Wait until you board and go to the desk to inquire specifically.

[uktog]

Just now, PRH said:

What peregrina said.  3 day rotation and no guarantee on which menus will appear on any given ship or in what order.  Wait until you board and go to the desk to inquire specifically.

It’s too late then 

I would still like to hear what the current chefs tables are. It maybe due allergies none will work. We’ve discussed these menus potential adaptations with Viking before so we know what can be adapted/ some can some can’t. We should have up to 5 menus on this cruise. Really hope they’re not all our problem ones! 

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, uktog said:

It’s too late then 

I would still like to hear what the current chefs tables are. It maybe due allergies none will work. We’ve discussed these menus potential adaptations with Viking before so we know what can be adapted/ some can some can’t. We should have up to 5 menus on this cruise. Really hope they’re not all our problem ones! 

 

Okay, you said the magic word: allergies.  

 

 Why not email the ship's executive chef? It's a special occasion. Allergies are involved. Your menu choices are limited. You know exactly what date you are looking for.  

 

What you need from this thread is his name and the ship's email address.

 

[LindaS272]

On 6/7/2023 at 11:39 AM, CCWineLover said:

Here’s the ship’s phone number in the Daily.

[Liz Masterson]

Looks like the webcam is working today! 

 

[CCWineLover]

Nice somewhat overcast day in Seydisfjordur, East Iceland today. Spectacular sail through the Fjord.  Rainbows tree and church.

[Clay Clayton]

Still need to make it ashore in Seydisfjordur.  Looked at including it on our recent southern coast roadtrip but it was just too far east. #nexttime

 

If you get a chance can you find out who will be the CD in July?  Have heard so much about Ms. Brown so hoping she is still there but afeared she is likely to not be. Also, who is the restaurant manager?