Saturn's Iceland and Norway's Arctic Explorer-July 19-August 2 LIVEish

[Clay Clayton]

After over a year of waiting it is almost time for us to embark on our cruise to the Arctic.  I will attempt to do a live thread as long as the Internet cooperates. Hopefully others aboard our cruise will chime in with their thoughts and experiences as well.
 

Presuming all goes as planned, we should be leaving Raleigh, NC at 8:30 pm tomorrow (July 17th) on Iceland Air's non-stop to Reykjavik for an overnight prior to boarding Saturn on July 19th. After disembarking in Bergen on August 2nd, we are taking the train to Oslo for two additional nights before flying home on Norse Atlantic via Fort Lauderdale.   

 

A little about us-we are longtime cruisers and this will be our 5.5th Viking cruise (we were aboard our third transatlantic when Covid shutdown happened so we returned to Miami). My husband Mike and I have been together  33 years and in December will celebrate our 9th anniversary of being married legally. We retired early in February 2018 (I just joined Medicare in May and Mike is 5 years behind me-you can do the math!) spent the first two years living nomadically.

Prior to retirement most of our cruising had been on Norwegian Cruise Lines with a couple of Celebrity and a Princess voyage along the way.  For our retirement celebration (and to have a comfortable ride to Europe where we spent most of our first year of unemployment), we ended up booking a Viking Transatlantic (after discovering that for repositioning cruises their apples to apples pricing was comparable to NCL.) We have been Viking loyalists ever since though we did do a Holland America b2b to Alaska and Hawaii last October and a Norwegian Cruise Line transatlantic this past April. Mike selected this itinerary for his big 0 birthday (it was actually in late June) and some friends are joining us to help in the celebration. 

 

So tag along if you like and join us as we sail almost to the North Pole. 

[TayanaLorna]

Looking forward to your adventures.  Safe travels.  

[JM0115]

Have a wonderful trip!

[May B]

Bon voyage, and a belated Happy Big Birthday to Mike!

[paulpcsma]

50 minutes ago, May B said:

Bon voyage, and a belated Happy Big Birthday to Mike!

[janetcbl]

Look forward to your posts, as usual. Safe travels…..and have fun!

[FriscoMiMi]

Looking forward to seeing everyone onboard!

[Azulann]

So happy to see your cruise is at hand.🥂

Love reading your reports. 

At a certain age one can celebrate a  birthday for weeks...Happy Birthday Mike!

Clay, I thought of you yesterday,  My local co-op Mississippi Market had pistachio chocolate rolls in the  bakery case. 🙂

Enjoy your breakfast lamb chops and  all the sea days at the beginning of your cruise. 

Patti

 

 

Edited July 16, 2023 by Azulann

[Hobson1754]

Have a great cruise 🎉

[EddiesToys]

Can anyone provide information on Viking Saturn laundry facilities and/or service?

We are sailing from Bergen to New York, after your cruise.  Thanks, DW is concerned. 

[depplep]

So glad to see this review. I followed you over from the NCL review. Happy Birthday to Mike as well. Party like it's 1999!

[Clay Clayton]

27 minutes ago, EddiesToys said:

Can anyone provide information on Viking Saturn laundry facilities and/or service?

We are sailing from Bergen to New York, after your cruise.  Thanks, DW is concerned. 

What do you want to know?  

[Clay Clayton]

3 hours ago, Azulann said:

So happy to see your cruise is at hand.🥂

Love reading your reports. 

At a certain age one can celebrate a  birthday for weeks...Happy Birthday Mike!

Clay, I thought of you yesterday,  My local co-op Mississippi Market had pistachio chocolate rolls in the  bakery case. 🙂

Enjoy your breakfast lamb chops and  all the sea days at the beginning of your cruise. 

Patti

 

 

Unfortunately there are only two consecutive sea days and then two more non consecutive ones later in the cruise. 

[EddiesToys]

48 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

What do you want to know?  

Thanks, Clay Clayton, for your reply.

Some CC comments are not favorable regarding the "combo" washer/dryers on some VO ships. 

Does the Viking Saturn have combo washer/dryers or separate washer and dryer?

[LindaS272]

32 minutes ago, EddiesToys said:

Thanks, Clay Clayton, for your reply.

Some CC comments are not favorable regarding the "combo" washer/dryers on some VO ships. 

Does the Viking Saturn have combo washer/dryers or separate washer and dryer?

We’re on Saturn now. Haven’t seen a combo washer/dryer, but we’ve only used the launderette on Deck 5. You can use any launderette on any pax Deck, so you should have no trouble.

[May B]

46 minutes ago, EddiesToys said:

Thanks, Clay Clayton, for your reply.

Some CC comments are not favorable regarding the "combo" washer/dryers on some VO ships. 

Does the Viking Saturn have combo washer/dryers or separate washer and dryer?

I have to agree that I’d be shocked … shocked, I tell you! … if there are any combo washer/dryers. They are stacked, dryer on top of washer. 
 

My only complaint with them is I have trouble understanding the settings, with little pictures instead of words. I still used the ones on Jupiter, happily, with great results. 

[aungrl]

Have a great voyage, Clay!  Happiest to Mike.  Will be following along and living vicariously for the next two weeks through you guys.

 

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, LindaS272 said:

We’re on Saturn now. Haven’t seen a combo washer/dryer, but we’ve only used the launderette on Deck 5. You can use any launderette on any pax Deck, so you should have no trouble.

 

1 hour ago, EddiesToys said:

Thanks, Clay Clayton, for your reply.

Some CC comments are not favorable regarding the "combo" washer/dryers on some VO ships. 

Does the Viking Saturn have combo washer/dryers or separate washer and dryer?

 

46 minutes ago, May B said:

I have to agree that I’d be shocked … shocked, I tell you! … if there are any combo washer/dryers. They are stacked, dryer on top of washer. 
 

My only complaint with them is I have trouble understanding the settings, with little pictures instead of words. I still used the ones on Jupiter, happily, with great results. 

Good news that Saturn doesn't have combo machines.  I think the confusion came about when someone posted that one launderette aboard another ship (Neptune?) had a combo machine.  I suspect it was a replacement do to supply chain issues but who knows. 
 

In any case, I'll be using them in a week or so!

[Azulann]

17 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

.  I think the confusion came about when someone posted that one launderette aboard another ship (Neptune?) had a combo machine.  I suspect it was a replacement do to supply chain issues but who knows. 

I  think it was someone who looked at the washer and saw both direction panels for both washer and dyer  on the lower machine and made an assumption. ...

Dryers are above the washers on all the stacks, but the directions panel you have to press  are on the lower machine. Also  be sure to press button  on wall corresponding to the machine you are using for the soap dispenser .

 Or one can always have Viking do your laundry for a fee..... 🙂

Edited July 16, 2023 by Azulann

[CCWineLover]

Clay - sincerely hoping that you and Mike have calm seas, beautiful weather, and an absolutely wonderful cruise!

I've always felt you are easily one of the most pleasant and informative posters on these Viking boards - You've seen so much and most of all, remember it all!

Will look forward to hearing from you.

Kent

[Twitchly]

Looking forward to living vicariously! Here’s hoping they stock pistachio rolls for you.

[CCWineLover]

Clay - just one request:  we want to see pictures of you and Mike doing the Artic Circle dip in the cold water . . .  and the slug of aquavit !!

[Peregrina651]

3 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

Clay - just one request:  we want to see pictures of you and Mike doing the Artic Circle dip in the cold water . . .  and the slug of aquavit !!

 

Hear! Hear!

[Clay Clayton]

Thanks for the good wishes.  I'm hoping to do the polar plunge but reserve the right to change my mind😂

[lazydayz]

Safe travels. Please post about the weather in Iceland.  I’m packing for our upcoming cruise which stops at four ports in Iceland.  We fly out in 12 days.  Thank you.