Live from the Viking Sky (Ft Lauderdale to London) December 20, 2023 - May 6, 2024

[UWDawg]

Given our current direction of navigation, I find it doubtful that the Viking Sky is going to visit Doubtful Sound or Milford Sound. 

[Clay Clayton]

54 minutes ago, UWDawg said:

Given our current direction of navigation, I find it doubtful that the Viking Sky is going to visit Doubtful Sound or Milford Sound. 

Wonder why not? @peterpan48 noted the same thing and mentioned it to me this morning. He said that there are other cruise ships down there now.  Guess we will find out at noon once they finish abandoning the ship!

[Clay Clayton]

Kudos to Viking Sky’s food team for coming up with a way to respond to another suggestion.
 

Mike had mentioned that it would be great if occasionally the pool grill stayed open for dinner-after a long day ashore, having a quick burger rather than a real meal would suit us better. Initially, we were told they couldn’t do this as they couldn’t close the noodle bar.  But this morning, we found out they are going to have burgers and buns available at the World Cafe. Like the steaks, they will be cooked “à la minute” when requested. Hope others will enjoy ordering the occasional burger also. 
 

Thanks Viking!

[Lanzy]

Hi Clay!  Just Erin-Ann and Laurie-Ann from Nebraska saying hello!  We were with you and Mike

last August for Iceland/Norway.  We are doing Viking Homelands May 20 and were so surprised that there is only one entry on the forum...so far!  We learned so much from you and others last year!  Thanks!!!

[stretchcruz]

38 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Kudos to Viking Sky’s food team for coming up with a way to respond to another suggestion.
 

Mike had mentioned that it would be great if occasionally the pool grill stayed open for dinner-after a long day ashore, having a quick burger rather than a real meal would suit us better. Initially, we were told they couldn’t do this as they couldn’t close the noodle bar.  But this morning, we found out they are going to have burgers and buns available at the World Cafe. Like the steaks, they will be cooked “à la minute” when requested. Hope others will enjoy ordering the occasional burger also. 
 

Thanks Viking!

That's great! I like that they are doing the sandwich bread too. So many days I just really wanted a sandwich!!!

[cruising denise]

44 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Kudos to Viking Sky’s food team for coming up with a way to respond to another suggestion.
 

Mike had mentioned that it would be great if occasionally the pool grill stayed open for dinner-after a long day ashore, having a quick burger rather than a real meal would suit us better. Initially, we were told they couldn’t do this as they couldn’t close the noodle bar.  But this morning, we found out they are going to have burgers and buns available at the World Cafe. Like the steaks, they will be cooked “à la minute” when requested. Hope others will enjoy ordering the occasional burger also. 
 

Thanks Viking!

Thanks to Mike for making the suggestion and for the Viking chefs for acting on it.  We, too, were thrilled to come back to the ship and enjoy a cheeseburger...in paradise...

[Clay Clayton]

27 minutes ago, Lanzy said:

Hi Clay!  Just Erin-Ann and Laurie-Ann from Nebraska saying hello!  We were with you and Mike

last August for Iceland/Norway.  We are doing Viking Homelands May 20 and were so surprised that there is only one entry on the forum...so far!  We learned so much from you and others last year!  Thanks!!!

Enjoy that cruise…or come join us in Singapore!

[UWDawg]

2 hours ago, UWDawg said:

Given our current direction of navigation, I find it doubtful that the Viking Sky is going to visit Doubtful Sound or Milford Sound. 

Just announced:  Due to the continuing Pilot strike, we will not be able to port in Hobart, Tasmania, AU.  That forces us to seek an initial port in Australia elsewhere... and that will be Sydney, AU, where we will port on the 9th.  Then we will head to Philip Island to see the penguins and continue on our original itinerary.  That forces us to miss Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound, as well as Hobart, Tasmania, but we get an extra day in Sydney.

[millybess]

21 minutes ago, UWDawg said:

Just announced:  Due to the continuing Pilot strike, we will not be able to port in Hobart, Tasmania, AU.  That forces us to seek an initial port in Australia elsewhere... and that will be Sydney, AU, where we will port on the 9th.  Then we will head to Philip Island to see the penguins and continue on our original itinerary.  That forces us to miss Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound, as well as Hobart, Tasmania, but we get an extra day in Sydney.

I'm curious Dawg if you were able to dock in some of your current missed ports when you were on the WC last year?

[Clay Clayton]

A request of our fellow passengers, if you are going to have a phone call, FaceTime, etc. could you please do it privately rather than in the Explorer’s Lounge or Aquavit or Living Room. We have found that our stateroom is perfect for phone calls.

[Clay Clayton]

Here is the letter with revised itinerary which was in our room. 

[Clay Clayton]

Anyone who is interested in doing a group directed pub crawl on Friday afternoon in Sydney, let’s meet at the pool bar at 2:30 on Thursday.  Please come with at least one suggested pub/bar/restaurant. We will plot out a start time, path and plan of attack together. 
 

I’ve pictured my suggestion below, the Fortune of War Pub. 

Edited February 6 by Clay Clayton

[Jim Avery]

Excellent start point Clay.  FoW is a must stop..🍺

[Liz Masterson]

3 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Kudos to Viking Sky’s food team

🍔

Initially, we were told they couldn’t do this…..

But this morning, we found out they are going to have burgers and buns available at the World Cafe.  

Thanks Viking!

 

❤️ But of course! You’re Clay & Mike! 😂

Are they going to serve them with pistachio buns? 😉 

[FortWorthCruiser]

14 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Anyone who is interested in doing a group directed pub crawl on Friday afternoon in Sydney, let’s meet at the pool bar at 2:30 on Thursday.  Please come with at least one suggested pub/bar/restaurant. We will plot out a start time, path and plan of attack together. 
 

I’ve pictured my suggestion below, the Fortune of War Pub. 

Ernie and I were just discussing the same idea for Friday so count us in.  We'll see you on Thursday afternoon.  Mary Ann

[FortWorthCruiser]

FYI - I talked to guest services regarding our stop in Sydney on Friday, 9 Feb.  Viking will have a shuttle into town but no Viking excursions offered that day.

[CurlerRob]

20 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Excellent start point Clay.  FoW is a must stop..🍺

Agreed - FoW first or last. I won't be there, but here's a bid for the rooftop at the Glenmore Hotel in the Rocks. 🍺🥌

 

[UWDawg]

2 hours ago, millybess said:

I'm curious Dawg if you were able to dock in some of your current missed ports when you were on the WC last year?

@millybess We we on the WC aboard the Star 2 years ago for the 21/22 WC, which went around South America instead of heading west to HI, Fr. Poly, NZ, AU, SE Asia, India... so every port has been a new port for us.  We have enjoyed each of them.  on the 21/22 WC we picked up the original itinerary in Saudi Arabia... well, for the most part... 

Despite the initial disappointment associated with the revised itinerary and missing a big chunk of the world during the 21/22 WC, we throughly enjoyed the revised itinerary and having extra days at a few ports allowed us to explore those ports more completely.  Viking did a Fantastic job of catering the guests who chose to continue with the 21/22 WC despite the revised itinerary.

 

Of course because we missed so many of the original ports is the biggest reason why we taking the current WC.  And as things are looking, we are likely to visit a set of ports we hadn't planned on.  We're trusting that Viking will do right by us no matter what the challenges we encounter going forward.

 

[FYI... I miss our weekly puzzle competition... I don't recall which of us came out ahead, but it was neck-to-neck for much of a year.]

[Clay Clayton]

8 minutes ago, FortWorthCruiser said:

FYI - I talked to guest services regarding our stop in Sydney on Friday, 9 Feb.  Viking will have a shuttle into town but no Viking excursions offered that day.

Yes the letter says exactly that

[Clay Clayton]

Well crap, Neptune gets everything!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2-g1KvvqD4/?igsh=MW94c2VzNjVtZnBoNg==

[Penspack]

38 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Anyone who is interested in doing a group directed pub crawl on Friday afternoon in Sydney, let’s meet at the pool bar at 2:30 on Thursday.  Please come with at least one suggested pub/bar/restaurant. We will plot out a start time, path and plan of attack together. 
 

I’ve pictured my suggestion below, the Fortune of War Pub. 

Maybe Sammy is #15 on the World's 50 best Bars for 2023 and was #29 from 2022

[millybess]

31 minutes ago, UWDawg said:

@millybess

[FYI... I miss our weekly puzzle competition... I don't recall which of us came out ahead, but it was neck-to-neck for much of a year.]

Haha. I miss it too. As I remember it, you were right on it every time, and I often had to make a call for help.  

[millybess]

I’m happy to see you’re enjoying your voyage and we hope to hear more from you 😊

[ellenw]

2 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Anyone who is interested in doing a group directed pub crawl on Friday afternoon in Sydney, let’s meet at the pool bar at 2:30 on Thursday.  Please come with at least one suggested pub/bar/restaurant. We will plot out a start time, path and plan of attack together. 
 

I’ve pictured my suggestion below, the Fortune of War Pub. 

What a great memory you just gave me of our time in Sydney! Love Fortune of War. "Education is important. But beer is importanter". Cheers!

[cruising denise]

Question about our stop in Eden on Feb 14.  We are docked 8 AM - 4 PM.  Our oyster farm tour got cancelled as the tour operator is no longer offering it.  Since we are missing Tasmania, where we had been planning to visit the wildlife preserve, I was thinking of possibly finding something near Eden, and came across this:

 

https://fareharbor.com/embeds/book/edenvisitorcentre/items/507424/calendar/2024/02/?full-items=yes

 

The tour operator doesn't have availability on our date, but it seems that Potaroo Palace is not far from the port.  Does anyone have info or knowledge of this?  Or alternatively, whether Eden is a port where we might just enjoy wandering around on our own?

 

Thanks for any help.