Day 15 - Disembarkation

Aug 4, 2018 - We meet in the Atrium at 5:15am this morning, and we have already been up since 3am to get ready for disembarkation. Our flight is scheduled to take off at 12:25pm and Viking has given us a disembarkation time of 5:15am. Some claim that it can take two hours to get from Greenwich to Heathrow. However, this is a Saturday morning, so we wonder if it will actually take that long. When we arrive at the Atrium (Deck 1), the crew has set up pots of coffee, a selection of sweet rolls and fruit.

At 5:15, we are asked to proceed to Deck A for disembarkation. As we swipe our stateroom key for the last time, we exit the ship to find Captain Gustaffson and General Manager, Sujith Mohan, at the gangway wishing everyone a safe trip home. We say our goodbyes and board the local tender with our carryon luggage for the short ride to shore. Once we arrive at the Greenwich pier, we walk to a large tent where our luggage has been stored overnight. Viking requests that large checked luggage be placed outside the stateroom by 10pm the night before disembarkation. Each guest is provided with colored luggage tags with numbers to indicate the "disembarkation group" and time.

After we locate and retrieve our luggage, we make our way to the motorcoach. Viking intelligently divides the group transfers based on the airport departure terminal.

As you can see in the photo above, our coach will drop us off at Heathrow (LHR) Terminal 3. This is a much better system than having guests departing from different terminals on the same coach. The drive to Heathrow only takes one hour. In fact, we arrived at 6:45am, almost six hours before our flight is scheduled to depart!

We probably should have requested to change to a 7:15am departure from the ship and slept in a little longer. Viking assigns these early departures for a couple of reasons. First, there are times when, due to traffic, it can take two hours to get to/from the airport, and second, many guests are not seasoned travelers and can get confused at a large airport like Heathrow. We fly in/out of Heathrow two or three times a year and are familiar with the airport, so we would have been fine with a later disembarkation time. Nevertheless, we get checked in for our flight, make it through security and are relaxing in the Admirals Club by 7:20. The Admirals Club in Terminal 3 is quite large and has a nice hot breakfast set up, so we enjoy breakfast and find a quiet place to relax until our flight.

Unfortunately, we are not able to secure an upgrade to Premium Economy or Business Class for the flight home. We are "stuck" in Main Cabin Extra (a little more legroom than Economy and free drinks) with Rickee seated behind me (Row 31 and 32). The rest of the story is pretty typical American Airlines. We stopped by Pret-A-Manger in Terminal 3 on our way to the gate to get a couple of sandwiches to enjoy on the flight so as to avoid the miserable "chicken or pasta" offered by AA.

The flight home took about 10 hours and once we arrived at DFW, we gathered our checked bags and caught an Uber home. We are tired and ready for bed, but cannot help reflecting on what a great experience our second sailing with Viking Ocean has been. Tomorrow, we will start work on our final review. Watch for it on CruiseReport.com soon.

Day 14 - Greenwich, England

Aug 3, 2018 - Viking Sky is moored on the Thames River in Greenwich, England, today.

We have booked another Viking included excursion 'Walking Tour of Greenwich' this afternoon. We have to allow 30 minutes for a tender ride to shore, even though the ship is literally only a few hundred yards from the tender boat dock (you can see the tender docked in the foreground). When we disembark the tender, we check-in with Viking shore excursion personnel to be assigned a tour guide.

Rickee gets our tour tickets checked by shore excursion staff

We are about 20 minutes early, so we have to wait for others to arrive on another tender. It is really warm here today, about 94 degrees (F). This is the hottest it has been this entire cruise! We seek shade next to the Cutty Sark exhibit, which is located just steps from the Greenwich pier.

This is the first time on this cruise that we have been required to use the QuietVox audio units. Each stateroom has two QuietVox units with earpieces for guest use. The use of QuietVox was pioneered by Viking River Cruises and is now used by many cruise lines and tour companies. The system allows guests to hear the tour guide's narration from hundreds of feet away.

Rickee shows off the QuietVox audio system

After everyone is gathered for the tour, our local guide begins walking us through the streets of Greenwich, attempting to find shady places for us to stand as he explained the various palaces and other interesting structures.

One of the must-see sights when visiting Greenwich is the Old Royal Naval College. It is less than a 5-minute walk from the Greenwich pier.

If you have an interest in maritime history, a visit to the National Maritime Museum is perhaps another five minutes away.

There are also a lot of local pubs where you can stop and have a bite to eat, or throw back a pint. The Trafalgar Tavern is right on the Thames and less than a 7-minute walk from the pier.

The best thing we learned from our walking tour is that Greenwich is a very easy place to see on foot. You really don't need a guide, just get out and explore! There's is a lot to see in a relatively small area.

After our tour, we took the tender back to Viking Sky and had time to finish our packing for the disembarkation tomorrow morning. Our flight to DFW is at 12:25, but Viking wants us to gather at 5:15am for the transfer to Heathrow! They say it can take two hours to get from the ship to the airport. So, we wanted to get packed before we go to dinner at 6pm at The Chef's Table.

With our packing behind us, we arrive at The Chef's Table for dinner. Tonight's menu is Xiang, a Cantonese-inspired five-course tasting menu.

Xiang menu

As with all meals at The Chef's Table, each course is paired with a different wine. We noticed that the wines being offered were the same ones paired with the Venice Carnival menu. We made a couple of special wine requests, and our waiter was happy to accommodate us. An amuse bouche of Hot and Sour Soup was the first item to arrive.

Hot and Sour Soup

Our first course was a plate of fried prawns covered with panko bread crumbs, fried garlic, red chili peppers and scallion. If you love bold flavors, this dish has it: salty, crispy, garlicky, spicy (if you dare eat the red chilies) and juicy.

Fried prawns

After a much needed palate cleanser consisting of a coconut and lemongrass granite, our main course arrived. The Wok-fried Beef was a bowl filled with chunks of tenderloin steak in a five-spice sauce. The meat was incredibly tender and delicious. Unfortunately, I did not think to snap a photo of the Wok Fried Beef, but trust me, it was good. Finally, our Mango Passion dessert arrived which was sort of like a mango-flavored tapioca pudding topped with toasted coconut.

Mango Passion

This was another great dining experience at The Chef's Table and one that I would like to experience again. If you are sailing with Viking Ocean, make sure to book a reservation on a night when they feature the Xiang menu.

As we were leaving The Chef's Table, we were surprised to see Heather Clancy walking toward us. Heather was the Cruise Director on our Viking Sea cruise last year and she has just boarded Viking Sky for a two-month contract to relieve Cruise Director, Aaron Syfert. You may recall that Heather was our pick last year as BEST Cruise Director for 2017.

Heather Clancy

We had the opportunity to sit and chat with Heather in the Living Room for about an hour, just swapping cruise stories. Heather is a rare treasure in the cruise industry and we cherish her friendship. Hopefully, we will be sailing with her again soon! We hug Heather goodbye and head to bed early tonight. 

Tomorrow, we will disembark Viking Sky and fly home to Dallas. Watch for our full, in-depth review of Viking Sky coming soon to CruiseReport.com.

Day 13 - Viking Sky Owner's Suite

Aug 2, 2018 - Today, Viking Sky is sailing to Greenwich, England, where our cruise will soon come to an end. Viking Sky General Manager, Sujith Mohan, has invited us to spend two nights in the Owner's Suite (7001), and I can think of no better place to spend a relaxing day at sea. This is a rare opportunity for a journalist as this suite is typically always occupied. There is only one Owner's Suite on each Viking Ocean ship, and they tend to stay fully booked.

Entry hall into Owner's Suite

At 1448 sq. ft., the Owner's Suite is the largest on Viking Sky, almost twice the size of the next largest suite on the ship. The massive living room will make you feel right at home with its private library, wine and music collections curated by Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen. The artwork and decorations throughout the suite give the feel that you are a guest in someone's home, not on a cruise ship.

Living Room

A large dining table can seat six for dinner.

Dining table

A pantry has a small convection oven, mini-refrigerator, service sink, coffee maker, and additional glassware and storage.

Pantry

When it comes time for entertainment, Owner's Suite guests will enjoy a 50" HD flat screen television in the living room, another one in the separate bedroom, and a massive 65" television in the adjoining conference room.

Television in conference room

That's right, a conference room! I am pretty sure this is the only suite at sea with a conference room that can seat 12 guests. The large table can be used for business meetings, or why not have friends over for a catered dinner party? You can impress them with the first-ever oceangoing vapor-light fireplace!

Vapor-light fireplace

After your dinner party, when all the guests have gone back to their staterooms, you can retire to your private bedroom.

But, before you climb into the King-size Viking Explorer Bed with luxury linens and pillows, perhaps you would like to unwind in the stress-relieving oceanview dry sauna? You can access the sauna from the master bathroom, or from your balcony.

Oceanview sauna

The large master bathroom features a spacious glass-enclosed shower, double-sink vanity, heated bathroom floor,and heated towel rack. And, don't worry about leaving a towel or two laying around as there are two guest bathrooms in the Owner's Suite.

Master bathroom

After your sauna and a relaxing shower, it is time for bed. If you forgot to turn off the living room or conference room music, there's no need to get up. Simply use the iPad located next to the bed to control the lighting or music in any room!

One of three iPad control devices in the Suite

A large walk-in closet has lots of drawers, shelves and hangers for all your clothes, shoes and other items.

The makeup vanity in the closet has a flip-up makeup mirror and a drawer specially designed for cosmetics.

There is no shortage of tech integrated into this suite. Each bedside table has a bank of USB, 110v and 220v electrical connectors discreetly hidden behind a fold-down panel.

All lighting can be controlled using any of the iPads, or the touch panels located throughout. Each number represents a different lighting "mood" for each area.

Light switches

And, don't forget you have a massive balcony to enjoy on sea days. The balcony has two padded loungers, a sofa and a coffee table perfect for dining al fresco, or evening cocktails.

Owner's Suite Balcony

The Viking Sea Owner's Suite has just about every creature comfort you can imagine. The Scandinavian decor is understated, but elegant, not unlike the rest of Viking Sky's interior. But, all this luxury comes at a price. The website shows $22,300/per guest for our 15-night sailing. That is close to $1,500 per day/per person. Expensive? Yes. But, certainly not out of line with luxury suites on other cruise ships. And, when you occupy the Owner's Suite, you get lots of other little perks:

• 11am early embarkation

• Complimentary laundry and dry cleaning throughout the cruise

• Complimentary shore excursion with private car and driver (up to 4 guests) in port city of your choice (valued at up to $800)

• No reservations required for any restaurant on board, ever

• 24-hour room service, including room service from any restaurant on board during open hours

• Welcome bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne

• Personal escort to your suite upon embarkation

• Access to complimentary wines from in-suite wine collection

• Personal visit by ship's Sommelier

• Daily personalized tea or pre-dinner cocktail and canapés by request

• Dinner and guided tour with ship officers (subject to availability)

The Owner's Suite is the ultimate in luxury aboard a Viking Ocean cruise. But, if you are interested, you had better book early. The Owner's Suite sells out fast.

Day 12 - Edinburgh, Scotland

Aug 1, 2018 - Viking Sky is anchored off the coast of Edinburgh, Scotland today.

Our morning is spent moving a few of our items into the Owner's Suite on Deck 7 Forward. We have been given the opportunity to spend two nights in the Owner's Suite to get a feel for what Viking's ultimate accommodations have to offer. After our stay in the Owner's Suite, we will post a thorough review of the accommodations. However, I think we are going to enjoy the next two nights!

Owner's Suite Living Room

Our included excursion 'Highlights of Edinburgh' requires a 15-minute tender ride to Newhaven Harbour.

We board our motorcoach and head off to see the sights of Edinburgh. We drive by Fettes College, a popular private school. Tony Blair attended Fettes as did Sean Connery and today, many wealthy Chinese send their children to Fettes College.

After passing by numerous sites, we stop at the Palace of Holyroodhouse where we have 20 minutes for a bathroom break, or some souvenir shopping. Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the British monarch when in Scotland.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Our drive gives us a view of Edinburgh Castle, sitting high on a hill over the city. Our route continues through Holyrood Park on Queen's Drive where we have a photo stop with a panoramic view of the city.

Rickee with Edinburgh in the background

Our next stop was near the Royal Mile, a succession of streets forming the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of Edinburgh. The Royal Mile is lined with souvenir shops, clothing stores and pubs. The streets are packed with tourists today.

The Royal Mile

We have about 1 & 1/2 hours to spend here so Rickee immediately begins shopping for a Scottish cashmere scarf. It took a few stores, but she found one that she liked and bought it. The scarf will be a great reminder of our visit to Scotland each time she wears it. And, what visit to Scotland would be complete without a shot of Whiskey at a local pub? From our seat in the pub we could see it begin to rain outside. We were only about a block from where the coach is to pick us up, so we head out in the rain. We always bring an umbrella with us on excursions, but of course, we left it on the coach!

The 'Highlights of Edinburgh' included tour was quite good. However, Viking offers a few other optional excursions here (for a fee) that also look very interesting. Golfers will want to book the 'Historic St. Andrew's' excursion, for sure.

We return to Viking Sky and to the Owner's Suite where we get ready for our 7:30pm dinner reservation at Manfredi's. When we arrive at Manfredi's, we only have to wait a few minutes for our table to be readied, another beautiful window table for two. For the third time, Hector was our waiter. We had another excellent meal. Unfortunately, the photos I took with my phone got corrupted and I am unable to post them. Trust me, everything looked and tasted wonderful!

Tomorrow is another Day at Sea as we sail toward our final port of Greenwich, England.

Day 11 - Kirkwall, Orkney Islands

July 31, 2018 - Today, Viking Sky is anchored off the coast of Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands. The view from our balcony this morning shows a much flatter terrain than we left behind in the Shetland Islands.

Our excursion today is one of the ship's included tours: 'Highlights of Historic Orkney' and we are supposed to meet at the tender pier on shore at 12:40. That means we have to allow at least 30 minutes for the tender ride to shore, which means, we have little time for lunch (which starts service at 11:30). World Cafe is the obvious choice for a quick meal. Today, Chef Noack is featuring a Caesar Salad bar on the Aquavit Terrace (Deck 7 aft). Options include grilled chicken or seafood, bacon, Parmesan cheese shavings, croutons and a variety of breads. My salad was delicious!

After lunch, we hurry down to Deck A to board the tender boat to shore. A huge crowd has formed in the Deck A elevator lobby waiting to board the tender, and an even larger group of guests is coming off of the tender and returning to the ship. Traffic in this area can get pretty hectic at peak periods. However, soon, we are able to board the tender and I have to say, these are extremely nice tender boats.

When we arrive ashore, we board our motorcoach for the 2 & 1/2 hour tour. After a brief drive through the town of Kirkwall, we drive about 20 minutes to The Ring of Brodgar. This Neolithic henge and stone circle is found about 6 miles northeast of the town of Stromness on the largest island in Orkney. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Heart of Neolithic Orkney.

Ring of Brodgar

The ring is actually a massive circular arrangement of 60 stones, 27 of which remain standing. A large ditch surrounds the stone circle. Nobody really knows why the stones were placed here, or how. We walked around the entire ring, attempting to take some photos while avoiding the hundreds of other tourists—not an easy task. The best time for photos here would be early morning or late afternoon, before or after the cruise ship traffic descends on the site.

The Ring of Brodgar is one of the most interesting historical sites we have visited. As we drive away from the Ring of Brodgar, we pass by the Ness of Brodgar, an archeological dig, and the Standing Stones of Stennes, yet another neolithic henge monument. Our next stop is Stromness, the second-largest town on the island.

Quiet streets of Stromness

A statue of John Rae stands at one of the streets entering the town. He is credited with discovering the final portion of the Northwest Passage.

We spend about 45 minutes walking through the streets of Stromness, occasionally popping into a local shop. Honestly, there is not a lot to see here, but it is nice to be outside on this beautiful sunny, and uncharacteristically warm, day in Orkney. And, this is a great town for walking, which is something we need to do more!

Stromness and Graemsay Parish Church

The coach ride back to the port of Kirkwall takes us by Scapa Flow. This body of water is sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It has been used by ships since prehistory and it has played an important role in travel, trade and conflict throughout the centuries - especially during both World Wars.

Scapa Flow

During WWI, Scapa Flow was home to the British Fleet. Following the German defeat in WWI, 74 ships of the Imperial German Navy were interred at Scapa Flow. The German officer in command made the decision to scuttle the fleet because the negotiation period for the treaty had lapsed with no word of a settlement. 

Soon, we arrive back in Kirkwall and board the last tender boat back to Viking Sky. This evening, we visit The Star Theater where we enjoy 'Beyond The Sea', a show performed by Cruise Director, Arron Syfert.

Aaron Syfert

Aaron performed songs from artists such as Andrea Bocelli, Johnny Cash and Frank Sinatra.

Aaron Syfert takes on a Johnny Cash persona

The theater was completely packed for this performance and everyone gave a standing ovation at the end. It was the perfect finish to another wonderful day aboard Viking Sky.

Tomorrow, Viking Sky will be in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Day 10 - Lerwick, Shetland Islands

July 30, 2018 - Today, Viking Sky is docked in Lerwick, the main port for the Shetland Islands.

Viking Sky docked in Lerwick

Our day begins early, at least for Rickee, who loves to sleep late. We are required to have our passports cleared by UK Immigration in The Star Theater at 8:45am. Viking divided guests based upon their shore excursion departure times, which made for much better crowd control.

Guests line up to clear UK Immigration

After a brief passport check, we get a red sticker placed on our stateroom key to let security know that we have cleared Immigration.

We have time for breakfast at World Cafe after the passport check. This was Rickee's first time for breakfast since we embarked! She ordered Eggs Benedict, and said they were cooked perfectly. She also says the orange juice served here is possibly the best she has ever tasted. That word "best" keeps coming up on this cruise, doesn't it?

This afternoon, we have chosen the optional 'Castles, Valleys and Shetland Ponies' excursion ($79/pp).

Viking offers a similar excursion as an included tour, but it does not include an inside visit to the Skalloway Castle and Museum. After a drive through the town of Lerwick, we had a brief photo stop at the Broch of Clickimin. The broch was discovered in 1861 and has been restored. It is thought to have been constructed in the 3rd century AD.

Broch of Clickimin

We then drive the beautiful valley roads to a hill overlooking Skalloway Castle where we have another brief photo stop. Next we drive into the small village of Skalloway, Shetland, where we have nearly an hour to explore the castle and adjacent museum.

Skalloway Castle

Scalloway Castle was the home of Patrick Stewart, earl of Orkney and Shetland. He was notorious for his oppression of the Shetland people. He was accused of using forced labor in the castle's construction in 1599, and was eventually executed in Edinburgh in 1615.

Hallway inside the castle

The castle itself stands as a sophisticated and impressive example of a late 1500's tower house. One of only two castles constructed in Shetland, for many it stands as a symbol of Earl Patrick’s harsh rule.

The Skalloway Museum offered a lot of interesting historical exhibits to enjoy as well as a nice gift shop.

Skalloway Museum

Rickee spent time exploring the various exhibits while I visited the gift shop for some souvenirs.

After our visit to the museum and castle, we re-boarded the motorcoach for a short drive to see the Shetland ponies. There were a couple of other motorcoaches already there when we arrived and everyone was huddled around the small group of ponies.

The lady who owns the farm was giving a presentation on the history of the Shetland ponies. The Shetland pony is a breed originating in the Shetland Isles. Shetlands range in size from a minimum height of approximately 28 inches to an official maximum height of 42 inches. Visitors had the opportunity to interact with the ponies, all of which seemed very disinterested in the attention they were getting.

After spending some quality time with the ponies, we board the coach again for a drive through the green valleys of Shetland. The roads are narrow and the scenery is spectacular on this beautiful summer day. We have really lucked out on the weather this trip.

We arrive back in Lerwick at the pier at about 4:45pm. In our opinion, this excursion was well worth the extra cost for the visit to the castle and the museum. 

Tonight, we have a dinner reservation at The Chef's Table restaurant. The Chef's Table is one of two specialty restaurants on Viking Sky (and all Viking Ocean ships). The Chef's Table has several different fixed menus that are featured on a rotating basis. Think of each as a tasting menu selected by the chef. Tonight's menu theme is Venice Carnival.

Each course at The Chef's Table is paired with a wine to complement the flavors of the dish. And, while there is no extra charge to dine at The Chef's Table, or to enjoy the wine pairing, there is an optional Premium Wine pairing for $25/pp. We opted for the standard wines. First we were served an Amuse Bouche of Roasted Pepper and Tomato Jelly with Goat Cheese Latte Foam. I found it to be quite delicious. 

Our first course was Beef Carpacchio with Fig and Mustard Vinaigrette. Rickee is much more of a Beef Carpacchio fan than I am, but I did enjoy it. Even though Rickee prefers the Carpacchio served at Manfredi's (with shaved Parmesan and Olive Oil), she finished her dish as well.

Next, an intermezzo consisting of a Bellini Granita with Peach Juice Foam was an excellent palate cleanser to prepare us for the main course, a Cod Filet with Jerusalem Artichoke Risotto with Latte de Tartuffo. A beautiful piece of Cod has been Sous Vide* to perfection, placed on top of perfectly al dente artichoke risotto and topped with a truffle foam. It was one of the most delicious pieces of fish I have ever had.

Our final course was a dessert called Mascarpone Passion. An amazing marscapone mousse topped with a passion fruit crémeux and surrounded by rasberry jewels was the perfect ending to a delicious meal.

Service throughout the meal was exceptional from our waiter, Francisco, and his assistant, Henny.

The wines paired with the meal were also good; however, we did find the red wine listed on the menu to be different from the one being poured. We were familiar with the Merlot on the menu and preferred it to the one poured. When we mentioned this to Francisco, he immediately replaced our red wine with the Merlot we liked. A visit to The Chef's Table is a must when sailing on a Viking Ocean cruise. In fact, why not go twice to try a couple of different menus? We plan to return in a few days to try one of the Asian-inspired menus.

Tomorrow, Viking Sky will be anchored off the coast of the Orkney Islands where we will visit Kirkwall.

* (Wikapedia) Sous Vide is a method of cooking in which food is placed in a plastic pouch or a glass jar and cooked in a water bath or steam environment for longer than normal cooking times (usually 1 to 7 hours, up to 48 or more in some cases) at an accurately regulated temperature. The temperature is much lower than normally used for cooking, typically around 55 to 60 °C (131 to 140 °F) for meat, higher for vegetables. The intent is to cook the item evenly, ensuring that the inside is properly cooked without overcooking the outside, and to retain moisture. 

Day 09 - At Sea

July 29, 2018 - Today is our second day at sea as Viking Sky sails toward Lerwick, the main port in the Shetland Islands. It is cloudy today and there is rain in the forecast, but temperatures stay in the 60s. When we leave our stateroom this morning, we are greeted by Arvin and Kevin, our excellent stateroom attendants. It seems that no matter how late we leave our stateroom in the morning, Arvin and Kevin have the room back in shape before we return. And, each evening, their turn down service is equally impressive. They are always asking if there is anything we need, and if we make a request, they get right on it. They could be the best stateroom attendant team we have ever had.

Kevin (left) and Arvin (right), our wonderful stateroom attendants

This morning, Rickee and I head down to the Star Theater on Deck 2 Forward for a Q&A session with Captain Gustafsson, Chief Engineer, Sollien and Hotel General Manager, Mohan. Before we entered, a monitor outside the theater caught my attention. The screen shows all of the events scheduled for the theater today with corresponding times. It may not sound like much, but technology like this is a real convenience for guests, and rarely seen on cruise ships.

Daily schedule posted outside of Star Theater

The three senior officers took questions from the audience for nearly an hour. They answered questions on everything from "How many engines are in the engine room" to "What happens to the leftover food?" The audience was excited to learn that Viking is building even more ships in the future. It was a very interesting Q&A session.

General Manager, Sujith Mohan, Chief Engineer, Lars Sollien and Captain Bengt Gustafsson

After the lecture, Rickee and I decide to give The Restaurant a try for lunch. This was the first time we have visited The Restaurant (Deck 2 Aft) for lunch. I ordered a Caesar Salad and Bison Burger, both were delicious. Rickee had a vegetarian spring roll, which she enjoyed.

Bison Burger

We spent most of the day in our stateroom, enjoying the excellent programming on the ship's closed-circuit television system. It truly was a relaxing day at sea. Around 6:30pm, we decided to head up to World Cafe for a light bite to eat. I had a slice of pizza (which is quite good, btw) and Rickee visited the waffle station where they were making fresh waffles to order.

Rickee's dinner: a fresh made-to-order waffle

This evening, we decide to take in a movie out by the pool. The ship offers Movies Under The Midnight Sun during this cruise. Typically, this would be Movies Under The Stars, but since the sun shines nearly 24 hours a day here, there are no stars!

The crew turns all of the lounge chairs by the pool to face the large screen and a blanket is placed on the loungers for additional comfort should it get cold.

There is a small table between every two loungers to hold drinks and the wireless headphones which are provided.

Tonight, we saw The Commuter starring Liam Neeson, a very good movie. Before the movie, one of the crew handed out small bags of popcorn to each guest in attendance. As we watched the movie, we could see (and feel) the seas getting a little rougher. The water in the pool behind us began sloshing around from the rolling of the ship. However, the ship was pretty stable given the sea conditions. The ride never got uncomfortable.

Tomorrow, we will be in Lerwick, the main port for The Shetland Islands in Scotland.

Day 08 - Lofoten, Norway

July 28, 2018 - This morning, Viking Sky is sailing toward the Lofoten Islands where we will dock at Leknes, the largest town on the island of Vestvågøy. Since the ship is not scheduled to arrive until noon, I have time to attend another excellent lecture delivered by Michael Ryan titled World Peace-Are We Up To The Task?

Michael Ryan

The lecture ended just about time for lunch. Rickee and I decided to pay another visit to the Pool Grill on Deck 7. We arrive about ten minutes before the grill is scheduled to open and a line is already forming! After lunch, we get ready for our first of two shore excursions. When we get back to our stateroom, we can see Lofoten as Viking Sky makes its approach.

Because of the way Viking schedules shore excursions, it is actually possible to do two, or even three shore excursions in a day! Today, Rickee and I will do the included excursion, Panoramic Lofoten, which arrives back at the pier at 2:45pm. Then we will part ways and I will go on the 3:10pm optional excursion, Aalan Farm Visit.

Shore excursion tickets

We disembark Viking Sky and walk to the end of the pier where we meet with Viking Shore Excursion staff to get assigned a motorcoach for our first excursion, Panoramic Lofoten. It is an unbelievable 86 degrees today, freakishly warm for this part of the world, even in the summer. This becomes immediately apparent when we step aboard the coach to find the air conditioning is not working. Although our guide assured us that once we got moving, the AC would kick in, it never did. It was probably 90 degrees inside the bus for the entire tour. We looked forward to our first stop, a visit to the small fishing village of Ballstad.

Ballstad

Our local guide took time to explain the history of the fishing village. We also had a little free time to explore a local craft and souvenir shop. We reluctantly re-boarded the warm coach for a drive to Haukland Beach, which is crowded with locals and tourists on this unusually warm day in Norway.

We see lots of campers and tents. Apparently, anyone can pitch a tent on any piece of property in Norway, even in someone else's front yard! They have to remain a certain distance from a home or business, and they can only stay for two weeks, but basically, there is no trespassing law in Norway. We walk along the beach and come across a very unusual rock formation, obviously manmade, but interesting.

We spend about an hour exploring the beach area and enjoying the beautiful day. We re-board the coach once again for the drive back to the pier in Leknes. When we arrive at the pier, there is not time for me to go back to the ship, so Rickee and I hang out at a small gift shop near the entry to the port until time for me to join my next excursion, a visit to Aalan Farm. Fortunately, the motorcoach for my excursion had functioning air conditioning!

The drive to Aalan Farm only takes about 20 minutes. Along the way, our local guide draws our attention to various points of interest as we drive through the town of Leknes. Soon, we take a small road into the hills outside of town and arrive at Aalan Farm. When we disembark the coach, the owners of the farm are there to greet us.

This small family farm raises goats, which they use for the production of a brown cheese called Brunost. The brown-colored whey 'cheese' has a distinctive sweet caramel flavor. Technically speaking, it really is not cheese. The water from the whey of goat’s milk is boiled down, which caramelizes the sugars. The resulting product is left to cool and the result is Norwegian brown cheese. We were taken on a short tour of the production facility where we saw the tanks used to boil the goats' milk.

The "cheese" is formed and placed into a chilled room where it ages and becomes firm.

After this brief tour, we are taken to an upstairs tasting room where tables have been pre-set with cheese samples.

The Norwegian brown cheese (in the foreground) looks like chocolate, but don't be fooled, it is Brunost. Other goat cheeses and a cow's milk cheese are also sampled for comparison purposes. After the tasting, we have plenty of time to wander around the farm property. We can see goats running through the fields behind the farmhouse.

There is a small herb garden where the farmers grow fresh herbs used in making spice mixes and teas that the farm also sells.

The highlight of the tour was seeing and petting the baby goats.

Baby goats sleeping

The Aalan Farm excursion only costs $109.00 and was a good value and an enjoyable way to learn about a unique product from a local family. Notwithstanding the lack of air conditioning, the Panoramic Lofoten (included) excursion was nice, but I would say my favorite of the day was the visit to Aalan Farm. My excursion was the last to arrive back at the pier just before the 5:30pm scheduled departure from Lofoten.

Heading back to Viking Sky in Leknes

Once back on board, I have time to shower and dress for our 8:00pm dinner reservation at Manfredi's. This is our second visit to Manfredi's on this cruise and, as soon as we arrive, we are greeted by Head Waiter, Bagus.

Bagus, Head Waiter

We get a wonderful table for two next to a window. Once again, our waiter is Hector, who already knows what I am going to order for my main course.

Hector, our waiter at Manfredi's

Tonight, Rickee tries a couple of new dishes (new for her). The Insalata del Mercato, her first course, a salad with ridicchio, endive, arugula, and zuchinni, served with an olive tapenade flatbread, received a thumbs-up from her. I went back to my old standby, the Caprese Salad with Mozzarella and cherry tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and balsamic. I could eat this every day!

Caprese salad

Rickee went back to the Cold Cucumber Soup for her second course and I decided to try a small portion of the Bucatini Freschi alla Carbonara, a beautiful handmade Bucatini pasta in Carbonara sauce with Pancetta. Delizioso!

Bucatini Freschi alla Carbonara at Manfredi's

For main courses, we each ordered the Bistecca Fiorentina, the expertly-seasoned and tender Rib Eye steak. Rickee ordered the half-portion and still got more than she could finish.

Half portion of Bistecca Fiorentina

Both steaks were perfectly cooked to Medium, as ordered. And, both were delicious. This was Rickee's first time to try the Bistecca and she is now a believer. She claimed it to the be the best steak she had ever eaten, a real punch to the gut since my grilled steak used to be her favorite.

A perfect cook on the Bistecca Fiorentina to Medium

It should be noted that Rickee also said her side order of grilled asparagus was excellent, as was my creamed spinach. And, during the entire meal, we never once reached for the salt or pepper grinders. Everything was perfectly seasoned. Manfredi's is becoming one of our favorite restaurants at sea, on any cruise line.

After Rickee enjoys a glass of cold Limoncello, we return to our stateroom to try and sleep off the excellent meal. Tomorrow is another day at sea as Viking Sky sails toward Lerwick, Shetland Islands.

Day 07 - Honningsvåg, Norway

July 27, 2018 - This morning, Viking Sky is docked in Honningsvåg, Norway. Honningsvåg is the northernmost city in Norway and overlooks the Barents Sea.

Viking Sky docked in Honningsvåg, Norway

This afternoon, we board a motorcoach for the Viking included tour, "Drive to North Cape." Officially positioned at 71°10'21'',  North Cape is the northernmost point in Europe that can be reached by car. A caravan of motorcoaches from the ship begin the drive up the steep mountains toward the cape. A brief stop at a Sami outpost offers some souvenir shopping opportunities.

Sami outpost and cultural center

Unfortunately, we have too little time to spend here. There is a Sami family that lives here and "work" with reindeer, but I am not sure what that means.

Sami man with reindeer

We only have about ten minutes at this stop and most people spend that time scooping up souvenirs in the little makeshift shop. We re-board the motorcoach for the remaining drive up to North Cape. When we arrive, we were surprised to find a sprawling tourist center with lots of cars, motorcycles and tour buses already there.

Rickee outside of the visitor center at Nordkapp (North Cape)

The views here are spectacular, especially on this sunny and unseasonably warm day. We really lucked out on the weather!

View from North Cape

We did the touristy thing by getting in line to have our photo taken at the globe structure. Tourists hand off their cameras to strangers in line to shoot photos of each other.

The visitor center is very large, and has a well-stocked gift shop, a snack bar, a museum and a cinema. When we first arrived, I was wondering how we were going to spend nearly two hours here. When it was time to leave, I wondered where the time had gone. The excursion to North Cape is a definite must for anyone visiting Honningsvåg.

Circular stone carvings

When we arrived back at the pier, officers and crew holding red umbrellas were lined up to welcome us back on board.

We board Viking Sky just in time for lunch at World Cafe. The featured dish today is King Crab salad made with fresh King Crab the chef purchased in Honningsvåg!

Yes, those are actual King Crab on display

After lunch, we attend an afternoon lecture by kilt-wearing Dr. Mike Gibson titled "Poles Apart," comparing the lives of two famous Norwegian explorers: Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen. It was quite interesting.

Dr. Mike Gibson

After the lecture, it was time for us to experience Afternoon Tea at Wintergarden (Deck 7). We remember how enjoyable Afternoon Tea service was on Viking Sea, so we had to make sure Sky was up to standard. Good news! Viking Sky Afternoon Tea is as good as we remember. Wait staff serve delicious scones with strawberry preserves and clotted cream. A multi-tiered tray contains all sorts of finger sandwiches and other sweet temptations. There is a menu with a wide selection of teas.

Afternoon Tea at Wintergarden

There was no way we could eat dinner after enjoying Afternoon Tea, so we decided that, while most other guests were dining, we would enjoy the scenery and an adult beverage in the Explorer's Bar on Deck 7 Forward. Periodically, I would have to step outside to take a photo of the breathtaking mountains.

View from Explorer's Lounge

At 10:15 this evening, Viking Sky Senior Officers invited guests to a Midnight Sun Celebration on Deck 9 Forward (Sports Deck) for caviar and champagne.

Guests gather on Deck 9 Forward for Midnight Sun Celebration

Executive Chef, Thomas Noack, is on hand to serve up caviar with all of the traditional accoutrement.

It has been a spectacular day aboard Viking Sky. We visited the Top of the World, attended an interesting lecture, enjoyed a delicious Afternoon Tea and had caviar and champagne under the Midnight Sun! Tomorrow, Viking Sky will be in Leknes (Lofoten), Norway.

Day 06 - Tromsø, Norway

July 26, 2018 - This morning, Viking Sky is docked in Tromsø, Norway.

Viking Sky docked in Tromsø, Norway

This afternoon, we disembarked the ship for our optional shore excursion "Husky Trek Through Arctic Hills."

We boarded the motorcoach for the 30-minute drive to Villmarkssenter, a Norwegian adventure company with more than 300 Alaskan Huskies. In the winter (which lasts about 7 months here), they offer dog-sledding excursions, some lasting four to five days!

Not long after disembarking the motorcoach, we get the first glimpse of the dogs. Most are laying on top of their wooden dog houses, most likely enjoying the warm sun, a rare commodity in this part of the world.

Our group of 36 is divided into two smaller groups, each with its own guide. Our guide delivers a brief explanation of how the hike will work. Anyone wishing to hike with one of the dogs will wear a harness around their waist to which the dog's leash will be attached. These dogs are way too strong to handle by holding a leash in your hand. Each dog is capable of pulling 130 pounds! In fact, the guide warned us not to wrap the leash around our hand lest we risk a broken hand!

It was at this point that Rickee decided to bow out of the dog portion of the hike, as did about half of our group. Instead, they will hike along with us through the Arctic tundra. The sun is shining today and it is much warmer than we expected. Our jackets are soon removed and wrapped around our waists. The scenery here is spectacular.

Once the I have the harness attached around my waist, the next step is to attach the leash which is attached to the dog's harness. My Husky is named Haggel (pronounced 'hoggle') and is one of the largest and most powerful in the group (of course).

Once everyone has their dogs attached to the harness, the guide begins walking, and when the guide goes, you had better be ready to go! Don't be mistaken, I am not walking the dog, the dog is walking me. Or, more accurately dragging me. These animals are bred and trained to pull, you don't walk them like a typical domestic dog. Their power is amazing.

The tundra is very mushy, so every step feels like you are walking in mud, and often, you are. The terrain is uneven and wherever the dog decides to go, you sort of have to follow. You can use the leash to direct the dog a little, but it takes a firm pull. You can tell, these dogs LOVE to pull. It was quite a workout, to say the least. Along the walk, Haggel would come upon a little depression in the tundra containing some rain water and want to take a drink. Our guide told us, if they want a drink, let them drink (like I could stop him!)

At one point, we all stopped to give the dogs, and ourselves, a rest. The dogs were tied up to trees and we had a chance to enjoy some cake, tea and coffee. The dogs are very friendly and love being petted. Whenever the group would stop, we were instructed to pull the dog in toward us using the leash, straddle him and start petting him. That is the signal for them to rest and stop pulling.

After about an hour of walking, I was worn out. This was pretty physically demanding, mostly because of the terrain. At some points, our boots would sink 6 or 8 inches into the mud. A couple of guests actually fell down during the excursion, but the ground is so soft, you can't really get hurt. At the end of the hike, the dogs are tied back up and we get an opportunity to see and play with the puppies!

The pups are only a couple of months old and three of them are awake and ready to play. Of course, this was the highlight of the tour. I think everyone who participated had a great time on this excursion. it was one I won't soon forget. We boarded the motorcoach for the drive back to Viking Sky, which was ready to sail from Tromsø as soon as we arrived.

This evening, we attended another production show, "Rat Pack Revisited," featuring the three male vocalists on board.

After the show, we are exhausted and ready for bed. We get back to our stateroom at around 11pm and the sun is still shining brightly. This truly is the Land of the Midnight Sun! Tomorrow, we will be in Honningsvåg, Norway.

Day 05 - At Sea

July 25, 2018 - Today, Viking Sky is sailing towards our next port-of-call in Tromsø, Norway. A relaxing day at sea? Perhaps, but then there is the Order of the Blue Nose. You see, whenever a Viking Ocean ship crosses the Arctic Circle, which Viking Sky did this afternoon at exactly 2:00pm, the Captain blows the ship's whistle and guests are invited to join the Order of the Blue Nose. So, here is how it works.

First, the hot tub adjacent to the main pool on Deck 7 is filled with a LOT of ice.

Hot tub is filled with ice. Lots of ice.

Next, a large Halibut is wheeled into the pool area (any large fish will suffice).

Yes, that is an actual Halibut with a shrimp in his mouth

Then, large bowl of blue whipped cream is placed on a table near the hot tub.

Blue whipped cream

Lastly, there is a table with shot glasses filled with Aquavit, a very powerful Norwegian alcoholic spirit.

Aquavit

The ritual initiation begins with two senior officers, in full uniform, plunging into the icy water. This is to demonstrate to guests that this is real, and real cold!

Officers plunging into the icy water

Next, Cruise Director, Aaron Syfert, dives into the water. Upon exiting the ice bath, initiates are required to kiss the fish, as seen below:

Cruise Director, Aaron Syfert, kisses the fish

After kissing the fish (not a euphemism), the participant's nose is then painted blue by one of the lovely ship's entertainers, in this case, Alexandra.

Aaron's nose is painted blue (Asst. Cruise Director, Courtney, can be seen readying herself for the plunge)

After a handful of senior staff members have taken the "plunge" in front of all guests, it is now the guests' turn. Guests line up to begin plunging into the ice bath one by one thereby joining the Order of the Blue Nose. Guests enjoy one more task than did the officers: a shot of Aquavit at the end of the initiation. Everyone in attendance had a great time watching at least 100 guests take the plunge and walk off with a blue nose.

After getting all of the photos and video for this event, I went back to our stateroom to check out my photos. Ten minutes later, Rickee walks in soaking wet with a blue nose. She could not resist. I only wish I had remained there to capture the moment.

Later in the afternoon, I attended an excellent lecture by Micheal Ryan titled "NATO - Still Relevant or a Relic of the Cold War?" Mr. Ryan has extensive military and diplomatic experience and definitely knows his subject. I found it to be a very interesting topic, and one very relevant to the news of the day. I am looking forward to Mr. Ryan's next lecture.

Michael Ryan lectures on the relevance of NATO

This evening we have been invited to a very special dinner with Captain Gustafsson and Hotel General Manager, Sujith Mohan. Several esteemed travel journalists were invited to this special cocktail party and dinner held in the ship's Owner's Suite. The Owner's Suite includes a large conference/dining room which has been set up for tonight's dinner.

Owner's Suite dining/conference room

Before dinner, we had the opportunity to mix and mingle with many of the ship's senior staff as well as Captain Gustafsson.

Rickee and Captain Gustafsson

The dinner featured the menu from Manfredi's Italian Restaurant. The meal and the service were both excellent and everyone had an enjoyable evening. After dinner, Rickee and I decided to visit Torshavn, the ship's smaller entertainment lounge. We heard Vincent and Jennifer performing at the pool before the Order of the Blue Nose ceremony and wanted to hear more. The lounge is packed and apparently this duo has already acquired a loyal following.

Vincent and Jennifer perform in Torshavn

The vocals were backed up by four members of the Viking Sky band and it was a great show. Viking has a real knack for finding talent. After the show, we head back to our stateroom. It is now 11:15pm and the sun is still shining! This truly is the Land of the Midnight Sun!

Photo taken from our balcony at 11:15pm

Tomorrow, Viking Sky will be docked in Tromsø, Norway.

Day 04 - Molde, Norway

July 24, 2018 - At 5:30am, I am just sitting down at Mamsen's on Deck 7 forward to begin work on my daily cruise blog when I notice a really interesting monochromatic scene as Viking Sky slowly sails into Molde, Norway.

Viking Sky sails into Molde, Norway

Molde enjoys a pristine setting among countless shelter islands, fjords and forested hills. On a clear day, The Molde Panorama is visible, a breathtaking view of 222 peaks. As you can see from the photo above, this is not a clear day. Viking offers several excursions in Molde. However, today we have opted to stay aboard Viking Sky to enjoy the ship's facilities, and perhaps explore the town of Molde on our own.

My first stop: the ship's LivNordic Spa on Deck 1 forward. For some reason, I never visited the spa on Viking Sea last year, and I have regretted it ever since. When I arrived at the spa check-in desk, the young lady at the desk informed me that there was no need to check in to use the facilities. Nice. She gave me a quick, but thorough tour of the locker room, sauna and wet area of the spa. Of course, there is a well-equipped Fitness Center adjacent to the spa. 

There are separate men's and ladies' locker rooms with secure lockers for valuables and clothing. The lockers intelligently "lock" using your stateroom key. Rubber spa slippers and a plush robe are waiting in each locker.

Inside the locker room is a dry sauna and adjacent cold plunge.

The coed spa area includes a large thallasotherapy-style pool and a smaller hot tub/whirlpool. The thallasotherapy pool was modestly warm, while the whirlpool was a bit warmer, I would guess around 102 (F) degrees. I would have preferred 104 to 105 for some real muscle relaxation, but I understand that is probably too hot for most guests. The tubs are surrounded by padded loungers with pillows and blankets.

Nearby, a steam room is billowing puffs of steam through the door. The steam room did not lack for heat or steam and was one of the nicest and best I have ever enjoyed. But, the coolest thing (no pun intended), is the Snow Grotto across from the steam room. Snow? Surely, they didn't. Oh yes, they did! A cold room filled with snow! The perfect way to end a steam is to go into the Snow Grotto and begin covering yourself with handfuls of snow. It is amazing, and something I have never seen in any spa on land or sea.

Snow Grotto

Of course, if you want to cool off after the steam room in a more traditional way, you can stand under a large bucket, yank the rope and be drenched in refreshing cold water. The LivNordic Spa on Viking Ocean ships is clearly the nicest spa at sea. I will most certainly be back for a return visit.

After lunch in the World Cafe, Rickee and I decide to walk into the town of Molde to get a little exercise and do some shopping. From where Viking Sky is docked, it does not look like there is much to see here. But, walk a block from the ship and there are streets lined with cafes and shops.

Viking Sky docked in Molde, Norway

One of the first shops we came to had a down jacket that Rickee has been looking for. After trying it on, she decided she had to have it. So, out comes the credit card and she now has a new jacket to pack for the trip home. The sales girl at the store informed us that we can be refunded the VAT tax when we leave the country. Typically, you do this at the airport. But, we are flying home from London, not Norway. So, we left the shop assuming that the tax refund was a lost cause. More on this later.

Shopping in Molde, Norway

We walked quite far down the streets of Molde. When a drizzle of rain started, we figured it was best to head back to Viking Sky. After boarding the ship, we decided to stop by the Guest Services desk to inquire about the tax refund. Turns out, all we have to do is present the paperwork (receipt and short form) to Viking Guest Services and they will submit the refund request for us! The refund will show up on Rickee's credit card within 10 days. How cool is that?

This afternoon, we attended our first lecture in The Star Theater. Mr. Phil Smart gave an informative talk on "Spectacular Glaciers & Fjords of Norway." It was quite interesting.

Phil Smart

After a nice dinner at World Cafe, we attended our first production show of the cruise. On our last Viking Ocean cruise, we saw the Les Artistes de Paris show, but it was presented in the smaller TorsHaven lounge. Tonight, the show has been moved to the big stage in The Star Theater. The show highlights the vocal talents of the three female vocalists on board. We were quite impressed with the performers on our Viking Sea cruise last year, and if tonight's performance is any indication, we will be equally entertained on this sailing.

Elora, Alexandra and Katherine show off their vocal skills in Les Artistes de Paris

It has been an eventful day aboard Viking Sky. Tomorrow, the ship will be sailing toward Tromso, Norway. So, a relaxing day at sea will be enjoyed by all.

Day 03 - Geiranger, Norway

July 23, 2018 - This morning, I am not the only one awake at 5:00am. Many Viking Sky guests have gathered in (and outside) the Observation Lounge on Deck 7 to view our sailing into Geirangerfjord.

Guests gather on the bow for the sail into Geirangerfjord

Geiranger is a village in western Norway, at the head of Geirangerfjord. The fjord’s waterfalls, including the Seven Sisters, the Suitor and the Bridal Veil, are visible as we sail into Geiranger.

Geiranger, Norway

The Seven Sisters is the 39th tallest waterfall in Norway. The waterfall consists of seven separate streams, and the tallest of the seven has a free fall that measures 250 meters. However, as we pass by the Seven Sisters, three of the sisters are missing. With much of the snow already melted and little rain this season, there's only enough water for four sisters.

The Seven Sisters (only four today)

Viking Sky is too large to dock in Geiranger, so she is moored less than a 10-minute tender ride to shore. We were not able to get on a tender in time to make our 1:55pm excursion "Eagle's Bend Overlook and Scenic Drive" (included) but, when we arrived ashore at 2:00pm, Viking staff informed us that we could go on the 2:30 coach tour. We had just enough time to visit the nearby souvenir shop for a little browsing.

Souvenir shop in Geiranger

Norway has its own currency, the Krone, with about 8.2 krone per US Dollar. The shop did accept US currency, but gave a lousy exchange rate of only 7.5 krone per dollar. That's why it is usually best to use a credit card when traveling abroad. At 2:30, we boarded the motorcoach for the drive up the winding road to the Eagle's Bend Overlook, a popular tourist lookout point. In the photo below, you can see the road going up the mountain with multiple switchbacks. How these motorcoach drivers navigate these narrow winding roads continues to amaze us.

Winding road to Eagle's Nest

Once we arrive at the Eagle's Bend Overlook, we disembark the coach and have 10 minutes to take photos.

View from Eagle's Bend Overlook

After re-boarding the coach, we drive down the mountain and through Geiranger in the opposite direction, then up another winding road to Geiranger Skywalk, the premier lookout spot in Geiranger. The scenery along the drive is amazing with green pastures, grazing goats and waterfalls.

We spent about 30 minutes at the Skywalk, which quickly became very crowded with tourists from another large cruise ship. We then drove about  15 minutes up the mountain to a lake.

Mountain lake

After the Geiranger Skywalk, the lake was a bit of a let down. Clearer skies and more reflection of the surrounding snow-capped mountains would have made the lake much more photogenic. Nevertheless, it was nice and cool at the lake, about 62 degrees (F) compared to 78 degrees in the town of Geiranger. We only spent about five minutes at the lake, just enough time to take a quick photo. Our excursion is running a little late due to the motorcoach traffic jam at the Skywalk. We are about 30 minutes late getting back to Geiranger. Fortunately, Viking Sky is waiting for us to return. The last tender boat was scheduled to depart Geiranger at 5pm, and it is already well past that time.

Rickee is about to board today's last tender back to Viking Sky

Once back on board Viking Sky, we head up to Deck 8 aft where we enjoy a glass of sparkling wine as Viking Sky slowly sails out of Geirangerfjord. A guest lecturer provides narrative over the ship's PA as we pass by famous landmarks of the fjord. Rickee offers a toast to The Seven Sisters as we slowly sail by.

Sailing by the Seven Sisters waterfall

This evening, we have an 8:30pm reservation at Manfredi's, Viking Sky's optional Italian restaurant. Our dinner at Manfredi's aboard Viking Sea last year was one of the dining highlights of the cruise, so we were looking forward to another great meal. We were not disappointed. My Caprese Salad starter was a massive chunk of fresh Mozzarella surrounded by sweet cherry tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and balsamic. It was delicious.

Caprese Salad at Manfredi's

Our next course was a wonderful bowl of Cold Cucumber Soup that was both refreshing and delicious. When it came time to choose my main course, it was an easy choice. The Bistecca Florentine is a huge ribeye steak that has been rubbed with olive oil, Porchini mushroom powder, brown sugar and a few other spices, then grilled to a perfect Medium (or however you prefer). The steak was massive! I rarely use the phrase "best" when describing food, but this was definitely the BEST steak I have ever had on a cruise ship.

Bistecca Florintine at Manfredi's

The peppery and perfectly dressed arugula salad was a nice complement to the marbled beef. And, the Creamed Spinach side was equally as delicious and perfectly seasoned. We even had a surprise visit by Executive Chef, Thomas Noack, who stopped by the table to see if everything was to our liking. After heaping praise upon him and his amazing staff, we told our excellent waiter, Hector, that there was no room for dessert. He tried to tempt Rickee with a Limoncello tasting, but we were just too full. The good news is, we will be making a return visit to Manfredi's next week!

It has been an amazing day in Geiranger aboard Viking Sky. Tomorrow, Viking Sky will be docked in Molde, Norway.

Day 02 - Bergen, Norway

July 22, 2018 - The ancient city of Bergen is nestled between snowcapped mountains, one of Europe's largest glaciers and spectacular fjords. Originally a Viking settlement, the city was founded in 1070. Bergen is Norway's second-largest city. The most iconic landmark, and the one we immediately recognized, is the Bryggen wharf with the row of colorful, and historic, wooden buildings.

The Viking Daily

After some much needed sleep, we get a late start today. Thankfully, Viking Ocean allows guests to book excursions in the morning or afternoon! The meeting time for each excursion is listed in the Viking Daily newsletter. After a quick lunch at the Pool Grill, we make our way off the ship and outside the cruise terminal where we board one of the motor coaches for our Panoramic Bergen tour.

Motor coach for Panoramic Bergen

The two-hour long tour is one of Viking's included excursions. In each port of call, Viking offers guests an excursion which is included in the cost of the cruise fare. Of course, there is a wide variety of optional excursions (additional fees apply). But, it is conceivable that one could travel with Viking, see the world, and never pay for an excursion!

Once onboard the coach, we met our guide for the day, Beatriz, who began explaining the local history as we drove up the winding road to our first photo opportunity.

Beatriz

Our first photo stop was a panoramic view of the city and the Sotra Bridge in the distance. The Sotra Bridge connects the mainland of Bergen to the island of Litlesotra.

Rickee takes photos of Bergen

The final stop of the tour gave us the opportunity to photograph Bryggen wharf from across the harbor.

Bryggen wharf

This was a very good, slow-paced excursion that gave everyone a glimpse of Bergen. The city, however, is best seen on foot, which is easy to do from where cruise ships dock. It is only a five-minute walk to Bryggen wharf from the ship! We were back on board Viking Sky in time for the mandatory muster drill, after which, we headed to the Star Theater for the Port Talk on Geiranger, our next port-of-call. Our Cruise Director, Aaron Syfert, gave a presentation on Geiranger and the sights we can expect to enjoy tomorrow.

Aaron Syfert

After the port talk, we decided to have dinner this evening in The Restaurant on Deck 2. The Restaurant is the main dining room on Viking Sky (and all Viking Ocean ships) with a menu that changes daily. We arrived at around 6:45 and, unfortunately, all of the window tables for two were already taken. So, if you want a table next to a window, you should arrive at 6:00pm when The Restaurant opens. However, there are a lot of two-top tables for couples who wish to dine alone. Once seated, we were presented the daily menu.

Menu at The Restaurant

The menu offers a 3-course meal consisting of a starter, a main course and a dessert. However, you can order whatever you like from any section of the menu. We each had two starters and a main. The Three-Onion soup (think French Onion soup) was a rich beef broth filled with onions and topped with a melted cheese on a toasted crouton. My crab cake appetizer was quite large and very good.

Crab Cake appetizer

The Beef Wellington, a perfectly cooked, fork-tender beef tenderloin wrapped in a mushroom duxelle surrounded by a puff pastry was the highlight of the meal.

Beef Wellington

Unfortunately, we were too full after our main course to enjoy the Chocolate Souffle dessert. Maybe next time. Tomorrow, we will be in Geiranger, Norway.

Day 1 - Bergen, Norway

July 21, 2018 - Once again, American Airlines has us fearing that we will miss a connection and be a day late arriving for our cruise. When we will learn? Our flight from DFW to Chicago was supposed to depart at 12:40 and the message board at the gate now says 1:20 which, in American Airlines lingo, means 2:00pm. Our FInnair flight from Chicago to Helsinki departs at 6:00pm, so we will have a tight connection, at best. We got lucky and our flight did leave DFW, at 2:00pm, NOT 1:20 as they promised. But, we did get to Chicago in time to make our connection.

Once on board the Finnair A330, we began to relax. The only remaining concern was whether our luggage was transferred to the Finnair flight in time. Rickee did a masterful job of getting us excellent Economy Comfort-class seats on Finnair (their version of Premium Economy). Our bulkhead seats (21A & C) had at least 4 feet of legroom! They were well worth the extra $105 per seat. In addition to more legroom, Economy Comfort seats come with a small amenity kit, a bottle of water and noise-cancelling headphones. People seated in Ecomomy Comfort also get to board early and are served meals before everyone else in Economy class. The service was excellent and even the Economy-class meals were quite good. Our entertainment systems worked well and there was a decent selection of movies and TV shows.

Rickee settles into her Economy Comfort seat on the Finnair A330

We arrived in Helsinki at around 10:30am and had a five-hour layover until our flight to Bergen. After going through Passport Control at the airport, we found a Finnair lounge that accepted my Admirals Club membership and allowed us to use their facilities. What a great relief! The lounge was huge, with lots of comfortable seating, complimentary food, beer, wine and soft drinks. We boarded our final flight to Bergen on Widerøe, a Norwegian regional airline. The seating was pretty cramped, but it was only and hour-and-a-half flight to Bergen.

Widerøe Embraer 190

Once we arrived in Bergen, we were relieved when both of our pieces of luggage came sliding down the carousel. Viking personnel were waiting for us on the other side of Customs. Porters grabbed our luggage and escorted us to the waiting motorcoach. Our names are checked on the guest list before we board the coach.

Names are checked against the guest list before boarding the coach

The drive to the ship only takes about 25 minutes. Viking Sky makes a striking impression against the Bergen skyline.

Viking Sky docked in Bergen, Norway

As soon as we enter the cruise terminal, we go through a security scan and have our passports checked. Next we go to the desk where ship personnel are checking in guests. It only takes a few minutes for our passports to be scanned, and we are given our stateroom key cards. Anna, the ship's Guest Services Manager, greeted us and escorted us on board Viking Sky where we were met by Sujith Mohan, the ship's Hotel Manager. We sailed with Sujith last year on Viking Sea. He remembered us and actually took the time to meet us and welcome us back as we boarded to ship!

Anna escorted us to our stateroom (6068) located aft on Deck 6 where we were greeted by Arvin, our stateroom attendant. Arvin welcomed us and gave us a thorough "tour" of our stateroom, explaining all of the features. He offered to get us anything we needed. It was the most professional welcome we have received from a stateroom attendant in many years. An envelope containing tickets for all of the excursions we pre-booked on the Viking website were waiting for us on the desk.

Excursion tickets

By the time Arvin left the stateroom, it was 6:15pm and we have been up for more than 30 hours. We are exhausted! We decide to leave the unpacking duties until after we get something to eat. We head up to World Cafe (Deck 7), which happens to conveniently be located almost directly above our stateroom! I will go into more detail about World Cafe in our final review, but it is one of the nicest Lido Buffets you will find on any ship. We enjoyed a leisurely meal as we sat by the window taking in the view of Bergen.

When we arrived back at our stateroom, our luggage was waiting for us. We unpacked and immediately went to bed for some much needed sleep. Tomorrow, Viking Sky will still be in Bergen and we will be taking one of Viking's "included" excursions.