Click on the galleries below to bring up scrollable windows with full size pictures – the gallery previews may show just thumbnails of the pictures. By the way, the pictures look much better on a tablet or a computer than they do on your phone. Just saying.
After last night’s terrific sunset, it seemed too much to ask for more good weather. But good weather we got! Here are three pictures from our cabin balcony at about 9:00 am.
About Books
So, on a cruise, especially with lots of sea days, one tends to read a lot. Of course, I brought my Kindle, but I haven’t opened it. All around the Orion in the public areas there are book shelves loaded with mostly hard backs that you can borrow to read. Viking has a special deal with London bookshop Heywood Hill to curate their libraries. It’s no problem to find something good to read. There is also the book exchange near Guest Services on deck one where passengers can leave their own books, mostly paperbacks, for others to read. And, of course, you can take one of those to read yourself. On day one I grabbed this book from the Viking Library in the Winter Garden and just finished it today. Good read. Read more about the Peking Express here.
So today I returned the book and picked up this one:
I just replied to a comment and told Barb that we hadn’t seen many whales. Today while eating lunch we saw a bunch. Another box ticked. They weren’t close enough for pictures, but here’s where we eat lunch most days. Today I had Indian (Vindaloo). The desserts are yummy. We shared the ones pictured.
Now here are some random pictures from the ship. First, the door to our room and looking down the long corridor of deck five. There is art everywhere on the Viking ships. The pictures you see we pass by every day on the way to and from the elevator bank and stairways,
The pool (with retractable roof), the pool grill (where we have burgers and hot dogs some days), and the pool and hot tub.
Finally, the Winter Garden where afternoon tea (cakes and scones and little sandwiches) is served every day. There is one of the smaller book shelves and it’s where I found my two books.
Dinner tonight was in the main dining venue, The Restaurant. We both delicious foie gras to start. Then I had Roast Venison (very good but definitely very gamey) while Elaine had Shrimp Risotto. She had ice cream for dessert. I had crème brûlée. How could we not have gotten the Chocolate Flabbergast?
Then it was off to the Explorer’s Lounge for a good night cocktail. See our reflections in the mirror behind the bar? Another nice sunset. And are those volcanoes off in the distance? Probably not.
And off to bed. Dutch Harbor tomorrow. Cheers!
Enjoy the voyage! Smooth sailing!
Hooray for the whales! Glad you saw them, they should be migrating soon to Hawaii.
Glad the good weather continues. Your reading choices look interesting. All the food looks delish — the staff at the pool grill look like fun. Great reflection of you two at the Explorer’s Lounge. And another nice sunset. Volcanoes? Nah.
The ship is beautiful and what great things to keep you busy, library, book alcoves and exchanges, beautiful views, whales, many delicious food choices, amazing views, new friends, etc, etc. Today is our first snow in the high country and very rainy in Denver (much needed). So not ready for winter.
How many are on the ship – seems larger than our past Viking ships.
Great weather for your voyage – reading on the ship is so relaxing – much prefer books also – so happy it all turned out so well sailing across!!
Viking Ocean ships all hold 950 passengers. Much bigger than river cruises, but still small for ocean cruises. The newest ocean ships take 6,000 passengers.