One more video from Judy – West Point Island. Here’s the link:
https://judyrick.zenfolio.com/p1039409213/hdae20f8e#hdae20f8e
Today’s a sea day but the crew turned it into an open house so that we could visit the areas normally off limits to passengers. It proved to be an interesting day. One thing that continues to impress me is that the crew on this ship seems to be really enjoying their work. Normally on a cruise ship, the staff is friendly, almost to a fault, as if there’s a reward system behind their smiles. Here the smiles seem more genuine. I think it may be the expedition nature of the trip. This isn’t your usual trip around the Caribbean. The crew seems to be enjoying the trip and its unknowns. They seem to like the challenge of adapting to new situations.
The first stop was the Expedition Hanger and Science Lab. The Hanger houses all the zodiacs, the two Special Operations Boats, the two submarines (yellow, naturally), kayaks and associated support tools and systems. The overhead conveyer system to launch all that stuff is impressive. Viking has made a significant financial investment to make their expeditions different. It’s money well spent, from our experience.
The submarines, which saw little service due to weather and water visibility, were originally invented for owners of super yachts. Only later did a version for expedition cruise ships evolve. They’re good to 1,000 meters beneath the surface. The chief sub pilot told us of two occasions where he took scientists who had spent their careers studying the Antarctic Ocean floor for a ride. Both were moved to tears to see first-hand what they had studied but had never seen before.
The science lab is another interesting development. They study everything from water conditions to ocean floor mapping to DNA analysis of aquatic life forms. As I mentioned earlier, using cruise ships, which visit the same region on a regular basis, can provide a lower cost method of data gathering than traditional research vessels. Viking’s pioneering work in this area is still evolving.
Next up: the bridge. Everything’s TV screens and computers, of course. The only person actively doing anything we could see is one guy with binoculars scanning the horizon for who-knows-what: Icebergs? Whales? Ships? Nice to know there’s one human paying attention.
Lunch time, and the kitchen crew threw a barbecue up on Deck 6. The weather was warm enough – 50s – and the wind not too strong. Fun for all, including the head chef and the crew.
Then the kitchen tour: lots of stainless steel.
Finally, the farewell party, hosted by the captain. The violin/keyboard duo did the introduction – popular classics done in a style that was a crowd pleaser but, for me, was a bit over the top. Every bow stroke doesn’t have to tug at my heart strings and make me cry, for Pete’s sake. I’m in the minority in my opinion I bet.
The captain’s summary was actually quite moving. He listed the several aspects of our trip that were firsts for Viking. He emphasized that it was the crew pulling together that made our experiences unique, exciting, enjoyable and safe. All the crew appeared on stage to a standing ovation from the appreciative passengers. Again, the crew’s enthusiasm and the passengers’ response seemed genuine on both sides.
The contemporary guitar/singer duo ended the program with crowd participating and pleasing “Sweet Caroline and Take Me Home.”
As if we need more food, we finished the evening at the Dining Room, the upscale dining venue. It pains me to confess to three margaritas on Deck 6 and two flutes of champagne at the farewell affair but I’m proud to say I didn’t finish my second glass of wine at dinner.
