Our Viking Story
We billed this as our "trip of a lifetime" and it lived up to that billing. Our stateroom suite was fabulous, the food amazing, and the service spectacular - our shoes got shined and our laundry done as we slept. Other than four days in the Istanbul Conrad and three in the Stockholm Hilton, we never lived out of a suitcase. Things were unpacked in early April and not repacked until the end of May. We lived the Life of Riley in a magnificent floating condo and counted on "our people" to meet our every need - and they did.
But before you conclude perfection, hear us out. First, there were glitches - of course there were - how could there not be on a maiden voyage? With the exception of a couple faux pas detailed later, these were insignificant and had little impact on the trip. The more serious problems had nothing to do with the voyage but rather the voyagers. Eight weeks is a LONG trip and you need to be in shape. (Yes, we hear your empathetic sighs.)
Traveling - even luxury travel like this was - is not effortless. While it was wonderful seeing sights we'd only heard of - and others we knew nothing about - but these excursions can be long and tiring. I overbooked us - stacking two and even three excursion on some days - and it would have been taxing even if we'd felt great - and unfortunately for much of the trip we did not. All travel - planes, trains, buses, and ships - all offer up a variety of sharable illness and for much of the trip neither of us "were completely on our game". It didn't destroy the trip but it did on occasion dent it.
So that's the top-line - an outstanding adventure that we'll very unlikely ever match. I think future trips will be a little less aggressive - something in the three to five week window sounds like it makes more sense. Then again as we say
these are first world worries". We are both fortunate and grateful at the opportunities life has presented us.
But before you conclude perfection, hear us out. First, there were glitches - of course there were - how could there not be on a maiden voyage? With the exception of a couple faux pas detailed later, these were insignificant and had little impact on the trip. The more serious problems had nothing to do with the voyage but rather the voyagers. Eight weeks is a LONG trip and you need to be in shape. (Yes, we hear your empathetic sighs.)
Traveling - even luxury travel like this was - is not effortless. While it was wonderful seeing sights we'd only heard of - and others we knew nothing about - but these excursions can be long and tiring. I overbooked us - stacking two and even three excursion on some days - and it would have been taxing even if we'd felt great - and unfortunately for much of the trip we did not. All travel - planes, trains, buses, and ships - all offer up a variety of sharable illness and for much of the trip neither of us "were completely on our game". It didn't destroy the trip but it did on occasion dent it.
So that's the top-line - an outstanding adventure that we'll very unlikely ever match. I think future trips will be a little less aggressive - something in the three to five week window sounds like it makes more sense. Then again as we say
these are first world worries". We are both fortunate and grateful at the opportunities life has presented us.