The following image was taken from the sliding door of our stateroom. It was gorgeous from sunrise to sunset today. Sunny with little wind and benign sea conditions. Terrific.
From this point forward in the blog, all underlined text implies a link that can be clicked for more information.
Bob: 15 of the first 22 days of this cruise are at sea. As noted in previous posts, the Pacific is huge, covering 30% of the planet. Today, we continue the third of three lengthy cruises on our journey from Los Angeles to New Zealand. Once we arrive at the Bay of Islands, the ratio of sea days to port days will change for the better (thank goodness).
Cheryl: We’re three weeks into the trip and having another stretch of sea days – four days in the South Pacific on a southwesterly course towards New Zealand. Because we crossed the International Date Line during the night of January 23rd, we “skipped” January 24th. Our clocks jumped ahead 24 hours, so it was an easy transition.
Sea days are a time to relax and/or attend the many lectures, craft workshops, or interest groups on the ship. Or read, swim, and sunbathe. There is such freedom in how we use our time, unlike anything at home. We’ve been diligent about working out to stay ahead of the inevitable caloric consumption, working on the blog, reading, and learning. The lecturers and entertainers come and go, meaning that there is a great variety of events to attend. The entertainers tend to be on the ship for about a week, and the guest lecturers offer multiple different lectures during the course of 4-8 weeks. There are parties to mark different events, such as the Equator Crossing Party and the International Date Line Toast and Dancing under the Stars on the pool deck.
What has surprised us about the Viking Sky cruise so far? 1) The Programming – the daily schedule offers many more high-quality lectures/activities than I had expected. I’m trying to pace myself and balance these activities with leisurely activities. Viking puts emphasis on lifelong learning (hence their “be curious” motto). 2) The Quality and Service – well, maybe not a surprise as much as a culture shock. It is exemplary, like staying at a five-star resort for four months. And the maintenance and cleanliness of the ship is exceptional as well (there are almost 500 staff members). 3) The Guests – most of the people we have met are avid travelers and cruisers who seek out adventures all over the globe. One man lives on cruise ships. Two sisters are on their 23rd cruise, several of which have been world cruises. Several people have booked their next Viking cruise already while on this ship. Guess we’re learning what retirement can hold for us.
Cheryl took the following images. The pool deck has a retractable roof providing a terrific view when opened.
Bob: I attended a presentation on the history of New Zealand given by Bryan Babcock, a great speaker.
I found the following New Zealand history overview on the internet, which is consistent with Bryan’s talk: “New Zealand’s history began with Polynesian settlement around 1250-1300 AD, leading to the distinct Māori culture, followed by European contact starting with Abel Tasman (1642) and detailed mapping by Captain Cook (1769). The 1840 Treaty of Waitangi between Māori chiefs and the British Crown established British sovereignty, leading to colonization, land conflicts (New Zealand Wars), and eventual dominion status in 1907, culminating in full independence in 1947. The 20th century saw social progress (like women’s suffrage in 1893) and evolving national identity, alongside a late 20th-century revival of Māori culture and rights.“
The Haka is part of Māori culture. The All Blacks rugby team performs one before matches. The last two images are from the pre-game of the 2023 World Cup final match. You can see the full video. For what it is worth, South Africa defeated New Zealand that day. I guess the Springboks were not that intimidated.
I cannot imagine NFL or MLS teams doing anything remotely similar before a game/match.
Bob: Mike Foreman did a session where he answered questions from the audience. As always, very educational and entertaining.
Richard Lovelock gave a presentation on Pelagic birds, which are seabirds that “spend most of their lives on the open ocean, far from land, only coming ashore to breed. Also known as oceanic birds, they are specially adapted for life at sea with long wings for soaring, the ability to drink saltwater, and specialized diving skills for hunting fish, squid, and crustaceans.” New Zealand is well known for multiple albatross species.
The ship has a Viking Heritage exhibition (Cheryl added some images in an earlier blog post). There are numerous really interesting artifacts.
The museum has a very nice isolated desk with nearby power outlets (the last still image). It is my new go-to blogging spot (until I get bored and move yet again).
The museum includes a video animation of the Bayeux Tapestry (the last image).
To end the day, we attended a performance by violinist Roy Theaker. He played a wide range of popular music. He was very energetic, moving all over the stage and exuding joy throughout his entire performance.
