12-04 Dec Sailing the Pacific

 

This post is based primarily on Don's notes, occasionally supplemented with MT's notes from our cruise in November-December 2023. When information from other sources is added—for further explanation to readers or to satisfy our own curiosity—that is set off in a text box (as this one).
Most of the photos that accompany this post are from Don’s camera (with a caption indicating the time it was taken); those from MT’s iPhone are indicated by “MT” placed at the beginning of the photo caption. Photos from any other source (such as the public domain Wikimedia Commons), occasionally used for clarification, indicate that source in the caption.

The Viking Daily newsletter showed today's weather forecast as "Cloudy/Rain Showers 82° F" and "Sunrise: 5:46 AM."

Don woke at 6:45 am (MT was already  up).

MT Monday, December 4, ‎2023, 7:23 AM - Viking Star: South Pacific.

At 8:00, we went to breakfast at the World Café (Deck 7), with "Granola Station" on adjacent Aquavit Terrace.

MT 8:04 AM - Viking Star: Granola Station on Aquavit Terrace.

From 8:25 to 9:15, we walked on the Track on Decks 8 and 9.

At 11:00, we went to the Chef's Table (Deck 1) meeting place for the Galley and Laundry Tour, for which we had signed up in advance.

10:55 AM - Viking Star: Chef's Table - Executive Chef Joseph and group gathering for Galley and Laundry Tour.

10:57 AM - Viking Star: Chef's Table - Executive Chef Joseph speaking at beginning the tour.

11:01 AM - Viking Star: Galley - with a cook waving back.

At the beginning of our tour, we got a glimpse of the Kitchen Table, on Deck 1 next to the Chef's Table, where guests were gathered for a meal they had helped prepare. (Later on the cruise, we signed up for this experience too.)

11:02 AM - Viking Star: quick glimpse into Kitchen Table.

11:03 AM - Viking Star: Galley - room service prep area.

MT 11:03 AM - Viking Star: Galley - this was Assistant Waiter Mark Christian, per his name tag.

MT 11:03 AM - Viking Star: Galley - cook at work.

11:04 AM - Viking Star: Galley - sous chefs in charge of various areas.

11:04 AM - Viking Star: Galley - sous chefs in charge of various areas.

MT 11:04 AM - Viking Star: Galley - recipe books.

MT 11:05 AM - Viking Star: Galley - happy cooks at work.

MT 11:05 AM - Viking Star: Galley - more happy cooks at work.

11:07 AM - Viking Star: Galley - screen with list of rooms (for room service?).

11:09 AM - Viking Star: Galley - escalator leading to serving areas.

MT 11:10 AM - Viking Star: Galley - (pastry?) chefs (mild telephoto 46 mm).

11:10 AM - Viking Star: Galley - desserts.

11:10 AM - Viking Star: Galley - desserts.

 

MT 11:11 AM - Viking Star: Galley - desserts on plates (mild telephoto 46 mm).

11:20 AM - Viking Star: our tour group back at Chef's Table (with bridge game in background) for beginning of Laundry Tour with Hotel General Manager David Lecumberri.

11:20 AM - Viking Star: our group following David down steps to Deck A (MT in foreground).

11:22 AM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - our group with David in passage for crew quarters on Deck A on the way to the Landry.

11:22 AM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - our group in passage to crew quarters on Deck A, with our friend Shore Excursion Manager Robert Riddell approaching on the way to or from his quarters.

11:26 AM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - our group in passage to crew quarters on Deck A, where we also met Viking Vocalist Lily (in red jacket) .

11:27 AM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - our group in passage to crew quarters on Deck A, where our friend Princess from the reception desk of The Restaurant was passing through.

11:32 AM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - in passage to crew quarters on Deck A, we also met Viking Vocalists Edie and Matthew.

11:40 AM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - bulletin board in passage to crew quarters on Deck A, posting guest comment sheets with most positive feedback highlighted in yellow and crew names in orange.

11:41 AM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - passage to crew quarters on Deck A, with our friend Cruise Director Katy Syrett approaching.

MT 11:44 AM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - passage to crew quarters on Deck A, when Cruise Director Katy stopped to talk with our group.

11:43 AM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - Cruise Director Katy and Hotel General Manager David in passage to crew quarters on Deck A.

11:48 AM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - Crew Activities Calendar for December next to guest comment sheets on bulletin board in passage to crew quarters on Deck A.

MT 11:56 AM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - large driers in Laundry on Deck A.

11:55 AM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - Mangle that presses and folds flat items (like tablecloths, sheets, pillow cases, and napkins (automatic for type) .

12:00 PM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - washing machines.

MT 12:03 PM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - Hotel General Manager David with folded tablecloth  as it came out of the mangle.

12:07 PM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - manually pressed clothes on hangers.

12:07 PM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - Don spotted his short sleeve shirts and slacks we had sent out for free pressing after washing them at free Launderette on our deck (see red box).

12:07 PM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - David showing us area where clothes are manually pressed.

12:08 PM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - green bin with dirty laundry.

12:08 PM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - green bin with dirty laundry and white bags for (paid) "Laundry Ser[vice]" from rooms.

 

12:10 PM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - David showing us color-coded pink, green, blue, and tan cloths used for cleaning each stateroom (pink is for toilet).

12:12 PM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - color-coded tan, green, blue, and pink cloths folded and stacked in that order (as we would later notice on cleaning carts in hallways by staterooms).

Then David led the tour group back up to Deck 1, near the Spa, where he told us stories about unusual incidents on previous cruises. He also pointed out that there are 300 surveillance cameras everywhere on the ship except for staterooms and public bathrooms.

12:26 PM - Viking Star: Laundry Tour - surveillance camera on ceiling in hallway near Spa.

At 12:45, we went to the Pool Grill (Deck 7) for our favorite lunch of Seared Ahi Tuna and red onion marmalade.

At 1:30, we went to the meeting for the "Photo Quest: Name Tag Challenge Finish" on the upper level of the Explorers' Lounge on Deck 8.  Two people who had got really carried away with the challenge had collected 340 and 360 photos of crew members showing their name tags. MT, who had really given up after a while, had 80. But all who came to the meeting got Bellini cocktails.

After that, we went to the World Café (Deck 7) for ice cream (gelato).

At 6:15, we went to the Torshavn (Deck 2) for "Easy Magic Tricks You Can Do! Part 2," with magician Greg Moreland.

6:17 PM - Viking Star: Greg Moreland demonstrating the "Mississippi Shuffle" by Ernie "Four Kings" McGee.

At 7:30, we went to The Restaurant (Deck 2) for our pre-ordered dinner.

At 8:30, we went to the Star Theater (Deck 2) for guest entertainer Craig Meyer in "Elton, Billy & Barry - They Write the Songs," which he called "a love letter to three of the greatest singer/songwriters of our generation" (Elton John, Billy Joel, and Barry Manilow).

Back in our stateroom we filled our our choices for dinner at The Restaurant on Dec 5.

10:17 PM Viking Star: front side of Don's menu for pre-ordering dinner Dec 5; from Starters, we ordered "Caesar Salad (romaine, anchovies, parmesan, garlic croutons, traditional Caesar dressing )" and from Desserts "Fresh Fruit Plate (melon, pineapple & berries)," then added an arrow at the bottom to see the other side.

10:18 PM Viking Star: back side of Don's menu, where we ordered under Main Courses "Penne Casalinga (penne pasta with veal Bolognese & porcini mushrooms)," and from Vegetarian Highlights we each ordered a half order of "Greek Eggplant Moussaka Timbale (grilled eggplant, zucchini & tomato with herbs, Kalamata olive & basil pesto)."