Viking Holiday - Part 1

 

Viking Holiday !

It's a week since we returned from our Christmas and New Year's holiday on the Viking Sea. What a great trip !

This was our first time going someplace warm for the holidays - we did the West Indies Explorer cruise with a pre-trip in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Have to say we are totally hooked on Viking - river and ocean.  This was our 10th Viking trip and we have a few more scheduled.  For us, it is the best way to travel.  Unpack once, everything is taken care of for you, food is fabulous, entertainment is great!

So, come along with us on the West Indies Explorer....

We left the Philadelphia Airport on a cold and icy morning - first time we ever flew where the plane needed to be "de-iced"...

but a few hours later we were at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan and enjoying Pina Coladas in the warm sunshine.  The pre-trip we took with Viking was great...we were met at the airport and take right to the hotel.  Our room had a great view - 

a beautiful pool, beach area, and lots of places to walk and explore.

Several great restaurants in the hotel...plus the first Pina Colada was made at the bar in the hotel!

Great places to walk...and wildlife to see!

After two nights enjoying the hotel we were bussed to our ship, 

the Viking Sea. 

Viking ocean ships are all the same, so if you are a return traveler it is very easy to feel and home and know where everything is when you board.

We were welcomed on board with a glass of champagne...and you can see from our smiles that this is our happy place.  We like the small ship - 900 or so passengers - no children, no casino, but lots of places to relax, and wonderful educational lectures and lots of fun activities.

While our luggage was being sent to our cabin we went to Deck 7 and the World Cafe - a buffet style venue that we loved for breakfast, lunch, and sometimes dinner.

We enjoyed a great lunch of delicious pork roast, some salad, bread...

wine, and the first of ten days of gelato!  Oh, the gelato!  New flavors every day and SO yummy!

Here is a look at our cabin and some things we take with us to make our travel time easy - 

Queen sized bed - with a protective cover to place your luggage on...then your luggage fits easily under the bed.

Great desk and vanity...

perfect place to get ready in the morning.

Easy to use safe

Comfy robe and slippers

Surprisingly large shower

great Freya toiletrieslove the scent!

We always bring magnetic hooks and clips for our hats and paperwork

Plenty of space for our packing cubes

Here is where the hooks come in handy...we hang our hats, and our excursion tickets and Daily Viking are clipped to the wall so we always know where everything is !

I unpack my cosmetics in the vanity 

and then hung a wreath on our door because for the holidays.  We noticed lots of people decorated their doors...so festive!

Our refrigerator held soft drinks and snacks...if you choose an upgraded cabin the refrigerator is also stocked with alcohol.  We usually take the most basic cabin as we don't spend much time in there...and use our savings to go on more cruises!

After settling in we went on a Sunset Walking Tour of Old San Juan.  This was an included tour and it was beautiful and very informative.

a stop along the tour for some refreshing sangria...and notice the ear bud - Viking uses Quiet Vox boxes and we love that because we can hear everything the tour guide it saying!

The old forts looked so beautiful as the sun went down and the lights came on...

The next day was Christmas Eve and John's birthday...we relaxed on the pool deck

enjoyed a great lunch and when the server heard it was John's birthday he brought us champagne.  The wine flows freely at lunch and dinner and is included.  Some people add a Silver Spirits package to get upgraded wine and cocktails...but we are fine with the included wines and beers, and don't have that many cocktails so we just go a la carte for those.

more gelato....

then spent the afternoon in the Spa pool...which is so warm and relaxing...with great lounge chairs to relax - plus a sauna, snow room, ice bucket...everything to have a great Nordic experience.

We enjoyed Christmas Eve dinner in The Restaurant....fabulous food and great service.  I packed our traditional Slovak oplatki to have with our dinner.  These are wafers like communion that are part of Holy Supper on Christmas Eve.  We were not having Holy Supper, but we kept a little of the tradition.

We had delicious halibut

enjoyed holiday music in the atrium

John wore his festive socks...and then we attended the Christmas Service in the theater.  Loved that we got to hear the Christmas story and sing traditional caroles.

When we returned to our cabin we found some champagne and a delicious cake to celebrate John's birthday.  What a special touch and SO good !

Christmas Day dawned bright and beautiful...

and since this was a sea day and we did not have to get ready for an excursion we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in The Dining Room 

attended a great lecture about explorers

lunch and MORE GELATO

then found a comfy spot - there are SO many on the ship - with a great view to enjoy a glass of wine and read.

after dinner we enjoyed a Christmas sing along in the atrium and it was the perfect way to end Christmas Day!

It was the perfect day...and Santa sure delivered our favorite gift - 

a Viking Cruise!

I will be posting about the islands we visited in a future post...but until then, thanks for coming along on our journey. 

Do you like to cruise ?  Have you done a Viking Ocean or River Cruise?  I would love to hear from you...please leave a comment below.

Take care and have a great week!