In the year prior to the Pandemic’s arrival in the United States in March 2020, my wife Miriam, and I had scheduled an extended trip to Wuhan, China, where many believe the “Coronavirus” may have originated. Our vacation, like those of many others, had to be canceled. As the worldwide Pandemic raged on, humankind realized a new standard: chronic isolation. Finally, in 2022, after receiving vaccines and boosters, while successfully eluding the several viral variants that followed, we finally felt comfortable that we could travel safely. We decided to take a cruise on one of the top global cruise lines, Viking. It turned out to be the trip of a lifetime.
Our planning process was extensive, yet enjoyable. The first task was deciding which countries to visit. Touring several countries in Europe or Africa can be expensive by land or air. Therefore, food and accommodation expenses, an important consideration, were part of our calculation. Should we do all-inclusive or ala cart? What is the exchange rate for the countries we visit? What clothing should we take? Will we need to dress formally or in casual clothing? Finally, we concluded that a Mediterranean cruise offered by Viking Ocean Cruises was our best option. It included an itinerary that would take us to six countries and eleven shore excursions.
In preparing for a trip of this duration and its multiple visits ashore, it was imperative to check the weather, time zones, and dress codes. We took compatible clothing, but didn’t overpack. We chose quick-dry inner and outerwear, a sports coat and slacks for me, and a lovely dress and pants for Miriam. Since the cruise line offered laundry service, it helped us to limit what we carried on the trip. It was also important to take enough of any required prescriptions or over-the-counter medications. For example, I developed jet lag and needed melatonin. Fortunately, a passenger was kind enough to supply me with additional doses of the supplement until I could purchase a bottle on one of our onshore excursions. Most trans-ocean cruise lines offer medical services, Checking in advance to make sure should be on any pre-booking to-do list.
We landed in Frankfurt, Germany, after a 9-hour flight from Houston. I would recommend at minimum securing Business Class seating for overnight flights to Europe. However, that might be airline-dependent because we experienced more comfort and room on our Delta flight than on our United Airlines flight. Sitting in the economy on United for 8-10 hours was quite uncomfortable, and flight fatigue was a real problem on eastbound overnight flights. Finally, we boarded the last leg of our outbound journey and landed in Venice. Our cruise was to go from Venice to Barcelona.
We went through customs and the baggage claim area, but our bags were not there. Our luggage was still in Frankfort, Germany. We spoke with the airport loss baggage section, and they guaranteed that our luggage would be on shipboard the following day. If you can pack efficiently, use carry-on bags to avoid loss of luggage. Another lesson learned.
Travel agencies, AARP, credit cards, and other travel companies offer trip insurance, which can cover non-refundable trip costs, such as a car and hotel rental, or if you or your carrier cancel your trip for various reasons. Also, medical travel insurance should be considered, especially if a chronic medical problem or mobility issues exist. It should also be an option if traveling to a hazardous area.
Staff from Viking cruise met us at the airport, checked our passports and Covid test results, then directed us to private shuttles. As of June 13, 2022, cruise lines still required proof of Covid vaccinations and PCR testing. Viking also necessitate daily Covid testing. After a 45-minute ride to the embarkation dock, we went through security again, had our body temperature checked, and boarded the Viking Sky, a 684-foot luxury cruise vessel.
Viking Sky Cruise Ship
Once onboard, Viking staff greeted us with open and friendly arms and showed us to our penthouse stateroom. After settling in, we went to a presentation of the amenities, rules, and regulations, schedule of activities, mealtimes, and an introduction to our private concierge. The following day, the airline delivered our luggage to our stateroom, and that afternoon, we set out to visit Venice. However, the scheduled embarkation of 4 PM didn’t give us much time to explore the city, and because our baggage didn’t get to us until that morning, we forwent venturing out and instead, we took that time to explore the ship. Later that evening, the ship left Venice for Split, Croatia, and we decided to have dinner at one of the several restaurants onboard.
Split, Croatia
Split, the second-largest city in Croatia, is a UNESCO site on the Adriatic’s eastern shore. Its ancient center, beautiful architecture, and exquisite cuisine are historic. We enjoyed the walking tour of ancient ruins, anthropological digs, and architecture. Our tour guide, born and raised in Split, was quite knowledgeable about the history and significance of the town. The tour lasted about 4 hours, and the guide gave us time to explore on our own and shop. Split is also the film location for the HBO series “Game of Thrones.”