Day 3 & 4 - January 5th & 6th, 2025 - Touring Malibu & Boarding the Sky

A large part of today (Sunday) was hurry up and wait.  We went for breakfast at 7:00 AM and then had to wait until 9:30 for our departure for a drive up the Pacific Coastal Highway to The Getty Villa.

The short drive to Malibu was scenic, the beaches were fantastic, but looking at the back of a $40 million dollar homes crammed so close together, sometime there wasn't even room to walk between them, didn't inspire me to move there any time soon; like I could anyway :).

When we reached "The Getty", we were given 2.25 hours to explore on our own.  This was just barely enough time to view most of the exhibits.

J. Paul Getty constructed the "Villa" based on the Villa dei Papiri which he had visited near Pompeii and Herculaneum.  He felt he needed a fitting location to display his extensive collection of ancient Greek and Roman Artifacts.  The the Villa opened in 1974 and displays thousands of artifacts ranging from tiny pieces of gold jewelry to larger than life stone statuary. 

Below are a few examples and photos of the Villa.  I observed pieces ranging in date from 6000 BC to 200-300 AD.

Statue of Venus AD 100-200 
Discovered in Rome before 1508 AD

Marble female figure circa 4500 - 3500 BCE.  Recovered in present day Turkey

Stone and Clay figures dating 6000-4000 BCE

An interesting stone sarcophagus depicting Cupids in the process of pressing grapes for wine.

Solid gold ram's head drinking cup

After leaving The Getty, we traveled farther up the coast to the Malibu Cliffs.  In the photo below you can see some of the fire damage which occurred last year.  That is Pepperdine University in the background.

View looking in the other direction at the coast

After leaving Malibu, it was about a 1.5 hour drive to the port and our ship.  Upon arriving, the check-in and boarding was quite simple.  We had previously completed boarding information online, down to providing a recent photo which would be used for ID.  It took only a few minutes to be checked in, and room keys issued.

When we arrived at our cabin, our shipped luggage was already waiting for us, and the luggage which came with us was delivered in about 30 minutes.

Below are photos of our living quarters for then next 4 months.  Not huge by any means, but entirely adequate.  Considering that we will not be spending enormous amounts of time there and the room is serviced twice a day (more often if you need something).  Our steward was very accommodating and quickly addressed a few special request we had.

The bag contained gifts from Viking, a very nice jacket, cap, leather bound journal and world map.

We have an in room refrigerator, stocked with soft drinks, candy and mixers of our choice.  We also had a coffee maker, which we asked to be removed, the shelf space is too precious and it is not difficult to get much better coffee at one of the bars.

The bathroom is not large but again, adequate and well furnished and stocked.

Sunset from our veranda

Dinner this evening was delicious and enjoyable, as expected.  After dinner, we were going to a lecture, but decided we were just too tired from the long day.  Instead we spent more time unpacking and getting organized.

Monday - January 6th

I slept well last night, it is good to have the motion of the sea again.  I have missed it.  We met for breakfast in the formal dining room since this was a sea day and we were not in any hurry. 

Following breakfast we attended two lectures.  The first at 9:30 was "North American Time Machine" a presentation about the continent and its inhabitants over 3 million years.  The presenter was Dr Claudia Hackbarth, a geologist and earth science expert.  It was an excellent presentation in my opinion.  She was very realistic in regard to climate change and the natural climate cycles.

The second lecture a 11:00 AM was "California - Land of Condors & Prehistoric Giants".  This was presented by George Sranko, biologist, author and speaker.  His presentation was entertaining but in my opinion did not have as much "meat" as the previous lecture.  He is scheduled for several more, so I'll give him another try.

We had lunch at the World Cafe today (buffet style).  The theme was "Taste of the USA" .  It featured regional dishes such as California swordfish tacos,  Alabama shrimp Po Boy and Carolina Shrimp and Grits.   We enjoyed lunch.  

After lunch we went our separate ways, Kay decided to go to the gym (she is trying to start good habits early).  I am not as ambitious.  The wind was too high to do any walking on the promenade deck (it was closed), so I walked the halls, covering all 7 decks using the stairs.  It was pretty good exercise.  Things were pretty quite this afternoon, as you can see from this photo of one of the atriums.

I am not sure of the final passenger count after the 300+ who boarded in LA, but I am guessing it is under 900.

One other observation, the internet onboard is excellent.  I hope it continues.  We can thank Elon Musk and Starlink for this.  There is no comparison to the slow and spotty connectivity we had on our last world cruise 10 years ago.

Below is one of the innovative ideas we use to make the most of our limited space.  Due to the fact that all the walls are steel, magnets adhere very well.  By using strong hook magnets we are able to create much additional storage.  Using mesh shoe storage bags, many items beside shoes may be stored.  I use mine for belts, playing cards and any other small item you need to get out of the way.  

It was another excellent dinner tonight.  Perhaps I have got my immediate seafood fix, tomorrow I can expand my diet.  Today I had smoked salmon at breakfast, shrimp, halibut and swordfish at lunch and finally for dinner I had scallops, shrimp, marinated octopus and anchovies (in my Caesar salad).  I had not even realized the trend till this evening.  I do enjoy the seafood I don't normally get.

We are about to go to the Captain's Welcome event in the theater.  After that we set our clock back another hour and hopefully get another good night's rest.  

I'll catch you guys later...

Day 2 - January 4, 2025 - A day in Hollywood

 We were exhausted last evening.  After getting up at 4:00 AM, a day of travel and a time change of 3 hours, Kay and I retired around 7:30 local time.  I managed to get about 10 hours of sleep which did me wonders.

We met with the Wellborns for breakfast at 7:30 in the hotel restaurant.  The meal was very good but it should have been.  Eggs, hashbrowns, sausage, toast and coffee was $45 per person (tax and gratuity included).  At least the coffee was French pressed and was excellent. 

As per our plans, we caught the HOHO bus across the street from the hotel.  While waiting for the bus, I saw my first Waymo vehicle, but it would not be the last.  These driverless cars were passing the hotel on a regular basis.

 The first stop we exited was for the La Brea Tar pits. I have wanted to see the tar pits since learning about them in the 5th grade.  Unfortunately I was greatly disappointed.  Perhaps I would not have been at age 10.

At least I can now say that I have seen the Tar Pits.  Reading the history of the La Brea tar pits is actually more interesting than seeing them.

Next to La Brea is the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.  We did not visit the museum, but we did stroll though the Public Art exhibit "Urban Light".

Kay & Janet hiding within the exhibit

And we think we have problems in our neighborhood with trees and sidewalks!

We quite literlly missed our HOHO bus by seconds to board for our next stop.  Fortunately it was only about a 10 minute walk from La Brea to the Original Farmers Market, our next stop.

The clock tower was erected in 1948

The Farmers Market was truly an experience of sights and smells.  The land started out as a dairy farm in 1880 and then became an oil field when oil was discovered while drilling for water in the early 1900's.  Eventually the first farmers market opened in 1934 and has since grown to over a 100 merchants and over 40 restaurants and eateries. 

I found my sweet spot at See's Candies.  See's is my favorite candy and you can't get it in Georgia without having it shipped.  

I stocked up!

After reboarding the bus at the Market, we went "up top" on the open deck to enjoy a sightseeing tour of Beverly Hills and Hollywood.  

Capital Records Building

The Hollywood walk of Fame was another somewhat disappointment for me.  Although it was much longer than I expected, It was somewhat ragged in many areas.  A few random photos follow.

It is not a walk of fame for everyone

Rodeo Drive

This photo was taken from our hotel room window.  It faces Laurel Canyon, home of "movie stars".

After arriving back at the hotel, we got about an hours rest and had dinner at the Corner Bakery Cafe of Beverly Hills.  I had an excellent Chicken Rosa Pasta (and the price was quite reasonable, thank you.)

I am glad to have had the opportunity to visit Beverly Hills and the Hollywood area, but a couple of days is plenty for me.  I certainly could not live here, just not my style.

We start early tomorrow.  Our luggage must be ready at 7:30, which is when we plan to meet for breakfast.  We board our bus at 9:30 to visit the Getty Villa Museum.  Following the museum we will have a costal drive to Long Beach where we will be boarding the Viking Sky to officially begin our adventure.

Day 1 Jan. 3, 2025 - Off We Go

Well, we are off to a good start.  With Christmas behind us, and our wonderful time spent with family in the past, we are ready to start our new adventure.

Alex our Top Hat Limo driver arrived at 5:25 AM.  We drove the 1.5 miles to the Wellborn and departed their house at 5:45.  Traffic was light and we arrived at Atlanta Airport at 6:40.  We had our bags checked and we're through security by 7:00 AM, a record for us.

Loading our luggage.

Alex our driver.  Top Hat Limo is the BEST!

I am writing this post while waiting for our 8:55 flight 

I'll give the next update from Beverly Hills..

 Continuing --

We had an incredibly smooth flight.  Everything was on time and there was no turbulence for the entire trip. Service was excellent and even the food was good.  This trip almost restored my faith in air travel.

Kay relaxing prior to boarding completing.

We arrived at LAX around 11:00 AM and we're met by two Viking representatives.  They escorted the four of us to a Mercedes van which had  us at the Sofitel Beverly Hills at 12:05.  It was only a 12 mile trip, but took 40 minutes. (almost as long as our 45 mile trip to the Atlanta Airport.

The Sofitel Beverly Hills 

Check-in was painless and we all went to our rooms for a little R&R.  We met again at 2 o'clock for a little exploring.

Macy's at the Beverly Center across the street from our hotel. 

 This is just one of several shopping centers within walking distance.  This photo was taken just at dusk from above the hotel's pool.

After a little exploring, we had a delicious burger are Johnny Rockets around the corner from the hotel.  It was only 3:00 PM but our bodies knew it was 6:00.

Just a little reminder why I don't wish to live in California.

It will be early to bed tonight.  I think we are purchasing all day tickets for a Hop On Hope Off bus tomorrow.  That seemed the best way to spend the day viewing the sites 

Please forgive my misspellings and punctuation in this post.  I am doing it on the phone, not the best way.  

Until tomorrow...

18 Days and Counting!

It’s hard to believe it’s been about a month since my last update, but here we are! We’ve been busy with our planning and packing, making steady progress as our departure date approaches. Time is certainly flying, and it feels like we’re racing against the clock.

One of the tasks I tackled was arranging for our mail to be forwarded to our son, Dave. I hope I’ve provided him with all the necessary information to handle any unexpected deliveries that might come our way. Another concern was our auto tag registration. I made a trip to the Cherokee County Tax Office, where a very pleasant lady assisted me. Thankfully, it looks like I’ll be able to renew our registration on January 2nd, which is our last day at home. The regulations state that renewal can only happen within 90 days of expiration, and January 2nd is the earliest I can manage. She assured me that the office would be open, so fingers crossed!

I have made our final estimated federal tax payment, but I still have to file for an extension.  That cannot be done until January 1.  Hope I don't forget!

In terms of excursions, we’ve booked several independent activities with Shore Excursion Group, a company we’ve used before. This decision was made to replace some of the excursions we initially planned with the cruise line. After tallying everything up, we have a total of 66 excursions lined up! Of those, slightly over half—35—are included in our cruise package. It sounds like quite an adventure, and I’m sure we’ll make some modifications along the way.|

Today was also significant as I finalized our medications for the four-month trip. With the invaluable assistance of my friends Darrell, Rand, and Jamie at Northside Pharmacy in Waleska, I feel confident that we’re well-prepared. Their help in coordinating our prescriptions has been a lifesaver for this extended journey.

In our mail this afternoon, we received a packet from Viking.  It included special luggage tags to attach to our checked luggage after we arrived in Los Angeles.  These will help assure that the luggage makes it to our cabin.  We also received instructions on meeting our driver at the airport for transport to the hotel.

Lastly, we had two pieces of luggage picked up by Mike, our UPS man. He’s done his part; now we can only hope that our bags are waiting for us when we arrive at our cabin. Exciting times lie ahead!

It is nice to know that at least some of our packing is done and we won't have to deal with the extra luggage on our flight.  It is tough to pack for 4 months...

Now that some of our travel planning is behind us, we can start planning for our family to join us next week for Christmas!

This will probably be my last post before our departure.  If time allows I will post from LA, otherwise it might be after we board The Sky.   Until then...

49 Days and Counting

This is a brief update on our planning progress. Since my last post a few months ago, there have been significant developments. With only 49 days until our departure, we have secured our flights, initiated the visa process, booked most of our planned excursions, and made several reservations at Viking's specialty restaurants.

Michelle, our travel consultant from Cruise and Travel Experts, has been incredibly supportive in ensuring a seamless journey. She successfully arranged our preferred flights. Although Viking includes airfare in their packages, the options for carriers and routes can be limited. Thanks to Michelle, we now have direct flights with Delta from Atlanta to Los Angeles and from London back to Atlanta. A big thank you to Michelle!

GenVisa is the visa processing service utilized by Viking for their included visa package. Our experience with GenVisa has been straightforward and efficient. We also needed to obtain an Australian E-visa on our own, which was processed without any issues.

Booking excursions proved to be more challenging. Viking employs a priority system for excursion bookings based on cabin category; since ours is in the lower tier of the top third, about 300 passengers had access before us. Therefore, we had to be ready when our booking window opened if we wanted to secure our desired excursions. Additionally, all four of us wanted to participate in the same excursions. Janet managed her bookings while I handled ours, and we were prepared when the booking window opened at 3 PM on the designated day. Unfortunately, Viking's website was not user-friendly or transparent, resulting in over two hours of effort to finalize our bookings, with a few excursions still unavailable together. One of Viking's representatives informed Janet that changes might be possible once onboard.

Making dining reservations at the specialty restaurants was similarly complicated. Fortunately, they permitted one person to book for both couples. The main hurdle was again the website; we could only advance book one reservation per cruise segment for each restaurant without clear information on what those segments were. After contacting her Viking representative, Michelle provided us with the necessary segment dates. However, during the first booking attempt, the website required a "Cruise Day" instead of an actual date, which begins on our first day in LA. I had to look up the "Cruise Day" for each reservation date we wanted to make, making it more difficult than necessary.

We also received information from Luggage Forwarding, the company Viking partners with for complimentary shipping of two pieces of luggage directly to the ship before departure. Arrangements are set for our luggage pickup on December 13th, which will lighten our load for flying—great news!

On a positive note, I had a pleasant experience arranging transportation to and from Atlanta Airport yesterday with Top Hat Limo in Woodstock, GA. We have relied on Top Hat for airport transport many times before. Jan was exceptionally helpful during our call.  It is comforting to feel assured that our transport will be ready upon our return four months after booking. Thank you, Jan!

We still have various planning tasks ahead regarding mail, taxes and many other items, but overall things are coming together.

I’ll conclude this rather mundane update here; it serves more as a personal future reference for me than for your reading enjoyment. Please excuse me!