August, 2021
This month was consumed with the cruise to Malta aboard the Viking Venus. We are glad to report that all went well and we have returned Covid free and otherwise safe. Of course, we had some hesitation about traveling so far from home, but in the end we felt safe and in control during our travels. That’s not to say that nothing has changed, but the changes are understandable and necessary at this time. We did have to live in the bubble while on the ship. That meant no free time to explore the ports we visited. Only those on ships tours were allow to disembark. We booked two tours per day, so we were kept busy while in port.
On the ship we had to wear masks and a contact tracker at all times. This in addition to daily temperature checks and covid test (done on the ship).
The big surprise was the lack of passengers. With a capacity of 930, our passenger total was 183 who were served by 450 crew. The opposite of most cruises. Needless to say service was excellent, and we had the run of the ship - no waiting or accepting second best seating or times.
The ports in Croatia are scenically beautiful and we were welcomed by the guides and local citizens. They had not been on a cruise ship itinerary for almost 2 years, so the locals were glad to finally have our business. Although we were not allowed free time in port so our shopping was curtailed.
We are now planning an RV trip to join an RV Caravan that will visit some iconic national parks during the next month and September. We are looking forward to this adventure as the beginning of many RV trips in the future. It will be interesting to see first hand how the National Parks are faring. We’ve heard many horror stories about the crowds at the NPs - well find out the true story
