World Cruise Day...there are no more days - The Final Post, by the numbers

It's over.  We can't believe it, but it's over.  What seemed like it would take forever since it was going to be such a long trip is over in a heartbeat.  Now, it is time to reinsert ourselves back into a normal life where they don't give you fresh towels when you ask, they don't have amazing meals ready for you three times a day, and more often if you want, where they happily pour whatever you want to drink, where they warmly greet you by name with a genuine smile.

Lucky for us, we have many friends and a beautiful place to live that will ease that transition.

We had to get our own breakfast this morning - the horror!

Here's a look at our trip, by the numbers.

• Days: 163 
• Intentional cruises: 2 
• We initially booked the World Cruise + Viking Homelands
• Actual cruises: 3
• Scenic Scandinavia allowed Arlona to see many of the ports she missed while in isolation
• Port days: 90 
• Sea days: 73 
• Ports: 63 
• Countries: 28 
• Continents: 5 
• We missed Australia & Antarctica
• Statute miles sailed: 43,357 
• Steps taken: 1,023,429 
• Miles walked: 581 
• UNESCO World Heritage sites visited: 33 
• Buses ridden in: 84 
• Captains: 4 
• To be fair, there were two actual captains, but each did two sections
• Cruise Directors: 4 
• General Managers: 3 
• Trivia questions answered: 1,275 
• Questions answered correctly: Somewhat fewer :-) 
• Hours of bridge lessons: 75 - we're now qualified beginners
• Calories consumed: I believe a number that large would crash a server somewhere
• Pounds gained - Arlona: 0 - seriously - I don't know how she does it  
• Pounds gained - Garry: 12  - I made up for Arlona
• Quarantine nights: 9 - they all sucked
• Rooms occupied: 3 - our original room that had issues, our final room, and Arlona's isolation room 
• Ounces of saliva donated: 12 each - yup, we each could have filled a beer bottle
• Photos taken: 13,500, give or take - obviously not all were blog-worthy
• Blogs written about the trip: 166 - 2 pre-trip, 163 on the trip, 1 wrap-up
• Hours spent processing photos and writing: 500, plus or minus
• Blog views since sailing: 311,000 - dang - I should have monetized it!  Seriously, I was stunned when I looked at that - and readers came from all over: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Spain, Bulgaria, New Zealand, Ireland, Sweden, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Peru, Norway, Mexico, Malaysia, Czechia, Iceland, Cayman Islands, Other

We get questions about the cruise all the time.  The two most popular are:

• What was your favorite place/sights?
• Would you consider doing it again?

I'll address the second one first.  Never, or so we thought.  Why would someone do a trip like this more than once?  Seriously?  Now that we have done it, we get it.  It isn't a normal cruise experience.  You spend four to five months with the same people.  You get to know them.  You share experiences.  Now, our attitude has changed and we definitely would consider another world cruise.  The issue we have is that world cruises typically sail in December/January for four to five months.  Those are exactly the same months that are the best time to be in Central Florida, where we live.  In addition, we miss an entire season with our snowbird friends.  So who knows...we just might do it again.

As for favorite places/sights, here's a quick list of the highlights:

• Most beautiful
• Chilean fjords - this wasn't on the agenda and weather forced this diversion - talk about a happy accident
• Most moving: Israel
• Jerusalem, Western Wall, Galilee, River Jordan, Capernaum, Church of the Beatitudes- wow
• Biggest surprises
• Petra Jordan, Giza Pyramids, Croatia, Montenegro, and the people of Saudi Arabia
• Unexpected benefits
• The many, many hours we spent in the World Cafe, after we had eaten, just spending time and enjoying a glass of wine with some terrific people

To all the readers out there, all I can say is, "wow".  I started this blog so we could remember our travels and so friends and family could follow along.  I started posting in social media groups about the cruise, and did I mention, "wow"?

To the hundreds of you all out there who posted kind comments, and expressed concern for Arlona's well-being while dealing with COVID on the ship, we offer our sincere gratitude.  The news loves to share stories about humanity's failings, but you all demonstrated humanity's strengths - compassion, concern, and caring.  We value you all.

To my "editors" that pointed out incorrect statements, or misspellings and such - thanks!  I strive to be correct.  Sometimes, I was steered in the wrong direction by tour guides that believed facts were open to their interpretation.  Other times, I made incorrect assumptions about things I had seen, and experts that are much smarter than I am pointed those out.  And when I was working hard to get a post done before I passed out at the end of a really busy day, two people, in particular, pointed out my misspellings or grammar errors so I could fix them. (Arlona & Cindy - I'm talking about you)

And finally, to the handful of folks that took exception that I was posting daily information about a world cruise on forums that have "World Cruise" in the title...you do know that if you don't like something, you don't have to read it, right? :-)

 So with all that, I am signing off for this absolutely amazing trip.  Thanks to Viking for making it amazing, and thanks to you all for making me feel like writing all this wasn't a waste of time.  Until our next trip, which is coming on Princess on July 2...cheers!

World Cruise Day 163/163 - Back in the US, Back in the US, Back in the USA!

Cruise day: 163/163

Ports days: 91
Sea days: 72
Countries: 28
Continents: 5
Ports: 63

The road home started this morning.  We got up around 7AM and took showers.  We packed the last few items into our carry-on bags and walked out of stateroom 5090 the last time.  We went up to the World Cafe for our final breakfast on the cruise.

In typical fashion, while we were getting our food, the incredible waitstaff delivered our sodas and glasses of ice without us asking

Our send-off was a little emotional.  I know it sounds hokey, but we seriously felt like family, especially as the last World Cruisers on the ship.  All the officers were there to see us off - hugs went all around.  Someone commented that in 75 cruises, they never saw the need to talk to the General Manager.  To each their own, but the General Managers, and all the officers for that matter, that we had on this cruise were simply wonderful people that we got to know on a personal level.  Your loss.

You know you've eaten too much when the kitchen crew all comes to say farewell

As a final World Cruise farewell, they didn't even let us handle our luggage.  They took our carry-on bags and retrieved our larger bags and took them to the bus for us.  Wow.  Way to make us feel special.

Then...we got to the airport.  Wow. Let me say that I never want to fly through CPH - Copenhagen Airport again.  We arrived and couldn't find the Delta terminal.  That's because there wasn't one.  After about 20 minutes, they finally switched terminals over to Delta and started checking people in.  But...before you got checked in, they did a little security interview and checked your passport. (#1).  Then, the agent at the counter checked your passport again. (#2).  Then we had to go through an extremely invasive security check that makes the TSA look like a trip to the beach.  Of course, they check your passport. (#3) After you walk through a rather extensive duty-free shop, you get to Passport Control where they check your passport. (#4).  We opted to spend some time in the lounge.  The World Cruise included business-class air, so that meant access to the lounge.

CPH is also a "silent" airport.  What that means is that they don't announce any flight departures.  That puts all the responsibility on the passenger to scan the monitors for delays, gate changes, and such.  Our outbound flight was delayed by 30 minutes but was scheduled to arrive ten minutes ahead of schedule.  We figured the pilot was going to fly it like he stole it.  A little less than an hour before departure, we headed for the gate.  But we couldn't get to the gate.  Nobody could.  The entire passenger compliment had to line up in a single line in the middle of the terminal.  Not to get on the plane - to get into the gate.  Finally, about 20 minutes before they were going to start boarding, they finally let people in so they could sit at the gate.  But before you were allowed into the gate...another passport check. (#5)  And, we weren't allowed into the gate area - we had to pass through a turnstile where there was...another passport check 20 feet from the last passport check. (#6)  The gate area was so crowded and loud that nobody could hear the boarding announcements.  We finally were allowed to board.  *whew*

We were on a 767 that was really showing its age - the business class seats did recline flat, but weren't terribly comfortable - still, there was a lot more legroom than coach so that was nice

Meals were certainly better - braised short ribs

Chocolate mousse cake

Ice cream with toffee crumbles

We got two meals on the long flight - an open-faced cheeseburger

Salmon salad

We arrived essentially on time at JFK in New York, cleared Customs quickly, grabbed our bags, rechecked them, and then went through TSA.  That's something else I don't understand - why can't they set it up so passengers that have already been security scanned don't have to get scanned again.  It all went well and we got to our gate about ten minutes before boarding.

The flight to Orlando went well and we were in first class, so that was nice.  We actually landed early - a bonus.  We grabbed our bags and went outside to meet our driver.

A little more than an hour later and we were home sweet home at Kolb Kastle.  It was a 19-hour travel day from ship to home, but in the grand scheme, went smoothly.

I will write one more blog tomorrow summarizing things and adding a few thoughts and observations.  For now, we're pretty whipped, so we'll sleep in our own bed in a few minutes for the first time in five-and-a-half months.

World Cruise Day 162/163 Scenic Scandinavia - Copenhagen, Denmark - The Palace, Tivoli, and The Mermaid again

Cruise day: 162/163

Ports days: 90
Sea days: 72
Countries: 28
Continents: 5
Ports: 63

Today is the last full day of our World Cruise adventure.  What started as two cruises, the 138-day World Cruise and the 14-day Viking Homelands Cruise, turned into three, with the unexpected 11-day Scenic Scandinavia thrown in for good measure.  I will be doing a wrap-up blog post, probably on June 5 since we won't arrive home until 11:30PM tomorrow.  Please don't text me (Jean, I'm talking to you here) and ask if we're OK. ;-)

Today, we're in Copenhagen, and like most of the countries around the Baltic that we have visited over the last 25 days, Demnark is all-in on wind power.

While Los Angeles is supposedly Tesla's highest concentration of vehicles, based on the number I've seen on both visits, Copenhagen has to be in the top five.  

We started our day off in Copenhagen by taking the shuttle into the town center.  

Nyhavn Harbor

August Bournonvilles Passage - August was a Danish ballet master and choreographer

Royal Danish Theater

Magasin du Nord - a massive department store that dates back to 1869 - covers an entire block and has five stories - we did a little shopping today

After hanging out downtown for a while, we took the shuttle back to the ship to prepare for our afternoon excursion - the optional Christiansborg Palace and Tivoli Gardens excursion.

We started out at Christiansborg Palace - it is the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme Court of Denmark.  We toured one wing.  I won't get too detailed with each individual room - you can just enjoy the ornate finishes.  I'll add some detail in places.

The Hall of Giants

Visitors are required to wear these stylish shoe covers

The King's Staircase

It sure looks like she'll miss the bowl

The Tower Room

The Throne Room - the taller chair is reserved for the Queen to support her hair - the arms of the King's throne are lions to symbolize power - the Queen's are griffins to symbolize wisdom

The painting on the ceiling shows Norway's flag falling from Heaven

The floors were stunning

King Christian IX's Room

The carpet was a gift to the Queen on her 40th Jubilee

The Fredensborg Room - the parents-in-law of Europe

Their three sons and three daughters married into nearly every European family

The Velvet Room

The squares on the ceiling...

...match up exactly with the squares on the floor

The Great Hall - they could seat 400 for dinner here - I think the World Cafe might have them beat

Sculptures in the Swedish Gallery

The Green Room

The Dining Hall - can you please pass the salt?

I think there were 44 chairs but don't quote me on that

The Abilgaard Room

The Queen's Staircase

Porcelain with all the different native plants and herb

The Queen's Library

Next, it was off to Tivoli Gardens.  We saw some sights along the way.

Copenhagen is known as the city with all the spires and for good reason

Tivoli Gardens is an oddity.  It is gardens, and an amusement park plopped right in the center of the city.  It is wildly popular and tons of people were coming in on this Friday night.

The Hans Christian Andersen statue across the street from Tivoli Gardens

On the ride back, we asked if we could be dropped off as close as possible to the Little Mermaid statue since Arlona was not able to see it on our last stop here.  They were more than happy to oblige.  

The lighting was much better today than the last visit

Of course, Arlona had to feel the water - like other places, wet...

On the way back, we could see all four ships that were in port today - the Celebrity Apex, The Viking Star, an Aida ship, and an MSC ship - I didn't look them up

We sailed shortly after 7PM.  Wait, what?  We're flying out of Copenhagen tomorrow.  Sailed to where?  Another berth.  It seems that for some reason, we couldn't stay where we were docked and had to move to another dock.  OK, whatever.  As long as the bus knows where to go to pick us up in the morning.

The General Manager, Wendy, arranged a final send-off for us tonight - the last World Cruisers standing.  It was humbling and gratifying and it really meant a lot to us to have some of the officers here with us that have made our cruise experience a better one.

From left to right: Financial Officer Anna, Assistant Housekeeper, Maricris, our Cabin Steward Cristopher, General Manager Wendy, Garry, Arlona, Captain Olav, Executive Housekeeper Anna, Head Waiter Uma, Sommelier Dejan

This has seriously been an amazing experience and we owe much of that to these amazing people, as well as the entire crew.  The biggest compliment I can give is that we have not met a single crew member that we wouldn't hire.  They are incredible and made us feel like family.  Until...

General Manager Wendy said that it was time to kick our sorry butts off this ship!

I trust that everyone reading this is intelligent enough to recognize humor when they see it, but in this day and age, I'll remind everyone, just in case.  If you don't realize it, this photo speaks volumes.  The fact that we have that personal a relationship with Wendy that we could stage this photo is amazing.  The fact that she is the third General Manager we have had on this journey makes it even more amazing.  We can't speak highly enough about Viking's staff and Wendy and her entire team are absolutely the best.

Our bags are packed

We put our suitcases out before 10PM on schedule.  We have our carry-ons still in the room for the last-minute items. For the first time in nearly 5.5 months, we don't have a test tube to spit in.  What we do have is a pair of negative COVID tests that we need for travel.  Yes, Arlona is testing negative.  Woo!  Of course, we do have her recovery letter, just in case, but a negative test was a welcome sight. 

Tomorrow morning, we need to be out of our stateroom by 8AM.  We will head up to breakfast at that time.  Our shuttle is scheduled for 9:15AM and our flight is at 1:30PM into JFK in New York and then on to Orlando and the ride home.  As I mentioned, we'll be home late tomorrow night and have to do things like turn on the water and such, so don't expect a blog tomorrow.  I will do a final blog the next day with some summary information and thoughts.

It will be a long travel day tomorrow.  We're torn as we're looking forward to being home, but sad to leave our Viking family.  Tomorrow will be bittersweet.