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Here's What It's REALLY Like On A Viking Ocean Cruise These Days
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- Опубликовано: 14 авг 2024
- When I told friends, family, and followers online that I was headed off on a Viking Ocean cruise to Alaska, I was struck by how much misunderstanding and myths they all had about what it's really like to go on a Viking Ocean cruise. Because it had been a while since I'd last been on a Viking Ocean cruise, I also had many questions on what it was like these days and how and what had changed or was different. This is what I discovered it is like going on a Viking Ocean Cruise today.
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Gary, the lack of false fun and noisy casinos is a feature, not a bug. I go to relax, unwind, and learn something about the destinations. And eat great food, of course.
Agree with this, I cant take all that noisy stuff atall. Going on a Viking cruise in a few months and cannot wait for the quieter relaxation vibes.
BRAVO!
I'll add a tip for the next time you go on Viking...on dinner reservations - since we book the lower tier rooms, often when booking opens on line, all that remains are late dinner times. What we have found is that if once you get on board, go directly to your room and book on your TV. We've gotten the dinner times we want every time....maybe I'm cutting my own throat sharing that 😁. Also, since we're not foodies, finding what the menus are at the chefs table, helps us book nights when they are offering meals we want.
I found I could get any specialty restaurant via the app
The reason you only get the late reservation times on My Viking Journey if you book a lower cabin, is because they only put out around 35% of all of their reservations prior to embarkation day. They don't put that in writing anywhere on their website, but if you ask the staff on the ship, they will tell you that is how it's done. The staff are very open about how stuff works behind the scenes.
@@erics607 I expected that it was less than 50%.
Is this vidoe only 3 weeks old?
4 August 2024.
I noticed that Gary informed in this vidoe that Silver Seas top 6☆. No way, I have just come off the Silver Moon 19 to 26 July2024. Never Again!
WE really like Viking; Great decor, service, dining, high tea. NO KIDS. lovely. no gimmicks. A very classy experience.
We’ve booked 13 Viking cruises, 7 river and 6 ocean. We started in our mid 60s and are now in our early 70s. For us they are somewhat similar to Oceania and Seaborne. Better public spaces and better food for sure. We like the overall quiet ships…no kids, no casino. The included excursions are usually fine for first-time visitors to each port. But we’ve really enjoyed the alternate options…to wineries, lunch at family homes and farms, exclusive access to museum exhibits, overnight trips to cities not on the itinerary, etc. But above all is the Viking standard of service, a high level we’ve not encountered anywhere else.
We love Viking, both Ocean and River. Viking Ocean seems to have more public space per passenger than other premium lines. And not being marketed to at every turn is very nice. And the food is simply outstanding.
I loved that tips and drinks are included; didn't feel nickled/dimed. Really enjoyed the calm/relaxed atmosphere and lack of kids Outstanding!
I really am surprised more/ALL cruise lines don't offer some sort of break for solo cruisers. Yes, the solo traveler is still using a cabin, but you could argue that aside from making the bed, they use half the toiletries, make half the mess (for housekeeping), consume half the food, etc. It shouldn't cost 200% for one traveler. MAYBE 125-150%.
I just wish there were more solo cabins as some lines are doing. There are so many reasons people need to travel solo. Even if you are part of a couple today that could be you next time for any number of reasons. It should not be something we are financially punished for. You’d think cruise lines would want to actively tap into this lucrative market rather than try and put people off by overcharging. Cruising is great because you can get a bit of company if you want it. But not 200% markup great.
I agree with your point, and I know that someday I'll be one of those solo travelers. All of the Viking cruises that we've been on appear to have been sold out, and we're having to book further and further in advance. So I suppose the reason they don't offer solo rates is that there is an opportunity cost associated with that. They can sell each cabin at the full rate for 2 so they simply don't need to cater to solos. There appears to be an unadvertised ability to negotiate a better solo rate. Our friend, recently widowed, was able to book for ~150% of the full price for 2.
@@JillClardyPutting my accountant hat on, I agree. They costs saved from eating less foods, etc is minor and they are forgoing selling the cabin at double occupancy.
It would be different if they had cabins that would otherwise be empty, but it sounds like that’s not the case.
I agree, esp when the meals, dining and an excursion (good or bad) are included. You wouldn’t be eating for two.
I’m booked on the Orion in August. I found a sale with less than 100% solo supplement. There are good deals available if you watch for them.
We are in our mid-50s with no kids. The adult-only policy and no casino were the big draws for us. We took the Journey to Antiquities cruise over Christmas week 2023 and had an incredible experience. Your review is pretty much spot on. I'd say the majority of our fellow passengers were in their 60s, though we did see several much younger than us, including a couple traveling with their college aged sons. Like you, the only drawback for us was the reservation by cabin class system and we mentioned that in our surveys. We really had our hearts set on visiting Herculaneum and didn't think it would be an issue being that our cabin class was middle of the pack. On our first opportunity to schedule excursions, it indeed was sold out and we chose our second preference. We did notice that as the time for departure approached, and again once onboard, that some of the sold out excursions re-opened with 2 or 3 slots, so keep that in mind for the future. Since we had already paid for a separate excursion on that day, we did not modify our plans.
So sad you don't have kids. Guess you bought into the whole consume to be happy life the corporations want you to live.
I believe travelers should research carefully. Not everyone likes smaller, quieter experiences. Viking is more about the destination while enjoying service and luxury aboard. Just booked our third cruise with Viking. Can’t wait!
Totally agree they are the best for destination, Staff are wonderful, and can’t do enough! ❤️ I honestly believe though they are slipping, just my opinion! We just returned from a 29 day ocean cruise 2 weeks ago!
I'm in my mid 30's and love Viking. When someone asks me about cruising, I can't stop raving about what Viking offers. With that being said, I always ask people what their interests are when considering a cruise since every line has a different philosophy/interests. I have told some people that they would probably be better off going with a different cruise company because they were more interested in a bit of a party vibe, really good entertainment, and a more outgoing vibe. I'm the odd person, in that I'm not the average cruiser who loves the big cruise lines.
@@erics607 Was there a decent mix of ages or was everyone else in their 70's?
@@chrisprimavera7607 My last cruise over the summer last year, there were about 8 people 20-35 years old. Then maybe another 40ish people 36-45 years old. I would say about 70% of the passengers are 50 years or older, but some of the older people are young at heart.
Viking has been ranked number one in it's category now for a couple of years in a row for both Ocean and River cruises. They have found what works for a certain type of traveler and its why they have many repeat customers. It is definitely not a party atmosphere as on other cruise lines, although I've had some great evening entertainment on some of their river cruises and ocean cruises. In the end its about having a level of service that is above and beyond with everything included.
We've just completed our first Viking Ocean Cruise - Into the Midnight Sun in Norway, Scotland and England which was fantastic. We've previously traveled with Viking on European rivers, the Mississippi River, and the Great Lakes on their new expedition ship. Each cruise has been excellent in terms of service, food, the condition and comfort of the ship and our cabin, excursions, and entertainment. Viking is a well-oiled machine, and there are never any surprises or disappointments. I do agree with some of your criticisms. Regarding cost - it's expensive, but you really do "know before you go" what you'll spend, and there is absolutely no upsell once you're on board. I certainly do wish that they offered solo cabins and/or reduced-price solo rates. Yes, it's a more sedate experience than the "party ships", but we did have a few fun onboard experiences including the "Blue Nose" ceremony for crossing the Arctic Circle, "Dancing Under the Midnight Sun" in the pool area, and Fish -n-Chips night out by the pool when we were in Scotland. Torshavn was the place to be for those who wanted to whoop it up later in the evening. We often went there for a nightcap. Apparently, they keep up the entertainment until "closing" which is not a stated time, but when the last revelers finally give up for the night. Entertainment and other diversions were a bit sparse on the sea days. Shows in the theater with the very versatile group of 4 singers and the Viking Band were energetic and fun surprisingly varied. I don't miss the casino at all, and always actively avoided it on other ships. I absolutely LOVE their highly curated interesting library of books scattered throughout the public spaces. I read a few on each trip. I guess you could say that I'm the "thinking person" they cater to.
Off on our fourth V❤iking Ocean cruise next month and would agree with everything you said. Having experienced the bingo obsessed Norwegian cruise line with a photographer at every turn we will be sticking with Viking
I’m a devoted Viking cruiser, 5 Ocean & 1 River so far, with 2 more River & 1 Ocean already booked. Of course I’m their target demographic & enjoy the no kids/casinos/up-selling/formal attire vibe, & the Zen-like decor. There are many other cruise lines with floating amusement parks if that’s your style, so to each their own!
Cruising with Viking might not be for everyone, but with so many beautiful destinations out there I think it's worth it
I think Viking patrons are travelers first and cruisers second, which may also explain why they’re older. We’ve traveled on our own for years, all over the world, but at some point got tired of the work involved. Cruising is a nice and convenient way to see new places, and that’s it. I really only care about convenience, decent food, and the itinerary. Viking fills that niche nicely for us.
Spot on review….,bored to tears in the evening and we are in our late 70’s.
If you like knitting and crocheting in the evening this ship is for you.
I’ve been on 60 cruises in my lifetime and with the exception of the cooking class I was bored on sea days….sorry.
I prefer quieter surroundings when I travel solo. 54, retired, widowed and financially secure. Some day, I just might take a cruise. When I do, it will be one with the kind of cruise line that closely matches what you describe here in this video about Viking.
Hubby& I have taken 3 Viking cruises and we love them. We won’t cruise on any other line. The crew always knew our name and our preferences. The Antarctica cruise was really the best one. Our travel agent booked our cruises for us. We didn’t worry about payment as we just put down a partial payment and paid the last payment close to departure. We’d like to do an Alaskan cruise next.
Hello Fellow Viking Cruiser....we're going on a Norway/Viking ocean cruise next spring. By that time we would have 2 Viking river cruises under our belts. I received their (thick) Antarctic cruise brochure they mailed out. It looks interesting...although crossing the Drake Passage looks a bit rough. What was your experience(s)?
Our crossing of the Drake Passage was calm and lovely. I understand that it is usually not that way.
You were spot on when you indicated that you felt like you were one of the younger passengers on board!
Love your comment “I’m 65 and felt like the youngest”. I’m 70 and feel the same but have laugh my sister 62 is currently on Viking and most of her friends when they meet me think she is older. All about attitudes Stay young I plan too
Such an informative video, well worth viewing again.
Thank you Gary.
Thanks! Great to hear!
When I saw your previous reviews of Viking, I thought that it just didn't hit the mark for you personally. All the lines are targeting very different types of customers and Viking is very targeted indeed. For us, it was a 100% fit. We've just had a wonderful Alaskan tour with Viking on the Orion. It could not have been better. However, we know several of our friends who wouldn't like it as much. I think Viking's advertising really helps you understand if it's the one for you. Thank goodness for choice. Incidentally, I'm 58 and didn't really notice an age issue. I think age is just a number anyway. We mixed included trips, paid trips and going out on our own (often on the same day) and felt we really did get a true flavour of Alaska. You can reserve more restaurants when on board and slots came available through the journey.
You made some fair observations about Viking and I have done many Viking Ocean and River cruises. I think the age of passengers is increasing because there are so many repeat Viking passengers who are getting older with each booking. You also are spot on about the entertainment. Too much Abba and other old stuff. I also concur that some of the included tours are lacking and the booking system for excursions can be frustrating. However, I also had this issue on Silver Sea. What is nice is that as a US customer I secure a spot for a $25 deposit and not pay in full until 180 days before the cruise. We love Viking for many reasons. Overall value is one, beautiful ships, great food, no kids, smaller ships, virtually no smoking and no casinos. Unless both people on a cruise are moderate or heavy drinkers, I would not recommend the liquor package, Drinks are priced very reasonably on board.
Also US citizens here. Not our experience at all with regards to payment terms. We wanted to book the Christmas Markets river cruise for December 2025. Full payment required 14 MONTHS in advance. Unacceptable. We booked with Avalon instead.
It isn't cheap either.
@@brucefay5126 Has not been my experience with Viking..
@@brucefay5126 That was my experience as well. They're basically using your cash to fund their business, instead of borrowing money. I'm just not willing to do that, so I book elsewhere as well.
You are one stealthy journalist! I can see my back in this video, and my wife and my sister in law are in here too. I'm sure I would have recognized you if I'd encountered you, from watching your videos. I agree completely with all of your points about the cruise--the scenery and food were terrific, and the included daytrips were underwhelming, mostly because of how crowded the ports were. (Icy Straight Point was as touristy as everything else, but at least I enjoyed the show--came back with new respect for Raven.) Thanks for this!
Viking is excellent. Antarctica on Octantis was a once in a lifetime experience.
We took Orion to Alaska and the ship was superb, but if we do Alaska again, we will make sure to spend time in Denali.
We still need to catch a river cruise-hopefully next spring.
In Ketchikan we went on the included Viking tour of the totem poles and a few other things and we loved it, it was precisely what we wanted. We didn't go on any other included tours and I agree you have to be careful with them, but they are not all useless. "Panoramic" in the name means they drive you round in a coach and you look through the windows, avoid. We got on the luxury rail car for the White Pass railway and I can see why Gary wanted to get on it, that was a fantastic excursion. We got that by going to guest services the moment we boarded before we even went to our cabins, and there were two places available because some people had cancelled.
Just got off 2 weeks on Viking Sky, and your review is quite spot on. The Viking Band was geared towards the 75 and older crowd, kind of an updated version of Lawrence Welk! We did have a person that finished second on Britain's got Talent show, and he was quite good. Also, no sports on the TV. Important note, if you have done Viking River and not ocean, the included Ocean Tours were very basic, and only as good as the tour guide while the included tours on the river were all quite excellent. I would recommend booking your own tours if doing a Viking Ocean tour. Lastly, unless you are getting a Penthouse suite or better, there is literally no difference between the cabins, and regardless of what level cabin you book, everyone is treated with the highest level of service! (although I do recommend the beverage package, you get many different great wines at dinner and two drinks at Torshavn a night pays for the package.)
I can’t wait for your upcoming Explora Journeys cruise and your comparison with Viking, Oceania, Silversea etc. I have found Explora to be an astonishing value; I just booked a 10-day trip from Barcelona to Casablanca and the Canaries and back for $6500 US as a solo cruiser; HALF of what you spent on Viking. Plus they have a small casino, great food and a fun vibe (kids are allowed but on my one Explora cruise so far there were under 20 kids visible in the kids program plus a few infants/toddlers so not an issue). Thanks for the great video - I think Oceania might be more to my taste than Viking, but so far Explora is my favorite line!
I would also consider looking into SilverSea. It's a little pricier from what I have gathered, but there is more included than what Viking includes. It is ultra luxury compared to Viking's luxury label, and seems to be quite similar, but with less passengers. SilverSea is also the only cruise company allowed to go to my dream destination.
I recently saw one of these ships docking while I was in Funchal, and thought it looked absolutely beautiful. I wasn’t wrong - your shots from the interiors make these ships looks absolutely stunning!
On our two river cruises we immediately made friends with other passengers and filled up a big table at dinner. We traded stories about the day and learned about their fascinating lives and experiences. For lunch we would sit on the beautiful outside terrace or sit with people we didn’t know if weather was poor. Do not wait to be entertained, go meet people and have fun!
Viking can be summed up with one word - CLASS. We go on Viking because they don't have all the nonsense usually found on other lines. A cruise on Viking is meant to be an experience not a trip to a theme park. The ships are simply amazing and spotless. This is true for both the ocean and river journeys. You don't have to deal with screaming kids, the "dirty sneaker" drunks, or the mindless slobs that often infest other cruise lines. You pay more but get a premium experience. You are correct about the excursions, but going into the trip you factor in that expense. We find their tours to be good value for the most part and rarely have been disappointed. The service is superior as is the food. Thanks for a fair review of Viking and qualifying your comments with your tastes may be different than the Viking demographic. I think most Viking clients are loyal to the brand and really don't look elsewhere for a premium cruise experience. Lastly, there are plenty of unpublished incentives and deals that are available if you know what to ask and who to speak with. Upper level representatives often have the ability to offer fares not mentioned by the agent on the phone. It is always smart to ask for a better package when it comes to pricing.
While I agree with your comments this year’s first experience with Viking Ocean left me with one complaint: Since booking excursions and specialty restaurants depends on level of state room, this should be mentioned UPFRONT!! Had I known it would have changed my room selection. This is a MAJOR deficiency and does NOT maintain the Viking standard. In fact, it is fraudulent especially for those who are only familiar with Viking River cruises and chose Ocean because of that river experience. When Viking Rep called to wish a Bon Voyage I registered my displeasure. All to no avail. Whether I cruise Ocean again depends much on this upcoming Italy experience.
What a contemptible snob you come off as. I love Viking and cruise with them often - but I regret that I have to share my experience with such folk as yourself. You are not as good as you think you are.
What a contemptible comment. You are not as good as you think you are, and as a fellow Viking cruiser i am ashamed to be even tangentially associated with your level of elitism.
@@AS-rh7mg Proud to be the "elitist" who doesn't want screaming kids, nasty drunks, the smell of pot, and the slobs at the buffet. If this is your cup of tea go on a 3 day Carnival cruise and you'll have the time of your life.
@@garyjarvis2730 gross
Viking now does Great Lakes cruises and I contract for them as a local guide when they stop in Detroit. They seem very well organized as a company and the passengers I encounter are always very nice and curious about my city.
Me too. I love both the Viking River and Ocean. There is no up sale which is really refreshing. Contrary to most I love the sameness of layout. I know where to go as soon as I board ❤ There are lots of quiet places for me. And no specially restaurants to pay for-all are included in the price/ I love being able to go to the spa every day also
Thank you Gary for your straightforward assessment. You provide enough details to allow viewers to decide for themselves!
Australian folk generally pay $1,000 pp to hold the cruise. I don’t pay the final amount until 4 months out from the cruise … our fares always include the gratuities
I’ve just booked my third Viking ocean. I’m starting to wonder if I’ve done the right thing .. I love the ships , the food is ok for a vegetarian, staff amazing , libraries everywhere, happy with the included excursions , happy with the cabins. But for a month long cruise …. well I was abit bored .. I love a coffee in the LIVING room … it’s a lovely place to sit , people watch and read … but it’s abit of a joke to call itself the thinking man’s cruise … so a thinking man automatically means that you only like classical music ??🤷♀️🤷♀️.
I would have loved to have heard some contemporary soft music. Instead we only had a pianist … lovely girl but often made mistakes. And all classical. Followed by two ladies on STRINGS … only classical. Sounded like two cats squealing… so help me , I had to move.
The cruise director was a super fan of musical theatre. So all shows were songs from musicals. With him injecting himself into the shows or dancing up the back with his little entourage 🤷♀️
The nightclub opened late and we had had full days so that was a no.
Occasionally there was trivia upstairs in the explorers lounge - couldn’t get a seat. And in a month- two games of bago in the LIVING ROOM. That’s the extent of the entertainment..
As I said. Food - for me- was ok but unimaginative… and very poor in the specialty restaurants… even after MANY times advising them that I was coming and I was vegetarian..
I will definitely lower my expectations for the upcoming cruise .
Hoping that there are some friendlier guests on board too. Most people seemed more interested as to how educated you were … or how many cruises you’d been on.
Nordic spa is outstanding. I could live there.
Guest speakers mostly good but repetitive..
I’ll wait for the backlash 😂😂
We have been on two Viking cruises in the past year, Viking ocean Panama, Canal, crossing, which was outstanding, and octantis Antarctica cruise. I completely agree with your assessment, although we are not in it for the nightlife. However, in the United States, I have been able to book on my own with a $25 deposit, and then later turn it over to my travel agent who takes over the booking and then gets us, travel agent perks. We tried the Silver spirits package on Viking ocean and while it is a great deal compared with other cru ship drinks package, we could not drink enough to make it worthwhile. There is always beer and wine available after 11:30 AM when you string all the different Restaurants together
Thank you for the video. Not cheap but good things rarely ever are!
Your assessments align with my experiences with two Viking Ocean cruises in the last two years. Room, meals, service, and public spaces were excellent; entertainment and lectures were middling; and excursions were a mixed bag. We had mid-level cabins and discovered that many excursions and most specialty dining options were filled, which left us wondering what kinds of experience we would have. However, weeks later there were some cancellations.
This was one of the most thoughtful and self aware cruise reviews. Thanks for putting it together
You are 100% spot on which is why we enjoy your channel so much. One extra issue with Viking Ocean is that you can get blocked out of the “free” excursion without compensation. Happened to us on Viking around Italy. We were in a lower category and the “free” Venice excursion was booked out. They nicely told us that they were sorry but that was all we got.
Gary, we just love all of your videos. Thank you for the information. Also love the art on the wall behind you! ❤
An excellent review as usual, Gary!! Thank you !
Thank you for this video. I am definitely booking Viking Ocean next year ❤
We're taking a Viking river cruise starting in Amsterdam in August they say the food is great there too.
Very helpful (as always) Gary. Thanks.
We are Platinum Disney but, it appears with son in his 20's, moving on to other lines and searching.
Going on our 2nd NCL this Fall, this time in the Haven.
Great choices of itineraries and they get a "+++" dealing with my wife's food allergies & restrictions. Size and elevator transit was a negative last year, but we'll try again.
We considered Oceania, yes same company, on an ideal itinerary at the same time, but the Regatta class just seems a bit too small.
We''ll also try Virgin next Spring on a themed cruise that interests our son.
Your comments have helped as neither of us drink alcohol nor do we gamble.
Yes, love enrichments, but I love films too.
We have a couple-friends that LOVE Viking and I appreciate your perspective very much.
So, Gary, you didn’t want kids on your Alaska cruise, but arguably you were the kid on the ship, lol.
Thank you for a very thorough and honest report. I hope to take a Viking river cruise before I croak. It’s pleasing that although pricey, you’re not constantly being upsold additions.
BTW, I absolutely love “thinking, not drinking cruise.”😅
Thanks for this info- I do like the adult only aspect, but would find it dull from what I’ve seen in your video. Viking should offer solo cabins like NCL- I’m booked on the Viva next Summer 🛳️
Thank you for mentioning Norwegian cruises. I'm researching for a trip for next year travelling solo. I've only been on one cruise to "the Bahamas," well, one port, years ago. It was gifted to me so no research involved. Any other lines you recommend for solo travel? I'm thinking Mediterranean or Panama Canal
Garry, you have summed the Viking experience spot on. I've done 4 cruises with them and do feel that the age range is rather old even though I myself will be 70 this year. On my last southern altlantic crossing they quickly put together a friends of Dorothy meet and my partner and I met some great friends. However they were all of the same mind that things were rather staid and the players for the entertainment was too restrictive and based on the distant past. We are in a dilemma now, as we want something more energetic, but also quality, no kids, or water slides and no up sell .ì
Hi Gary
Do you have any plans to go on the new MSC luxury line- Explora Journeys cruises? Thanks
"Not what I expected" as your title confusingly says ! Well you have to figure Viking must be doing something right to keep winning so many awards year after year after year; and a good many of their cruises are completely sold out! On another note, I found the best way to book with Viking is to call them up (as I have done for our three Viking cruises) - they seem to have more favorable cabins and additional information than what their internet website shows! Hope I'm not giving away a secret! We enjoy the peace & quiet on their ships without the mobs we found on the large cruise lines!
Very helpful, Gary, Thank you!
My wife and I are Viking fans and past Viking World cruisers. I agree with many of your comments especially regarding the great food and the bit senior clientele. I found the entertainment on a world cruise was good as they would bring on guest entertainers every few ports to supplement the house entertainment. If you are looking for big shows, casinos and a high energy nightlife, perhaps Viking is not your best option. When considering excursions, the ports offering more active adventures; snorkeling hiking or venues best visited in small groups, we booked private/small group 3 rd party tours.
As much as I will consider Viking first for most cruise itineraries, they were not my first choice for Alaska. Princess practically own the Alaska route with their own hotels, Alaska train cars and other entertainment options along the route. Even when going on Princess owned Hollander America, we booked all of our port excursions with a third party to be sure we got what we wanted.
We are booked on a Baltic & British Isles cruise in 2025 and an Asia Far Eastern Horizon cruise in 2026.
I do love Viking Oceans. Everything I want in a cruise and nothing I don’t.
Eight Viking Ocean cruises logged & two more on the books. IMHO the pros outweigh the cons. The dignified relaxed atmosphere onboard is a refreshing change from the usual tacky hoopla found aboard American mass market lines. To not be subjected to the constant upsell is another plus. Perfect ship design & some of the fewer modern ships witn full wrap around promenade decks & exterior forward facing views. Then there is the food & service. Some crew I've sailed with from other VO cruises & they always remember my preferences. Viking could write the book on maritime hospitality.
I love the different art aboard each ship. Those bold striking paintings in The Restaurant aboard Orion are by Norwegian artist Kenneth Blom.
We were very tempted by Viking for a cruise in Thailand and Vietnam but we ended up going with Oceania as it had a much better itinerary with longer stays in better ports ending in Hong Kong. Oceania Riviera was superb. Food was outstanding. Even though the entertainment and activities are geared for an older crowd (I am not a huge fan of revue style shows) I felt there was a good balance with local performers joining the main entertainers and real mix such as fantastic street magician. They struct the right balance with enrichment talks and there were plenty of activities around the ship. I suspect very similar place in the market as Viking but looking at reviews and your videos, perhaps a slightly more rounded offer.
I love Viking. Took it last Dec. from Buenos Aires to Santiago solo and always had people to talk to and dinner with other passengers. I am going on Celebrity in Sept. with my husband from Boston round trip. The farthest it goes is to Quebec. We have been to all the ports except to Nova Scotia. Will see how Celebrity compares with Viking.
Thanks for your honest review. I'm in the US and they don't include gratuities in the far, but I wish they would. Does not make sense to have them be separate. I agree that the entertainment seems a bit old. I'm 68 and love much more of a variety in music.
Thermal Spa included is a big deal to a Spa Hound🤠
We have been on the Viking Sea, Viking Orion, Viking Mars and some river cruise ships. When we travelled on the Viking Sea the oldest of these ships it was looking a bit tired, the lifts were not working properly and it needed a bit of TLC. There is a slight difference in the cabins the Viking Mars has a drawer unit in the wardrobe which is absent in the older ships. I also found that the ships also catered more for the guests from the USA where Viking does most of its marketing. A fair revue. One thing is that I have never been over charged by Viking and if I had a problem they genuinely tried to sort it out which you cannot say about other cruise companies.
Thank you so much for this video. This would be our first cruise together, but I was on one in the early 90s. We had written off an Alaksan cruise due to the large number of children we've learned are typically on board and the usual lack of outdoor space, etc on the ships. Very happy to know that we can add Alaska back to our wishlist. We're in our 40s but Viking sounds like a pretty good fit for us overall. The decor is lovely. I'm generally not a fan of cruise ship decor. I'm curious how accessible the ship and the ports are for those who use a wheelchair part of the time? We're also looking to take the Viking ocean cruise that goes down the east coast of the United States. A video on that would be great too.
I have done two Viking cruises. One in China and the other from Miami to Barcelona. The China river ship was great, but unlike other Viking ships. The Miami to Barcelona ship was exactly as you described. I liked it a lot. The food was great, the service was exceptional, the ship was beautiful and the cabin was very comfortable. The bathroom was the best I have experienced on many cruises. There were only three shore excursions. The ones in Madeira and Barcelona were terrific. The one in Saint Martin was the worst I have ever experienced, entirely because of the horrible bus. I complained about it, and was amazed when the excursion crew came to me during the next outing and asked if I was happier. All things considered I would rather have a Holland America Signature Suite than a Viking cabin as they cost me about the same. The Holland America suite, balcony and bath are much grander, but you do have to deal with lots of kids on the cruise unless you plan carefully. Your review was spot on, as they always are. You offer entirely reliable advice to anyone over 60 who is considering a cruise.
Gary, in the US it ‘s $25.00 down and paid in full 6 months prior to embarkation. I’ve only done Silversea and Viking. Viking has the best service/crew I’ve ever experienced. We return this fall. The Restaurant is my favorite restaurant. Recently they opened restaurant reservations hours earlier than specified. They gave each couple (we’re traveling with a couple we met on a Viking River cruise) a $50 refund since our cruise is paid in full and we already have cruise credits. This fall, back to back Viking and Silversea cruises. Thank you for the videos. 🛳️😎🥂
First time cruisers have to pay in full earlier than 6 months prior. We booked 2.5 years before the cruise with the $25 deposit and the full amount was due about 2 years before the cruise. And I didn’t see this listed anywhere before we booked. 😐
@@NL4915 There’s no way I’m paying that much money 2.5 years in advance. Choose your itinerary, then choose your cruise line. I’ve only cruised Silversea and Viking. Also I have always booked directly with the cruise line.
@@MichaelKilby - technically it was only 2 years in advance? 🤷♀️ and we needed to book that far out to make sure we got the room we wanted. Once again, I’m pretty sure this is only for first time cruisers with Viking!
It looks lovely but no casino is a killer for me. I love an evening flutter.
Very interesting. I would be interested in what you think of the Viking Great Lakes Expedition cruises.
I found the Viking Star crew to be so good we doubled the tip they add to the bill.
We then went on the Viking Mars and the crew on that was so bad we decided to avoid Viking in the future (now going on Regent, Seaborn, etc.)
I was on Viking Star in 2018 and the staff and service on it were superb. I'm much less impressed with Viking Orion and Viking Sky. Somehow Viking Star is doing things better it seems.
Wifi worked well for me on Viking Orion in Alaska the cruise immediately before Gary. I didn't try VPNs, but I did stream a number of high resolution (1080p and 2160p) youtube videos to my iPad pro with no difficulty, much to my surprise since Viking say you can't use it for streaming. It was also very fast at syncing my photos from my mirrorless camera to the cloud for backup. Email, web browsing complex sites, google maps with satellite photos shown, everything worked far better than I was expecting and I'm usually the person complaining to guest services that the wifi isn't working well on other cruises.
We just booked our first Viking cruise , going to Scandinavia. We have mostly used Tauck so excited and also a little nervous about trying Viking.
auckis much better.
@@bigdchiWhy do you think Tauck is better? I tools a land tour and was impressed.
I am going on Regent Seven Seas and thought these two lines were similar, although Regent has casinos.
After doing a “big ship” Alaska cruise we are now doing a expedition type cruise where we get much more intimate with nature
Even with Viking it is a cruise to all of the tourist traps
Thanks for your always helpful and informative review. Not sure I have a reason to try Viking yet. Trying Oceania over Christmas and New Year.
Great video Gary, thank you!
Viking is definitely on my list to try as the look of the ships appeal to me. Whilst I love enrichment lectures and port talks I enjoy a lively fun evening too but at least I'm prepared now. I was interested in the point you made about the included excursions, I'd be wanting to do the more exciting things rather than a walk around town so I'd still end up paying extra.
We have taken three Viking ocean cruises, seven river cruises, and 12 Oceania cruises. We have one Viking River (Portugal), one on Oceania (up the west coast of Norway), and one Disney (with the grandkids) booked. We are also looking at a cruise on a Viking expedition ship.
We like them both. However, after your comment on Wi-Fi, I am glad we were on Oceania because I had 4 Zoom court appearances to do when on the Tokyo to Dubai cruise. Being early in the morning of the next day caused enough problems.
Thanks is much for this! After watching your video I took your advice and popped over to the one you did on Oceania. I think that is much more our style so will be booking that one. Again I really appreciate your analysis!
I have been on four Viking ocean. Not this itinerary. I most often do not do their paid excursions but book on my own with a service that guarantees you make it back on board in time.
We have travelled with Vikings several times as my husband loves them since we moved from Princess to Vikings in 2019. We have now travelled with them 4 times with the recent one on a 29 days cruise this last May. Everything you said Gary is spot on. The good and the not so good. I am not as keen on Vikings as my husband as I feel bored some times especially in the evening. The songs in the show are way too old and I started ended up not going. And as they split our 29 days cruise into four 7 days cruises, some of the shows were repeated. The excursions part is also 100 % correct. We paid for the not included excursions almost everyday throughout our cruise and it added a LOT to the already not so cheap cruise price. But besides these, the overall experience is good.
Oh thank goodness someone agrees with my thoughts. Especially in regards to the music. As the years go by … young people come onboard … they will prefer more contemporary offerings I’m sure
I had heard before the critique of production shows geared to parents of the older present crowd. I had never encountered a 21st century production….. UNTiL I saw “FANTASTIC JOURNEY” in the Caribbean Princess. OMG…. It’s worth while to go in one of these just to see this production show. When I say “my mouth just dropped”…. It really did!
On Viking Orion last year in Alaska. The food is unexpectable at this price point. Similar in quality to Royal Caribbean main dining room. Any time Viking tried to execute a more fancy dish, it usually fell short. Bars were under staffed, as was the pool deck wait staff. I frequently went to the bar myself to avoid a 20 min wait for staff, and even then there were not enough bartenders.
Ship was gorgeous. Staff friendly, Food is a failure at this price point.
Never been on a Viking cruise but based on my friend's multiple sailing, he has commented the same sentiment with respect to the food as you have. Reading the menu choices and observing the available food selections displayed in this video, I too would be disappointed in Viking. For the price you pay on Viking, I'd expect a higher quality of choices and better preparation of dishes.
@@Leo-lp4zh after watching a lot of cruise related videos talking about several cruise lines, it seems like almost every cruise line is struggling with having high level food. I feel like the pandemic really hurt a lot of industries hard, and they haven't all fully recovered yet to where the expectations were set.
@@erics607No disagreement with what you wrote. However, for the price premium you are paying for Viking compared to the mainstream lines, it would be reasonable to expect a better quality product that reflects the price difference. I can only speak for myself but I'd be annoyed with many of the food items in this video. To give you an example, at the 4:53-4:54 ,look at the fruits he is eating. Those are common everyday fruits you find at most mainstream lines. On a premium line, I'd expect something along the lines of papaya, mango, premium berries, apricots, etc. Look at 5:34 and 5:43. I'd expect better quality fries on his burger plate and regarding his bbq plate, the sides are too basic to be acceptable for a premium line. I don't expect gourmet food but surely better quality is not unreasonable. In the end regardless of the post COVID environment, if people are booking in large numbers on Viking, my food observations won't matter. I'll just have to skip Viking and try another premium line.
"Maybe they though tit was a little bit too silly, not thinking man enough". LOL!
We're doing our first Viking River cruise down the Danube in 2026, and I might book Viking Ocean once onboard. Great review!
You’ll love it! The Danube is a beautiful river. We just returned from a sailing from Budapest to Amsterdam a week ago. You’re not obligated to go on any of the included tours if you prefer not.
We have done 3 river and 8 ocean cruises with Viking. Have our 9th this October for 29 days. They do just what we want in a cruise line.
I so enjoy your work. Hopefully one day I may sail
I’ve been urged to go on a cruise by some friends. By way of research I’ve been watching a number of these videos and unfortunately they confirm my worst fears as to what a cruise is like. Not for me but for those who like them enjoy!
I'm older than you are and have led a pretty active life until injuries and aging slowed me down As I now live with a rebuilt right leg which included three bone grafts, there's no more foot races up through marathons, high performance sport bike motorcycle riding, , down hill skiing in the Rockies or helicopter gun ship piloting in war zones. Therefore, sea days offer a welcome respite as I have to avoid most walking shore excursions or long time standing in places like museums. Viking ocean cruises ticks all the right boxes for me as well as my spouse so our upcoming fourth one , 14 nights to the Panama Canal, is eagerly anticipated. I don't much care about the Central America ports, just the canal itself. And yes, we've sailed on two other lines.
Booking your own excursions is the way to go with VIking. They are cheaper and generally have smaller groups. The other thing about Viking is we enjoy it more traveling with friends. We go with 6-12 others and have a better time. We don't do everything together, but dine with some and play games and just sit around and talk.
Absolutely! I book the included excursions… last one for the day. Then private excursions earlier in the morning. Much cheaper. No worries about getting back late and missing the ship sailing
You give such great overviews considering different tastes and including if getting sleep was hard!! Now with costs going up you really want more of at least an idea if a cruiseline and ship class is for you...and if it is right for this or that trip with all needed caveats..just enjoy you so much...thank you.
oh one more comment… in both of our previous Viking Ocean cruises we got excellent deals that allowed us to book here in the US, once through a travel agent and the second time onboard, paying only $25 down at booking per person, the remainder payable in full 6 months before the cruise date. We booked each time more than a year prior to the cruise.
As usual, most enlightening Gary, thank you! The fare didn't seem to be high for a high end cruise line.
Thanks for watching. It is costly but as you say versus the ultra-luxury not as scary!
Viking U.S. generally runs promos which allow a small initial deposit (currently $25). They do make new customers pay the balance about 12 to 15 months before the cruise. Past guests can usually negotiate final payment about 6 to 7 months prior to the cruise.
Very interesting, but I think I'll stick to the bigger ships with more energy and more lively entertainment.
We were not impressed for the money
And that’s why we like Viking…quiet, luxurious, lots of open spaces…and no children.
@@maryfettig3378Curious what you found you did not get “for the money”.
I don't know how anyone has time to go to the shows. By the time we've been on an excursion with Viking and then had dinner, the shows are half way through and we're too tired anyway. Maybe everyone rushes to dinner at 5:30pm to be able to go to the shows but that's far too early for dinner for us. We've been on three Viking ocean cruises and not been to a single show and only a couple of enrichment talks. I don't know how people fit all this stuff in. We spend all day in the ports, isn't that what the cruise is about?
It may be different for those that book in the UK, but US bookings do not include gratuities. The suggested amount, which is automatically billed to your onboard account, is $17 per person per day. We plan to check out Viking Ocean next year as we've heard great things about them.
....and wheel chair races at noon after the naps!
Great review and very even handed Agree the lumberjack show should be included
The dogsled looked great as did the train
Alaska is amazing Would you do a train tour and would you include some of the Canadian side?
We took our first Viking Ocean cruise two years ago. It will be our last. We loved many aspects of the cruise from the beautiful ships, exemplary service and good food to the no child policy. But, for us the hype didn’t live up to the cost. The entertainment was mediocre at best. Most of the included excursions were underwhelming. And the WiFi was the slowest we have experienced in the last 10 years. Then you have their payment policy that helps finance their new ship building with interest free loans.
I’ll stick to longer / shoulder season cruises to dramatically reduce the number of children (although a few onboard is actually fine). Looks very elevated but that’s a hefty price tag even with the ‘extras’ included in the fare.
I figure most Viking sea and river cruises are about $500/day pp. for the excursions, great food, free beer and wine, interesting people and presentations, I can’t beat that on a land only trip. Not worried about the evening entertainment, as we tend to find a quiet spot with a bourbon and chat up people we just met.
In 2023 we sailed from Sydney to Bali (16 nights) and then 2 weeks later Hong Kong to Vancouver (37 nights). Whilst the Orion was a comfortable ship, we enjoyed the cruise and staff were excellent, there are two main areas that are definitely sub par and certainly NOT 5 star.
1. The food - we are not fussy eaters and we are normally happy with most food on most cruises. However, some of the food is just poor. Poorly cooked and just poor quality. For example the sandwiches at afternoon tea in the wintergarden are extremely dry and hence tasteless. This is because the cake and sandwich towers are constructed by the crew straight after lunch service ready for 4.00pm. The sandwiches then sit for 2-3 hours uncoveredin the air conditioning drying out. While i understsnd the workload of staff there must be a better way to keep the food fresh and tasty for serving.
The roasts (and other meats) in the buffet were always cooked rare, which is pointless when significant numbers of guests wanted medium or even well done and would need the servers to cook the meat in a frypan for longer to make it edible. This would be so easy to remedy with two roasts, one rare and the other medium yet they never did it.
The pizzas are boring, tasteless and have almost no toppings to make them better and they serve only four flavours- margherita, pepperoni, vegetarian and mushroom. They will not alter these, even on request.
The restaurant staff are brilliant and care about what they serve, but sometimes even they took food back (without being asked) because they knew it was not satisfactory to serve.
While there were some great dishes, especially at Manfredis, too much of the food was just not enjoyable or up to What Viking standards should be.
2. The internet and the live TV were terrible, especially when we were in port, with no service at all. Viking had just changed to starlink this was not at all successful.
Overall, Viking was not as good as you describe Gary and we were a bit disappointed in our cruises that cost so much.
Here’s something I bet you don’t know. The founder insists that the pianist play classical music from Norwegian composers for an hour each day. Everybody hates this music - the passengers, the crew, the pianist. But apparently it’s non negotiable.
That's a bit narrow-minded! Love Debussy!
I’ll stick with Seabourn thanks. That looked plain ‘dull’.
Five Viking trips. Never had problems with dining times. Show up, get in line, get seated. No making reservations. Only manfredi’s. But, we have showed up there and dined when we wanted.
We’re headed out to try out first transatlantic on Viking in December (66th cruise overall). I’m actually looking forward to the sea days after what I’m sure will be me running myself ragged in Barcelona. Our only other Viking ocean was the Med, which we’d already done with 2 other lines, and we enjoyed it. We’ve done 3 river - one good, one great, and one horrible - lol. We do really like the Viking product, but the cost is ouchy. One of your earlier videos was one that actually made up our minds to give them a try.
Did the Ft. Lauderdale to Barcelona last year. Other than chaotic delayed boarding due to a broken water line in our cabin and a near disaster lost luggage saga at our two night stay in Barcelona, we've booked them again. I didn't whine or complain, but they sent me a survey which I returned, resulting in a decent credit voucher toward a future cruise
@@coolbreeze253 were your two nights in Barcelona with Viking? We always go in ahead on our own. This time we’re basically sailing home, so we’re going early but heading home as soon as we disembark :)