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Needless to say, we couldn’t book our tour and spent 6 hours in a hotel conference room before our flight. The Owner's Suites, of which there is just one on each traditional Viking ocean vessel, are truly sprawling and impressive complexes that measure 1,448 square feet. They are true owner's suites in that they are used by Viking founder and chairman Torstein Hagen when he sails on the ships, and they feature some of his personal mementos, including family pictures.
Viking expedition ships
The entire main pool area is covered with a glass magrodome that can be opened on short notice on warm and sunny days — or closed if the ship encounters inclement weather. On the line's river ships, you'll also find onboard lectures, usually related to the destinations the ships are visiting, as well as destination-related demonstrations and tastings. (On a Seine River voyage, you might have a tasting of local French cheeses or French wines, for instance). All of Viking's oceangoing ships, which are much bigger than its river ships, have at least four and usually more outlets serving food of some sort. If you're looking for a big open room on an ocean cruise (and are willing to pay for it), Viking offers you plenty of options. Viking's ocean ships have a major presence in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, which the line considers its home turf.
The ultimate guide to Viking cruise ships and itineraries
We did purchase their package when we sailed their smaller ones. Passengers will also find finger sandwiches, scones and teas in the afternoon at the glass-topped Wintergarden lounge at the top of every vessel. What they are is eminently functional, with storage in all the right places, lots of outlets for charging your devices and lighting right where you need it. We love the reading lights built into the fabric headboards, which are in addition to the lamps on bedside tables. Bathrooms in Viking cabins are serene, modernist escapes with luxurious travertine-lined walls, Scandinavian-influenced wood-veneered vanities, shiny white sinks and chrome fixtures.
Walking on the promenade deck
Part of the appeal to Viking’s ocean-going cruises is the one free shore excursion offered in every port (like our St. Thomas tour) – something that all Viking Ocean Cruises shore excursion reviews note. Still, even on Viking's river ships, most cabins are balcony cabins. The other cruises we've been on have been very good to excellent excursions.
But while onboard Guest Services came through with a level of hospitality we hadn’t found on other cruise lines. A big thank you to guest services for hosting an impromptu gathering of participants from Cruise Critic. We enjoyed drinks and appetizers in the 8th floor Explorers’ Lounge as we met offline for the first time. Other unique public spaces include the ‘Living Room,’ a three-story elegant atrium where you’ll find games, puzzles, and cozy corners to sit while enjoying performances by Viking’s musicians. The Explorers’ Lounge and Torshavn are the focus for evening cocktails, music, and conversation. There are outside terraces for watching the world go by and a sports deck for shuffleboard enthusiasts.
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Note that Viking river ships do not have fitness centers, which is relatively unusual for river ships. Viking has long argued that few of its customers use fitness centers and the space that would be devoted to one is better used for other things. However, if you're fitness-obsessed, Viking river ships may not be the best choice for your river trip. The number of restaurants and other dining options that you'll find on Viking ships will vary greatly depending on whether you are sailing on an ocean or a river ship. Other little touches in Viking cabins that show a line thinking about functionality as much as decor include the large and clear lettering on the Freyja toiletries that you'll find in every Viking cabin bathroom.
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We have booked our own transportation so, hopefully, we will have no problems. Thanks again for taking the time to write such a thorough review. Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Rates are in USD and valid for US and Canadian residents only. When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. This evening dress code is not enforced at the casual World Cafe eateries on Viking ocean ships, where passengers can go even more casual in the evenings.
Carry-on drinks policy
Purchasing the Silver Spirits beverage package for $25 per person per night affords the guest upgraded wines, beers, and unlimited cocktails and spirits. As this was our first Viking cruise, we decided to test the value of the package. We enjoyed the included wine and beer, but also ordered cocktails or an evening aperitif as we desired. In the end our bill was $174.50, far less than the $600 the Silver Spirits package would have cost. We’re moderate drinkers on vacation but I think the liberal pours over dinner kept our costs low.
Viking Sea review: Cabins
We rank Viking up there with Silversea, different in some ways, but high end and very enjoyable. Viking needs to rebrand this restaurant and make it a more high end offering with better dishes. We are leaving Viking Orion in an hr to fly home from Bermuda.
But at the end of the day, Viking has carved out a massive niche with their small-ship (930 passengers) sailing vessels that folks have come to trust and adore. Yes, the Viking loyalty program is called Viking Explorer Society. You’ll be enrolled automatically after your first Viking cruise.
There's an adjacent pantry that can be used by staff serving room service or catering hosted events. Among other personal touches related to Hagen, the company founder, are book, wine and music collections that he curated for the rooms. Each of the Explorer Suites is a two-room complex with a well-appointed living and dining area complete with a table that seats four people. Very large master bathrooms feature a double-sink vanity, a spacious glass-enclosed shower and a bathtub (something you won't find in any of the lesser cabin categories on the vessels). If you do decide to try Viking again, I recommend picking the walking tour ones. The included walking tours that I took in Iceland and Norway were very informative.
It will probably come down to itineraries, estimates of shore excursion vs. shuttle bus costs, number of sea days, and whether or not airfare is free. I wish that all cruise lines would list an estimated cost for their shore excursions on their websites as that would help greatly. You'll also find musicians including pianists and guitar players performing at times in the Viking Living Room — a three-deck-high, atrium-like space at the center of the ship. Filled with comfortable seating areas and home to a bar, the Viking Living Room serves as a central meeting point for passengers throughout the day and night.
(The company was founded by a Norwegian family.) It's also a big player in the Mediterranean. You'll find Viking's ocean ships in other key cruise destinations as well, such as Alaska, the Caribbean and Panama Canal, Canada and New England, South America, Asia and Australia. The line's ocean ships can be found in nearly every ocean and sea around the world, from North America to Europe and Asia. Our review of Viking Ocean Cruises comes after perhaps four years since we last sailed on one of their ocean ships. This type of room comes with 3 priority reservations at each alternative restaurant, priority shore excursion reservations, and priority spa reservations.
We're booked for Viking Sea in January 2022 in the Caribbean and on the Orion for Alaska. We had the penthouse veranda suite which was a well proportioned 320 or so sq. We’re fans too, and look forward to our next Viking ocean cruise. In Old San Juan (our last port of call), we’re surprised the colonial buildings, shops and restaurants look in such good shape – here, you’d hardly know Puerto Rico was very badly hit by Hurricane Irma in 2017. “We offer our guests the thinking man’s cruise, not the drinking man’s cruise,” Torstein has said.
Note that the credits mentioned above cannot always be combined with promotions the line offers. A secondary pool area with an infinity pool is at the back of each of the ships. In keeping with Viking's focus on cultural immersion, lecturers often have expertise related to the places you'll be visiting on your sailing. The line also draws a wide range of interesting and accomplished people from all walks of life to serve as guest lecturers, including well-known academics, diplomats and even astronauts. In general, it's an educated crowd, with many passengers coming from professional backgrounds or a life of running their own businesses. You'll find everything from eight-day cruises in the Mediterranean to 138-day around-the-world voyages among the line's voyages.
A large number of people have cruised Viking's riverboats in Europe, prompting their curiosity about the ocean product. Viking Cruises has garnered a slew of awards over the years for its ocean ships – from “#1 Ocean Cruise Line” (by Travel + Leisure readers) to “Best Overall Ship” (Cruise Critic annual cruisers’ choice awards). There’s no extra charge either for the specialty restaurants or to use the Nordic Spa (complete with hydrotherapy mineral pools, steam room and “snow grotto”). Some guests laze by the central main pool, which has a glass retractable roof.
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