Viking Ocean Cruises

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Viking Star

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Wonderful ports, staff, with a few weaknesses thrown in.

St. Thomas

This was my second Viking Ocean cruise so obviously I liked my first one. For reference, I would classify Viking as perhaps a rung below lines like Silversea and Regent, but above Oceania or Celebrity. This was my first visit to this part of the world, and generally it was an excellent cruise with a few hiccups here and there. I probably preferred my first Viking cruise to this one for a few reasons, some of which were out of Vikings control. One was bad weather, as high winds forced us to miss Hobart, which was a disappointment for us although Viking did try to make it up by getting us into Melbourne a half day early. 

Another was that for most of the ports on this cruise, we were stuck in a very industrial port which we were not allowed to just walk off the ship from. We had to take shuttles into town. One of my complaints with Viking is that we didn't have much time in many of the ports. In Napier, for example, we were only docked from noon to 6pm. For some reason, unlike every other cruise I've been on, Viking requires passengers to be back on board the ship an hour before departure. I guess too many people come back late. But given that the last shuttle back leaves 30 minutes before we have to be back, it means that for a 6pm departure the last shuttle leaves town at 4:30. That reduces time in some ports by 25%. It felt very rushed at times. 

Lots of reviews have gotten into details about the ship so I won't dwell on the design, etc. It definitely caters to an older crowd, we were one of the younger couples at 63. Service is outstanding in all departments, and the ship rarely felt crowded except at certain meal times. 

I felt that the food on board was generally good but a bit inconsistent and unvaried. It wasn't as high end as, say, Silversea or Oceania. The vegetables selection was bland and overcooked. A lot of the seafood was previously frozen. 

We ate twice at Chef's Table and enjoyed both meals, both asian themed, and really enjoyed Manfredi's. We dined there three times. Even if you weren't able to get a reservation before cruising, you can probably get a table the day of by either asking in the morning or just showing up. It seemed half empty some nights even though it was supposedly sold out. 

Given that the ship is small, the onboard entertainment is fairly basic. The Viking band was very good and the solo artists playing around the ship were quite good. We enjoyed the Johnny Cash singer and the Maori dancers they brought on board. 

Viking did a nice job with the Port Talks which you could attend in person or watch from your room later that evening. It's also great that anyone can use the spa facilities like the thermapool or steam rooms without having to book a treatment.

As for the free shore excursions, we only did two, neither were very good. Our previous Viking cruise had more walking tours of the city, but this cruise there were mostly bus tours that didn't appeal perhaps because we are younger than most passengers. So we usually just took the shuttle into town and did our own exploring. We did enjoy our paid excursion to the Blue Mountains. 

Overall I would recommend Viking as they do a lot of things well and service is excellent.

A nice cruise on a nice ship

We enjoyed ourselves immensely. The service on board was uniformly excellent and the entertainment was superb. We had a spacious suite and a very attentive cabin staff. The meals in the specialty restaurants were excellent and inspiring and we were able to invite our friends to share the table with us on many occasions.

The shore excursions were a mixed bag. Some had excellent tour guides who were both knowledgeable and had interesting local knowledge. Others were a waste of time and money involving long hours on a bus with guides who were little more than bus drivers and very poor food when we stopped to take a break.

The entertainment in the evening was excellent though we were appalled at how many people went to the theater and coughed incessantly without the courtesy of wearing a mask. We felt that the Viking staff should have asked people who were obviously sick to respect the health of others and wear a mask in public spaces especially when they were coughing.

Excellent trip - well worth it

HUGE Fan of Ocean cruising - however the older I get, the smaller the ship! I do not want to travel with children , (will take grandkids on Disney and love kids there), appreciate a contemporary ship with quiet elegence,, do NOT like snobbery, expect decent food, expect excellent service, friendly staff and my choice for paying extra for a beverage package. I also want an excursion at every port, and expect a variety of enhanced excursions for a price. After 45+ cruises, expeditions, and river , I do not want to play dress up- but appreciate business or resort casual. Entertainment is subjective, and Viking offers  a nice variety.  Lecturers are plentiful - albeit very dry ( except Dr. Alan the astronomy / science lecturer).  

Viking Ocean  fills these requirements

Many choices for dining - food is good , but not GREAT,  except Chef's Table is truly excellent. Cooking classes in sea days are an on ship excursion that you must ask for atguest services.The price is $60-70 per persn , but if you have a fun group it is an great daytime activity. Wine  and liquor tasting activities are educational and a great activity to pass th time, again you must inquire at guest  services- they fill up fast and sell out! 

This Ocean ship clientelle dresses according to the local - I assume since our voyage was Sydney to Auckland, which are casual local, that is why the passengers were VERY casual so - leave your cocktail casual at home!

VERY casual  cruise with multiple options for Activity on shore and/or simple relaxation

It was easily the best vacation we have ever had.  The staff and crew all treated us like royalty.  The entertainment was second to none and the enhancement lectures were very educational. The daily excursions were nicely supported by onboard resident historians that enhanced each port of call.

The entertainment was nothing short of spectacular.  From the 4 singers to the 4 members of the band all complemented one another very well.  We were also very impressed with Chanel, the solo guitarist whose vocals were equally impressive.

Cruise director Aaron was not only informative but was very funny in his delivery.  It. Just added so much to the whole experience.  

Aaron is also very talented.  We were very impressed by his singing ability and ability to play the drums such a talented individual.  Assistant Cruise Director Harry is also very talented and exhibited his abilities in an evening performance.  

Finally the excursions were great and very informative in each port of call.

Best vacation ever!

The Viking Orion ship is beautiful and peaceful and provided a luxurious background for our visits to ports in Australia and New Zealand. We added the 3-day Sydney extention and arrived on New Year's Eve. Without prior planning, it's not possible to secure a spot to view the fireworks over the bridge and opera house. But we were delighted that we could see the fireworks in the sky from our hotel room. The Mariott at Circular Quay is a nice hotel with a sumptuous breakfast buffet included. It's walkable to the harbor and the heart of downtown. The transfer of our luggage from the hotel to the ship was very disorganized and the worst part of the trip. Everything else went smoothly. We took most of the included excursions and a couple of the additional ones. All of that was well organized and most of the guides were terrific. But getting a bad guide, which we did a couple of times, can ruin the experience. One of our port stops, Melbourne, was changed in advance of the trip to Geelong, which was forgettable. Highlights included the Blue Mountains and the Tasmanian devil wildlife refuge in Australia, the majestic beauty of everywhere in New Zealand, tours of the prison compounds, and demonstrations of Maori dancing. Our stateroom was roomy and comfortable, with plenty of space for us to unpack and store everything we brought with room left over. Laundromats were convenient and easy to use but very busy! The food onboard was delicious and all the service was excellent. Our favorite place to eat was The Restaurant, which is a fine dining experience and no reservations needed. Overall the ship never seemed crowded. The passengers dressed very casually, even for dinner. Many people wore jeans, even though Viking asks you not to. No one was challenged about their clothing choices. There is not a lot of entertainment on board, and on sea days, most people napped, read, or played games.

A Beautiful Voyage

It’s hard to pick the best part of our experience. The scenery was amazing and the port stops were a mix of off the beaten track and must sees. However, that’s not the reason you book with Viking. The reason you book with them is because everyone working on the crew has worked with Viking for years. This is so uncommon for cruise ships. Usually people burn out after months. The cleanliness and quality food on the boat really goes to show how Viking puts the money where it matters in creating a health environment for everyone, staff and guests included. With employees who have returned year after year, you get the best quality of customer service. They go beyond nice and are genuinely empathetic. We witnessed many moments of true kindness from the staff. The one comment I would make, if you are younger than 60, you may want to book your own tours for some of the excursions. The Viking tours cater to a crowd that is losing their mobility which is great for them but for us was just too much time on a bus.

Fantastic Voyage with an even better crew!

Honesty upfront...I did not choose this cruise. My 82 year old Dad did but ill health prevented him from going so Viking kindly allowed my Husband and I to substitute.

At 55, the passenger demographic (more like 75-85) was too old for us and the activity level for the included excursions was too sedate BUT, for older and/or less mobile people, this cruise would be perfect.

The ship is beautiful. I only have one criticism and that is that the flagship planetarium was out of action. Disappointing.

There were 4 lecturers on board who all gave various interesting lectures. There was also Hathi yoga which we enjoyed (classes were every second day @USD$10 pp per class). The food was very, very good (Manfredi's, Italian, was fabulous!!) and there was plenty of lovely, lounge areas to sit, listen to live music, read, chat, play games...

The cabins were lovely and the bathroom was a good size including a heated floor (a first for us!) and a decent-sized shower.

The crew were very friendly and helpful.

As for the ports, this is not a trip for someone who wants to "see" Australia. Our voyage was overnight in Sydney, Geelong and Hobart. The Sydney part was fine - passengers could always have added on days before the cruise started and cruising under the Harbour Bridge and out of Sydney Harbour is a bucket list treat! Hobart was probably fine too but Geelong (which was originally meant to be Melbourne) was a poor substitute for Melbourne. I am a Melburnian so it didn't affect me - we had a lovely trip to Queenscliff and a wander around Geelong. There is nothing wrong with Geelong but it is a country town and Melbourne is a metropolitan city. Also, there is so much more to see in Australia than Sydney, Geelong and Hobart.

Anyway, enough with the negatives. The NZ part of the voyage was very good for an East Coast trip. All the ports had plenty to see and there were lots of excursions to choose from or you could tour independently.

Included excursions were all coach tours. Sometimes, there were museum stops. We did a few of the included excursions and always enjoyed the drivers' narration. The museums were excellent too and, if there was an admission fee, this was covered by Viking.

Last but not least, there are two pools onboard. The bigger one has a retractable roof and the smaller one (aft) is an Infinity pool. We used both but especially loved the Infinity pool.

All in all, a great trip but definitely better if you are older and/or less mobile.

Lovely ship and a good overview of New Zealand's East Coast

We've always wanted to visit Australia and New Zealand and this cruise offered stops in cities in Australia (3 days) and several locations in New Zealand (the remaining days, not including 4 sailing days). 

We'd had great experiences with prior Viking river cruises, but this was our first ocean cruise. The overall quality of the cruise experience was excellent. The cruise was well organized. Our stateroom was very comfortable, and the ship's staff was incredibly attentive and helpful. A lot of good food options on board (but be warned that “business casual” attire is required at the restaurants – no blue jeans allowed).  

Two main reasons for our rating. The first is that there was too little time on shore and too much time on the ship. This seems to be a common complaint about ocean cruises and is not necessarily specific to this cruise. At most stops, we'd disembark around 9am and had to be back on the ship by 4pm, or earlier in some cases.

The second was that about two weeks before our departure, we received a terse email stating that the ship would not be stopping in Melbourne "for operational reasons" and instead would dock at Geelong. We had planned to spend the day in Melbourne exploring on our own, so this was a major disappointment. We called customer service, and they were uncharacteristically unhelpful. We asked about rescheduling but were told this change was not sufficient cause to do so. They told us we could take a train to/from Geelong (1 hour each way), but we’d be on our own in terms of making all arrangements to get to/from the ship. We decided to opt for the one excursion to Melbourne offered, which (net of 3 hours of travel time) only had 3 brief stops with about 90 minutes of free time for lunch. Not great.  

A final minor complaint. We ordered many martini's while on board, and they always were served with really bad olives. Would seem Viking could afford to stock their bars with better olives.

More New Zealand than Australia

This is our first time in a Viking Ocean Cruise and the experience was amazing. First, the number of passenger is not too big (less than 1000) which makes the trip more enjoyable. No lines in the buffet, no crowd in the major areas.The meal is outstanding in quality and variety. The staff is very nice and professional. The shows in the theater are excellent. There are shore excursions included in the price in every ports. The cabins are spacious and comfortables. There are mini fridge which are replenished daily at no extra cost. Wine is included in lunch and dinner. Spirits and bottles of wine are allowed to bring to the ship without a corkage. There is a variety of  entertainments. On January 1st it was offered a delicious brunch including all imaginable type of meals. The thermal section of the Spa including sauna, steam room, hydrotherapy, and cold room are included in the cruise price. In summary, it was a unique experience.

Great voyage in a great ship

I choose this cruise because of a good offer provided for it two years earlier and due to the good reviews Viking had been receiving. In addition to the the cruise, I  signed up for the pre- and post-cruise packages. It turned out the excursion included in the pre-cruise package was a duplicate of one I already signed up for after boarding the ship, so I paid out of pocket for my own pre-excursion--wish this info had been clearer so I could had picked a different onboard experience.

The air conditioning in my cabin was set to  COLD regardless of how I adjusted it. I had to warm my clothes on the heated towel rack and dress in the bathroom to stay warm, or get under all my blankets, not just the throw provided. I reported it once with no response. Finally, on the last night I couldn't stand the cold any longer and asked again that HEAT be aded to my cabin, which miraculously it finally was. 

I would also ask for cream with my coffee as only milk was provided on the table. By time the server would finally arrive with the cream my coffee, which seemed to take forever, would be cold. Then I would have to ask for a whole new cup of hot coffee. Plus, my request for cream was most often met with a look of disdain. I don't think this was an unreasonable request. 

I went on this trip with a friend and found that the served often explained the menu items facing her so that I could barely hear them. This happened with regulatory. I finally had to tell the server he/she needed to speak to me as well. I felt as if I was invisible. 

 

Unhappy with two of four meal at the Chefs Table. I can cook better pasta than at Manfredi's. In general, the speciality restaurants are overrated. 

Boarder Security in Hobart was a disaster. It was the first port city out of New Zeeland and into Australia. Lines were long and slow, many people didn't have the energy to do the excursions after the experience. 

After disembarking in Sydney, we had to wait in a large room from approximately 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. to gain acces to our rooms. Hardly what I would consider Viking quality.  No info on things to do, etc. Sealed the deal to never cruise with Viking again, early access to rooms should have been guaranteed.

Disappointed, Won't Sail Again

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