Viking Ocean Cruises

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Viking Star

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Viking Saturn

If I could rate Viking with a 10 star review, I would. We were on the 30 day Australia, Indonesia, Asia leg of the Ultimate World Cruise. When we signed up for the cruise we were worried about wildfires, volcanoes, and possible riots in Hong Kong. Who would have thought we would be faced with the Coronavirus outbreak? The itinerary we signed up for was definitely not the one we took. The ports pretty much changed on a daily basis with our original disembarkation in Hong Kong, being moved to Singapore, and finally Bali. Because we needed to bypass China and Malaysia, we spent 22 days in various parts of Australia, visiting some very interesting added ports. We even sailed to New Caladonia. 

The crew were short handed as many were not allowed to board in Sydney because of the regions they had came from, but the service was still excellent throughout the cruise. When we got to Indonesia things really changed, as we were not allowed to dock in Surabaya or Samarang because of a rumor that we had coronavirus passengers on board. We were also turned away from Bali for a day because of the same rumor, and then it all became political between the Indonesian countries. We had our temperatures checked in Komodo, Samarang, and Bali. Al three times everyone on board, including crew were deemed healthy, no fever. An executive from Switzerland flew out to negotiate with the Indonesian government in Bali, and we were finally allowed to dock in Bali for a day of tours and disembarkation. Who knows what that negotiation cost Viking, I am sure they paid dearly.

The main reason for the 10 star review was how well Viking went far beyond anything we could have expected to keep us safe and healthy. Our original air itinerary was changed 4 times, everytime with the intention of keeping us safe and out of Asian airports, thanks to the  wonderful and capable people in Guest Services. Our Cruise Director, Beven, was remarkable. He dealt with the whole situation with humor, transparency, and an ability to keep us all feeling safe and calm throughout all of the uncertainty. We were all in the same boat, so to speak. We were always kept informed as to what was happening whenever staff knew. 

The real downside was the flight from Bali, to Dubai, then home to San Francisco, 35 hours total, but again, to keep us safe. Since our flight left at midnight Viking put us up ia a lovely beach resort for the day, including a nice room and meals.

We met some amazing people onboard and everyone seemed to interact more openly with each other because of our shared situation, which was really nice. We almost cancelled the trip last minute, but we are really glad we didn't, as we had a great time overall.

This was our 5th Viking cruise and the entertainment was by far the best we have ever had.

The talent, from the singers and dancers to the cruise director, and the asst. cruise director were extraordinary.

The excursions were not the best, but with the constant change in itinerary, Viking did their best with last minute arrangements. 

The food was varied and very good. They had to be creative, as provisions were sometimes delayed because of the port changes.

We were also nicely compensated with a very generous future cruise allowance. Overall, we are again greatly impressed with Viking and their regard towards safety for all of the passengers onboard. We felt much safer from the Coronavirus on board the ship than we feel being back in the  US.

As the Captain reminded us daily, WASH, WASH, WASH, and take care of each other.

Thank you Viking Cruises!

Magical Mystery Cruise

Hong Kong

We are experienced cruisers, having done a Viking Ocean in 2018 (Rome to Lisbon on the Viking Sun), a Viking river cruise in 2015  (Budapest to Amsterdam) and since 1990,, 5 other cruises on Carnival, Princess and Holland America.  Each of those ships were 1500 to 2000 passengers.

On this cruise we arrived in LA a day early and met with several others who had set up the meeting through Cruise Critic.

Our ship came in and docked close to our hotel, and after embarkation we left the ship to do a museum tour of the USS Iowa, a great Battleship permanently docked within a 10 minute walk.  

Our first 7 days of this cruise were at sea, as we made our way to Nuku Hiva, in the Marquesa Islands.  None of our previous cruising had prepared us for the delights of several back to back days at sea.  The weather was good, with a couple of lumpy days, and the activities on board were enough to keep busy. So much to do  that you would need to go out of your way to get bored.

We especially liked the musical entertainment,  As Roger McGuinn, front man for THE BYRDS was aboard, and had a very good set of shows , starting with "Mr. Tambourine Man"  a autobiographical walk down memory lane for our age group, and others that he presented later in the cruise.  Also on board for a shorter journey was Louis Shelton,  Lead guitarist of THE WRECKING CREW.  He did a few shows that also took our age group down memory lane.  In addition to those headliners, there were several younger musicians, all very accomplished, who put on great shows.  And not least were the Viking vocalists, starting with our Cruise Director.  

There were also intellectual talks, put on by several lecturers well versed on the history of the south Pacific, the anthropology and the culture.  All were the best I have encountered on any cruises.

Service was superb at all times.  After meeting some of the bar staff on the beach in Nuku Hiva, we got to know some of them  far better than had been the case on any other ship.  They all strive to give the best possible service at all times.

Dining was excellent. In the "Chef's Table" restaurant, I had the best meal I have ever eaten.  Manfredi's restaurant was also very good, as was the main Dining Room.   Several times on the voyage a special meal was set up in one of the 7th level areas, and those were excellent as well.

Ports and Shore excursions became challenging for the crew to set up once the weather prevented us getting to the Cook Islands.  We got to Tonga early and a hastily assembled set of guides was not up to the task.  Tonga is a very poor country, doesn't have much to attract cruise ships, so perhaps was not the best choice of destination.  Fiji, was also disappointing.  Our tour took us through many very poor areas of Suva, and though we still enjoyed getting to see Suva, I won't be going back to Fiji.  All of the other shore excursions were excellent.  We did a small bus tour to Rotorua that was a delight.  We had front row seats at a Maori cultural display after touring the Geysers while they were quite active.  New Zealand will likely get us going back.

By restriction, passage to over 18s, not having a Casino, and having only a very few smokers on board, Viking has captured the essence of great cruising.

Overall, this cruise exceeded our expectations by a mile.  Time to start saving for the next one.

A Fabulous Cruise!

Liverpool

We chose this cruise to be away over Christmas and New Year and because we wanted to explore more of South America.  It was nice to have four full weeks rather than rushing through two weeks.  We arrived early in Valparaiso and enjoyed spending some time in this colourful town.  The Viking Sun, which is identical to its sister ships, was once again a haven of understated comfort and elegance.  Although smaller than many ships the Viking ships never appear crowded, there is never a mass of people even around the central pool and there is always a quiet spot to sit and read or watch the world (and the dolphins) go by.  The ship is pristine and gleams showing the obvious attention to detail and cleanliness.  Although decorated for Christmas they did not go overboard with garish decorations and instead focused on keeping the ambiance soft and gentle.  Of course that gentle calmness went out the window New Years Eve when we had a blast of a party, fortunately at sea where no one could hear us.  Best New Year ever.  This was followed by an amazing New Years Day buffet which served every kind of food imaginable.  The king crab legs were awesome.  The gym on board has excellent equipment and of course a great sea level view. This was one leg of a record breaking world cruise so some passengers had been on quite a while and as a result the relationship between passengers and crew was definitely different.  The crew are so nice, always smiling, always helpful but because of the longer time spent with passengers they became almost friends while maintaining a respectful regard.  I have scored the entertainment a little less than perfect simply because although the artists were good there is in my mind need for a little more variety rather than always singers.  The local performers brought on board were excellent.  The guest lecturers were very interesting, particularly the naturalist and the Astronaut.  We did run into disappointment on one of the excursions but Viking handled the situation well.  Looking forward to our next cruise with Viking.

All fun on the western coast

This is the second Viking Ocean Cruise for us..  We have cruised over 100 times on various lines.   The word we like to use for our Viking Ocean Cruise is "seamless".  From the time of booking there is no detail that was not perfectly performed by Viking:  air arrangements and transfers, embarkation procedures, room accommodations, menu choices and meals, hospitality desk assistance, room stewards, dining/beverage servers, visibility and friendliness of officers, shore excursions and shore excursion staff, gym/spa facilities, comfortable and inviting public spaces around the ship and the quality of on-board lectures.   

We are early risers and early to bed meaning we usually do not attend evening entertainment.  

The quality of the included shore excursions was appreciated and the guides were excellent!

We are still managing business transactions and appreciated the WiFi and can't say enough how important that is to us.  The hospitality desk was so helpful in helping us.  Thank you!

The itinerary was over the winter holiday season.  I was so looking forward to having a slice of Stollen with my morning coffee.  I did not see it at the Living Room coffee bar or at the World Café.  I asked if Stollen was ever on the menu and to my absolute delight and surprise I was personally  presented with a superb loaf of Stollen by the head pastry chef himself!  WOW!!!   

In talking with other passengers during the cruise we were pleased to hear affirmations of our same positive thoughts and experiences. There is never a doubt we will thoroughly enjoy whatever itinerary we choose to sail and we are looking forward for our next opportunity to book another Viking Ocean cruise!  Thank you Viking for your excellent ships and crew!

Seamless travel on Viking Ocean Cruises

The staff was excellent - from the captain to the housekeeping gals & guys. Each and every one was willing to do whatever was needed for the guests. Our cruise director (Vicki Van Tassel) was the best!  She made every event memorable.  The Viking Sun is elegant - lots of beautiful wood & leather furniture plus floor-ceiling windows in most common areas.  The Sun never felt crowded.  You could always find a spot to relax with friends or a book.  The spa is amazing and never crowded. The lecturers were all very informative and not at all boring!  Really liked that the lectures were all available to watch on TV in case we missed them. We both enjoyed the entertainment and we attended all but 3 performances.  The food in the dining room and the specialty restaurants was excellent.  The pool grill was especially good and even the buffet was well above average.  The celebrations for Christmas & New Years were over-the-top and far above our expectations (and any past experience on larger ships).  We enjoyed all of the ports as they were new experiences for us.  In each port (except 1) we did the included excursions.  Only one was below our expectations.  This was a segment of the 245 day Ultimate World Cruise.

Best cruise experience we've ever had!

The Viking Sun is a beautiful ship with luxury amenities. Staff is very friendly and will strive to meet any requests. The food is very good (we did have some bad experiences at Chef’s Table) and menus are varied with top quality ingredients. 

The spa and fitness center were far above our expectations. The size was impressive and robes, sandals, extras provided. The spa hot tub was massive and the snow room quite a surprise. Lots of exercise equipment.

Included shore excursions were usually very good. Unfortunately, in several cases the transportation time was so long our time at the destination was very short. Not enough time to enjoy the location or shop. We did several extra excursions, 2 were great, 1 was terrible. We noted our disappointment and Viking removed the fee. They do an excellent job organizing the tours providing water, modern, clean buses, and guides proficient in English. Always had a red carpet, tent, and plentiful staff at disembarkation. Often had staff in the main town to assist.

The included wine and beer during meals was very generous. The quality was good and a specific type of wine could be requested (merlot, moscato, etc.). We were surprised that no type of limit was imposed and waiters frequently asked about refills.

Entertainment was generally very good. Besides the larger productions there was a guitar player/singer, 4 piece band, and stringed duo that played in various locations on the ship. The music was almost exclusively from the 60’s and 70’s which became too repetitive so we stopped going to the shows. Even the room radio stations were stuck in this time warp.

A printed newsletter was delivered to the state room every evening that listed all the coming day’s activities, weather, exchange rates, etc. 

We arrived in Santiago 4 days early. We did this portion of our trip on our own. Viking arranged the airfare however they will not provide transportation to the departure city. If going straight from the airport to the ship, this transportation is included. No exceptions to this. The cost can be quite expensive - almost $200 in our case.

The staff is amazing, always smiling, and take time to chat. Many remember your name after only a few interactions.

Every day we woke up and said “we are so lucky to be here”. This was our first Viking Cruise and we are already looking at booking another. Cannot stop talking about this wonderful experience.

Fabulous vacation

We chose this cruise for several reasons:  the Viking reputation, the cruise itinerary and the mixture of excursions and sea days.  We were not disappointed.  We had a penthouse veranda cabin, which was roomy with plenty of drawers and storage space.  This was important for a 27 day cruise. The ship is lovely - at no time did we ever feel crowded.  There was plenty to do on sea days - I found a group to play Mah Jongg with.  My husband found a group for board games - including Catan.  There were opportunities to take bridge classes, knitting classes, and watercolor classes.  The lectures were superb. The resident pianist, guitarist, cellist and violinist provided wonderful music during the late afternoon and evenings.  Shore excursions were very organized with detailed information.  Service was outstanding - from our room stewards - to dining - to guest services  - to excursion staff.  All questions were answered, all concerns addressed.  The food was terrific - plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit and fish - a biggie for me. Viking planned appropriately for the holidays - we expecially appreciated the attention given to Friday evening Shabbat services (a separate space, kosher wine, challah, and prayerbooks) and Hanukkah (menorah, latkes, fried doughnuts, and wine for 8 nights).  We loved our cruise and have planned another with Viking.

Amazing ship and crew

My experience on Viking is one to be remembered. It was my 16 th cruise but first on Viking.

At first I found the decor rather bland but got to like the calm atmosphere it reinforced. I liked that there were, no kids, not that I’m against kids, but the pools were accessible and there were no loud noises and such from misbehaved kids. My Veranda room was great, save for the bed which was the most uncomfortable,  even with three layers of extra bedding to help. It didn’t really do anything.  The mattress needed replacement. The maid constantly came in the room while we were in it and would clean until we put the sign on the door for privacy. I found that odd, at least she was working. She taught us how it worked. The help everywhere was exceptional overall. Kind, friendly, attentive and ready to please. There were only a couple of people that were less than warm. 

Room service was great, they were quick, had lots of options and provided great service. Highly recommended. Food was excellent. Lots of great options to choose from and I sent one thing back for being unchewable and only Heard- of another complaint. Always another opti was provided. Going over my special menu often was awkward for me with diet restrictions because they would come to the table and go over every item in a way that made me feel like the message was That I was over ordering my appetizers though it was never said. Sometimes they didn’t show up? Usually I got what I ordered and it was delicious. Main entrees came with few vegetables which I missed. You’d have to order on the side. Emphasis on Salads always seemed a bit minimal  unless you built your own or went to the pool area to access the larger bowls of greens instead of the very small salad greens they served indoors. The bar had options indoors, just one featured daily salad and the cramped area for greens. Not a big deal, just a work around. The Muslim bar for breakfast was great with GF options. I requested they also offer almond milk as they only had soy and reg. The free wine and beer was enjoyable. The wine was fine, sometimes better than others, but you’d want to order a bottle if you wanted better. 

The spa was lovely with many options, however it didn’t open until 8 which meant I only got to use it once. The classes they offered, yoga, fascia I enjoyed if in sometimes less than ideal locations due to sun, wind, weather and a/c. 

Their entertainment was good, just not quite the caliber of shows as on other lines. I’d give them overall a B+ though I enjoyed a number of performances very much. Vicki Van Tassel our cruise director was talented and quite fun to watch! The asst. Cruise director Elmer was also quite a talented singer. The lectures were very good, the art class was taught by a professional artist and art professor. They had quality people to keep everyone educated and entertained.

The service desk was open 24/7....amazing!  They had excellent free tours included and went out of their way to insure guests would be taken care of. The food on tours was great from what I had. The guides varied in knowledge and enthusiasm. Some were way better than others, some not so well informed, based on my experience and what I was told.

Overall it was the best service, best food, most relaxing cruise, wonderful spa, that I’ve yet enjoyed. I can highly recommend Viking.

16th cruise

We wanted to visit Australia and New Zealand and other islands in between. Heard how wonderful Viking Ocean Cruises were and wanted to experience them ourselves. I had been on. River Cruise previously and had enjoyed that. Already booked another ocean cruise. Staff w

As great and went over backwards to help. Cabin was good size and room steward was excellent and kept our room immaculate.

Spa area was very relaxing and our masseuses made us feel even more relaxed. Experiencing the steam room and snow grotto was wonderful. We went down often just to unwind. 

Having a great bridge teacher was wonderful on sea days. We met lots of new people and truly learned from them as well as we played Duplicate Bridge on sea days in the afternoons.

We had a great experience on the ship and we look forward on our next journey. Viking knows how to make their guests feel welcome!

Tasmania was great. Enjoyed our all day tour. Especially enjoyed the Sanctuary 

As expected from our experiences with Viking River Cruises, this was five stars all the way, from transfers to and from the airport, to luggage handling, to greeting on the ship.  We stayed in a deluxe veranda, which is one of the smaller suites, but still had plenty of room and a fabulously comfortable king size bed. Besides, who wants to stay in the room? 

LOVED that there were only 900 passengers - it makes disembarking at ports uncrowded.

We appreciated that this was not a “party cruise” - no casino, for instance. And no passengers under the age if 18 !! 

nstead there were lots of interesting lectures: a naturalist, a historian, a travel writer, and an astronaut on board to give talks. The food was (as expected) wonderful: a buffet style restaurant with live grilling, a Norwegian deli, a pool bar with grill, a table service restaurant with ever changing menu and (one of our favourite things) open seating so you could eat as a couple or meet different people each night. In the afternoon, the upper deck Wintergarden  served full English cream tea.  The 2 specialty restaurants (no extra charge) were fantastic: Manfredi’s Italian, and The Chef’s Table. We especially enjoyed the curated menus at the latter.  On sea days, there was also a pop-up restaurant on the pool deck: the king crab day was spectacular!

Christmas Eve’s chocolate buffet in the “Living Room” was amazing - chocolate sculptures highlighting thousands of delicious treats. We were also on board for NYE, which was a fantastic party, followed by an amazing NY Day brunch.

Entertainment included music everywhere (grand pianos in 3 places, classical string duo, acoustic guitar, and nightly shows by both the onboard talent and acts flown in from Vegas!! 

The ports of call and included excursions were carefully chosen to give us a taste of the “real” South America,  but side excursions were also offered to the more well-known tourist attractions like Macchu Pichu.

Must mention the fabulous fitness facilities and Nordic spa (with a snow room!), as well as terrific estheticians, massage therapists, and wellness  instructors.

Overall a fantastic trip.  The 27 days were over too soon. 

It really was an excellent adventure!

Eye-opening South America

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