Superb food and service. I have travelled with Viking in China and France; and this ship is equal to the best anywhere. I likes the multitude of areas to eat and how uncrowded they all were, allowing for meeting new friends over a meal. Quality, quantity and variety with attentive, but not intrusive staff. Room seemed to be instantly cleaned and always shipshape. However I totally disagree with Viking about the definition of gratuity. To pay a gratuity is only for individual excellent service beyond the norm; not a standard charge, labeled gratuity and paid to a company for hopeful distribution to staff. We only had one substandard waiter on this voyage, and everyone else was very good. I think Viking should pay their personnel properly, and not require billing for tipping from guests. I resent middlemen between the staff and me.

The Viking Star was exceptionally stable and smooth and quiet (very little ambient noise) for so large a ship. After the Costa Concordia disaster reinforced the dangers of everyone not being prepared for disaster I was surprised at safety procedures on the Viking Star. The Viking Star has decided to have passengers and crew assemble in two large groups before being issued life preservers and proceeding to lifeboats. Given that the preponderance of guests are elderly; and that ships often list and are filled with smoke during a disaster, this is a recipe for a potential great loss of life.

Excursions into Rome and Naples required long bus rides and difficult walks as the bus could not park near many sites. Excellent and knowledgable guides were often required to lead us on and off narrow sidewalks and crowded streets; leaving little time to see and learn when we arrived. The trip to San Gimignano was one of the best visits that I have experienced ever! Read more