Viking Star Review
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We sailed on the Viking Star out of Bergen, Norway starting on 5/1/16 for two weeks of the "Vikings Homeland" cruise and were very impressed with both the ship and it's crew. It was our first venture with Viking but I seriously doubt it will be our last. With only a maximum of 930 passengers, you don't feel like you're part of a herd like on some of the mega-ships.
It's a newer ship so it has more amenities than some of the more older familiar ships but what we liked most about it was that you weren't "nickel and dimed" for every little thing. True, this cruise is a bit more expensive than others, but the ship, amenities, and service are worth it. The WI-FI, internet and self-service laundry were free, there was a crewman handing you a bottle of water at each port when you left the ship and was there to do the same when you returned, umbrellas available if needed, your wine and beer at meals was included (you only paid extra for liquor if you had it in a lounge away from a meal), the bathrooms have heated floors and ample space, everyone has a balcony cabin (there are no interior or "ocean view" staterooms), the multiple restaurants/venues served delicious food, the ship's decor was fresh and modern Scandinavian, & the crew exceptionally courteous. A great many "nooks and crannies" where you can bury yourself with a book if you want and a forward-facing two story lounge area that offers good views of where you're going. Lots of artifacts, board games, and even an animated version of the Bayeux Tapestry that is unbelievable. So there is plenty to do while aboard and you only have one full day at sea while on the Baltic route, between Gdansk and Tallinn.
The tours were, as a whole, very good - some better than others, and overall, worthwhile experiences. Embarkation/disembarkation procedures went smoothly and efficiently, as did the tours. One (and very welcome) additional note: the staterooms have multiple built-in USB ports so you can charge all your toys instead of having to tie-up your 110V outlets with chargers all the time.