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Viking Expeditions

Luxury Cruises

Expedition Cruises

Ushuaia (Tierra del Fuego)

Toronto

Barbados

Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)

New York (Manhattan)

Buenos Aires

Cartagena (Colombia)

Santiago (Valparaiso)

Rio de Janeiro

U.S.A.

Canada & New England

South America

Argentina

Antarctica

Caribbean - All

Caribbean - Southern

Europe - British Isles & Western

Caribbean - Eastern

Europe - All

Scotland

Uruguay

Panama Canal & Central America

Brazil

Chile

Caribbean - Western

Mexico - All

Panama

Mississippi River

US River

Great Lakes

Excellent

Very Good

Average

Poor

Terrible

Viking Octantis

Viking Polaris

What a wonderful experience on the first sailing

Rome (Civitavecchia)

This review is primarily for people contemplating Viking Expeditions Panama and Scenic South America cruise. This is only my opinion. We are frequent cruisers and habitual Viking Ocean customers (1 river and 7 Viking Ocean cruises). We booked this one as it was relatively inexpensive for a lot of days (18) on a new Expedition class ship. We wanted to experience it and decide if we would invest in a much more expensive Antarctic expedition. The design of the ship was quite impressive. Everything was beautiful with the kind of detail that Viking excels at. Plenty of spaces to be almost alone and areas for interaction. The World Cafe design would be wonderful on all their ships with somewhat separate areas for buffet, sushi, fish, and the fabulous steak and lobster producing grill. It is clearly designed for expeditions and that is something of a problem on repositioning cruises such as ours. There simply is not much to do without expeditions. The Aula is great for lectures but does not have a stage big enough for any entertainment. We had one native dance show and two solo performers who each did 2 shows. That’s it. For 17 nights. There was a classical duo and a mediocre soft rock duo for background music in the living room or explorers lounge. 

On to “toys”. When booking I had to ask multiple times whether the Zodiacs, Expedition boats, kayaks or subs would be used and I finally got an answer -  “No”. That was ok but later I noticed on my invoice:

 “Submarine Dive: Please note, the destinations you will be visiting on your itinerary will not allow us to deploy our submarines. However, we will still be able to offer our extensive shore excursion program and other expedition activities-including the special operations boats, zodiacs and kayaks in select ports along your voyage.” Viking needs to correct this. 

Touring the Hangar where all this stuff is stored was very cool. It makes one anxious to try out the “John” or “Paul” yellow submarine. 

Here I must pause and compliment our excursion director and ship captain for planning and executing a diversion into a quiet bay one day to deploy all the zodiacs for paddling races and around the ship rides for all comers. This was not on the itinerary but was totally successful and gave the extensive expedition staff something to do. 

Science: The scientists, research activities and lectures were interesting. However, there wasn’t a lot happening there. The staff did do a good job of giving notice if birds or sea life was encountered. (Twice we saw literally hundreds of dolphins playing and feeding.)

Be aware this was a repositioning and refurbishing cruise in preparation for Antarctic cruises. There were dozens of contractors on board. The spa pool was closed for a week and the 3 small pools and Aquavit terrace were closed for another 5 or 6 days. Resurfacing the outside deck 6 closed that area for the entire time we were in warm seas. These closures did not bother us a lot since there were still plenty of days to use the pools. The third night in our most basic cabin some type of machinery started up below our room about 11 pm and made it impossible to sleep. At 3 am we moved to another cabin for the night with the approval of the nighttime guest services. We assume it was contractor work as they tried to do as much as possible overnight. 

My only  real complaint is that the Octantis creaks like a wooden ship. True, the entire time we were off South America swells were running high. Our second cabin developed creaking in the window that could not be corrected by lubrication, shims or maintenance. So we moved again. Our third cabin was better, still with some creaking but not nearly so sudden and loud. I noticed as I walked the various decks that there was creaking everywhere. I assume this is a factor of the smaller ship and  the particular wave and swell patterns we encountered. One day we enjoyed (really) standing (as best we could) down in the Hide watching the green ocean water come up and over the windows with huge force. Even with our cabin trouble I must compliment Guest Services people who helped us in every way possible. 

Every staff member anywhere on the ship performed wonderfully. Food was uniformly excellent and we had no trouble getting dining or Manfredi’s tables whenever we wanted. The Grill at night in the World Cafe was wonderful.

Included excursions were a cut above the usual “Panorama” bus rides normally offered by Viking. We enjoyed a jungle ATV drive in Cancun and Ft Lorenzo and Panama Canal tour in Panama city. The jungle walk near Manta Ecuador is not too good if one has ever been in any jungle before. The included Lima tour went to a great Inca artifact museum, Pachamama Inca city in the desert and very nice horse farm/show/lunch. Iquique tour to Geoglyphs was great, Humberstone so-so.

For us, 18 days with only five ports ended up being a few too many days for us. Others must think it’s great.  One can only eat so much, play so many cards and put together so many puzzles. The highlight of most days was  the daily briefing where port talks were given or short lectures given by science and expedition staff members on everything from hummingbirds to Peruvian ponchos. Most of these were short and informative. Longer scheduled lectures by historian and naturalists were good. 

Are we glad we went? Sure!  We learned what we needed to know about future expedition voyages, repositioning cruises, and got to enjoy a uniquely designed ship and superb staff. As for us we will go back to the regular Viking Ocean ships with more activities, ports and entertainment.

Good But Not Great

We chose this cruise and ship for the itinerary - Toronto to Fort Lauderdale. The ship is immaculate from top to bottom. But the best part of all is the crew and by the time you leave the ship you really feel like you belong to a big family. I have to mention the waiters: Alex, Tri, Kevin, Redy, Maria and Mariel. They were all outstanding (as were all the others). The officers from the top down (including the captain) made you feel at home and always answered any questions you had. The captain played in most of the table tennis tournaments and really made it fun. Russell the executive chef went out of his way to make sure my wife had a special meal one night that was not on the menu. Aaron the cruise director did a great job in every event and made us laugh with the trivia etc...One thing to note although this is still a large ship the cruise focuses on excursions, science and all the "toys" they have onboard. The kayaking, Zodiacs and special ops boats were a blast (we didn't do the submarine). Don't go onboard expecting Broadway production shows otherwise you will be disappointed. I believe there were approximately 300 passengers onboard our cruise and it never felt crowded anywhere.

The food was very good with a good selection on every menu. We never had a problem getting a table in any of the restaurants and I doubt you would on this ship based on the passenger count on this ship. The buffet (World Café) was very good with very high end choices every night and in fact was just as good as the restaurants. Food always came with wine, beer and the selections were of good quality (I believe you can buy a drinks package if you prefer cocktails etc..). The dress code was smart casual and as this is an expedition ship and people did wear smart dark jeans in the restaurants and it wasn't an issue.

Fantastic ship and the best crew I have experienced on any ship

This was my first cruise and it didn't disappoint. I chose a smaller ship because I wanted a more personal experience. Viking Octantis carries only about 368 passengers.

From the coffee shop to the sit down restaurant, the food was really great with an interesting variety of choices, many reflecting the culture of crew members.

The staff and crew operate in a culture of high quality service, genuine concern for the passengers and each other. You can tell they enjoy their work and their optimism is infectious.

The ship itself is beautifully appointed with thoughtful design, art, and consideration for passenger comfort and safety and operational safety.

Our cabin was well designed with lots of space for belongings, a sofa, desk, and spacious bathroom. Very comfortable bed with housekeeping twice a day. 

The ship was extremely clean inside and out with plenty of opportunities to wash hands at sinks or hand sanitizer stations.

Viking offers an interesting variety of shore excursions, either included in your fare or for an extra fee. Guest services is also helpful if you want to explore a location on your own. 

Viking Octantis is an expeditionary ship with a variety of watercraft for a unique experience. The Hangar deck contains sea kayaks, zodiac boats, two submersible craft, and two special operations boats. Crew members operating these water craft are very experienced and well certified. Safety of passengers and crew is the highest priority.

Expedition guides are experienced explorers, biologists, naturalists, and scientists. Octantis is the only cruise ship in the world certified as a NOAA weather station. Passengers participated in launching and tracking a weather balloon during our cruise.

The Chief Science officer oversees equipment that is constantly conducting tests on fresh and salt water, recording information in a database and sharing data with partner organizations and universities. All with the purpose of preserving the world's oceans and waterways. They invite passengers to participate and understand their work.

On sea days (and every day) there were interesting, informative lectures by crew members like the ship's historian, ornithologist, various scientists or experienced explorers. Knowledgeable crew were available on the bow for bird watching, dolphin siting, and whale watching. We frequently saw birds such as Brown Boobys, various Falcons, Pelicans, Cormorants and the occasional migrating song bird.

Several areas of the ship offered different types of music and dancing every evening before or after dinner.

This cruise was a high quality experience. Although I was ready to return home after 15 days, I really didn't want to leave the ship or the crew members that I had gotten to know.

Top notch service and programming 

This is our third Viking sailing and it exceeded our expectations in every way.  Our previous Viking experiences were on River ships in Europe that we enjoyed so very much, so this one was quite different, but just as fantastic as the others.  The Octantis is a small ocean going vessel with only a 377 maximum passenger load.  In this case apparently there were fewer than the full complement of passengers so it seemed like there were as many crew members as passengers.   There are only 6 decks (4 passenger decks) and the ship looks like a very large yacht compared to most other cruise ships we saw in some of the ports we visited.  

The food was spectacular at every venue with wine and beer included at lunch and dinner.  We ate a "Manfredi's" Italian restaurant several times and got to know our waiters who were so friendly and knew our wine preferences as we sat down.  The "Restaurant" was also very nice and the same could be said of their staff, although we did not eat there as often.  The "World Cafe" is the ship's buffet which we also used many times, but usually had their "surf and turf" (steak and lobster) at the grill (yummmmm) for dinner. The morning offerings included made to order omlettes, bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon, as well as every other possible breakfast item you can think of.  Another venue we enjoyed for breakfast was "Mamsen's" with their wonderful made to order waffles!

Since the Octantis is an "expedition" and research vessel we enjoyed the Zodiac, Kayak, and Special Operations Boat excursions lauched directly from the ship, as well as the expertly planned land excursions that were all included in our cruise at no extra charge.  The scientific crew even launched a weather balloon one night and we got see the data collected by it in the "expedition central" section of the ship. 

Our stateroom was very roomy and located in deck 2 just forward of midship. The french balcony allows you to lower the top section of the huge window to let the outside in at any time. There was also a Nespresso coffee maker and small refrigerator with soft drinks in the room as well. The king size bed, premium bedding, and large bathroom were especially comfortable as well.  The Octantis is very stable even in the moderate seas we encountered as we headed south from Nova Scotia.  There were times I could not tell if we were moving or not. A small included option I really took advantage of were the Coffee/Espresso/Latte machines located all around the ship.  Anytime I wanted a cup it was available...and delicious.   

There were daily lectures, documentaries, and/or movies that were presented in the "Aula" at the stern. That venue features  statdium seating and an enormous viewing screen that can be raised and lowered depending on what is happening.  They even live stream the events on the stateroom large flat screen TV each day.  

The itinerary was wonderful starting in Toronto Canada and sailing up the St Lawrence seaway.  We visited Tres Riveres and Quebec City but the wind and high waves caused the captain to skip the next two normal destinations.  They substituded Halifax Nova Scotia instead, and then we resumed the regular itinerary in  Lunenburg, Nova Scocia before heading south along the east cost of the US. We visited NYC NY, Norfolk VA, and Charleston SC before ending in Ft. Lauderdale FL.  

In conclusion, I would rate this cruise 5 stars  PLUS!  My wife and I had a terrific time! Once again Viking showed us why they are voted the #1 cruise line.  Beautiful ships, fantastic crews, great itineraries, and exceptionally well executed excursions. It's not a cruise for young people, but for me and my wife (70's) it was perfect.  They really know how to do it!!

Wonderful ship with outstanding crew service and great expedition options 

We were Return customers to the Viking product. This Great Lake cruise was a wonderful voyage from Toronto to Milwaukee.   The entertainment on ship was excellent and completely enjoyable.  It was a wonderful 8 days. The housekeeping was excellent. The excursions were top notch.  Mackinac island. The Henry ford museum. The tour of Detroit. All of the excursions were so well organized and very knowledgeable. The entire vibe of the ship was first class. The lectures and immersive shore excursions provided history, art culture in the Great Lake regions. Dining venues served a variety of dishes and all delicious. The service in the Viking was attentive and friendly which contributed to the over all guest experience.  This cruise was adults only which created a more serene and sophisticated experience.  Our cabin was spacious and well appointed with great comfort. The other travelers on board were friendly and made the voyage enjoyable.

Perfection

I originally chose this particular cruise because I wanted to travel on the Octantis, and the pre-cruise extension to Killarney Lodge in Algonquin Park looked amazing. I also wanted to see Mackinac Island.  Unfortunately, the pre-extension was changed  - confusingly, to Killarney Mountain Lodge in Georgian Bay, but I opted to do the cruise anyway.  I am very glad I did - the ship was wonderful and the staff amazing. Detroit was an unexpected delight- The Henry Ford Museum is definitely worth a visit. I would say, however, that I did not appreciate that Georgian Bay was pretty much a 6 hour bus journey from Toronto. Whilst it was beautiful when we got there, it was a lot of deriving for really only a very short stay- not worth it I think. My own fault- I should have done the research - but I really didn’t pick up on the fact that I was going to a completely different place from what I had planned.


It is also worth noting that because of US legislation- the only day out of the 7 which it was going to be possible to bring out the zodiacs etc was the day we were in Point Pelee. Unfortunately, bad weather made that impossible, so we didn’t get any of the water activities I had hoped for. That said, the entire cruise was still first rate. My cabin was spacious and I actually got a cabin upgrade which was an unexpected pleasure. Cannot praise Octantis and Viking highly enough.

Beautiful Ship and Excellent Cruise

Our initial booking with Viking was for the 'Romantic Danube Cruise' from Budapest to Regensburg Germany.  We had to cancel due to a medical emergency for one of our travelling members.  The (much appreciated) travel insurance refund actually funded 90% of this Stateside cruise!!!  We had not visited any of the destination ports and the excursions offered - of which 95% were "included" -  were OUTSTANDING!

Our experience with the Viking Air/Transfer/Cruise management was greater than expected.  Upon airport arrival, we were simply asked to give luggage (previously tagged with Viking-supplied tags) to the welcoming personnel. It was ten transferred directly to our accommodations/cabin.  Passports were collected with stream-lined 'Customs' procedures.

The included excursions were plentiful and the guides were knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the areas and locations.  The "Expedition" ships (2: Polaris/Octantis) also offer a variety of experiences not found on River/Ocean trips:  Zodiac excursions, Special Operations Boat tours, extensive hiking options, kayaking and the amazing mini submarine (our only 'paid' excursion).

Cabin Stewards - Renan and Gwen - were outstanding - attentive to our requests for cabin amenities and ALWAYS pleasant.

Nightly Informational sessions were engaging, informational and led by people passionate for each topic.

Jeo and Iriam - in the Aquivit Lounge - were very attentive each evening during dining.

Numerous neighbors and friends have asked about our experience - all positive for us!  

We have already scheduled an Ocean Cruise for August 2024.

Great Lakes Expedition Cruise

Where to start...what a wonderful experience.  The Octantis is a beautiful ship and the crew was fabulous.  The food was well prepared and varied.  There is a small buffet (Mamsen's) in an area separate from the main buffet that focuses on delightful Norwegian dishes.  We indulged in  special soups at Mamsen's several afternoons after returning from shore.  We booked a Junior Nordic Suite, which is more like a hotel room than a long narrow ship cabin.  The cabin was well appointed and always sparkling clean and the common areas throughout the ship were light and bright.  The ship never seemed crowded and at times we had the Explorer's Lounge all to ourselves.  This is not a cruise for individuals who want a lot of nightlife and entertainment.  The evenings are relaxed and quiet and perfect for a glass of wine while reading a good book (there are several in the ship's library) or conversation with fellow passengers.  Since the Octantis is an expedition ship, the emphasis for shore excursions is on nature, adventure and discovery; however, we had the opportunity to visit the cultural offerings in Cleveland, Detroit, and Green Bay (i.e the Rock and Roll Museum in Cleveland, the Ford Museum in Detroit, and Lambeau Field in Green Bay).  Each shore excursion bus had a member of the Viking expedition team on board to insure that nothing goes wrong.  When not on the tours, these team members are leading  Special Operations Boat, Zodiac, and Kayak expeditions tours.  The overall itinerary was excellent. We started in Toronto and finished in Duluth.  The cruise sailed on all five great lakes, we transited through two separate sets of locks, we visited the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, and visited several small out of the way communities on both the US and Canadian side of the lakes.  It was a cruise like no other!

A Unique and splendid cruise

We did an 8-day cruise in the Great Lakes Jul-Aug 2023 on Viking Octantis.  This is an "Expedition" cruise and includes some science and nature aspects beyond the regular pleasure cruise.  The itinerary was Milwaukee-Mackinac Island-Alpena-Detroit-Point Pelee-Welland Canal-Niagara Falls-Toronto.  Several stops were really good and I wish they were longer: Milwaukee, Detroit, Niagara Falls, Toronto.  But several stops turned out rather lame and a shame time was spent there rather than longer in the good stops.  The town of Alpena, Michigan is quite run down and has nothing of interest.  They have a Great Lakes Maritime Museum which is disappointing and also feature a glass-bottom boat ride to look at some shipwreck, which turned out to be some work barge that sank in 1928 in shallow water.  Big deal.  Another day was spent at Point Pelee Park, claimed to be the farthest south place in Canada.  So what?  A totally wasted day, the "park" is just some sand bar extending into Lake Eire and not scenic.  But the stops in Milwaukee, Mackinac Island, Detroit, and Niagara Falls are very good.  I wish they gave more time in Milwaukee, you had a CHOICE between the art museum and a city tour which included the Pabst Mansion and Harley Davidson Museum.  I wish they gave more time so we could do BOTH.  The Milwaukee Art Museum is spectacular and well worth a visit.  Mackinac Island was very picturesque and included a long horse-drawn carriage ride but no stop at the famous hotel.  The old fort was very interesting and included some soldiers in old uniforms demonstrating marching and weapons.  In Detroit we visited the Henry Ford Museum, which is a national treasure (Kennedy Assassination limousine, Rosa Parks bus, Lincoln Assassination chair, Reagan Assassination attempt limousine, etc) but I wish more time were given so we could also visit Greenfield Village.  The science and nature activities are sort of a distraction and sort of lame.  Some motor-mouth science PhD gives some talk bad-mouthing the Jones Act (why?  she is no expert on maritime policy) and others give disjointed talks on sea birds and what-not.  This Viking ship also goes to Antarctica part of the year, where the science is a major feature, so including it with the Great Lakes is misplaced.  The ship is very new and comfortable but this Great Lakes cruise is a poor value and expensive compared to Viking river cruises.

Several stops are below par

We chose to cruise the Great Lakes with Viking because we were looking for an interesting way to get to Wisconsin....but it ended up being such an incredible experience.  The staff treated us like family, the food was amazing and the whole trip was a perfect balance of relaxation and fun. The expedition component was really fascinating, adding a whole extra dimension to the cruise.  The ship was beautiful, and our cabin was a lot bigger than I was expecting - and beautifully appointed.  I can see why Viking has won awards of excellence.  I was genuinely sad to leave the ship at the end of the cruise.  If you are looking for a cruise where your every need will be catered for, where your comfort is a priority, where you feel valued as a customer, and where you will be sure to have a memorable experience, we would recommend this company heartily - and we have already booked our next Viking cruise!

A Wonderful Life Experience from Start to Finish

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