The crew at all levels where charming and professional and made us feel genuinely valued. Cabin, ship layout and facilities were, for us, an ideal balance as were the passenger numbers. Food, although not of Michelin standards was in our view, more enjoyable and the options satisfactory. The negatives are minor in the context of the cruise but could easily be corrected:- Guests repeatedly felt it necessary to share their video phone calls in public areas including restaurants. Such rude and intrusive behaviour proved an unpleasant intrusion for the surrounding guests just to satisfy their selfish manners. Why not just go to their cabin and why does Viking to address this? Viking dress code is already exceptionally 'relaxed' yet many felt inclined to ignore the requested attire which demonstrated contempt for other guests, the immaculately presented crew and their surroundings. Again, Viking chose to ignore their own requirements. Surely those paying well over $15K for a cruise can afford a respectable shirt and shoes? Coffee may be OK with those from the USA but was otherwise weak and tasteless. The coffee machines were therefore in demand and insufficient in number resulting in unseemly queues particularly when one was malfunctioning. For those choosing cocktails, expect the use of gloopy fruit syrups instead of what the decent cocktail demands; - result horrid. In all significant other respects, a great cruise. Read Less

The ship was excellent, the cruise, not so much. The Viking ocean going ships are well designed and easy to navigate around. The amenities are nice, but don't expect a lot of flash. The 900 passenger ships rarely seems crowded. The on dining experience is generally above average. The entertainment is OK. The staff are uniformity excellent and well organized. Even the shore excursions worked and moved smoothly. Viking offers a nice variety of shore excursions at most ports. On board WiFi/internet connectivity are good. You won't be streaming anything, but you will be able to text, email and upload some photos. The free laundry room is great. There's a four washer-dryer setup on each passenger floor. This itinerary begins and ends with the ship docked deep inside cargo ports- Valparaiso and Buenos Aires. Not a great experience or look. You are required to take one or more shuttles to exit these ports. The scenic beauty during the cruise is outstanding. The ports leave a fair amount to be desired. Let's be charitable and say most port stops look well worn. The best stops were Santiago and the Falkland Islands. Would I do this cruise again. NO. But I will return to this same ship this fall for a Mediterranean tour. Read Less

Hadn’t been to this part of South America as there are many sea days and unpredictable weather. The weather was amazingly calm and we were able to stop at all ports. Seeing penguins in the Falklands was the highlight as was the Falklands Museum. The drivers, the museum volunteers, the clerks at the information store were so friendly and welcoming. Also enjoyed Ushuaia and the catamaran cruise to see sea lions and penguins. Also enjoyed the Nature and History of scenic Los Lagos excursion. Can not recommend the included Highlights of Puerto Madryn and Welsh tea as it was a 1 1/2 hour bus ride each way (seeing a desert) for very delicious tea and sweets. We could have had tea on the ship. Nothing else to do there. The Viking staff is so accommodating, friendly, thoughtful, and thorough. They make the guests feel special. Food was outstanding at all the restaurants. I am a seafood lover and enjoyed shrimp, lobster, escargots, mussels, raw tuna, and crab claws. The British menu at Chef’s table was a real change from the usual items. We used credit cards and American dollars for tips and purchases even getting dollars back as change. I would recommend bringing lots of $1s and $5s for tips. The entertainment was good but I would enjoy more shows like The Beatles, ABBA, and Decades. Great lecturers especially Tom Macan. Read Less

We chose the cruise because it took us to unfamiliar territory and had such elements of excitement about it. Imagine, to actually sail the Straits of Magellan! Our extra time in Valparaiso was well spent--we've never seen such amazing murals (or ridden such interesting outdoor escalators). Our cabin was fine--the roomy shower much appreciated. The food was good everywhere. We enjoyed both Manfredi's and the Chef's Table. The entertainment was fun--the four singer/dancers were excellent. I loved Sarah Leanne's line-dancing class. The musicians were fine in the Living Room too, and the Munch displays were very nice. The service was always excellent. The smiles on the staff seem truly genuine; they are more than helpful. And the captain actually speaks with the guests. The shore excursions were ok, but maybe we didn't choose wisely. The Emerald Lake cruise boat was way too crowded as was our stop at the falls. The Puerto Madryn tea was very nice but the bus ride there and back was not. I wouldn't make that trip again--I'd go to the Wintergarden and have my tea! We couldn't visit the Falklands because of the weather; that was a disappointment. The high seas though showed us just how amazingly stabilized the ship is. Disembarkation wasn't good. Maybe it was because we were going on our own in Buenos Aires, but we had to wait an hour on the delivery dock for our luggage. We really like the passenger size of Viking ships. We've cruised with others--the more elegant Queen Mary II, for instance, but it's Viking we'll be coming back to. And quite soon! Read Less

AVOID THIS CRUISE UNLESS YOU WANT TO STAY ON BOARD THE ENTIRE TRIP!!!!!!!!!!!! Great ship; good crew, with just a few exceptions. The problem is the excursions offered by Viking. Food is much better than Royal Caribbean and Carnival, but nowhere near the quality offered on Oceania. I chose this trip based, in large part, on the Andes Mountains lake and mountain photograph on the Viking Cruise website and a desire to see penguins in the wild. Forget the excursions -- So far we have been on 3 excursions which were bait-and-switch from what was was advertised. We did see penguins -- but we were never able to get really close to them. (Of course, we did not expect to touch or pet them but I had been misled into believing they might be able to walk up to us). The Andes Mountains photo appearing in Viking's booking website was nowhere near where anyone on the ship could go to. Purportedly, this photo showed a mountain and lake in the region of Punta Arenas, Chile. In reality, the photo was taken hundreds of miles away. Comparable to booking an excursion to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, U.S.A. and spending your entire time in Phoenix. The train pictured for an excursion in Ushuaia, Argentina, was a luxury train, but NOT the train on which Viking passengers rode. The train on which the Viking passengers rode was the one previously used by convicts, crammed 3 to a seat facing three other passengers with knee contact with the passenger in front of you. The Peninsula Valdez tour for Puerto Madryn, Argentina described a "large elephant seal colony". Unfortunately, almost all of the large elephant seals spend the months of January and February about 200 km offshore, where they feed and do not return to shore. We saw maybe 20 elephant seals in two locations -- none of which were the large 8,000 lb. males highlighted in the tour description. The females with some very large calves were about 500 yards from us. Southern right whale? These whales are nowhere near the Peninsula Valdes during January and February. We did see a large colony of sea lions, but you needed a powerful zoom lens or binoculars to make out any of the animals at least 1/2 mile away from the viewing point. Total cost for a six-hour bus ride where the guide knew that the animals we wanted to see were not in the region: about $400 for the two of us. For Peninsula Valdez, we spent about 6 hours in a hot bus to have about 40 minutes of viewing the animals which largely were not there. We also had a one-hour lunch at a restaurant where the famed Argentine steaks were filled with grizzled fat and were cooked well-done. (My personal opinion -- I don't like eating a tough and grizzled well-done steak). We took the tour during the South American summer (January - February). We had hoped the weather would be good during the summer. Obviously, Viking cannot control the weather. Seas were often 30-40 feet+ Winds sometimes were in excess of 45 mph - 50 mph and more. Our tour to see penguins at Punta Arenas was canceled due to wind and sea conditions. When we booked the alternate excursion, we were advised by a Viking excursion staff member that we had a 50/50 chance of seeing something "very similar" to the lake and mountains depicted in the marketing materials for Punta Arenas. Our tour guide laughed when she heard this because there are absolutely no high jagged mountains in the Punta Arenas area which were anywhere close to where we could go in a single-day excursion. We could not disembark in the Falkland Islands and promptly pulled up anchor and left once the captain learned that the wind conditions were unsafe for the tenders in the harbor. The 300+ passengers who had already disembarked were herded up and required to return to the ship -- many of whom had not begun their tours. We are now traveling from Puerto Madryn to Montevideo, Uruguay in heavy seas and high winds. Lots of seasick passengers for this trip throughout the "calm" summer cruise. We were lied to continually by guest services and excursion personnel. Not enough exercise equipment for passengers. No swimming or hot tubs after 8:00 p.m. through 8:00 a.m. The swimming pools and non-spa hot tubs are surrounded by restaurant diners -- not a pleasing option for a cruise marketed to senior citizens. Think about it . . . . We spent about $45,000 for the cruise in the luxury suite and the after-cruise extension to Iguazu Falls. At this point, we realize we were ripped off because of Viking's fraudulent descriptions of its excursions. 20/20 hindsight: we wasted our money when compared to the value we received. Read Less

This cruise was in celebration of my wife's 75th birthday. While we took the Viking Grand European River Boat Cruise, this was our very first ocean cruise. We did not know what to expect, but were pleasantly surprised by the experience. Having nothing to compare with, we were impressed by the size of the ship...900 passengers with lots of amenities and excellent service. The food quality and variety was very good, ("Gelato anyone...wait in line"), and we especially enjoyed the various dining options. The ship staff we interfaced with were over the top...great attitude, engaging, sincere and always there to make sure we were taken care of and having a good experience. We appreciated the Bridge classes and Bridge games that were available on cruise days. It was especially enjoyable on those extended cruise days when we were not able to go into port due to the wind and heaving seas. The instructor, Angela, was excellent. The port excursions were well planned and we had many options. We upgraded most of our excursions and, for the most part, had some wonderful experiences supported by the entertaining and informative guides. We will never forget being up close and personal with the Penguins, the horsemanship of the Gauchos, the Tango and the beautiful wineries. We will do another Viking Cruise; the question right now is where to. It is amazing that in such a short time we had to opportunity to meet so many fun, engaging and interesting people. Some, I am sure, will see again and maybe do another Viking Cruise together. Read Less

Bucket List cruise, Around the Cape. Ship was just the right size, not real big. Cabins were great, roomy, all balconies. Dining when I wanted, not when I had to, and sit where I wanted was very convenient. The on board activities were what I wanted, to learn something. Not just play games. Alot of quiet time. Loved the Tea time everyday. Speakers were very noligable . Service and staff couldn't have been greater. Always there to help us when we needed it and out of sight when we didn't. The bar staff knew our names and drinks by 3rd day and always were fixing our drinks as soon as they saw us. We did mainly encluded excursions - Most were excellent. A couple were disappointing but ok. I love not having children under foot all the time. ( The 18 yr limit is great) We are already planning our next cruise on Viking. Just have to decide on river or sea. Read Less

Chose this cruise as way to see South America as land tours involved a lot of flights. Silversea was my first choice but it was sold out. We have done the Hurtigruten Norway fijords but otherwise this was our first cruise. The good stuff first: Viking Jupiter is beautiful ship--well-designed and top-notch finishes. Stateroom was spacious and comfortable. Staff were attentive and helpful and service overall was first rate. Dining was good not great as I felt it should be given our cost. Chef's Table excellent and Manfredi's very good. The Restaurant was a mixed bag as I found many of the dishes cold when they should have been piping hot--strip steak came with dollop of parsley butter which was ice cold--steak should have been hot enough to melt the butter. Now the not-so-good: Cruise Critic stated that Viking was a " highbrow " experience--I would hate to see " lowbrow "--we found the Entertainment mediocre. Shore Excursions were for the most part disappointing, especially the included ones. Sitting in a coach for 2 or 3 hours listening to a guide is not my idea of a shore excursion. We were unable to tender in to Falklands so my promise to send photos of penguins to my grandson went up in smoke. The lectures were unsophisticated--took 45 minutes to tell me what I could find out from Google in 10 minutes--again not up to my expectations given our cost. I found several fellow passengers who shared my opinions but I think the majority of passengers thought it was great; I suspect that a significant number did not pay nearly the same amount as we did. Disembarkation was a miserable experience--4 hours in Sheraton meeting room with croissants and mediocre coffee--would have preferred to go directly to the airport where we have access to lounges--the entire disembarkation procedure was not communicated clearly. Read Less

This was the first Viking ocean and I wanted to see penquins and my husband wanted to go around Cape Horn in 30 foot seas. We did get around Cape Horn but not in 30 foot seas. The Viking Jupiter is a beautiful ship. Only 950 people and decor was nice. Our room was what I expected and housekeeping kept it clean. The food was a good and there was a nice variety of food from the World Restaurant and the other restaurants. The only problem with The Restaurant was the meal took a long time to serve the courses. I understand this as some people like slow service where you can sit and relax. The italian restaurant was good but the portions were too large, so we asked for half portions. The bread was so good.. Loved the spa with the hot tub, steam room and snow room. Guest laundry worked out great because for a cruise this length I could not pack enough clothes. Have tto mention the WI-FI-It worked great 95%+ of the time. And its free with Viking. Activities and Entertainment- The entertainment was good and varied from night to night. Enjoyed playing Trivia on sailing days and it was a good opportunity to meet other people on the cruise if a team needed another member as the limit was 6. The best part of trivia was the prize....absolutely nothing. We booked another VIking ocean to the Viking Homelands 9/2021 Read Less

This cruise took us from Buenos Aires around Cape Horn to Valaparaíso, leaving the better scenery in Chile to the second week. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get ashore in the Falklands due to poor sea conditions (meaning we had four consecutive sea days and a night in Ushuaia) but had been forewarned that this is common. Viking has a loyal following and most people we talked to had been on a previous ocean or river cruise with the company. Some were more used to larger ships such as Holland America’s or, like us, to smaller ones such as Silversea’s. As one said, Viking doesn’t over-promise, and mostly delivers what it advertises very well. There’s little not to like about Viking Jupiter - a beautiful, clean, almost new ship. In contrast to the glitz of many lines, Viking’s understated Nordic style grows on you, with shades of beige, brown and blue – and lots of pale wood / wood-effect surfaces. The adults-only refinement is reflected in piped classical music instead of annoying announcements, with relaxing live soloists in the bars; there’s even birdsong in the restrooms. We loved the atrium, reminiscent of the lobby of a five-star hotel, surrounded over three decks by numerous quiet corners to read, chat or do jigsaws among the hundreds of books. Our Penthouse Veranda room was kept immaculate by two stewards, with twice-daily service. The extra living space and storage was useful on a 17 night cruise, and the bathroom was a decent size too, with excellent water pressure in the shower. It was quite well sound-proofed, and there was little engine noise/vibration. Generally the ship is stable but, being quite far forward, we were aware of the ship’s movement in heavy seas. Unfortunately, in spite of a router box nearby, the internet in our room was the worst of any ship we have cruised on recently, though connections were better in public areas. The air-con was very effective at reducing/raising the temperature, perhaps too efficient as lots of people were coughing in the dry air. There’s an excellent choice of dining onboard. The main restaurant got busy and quite noisy, and we usually got a quieter table when it opened at 6 pm or if we went after 8 pm. Very few gentlemen wore jackets, but you would be turned away in jeans. The self-service world café was almost as good, with many of the same dishes, plus sushi and stir-fry stations; it could sometimes be hard to find a seat, especially at breakfast. Manfredi’s restaurant was an elegant place worthy of our three visits; the menu hardly changes and isn’t entirely Italian, but food and service were first rate. There’s usually somewhere onboard to get a snack, with waffles at Mamsen’s a particular treat. Afternoon tea is served on the pool deck in the enclosed ‘wintergarden’, an otherwise under-utilised space. Bar and waiting staff were genuinely friendly and many rapidly got to know our names and preferences - service was only slightly less efficient at the busiest times. The Silver Spirits package works out at $20/day and you easily get your money’s worth if you want drinks in public areas outside mealtimes, plus you get a choice of up to twenty wines, rather than just the red or white of the day. (Typical costs otherwise: coke $4; a small beer $5; cocktail $7.50; some countries’ promotions include the package.) We didn’t take in much of the organised entertainment or lectures, though seeing the northern lights in an onboard planetarium was a first for us. We made our own flight/transfer arrangements, so can’t comment on Viking Air. Embarkation and disembarkation were satisfactory. So to answer the question of the title: what’s not to like? As I said at the outset – very little: 1) Departures for excursions were poorly organised. One day we nearly missed a tour as it had been called BEFORE we checked in (on time) and we sat in ignorance in the theatre. At Puerto Montt, where disembarkation is by tender, it seemed that every excursion had been scheduled at once, and the line to check in was the whole length of the ship - this is one time when PA announcements would have been helpful. 2) Room service breakfasts invariably arrived 10-15 minutes before our requested slot. One day several items were missing and, shockingly, we were given a used pot of jam. 3) In the supposedly quiet Living Room one morning, we were very unimpressed by boisterous party games more appropriate to the pool deck of a mega-ship. 4) A minority of ‘entitled’ fellow passengers who never say please or thank you, and who stand in front of you taking selfies. These are minor negatives, and we would be very happy to cruise with Viking again. Read Less

We chose this cruise because first it is an area of the world we wanted to see and second because we have cruised with Viking before and really enjoyed the experience. We started with a pre-extension to Patagonia. We visited both Terra del Paine and Los Glaciares National Parks. Both were beyond beautiful. After the Patagonia pre-extension we boarded the ship in Buenos Aires. We had ports of call in Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Punta Madryn, Falkland Islands (which we had to skip because of high winds) Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, Puerto Montt and finally Valparaiso. We did have quite a few sea days and if sea days are a problem this cruise is definitely not for you. Most of the ports of call are small poor areas with not a lot to see as far as cities and building. They are more focused on the beauty and nature of the area. As far as the ship goes. The Jupiter is the newest of the Viking Ocean ships but it is pretty much identical to their other ships. It is a beautiful ship, plenty of public areas so I never felt crowded, the cabin was large (PV level) with plenty of storage and drawer space. Service and crew are the best. Every request was promptly filled. Overall we loved the cruise! Read Less

Ever since I studied South America in the 7th Grade, I have wanted to visit this continent, and especially Chile and Santiago. So we finally went! the Viking "Jupiter" was a beautiful, new ship, and the Planetarium on the upper deck made it especially interesting, as did the two NASA scientist/astronaut who gave enrichment talks. My husband and I spent a few days on our own prior to the cruise. We visited Rio de Janeiro and both sides of the magnificent Iguazu Falls, where we had scheduled a private pick-up and tour. That took some prior planning, but worked out very well. We also spent an extra day in Santiago at the end of the cruise, driving into the beautiful Andres Mountains with a wonderful guide. In between these two private tours, we spent many interesting days on board the "Jupiter," seeing much of Argentina and Chile. Both of these countries have been having some economic/political problems, but we did not experience any difficulties at all, and found the people there to be very friendly and welcoming. We found the staff to be extremely friendly and helpful, greeting us with big smiles and positive attitudes. The meals were excellent in all the dining venues, and in fact, we thought it was some of the best food we have ever had on our numerous cruises. I even had my favorite seafood -- soft-shell crab -- twice! that had never happened before! Our cabin was very nice, with plenty of storage and the bed and room were very comfortable. When I found the provided pillow to be too firm for me, the steward quickly found me a softer one, and made sure that it was soft enough. He also got us a top sheet to put under the duvet, which was really too heavy for most of the nights. Being a nearly new ship, everything was in great condition. The excursions were mostly very good, with some excellent guides, notably in Buenos Aires (Andrea), Ushuaia (Sebastien) and Puerto Montt (Ingrid). A few of the other guides were just adequate. We know that a great guide can really make even a simple tour great. The entertainment/lectures and other activities were also very good. We especially enjoyed the musical programs put on by the Viking singers, and the Australian astronaut. We saw all of the Planetarium shows and found them very interesting. Although there were more Sea Days than we are used to, with an extra one due to missing the Falkland Islands -- the sea was too rough to land-- we made good use of the restful time. I found a number of nice ladies to play Mah Jongg and card games with, which was great. We were happy to find several Man Jongg sets available. There was also equipment for Bridge and other games available, so I doubt anyone was bored! Oh, and the Trivia Contests were very fun! We were fortunate to have good weather while rounding Cape Horn, which I have heard is not always the case. After all, we were at the Southernmost point of land before Antartica, and this area can be very rough, they say. All in all, it was a very interesting and worthwhile cruise. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to go to a different, less travelled part of the world. I really hope more tourists will consider visiting this area, especially Chile. If we would go again, I would definitely add the northern area of the Atacama Desert to the itinerary. Maybe that should be offered as a post-cruise experience. Read Less

On the positive side, the Viking Ocean ship was great and a nice size, only about 800 passengers. But it had high quality entertainment, great enrichment lectures, a great fitness area, and super public spaces. The food, like the river cruises, was great, maybe even better than the Viking Long Ship in Europe. Service in all areas was superb, especially guest services, which I used a lot to get advice on all the tours. I again was so impressed with all the pleasant greetings every day reflecting just how good Viking training is in customer service. Visitors should take into account that this cruise is a little riskier than other Viking cruises because Cape Horn has some of the most turbulent seas in the world. Half the ports in Chile and Santiago were quite cool, mainly in the 50's, and one of the port visits was canceled due to high winds, resulting in four straight days in rough seas. The guides we had in two of the eight ports did not speak very good English and were not very polished. These were in two smaller cities in the southern parts of Chile and Argentina, challenging places to find good tour guides. The good ones we had, such as in Ushuaia, were from Buenos Aires. The guides in the bigger cities like Buenos Aires were fine. The port visits in the first half of the cruise, mainly Uruguay and Argentina, were boring, except for Buenos Aires and beautiful Ushuaia. There was just not that much of interest. If I were doing it again, I would cruise just the Pacific side of South America. The cruising in the Chilean Fjords and other areas such as the Puerto Montt area were gorgeous, and Valparaiso was the best larger size city on the cruise. Read Less

Had booked this cruise as a surprise for my husband's 60th birthday although he had to wait about 18 months till he recieved it, it was well worth the wait. We really looked forward to visiting the Falklands and the Chilean Fijords. Travel arrangements were fine, we had a long time to wait for our connecting flight but that was our choice as the original time given was less than an hour turnaround and thought that would cause us stress. Upon arrival in Buenos Aries we were transported to a hotel in a nice part of the city where we were provided with breakfast before transferring to the ship. We could not get to our room for a couple of hours so we relaxed on deck with a light lunch and a drink. We wish we had sunscreen in our hand luggage as the sun was extremely strong. Our cabin (Deluxe veranda) was excellent as usual, we had binoculars, fresh water, coffee machine and a fridge which was stocked with soft drinks, nuts and minisize toblerone each day. Hairdryer and toiletries provided. There was plenty of space for clothing and cases just slotted under the bed. Good movie choice and 24 hour room service available. Our cabin staff were 2 lovely guys, Christopher and "Mr". The dining facilities are wonderful, The world cafe for self service, restaurant for beautiful served meals, chef's table for taster menu with matching wine (we did the mexican and asian nights), Mandredi's for italian (portions are large), Mamsens for Norwegian type fayre, open sandwich/waffles etc, winter garden for afternoon tea, pool bar for burgers/salads and the living room bar for sandwiches, cookies and muffins. You will never be hungry! If you want a really lively ship this may not be the trip for you. It suits us fine, there are educational talks, quizzes, movies, variety shows, surprise staff performances and interesting port talks and more. Minky G was amazing, she sang, played piano, ukelele and guitar, every entertainer was entertaining! Torshaven is where you can have a dance with a wonderful duo providing the music. Good quality drinks are provided in all the bars but there are more premium drinks in Torshaven. We like a drink so we paid for the silver package which worked out about £30 per couple per day which we thought excellent value. If you are a light drinker, no need to buy this as drinks are included with the meals and glasses are quickly refilled if required. With Viking, I think they can be most proud of their staff, everyone is happy and seem genuinely so, nothing is too much trouble. Gratuities were included with our trip, staff deserve every penny they receive. The included tours were mostly good, the odd one was not to their usual standard but did not detract from the trip overall. We were disappointed not to be able to visit the Falklands, the sea was too rough to tender us in. It did not look too rough at the time but the wind soon picked up and it was plain to see the captain may have got some of us ashore but certainly would not have been able to get us back on board. The seas were rough for a couple of days. Some of the additional tours looked amazing but seemed quite pricey. There is a lot of social unrest in Argentina, and Chile at the moment and this was evident by the grafitti and boarded up windows and evidence of the demonstrations, although we always felt safe. Overall we preferred Chile. Be prepared for all types of weather, we had scorching sun, rain and wind that took you off your feet if you weren't careful, all within an hour. Fellow guests were mainly Americans and we talked to some lovely, interesting people of differing nationalities We book Viking because we don't like to have to dress up or wear suits, but found this to be the most casual of all our Viking trips and some evenings did feel slightly overdressed. We love the fact there are no photo shots, we laughed one day whilst docked and another cruise ship came in, the passengers were coming off the ship holding onto their hats in gale force winds and there was a photographer at the bottom of the gangway and some passengers actually stopped and posed, so funny. This was our 6th time travelling with Viking (2 ocean, 4 river cruises) and every trip is always going to be our last as they are quite pricey and we are not wealthy, but yet again we have booked another for next summer, which just might be our last, watch this space! Read Less

Other reviews have quite adequately covered the cruise portion of South America & the Chilean Fjords on Viking Jupiter. My only comment would be to support the exceptional ratings given and echo the compliments given to the crew for their performance. I would add that on our cruise, we were not able to go ashore in the Falkland Islands nor were we able to go ashore on Magdalena Island (from Punta Arenas). The costs for our optional excursions were immediately refunded to our accounts and the money will be refunded after the cruise. While disappointing, safety was the highest concern of the Captain and he made decisions with that in mind. Rough seas and high winds are always a risk in that part of the world and he did the best he could to maximize our experience. With others covering the actual cruise portion, I wanted to address our pre and post cruise extensions as they do not seem to be mentioned in other reviews. We elected to go to Rio de Janeiro and Iguazú Falls before joining the ship in Buenos Aires. From the first time I saw pictures of Iguazú Falls on a TV special, I have had a visit to Iguazú Falls on my personal “bucket list.” A visit to the Galápagos Islands provided the post cruise extension. The Viking extension begins in Rio de Janeiro where Viking books you into the Belmont Copacabana Palace, a classic hotel right on the beach. The included tour of Rio was on the next day so on the first day, we hired a driver from the hotel to take us to places we wanted to see and knew would not be part of the next-day’s tour. I had several places I knew I wanted to see but then left it up to Mario Marino, our driver, to take us to places we didn’t even know about. His car enabled us to get to places that would be impossible with the bus the next day. He was great as a guide and added immensely to our understanding and appreciation of Rio. The included tour the next day took us to the iconic locations of Rio, e.g., Christ the Redeemer statue and Sugarloaf Mountain. With the tour arranged by Viking, we avoided long lines but still had the inevitable crowds at Christ the King. The views and experience made up for any slight inconvenience of the crowds. From Rio, we flew to Iguazú on the Brazilian side of the falls and stayed in the Hotel Belmont das Cataratas, actually inside the national park boundaries. Our hotel’s location facilitated our visit since we were already inside the park. One day visiting the Brazilian side of the falls and the next day from the Argentinian side provided spectacular views of the falls but did require some amount of walking. We also took the opportunity to see the falls from an optional boat experience on the river. You had “wet” or “dry” options depending on whether you wanted to pass by the falls or actually go through the water cascading from above. Even with the “dry” option, you can depend on getting a bit wet from the spray. After our visit to the falls, we flew from the Argentinian side of the falls to Buenos Aires where we joined our ship. As I said, the cruise portion has been adequately reviewed so I will jump forward to the end of the cruise where we arrived in Valparaiso. We did take the included tour in Valparaiso before packing up in preparation for the next part of the trip and that was the post extension to the Galápagos Islands. The included tour in Valparaiso was mostly a bus tour with a few stops for photographs. The next day, however, as part of the extension, we would have a more extensive tour of Valparaiso and much more before arriving in Santiago for our flight to Guayaquil, Ecuador. One note regarding luggage. The trip to the Galápagos only allowed one checked bag and a carry-on. Because of the length of the cruise and extensions, most of the people had two carry-on bags. Viking made sure we were aware that only one bag would go to the Galápagos and that a second bag (if there was one) would be transported by Viking from Guayaquil to Quito where we would find the second bag in our hotel room in Quito when we arrived from our time in the Galápagos. That took place as advertised. After we departed the ship, we began a walking tour of Valparaiso that provided an in depth look at some of the different areas of the city. It was a much better tour than the day before and covered many of the same locations but with more time to explore and take photographs. On leaving Valparaiso, we headed out of the city and to a vineyard where we would have a short tour and tasting and then a fabulous lunch on a terrace overlooking the vineyards, complete with wine pairings suitable for each course. After lunch, we continued to Santiago and our flight to Guayaquil. One night in the Hilton Colon Guayaquil and the next morning we took another flight to Baltra Island in the Galápagos. As soon as we landed in the Galápagos, we began an extraordinary visit to see wildlife of many varieties. We traveled by bus, small boats, zodiacs, and a yacht to experience the flora and fauna offered by these islands. For two days, we traveled by yacht to two separate uninhabited islands where we would have the opportunity to see and discover the particular species of birds and other animals on the islands. One word of caution is necessary here. Getting to the islands required leaving the yacht, getting into a zodiac, and then getting from the zodiac to the somewhat primitive stairs on the shore. The guides we had were excellent in helping with the transitions but if someone had significant difficulty walking, this would be quite difficult and the walks along the trails problematic. I cannot say enough good things about the time spent in the Galápagos. We stayed in the Finch Bay Galápagos Hotel and our host, Franco Pesantez, did an outstanding job of taking care of us (note that there were 18 on the extension from the cruise). From the Galápagos, we flew to Quito and then back home. Cabin - Penthouse Junior Suite. Lots of space to store clothes and other items. Dual sinks in bathroom with heated floor and towel rack. For a longer cruise, this was exceptional with plenty of room for relaxation and watching the playoffs of the NFL. They were also telecast in the theater but we watched some of them in the room. Two large screen TVs. Dining. We took advantage of the opportunity to eat in the specialty restaurants (no additional cost) and they were excellent. For the Chef's Table, the menu changed every three days but if there was something on the menu you really didn't like (but wanted the rest of the meal) they would make a substitution for you. Normally the Chef's Table is a fixed meal but they are flexible. Manfredi's is always good and don't miss the waffles in Mamsen's. Also, the grill by the pool provides an excellent opportunity for a light meal. World Cafe always provides a wide range of offerings to satisfy any taste. The staff is always ready to provide drinks and whatever else you need. Public rooms are quite pleasing, open and decorated in Norwegian style. Easy to find a place to just relax or talk with others. Service is excellent across the board. The rooms are services several times each day. Shore excursions provide opportunities to see and experience a wide variety of wildlife, landscapes and the cities. The included tours are mostly a bus tour and to get more in-depth opportunities, I recommend taking a careful look at the optional tours. My two favorites during the cruise were in Puerto Madryn where we visited the Punta Tomb Penguin Colony. The excursion requires a long bus ride (about 2.5 hours each way) but the ride is worth it when you are able to walk through the colony and observe literally thousands of penguins. My other favorite was in Puerto Montt, Chile, where we did the Osorno Volcano, Petrohué Falls and Puerto Varas. We visited the falls and had incredible views of the falls and volcano. The falls are not as spectacular as Iguazú Falls but few are even close. We observed the volcano from across the lake and then drove to about 4000 feet on the volcano to be able to see even more spectacular views of the area. The excursion is long but again very worth the time and expense. One note: During this cruise, we were not able to go ashore in the Falklands and we could not go ashore on Magdalena Island from Punta Arenas. Viking refunded our payment for the tours we missed. On-board experience. Viking provides elegant ships excellent service. Read Less

I have cruised with Carnival, Royal Carribean, Princess, and Holland. This was my first Viking cruise. Yes, it costs a bit more, but for 60-year old me, this is the way to cruise! Here are some differences I noted: • OLD passengers…..really old • Trivia winner gets ABSOLUTELY NOTHING……not a plastic boat or anything • No formal night • No extra cost for the special restaurants • Eat when you want….no assigned time for dinner or assigned seats • No restaurant “shows” • No restaurant-wide announcements • 3 people waiting on you at the table • No cruise director announcements….”well good morning folks. Here is the list of activities today so you don’t have to actually read your daily paper” • No children • Plenty of chairs….everywhere, including pool side • No cost tours at every port • 100% balcony rooms • Unlimited beer and wine included at lunch and dinner • Free beer on football playoffs • Free mini bar with snacks and soft drinks • No silly contest (e.g. hairy chest) • Free laundry • No pushing of special drinks • Manageable size ship • 2:1 passenger to staff • No animal towels • No nightly chocolate on pillow • Art Guide cool idea, but was not working • Thermal suite • Huge spa • Droid app with schedule, etc. • No casino • Free water on tours • Free water when going ashore • OK to bring booze on and drink in room • No midnight buffet • No 24-hour food like all night pizza • No disco • Big state room • No game room • Just order verbally for drinks, giving your room number • Board game equipment sitting out….no check out from desk • No lines…..anywhere • Real hand towels in public restrooms • No clocks • Site-down muster • Hospitality suite at a hotel on departure day for late departures….with snacks and soft drinks REALLY REALLY easy embarkation and disembark. No real lines. Fast. Read Less

As only our second cruise, South America wasn't high on our "must see" list. But we were invited to go with lifelong friends and we're glad we did. We were very impressed with the outstanding Viking service and dining experiences, as well as the ship itself and its many amenities. We had heard stories of rough seas, but Jupiter handled everything with amazing stability. I am prone to motion sickness, but even with no drugs, I never felt a twinge! The ship is also beautiful and fun to explore. We loved the Explorer's lounge with waffles at Mamsen's, and were very impressed with the exercise facilities to work off those extra calories. The spa facilities were great and we each had a nice massage. That said, this particular cruise had too many days at sea for us -- exacerbated by cancellation of the Falkland Islands stop due to high winds. The excursions were also a little disappointing. Long bus rides and some very long crowded lunches. For instance, at Punta Tombo, we spent as much time eating a steak lunch (served to six busloads of people) as we got with the penguins -- we would rather have had a simple box lunch and more time outside. The tour guides were consistently good, but there was just a little too much time on the buses for us. Some of our best times were actually the days we spent on our own at the beginning (Buenos Aries) and end (Santiago) of the trip. We did really enjoy the enrichment talks and trivia contests while at sea. A cooking class with a tour of the kitchens was also a highlight. Again, each person on the Viking staff did his or her job very well and was EXTREMELY nice and accommodating. Read Less

We loved our pre-cruise excursion to Machu Pichu! Jupiter was the perfect size ship for us - adults only, perfect level of amenities, very gracious staff, all the comforts we could ever want - including lots of movies, TV channels and music in our room. The Christmas and New Year's celebrations onboard were wonderful - music, food, and decorations were so festive. The entertainment was fabulous and we always looked forward to attending the evening events. Plus, the lecturers were very knowledgable on topics like history, geology, astronomy, and economics. There were a good variety of ports of call & excursions to choose from. We especially loved going to the penguin nesting ground at Puerto Madryn, Argentina, and seeing the Magellanic penguins up close! The tour guides that Viking chooses are exceptional and eager to share their knowledge and experiences with us. We will definitely sail with Viking again and recommend it to others. Read Less

Viking personnel provided us with the help we needed to find a dentist on a Saturday afternoon when we arrived at the terminal. My husband required an emergency root canal. We wouldn't have been able to enjoy the cruise without the help that we got to get rid of his tooth pain. I got seasick and barely made it to the restroom from the Worlds Café. That evening the ships doctor called to check on how I was doing. We were surprised to meet up with a couple that was on the Australia and New Zealand cruise we took last December. And we also met some of crew members that were on the Australia and New Zealand cruise on this cruise. As on the last cruise, the personnel on this cruise were all willing to fill any special request I had. I enjoy eating a kiwi every morning and I was provided with one. Every morning when I went to eat breakfast the young man manning the fruit area had a peeled orange ready for me. I can not drink juice, can eat only the whole fruit. When I didn't want to eat neither shrimp in curry sauce or fried shrimp on the menu, there was a grilled shrimp option available for me. The Specialty Resturants served great food. The service was always great. The stateroom attendants provided us with a bedsheet for under the comforter. There was a Crafters Meeting for crafters. The Opera Show was interesting as was the Tango Show. And rhe lady playing the harp was really great. I had two Reflexology Masages that were great.Viking goes out of their way to see that we are helped with whatever we might need. We have traveled on other cruise lines and none have provided the service that we get on Viking. Read Less

We chose this cruise while on another Viking ocean cruise. We received several perks (cruise credits for current & future cruise, Silver beverage package & discounts) for immediate booking. We were elated with the entire experience from start to finish! Our Viking agent helped with air transportation and notified us of any airline scheduling changes made after initial booking. The transfer from airport to ship was seamless & comfortable. We explored Valparaíso by taking the optional Artists Tour, and again we were enthralled by the kindness, quality and craft of the talented artists. Embarkation was seamless for us. Our room was ready. Our Cabin Stewards, Danica and Jeremy greeted us and introduced us to our new surroundings. They were a team that worked well together & were able to help us address minor cabin maintenance issues with immediate follow up. The Viking Jupiter is new. It is beautiful. Though we had a couple days of rough waters on the Pacific my motion-sickness prone companion did not become ill. Executive decisions were made to not complete the passage around Cape Horn and we recognized their buy in to safety first. It was appreciated by us. Whether dining at the Restaurant buffet, Mamsen’s or reserving with Manfredi’s or the Chef’s Table, our dining experiences were 5-Star. Wine sommeliers Daniel, Valaria, & Omega we’re indeed extraordinary in their descriptions of wine profiles and food matches to entice our palates. The food prep, temperature and spices were just right. Playing was beautiful. Salads were consistently fresh, flavorful and if dressed, the dressing was adequate. I personally enjoyed immensely the educational seminars by our invited educators and the historian in residence. I learned so very much about culture, economy, topography, government and their current issues. For me, this was a highlight. I’m not much into shows but I loved the classical duets and piano pieces played in the atrium. We made at least one shore excursion at every port. I appreciated the learning, though some local guides were clearly better than others. We ventured out some on our own as well, and that too made for a great cultural experience. We also tried the Nordic bathing ritual. In that hands of the Scandinavian professional, Elena (?) we learned how to relax and clean deeply. Unfortunately, the non-Scandinavian hair dresser did not know what she was doing. Her massages caused pain for some of us, and in fact one older gentleman yelped and added, “That hurt!” . It was our only “miss”. We have now signed up for 2 more Viking cruises as a result of our largely terrific experiences. Read Less

The Jupiter is a beautiful ship, and this was for us a different and interesting itinerary. For the most part, we were very happy with everything. Viking went over and aboard in the embarkation and disembarkation days for us because we had arranged air and transfers through them (we were taken to breakfast en route to the ship and the last day given an extra tour and hotel ballroom to hang out until our transfer to the airport for a late flight out). Loved the layout of the ship. Loved the classy decor and low key approach (no photographers, no sheets of paper to market stores or book upcoming cruises left on bed at night, only one announcement a day). Love the amenities offered at no extra charge (wine and beer at meals, laundry facilities, free wifi, no charge for specialty restaurants, included excursions, steam and sauna rooms and spa area, etc). The bed is comfortable and the bathroom shower larger than expected, with great water pressure and heated floors. That being said, we were disappointed in most of the included tours as they were very superficial (except in Buenos Aires - that one was great). For others going on this itinerary, you will get the most out of the ports by purchasing shore excursions or looking for alternatives (we did a free walking tour in Valparaiso which was great and the Patrick Watts Volunteer Point tour in the Falklands was the highlight of our whole cruise). Evening entertainment was pretty much what you expect on a cruise. We were disappointed in the quality of the on board lectures. I expected more in depth information than I could get from a quick internet search on my own, and a lecture that felt more advanced than feeling like I was sitting in a high school classroom. I was surprised there was not an astronomy lecture on the southern hemisphere skies. The food was good but not great, The Restaurant service is extremely slow (2 1/2 to 3 hours to eat) and servers did not always bring simple requested things (like a glass of ice water). The World Cafe menu is almost identical to The Restaurant which gives little incentive to go for a very slow meal over picking up what you want in the buffet unless you want the meal served to you. We actually preferred the buffet on this cruise. One other area Viking needs to strengthen is their communications. On board Viking reps gave incorrect and different information according to who you spoke with and when. Examples include how to get in town in Valpo (we were told by several people we could get provided transportation to Plaza Sotomayer, which you could almost see from the ship; in reality we had to take two busses and buy tickets to ride the local light rail and travel 20 minutes or more to get there) & what and how disembarkation day would work. We wish the ship would have added to their newsletter that there was one day, if we had gotten up early (like 5am) as we were sailing the fjords, that we would be able to see glaciers on port and starboard sides. We missed that entirely. We will definitely sail with Viking again as our overall experience was great! Read Less

We looked forward to visiting countries in South America, places we hadn't been, and especially seeing natural places and animals there. Mostly, I was disappointed. We saw little of either. Penguins could only be seen from a distance in the Falklands, as wasted stop in my opinion. We did get to see many penguins on the extra excursion in Puerto Madryn after a 2.5 hour bus ride; it was worth it. Other than that, we saw the Amalia Glacier. No other fjords. No waterfalls. Too many sea days by far. A few cities that weren't spectacular. We liked Montevideo, Uruguay the best. Buenos Aires was good. Shore excursions were better than on the Great Britain cruise. Viking did take good care of us, as usual. I hate to cruise with any other line now that I'm so spoiled. All processes run much smoother than on other cruise lines. The staff was so responsive to our needs. They go a little overboard on creating fancy dishes that don't really appeal to me, especially when many include gluten that I can not tolerate. I looked forward to getting home to my basic foods. We had the best entertainment on this cruise that I have ever experienced. Tango dancing, harp playing, singer--all were incredible! Enjoyed the planetarium and getting to see the night sky afterward. Really appreciated having bridge playing available on the many sea days. The Jupiter is a great ship, except for not having good tables for playing bridge except in the dining room. The staff make Viking cruises the best. Read Less

Viking provides good value and excellent service. Food is good, but not nearly as good as Oceania. The shore excursions were not particularly good; especially Punta Arenas which a guide had 35 people anwas mostly a uphill walk to have an overview of the city. The tango dancers were OUTSTANDING and Heather Clancey was great. The band was fine, but overall the entertainnment was marginal and the seating in the theater really did not accommate the numbers of passangers. The Exploror Dome has great potential, but the 3 shows did not take good advantage of it. There should have been more about the stars and the various constelllations. The alternate dining was unremarkable. Infact the meals offerred at the Chef's Table were not too good. In particular, the Peking duck was a far cry from real Peking duck. The entie staff were courteous, competent, and had positive attitudes and wer alnost always smiling. Read Less

We wanted to see the Chilean Fiords & the glaciers. The experience was well worth the money spent. The ship is beautiful, cabin well appointed, & service top notch. Food was plentiful, well presented, & very tasty. The entertainment was very good,& the cruise director outstanding. Shore excursions were very informative. We also enjoyed the speakers who traveled with the ship. It was like being in a classroom & learning new & important lessons without the fear of final exams. I would recommend Viking Cruise Lines to anyone interested in a first rate cruise, either river or ocean. After cruising on many different cruise ships on varied cruise lines, I feel Viking gives you more bang for your buck. To prove our point, I will tell you how we feel: We came home & booked a river cruise from Moscow to St. Petersberg on the Viking Akun starting July 7th. Read Less

We chose it for celebrating our fiftieth wedding anniversary. We had wanted to sail around South America and when we saw that the Viking Jupiter (on which we had sailed around the British Isles this past summer) was sailing that itinerary, we chose this cruise. We enjoyed having the same head waiter in the Dining room that we had had this past summer. Also, we very much liked the design of the ship. We were also glad to see the same Entertainment Director. This trip the evening shows were over the top. The three Tango performances and the two Electric Harp performances rated as some of the best shows that we have seen on any cruise. Especially jaw-dropping was the last night's Tango Performance. Also worth positive mention were some of the scheduled lectures and the planetarium presentation of the southern constellations paired with the opportunity to go to the top deck that evening to see the stars clearly. The best shore excursion of the trip was the trip to the Punto Tumbo Penguin Colony when we visited Puerto Madryn. Despite the 2.5 hour bus ride on a bus with no toilet facilities, the trip was well worth out time and the cost. Read Less