We chose this cruise because it was going to Bordeaux, where we wanted to go, in Sept., when we wanted to go, and a large suite was available. This was our second and last cruise with Viking.
Viking considers itself Deluxe. At best, they are "Deluxe Light." There is no WOW! factor. Maybe I'm jaded, but nothing on Viking feels special, and the on-board activities are poorly paced. Viking is pricey, especially for what you get.
Our room, the Explorer Suite, felt smaller than we expected. It was supposed to be 417 sq. ft., but it felt like less - certainly no bigger than the smallest balcony room I had on my last cruise with Regent Seven Seas (356 sq. ft.). Maybe Viking measures from the outside of the boat, while other cruise lines measure from the inside, so that what you see is what you get. Bed was hard to move around. There was no walk-in closet - no more space for clothes than in an ordinary hotel room closet. Bathroom was small - a single sink, walk-in shower, no tub. Fortunately there was a storage cabinet in the bathroom. There were 2 TV's in our room, but programming was limited - you couldn't even get the local weather because they didn't set it up.
Our room, the Explorer Suite, felt smaller than we expected. It was supposed to be 417 sq. ft., but it felt like less - certainly no bigger than the smallest balcony room I had on my last cruise with Regent Seven Seas (356 sq. ft.). Maybe Viking measures from the outside of the boat, while other cruise lines measure from the inside, so that what you see is what you get. Bed was hard to move around. There was no walk-in closet - no more space for clothes than in an ordinary hotel room closet with a sliding door. Bathroom was small - a single sink, walk-in shower, no tub. Fortunately there was a storage cabinet in the bathroom. There were 2 TV's in our room, but programming was limited - you couldn't even get the local weather because they didn't set it up.