Viking Sky Review
Rating by category
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This was our first ever cruise. We picked Viking based on their reputation, 'small' size, and our needs; we are not interested in much entertainment, nor in flashy/gimmicky bling; we just wanted a nice cabin, great food, and interesting destinations. We picked the 'Ancient Adriatic Treasures' cruise, which was fascinating. 14 days for a 'first ever' cruise sounded risky, but in the end it was truly effortless; we could have stayed on board for another week or two!
We love to eat, and the food did not disappoint. We were in a 'DV2' category room (Deluxe Veranda) so we only got 1 reservation each at Manfredi's and Chef's Table, but we didn't care. The food at 'The Restaurant' was always excellent, and the 'World Cafe' far exceeded our expectations (and the desserts - far, far exceeded!). Even though food at the World Cafe was always there for the taking, they would grill a steak or fish on request, and even the 'pool bar' grilled an 'Ahi Tuna' steak for me on request. Manfredi's was very good (I had the Florentine steak, which was cooked to perfection - something I struggle with in most restaurants); our particular meal at 'Chef's Table' was a partial disappointment since my partner does not like red meat, and lamb chops were the only item that day. Having a DV category cabin severely reduces your ability to book for these two restaurants; we couldn't get reservations ahead of the cruise, and even onboard it was a struggle and that's why we ended up with a Chef's Table menu that was not ideal for us.
Booking the excursions was equally difficult due to our DV category. Reservations don't officially open up until 67 days ahead of the cruise for DV travelers, and by then, most of the 'good ones' seem booked. Further, it took days after the '67 day deadline' before we could access them. Even the 'freebies' were hard to schedule, and we couldn't get on the 'extensions' we wanted. For some reason, our flights were also late in being provisioned; it was weeks after the promised deadline before we got to see what airline/flight/seat we were given. When they finally showed up, they were decent (good airlines, good routing).
Cabin Review
The Cabin far exceeded our expectations. We were on deck 6 towards the back, just below the World Cafe but we never heard anything above us. Our cabin stewards were great - looked after us, listened to our requests, etc. The shower was wonderful, and the heated floors really welcomed! The balcony was just big enough to be useful; I sat out there a few times. The bed was firmer than I would prefer, but I just about managed with it. A slightly softer bed would have been a plus.
The TV, however, was a disappointment. My partner is hard-of-hearing, and needs closed captioning. I can accept that there are challenges adding CC's to in-house generated material, but even the news and movie content did not have CC display. CCs (and subtitles, which are different) are now embedded in the signal and you just have to decode it; it's mind-boggling that they didn't provide this, given the average age of the clientele (70s?). For some bizarre reason also, the captain's announcements would come over the PA system in the room, but the cruise director's announcements were only audible in the corridors! I had to open our door a few times to hear important information (when our arrival in port was delayed and all the excursions were rescheduled).
Overall, though - the room was very pleasant and we were quite happy to chill out in the room.
Port Reviews
Kotor
I'd never heard of Kotor before taking this cruise. The sail into and out of Kotor has to be one of the most beautiful journeys on earth - you spend over an hour sailing through a number of interconnected bays, each lined with gorgeous towns. Definitely worth making the effort to get up on a view deck for.
The town itself is steps from the port, and is one of those well-preserved, 'homogeneous' European towns that are a delight to just walk around. Then there's the setting - the town sits on the waters edge, and is nestled up against a steep mountain. That mountain is gorgeous, and is dotted with ancient walls and monasteries. There is a fabulous walkway up this mountain - VERY steep, hard work, but definitely worth it if you are a decent hiker. It's quite busy.
I only wish we had more time there. I will plan to return in the future, and would love to explore all the other small towns along the water's edge.