We’ve taken 10 cruises, the last five with Viking. We have only taken Viking in the last several years due to their overall excellence. We just returned from the Antarctic Explorer Cruise and this was not what we have come to expect from Viking. Our initial itinerary was change from when we boarded the ship. The six days in Antarctica called for zodiac landings; however, our destinations changed, and three landings became zodiac cruises. We understand weather dictates the changes, but the new locations didn’t really offer anything better. Our biggest disappointment was that one submersible ride was to be included. We pre-booked the ride, filled out the paperwork, took the little physical test, and the class in the Aura. Our ride was removed from our itinerary, and we were told that all rides were being reschedules to due body weights and we would be reassigned and informed 1 to 2 days before our ride. That NEVER happened. In fact, in talking with other passengers, some had rides cancelled and rebooked twice. It was also inferred that scheduling was by room class whether or not they pre-booked the ride. Out of the two submersibles available, only one was operating.

One of the main reasons for this cruise was the submersible ride. So, it was very disappointing that we never got the ride. Not sure we could recommend this cruise to anyone due to the problems, the lack of information provided, and the cost. We had another Viking cruise booked to Australia and New Zealand for January 2024, but we have cancelled it and the other 2 cruises we're planning are now being reconsidered.