Overall i like the Viking ocean ships. Clean, crisp norweigian style. Food choices good. Room layout very good. But this review is about my view of the way Viking handled the itinerary debacle caused by the virus. We were merrily headed to Hobart Tasmania when the captain informed us early in the morning while at sea that we were headed on a beeline to the mainland of AUS to get into port there. It was obvious from the direction of the boat that Sydney was the intended port. NZ had just closed its ports and it was clear AUS would follow suit. We never made it to Sydney. AUS closed its ports before we got there. We were redirected to Melbourne. Due to an AUS exception to its port closure order we were able to disembark as long as we all headed to the airport for departure. To my knowledge nobody on board was ill before disembarkation. Overall I was impressed with Viking's offer for free flights home for everyone on board even if you did not arrange travel thru Viking. Coach of course. It probably took a huge effort to get flight's (re)arranged in the short time before disembarkation for those who did not do their own thing. My wife and I immediately redid our own arrangements so we could stay in business class. Viking provided transfers for everyone to the airport and allowed people to stay on the boat as long as possible before their flight. I found the guest assistance very adequate in helping us and other people figure out their new arrangements. I have to figure out what to do about upcoming Viking trips depending on how the virus thing is panning out but appreciate Viking's flexibility on reservations (vouchers for future travel and cancellations almost up to the time of departure). I may be wrong but I think they were first out of the block with the most flexibility. There are a few nits and nats I could describe but they are trivial compared to how things generally unfolded and were dealt with by Viking. I see reports of chaos on other ships. Some are still floating around out there looking for a port. God bless and help those people. Read Less

Having experienced their river cruise previously, wanted to try the ocean version with Viking. I was not disappointed by the experience. I found the company extremely professional in their approach to just about everything. The organisation/logistics efficiently well managed. Catering on board....great choice of restaurants/food and beverages and wonderful crew service at all times. The cabin (Penthouse Veranda) was worth the upgrade cost....very well designed with more than enough storage for 2 people and space to relax as well as the balcony of course. A complementary mini bar, was a welcome feature with guests able to ask the stateroom attendant for their favourite tipple! Entertainment was a good mix, catering for the demographics of the guests and the itinerary. Inclusive excursions were a bit basic, but gave you a rough idea to be able to navigate your own way around the ports at you leisure later. Some of the optional excursions were, I thought rather expensive, however, some of my fellow passengers (more seasoned than me!) had made their own arrangements with alternative providers at a better rate for the same excursion. A lesson for future cruises...! I also felt that the descriptions provided by Viking on their web site, at the point you might be considering booking these, were a bit scant on operational details. For example, the trip over land to the Arctic Circle involved a 4/5 hour return coach journey out of a 7 hour total excursion. Leaving little time to explore the features 'sold' to you on the web description. Also, on this particular trip, the actual Arctic Circle Centre we found on arrival was closed for the winter!! This fact was never mentioned previously!! Another point worth mentioning as regards the pre/post extension on this particular trip. The hotel chosen was the Radisson Blu in Bergen. An international chain, of course and in a great location right on the Bryggen. However, the over all experience at this hotel was poor. From the amenities offered, customer service and guest information....all below par for a 4* standard of hotel. Again, some guests had made their own arrangements hotel wise, and I think this might be valid suggestion for future bookings, despite having the convenience of Viking making all your on shore arrangements. I felt it did not represent good value for money at £389 for 2 nights bed and breakfast! The embarkation process at Tilbury could have had a smoother process for guests arriving into Tilbury town....no transport was immediately available to take people from the town to the dock area and a walk would involve c.20 minute route (with suitcases in tow!). So despite some of the above niggles I've mentioned, I would still highly rate Viking on the back of this Northern Lights Cruise and would not hesitate to make another booking with them. I have of course learned of some alternative options as detailed above and, with most things have a bit more experience to do things a bit differently next time. All crew and staff worked very hard to make your experience a 5* one, and with the few exceptions mentioned, I think they achieved this goal. Read Less

We chose this trip because of the opportunity to experience the Panama Canal. It was the highlight of the trip. This review will concentrate on the excursions - mostly because I found few reviews on Cruise Critic about this itinerary before I took it. The staff and service were excellent. The comments are about my personal reactions to the excursions. In general, the quality was high, but I enjoyed some more than others (as reflected in the reviews) since personal taste varies. Note. The Port Talks done on the ship the afternoon prior to each new stop were excellent. They described each of the excursions and gave a lot of details about the difficulty of walking or entering the vehicles (e.g, bus, boat, train etc). We used the Port Talks to make decisions to change our reservations several times due to physical limitations, and the tour desk was able to do so even though we were doing so after the deadline to make changes. I am very thankful for their attention to our needs. Feb 22 Key West. We took the included Trolley Hop-on/Hop-off tour. (They didn’t tell us in advance it was hop-on/off.) The narration was fun. We hopped off at the stop near the Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, paid the entrance fee, and greatly enjoyed the experience. I also walked a couple blocks to the spot designated as the most southern point in continental US from that trolley stop. After the butterflies, we took the trolley back to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon, I walked to the Truman Winter White House and took the hour-long tour. This was my favorite activity in Key West (I had investigated doing it on-line during my planning for the trip). I also had time for some shopping before returning to the ship. The ship was well located to allow passengers to explore the shopping and several major sites. (I was not interested in visiting Hemingway's house, but others easily did so.) My sister had planned to go on the optional glass-bottomed boat ride for that afternoon, but Viking cancelled that tour the previous evening (announcing that sea-conditions would not allow it). Feb 24 Cozumel. I took the included tour to the pre-Columbian Mayan site at San Gervasio. They split us into smaller groups to tour the ruins and learn about the history of the site. The guide did a good job on the lengthy bus ride to talk about what we were going to see and to answer general questions about life in Mexico. I don’t have much experience with Mayan ruins (except for their calendar system that made them such great astronomers), so this was essentially new for me. Feb 25 Belize. The included tour started by going ashore by tender, then a drive through the city that pointed out colonial-era buildings, and then a longer ride to the ruins of Altun Ha. There were quite a few buildings (one of which the group was invited to climb). They divided the 39 people on the bus into smaller groups with individual guides. It was a sunny day, and the bottles of water that Viking provided as we departed the ship were much appreciated since we spent over an hour walking around the ruins for the tour on a hot day. Again, the guide on the bus did a nice job of describing the town and the site, and answering questions about life in Belize. Feb 26 Roatan. We had planned to do the included tour for this day, but a few days before the cruise Viking announced that they were cancelling several tours and turning two optional ones into included tours. My sister changed to the tour that went to the rum and chocolate place, and I changed to the Gumbalimba Park excursion. This was one of my favorite excursions of the entire trip. There were lots of parrots, some macaws, resident monkeys that you could hold (who wanted to steal your earrings or buttons), and at least one sloth. They advertised a “rope” bridge to cross a pond, but it actually had wooden slats and sturdy metal “ropes”; it was a bit wobbly, but I felt quite safe. The park was quite lovely, although the walking paths were a bit rough sometimes. Again, the water bottle was appreciated. (For the monkey area, you had to remove your hat and store the bottle so that the monkeys wouldn’t steal them.) Feb 28. Costa Rica. We had signed up for two tours, the included one and the optional boat and train excursion. Viking had a letter waiting in our stateroom when we first boarded letting us know that the boat part for both tours was identical, and we might consider changing our reservations. We ended up discarding the optional boat and train excursion to do one called “All Terrain Vehicle Ride and Rain Forest Trek”. The monster bus had air conditioning and comfortable seats, and took us up to the mountains near the Banano River. It promised to lead us on foot into the rain forest, but we never actually left the roadway. I saw one tiny poisonous dart frog, and heard some birds, but there wasn’t much wild-life. The driver and the guide had built this bus themselves, and their explanation of how they did it was interesting. They had a nice “picnic” of fruit and snacks, a stop near a banana plantation where we learned a bit about how bananas are grown and harvested, and a scenic drive back to the ship along the coast. After lunch on the ship, we took the included tour that took us by bus to the Tortuguero National Park. The canal boat had a very talented guide that found various sorts of wildlife, such as howler monkeys and crocodiles. Although the description implied we would go into “heart of it all”, we were never out of view of the dock or manmade structures; that is, we didn’t go very far along the waterway/canal, and certainly never got to the point where the canals were “overgrown with jungle”. I found it a fun experience and enjoyed it more than the morning trek on the monster bus, but wished we had had a chance to go further along the canal. Again, the guide on the bus did a nice job of talking about Costa Rica. In spite of its limitations, this was one of my favorite excursions. Feb 29 The Panama Canal. Very cool experience for the ship to enter the canal, spend the day on the lake, and exit in late afternoon. The highlight of the entire trip. March 1 Panama. We did the included tour by bus to Panama City from our docked location in Colon, Panama. The guide pointed out important sites related to the canal and its administration before dropping most of us off near Casco Viejo (Old Town). Several passengers stayed on the bus rather than take the hour-long walk. We were able to enter the church and see the interior. Most of the shops were closed since it was Sunday morning. The guide pointed out some important historic buildings as we walked along cobblestoned streets, and then returned to the bus. The bus took a different set of roads back to Colon, including one through the national park where the jungle was thick. Again the guide was happy to answer questions beyond his prepared talk. March 3 Jamaica. Again we had booked two tours, one included and one optional. But after hearing the Port Talk on March 2, we cancelled the optional one we had planned (the 4X4 safari ride). We took the included trip to Rose Hall Great House, a restored Georgian mansion from the British colonial period. The tour guide spent a lot of time talking about the residents of the house and their evil actions and deaths. There were three flights of steps to enter the house, another three flights to go upstairs, and two flights to go to the basement. Some passengers skipped all the walking tour of the house. There was a shop at the house (15 minutes), and a stop at a shopping center near the house (30 minutes) before returning to the ship at Montego Bay. I really didn’t feel that we had much of an introduction to life in Jamaica or its history. For all locations, there was at least one included (no extra fee) excursion and several optional (various fees) available. Read Less

Our first Viking Cruise was the most comfortable and relaxing cruise we have been on...probably because it is geared for people of our age group (late 60’s-70’s). We enjoyed the spa, lectures, entertainment, and all the open spaces on the ship. The staff was very good and friendly. We mostly ate at the buffet (World Cafe) and enjoyed the convenience of that (we appreciated the staff’s concern for cleanliness, having everyone wash their hands when entering the buffet). The food was good but sometimes cold. The food in the main restaurant was just okay, although the lobster was yummy. The food in the Italian restaurant was pretty good but the same menu every night. We did a couple of the included shore excursions but mostly purchased the optional ones, which were good. Our cabin was comfortable (DV2 category), but could have been a little larger. My main complaint was the inconvenience of the closet, which was right next to the bed and had heavy doors that you had to slide back and forth to get into the two parts of the closet. I did comment to our cabin steward that we were having a problem with the shower head and it was adjusted immediately. However, all things considered, we will definitely cruise with Viking again!! As we all know, nothing is ever going to be perfect. Read Less

Hello, we just got back from our Viking Ocean cruise from Australia and New Zealand on the Viking Orion. First let me tell you it was well worth the time Money and experience. We had a great time on the ship and the ports of call. The crew is absolutely fabulous, they were the friendliest and most helpful staff I have ever cruised with (with about 12 cruises so far that saying something). The food is excellent and the preparation is 5 star. The rooms are spacious and well setup. Free use of the laundry rooms was a very nice perk for a 2 week cruise. The onboard entertainment is fun and professional. Brian the Cruise Director is a classical trained singer and has an exceptional voice. The embarkation and disembarkation was quick and organized well. With all the Virus scare going on they were very careful checking us in the first day. Most of the included excursions are just a bus ride around the local city. The quality of the excursion is based on the quality of the driver who talks about the area and sights. He has to do this while driving so can sometimes loose his train of thought. All the ports were worth stopping at and exploring. We did 3 privet tours and one Viking paid excursion. All the passengers were friendly and had no problems with any of them. The only complaint I have is the constant changing of tables when dining (first come first assigned and rotated to balance out the restaurant. The plus side of this is you meet more people, The down side of this is you don't really make any real connections with your new friends and get to know them well over an extended cruise. The internet is spotty and weak and very bad in port. We really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the cruise and the enrichment lectures they had on the area and people we were going to visit. From the lands history to the origin of the people living there. Informative and relevant information was passed on to help you get the most out of each port. We will be doing another Viking cruise in our future, both Ocean and River. The have earned their quality reputation. Read Less

The cruise to the Amazon is an excellent cruise, although there are a lot of at sea days. So bear in mind that Viking does not have large shows, casinos, or a lot of shops. But that said, the Viking Sea is a very nice ship which is well designed and has enough open spaces so that you never really feel crowded (except during port talks where the entire ship tries to show up in the Star Theater). As usual, the Viking experience is very good. Their policy of unlimited wine and other drinks at meals is very good. Dinner at the chef's table (changes every 3 day) is not to be missed. Those dinners include a wine partnering with 4 wines per meal. Given their standard policy, you really have to drink a lot to justify the beverage package. Manfredi's is very good but not exceptional Italian fare. The ability to eat in the standard restaurant, the World Cafe, or in your room (all with similar menus) really makes Viking a good deal (that and there are no formal nights - only collared shirts and no jeans required for men in the restaurants make it perfect), Read Less

We chose this cruise in hopes of seeing the elusive Northern Lights. We were so lucky as we saw them on four or five different nights. Our best views were from the ship after leaving Narvik. We cruised from Bergen to Tilbury on the Viking Star February 15 through February 27th. We have been on over 50 cruises but this was our first on Viking. We were surprised with the uncrowded open spaces. Service was exceptional. Food was good. The ship was beautifully furnished. Our stateroom was attractive, convenient and well planned. Public Areas The Star's public rooms are lovely. It is the most uncrowded ship we have seen. There are three floors of open area around the atrium with an abundance of seating areas, game tables and cocktail tables and also a big puzzle table and Viking heritage items and photos. There is no designated game room but people were invited to play cards or Mah Jong in the Chef's Table. Scrabble and others games were available. We had been on the Caribbean Princess in October in Canada. It was cold and windy so no one used the pool decks. You couldn’t find a seat anywhere on the Caribbean Princess. Great entertainment but no room. Another issue on that ship was there was only a handful of kids so all that room was wasted. At the other end of the spectrum from the CP is the Viking Star - uncrowded, lovely Scandinavian style and great service. The pool area is firmly covered in winter. There is much available seating there also. We usually travel with friends or family. All this roominess would truly be used and appreciated when traveling with a big group. The workout room is well equip and was never crowded. With a total of 930 passengers no line was ever long, no area was ever crowded. Dining The main dining room is the Restaurant. My husband and I were traveling alone. We were always asked if we wanted a shared table. Most of those are for six people. Tables for two are grouped closely together by threes so we always visited with our table neighbors which was really enjoyable. We met many people because of the Restaurant set up. Our fellow travelers were mostly Americans but there were many from Australia and England. The food was good but not exceptional, the included wine was mostly just okay. Some of it was quite good. We realized on the last night that some people had found an included wine they really enjoyed and asked for it specifically. Manfredi's is a wonderful Italian restaurant. The sole and chicken Parmigiana were delicious. Loved everything I tried. I forgot to book this ahead so I was afraid we couldn’t get in but we got a shared or individual table each time we asked. The buffet and pool grill had great food. You could take pool grill food into the buffet or eat near the pool where there are many, many tables. I am missing the fabulous strawberry sorbet I enjoyed repeatedly. Service We have been on over 50 cruises. The service on the Viking Star was exceptional. Our room stewards Juan Carlos and Vee were the best ever. They were so attentive. Our suite was always perfectly clean and welcoming. They were friendly and seemed happy which many room stewards are not. They kept our bottled water stocked and ice bucket full. Housekeeping on the whole ship was very good. Maybe since we traveled as the novel Coronavirus was first leaving China, we saw hand rails cleaned repeatedly. Every thing was spotless. My only suggestion would to have crew members do all the serving at the buffet. In all restaurants they were insistent on using the alcohol sprayers on our hands. When we boarded the Viking Star on February 15th we were given a health interview as well as the usual health form. We also had our temperature taken. The Northern Lights We were so very fortunate to see the Northern Lights on four or five nights that we were above the Arctic Circle. It was amazing. The best event was the night we left Narvik. The sky was clear with the Big Dipper visible through the extraordinary, ever changing lights. Entertainment The on-ship entertainment was fine. The guitarist, Paulo, was exceptional. The ship band was really talented. They accompanied everyone who performed in the theater. We enjoyed the group of four who danced and sang with the ship band several evenings. We watched one show twice! Quite often a talented pianist or two violinists were performing in the atrium. The TV set up was really good too. So many on-demand options were available which was great when we couldn’t get a satellite signal to support live TV. The included internet worked every day. It generally wasn’t strong enough to download pictures. My husband was able to stay in touch with his office through email the whole trip. The included excursions were mostly riding on a bus to see the areas. We were able to go inside the very unusual church in Alta and went to a museum with a great planetarium style theater with a beautiful display of Northern Lights Film. We wanted to see the outside area with ancient indigenous stone carvings but snow covered them. There are some on display inside the museum. We did the Pulpit Rock cruise in the Lysefjord from Stavenger. It took most of our scheduled stop in Stavenger. The town was so pretty we wished we had explored the town instead. Stavenger has an oil museum that we would have enjoyed seeing. The cruise was in a huge, enclosed ferry with a whole lot of people. The fjord was very pretty. Our stop in Bodo was cancelled due to rough weather. This seemed a very smart move as I think that’s where the Viking Sky got into trouble last year. Our reindeer sled ride was fun and memorable. We enjoyed meeting a few Sami people there and getting up close with the reindeer. Some fellow travelers were fascinating. One lady who had to be well into her 80s was traveling alone. The little Australian put on her short snow boots and heavy coat to walk at each stop. She would take an included excursion and then hop off to explore on her own. i don’t think I will be so fearless in 20 or 30 years. Or now! All the towns except Tromsø kept their streets and sidewalks mostly clear of snow and ice. Tromsø was treacherous. I would recommend wearing boots with great traction or attaching ice cleats. Disembarkation was smooth and quick. I highly recommend this ship and this itinerary. This was our first Viking cruise. We will sail with them again. We were on Caribbean Princess in Canada in October and Disney Magic in the Caribbean in November. I plan to avoid the Caribbean Princess in the future. The weather was chilly and windy so no one was on the pool decks which drove all the passengers inside. Princess has wasted so much space with their “art gallery”, shops and casino that all the public areas were extremely and uncomfortably overcrowded. Viking has taken the opposite approach. They have only three small shops (clothes, essentials and jewelry) and no casino or art sales. The specialty restaurants have no up charge. No photographer is trying to snap your picture to sell to you later. Unlimited and included wine and beer are available at lunch and dinner. Each port has one included (generally lackluster) excursion. One of our paid excursions was cancelled due to weather so Viking owed us money at the end of the cruise. Read Less

We have done several Viking cruIses before so we were expecting more, The shore excursions were less than expected - even the extra cost ones were less than expected. The buses were full and uncomfortable. One couldn't even make it up the hill out of town and all the guide was worried about was if she was going to be back in time. The walk to the buses was long and over wet and slippery paths. A port was missed due to weather but nothing was added to fill the time. The food was repetitive and uninspiring. Never had a piece of meat done to the right temperature. The included wine has gone so down hill as to be undrinkable, Nothing on the buffet was ever hot. Sadly the best food was the pool grill and room service. The crew tried very hard to please and did their best to be helpful. Read Less

We had originally booked this as a Cuba cruise (until Trump put and end to that) but decided to stick with the booking after Viking offered some decent incentives. I love cruising having previously sailed with (Oceania x 2, Norwegian x 2, Celebrity x 2, Disney, Holland America, and Princess). We have sailed everything from the 4,000 passenger Norwegian Bliss to the 650 passenger Oceania Nautica, and I was excited to try a new cruise line with ships that sounded upscale and relaxed. The ship did feel upscale, and to say it was relaxed is a major understatement (more later). Unfortunately, there were some significant disappointments for us most specifically concerning the food and service in the restaurants, the entertainment, as well as the extremely older age demographic. We are in our early 40s and were easily the youngest on the ship. Average age was probably 75, with most guests between 60 and 90. We knew we would be among the youngest, but this was still a shock to us, as the age of our fellow guests was quite a bit older than other ships we have sailed on (like Oceania and Holland America) that attract an older crowd. It honestly felt like we were sailing in a very nice retirement home. That said, they were generally a very friendly, well educated and respectful crowd. Positives: 1)The ship is every bit as beautiful as photos and videos online depict. There are a multitude of quiet places to escape where you may have an entire area to yourself. We spent lots of time in the Explorer's Lounge and also on the top deck of the ship where there are comfortable outdoor sofas with unbeatable views. The aft infinity pool area was also a highlight. 2)The spa was very upscale and beautifully done. We love nordic bathing (hot and cold alternating) and while the cold aspects could have been colder, it was nonetheless a highlight. Be sure to go in off peak hours though (like 6pm-8pm) as it can be VERY noisy (I think the older age demo means lots of shouting conversations in order to be heard). 3)Relaxation. Due to combination of lack of children, very few overhead announcements, no up-selling, and the fact you only need to provide your cabin number when ordering drinks, this was the most relaxed cruise experience we have ever encountered. 4) Service (not including restaurants). Most crew were very friendly and provided great service. 5) Mamsen's. We fell in love with the fresh waffles. Definitely the culinary highlight aboard (gelato a close second). 6) The wine list we found to be pretty good compared to other cruises we have taken. 7) Cabins. We had a Deluxe Veranda and it was one of our favourite cabins that we have ever stayed in. Negatives: 1) Restaurant experience. We didn't care for the decor in any of the restaurants, finding them to be very beige and bland overall, especially the two alternate dining venues. Worse, the food varied from decent to pretty terrible. The much raved about Manfredi's was particularly bad. We had to send the soup back as it was inedible and the pasta was overcooked and sitting in a soupy sauce. I think if you get the Ribeye steak its probably pretty good (from what we heard) but we don't eat red meat. There is also a lack of vegetarian options (maybe 3 things each night on the menu). Worst maybe of all, whenever we were asked how the food was, if we didn't say that it was amazing the staff seemed offended and became defensive. They typically wouldn't even offer to remake it or to serve something else. I would say the food is about on par with what we have had in main dining venues on Norwegian or Holland America, but nowhere close to the food served on Oceania, nor in some other lines specialty restaurants. Perhaps this is due to the palates of the older crowd on board being salt averse. Most passengers seemed to really like the food, except for those people we spoke to under 60 who shared our opinion. We definitely had higher expectations. 2) Entertainment. Now we really didn't expect much from entertainment, knowing this is a small ship and its not know for big production shows. The big shows were actually fine, but the music otherwise varied from excellent (Viking Band) to the worst we have ever heard on a cruise ship (Viking classical duo). We really thought there would be top-notch ambient live music on board but sadly there was not. I should mention though that while it was the only late-night venue, Torshavn was quite a bit of fun and the Viking Band was excellent. The pool deck "Dancing Under the Stars" party was also quite well done. Sadly "Movies Under the Stars" was presented with the pool roof closed which really missed the point (and it wasn't raining). 3) Welcome aboard. Check in was quick and efficient but when we walked on board the ship we weren't greeted at all and had to ask the staff who were chatting with each other for a glass of the prosecco that was sitting adjacent to them on the table. Where was the warm "welcome aboard!"? The ship also departed port a couple of hours late, with no explanation, making the "sail-away" party fairly awkward as the ship remained tied to the dock throughout. 4) Cocktails. We had the silver spirits package which for us provided good value. We enjoy classic cocktails (Manhattan, Gimlet, Negroni etc) and found the quality on the ship varied massively with the bartender. We had to leave multiple Gimlets untouched because they were so terrible, yet the next day might have a perfectly good one. Overall though probably some of the worst cocktails we have been served on a cruise ship. OVERALL: We enjoyed the relaxation offered by the Viking experience, but considering the cost of the cruise, the lack of above average food and entertainment, and often poor service, we don't think it was worth the price. We may consider Viking again in the future, but we will wait about another 30 years or so before booking so that we fit in a little better with the other guests. Read Less

If I could rate Viking with a 10 star review, I would. We were on the 30 day Australia, Indonesia, Asia leg of the Ultimate World Cruise. When we signed up for the cruise we were worried about wildfires, volcanoes, and possible riots in Hong Kong. Who would have thought we would be faced with the Coronavirus outbreak? The itinerary we signed up for was definitely not the one we took. The ports pretty much changed on a daily basis with our original disembarkation in Hong Kong, being moved to Singapore, and finally Bali. Because we needed to bypass China and Malaysia, we spent 22 days in various parts of Australia, visiting some very interesting added ports. We even sailed to New Caladonia. The crew were short handed as many were not allowed to board in Sydney because of the regions they had came from, but the service was still excellent throughout the cruise. When we got to Indonesia things really changed, as we were not allowed to dock in Surabaya or Samarang because of a rumor that we had coronavirus passengers on board. We were also turned away from Bali for a day because of the same rumor, and then it all became political between the Indonesian countries. We had our temperatures checked in Komodo, Samarang, and Bali. Al three times everyone on board, including crew were deemed healthy, no fever. An executive from Switzerland flew out to negotiate with the Indonesian government in Bali, and we were finally allowed to dock in Bali for a day of tours and disembarkation. Who knows what that negotiation cost Viking, I am sure they paid dearly. The main reason for the 10 star review was how well Viking went far beyond anything we could have expected to keep us safe and healthy. Our original air itinerary was changed 4 times, everytime with the intention of keeping us safe and out of Asian airports, thanks to the wonderful and capable people in Guest Services. Our Cruise Director, Beven, was remarkable. He dealt with the whole situation with humor, transparency, and an ability to keep us all feeling safe and calm throughout all of the uncertainty. We were all in the same boat, so to speak. We were always kept informed as to what was happening whenever staff knew. The real downside was the flight from Bali, to Dubai, then home to San Francisco, 35 hours total, but again, to keep us safe. Since our flight left at midnight Viking put us up ia a lovely beach resort for the day, including a nice room and meals. We met some amazing people onboard and everyone seemed to interact more openly with each other because of our shared situation, which was really nice. We almost cancelled the trip last minute, but we are really glad we didn't, as we had a great time overall. This was our 5th Viking cruise and the entertainment was by far the best we have ever had. The talent, from the singers and dancers to the cruise director, and the asst. cruise director were extraordinary. The excursions were not the best, but with the constant change in itinerary, Viking did their best with last minute arrangements. The food was varied and very good. They had to be creative, as provisions were sometimes delayed because of the port changes. We were also nicely compensated with a very generous future cruise allowance. Overall, we are again greatly impressed with Viking and their regard towards safety for all of the passengers onboard. We felt much safer from the Coronavirus on board the ship than we feel being back in the US. As the Captain reminded us daily, WASH, WASH, WASH, and take care of each other. Thank you Viking Cruises! Read Less

We were on the West Indies Explorer cruise and enjoyed every port- no sea days. This was good because they closed all of the pools, hot tubs, steam room, ice grotto, sports courts, locker rooms, and self serve buffet for over one third of the cruise due to an outbreak of the norovirus. No raw sushi or smoked salmon either. This was very disappointing but understandable in order for them to try to stop the spread of the virus. However, we paid for a fairly expensive cruise with the expectation of a wonderful (included) spa experience everyday. The ice grotto, steam room, spa pool, hot tub, and warmed loungers were a huge factor in our decision to choose Viking. Didn't happen. We asked if they were going to give the passengers any sort of reimbursement for for this major reduction in amenities and the answer was a big NO. Sadly, our last cruise with Viking. The food at all of the restaurants was hit or miss. No variation in the breakfast menu at the Restaurant (except for the lack of smoked salmon) was disappointing. On the bright side, it is a beautiful ship with amazing staff who are always there for you. A big shout out to Sing, our server at the Restaurant, who kept us laughing and knew what we wanted to order before we did. The same goes for Denny at the Infinity Pool bar. Read Less

Viking Sea staff were all friendly, welcoming and went out of their way to give us the best experience possible. We ate most meals at the World Café where the menu changed daily and always provided plenty of delicious options for a variety of tastes. TIP: Be sure to look at both sides of the café serving stations as although most food items are the same, there are a couple of differences eg; one side has ice cream and sushi while the other side has pizza and salad bar. Also ate some lunches at the Pool Grill - great hamburgers & hot dogs! 24 hour room service is also a great feature The included shore excursions were all well organised and enjoyable. Itinerary took us to a different island every day with no sea days which suited us really well. Plenty of common spaces throughout the ship so never felt crowded, no lines anywhere, heaps of room for all on board. Overall beautiful ship and facilities but AMZING staff that made all the difference. Read Less

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

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

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

Our goal for this cruise vacation was to have a wellness retreat: to eat healthy food, to read a lot, to walk 10,000 steps daily and to relax in the spa and the Viking Sky fulfilled our wishes! This was the first time we sailed on a Viking Cruise and the reviews on this site helped us immensely with both deciding on the cruise and preparing for the cruise. BOOKING We called Viking direct and booked our cruise and air directly via phone. I had already researched which cruise i wanted to sail based on my vacation time and budget. Booking the cruise was easy, however, as it was my first time booking a Viking cruise which included air I was a bit unsure how this system worked. After a few calls we worked it all out. Kenny and every person I spoke to was extremely knowledgeable and efficient. PRE-CRUISE We received a lovely felt zip pouch in the mail with customized mini-booklets listing our itinerary and cruise details which was immensely helpful. The package also included two leather luggage tags which helped identify us to our ground transportation when we arrived at the airport, paper luggage tags listing our cabin and a sticker. All items were for each traveller. EMBARKATION My husband and I arrived at Ft Lauderdale for our transport to the port of Miami and were quickly identified and greeted at the airport. A very short time later we were whisked away in a very nice mini-van just by ourselves and our driver, Tom, who was very engaging and we had a great conversation with him enroute to the port. We were the only ones embarking when we arrived which was such an odd feeling as our previous cruises (non-Viking) required waiting and line-ups. Embarkation was quick and efficient despite the Coronavirus questionnaire which was painless and routine. ONBOARD Our cruise experience was lovely from the moment we arrived at the port of Miami to departing the following week. As previous reviewers have commented, the staff aboard the ship were so lovely and kind and truly exceptional. The ship is sparkling clean and we noticed constant maintenance throughout the ship during the week. CABIN We opted for a guarantee deluxe veranda and received an upgrade to a DV2 which was lovely. We loved our cabin! It was spacious, well thought out and Dell our room steward was super helpful. As most reviewers list here, the cabin has everything you need: spacious bathroom, closets, mini-bar stocked daily, etc. Some small details which I haven't already read on other reviews yet (but may be somewhere on this site) which may be helpful to you: Room includes: 1. Shoe horn & shoe brush 2. Laundry bag 3. 2x cotton waffle-weave robes in a large size and smaller size (helpful as i usually can't wear the robes as they are far too large for me but this one was perfect! - Thanks Dell!) 4. Nespresso coffee machine with 2 luongo and 2 decaf pods, sugar and liquid coffee creamers (not powder) 5. 1x umbrella in closet 6. 10x hangers, 6 pant hangers, 2 lingerie hangers 7. mini-bar included 8 soft drinks (leave a note for your room steward with your choices when you arrive and they can stock for you), mini-toblerone chocolates and mini-nut packs: peanut and almonds 8. Freya unscented body lotion, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner (note that the soap and shampoo in the dispensers in the spa are lightly scented) Launderette Includes - the launderette was conveniently mid-ship and across from our room and I'm not sure what the hours would be but it seemed to be open all day and night but not noisy at all: 1. 3 washers and 3 dryers - laundry soap is complimentary and dispensed by pushing a button on the dispenser and it gets pumped directly into the machine. There was no discernible fragrance when we did our laundry. 2. 2 irons and 2 ironing boards 3. sofa and tv in case you would like watch while you wait for your laundry ENTERTAINMENT & ACTIVITIES We didn't partake in very many of the evening activities however all the port talks and historian talks were available on our in-room tv which was great as we wanted to hear some of the these but were not able to make it in time. We just watched it on the tv afterwards. High tea is daily at 4pm in the Wintergarden which was lovely. Go early to snag a seat. They also set some tables outside the Wintergarden near the pool. SPA The Spa was one of the highlights of my vacation. The bucket shower is not super cold but rather room temperature water so definitely try this out. The snow room is not terribly cold either and worth trying for a few minutes. The change rooms include robes and rubber slippers so no need to bring anything from your room. Towels are plentiful and still and sparkling water dispensers are available along with a bathing suit spinner / dryer. There are 10 loungers in the perimeter of the spa which does sometimes fill up. EXCURSIONS We decided to opt for the complimentary included excursions and they were all great. Very efficient system to disembark for your excursion including the one day we needed to tender. We stopped at Key West, Belize and Cozumel and all were great with beautiful turquoise waters and sunny skies. This trip was aptly named Turquoise Caribbean Seas as the waters ranged from a light seagreen to a turquoise blue. Unfortunately our ship did not stop at Progresso, Merida as scheduled. FOOD As mentioned, one of our goals was healthy food and we were able to eat nourishing food every meal. We only ate at the buffet in the World Cafe for breakfast and lunch and we went to dinner in each of the sit down restaurants once (The Restaurant, The Chefs Table, Manfredi's). All sit down restaurants were excellent. The complimentary wines at the The Restaurant, The Chef's Table (wine pairing) and Manfredi's were really lovely and different than The World Cafe. All banquet staff were stellar including Josieto, Mark, Argus, Kocho, Marmur, Hakki, Baron, Theo, Grace, Viktor, Emelana, Jays and the team at the Explorers Bar including Ferlyn, Vicky and Michael. Breakfast buffet included hot carbs (potatoes made a few ways, pancakes or waffles, congee with toppings, hot oatmeal) and proteins (smoked salmon, salmon gravlax, cheeses, eggs, sausages, bacon, made to order eggs) and veggies / fruit (mushrooms, tomatoes, fruits) and cold carbs (cereals, bread area with toaster). The assortment was large and in the 8 days we were not bored at all with this buffet. The lunch buffet usually had a cold buffet (salads, cheeses, made to order salad of the day) hot buffet (made to order entrees of the day, themed days such as mexican or american grill, etc), a gelato bar and pizza bar and both changed their offerings every day. The beverage station included coffee and tea in carafes and for specialty coffee there was a machine where you could choose your latte or cappuccino etc. WALKING We walked daily on the deck 2 walking track. As it's covered you are not exposed to the sun and there was usually a nice breeze. 4 times around the track = 1 mile. 1 mile for us was approximately 2,000 steps. OVERALL Our goal was to relax, eat healthy, read, walk and spa and we were able to achieve this on the Viking Sky. We returned home refreshed and rejuvenated thanks to the excellent care of all the team members on the Viking Sky! Read Less

Over the past 35 years my wife and I have been on over 25 ocean cruises. We had sailed with 4 other cruise lines, but this is the first Viking Ocean Cruise. We chose Viking as they have a ship with a great deal fewer passengers. Not that my wife and I have anything against being with a large group of people, but we were looking for a less busy, noisy cruise and we thought with less passengers that is what we would get. One of the reasons we enjoy cruising is because we love meeting folks. I must admit: YOU MEET THE NICEST PEOPLE ON A VIKING OCEAN CRUISE!!! The people we met were people that we would want to met again and even spend more time with outside of the cruise. To begin; as soon as we walked on board the Viking Sky we knew we had made a good decision. The decor was relaxing yet very up scale. The entire ship made you feel very comfortable yet special as well. We felt this way the entire cruise. The cuisine was some of the finest, it was available at each meal, and it was available not only in the Main Dinning space, and specialty restaurants but at the buffet as well. The food was not only great, but the service was excellent as well. If you have not sailed on Viking I would strongly urge you to BOOK IT now and you will not regret it!! What really sold me was that we often saw the various ships officers including the ships captain eating beside us. In addition when you sail on Viking they include an excursion, usually at each port. My wife and I took those offered and enjoyed each one. The guides who lead the tours were very informative. Last, but certainly not least is the ships crew: One of the best my wife and I have experienced on any cruise previously. I even got to speak with the head chef as well as the ships captain when they were moving about the ship. All the crew, from the cabin stewards to the captain were open and friendly as well as doing an excellent job! Bottom line: We will make Viking our number one choice when it comes time to explore the world from a ship. We are seriously looking at the Viking River Cruises as well as from most of the passengers we did meet most had also been on a river cruise and were very positive on how we would enjoy them as well! Read Less

We booked the cruise for a chance to see the Northern Lights, and we were fortunate enough to see them on 3 occasions on various days; although not undulating and luminous as one would hope, they were still quite good. Our cabin was comfortable and provided everything we needed. Steward service was outstanding. The debarkation went well and without problems, although the airport did not open its service kiosks for 20+ minutes after our arrival, and most of us had had only a few hours of sleep because of the early departure from the ship. The embarkation was very disappointing. After flying for several hours from Denver, we were subjected to a several hour wait while our stateroom was cleaned and prepared. VERY frustrating and aggravating. We ate most of our meals in the World Cafe or Pool area. The food was quite good, with staple foods but also many varying options for experimentation, and the presentation was excellent. The few times we ate at other facilities were also excellent, but we did not feel we "needed" the extra attention when the 7th deck provided everything we wanted. Servers and wait staff were excellent and very pleasant with us older folks. Junior Han was above and beyond and deserving of special recognition. Shore excursions were overall good, although some left us wanting. Most of the guides were good and comfortable with English, but there were a few with a bit more difficulty. The husky sled dog tour/ride was fantastic. Some of the panoramic tours left a bit to be desired. Almost all of the enrichment talks were very good and informative, although some had better delivery than others. The two "cooking" demonstrations were terrific, to a large extent because of the assistant chef who was great and very entertaining. We found the port talks overall to be excellent. This is our second cruise with Viking, and we have been very pleased with both of them, and heartily recommend Viking to others. We booked a cruise to Alaska while aboard the Viking Sea. Read Less

The adventure of a cold vacation in beautiful Norway, with the chance of seeing the Northern Lights was a draw. Great time on a beautiful ship, full of cozy places to read, visit and explore.The Spa was fun and so nice to be able to use it as often as we wanted. Massage staff very good and helpful. Embarkation and disembarkation were the smoothest and least amount of hassle of any cruise we have been on. Good Job! Transfers to and from the airports was superior. Food was very good. Enjoyed the lunches with local options. Pool grill meals at dinner of lobster and king crab were enjoyed. Dining room offerings and staff, exceptional. our housekeeping staff were extremely attentive of our needs. Good Job Russelle.+ Pulu. Special thanks to cruise director and assistant cruise directors, Bremsley and Jarred for hosting LGBT receptions, we very much appreciated catering to us. It was great to meet other travelers and keep track of their adventures. We enjoyed our 2 weeks, London was a great start!- so much to do- staying up late looking for lights-exploring towns- meeting fine people-Gaining 5 pounds despite the miles walked...... WE NEEDED TO RETURN TO WISCONSIN TO REST! Read Less

The Northern Lights were on our bucket list so we were excited to do this cruise. The winds were too strong to make it into Bodo so we cruised onward. Viking was unaware of the Sami Festival culminating the weekend we were in Tromso. I asked the General Manager, Tom, why we could not get to Tromso, the next port, earlier so we could participate and enjoy the Sami Festival. He was not aware of the festival, but he did as he said he would and checked it out. In the end, we arrived into Tromso 3 hours earlier than we had been scheduled to so that we could enjoy the festival. Viking really does listen to their guests so I was glad that I had made that request. Otherwise, we would not have been able to enjoy the festival as the reindeer lassoing would have been almost over by the time we would have arrived, had we adhered to the scheduled arrival. He shared the info with the captain of the vessel and made it happen. He said he also shared the info with the main office so that next year, Viking can build the festival into their itinerary as it is a annual event. It was a cultural experience we would have missed so thanks to Viking for listening and acting upon the request. This is proof again that cruisers should do some independent research before embarking on a cruise as you can gain so much insight into the areas you will be visiting. The inclusions of wine at lunch and dinner, free wifi, free laundry facilities, included excursions, and included specialty dining experiences are all a plus so that the cruisers are not "nickel-and-dimed" to death as is common on some mainstream cruise lines; but NOT Viking as they know how to do it right! We purchased the included airfare and transfers which went off without a problem. I believe it was cheaper and provided peace of mind that does not come with independent travel arrangements. However, we had to disembark much earlier than I would normally have done to get to the airport for our trip back home. I think if they had more departures available, it would be easier on the cruiser. Getting up at 3:50 am to make a 8:20am flight made departure day very difficult. The drive from the ship to the Bergen airport was only 22 minutes on a Saturday and we were only going to Oslo for the connecting flight. We made it safely back home and that is the main concern. All in all, it was a great cruise. We will be back cruising with Viking again. Read Less

This Viking Ocean Cruise was wonderful. Every staff member was kind, helpful and caring. Our stateroom was excellent, great bedding, shower was large with glass doors, bathroom had heated floors, a great built in night light, plenty of outlets for plug ins and USB ports. The food was excellent! We loved the Norwegian favorites served at lunch! We enjoyed the included excursions. When we took a Viking river cruise several years ago we were disappointed in the entertainment, but loved the entertainment on this cruise! We had so hoped to see the Northern Lights on this cruise and were so thankful that we received phone messages when the lights were visible outside! Embarkation and Disembarkation went extremely smoothly, the best we have ever experienced on an ocean cruise. The transfer to and from the airport to the ship was very professional and easy for the passengers. I would definitely take this cruise again. It was an amazing experience! Read Less

Viking Star sailed to Norway above the Arctic Circle and gave us the opportunity to realize a dream and experience the northern lights. And we did see them--TWICE! We most enjoyed the optional excursion to visit the Sami people in their wilderness camp and go on a romantic reindeer sleigh ride underneath a full moon. We loved the Viking Star and the comfort of the Explorer's Lounge, the fantastic food in all the restaurants, the fitness and yoga rooms, the lectures and learning opportunity, the entertainment, and friendly and efficient staff and crew. Your ceremony for initiating us into the Blue Nose Society to celebrate the Arctic Circle crossing was fun and delightful. The included bus tours were very good. I especially liked the Alta Cathedral and Borealis Alta exhibit, and Alta Museum and rock carvings. Tromso tour was good, but wished we could have gone inside the Arctic Cathedral. The Planetarium visit was also a highlight. We enjoyed all 4 Lecturers. The two best were Ian Ridpath and Tim Hodges was informative about photos. I learned about Vikings from Dr. Bazin, and conservation from Professor Mazour. We celebrated Ken's birthday on board ship and thank you so much for supplying the sparkling wine and birthday cake. It made him feel special and gave him a birthday to remember. The treadmills in the fitness center need to be serviced and calibrated. Include in brocure that clamp on for your shoes are necessary for this time of year. Sami excurstion should go straight to the camp in the day light instead of diverting to sight seeing the fjoids waste of time. Sleigh ride should be in the day light. Read Less

This was our first booking with Viking Ocean Cruises, and really this was due to the fact that they were the only cruise company in Norway during February. Having sailed with many 5/6 star operators including Regent, Oceania, Cunard (QG;s) we didn't have any raised expectations of what Viking would be like so as not to be disappointed - which we have been on our last Oceania cruises In a nut shell we thoroughly enjoyed Viking, the service being exceptional in all areas. The ship was absolutely spotless, even on the outer areas we struggled to spot rust which is most unusual. Our room was very comfortable and modern, cabin stewards superb, and all other areas of the ship were immaculate. On many occasions we would watch the army of cleaners who would be constantly wiping, dusting, plumping cushions up as soon as guest vacated a chair. It really was noticeable, and Viking must be commended as these are often unsung heroes of the ships crew Food was of a good standard in all restaurants, matched with service Everything was on time, especially during tours so again great organisation by Viking We were genuinely surprised, and Viking has now become a favourite so we are actively looking at their schedules in preference to competitors - in fact we have just booked our second cruise with them (Bergen to Barcelona Oct 2020) The included tours are just enough to give you a taste, leaving time to self explore each port. Of course there are longer tours for the more adventurous or those wishing to be looked after for a whole day The only slight disappointments were that we missed one port due to wind - Bodo, but obviously that can't be helped. We would like to see the dress code for evening meals adhered to in restaurants - I have no issue with a more casual feel for buffet, but I think there should be more effort made by guests in the main and speciality restaurants I hope the service is as good on all ships, we are about to find out - but at the moment we would certainly recommend taking a cruise with them Well done Viking! Read Less

To see the lights and to stay at the Igloo Hotel. However, everything was wonderful and we even said it would not matter if we did not see the lights because we were having such a good time. The inclusions of wine at lunch and dinner, free wifi, free laundry facilities, included excursions, and included specialty dining experiences are all a plus so that the cruisers are not "nickel-and-dimed" to death as is common on some mainstream cruise lines! Our first cruise on Viking Ocean and the Viking Star and it was great. A beautiful ship and the staff was excellent. BRINSLEY as cruise director did a great job and was very organized. The guest lecturers were very good and We enjoyed the fact that if we missed the real time lecture, we could view it later in our room. All the public areas were beautifully decorated and cozy. The spa was a wonderful place to spend the day when we were at sea. We met so many wonderful people, all of whom seemed as happy as we were to be on the Viking Star. Read Less

Excellent service and food. Although the ship was sold out, we never felt crowded. There was always a place to sit and relax or read. During the evening there was always a live entertainment in the Living Room. With the main, buffet, and specialty restaurants, we never had to wait more than a few minutes. We had meals in each restaurant and never felt rushed to leave. We especially like the No Photographers running around taking pictures and wanting to sell you them. There shopping on-board was perfect and did not feel like another "profit center". The no-charge water and soda is a nice touch. The Viking Star's staff was wonderful. Service was always prompt and served with a smile. We cruised during February and they logistics of moving passengers off the ship and to their excursion was amazing. There were no long waits and the few "passenger" jams were resolved quickly. We were waited in the excursion bus instead of standing in line outside of the ship in cold weather. Viking staff had us stay in the warm bus until the wait to board was minimal. Read Less