Horrible staff. Horrible Rules. Horrible Ship. 1. 1. Don't expect to drink any water on board without paying. We found one, YES 1, free tap water on the entire ship. Located on deck 8 in the buffet area. But you aren't allowed to leave the buffet area with any food or drinks to any time you are thirsty plan on hiking up to deck 8, guzzling as much water as you can, and hope you aren't thirsty for another 5 hours. Anywhere else on the ship will charge you over $4 for water. And don't expect to ever see ice on this ship. 2. Bad staff. It's probably not all their fault, I would blame the management for the horrible rules they have. One day at sea we were trying to enjoy ourselves and play a little cards, we got kicked out of 5 different places on the ship before we gave up. These were open areas at bars, the gelateria, etc. that had decent tables we could sit at. The staff was rude and told us we couldn't plat cards and told us to leave but never gave us any suggestions on where we might be able to play. 3. FOOD. This ship is anti food. They say they want to conserve waste but that is just a cover up to save money. You have a 15 minute window each evening to be seated in the dining area. We should up 10 minutes late one night and were turned away. The buffet is only open for 90 minutes for dinner. If you miss these time windows, tough crap, don't expect to eat until breakfast. 4. Exercise. They have a wonderful exercise facility. Just don't expect to use it. The facility doesn't open till 8am. Most ships are 24 hours. Not this one. Most of our ports were around 7 to 8 am. So we were off the ship before they would even allow you in to exercise. HORRIBLE. 5. Entertainment. If you are American and only speak English....don't come on this ship for the entertainment. Not a single English Speaking show, and the few shows that translated to English, don't expect to understand the translations with the bad accents. 6. Finally, at the end of our Cruise our ship was quarantined for 16 hours while a passenger was checked for a virus. This is very understandable, safety precautions need to be take, however, the crew and staff were horrible to work with during this experience. No special accommodations were made to help make the 2000+ passengers that were supposed to disembark that day. We were all kicked out of our staterooms and told to sit in a bar area while things were figured out. No water was available without charge. We simply sat in a very crowded area with our luggage for 16 hours. The crew and staff did nothing to inform us of the situation. We got our information from the news cameras outside the ship. Never, Never, Never sail with Costa. Read Less

The dates worked for us, the itinerary looked fine and we were excited to share good family time aboard a new ship that promised a high quality cruise experience and delicious Italian food. We occasionally choose cruise ship travel with our 2 young adult daughters and their partners and especially appreciate extended dinners, good food and excellent service. We were stunned on our first night at the horrible food that was brought to us. It was both indistinguishable and inedible! Apparently the "new design" of this cruise ship contains a single mid ship kitchen that is tasked with preparing (90% of food served on this ship is designated on menus as previously frozen for compliance reasons.) This means that wait staff must run to mid ship to get food items, thus the food is often cold, delayed and brought in random sequence throughout the meal. We were entertained watching other passengers look alarmingly and curiously at their food -- wondering what it was and how curious it looked and how bad it often tasted. This is sad. Menu item descriptions were not clear and on several occasions a different item would be brought for the same item description. The ship personnel did their very best to make guests happy -- clearly they were put into an impossible situation. We noted the "rank" of employees, especially in the cafeteria where managers would rudely "bark orders" and lower ranking waiters and table clearers. This made us very uncomfortable. To be fair, given the price of these cruises, customers don't pay for high end food. They tried to make us happy and brought us requested vegetables and white rice to us nightly so we could get some nutrition. So strange also to be on a ship that does not have coffee and/water available throughout the day. They charged for water! Entertainment was average to below average with an amazing acrobatic show. Low to mid range singers and lots of tacky videos accompanied by "porn like" sound tracks. It was laughable -- The rooms were nice and clean and the ship was very clean, of course it was new. In one of the ships areas there were so many pillars you could see from way to many seats. One day while returning to the ship we were forced to stand in line for nearly an hour waiting for new passengers to go through the desk. People had been waiting for up to 2 hours because they didn't have enough desk staff. Management was responsive and seemed to care but are helpless because this ship and the way it is run falls way below the mark for the average cruise customer. In the future we will avoid COSTA cruise. What irks me most is that COSTA knows it is delivering this kind of cruise experience and I don't think they care, once they have your money, they will do their best to placate you thought the experience. We still had a great time with our family and exploring the towns where we docked. Pool is super NOISY - no place for quiet reading time like on many ships. No Library or Internet/Computer Lounge. Pretty much what you read here in other reviews about the disappointing aspect of the Smerelda are true. Reading these reviews reminded us of aspects of the cruise we downplayed when we are on it, but all of it is true. Literally can not get a slice of pizza or ice cream on this ship without paying more. Stay away from Smerelda Inedibelda ! Read Less

My sister and I had not been on a cruise for quite a few years and had heard about Viking Cruises, so when got a special offer, we decided to go. Everything seems to be planned pretty well, but if we had it to do over, we would have gone a couple days early so we could have visited Rome. Our room steward, Tito, provided very good room service. We always had a clean towel or ice when we needed it, and he was friendly and helpful no matter what we asked. We did think the stateroom was a little small, esp. with 2 beds. I don't like to say this, but we were a little disappointed in the food and service in some dining rooms. We tried to eat at the different ones. I thought there could have been a couple special shows in the theatre but if there was, we missed it. They had great fun music on New Years Eve along with horns and hats to go with it. The shore excursions we went on were good, but several times the walk from the bus to the site and back was long and not always safe. My sister fell and cut her head and had to spend 2 hours in Medical when we got back to the ship, getting stitches and treated for her injury. Embarkation and disembarkation went well. We loved the swimming pool area with the overhead cover and the light still came in. And having lunch there was very relaxing. We also enjoyed the brunch that was served on New Years Day. All in all, the trip was very nice. But the flight from Seattle to Frankfurt and return was so long. Very tiring. I would go again but maybe at a warmer time of year. Read Less

Excellent cruise, just as expected from Viking. Everytime we cruise, the service, food is consistent! Wonderful New Years Eve party and incredible brunch New Years Day, including an omelette and pasta station. We really enjoy relaxing in the restaurant as well as eating at World Cafe. We love that at World cafe you can order steaks, etc and they are made fresh as you wait. Embarkation was quick, and we were on the ship within 10 minutes enjoying the buffet and drinks. Excursions are always well run and timely. The included excursions definitely give you a nice experience of each port. We usually do an included then either walk around or paid tour as an additional. The little details that Viking provides really helps you feel pampered. No nickel and dime costs. There is always Bottled water waiting for you when you are heading to your excursion, and while we waited for our tender in Monte Carlo, there was pastry, coffee and tea. This is all included, no up charge!!!! We truly enjoy the shows, Viking usually brings local entertainment onboard from the port your in when it’s an overnight stay, this is a nice touch. On this cruise in Barcelona Viking had La Bamba dancers. Disembarkation and transfers were just as smooth and organized as every other aspect. We already booked another cruise for 2021and will be going on Viking again in August 2020! We Can’t wait to enjoy another cruise. After long searching we found our go to cruise line. We feel that with all the added touches included with your cruise, the cost is definitely worth it Read Less

This was our first time to Rome and Barcelona and we fell in love with the beauty, history and people of these iconic cities. We loved all the ports and wish the cruise would have been a couple of days longer to see more sites. Ship was beautiful, stateroom was great- although we didn't spend much time in it. For us, cruise director was lacking in ability, personality and knowledge. (Please learn how to accurately pronounce names before referencing them publicly.) Palace of the Popes tour should have included audio / visual aid available at site to bring this historical place to life. We do believe food / menu options lacked a great deal...with the exception of the New Year's Day Brunch which lived up to the hype. Given we were in Italy, France and Spain - the food should have been SPECTACULAR...it wasn't; it was mediocre and repetitive....Viking should really consider upping their menus / quality of food in the World Cafe (previous cruise lacked variety as well). While shore excursion options were terrific, Viking should institute a 'waiting list' so as to better accommodate guests when tours initially sellout. (i.e. without a prior wait list, how do you know if additional buses / spots need to be arranged). While Viking did a good job of providing options to experience Barcelona before cruise ended, no chance to experience Rome unless you added days prior to embarkation- that is a HUGE misstep.... All in all, this is a great trip with so much to see and experience. Read Less

This was our 3rd Viking Cruise and it did not disappoint. It was so great! The Viking Staff members in each and every phase of the cruise are friendly and polite and excellent at their jobs. The food is always delicious and the excursions run like clockwork. Viking takes special care to hire the best excursion guides, most of whom have first-hand knowledgr about whatever country we are in. Our rooms are elegant and comfortable and we love having a veranda. All in all Viking ranks 1st in our Hall of Fame for cruise lines and we hope we can sail with them again. Although we were disappointed not to get to see Rome, the New Years Eve party on the ship more than made up for it. We love the size of the ship and we enjoyed putting a jigsaw puzzle and playing cards on deck 2, We added a family member to our usual foursome, my husbands brother and his wife, and it was so much fun to watch them learn to love the Life of Cruising as much as we do, Good Job, Viking! . Read Less

Everyone from the cabin steward the wait staff, the tour assistants the bartenders , everyone helpful and pleasant. The people the food the ship it was all amazing. the ship was decorated for the holidays and the new years eve celebration,and new years day brunch were excellent. cabin was roomy enough and laid out conveniently the dining room offered a nice variety and was relaxing ,the world cafe offered a wide selection, and always the gelato. Room service was very punctual. it was nice to have several areas to go for a breakfast. again all staff were helpful never any problem to go the additional step to please us. the ports/excursions were wonderful and the guides in Pisa, Monte Carlo and Barcelona were great. The ship was laid out so that all was convenient and the activities and entertainment was diverse. thanks for a great trip. We had sailed with Viking river in the past and loved it all. Read Less

We went on a cruise 30 years ago and swore we would NEVER cruise again. We heard wonderful things about Viking and decided to give it a try. We are so happy we did. From the time we boarded the ship to the last step off, everyone was wonderful. Our cabin steward, James could not have been more attentive. We dined in all the restaurants and enjoyed each one. We did select the Silver beverage package and received special wine parings with all our meals. It was well worth it. The included excursions are good as a survey of the area. We ended up doing quite a few purchased tours such as making pasta in Florence. We did the Gaudi special access tour in Barcelona. The first of the tour was very nice being able to access his first work before it opened to the public. However, later when touring one of the later works after it opened to the public was not so nice. We only made it to the 2nd of 4 floors and didn't feel safe. The hallways and stairs were very narrow most of the way and were packed wall to wall with people. It did not feel safe at all. We ended up leaving the group and going on our own to explore the city. Keep in mind, crowds do not bother me at all. I am not claustrophobic at all. We have been to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, times square in New York, and many other places with high populations in small areas, so for this to bother me tells you it was very bad. I would not recommend this for anyone who has trouble walking or standing for extended periods of time. Back to the good stuff. The cabin was very spacious. We were not lacking for storage at all. Each night, we would receive a brochure of the next days itinerary. Disembarking was very smooth. Buses were waiting for us at each port and the transition was went very quick. Again, we had the most amazing trip and would recommend Viking to everyone. We plan to try a river cruise with Viking next year. Read Less

We wanted a cruise over the holidays for our family, including our son and daughter in their mid twenties. We chose this as we had never been to Athens and our son had never been to Rome. We wanted a family trip over the hoiidays to interesting places and not just beaches. We got off to a bad start with travel complications and rather than arriving at 1:00 PM we did not arrive until close to midnight. Once on board the rooms were very nice and the food was great. We had only done river cruises before and liked the small size of those ships so wondered a bit about being on a larger ship with 900 plus people. It was surprisingly uncrowded, there were several bar areas and food options and it never seemed crowded. Unlike the river cruises, you did not see the same people repeatedly. There were several times where I met interesting people and hoped to see them again and did not. You needed to get names and contact information if you wanted to see them again, it usually did not happen by chance. December 24 the sea was quite rough and it was a bit of a challenge walking around the ship. We did have a lot of family meals together which was nice. We enjoyed most of the shore excursions, the first day walking the Acropolis with a great guide was nice. At Ephasis the guide gave the impression Viking had endorsed the carpet market we were taken to and there was huge pressure to buy a carpet as we were the last ship of the season. Viking should have made it clear in advance about this situation. Read Less

The good: (1) It is a lovely and HUGE ship. Well designd lovely interiors. And because it is so big, people get "difused" among different areas (2) One particularly great idea, their "kitchen lab". You cook a surprise ingredient meal, it gets graded by the chef, lots of laughs, a bit of cooking school and really fun. Highly recommend the idea AND the guys at the Lab who where absolutely great! (3) Also, a great staff that tried so hard to keep up with the volume of people, crazy in/out policies of constant embarkation, disembarkation at every port, not quite for prime time systems, overall mayhem. (Neal and Vanessa at the restaurant - thanks!! - Maria Luisa and Ana, the lovely lady at reception who heard me loud and clear -- many thanks too) Then the not-so-good news: (1) Smeralda was not ready for a holiday cruise so soon after the ship got finished (several previous departures were cancelled due to the ship not being "delivered"). Too much money on the line, so they went for it anyhow. The staff tried hard to put a good face as Management pushed them to be ready. We felt for them, and my kudos to their efforts and attitudes. (2) Never seen before: Costa, in its quest to fill the ship, had EVERY port accepting incoming and departing passengers, so EVERY day was hectic, people coming in, existing passengers leaving, suitcases in/ out, a total mess. (3) In their quest for diners at their "gourmet" $ places regular dining room was less than acceptable. We had two grandkids, so gourmet was not a choice. Again staff tried and apologized. The buffet was OK, but crazy busy. (4) I gave feedback to their customer service staff about my experience while on the ship and they were receptive. I appreciate their concern and their time. BUT, (not their fault) then I was confronted by one of the Maitre d's about my comments (which were not that critical) (5) Entertainment shows are at the most basic. Except for some professional dancers from Hungary (who have great line dancing at 10 pm), the rest of the dancers on shows were sadly amateurish. (6) And FINALLY, forget about not paying the full service charge. Like the "resort fee" in hotels (that Congress is trying to stop as being deceiving price advertisement) you have to pay it in fult. When I inquired I was referred to a sentence in website that the amount is not "changeable". Keep that in mind when comparing overall costs. We had 3 cabins so it was substantial and most importantly not clearly stated in price. Particularly if your cruise ends having issues such as ours. You must pay service the service charge irregardless of the quality of the service. Costa has not sent me a survey feedback request as is usually the practice of other cruise lines. Wonder why? Read Less

We picked this cruise for the itinerary. It was my pre-PhD graduation present. Both embarkation and disembarkation were smooth at the ship. We had to tender in two ports, which took much longer than expected. We spent two days in Rome before the cruise. We enjoyed all of the ports, but it was difficult to figure out what would be open on the holidays in Venice and Barcelona. Because of the dry dock our cruise was shorted by one day after we booked. We tried to take the offered OBC instead of the provided hotel afterwards and our travel agent didn't notify NCL by the deadline. We got off the ship and boarded buses to the hotel quickly, but it went downhill quickly from there. They dumped about 600 people at a hotel between 7am and 9am with no information, just a conference room to wait in. There was no communication from anyone and there were no NCL representatives present. We didn't get a room until 3:30pm and it was only because we complained that we had been sitting there for more than 6 hours. We were told that we could go into Rome, but it was a 1.5 hour walk or a €30 taxi ride. The did provide us lunch the day we got off the ship and breakfast the next morning, but we were on our own for dinner and had to take a taxi because there were no options that were walkable. We wasted out last day in Rome because we were never given any clear information and were stuck at a hotel far outside the city. NCL had plenty of time to make better arrangements or give us information, but failed. Weather was chilly, except in Barcelona and Monte Carlo, and we had bad storms with lots of wind for the first two days on the ship. The storms delayed our arrival in Venice. The ship was old but in good shape. It headed for dry dock immediately after our cruise. Entertainment was good. They did a special Christmas show one night plus the 3 production shows. Elements was our favorite. The buffet is extremely small compared to what we are used to. There was less variety in what was available for each meal and from day to day. We ate at Teppanyaki, Le Bistro, and Cagney's and all were good. We ate in the main dining room for the rest of our meals and it was good too. We had the beverage package and found it frustrating. We could get any drink we wanted, but couldn't get a can of soda or a bottle of water. This just felt cheap to us, because we could get a full can of soda, but it had to be poured into a glass to give to us. One night my husband was feeling seasick and wanted a can of ginger ale to take back to the cabin to drink overnight, but it had to be poured into a glass. We will be back to Europe, but it is very unlikely that we will sail NCL again. Read Less

The cruise offered three days in Israel; it offered free excursions at every port; it served free wine or beers at most meals; etc. Viking also has an excellent reputation, and the cruise went at a most convenient time for us. My wife has traveled on river cruises with Viking and loved them, but this was the first time either of us had a Viking sea cruise. We especially enjoyed the Italian restaurant but not so much the Asian restaurant. The menus for the main dining room were very varied and enabled us to enjoy our favorite dishes. We did not avail ourselves of the fitness room, but my wife did have some service at the spa, such as a massage and hair dressing. The lecture on the Bayeau tapestry we found very informative, especially as most of the elevator stages had exceollent, enlarged c opies of panels from the tapestry. Read Less

Some elevators did not work. The Floors in the buffet are old tile which is slippery when wet, we saw more than a couple of falls, even by crew. We hit rough weather and the captain shut down the midship elevators because he said they were unsafe! Out dated interior cabin. Stains in bathroom. The room Stewart was very nice and did a great job. The Internet cafe worker was rude and unhelpful, he couldn’t waste his time with the passengers. When we received the final billing they had given us our cabin and then part of someone else’s, when we told them they had made mistakes they were rude. The dining room service was unorganized and to many mistakes were made. Even though it’s an old ship it should not be in this condition. The shore excursion team did an excellent job getting everyone to the right buses, and that was the main reason for taking this ship. Read Less

We chose this trip to get a bit of winter sun and to visit some on the historic sights we hadn’t seen from other travel. From the start Viking provided excellent service - we were met in the airport and the Viking representative helped sort out lost luggage and get us on our transfer. We did the pre-excursion to Umbria which was fantastic. Small group of people, staying in a castle with excellent meals and fully included excursions - what more could you ask for? Guides were all very good and knowledgeable. We were then transferred to the ship in Rome. We found the ship to be stylish and relaxed; we’ve been on other ships and felt this was the perfect size for our needs. Our cabin (penthouse veranda) was lovely with lots of space and amenities. Onboard dining was very good, with options to choose from for all meals, we never had a bad meal and it was nice having wine included. Excursions - both the included and not included - were also good with very good guides. The ship staff was excellent; we never felt pressure to buy products or do additional things like you do on other cruise lines - it was just excellent service. The entertainment was limited, but honestly for us was fine. I think if it had been a longer cruise the entertainment would have gotten stale. We added the few days in Athens at the end, and again the Viking staff proactively met our needs by getting us a late checkout and individual transportation to the airport. We would definitely choose a Viking again; they are a bit more expensive but the service and included items make it worthwhile. Read Less

I saw the December cruise from Rome to Athens advertised in August. It was a good deal so I booked the cruise for my husband and me. We had taken a Viking River Cruise in 2018 and have a Viking Alaska cruise booked for June 2020. Our first ocean cruise was fantastic, despite the fact that we missed the Naples port and our Pompeii excursion due to 65 mph wind and 17 ft seas in Civitavechia. We sailed directly to Sicily on the following morning-definitely the correct decision by our delightful Captain, " a Viking from Norway". The ships are beautifully decorated in clean Norwegian style. The Christmas decorations were beautiful! There is no feeling of being crowded on these ships because there are so many places to "hang out". The staff was fantastic! Service is great in every way and everyone is so genuinely friendly! Our cabin steward, James, saw that my husband uses a C-pap and ordered demonized water for him-without having been asked. We had great service from and great conversations with my husband's favorite bar-tender, Apri, and Margerite, the adorable server who introduced me to a Proscecco and raspberry liqueur drink: Fantastic! And the best part is that Apri is scheduled to be on our Alaska cruise in June! Shore excursions were very good. Tour guides were knowledgeable and spoke good English. The only excursion that disappointed was in Turkey. Not being familiar with the geography, we booked a tour to St. John's Basilica and the Temple of Artemis-not realizing they are outside of the ancient city of Ephesus, so we did not visit Ephesus. Also the last step of the tour w a s to a carpet store, where the sales people were very high pressured! Food was good. Manfredi's and the Chef's Table were very good. I had one of the best burgers I've ever had at the pool grill. I did not think the choices in The Restaurant were as good as on the River Cruise. You could always have steak, but I usually prefer the Regional offerings. Entertainment was fine. We became groupies for Mark, who went entertained in the lounges. The Viking band was very talented and the four young entertainers that did the Abba and Beatles shows were great. I'm not into casinos and lots of shows, so the entertainment was great to me. I liked the port talks before dinner each night on the River cruises better. The Times varied for them on the ocean cruise. The his experts talks were good. There were no lines at demarcation. Going through security leaving and returning to the ship was easy. Again, there were no lines. We love Viking so much that we don't consider taking other cruise lines. Since returning, we have booked a Viking cruise to Australia and New Zealand in January 2021, so we are now eagerly anticipating two cruises. We are also planning to take another Viking River cruise within the next two years. Read Less

This was our first Ocean cruise with any company. We have previously been on 3 river cruises, all with Viking. We were attracted to to the small size of the ship. I would not want to be confined with 5000 passengers on a standard cruise ship. Our boarding was quick and painless, and we quickly found our cabin. The cabin size was actually larger than the hotel room we had in Rome the previous 3 nights. During the 7 day cruise the crew was always friendly and very helpful. Meal choices were a buffet line, a sit down restaurant, or reservation only specialty dining. We had most of our meals in the restaurant, enjoying the leisurely pace and excellent food. One of the best parts about Viking is that most everything is included, without extra fees. We signed up for a couple of the optional shore excursions, and also took 2 of the "included" tours. Both the included and optional tours were excellent. We had some very good local guides, who spoke excellent English. Getting to the excursions was always painless. Viking has the logistics down to a science. Getting on and off the ship was always easy. Overall a great first ocean cruise. We would definitely do it again with Viking Read Less

Great price. Opportunity to see countries that I wanted to see. Food was delicious The ship was spotless, staff friendly and courteous. All details were handled flawlessly. Excursions were well organized with great tour guides. Weather was in mid 60 There was entertainment at night-loved the Beatles review. Also enjoyed sitting in explorers lounge to relax We had invited friends and felt responsible for their enjoyment. Luckily they loved it too They especially enjoyed relaxing outside on our days at sea. We each bought a beautiful rug in Turkey which we enjoy looking at now every day. It reminds us of our great trip. This was our first ocean cruise having done 2 river cruises. We would do another one as long as it is calm water. I did get a little seasick the first morning but used patches behind my ears and was fine the rest of the trip. Read Less

As always, Viking ships, excursions and food are unbeatable! Ports of call fabulous and the crew were spectacular! Would definitely travel Viking again for my 4th time! On this trip only one disappointment, but nothing could be done. Weather didn't allow us to visit Naples which I was most looking forward to. Tour guides are so professional and knowledgeable. Transportation is always great and they take our luggage from airport to room and back! Viking also offers free beer and wine with lunch and dinner. Each afternoon we are at sea they have tea in the Wintergarden. This is a great attraction while at sea.If you ever have the chance to try a Viking cruise you must experience for yourself. One last item I must mention. I left a few small things and a pair of glasses in my room. Viking had them shipped to me and I got them back within a month! That made me very happy! Thank you, Viking! Read Less

My husband and I have always wanted to experience a Mediterranean cruise. We are so pleased that we booked with Viking. What an amazing trip for a couple 50+ partners. Service was excellent. Employees were very friendly and available from the time of waking to turning in at night. Josephine took special care of our room -twice a day and refilled our fridge (complimentary) daily. The stateroom was very spacious with a full balcony. The bathroom with heated floors and full pressure shower was amazing. We enjoyed the spa area and also participated in a viking bathing ritual for a small fee. Everything was clean and tidy. The food in all locations were superb. Our favorite was Manifreds. I also participated in a cooking class taught by the ship chef. The only complaint is that I ate too much food. (Ok, no complaints) The excursions were well organized and Viking employees were everywhere to assist. We couldn't have asked for anything different. Finally - let's talk people and atmosphere. The ship felt like a home away from home. The atmosphere was relaxing and fun; from tea in the Wintergarden room to the nightly entertainment and meeting others. We met so many wonderful people. If we ever get the opportunity, Viking will be our choice. Read Less

This was only me and my wive's second cruise. The first cruise was last year on the Norwegian Bliss. Although both were great, they each were very different experiences. Probably the biggest difference for us was that Viking doesn't allow kids. This made for a bit more pleasant onboard experience. On the Bliss, kids were running around unattended everywhere. Food is also better on Viking. (Although the Norwegian Bliss had many more options. Of course, you had to pay extra for all). I also really liked that it never felt too crowed on the Viking Star. Although Viking doesn't have the entertainment options of Norwegian, it makes up for it with longer stays in port and great excursions. There was also one included excursion at every port. Speaking of excursions, the itinerary on this trip was amazing. We were able to start our trip with a few days in Rome. Then we traveled to Sicily, Crete, and Turkey and wrapped up with several days in Athens. It was an all around great trip! Read Less

We took the Rome pre-extension and were very pleased with the beautiful hotel. We specifically wanted to see the no-line Coliseum underground tour, and visit the Pantheon. We had always wanted to see the Acropolis in Athens and the added bonus of Italy, Greece, Crete, Sicily and Turkey were wonderful. This Journey to Antiquities was wonderful. The only negative was that due to weather conditions, leaving port was delayed from 5 PM to the next morning. As a result we missed seeing Naples and either Pompeii or Herculaneum. This was a huge disappointment, but we were grateful that our safety was the main concern. So the morning we should have been in Naples, we departed for Sicily and had an entire extra sea day. There were activities on board, such as line dancing classes and other activities. Plenty of things to do. I was pleased with the restaurant choices and afternoon tea in the Wintergarten. There was live music played by duo violinists, and piano, and guitar in other places.. I think perhaps they rotated where the entertainment was during the day. The shops were interesting. We were given a printed newsletter the night before of the following day's activities This was very helpful. I received a menu the night before to give to the restaurant in case there were food choices not compatible for me. All staff were extremely attentive with smiles and great attitudes. They certainly made you feel special. When I went to the spa for the first time, the staff took their enough time to explain everything to me. They were extremely helpful. I didn't feel rushed, nor did any of my questions go unanswered. This being my first ocean cruise I didn't know what to expect with over 900 passengers on board. Unbelievably the ship seemed almost empty, as there was plenty of space, no lines for dining. Most of the time I used an elevator, I was the only person, or perhaps maybe total of 3 at one time. The shore excursions were fine except for the very first one, where the local guide did not hold her 'Viking" sign high enough, and my travel companion and I lost her and missed out on some of the excursion. I loved this cruise and the Viking experience. Based on previous Viking River cruises, I knew the staff would be friendly and attentive. I was not disappointed.. I can't wait to take another Viking cruise. I really enjoyed not having children on board, nor the casinos, bingo, or other activities larger ships have. There was enough entertainment to choose from and we were very pleased with all activities. Our cabin attendant was wonderful. I think the Viking Ocean cruise has spoiled me and I would not want to be on a larger ship with thousands of people and kids and teenagers. I rated the fitness//recreation a 4 because the 3 pools were 5'10" deep, and being only 5'2" you either had to swim, tread water, or hold onto the sides. The heated spa pool was relaxing and the snow grotto a delight. Viking - you are amazing. Am taking one of your river cruises in 8 weeks, but can't wait to go on another ocean voyage with you. Read Less

The land excursions were amazing. Not only did I learn about Greek and Roman culture, I learned how olive oil and silk are harvested. I cannot think of anything that should be improved upon with the excursions. Disembarking and embarking were very easy, fast and efficient. Ship was always clean and in superb shape. Only once we we slightly disappointed, as we could not find the shuffleboard equipment. It wasn’t a deal breaker as we thought is might be fun to try. The bar tenders Yoga and Allen could not have been more accommodating, we asked lots of questions and they were able to answer or find answers for us on each topic we inquired about. Amazing experience and never any pressure for rating the staff or suggestions for tipping as I have experienced on other cruise lines. The food was In the main cafe was good, not excellent. However, we did enjoy chefs table twice and Manfredi’s twice. Overall an outstanding experience, so much so that we are booked for another in 2020. Read Less

We chose this cruise because it covered so many ports with Roman and Greek history. Other than missing our port in Naples due to high winds, this was an excellent tour. From the Naples to Athens you see so many archaeological sights and learn so much about this ancient history. I highly recommend the 4 day Athens extension - it is well worth the money. This was our first ocean cruise and I was impressed. The food (as always with Viking) was delicious. The port talks provide you with all the information you need about the excursions the next day. There is also an on board historian that gives lectures on topic to the areas you are going to. We were usually too exhausted to attend much of the night activities but we did go to the Tribute to Abba and a Legends musical performance. Both excellent. We learned to line dance and my daughter and I learned how to tie scarves (other than the way most of us tie them). Every tour guide we had provided us with so much information, especially the one we had in Athens for 3 days. Excellent job Viking! Read Less

The service was excellent aling with all of the food at the main restaurant and the World Cafe. The tea at the Winter Garden was lovely. The size of the shop is substantial and with only having 930 passengers it never feels crowded. The crew keep the ship spotless and maintained. It was never a problem getting off and on the ship when it was at port. The included excursions give you a nice taste of the area. For more in-depth exploring, the optional excursions are the ones to go on. We really enjoyed the included tours for Messina and Crete but the highlight for us was the included tour of Ancient Ephesus in Turkey. It is always easy to find a relaxing spot on the ship to enjoy some relaxing quiet time and the cabins are spacious if you decide to stay in. We prefer Viking as there are no children on board so it does create a very relaxing and calming atmosphere. The service from all crew members is outstanding and beyond compare. Read Less

Food poor. either overcooked or meat too tough. taste so so. hot food at raffles always not hot, just luke warm. dining food not interesting, and boring, sometimes may take long time just waiting for food. the best food was in blue lagoon chicken wings, but the service was very slow, waiters always seemed not in good mood, actually they were too busy sometimes, need more waiters. Cancel a port under good weather. they may need a more accurate weather forecast system. They forecasted and knew that day was a rough day. why did they still arrange the big performance show Elements on that day? of course, it got cancelled, dangerous for the dancers. they need more signs for embarkation, sometimes may need to go around and around to find out the way. room was clean, but just the tap water of the sink in the bathroom got yellow sometimes and we need to let it run for a while until it's clean again. and the flush button of the toilet sometimes was not working. we need to wait and tried and tried again. Read Less