Viking Ocean Cruises

Luxury Cruises

Bergen

London (Greenwich, Tower Bridge, Tilbury)

Reykjavik

Europe - All

Mediterranean

Baltic Sea

Norway

Europe - Western Mediterranean

Italy

Denmark

Sweden

Spain

Germany

U.S.A.

France

Europe - Eastern Mediterranean

Caribbean - All

Europe - British Isles & Western

Caribbean - Western

Mexico - All

Caribbean - Eastern

Belize

Croatia

Europe River

Jamaica

Seine River

Turkey

Scotland

Canada & New England

Africa

Panama Canal & Central America

Portugal

Panama

Costa Rica

Netherlands

Rhine River

Iceland

Transatlantic

Thames River

Douro River

Bermuda

Israel

Nile River

Caribbean - Southern

Europe - River Cruise

Norwegian Fjords

South America

Amazon River

Brazil

USVI

Slovenia

Belgium

Excellent

Very Good

Average

Viking Star

Viking Sky

Viking Jupiter

Viking Venus

Halifax

I hadn’t been to any of the destinations on this cruise but the destination I was really excited about was  Eidfjord, and I wasn’t disappointed. 

We flew to Bergen and were met by Viking representatives at baggage reclaim. As soon as our luggage appeared we were escorted to the waiting transfer minibus. As we arrived late afternoon we went straight up to our cabin after a very smooth check in and welcome glass of champagne. Our cases arrived a few minutes later with our cabin steward, who introduced himself and was very helpful and friendly throughout the cruise, as were all the ships company, from cleaners and maintenance engineers to the officers and entertainment team.

 Our cabin was a deluxe veranda, and very spacious and well equipped. The wardrobe was very roomy with extra hangers available from the cabin steward. All cabins have a balcony, which is not only great for early evening drinks, but also early morning sailing into port. We got up at 6 on the morning as we sailed into Stockholm, to see all the tiny islands. Spectacular! And it was wonderful in Eidfjord to be able to sit and relax with a drink in such a beautiful setting.

There were several very gifted classical musicians on board who rotated around the public areas-  pianist, guitarist and string duo. They provided a very pleasant atmosphere to relax in. A resident singing group performed in concerts in the theatre accompanied by the resident band , all excellent value.

There are several restaurants which all provide a very high standard of service and a wide range of choices, with special menus to reflect the port being visited. I am vegetarian and there was always plenty of choice. 

Hygiene is very important on a ship, and there were wash basins and sanitisers at the entrance to the World Cafe, which is a buffet. 

The toilets around the ship were spotless and were checked very regularly. Handrails were also often cleaned during the day and I felt that the standard of cleanliness at all times, throughout the ship, was extremely high.

The public areas of the ship never felt overcrowded- never any need to reserve a lounger in the pool area!

Although most of the passengers were of an age, there was plenty to appeal to the younger end of the range including the gym, a wonderful spa and range of entertainment. 

We were very lucky to have such good weather throughout our cruise. It was only raining on the last couple of days, and even then we managed to dodge the showers on  our shore excursions. As local guides were employed by Viking, it was fascinating to hear their personal experiences as well as learning so much about our destinations.

We had a wonderful holiday and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in experiencing interesting places in an inspiring setting , and not to those expecting entertainment 24/7.

Amazing first experience of cruising

Rarotonga

Iceland’s Majestic Landscapes, August 13, 2019, Viking Ocean

We chose this ship for chance to see Iceland up close.  It made four stops in Iceland with two days in Reykjavik at the beginning.   Most cruise lines stop at the capitol for a day as they transit between the US and Europe.

This was our first Viking Ocean cruise.  If you are tired of the glitz, the constant sales pitches and wandering to find a quiet spot to read, this cruise line is for you.  The ship had no casino and only two shops.  Decks 1 and 2 which surround the 3 story atrium are open concept with contemporary Scandinavian décor in neutral tones– sofas, easy chairs & coffee tables with low bookcases to make them feel more intimate.  Instead of a single room dedicated as the library, books are shelved at one end of Deck 1 with more books in other areas.  Bars/snack areas are also spread throughout the open public areas.

There were only two sea days.  We found that our only choices for spare time were the port talks, lectures (excellent) and evening performance by the four ship’s singers.  There are no dance/show productions.  Trivia was held only on the sea days.  Obviously the sports deck was not used with the cold and cloudy weather although the pool deck with its glass ceiling had wonderful nooks for reading, relaxing and looking at the ocean and also offered grilled food at lunch and sometimes at dinner.

We used the buffet and pool grill for lunch each day and dinner varied between the dining room, Manressa’s Italian café and The World Café.  The World Café offered one dedicated ethnic cuisine menu with paired wine included which changed every four days.  We found that to be as much of a “show” as a dinner and portions were a bit small.  The dining room and buffet food was well prepared and presented.  It tended to have emphasis at times on Asian/Indian dishes which were interesting to taste made us wish to see a nice clam chowder,  something less pretentious, ie. “down home food” by the last days of the cruise.  As my husband put it, after traveling over three weeks, we had “hit the wall” as far as eating was concerned.

The staff without exception was helpful and cheerful.  

Ports:   Iceland is a small country with a population of less than 400,000.  More than half live in Reykjavik.  When our ship of 900 visited a port, Viking worked hard to gather good excursions and transportation.   We were often delighted to find ourselves in a small group of less than 20.  Viking offered one or more free excursions in each port.  The majority were not just a short bus tour around the town.  Some days we took both an included tour and a paid tour.

 Reykjavik  We were exhausted when we boarded the ship.   Many flights from the US are red-eye and our Icelandair business class seats did not recline more than a few degrees.  I would recommend coming in a day early to acclimate.  The most popular tour the day after boarding is The Golden Circle, an 8 ½ hour tour staring at 7 AM.  We saw Iceland’s most famous waterfall,, Gullfoss, a geothermal area, lava fields and more.

Isafjordur:   A small group tour to Litlibaer, a tiny home from the early 1900s with stone walls and a turf roof.  You will see many turf roofs throughout the country.  We were served waffles and jam and our guide made butter in a churn.  We were also served homemade chocolates at a photo stop and told about the home-grown enterprises to earn money in this sparsely populated country.

Akureyki:  We chose a private tour through Tripadvisor/Saga Travel to the Lake Mvatn area to see lava formations, bubbling geothermal areas, Godafoss, the “Waterfall of the Gods”, and learn a lot of local lore.  We won the grand prize in our guide, Thor, who truly looked like his name.  He had grown up in the area, entertained us with stories from his childhood and was also an extra in Game of Thrones.  This was hands-down our best excursion.

Seydisfjordur:   The Wilderness Center is a unique hotel/tourist attraction far off the beaten path.  The owner has created a museum of unique walk-through dioramas showing the life of early settlers and local lore plus a bed-and-breakfast hotel with some of the beds in a single room arranged in cubbies along two walls much like ancient Vikings built their homes, plus two outdoor geothermally heated soaking tubs, all of which the owner proudly showed us.  We were served waffles and jam and given taste of lamb smoked on the premises.  

Thorshavn, Faroe Islands:  The 22 small islands which comprise the Faroe  Islands stand midway between Iceland and Norway.  We visited a turf church, the remains of a 10th century Viking home, and saw fish ladders for salmon while driving through the scenic countryside.

Geiranger, Norway:  Easily the most scenic stop on the trip, the tiny narrow fjord ends at a tiny town where we chose to take a free tour up a road with 11 switchbacks to a viewpoint looking over the town to the mountains and reverse course and go up the other way to a viewpoint looking down over the town and fjord.  This was nothing more than viewpoints and we ended a hotel for a “rest break” which was far too long with nothing to do.

Alesund, Norway: Sunnmore Open Air Museum is a collection of homes, barns and other buildings from the past two centuries.  Most are open so you can visit inside and the guide gave commentary as we walked along.  The buildings are set on rolling land with gravel paths so this may not be suitable for anyone with difficulty walking.

Flam, Norway:   The small town of Flam set at the end of a fjord hosts up to six cruise ships a day.  We were lucky to find only one other.  The #1 tour is a 12-mile ride on the Flam railroad up the hillside and through the mountains with waterfalls in abundance.  There is a 10 minute stop at a waterfall where the mythical witch appears singing her siren song.  At the midway point, there is an hour stop to enjoy waffles and coffee in the hotel and spend a little time enjoying the view back down the valley before catching the next train back down.  Viking reserves seats for its passengers.  Check out the1-minute zip line ride from the viewpoint halfway down the valley to a farm you can barely see in the distance if a seat on the train back down is too tame!

Bergen, Norway:  Bergen is the 2nd largest town in Norway and iconic for its gathering of quaint historic merchant homes/warehouses from the days when the town was a trading powerhouse in the Baltic region.  Our tour included visiting an old merchant building, a town tour and a funicular ride up Mt. Floien to enjoy the views, a gift shop, a child’s playground, some goats which keep the vegetation trimmed, and restaurant.  It was possible to then wander the old wharf and Fish Market on our own afterward since the ship could be seen from the wharf and gauge if it was within a distance you could walk.

Iceland and Norway, Land of the Waterfalls

We've wanted to visit these countries for some time and have enjoyed a Viking river cruise. In addition, we preferred to travel on a smaller ship, rather than a typical large ocean cruise ship.

The Viking Sky has a well-designed interior: the public areas, like atriums, are spacious and attractively decorated.

Our cabin, while not luxurious, was exactly what we needed, as we did not spend much time in it.

The variety and quality of food was very good, not exquisite dining, but one cannot realistically exquisite when they are feeding over 900 passengers. We believe that the food was as good as can be expected on a cruise ship.

A group of four talented vocalists backed up by four very capable musicians provided most of the entertainment. Of the various shows they performed, we especially enjoyed their tributes to Abba and the Beatles. In addition to these shows, the cruise director organized game nights and comedy acts. 

We enjoyed visiting all of the ports. The guides provided informative and interesting background information on the locales we visited. The optional excursions covered a wide range of activities. We wished only that Viking offered more than one "included" excursion per port.

An important feature of the ship for me was its fitness center which was large and well-equipped with elliptical trainers, stationary bikes, treadmills, resistance machines and free weights.

The staff and crew provided amazing service. They were always friendly and showed interest in the passengers. Every one of them we met tried to make our cruise a pleasant satisfying experience.

Iceland & Norway on Viking Sky

We had taken Viking River cruises and decided to try the Viking Ocean. It did not disappoint. The ship is beautifully appointed and the staterooms are nicely done. Our stateroom was small but included everything we needed. The staff is very responsive and attentive. The entertainment includes singing and dancing and lectures by knowledgeable scholars. The food was excellent and includes two specialty restaurants that are not additionally priced and only need reservations. Wine and beer are included with lunch and dinner. You can also eat outside overlooking amazing scenery. There are two pools and two hot tubs. There is a gym and a spa center where you can go to use the steam or sauna as well as get treatments. The concierge desk was never crowded and had at least two people working at all times. For the most part our included excursions were good. There were a couple of itineraries that could use tweaking. The additional excursions (paid extra for) were very good.

Wonderful in Every Way!

This was the second cruise I booked, and there was no comparison between my first cruise and this one booked with Viking Ocean Cruises.  From Bergen, Norway to Copenhagen, Denmark, this cruise surpassed my expectations.  The ship was beautiful and very comfortable.  The size of the ship was perfect.  I had the opportunity to meet a variety of people, but the ship did not feel crowded.  The meals were excellent.  The selections available daily in the World Cafe rivaled any 4 star restaurant.  My party took advantage of the free excursions in most of the cities and felt that we were provided with an excellent overview of the area.  The tour guides were informative and friendly. The cruise ship's staff treated our entire party like they were VIPs. We felt there wasn't anything they wouldn't do for us to fulfill our wishes. My favorite part of the cruise was the experts that presented enrichment sessions throughout the cruise.  They were very knowledgeable and presented their material in a very interesting way.  This sets Viking far apart from the competition for older, educated travelers. We were so happy with this cruise that we booked our next one before we left the ship.

Majestic Fjords & Vibrant Cities 

We chose this cruise for the itinerary: Majestic Fjords & Vibrant Cities (from Bergen to Copenhagen).We wanted to see what Viking was like and enjoyed our experience enough to book a river cruise in the future. 

Embarkation in Bergen was simple and efficient. The ship is quite lovely. After the first night, I felt that the bed was a bit too hard for me and we when we told the stateroom attendant--she got us a foam mattress pad. It was perfect. The heated bathroom floor was an extra plus.

We utilized some the the included tours, added some optional ones and also explored some places on our own. Yes, the included tours are either walking ours on on buses. 

Food in the World Cafe was excellent. They had crab legs and sushi available at every dinner. I would rate the main restaurant a 3.5 out of 5. The wine that is included in the prices is the same every night. It got a little boring. Of the two specialty restaurants, I loved the Chef's Table. We ate their twice--once for a Scandinavian inspired meal and the second time for an Asian menu. Both were excellent and the inclusive wines they paired were good. I didn't think that manfredi's was as good.

We didn't participate in most of the entertainment on this cruise. 

I would recommend Viking for this itinerary.

Great ship, staff was wonderful, stateroom very nice. 

We chose this way to see Norway and Sweden.  Denmark was a nice addition.  We enjoyed the programmed trips but also made use of several additional on shore excursions.  The trip didn't disappoint. With all the sightseeing came an education by Viking about the places we would visit each day and the countries.  This helped us determine where to go and what to see at each port that we entered. Besides the travel the ship had a variety of great entertainment and we made nightly visits to take part.  The food was wonderful. Each day brought a variety of foods to sample, often in the form of local flavors and favorites. We liked to sit and listen to live performances of music before our dinner. Our cabin had great views and the attendant was absolutely great with service.  He changed the beverages in our room to ones we personally enjoyed.  Everything was smooth and easy form air to ship and departure.  On arrival it was easy to know what to do because there were Viking workers everywhere to assure easy travel and boarding.  There was lots of pre-trip information to help select the perfect trip.  

We are already booked for our next trip in 2020 because of how pleased we were with Viking.

Majestic is the word!

Saint John (New Brunswick)

We really lucked out and had fantastic weather for March. Northern lights were spectacular in Tromso. We took a private tour with indvidulltromoso and was better than the one Vikng offered. The weather was sun shine in Bergen also where it usually rains 360 days a year. As far as the ship, it is beautiful. The few issues we had with service were quickly remedied by the guest service and restaurant managers. Entertainment was good quality, especially for a ship this size. Food was great. Every night in the buffet were crab legs, shrimp etc. Crab legs were split and easy to eat and delicious. We would definately sail with Viking again and again. Good value as you are not nickled andf dimed constantly. Room service was great for coffee and breakfast....Our cabin was good...floor in bathroom was heated and a little too much though. Embarkation and disembarkation were very smooth. All in all, I would highly recommend. Enrichment lecturesd were also very good.

Meet the highest of Vikings standards- Fantastic weatherf

Viking does a nice job but did not think thru their excursion offerings of this cruise.   First, it was mostly in the dark, which was to be expected on a cruise above the Arctic Circle in January. but, many of the museums, shops and excursions sites were closed or inappropriate for January.  

We did an independent tour which stayed out at night for over 8 hours to see the lights and were given a meal, heavy snow suits, boots and head lamps and a fire.  Then we did Viking’s tour in Alta.  Vikings night tour offered a few fires, no heavy clothes, and brownies.  The venue was too small for the over three bus loads of people.  No way to keep warm so we gave up and went back to ship.

Take your own warm clothes.  Also, included excursions were many times lead by unqualified guides.  Could not answer questions like, who is the king, what are the salaries, what is the education system.  

On the ship’s third floor, three shower drains froze and people were moved.  The wait staff had to wear coats because the dembarking door was by the Atrium.  Viking did not consider the environment when they took this ship to the Arctic in winter.

If you are prepared, maybe this is the cruise for you.

FYI, we did not see the Northern Lights.  Way too cloudy and lots of snow.

Be prepared for cold.  Inaugural In Search of Northern Lights January 2019 cruise

This was the maiden voyage of the Northern Lights Cruise and it couldn’t have been more perfect. I highly recommend Viking cruises! The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, the ship was clean and well ordered. The food was awesome and Viking made our special request for vegan meals abundant and varied. 

Being the maiden voyage, there were only a couple of glitches but Viking made them right. The inland tours were mostly well ordered and the variety of excursions enabled us to have so many wonderful experiences. Spending time with the Samis’ was very special as well as spending the night in the “teepees” and watching the snow and blood moon.  

The onboard amenities were all top notch - the spas, the theater, the gym, and libraries. The decor is inspirational and gave us a great sense of the Viking era. 

Viking Cruise outdid theirselves and I cant wait to take another Viking Cruise!

Awesome trip

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