Both embarkation and disembarkation went very smoothly. We were always treated with a welcoming attitude by the crew in all departments. Very professional but also very personable. Having been on Holland America and Oceania, which we also thoroughly enjoyed, Viking has made a lasting impression! Due to its smaller size and number of passengers as well as the comfortable open and inviting common areas and our relaxing cabin, we found this cruise met and exceeded our expectations! The cabins are spacious and have plenty of storage, especially in the washrooms. They were meticulously maintained and replenished daily. Restaurants and dining areas, of which there are several, provide various menus. The convenience of booking on the TV screen gives passengers the opportunity to book last minute and to check availability, which was the same procedure for booking tours. Great movie selection on the TV as well. Enjoyed all the entertainment we saw, very age appropriate. Also continuous throughout the day in different areas. We did take the included excursions which we enjoyed as well. We are looking to book future trips with Viking....but so far the ones we are interested in are booked through to 2020! Obviously says something about the product and this company! Read Less

There were so many interesting locations to view and visit while enjoying luxurious service, dining and comfort. Viking spoils their passengers. Service is impeccable and wonderful selection of restaurants onboard. Cabin service is excellent, from cleanliness to accommodation. This was my fourth trip with Viking River and Ocean cruise and I’m now planning my fifth. Viking makes traveling so easy for you by collecting you at the airport and retuning for your flight home. It’s obvious Viking takes the time to properly train their employees. I actually walked into my once and found someone cleaning under my bed. You’ll find from the stewards, bartenders, servers will help you with anything you ask. The concierge will go out of their way to grant any request you have. Viking has wonderful entertainment. From dancing, singing, comedy etc. to a large current selection of movie and tv programs. After a day of fascinatingly excursions it’s nice to have dinner in or out of your room and then relax with a movie. Again, I’ll say Viking absolutely spoils their guests. Read Less

As a general rule, cruises are relaxing with easy days at sea, but not the Viking Star. Instead, you are on the go to see and visit and learn so very, very much. In fact, if you want to lose weight, you go with the Viking Star where you can do what you want and eat what you want, and you still lose weight. Oh, I forgot, you have to take my Wife, please take my Wife, and she watches caloric intake as well. I hope people who read this will find the humor in what I am saying, but note that the Viking is one of the best cruise lines on the water today. The ships are not so big that you lose your way to the bathroom, but large enough that the amenities are fantastic. You have the ability to go to visit places and there is no extra charge. You can do as much as you want and keep active while on board as well as having tea in the afternoon with awesome desserts and take a nap at the same time. As a person who has been on several cruises and many cruise lines, the ease with which we got on the boat was amazing. Granted, it was later in the day, but we got off the plane in Barcelona, Spain, and we were grabbed at the air port and taken immediately to the dock. Our luggage was grabbed by the people and taken to our room. In fact, the one thing I told my wife was that I just wanted to unpack, take a shower, and go to bed. Instead, we walked briskly through the port, received all of our documents and cards, and almost had to run to the room to keep up with how efficient the boarding staff was. And, when we finished our entry within 10 minutes or less, we ran to our room. Our luggage beat us to our rooms, and we were able to take our shower, lay down for a few minutes to rest, and enjoy a fun filled evening on board. I cannot tell you how many times we have had to wait not minutes, but hours to get our luggage to the room. It was awesome. In each port of call, we not only had the time of our lives escorted on as many excursions as we wanted, but we were able to learn a great deal about the places we visited. We saw Monte Carlo, France, Spain, and of course Rome, Italy. All arranged by the cruise line and all simply awesome. The only draw back was the entertainment. There were some nice young kids that were apart of the group singing and dancing, but watch a movie or get some sleep. You will need it. Let me just summarize by saying this: the food was the best on a cruise that I have ever had on any cruise, bar none. The service was always friendly, and there was particular young lady (Natasha) that was at the buffet that I tried desperately to give money to. She told me to keep it and just say nice things about her to the staff. I wanted to give her a $100 bill, but she said that she would rather me say something nice and have a smile for a nice job. That is something I have never seen. Turn down money because she already had the enjoyment of doing her job by our smiles. That blew me away. Read Less

Viking is always our first choice with consistently high quality in service, accommodations and food. Quite season meant no crowds and as long as you don't mind a sweater or light jacket, it was a very enjoyable cruise. The weather was actually quite new with only one day of rain out of 14. The sea was a bit rough a couple of nights but it was a cruise after all. We were a little disappointed that two North African port stops were cancelled due to safety concerns but the addition of Naples and Malaga more than compensated for the change. Shore excursions were very good with a few exceptions. If the description says "panoramic" it means you won't get off the bus much. Every port has at least one included excursion. The optional excursions can get pricy. This was not our first Viking cruise so we knew our way around right from the start. We were not disappointed by the level of service. This was "all inclusive" including beer and wine with meals. If you intend to drink more often, consider the spirits package but it is not necessary. Gratuities are added to your final shipboard charge but given the quality of service it was very appropriate. Read Less

Itenerary, was well planned. The excretions were diverse enough to engage people of all walks of life. Sometimes towns were small enough to explore in your own. We liked having alternative dining as we are not big group diners and we could comfortably dine in the smaller restaurant as a couple. The spa and gym were large enough to accommodate especially days at sea. The ships staff were very professional. The conceierge team needed more TLC & insights of ports, they should have known more so that they could guide you bette at each port.. We like to explore & prefer a more challenging experience. Not one size fits all. Doing research of available concerts, plays or entertainment to offer pre ticket options. Notify by email so that it’s more efficient. For future example we’re booked on the Venice - Athens next Sept, would of liked a pre cruise trip in Venice. Read Less

This was our first Cruise, we chose Viking due to the high ratings we had read. Our goal was to experience the Scandinavian Countries first hand. We knew it would just give us a taste of the port cities we visited, but it has spurred us to book another trip in 2018, starting once again in Bergen, Norway. I cannot say enough about the quality of the Staff. They were from all over the world and made the experience even richer. The educational programs were well done, the Professors and Ambassador did an excellent job explaining the History and Politics of the associated countries. The Food was absolutely excellent, we had to make sure we got enough exercise to keep off unwanted pounds. While this is a British idea,Tea Time and the treats are highly recommended. We have been spoiled by Viking and hope to be back on board many times in the future! Read Less

We sailed on a river cruise and were favorably impressed; we signed on for this ocean cruise. The ports were fine and we enjoyed a free excursion at each stop. We got the sample of Northern Europe we were looking for. What really stood out was Viking`s interest in making it a great trip. The staff was exceptional. The food was consistently impressive. Perhaps most appreciated were the little things. Free wi-fi in the room, free water on excursions, free wine with lunch and dinner. .....24 hour free room service. Having done Holland America cruises where everything is a profit center and passengers are there to be herded, this cruise really stood out. We`ll take cruises in the future (we`ve done 10-12); they will all be on Viking. As a result of Viking`s performance, we signed up for a 4- month cruise next year. When were back, we`ll find another river cruise. Read Less

We had previously had an enjoyable experience on a Viking River Cruise so we decided to try the Ocean cruise. We had wanted to go to Norway so the London, Scotland and Norway itinerary fit our needs. The ship was beautiful and the amenities were well thought out. The service in the restaurants, cabin and special events was great. The sites visited were breathtaking. We enjoyed the history of the Norwegian cities. I went o Windsor castle and enjoyed the day. The entertainers were fantastic as were the special events. The only negative we experienced was the embarkation process from the London airport to the ship. Traffic was crazy and there was no Viking staff present when we got to the Ship docking area which caused us to walk around before we learned where the reception area was located. Overall, we really enjoyed the trip. We will likely take another Viking cruise in 2019. Read Less

We arrived in Venice two days early. Arranged our own hotel on the Grand Canal and taxi pick up at Marco Polo airport. Smooth and easy to do. Overall trip and ship were excellent. Only a couple CON's but a lot of PRO's. Embarkation was easy and fast. We took a taxi to cruise port and was a perfect idea. Our Hotel was the Santa Chiara Hotel. Perfect location for everything. Taxi service and location to see to Venice on your own. PRO's: Cabin was roomy and well appointed. Viking has excellent beds and rooms. Food and service outstanding. Laundry room was great. Just have to time your use to avoid other people. We had no problems washing some clothes three times on trip. Walking tours were fine. Not as good as River Cruise Tours though. Gym/Spa areas outstanding. With older crowd many do not even see these areas. Wait staff very friendly and helpful. Always ready with a smile and "Good Morning". Manfredi's Italian Restaurant was excellent with good selections. Rib Eye was best ever. Chef's Table is oK if you can accept Chef choosing all selections. Disembarkation was excellent at Barcelona. We picked out our luggage and rolled it out the door to a taxi to our hotel ourselves. Taxi to Marriott was 29 Euros with a tip. Viking wanted to arrange the taxi to hotel for $129. My advice "Do it yourself". Both Venice and Barcelona taxi's were easy and honest. Entertainment is OK. After doing River Cruises with no entertainment we were happy with this option for evenings. Several shows at different times. Each show 45 minutes duration. Just right amount of time. Not many CON's but here you are: In Venice DO NOT use Viking extra tour for a gondola ride. $98 each for a 35 minute ride with four people jammed into a gondola. You can get the exact same ride on your own for two people near St Mark's Square for half the price. We also contracted our own three island tour for 5 hours through Tripadvisor for only $20 each. Murano Island and two others. Not best tour but priced $100 cheaper than Vikings offering for same tour. Be adventurous you have free time to do it. If the Viking Tour description says Panoramic Tour understand it is a Bus Drive by tour be advised very little chance to see up close. Hopefully the Colosseum is on your side of bus when you drive by. And trees are not in you photos. Avoid the Toulon, FR Panoramic tour. A waste of time. It counts as a free tour but all you see is a small submarine monument used by Jacques Cousteau years a go. THe guide was not fluent in English. Turned into 90 minute bus ride through town. Not worth the time. Do your own waking tour. OVERALL OPINION The CON's aside it is a fantastic trip. Viking is a well oiled machine. Boarding busses was smooth. No delays. Staff is VERY GOOD. That is their business. We added on several optional tours that were good. Herculaneum Tour is a must. St Peter's was excellent after the Panoramic Bus drive by tour was over. Take the climb to top of St Peter's it is best view of Rome you will find. Florence museums were very good. Only negative for St Perter;s and Florence tours is 2 hour bus rides to and from. Although they make a restroom stop for the senior crowd. DO NOT TAKE GONDOLA RIDE through Viking. TV / Movie channels were boring at best. Too many news channels reminding you have "BREAKING NEWS" back home. With satllite capabilities now this area could be improved. I don't have many negatives about the trip Read Less

It came along at a time we could go for a very good discount. My husband and I loved the smallness of the ship and the amount of people. The entertainment and cabin service were the best we have encountered. The food was very, very good especially in the Restaurant. Liked that wine and beer came with dinner. Our stateroom came with a mostly free mini-bar. But didn't always get restocked when it was supposed to be. The World Café was very good, but would have liked to see more variety. I loved most everything about the ship, except for the fitness area. Even we seniors like to stay fit these days. No room for the yoga classes, and not enough room to do yoga when others were working out. Was not conducive to doing yoga where music is blaring, people talking loudly, and weights clanging. I would have gotten a manicure and other services, but these were beyond my budget. We mostly went on the tours that Viking provided free, and were very happy with all of them except Casablanca. The tour guide for that trip was very good, but we did not feel safe there and there wasn't anything to see or do except the Mosque. The bus just rode around for hours, with nothing to see except roads and non-significant buildings. At one point they let us off the bus in the middle of an intersection. not good. The other tours in Madeira, and Spain were wonderful!!! We loved all the cities in Spain and stayed in Barcelona an extra few days. The majority of the "service" people were very accommodating and beyond nice. People were very friendly, and we met a lot of nice people from other parts of the U.S. and the world. We would definitely do another trip with Viking if we got a price as good as we did for this one. Read Less

We couldn't wait to get back to the Viking Star -- the last cruise was in the Eastern Med. and this time we wanted to see see the West Indies. San Juan was a great place to travel to and meet the ship -- really a nice walk and tour of the city. best price and a chance to see the West Indies. the ship and crew did everything they could to help us enjoy the cruise, they even found my wife a make up mirror. we really enjoy sitting outside on the bow and having a nice glass of wine. it just makes us feel good. the food is always great -- from the breakfast to the Chef's table in the evening. one our favorite things to do is end the day with a cocktail in the Explores Lounge -- just a beautiful room and nice music. this is our second cruise on the Viking Star and we look forward to many more. thank you Viking. Read Less

I chose this cruise because it was a great value, it was a 2 for 1, the price included air fare from my home airport to the airport in San Juan which is where the cruise originated. The fare also included excursions. All areas of the ship were very clean and well equipped. The included excursions were excellent, good local guides, good transportation and well organized, with adequate ship staff to manage the excursions. The service was great, the ship was well staffed, staff was extremely helpful. We were met at the airport by representatives from Viking, we obtained our luggage, were directed to a bus and transported to the ship. The embarkation process went smoothly and was timely. Cabin: size of the cabin was adequate, service was very good, cabin was clean and well appointed, toilet supplies, e.g. soaps, shampoos, etc. were in good supply. We especially enjoyed our balcony, we spent a great deal of time on our balcony. Dining was exceptional, we visited an Italian restaurant (price included) on board, it was very good, had a good menu. Menus of the speciality restaurants were available on the TV that was in our cabin. Other food venues were good, had good varieties of foods, fresh fruit, salads, main dishes (meats) bakery items, etc. Entertainment was good, available, my personal preference was to relax, read, but there was piano, instrumental, entertainment. Lectures were excellent. A note about the fitness center, it was outstanding, I did visit the gym daily, equipment was well maintained and the gym was always clean. There was also some fitness equipment on an outside area, that was very pleasant. Disembarkment went smoothly, we were directed to public areas, with color coded tags on our luggage, the wait was short and we were directed to our buses back to the airport. To summarize, the cruise was great, service aboard the Viking Star was exceptional. I will cruise with them again. Read Less

This was my husband's first ocean cruise, therefore we decided it should not be too far or too long. The West Indies Explorer was 11 days, absolutely perfect. The 930 passenger ship was ideal, not too big, not too small. I have been on larger ships, and have always felt like a small fish in a large ocean. I prefer to be a large fish in a small pond. The amenities the ship provided were excellent as well as the restaurants. I was at the fitness center every day, and we booked massages at the Spa. The entertainment was also very good. Everyone was approachable, including the captain! The entire staff could not have been more accommodating and gracious. We felt as if we were with family. Every port was wonderful, including all of the excursions. We had such a great time that we booked another cruise, for the following year, while on the ship. I must also add that our cabin was spacious, and we never felt cramped. Last, but definitely not least, Viking will continue to be our travel choice for cruising! Read Less

We had not been to Scandinavia or the Baltic states and were anxious to go to this area. Viking's ocean cruise there seemed to offer all the places we wanted to go with the luxury of not having to pack and unpack and sail from one location to another while we slept. It was the perfect choice. Loved everything about the trip. The Viking Star was a lovely ship and the staff/crew was outstanding in every way. We had done a Viking river cruise and loved it so that is one reason we chose Viking over other options. The shore excursions were numerous with many options in each location, sometimes hard to decide which one to take. The local guides provided great insight into the region. I wish we could have had more time in St. Petersburg, especially at the Hermitage. There was so much to see and not enough time and we had no control as to the areas we visited in the museum. We had good weather and only one day with rain, which did not hamper or tour or "dampen" the experience. The food was excellent and varied with a nice number of restaurants to chose from. We could chose to have fine dining and linger over the dinner table or we could do a buffet meal quickly to move on to our next activity. There was so many choices on board of things to do we never get to do them all. We were never board. The entertainment while on the Viking Star was outstanding with options varying from the concert pianist, string trio, the ship's band to the performers (singers and dancers). The Aba show was really fun and the digital set state of the art. The young performers were very talented and always put on a superb show. We are already planning out next trip with Viking Ocean and have talked to a number of friends about joining us. (we went with a group of 3 couples) Bravo Viking Star! Read Less