viking cruise ship reviews

Viking Ocean Cruises

Courtesy of Viking Ocean Cruises |

Find a Cruise on Viking Ocean Cruises

with a cruise advisor

Cruising with Viking

Since 2015, Viking’s ocean cruises have earned acclaim for their inclusive luxury ships and engaging destination-focused itineraries. Viking’s voyages appeal to active and intellectual adults who are interested in learning about the history and culture of the destinations they visit. The cruise line's 10 identical 930-passenger ships include attractive perks, such as shipwide complimentary Wi-Fi and verandas for all cabins.

The smaller size of Viking's ships allows them to access more exclusive ports throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean and the Mediterranean. Standard cruise itineraries range from eight to 93 days, while the line's World Cruise options can last up to 180 days. As part of Viking's inclusive fare, passengers are also treated to one complimentary shore excursion in each port of call.

U.S. News Insider Tip: While Viking's cruise fares seem high compared to other lines, you need to compare their all-inclusive value to cruises where everything comes at an additional cost. There are very few extra expenses that you will have once you're on board the ship. They also offer discounted sailings, including their Quiet Season Mediterranean Cruises. – Gwen Pratesi, Contributor

Pros & Cons

All cabins include verandas

Shipwide Wi-Fi access on every vessel

Complimentary excursion at every port of call

Ships don't offer children's programming

No itineraries for less than seven nights

High prices year-round

• Expert Rating » 4.7
• Traveler Rating » 4.3
• Health Rating » 5.0

Viking Ocean Cruises has been ranked based on an expert evaluation of the line's level of luxury, as well as an assessment of user reviews and health ratings.

• # 1 in Best Cruise Lines for Couples
• # 1 in Best Luxury Cruise Lines
• # 1 in Best Cruise Lines in the Mediterranean

Explore Photos

Viking Ocean Cruises Ships

Viking Venus

Viking Saturn

Viking Mars

Viking Jupiter

Viking Star

Viking Orion

Viking Neptune

Before You Book

• A $500 deposit per person is required to secure a reservation on a Viking ocean cruise. A 20% deposit is required on cruise tours of 35 days or longer and Viking's World & Grand Cruises.
• The date of your final payment is dependent on your itinerary and will be noted on your invoice.
• If you cancel your cruise 120 days or more before your scheduled departure, you'll be charged $100 per person. Canceling closer to the cruise departure date will incur varying fees that are a percentage of the cruise fare. Visit Viking's Terms & Conditions  page for more information on the cancellation policy.
• If you have any medical needs associated with a disability, you must inform Viking at the time of booking. To inquire about accessibility, you can call 1-877-668-4546. Viking does not permit women who are more than 24 weeks pregnant on any of its ocean cruises.
• Viking does not allow children 17 or younger on its ocean cruises.

Before You Board

• You must have a passport valid for at least six months after your cruise ends, as well as any necessary visas in order to board.
• Passengers must bring any required inoculation records on board. Refer to the  World Health Organization  and the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  websites to learn about recommended vaccinations.
• You'll receive your travel documents about two weeks prior to your scheduled departure date. Your cruise embarkation time is based on your cabin category and begins at 11 a.m., but you'll need to be on board no later than two hours before departure.
• You can make reservations for shore excursions, dining venues and spa treatments in advance on the My Viking Journey website. Booking windows open based on which cabin category you choose. For more information on when you can book, visit Viking's website.

Disclaimers about ship ratings: A ship’s Health Rating is based on vessel inspection scores published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If a ship did not receive a CDC score within 22 months prior to the calculation of its Overall Rating, its Health Rating appears as N/A; in such a case, the ship’s Overall Rating is calculated using the average Health Rating of all CDC-rated ships within the cruise line. All ship Traveler Ratings are based on ratings provided under license by Cruiseline.com.

You Might Also Like

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Seabourn Cruise Line

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

Traveling Tulls

Eco-Travel in Retirement – Nature and Sustainable Luxury Travel

Elegance at Sea: An Authentic Viking Ocean Cruises Review

Embarking on a Viking Oceans cruise promises a luxurious and immersive journey. I am just back from my first Viking voyage, a 12-night cruise on Viking Sea,. In this review, I will share various aspects of the Viking experience, specifically a Viking Sea cruise ship review, to provide insights into what you can expect on this ship. I hope sharing this Viking Ocean cruises review will help you decide on your next adventure.

As a seasoned traveler and occasional cruiser, I believe I am well-equipped to provide insights into the Viking Oceans Cruise experience. My first two European travels (1963 & 1968) involved transatlantic voyages as my Dad was afraid of flying. Cruise ships have come a very long way since those days. (The ”spa” in our first ship, the MS Saturnia, featured vibrating belt machines and a lukewarm tub in a windowless room. But we had Italian language lessons onboard and daily Mass where I, a young GIRL was allowed to serve as altar boy!) Jump ahead 60 years and I have sailed on Windstar’s small ships 6 times, and have also explored other renowned cruise lines such as Princess and Norwegian, offering a comparative lens for evaluating Viking’s unique offerings.

With an extensive travel background that spans 68 countries, and includes bespoke safaris, ,journeys with prestigious tour operators like Tauck and Abercrombie & Kent, and many independent adventures, I bring a diverse and discerning perspective to this Viking Sea ship review. Note: We paid all expenses for this trip. Viking did not discount nor incentivize our travel.

Table of Contents

Booking our first Viking Cruise

Viking offer three categories of journeys – river cruises, ocean cruises, and expedition cruises. We chose the Viking Oceans Cruise – Amazon & Caribbean Adventure – primarily for the itinerary. (Viking offers many unique destination-focused itineraries.) Visiting the Amazon has always been a dream of mine. And we were intrigued to try Viking ships having heard much about Viking River Cruises cultural and educational focus from friends. The Viking Ocean Cruises ships carry 930 passengers which seems like a lot to us but still considered a small ship by most cruisers.

Booking our cruise was a seamless process, with an intuitive online reservation system. However, for this trip, we chose to call Viking directly so as to secure flights that would work for us. We planned on arriving in San Juan a few days before the cruise to enjoy some sunshine and to forestall travel complications winter in New England can bring. The customer service representatives we spoke to during booking were very helpful and within minutes our trip was confirmed.

The next step in trip planning came when it was time to choose excursions. Viking has a unique (to us) reservation system for excursions and dining options. Each stateroom level has a date when reservation booking opens. For example, on our voyage the Penthouse Veranda occupants could make reservations 77 days before the cruise, the Deluxe Veranda 67 days, and the lowest category, Veranda, 60 days before the cruise. This was a stressful and unpleasant experience for us. By the time our category (deluxe veranda) was allowed to book, many tours were sold out. We managed to get much of what we wanted but honestly this added frustration and a sense of classism to the process. Note : Viking guarantees one or two included tours for everyone in each port. These are mostly bus rides or short walks.

Other than the above issue (and a few outside Viking’s control) things went well with Viking’s pre-cruise experience. We used Viking Air (got an offer for free airfare!) and got a direct flight, Boston to San Juan. Once we received our Delta confirmation code, we were able to upgrade our seats. (Some guests were able to upgrade from the My Viking page earlier but for some reason this was not available for our flight.)

A+ Where Viking Shines

The ship: a viking sea cruise ship review.

The focal point of any cruise is the ship. In the case of the Viking cruises which seem to leave ports earlier than most cruise lines we’ve used, the design is paramount. And fortunately, it shines! Viking Ocean ships are designed with elegance and functionality in mind.

The Viking Sea is the loveliest ship we’ve traveled on. The ship’s decor is sleek Scandinavian with bits of whimsy. Spend some time in the Wintergarden and you’ll find birds and iconic landmarks integrated into the ironwork. Birds can also be ‘heard’ in some of the public restrooms. 🙂

Throughout the ship there are unique spaces where you can get away for a quiet read. Thus even with 930 guests onboard the ship never seems crowded. Even the main dining room, the Restaurant, is designed with partial wall breaks to simulate small dining areas.

Other unique public spaces include the ‘Living Room,’ a three-story elegant atrium where you’ll find games, puzzles, and cozy corners to sit while enjoying performances by Viking’s musicians. The Explorers’ Lounge and Torshavn are the focus for evening cocktails, music, and conversation. There are outside terraces for watching the world go by and a sports deck for shuffleboard enthusiasts. Last but a far cry from least is a Viking Ocean Cruise highlight – the extraordinary spa with traditional Nordic elements like sauna, vitality pool, cold plunge tubs, and a Snow Grotto.

Our Stateroom

We’re in a mid-level cabin, Deluxe Veranda, which is narrow, but has a lot of storage and a roomy bathroom with a great shower. (Not always the case on cruise ships!) I haven’t seen the other category staterooms but know the next step up – Penthouse Veranda- offers a few more feet in width and a fridge stocked with wine, beer, etc. Our fridge has soft drinks replenished daily.

When all our things were put away, we had plenty of room in this cabin and veranda to enjoy some quiet time. (270 square feet in total)

Entertainment spaces with exceptional performances

[I neglected to get photos of the Star Theater, Torshavn and the Explorers’ Lounge, so I’ll try to describe each before I direct you to the Viking Serene Scandinavian Spaces webpage.]

• The Star Theater is the primary theater location for live music and is the spot where guests gather for tendering. It is similar in style to other ships’ theaters with alternating rows of bucket chairs and cushioned bench seating. Interestingly, the back of the theater has two spaces which can be closed to create two movie theaters.
• Torshavn is located just steps away from the Star Theater so attracts a lot of people after the evening’s performances. It has a nightclub vibe and is a great spot for late night dancing.
• The Explorers’ Lounge is on the 7th and 8th floor. It’s a thoughtfully designed space with panoramic windows affording lovely views. The Explorers’ Lounge is where you’ll find Mamsen’s, a homestyle eating spot with late night treats.

The onboard entertainment on our cruise was outstanding! We thoroughly enjoyed the Star Theater productions and planned our evenings around them. (We often skip the shows on other cruise lines.)

The entertainment is curated to appeal to a broad audience. The ship’s atrium, the Living Room, has either a classical pianist or a string duo playing almost all day. Lovely background music for your reading. Torshavn, the cozy club, and Explorers Lounge have shows each evening with more contemporary music.

But the best entertainment on this Viking itinerary was the evening show with the resident vocalists. They were immensely talented and the show’s choreography, stagecraft, and audio-visual elements made this a phenomenal experience.

Interestingly, it’s not just the ship’s vocalists that performed but also the cruise director! Big shout out to our cruise director, Ryan Bishop, who kept us informed and entertained all 12 days onboard. What a talent!

Including destination-focused enrichment is one of Viking‘s key attractions. On our Amazon and Caribbean Adventure itinerary we had a resident biologist, a resident historian, and a former CIA agent giving talks daily.

I loved the nature lectures. Dr. Philip Price included a lot of depth to his talks (bringing back much of my long-forgotten biology knowledge) but he seasoned his talk with humor so everyone could enjoy.

Having these short (45 minute) lectures definitely adds to the cruise experience. And best of all, if you’re unable to attend them in person, they are streamed all week on your cabin TV! We always watched one in the evening as we got ready for bed.

(The daily port talks are also available on your cabin TV. This was the first cruise when we actually used the cabin TV.)

The Spa (and fitness center)

What can I say! We loved the spa! It’s a subdued quiet space to relax and rejuvenate after a day touring.

There is an open area with a large ‘vitality pool’ (hot tub with waves and bubbles on demand), a traditional hot tub, heated spa beds and loungers. From this central area you have access to the Snow Grotto and steam room. In each dressing area there is a sauna and cold plunge pool. I valiantly tried everything the spa had to offer but didn’t stay long in the cold plunge pool 🙂

Somehow, I hadn’t time for a massage but exercised in the well-equipped gym before luxuriating in the spa. There are three sections to the fitness center all with large windows to enjoy the view. The aerobic fitness area had many treadmills, several cycles, and a few elliptical machines. The next two rooms focused on weight training and stretching.

B+ A cut above most cruise ships

Service and staff.

The service provided by the crew can make or break your shipboard experience. For the most part, the Viking staff, known for their friendliness and professionalism, elevated our overall experience. We did not rate the service as excellent because it seemed the staff may have had more guests than they could handle. In the Restaurant we had several mix-ups with our orders and sometimes had long waits to be seated or served. But when the waitstaff came they were always friendly and courteous.

We had some frustrations with guest services not following up on requests for post-cruise plans. Our charter flight was scheduled to leave at 6 pm from Manaus so we hoped to use that day to see more of the city and surroundings on a private tour. But three days before we arrived in Manaus, guest services still had no idea what time we’d be disembarking, what hotel we would be brought to, and when we needed to get to the airport. Needless to say, we couldn’t book our tour and spent 6 hours in a hotel conference room before our flight.

But while onboard Guest Services came through with a level of hospitality we hadn’t found on other cruise lines. A big thank you to guest services for hosting an impromptu gathering of participants from Cruise Critic. We enjoyed drinks and appetizers in the 8th floor Explorers’ Lounge as we met offline for the first time.

In general, the crew’s cheerful dedication made us feel valued and well taken care of throughout the trip.

Ambiance/Social Aspects

The ambiance of the ship plays a crucial role in shaping the overall experience. Viking Ocean Cruise ships boast elegant designs with lots of areas to socialize or enjoy some solitude. It’s a sophisticated and comfortable atmosphere.

Of course, there’s little you can do to predict how you’ll enjoy your fellow travelers but on this cruise we met many wonderful people. All were well-traveled, so it was fun to chat and compare notes. The demographics on our tour:

• overwhelmingly American
• almost all over 60 years of age and retired
• very little diversity
• quite a few people with some sort of health or mobility issues. Happily, it seemed Viking is prepared to help everyone participate in events and excursions. The crew were sensitive to the needs of people with mobility issues, quickly seating them on tenders, etc.

Viking Sea cruise ship review: the dining experience

One of the challenges of traveling anywhere is managing expectations. We have had great food on Windstar and read rave reviews of Viking’s food before the trip, so perhaps we came onboard with unrealistic expectations for a ship serving 930 passengers and 465 crew members.

Viking offers a variety of dining venues offer diverse menus, providing guests with many choices for their cruise experience. We greatly appreciated that Viking offered selections in all venues that mirrored the destinations visited. We also appreciated that there are no formal nights on Viking (though there is a dress code for the better restaurants.)

There are many options available, including options for gluten free and vegetarian diets. The food was mostly good but rarely exceptional. Service in the main dining room could be spotty. All the waitstaff was friendly but appeared to be a bit overwhelmed at times. Perhaps the area was understaffed on this trip.

As we’re dedicated to our readers, we tried each of Viking Sea’s dining options. 😉 Here we are ready to try Manfredi’s, the Italian restaurant – yum!

The Restaurant

This is the primary restaurant on the ship. It’s an elegant space with multiple divisions which belied how many guests were being served. The Restaurant offered a fairly extensive menu with some dishes offered every night, some specific to the destination, some vegetarian, and many daily specials. We had some excellent meals here but also several mediocre meals. Our favorite entrees : Beef tenderloin with horseradish mashed potato was my favorite, Dave’s was the Norwegian salmon which is offered daily.

The World Cafe is a cafeteria style option and is open for all meals. The quality of the food and selections offered were quite good. We enjoyed our meals here and understood why some cruisers only eat at the World Cafe. There is a small, shaded spot outside the World Cafe where you can bring your trays to enjoy some fresh air.

Be sure to frequent the World Cafe on Surf n’ Turf night! Lobster tails, shrimp cocktails, etc.! Yum! Dave gives a shout out to the gelato which he sampled daily for this complete review.

Note: the World Cafe is the only restaurant without a dress code. For more about this and other packing suggestions read Amazon and Caribbean Adventure: Your Ultimate Viking Cruise Packing List .

There are two (occasionally three) specialty restaurants on the Viking Oceans Cruises ships. On our trip the third option – the Kitchen Table – was not open. Reservations are required for these restaurants but if you’re not able to secure a reservation before the trip, check with the dining desk managers as there are usually spots available.

Manfredi’s is the Italian themed dining option. It’s a pleasant space with mediterranean design. The food was good and the service in this restaurant was excellent.

Chef’s Table

The Chef’s Table was an alternative restaurant where wine is paired with each course. The theme of the tasting menu rotates every three days, so be sure to check what options are available on the night of your choosing.

We attended Mexican night and enjoyed the wine but were underwhelmed with the food. Our amuse bouche was one tortilla chip topped with an octopus-based salsa. The appetizer was one tamale in a clear soup. The main course was very tasty, but again only a small serving – short ribs with mole sauce and a tablespoon of sweet potato mash artfully displayed. Dessert was a selection of chocolate treats. Note : other cruisers raved about the Asian menu, so give it a try!

Wintergarden

This was my favorite dining option on the ship!

A traditional tea is served in this spectacular space every afternoon with classical music accompaniment. I love afternoon tea so made sure to get there twice on our trip. Scones with clotted cream, finger sandwiches, and sweet delicacies are served with your choice of dozens of teas. Relax, enjoy the music, and indulge.

There is no dress code for the Wintergarden, but many appeared to enjoying dressing as they might for afternoon tea at home.

Mamsen’s

This is a Norwegian homestyle spot (literally) tucked into the Explorers’ Lounge. The recipes and even the plate design come from the kitchen of the Hagen family’s Mamsen (mother). This is where you’ll find traditional Norwegian open-faced sandwiches and specialty desserts.

Definitely try the waffles here one morning! It’s a quiet change from the other dining venues and has a lovely view.

The Pool Grill, as you’d expect, serves burgers, hot dogs, and occasionally a tuna steak all made to order. Very good for a quick meal on deck.

Room Service

We ordered from room service a few times, once for breakfast on our first sea day, and twice when our excursion got us back to the ship after the dining areas were closed. After a steamy excursion it was nice to put our feet up and enjoy a platter of cheese or a Caprese panini.

More Viking Sea options

Honestly, I can’t speak to this very well. There are lots of options listed on the Daily – mahjong, crafters corner, wine and spirits tasting, shuffleboard competitions, just to name a few – but we didn’t partake of anything except team trivia in the Explorers’ Lounge.

There are tables in the Atrium set up for Scrabble and other games. These were always busy and it looked like people were having fun.

Ship’s pools

This is another category that is hard to rank. The main pool is in a gorgeous spot and has a partially retractable roof. I imagine this would be lovely if cruising in a cooler climate, but in the Caribbean and Amazon the roof opening was not sufficient to keep the space cool. We tried this for a few hours and gave up.

On the Aquavit Terrace at the rear of the ship there is an infinity pool and hot tub. This pool was perfect for a hot day in the tropics. Lovely refreshing water with enough space for several bathers. The only drawback here is that deck space is limited, and all loungers are in the sun.

Tips of first-time Viking cruisers

Cabin choice.

If you’re debating which cabin category to select, upgrade. As mentioned in the booking section above, there is a tier system for booking excursions and making dining reservations. If neither of these matter to you, choose whatever cabin you wish. But if you’re hoping to get on a specific tour, book a Penthouse Veranda or above. ( This was a real eye-opener for me. I felt a bit like a second-class citizen when I realized my mid-range cabin didn’t allow me to get some of the tours we’d looked forward to. Not a good feeling when you’ve booked a luxury brand cruise. )

There are 1-2 included excursions in every port of call. In addition, there are many optional tours with prices starting >$60 and up. We opted for two included shore excursions and many of the paid excursions. Most were very good to excellent. I’ve detailed our excursion experiences on Navigating the Amazon and Caribbean with Viking.

Note: Viking seems to leave ports earlier than other lines we have used. Our all-aboard times ranged from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm. This made it more challenging to book tours with local companies (as we’ve enjoyed in other locations ), so we stuck with Viking’s offerings.

There are options to send out your laundry with a quick turnaround, but Viking is unique in providing free laundry facilities and detergent on each floor. This makes it easy to pack light for the cruise . The laundry room does gets crowded so plan on doing your wash in the off hours – during morning excursions, late at night or during dinner hours.

There are three onboard shops, one a jewelry store, one a small necessities shop, and one specializing in Nordic gear and souvenirs. Interestingly, though you have your choice of Nordic sweaters (on an Amazon cruise…hmm) there is no place to purchase a simple tee shirt. We had counted on this while packing so were disappointed. And before you say that the clientele was too upscale for tee shirts, believe me, most guests are wearing casual clothes including tees during the daytime hours and on excursions.

Silver spirit package

All Vikings Sea’s restaurants include wine, beer, and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. We’d heard that the included wine was of poor quality, but we enjoyed every wine we were served. (Mind you, we are not oenophiles.)

Purchasing the Silver Spirits beverage package for $25 per person per night affords the guest upgraded wines, beers, and unlimited cocktails and spirits. As this was our first Viking cruise, we decided to test the value of the package. We enjoyed the included wine and beer, but also ordered cocktails or an evening aperitif as we desired. In the end our bill was $174.50, far less than the $600 the Silver Spirits package would have cost. We’re moderate drinkers on vacation but I think the liberal pours over dinner kept our costs low.

An oddity of the included beverages policy is that at events where sparkling wine is poured continuously, I had to pay $4 for a ginger ale. Hmm…

Viking Air Services

We used Viking Air for our travel. Just a bit of reading online will show you that Viking Air gets mixed reviews with some people being booked on circuitous routes to their destinations. Fortunately, we did not have any of these issues. We were booked on a direct flight from Boston to San Juan, Puerto Rico to begin our vacation. On the return Viking booked charter flights to transport passengers to Miami from Manaus. We gladly agreed to this. As this homeward travel day was long and involved Viking put all passengers up in a Marriott hotel in Miami, served dinner and breakfast, and arranged luggage transport for each leg of the journey. From Miami we had a direct flight home.

Unfortunately, plane issues on both the charter and direct flight home from Miami caused delays. When ultimately our Miami to Boston flight was cancelled, we scrambled to find a flight home rather than spend another night in Miami. Viking Air likely could have booked something for us, but as time was of the essence so we did it ourselves. When Viking learned of our difficult day, they issued us a future cruise credit. Unnecessary as it was not Viking’s fault, but we were impressed and appreciative.

Sustainability Practices

I have seasonal affective disorder (SAD) so we travel to get a few weeks in the sunshine each winter. We try to choose sustainable options as we did in Costa Rica , but sometimes we cruise. This year was challenging with losses of family and friends, so the convenience of a cruise was the best option. We chose Viking as it states a commitment to sustainability.

[Researching a bit, Viking receives mixed ratings for sustainability. Friends of the Earth gives Viking a poor grade despite acknowledging Viking has moved to advanced sewage treatment systems and exhaust scrubbers. The Cruise Line is kinder to Viking, giving the line credit for reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 40%.]

As I don’t have the ability to precisely measure the environmental impact of the cruise line, I base my comments on what I encountered on the ship.

• Exhaust scrubbers to reduce air pollution
• Viking has discontinued some tours they deemed unethical, e.g. the pink dolphin experience.
• Paper straws are used in all venues when straws are requested
• Serving sizes in the restaurants were not excessive, so less waste here. (However, the buffets in the World Cafe undoubtedly generate a lot of food waste.)
• Time in ports was much too short to support local economies. On other cruises we try to frequent cafes, shops, and local guides, but with an early “all aboard”, on this itinerary we had to stick with ship tours.
• Towels were changed daily despite us hanging them up for reuse.

Value for Money

Viking Ocean Cruises aims to provide value for money. The cost of the cruise, considering the inclusions and amenities, is competitive in the cruise industry. With the cruise cost including full use of the spa, the entertainment, and wine, beer and soft drinks at lunch and dinner, we felt that we got excellent value for our money.

We opted to use Viking’s air program and were pleased when offered a charter flight from Manaus to Miami and a hotel night in Miami before transiting home. And doubly pleased when we learned they organized a late (11 pm- 2 am!) dinner for us in Miami. Very professional of them to make these arrangements at their own expense after our cruise days had ended.

Viking Ocean Cruises Review: Conclusion

In conclusion, our cruise experience was a great blend of luxury, fun, and cultural exploration. From the ease of booking to the service on board, Viking Ocean Cruises offer a refined maritime adventure. The Viking Sea is beautifully appointed and without question a great ship. Whether seeking relaxation or immersive activities, travelers are likely to find their expectations exceeded on a Viking Oceans Cruise. I hope you have a wonderful trip!

For more information and recommendations for your Viking Ocean Cruises experience read:

• Navigating the Amazon and Caribbean with Viking: An Honest Review – a specific Viking cruise review
• Amazon and Caribbean Adventure: Your Ultimate Viking Cruise Packing List – packing tips for this unusual journey!

Pin for Later!

Amy, a writer on responsible bucket list travel, is your reliable source for insightful travel advice. With a career background in libraries, and a degree in biology and mathematics, Amy's approach to travel is rooted in meticulous research and planning, and her commitment to eco-conscious adventures.

Amy’s dedication to sustainable travel practices, including efficient packing techniques, ensures that every adventure leaves a positive impact on both the environment and the traveler's well-being. Trust Amy to guide you towards meaningful and eco-friendly travel, making the most of your retirement years.

A lifelong New England resident, Amy is also the source for insider tips on travel in the Northeastern U.S.

• Travel Dress Styling: Build Mix & Match Outfits With One Dress
• Capture Memories: Why Book Flytographer, the Vacation Photographers 2024
• Carry On London: Travel Light with our London Packing List (2024)
• 101 Unique Things to Do in Boston: an insider guide to hidden gems

Share this:

4 thoughts on “ Elegance at Sea: An Authentic Viking Ocean Cruises Review ”

• Pingback: Amazon and Caribbean Adventure: Your Ultimate Viking Cruise Packing List - Traveling Tulls

I’ve been wondering about Viking cruises. I love that it is a kid-free environment but I didn’t realize the bulk of the people are 60+. That’s good to know. I’m saving this as a refresher when I’m ready to give them a try. Thanks!

I’ve never fancied a cruise but the ship looks lovely!

As someone who has never been on a holiday cruise, I found this very interesting. Thank you.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Discover more from traveling tulls.

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

Continue reading

• Viking Ocean

First Viking Ocean cruise review: Was it worth the money?

By amtatom , March 11, 2023 in Viking Ocean

Recommended Posts

" Thank you for sharing your review with everyone at Cruise Critic. Please consider submitting it to the site for publication as well: Click: Write a Review on any page! "

amtatom was awarded the badge 'Great Review'

Australia & New Zealand, Viking Mars, Feb 21-March 8, Sydney to Auckland

Background :

My husband and I are in our forties, so we understand we’re younger than the typical Viking guest. We have done two Holland America cruises in the past (although in 2010 and 2015, so several years ago) and enjoyed them. We did a Viking River cruise in 2019 and loved it, which was our primary motivator for booking with Viking Ocean. We’re avid readers and generally quiet people, so the appeal of 1) no children, 2) no formal nights, and 3) included excursions were key to us. The included excursions were probably the biggest draw as we loved our included walking tours on the river cruise.

We’re not big drinkers or wine snobs, so we did not see the need to purchase the beverage package. We are content with a glass of house wine at dinner.

We also wanted a smaller ship experience. My understanding is HAL ships have only gotten bigger since our first cruise in 2010 (which was about 800-900 pax).

We booked this cruise in 2020, during the height of the pandemic, because it was such a good deal. The cruise itself was “on sale,” there was some sort of no-risk guarantee, and free airfare. All of this means it we did not pay the price currently listed on Viking’s website, although it was still our most expensive vacation ever.

Our review:

State Room: Great. We booked a DV on deck 4 and were very pleased with it. Comfortable with plenty of storage. We requested firmer pillows and those were quickly supplied. We especially appreciated the free laundry room, as that enabled us to pack even lighter than we typically do. (I took the CC suggestion of doing laundry at dinner time one evening, and that was excellent advice - no waiting!)

Service: Generally excellent. I was a little queasy on our first sea day, so I immediately requested ginger ale at breakfast in the restaurant by and was also brought green apples by the maitre d’ (before the server even arrived) without asking. Twice when we returned to the restaurant after, the same maitre d’ asked how I was feeling. One evening, I left my sweater in the restaurant and it was returned to my room before I even realized it was missing. The only slight downfall may have been our fault as we were confused by the servers in the World Cafe. Are we supposed to self-serve our drinks or not? We seemed to get either no attention at all or were swarmed by multiple servers who wouldn’t even let me get my own latte from the machine.

Food: Good and plentiful but not outstanding. We mostly ate in the World Cafe as my husband, especially, did not want to go through the hassle of changing for dinner (this is contentious, but I wish that casual dress was allowed in the restaurant at dinner like it was on the river cruise; I never saw a “casual” day outfit that would have appalled me in the restaurant). Having said that, I did think the food was better in the restaurant. The best items always seemed to be the seafood and gelato. There was 3-4 special “taste of” lunches and I thought those were high points, as well. Room service breakfast was so-so, but we ordered dinner one night and it was better. We ate at Manfredi’s once and felt it, too, was good but not outstanding. We had no trouble getting reservations on the app while on the ship for the day and time we wanted; I did not book ahead. Afternoon tea was fun, but, again, not outstanding. The house wine was fine, as expected.

Public spaces: Outstanding. This was a highlight for us. As I mentioned, we’re avid readers so we want a light, airy, quiet place preferably with a sea view to read in peace and there was plenty to choose from. We had to make an effort to try them all! My memories of HAL were of darker interiors with few public spaces. We also read outside on deck whenever the weather permitted.

Entertainment: We’re not big on musical reviews nor are we night owls (and were also too young for the target decades), so the only show we went to was the Maori culture show. It was excellent! We also did one of the movies on the pool deck, and that was fun, too.

Enrichment: Good. We enjoyed the lectures from the historian, the wildlife expert, and the art expert. There were so many that we couldn’t even watch them all (we watched them later in our stateroom, not live). I did a craft class and my husband did the Bayeux tapestry tour, which we both enjoyed. My husband went up to do stargazing one night, but he was very disappointed there was no guide/speaker nor any telescopes, etc. He came back after about five minutes.

Port talks: Poor. On HAL, the talks were very specific: “The shuttle bus will be located here (map on screen), you can take the local bus #whatever to see ABC or you can walk to XYZ within ten minutes (map on screen). The closest ATM is here, free wi-fi in the cruise terminal, the closest public restroom is here, taxis are here, here’s how much or if you should tip someone, etc.” None of this was in the port talk on Viking. On this cruise, even Guest Services refused to give me the location of the shuttle bus stop the night before a port “because it might change.” Unlikely, as all the shuttle bus stops were the same locations listed by one of the excellent World Cruise blogs I’m reading (I got more information from that blog than from Viking). And, if it does change, please just announce such.

Optional Excursions: Great. We booked 3 with Viking, and they were all great. Not outstanding, but we enjoyed them and felt they were well organized and fair in price. We would do them again.

Included Excursions: Poor. The first one in Sydney was downright awful. It was a weaving drive through mostly residential sections of the city with the driver telling us what that particular cluster of pharmacies/Asian take-outs/coffee shops was called and how much the homes in the area cost. There was one stop at a view of the Opera House and Harbor Bridge, but it wasn’t even the best view IMO (we had gone on our own to better view the first morning). Then we stopped for an hour at Bondi Beach in the middle of a rainstorm with high winds. No one was out swimming or surfing, and there was very little else to do in the area. I know Viking cannot control the weather, but there should be a Plan B in place. Everyone from the bus returned by the 30-minute mark except one couple who were trying to find the street of shops the guide claimed was there; they could only find one shop, they said, that only sold tee shirts. They were disappointed and soaking wet. The next excursions we did, in Melbourne and Dunedin, were better but still not good. I know they were all listed as panoramic, but I didn’t think the stops on each tour were the best representation of the cities. There were also fewer stops than I imagined: two in Melbourne and one in Dunedin. The included excursions were so poor that we canceled all our other included tours and just got out and did our own thing.

(We also booked one private excursion through Zealandier and that was excellent.)

App: Good but not being utilized enough. The app always worked well and I loved the idea, but I was disappointed that some things couldn’t be done on it. My biggest peeve was that dining times were not listed. If you can change the menu daily, why not the times? Why could I book a restaurant reservation but not a craft class reservation? Why could I book a shore excursion but not cancel one? One could only do these things by going down to the desk on Deck 1, which was always crowded. If Viking wants to attract younger guests, they need to update their technology.

Transfers: The tale of two transfers! As we had free Viking Air, we got free airport transfers. Arrival in Sydney was outstanding. Prompt, well-organized, housed in a large beautiful hotel space with a full brunch buffet and barista for hours. When we arrived, there were plenty of people to check you off a list and give you a sticker that clearly indicated your bus number and time for transfer to the ship. Carry-on luggage was carefully stacked securely behind the desk, they walked around to confirm we had down our RAT test and would assist if one needed it, etc. However, the departure in Auckland was a complete shambles. The hotel space was not large enough to hold everyone (literally people standing or sitting on the floor everywhere including the hallway), there was only coffee and water even through lunch time, there was initially only one person at a table with an extremely long line to check in for your bus departure time (this was ridiculous and should have included in your documents the night before), and there was no system in place to make sure everyone got on the correct bus. This ended up being an issue because the buses failed (we heard drivers were sick, we heard one broke down, we heard they were stuck in traffic, etc - not sure of the true story), and our group ended up waiting over an hour and a half standing on a busy sidewalk in downtown Auckland to finally be put in transport vans. You couldn’t hear the Viking rep out there, they had no way to monitor if those with earlier flight times were leaving first so made little effort to do so, etc. When our group finally got to the airport, we were dropped off and told a Viking rep would be inside the doors to direct us to our checked luggage. No representative at all and no luggage! Our group walked around for about 20 minutes until I finally called the Viking emergency travel number. Murphy’s law, while I was on the phone, a Viking rep came running up to us telling us we’d been dropped off at the wrong door and the van was being called back to take us to our luggage. Back on the van we went. Finally, we got our luggage and were directed to the correct door. This experience was so poor (including other issues I didn’t list here) that I plan on writing to Viking about it.

Bottom line:

Was it worth the cost? I’m not sure. The shipboard experience probably was, and, as we had several sea days, we spent a lot of time enjoying the ship. However, as our primary draw was the included excursions, I would say they weren’t; they added no value to our cruise and instead felt like a waste of time to varying degrees. Since I’ve returned, I’ve looked up another Viking Ocean cruise we were considering and most of those included excursions are listed as walking tours. Perhaps that would make all the difference, but I’m understandably a little wary now. On the other hand, the Viking shuttle bus service was good and included, as were the bottles of water; we were (over)charged for both on HAL. Can we justify spending twice as much, though, to save some money on shuttle buses? Especially if we’ll have to pay for optional excursions anyway in places where we don’t speak the language or don’t feel comfortable walking on our own? And how will we feel about walking on our own with no information provided before the day of, especially if we don’t speak the language? We wouldn’t be able to study maps to determine the best routes/public transport options from the shuttle bus stops, for example, so it would difficult to plan our day. We were fortunate in New Zealand that we felt 100% safe and comfortable flying by the seat of our pants because as there was no language barrier.

I would like to add I read this board religiously before our cruise for information and I found everything to be helpful and kind. Thank you so much!

Link to comment

Share on other sites.

For the most part your thoughts are like mine.  We really avoid the included tours as "Panoramic" is just a bus ride for the most part and "Walking Tours" naturally move at the speed of the slowest.  We have had the occasional included tour that was great but you really have to hunt for them.  We also are big fans of the ship and crew.  We love being on the ships months at a time.  It really gets to be home.  We also sail on HAL as it is a drive to embarkation at San Diego so several itineraries from there have suited us well. Is Viking worth the $$$$?  Only you can say.  We have spent much more with Viking than our first houses cost so, like most folks on this board, it is a financial decision that get's weighed carefully.  Glad you had a good time overall. 🍹

Thanks so much for your very detailed review. My husband and I are taking our first Viking cruise in May/June from Iceland to NYC so we are quite interested in what we will experience. We have sailed quite a few times on other lines so we can compare later. We have booked our own transportation so, hopefully, we will have no problems. Thanks again for taking the time to write such a thorough review.

51 minutes ago, Jim Avery said: For the most part your thoughts are like mine.  We really avoid the included tours as "Panoramic" is just a bus ride for the most part and "Walking Tours" naturally move at the speed of the slowest.  We have had the occasional included tour that was great but you really have to hunt for them.  We also are big fans of the ship and crew.  We love being on the ships months at a time.  It really gets to be home.  We also sail on HAL as it is a drive to embarkation at San Diego so several itineraries from there have suited us well. Is Viking worth the $$$$?  Only you can say.  We have spent much more with Viking than our first houses cost so, like most folks on this board, it is a financial decision that get's weighed carefully.  Glad you had a good time overall. 🍹

I should have clearly stated that we DID have a very good time overall. We enjoyed New Zealand more than Australia which may be because of the mentioned canceling of included tours and doing our own thing instead. (We also had more time in New Zealand.) But we have no regrets about traveling this way to see this part of the world.

Also, I realize my questions are rhetorical. Honestly, I’m still undecided. It will probably come down to itineraries, estimates of shore excursion vs. shuttle bus costs, number of sea days, and whether or not airfare is free. I wish that all cruise lines would list an estimated cost for their shore excursions on their websites as that would help greatly.

Of note, I notice HAL now has a “package” that offers many of the Viking perks: gratuity, free room service, free Wi-Fi, upgraded beverages, etc. So we'll have to consider that, too.

If you do decide to try Viking again, I recommend picking the walking tour ones.  The included walking tours that I took in Iceland and Norway were very informative.  In Seydisfjordur, Iceland, which is a tiny town, the tour was led by a local who grew up there.  She explained the history of the town, the extreme difficulties in building there, what life is like now, etc.  In Alesund, Norway, the tour leader was a history teacher.  Yes, the walking pace of both was slow, but that gave us time to look around and take pictures in very scenic towns.  I would rather take it easy than be on a death march, as we experienced in Rouen.

1 hour ago, amtatom said: Of note, I notice HAL now has a “package” that offers many of the Viking perks: gratuity, free room service, free Wi-Fi, upgraded beverages, etc. So we'll have to consider that, too. Edited 48 minutes ago by amtatom

The package on HAL is not free. The price of the cruise is higher than you would pay without it. We usually get the all inclusive package on HAL for the convenience.

21 minutes ago, BigBee51 said:     The package on HAL is not free. The price of the cruise is higher than you would pay without it. We usually get the all inclusive package on HAL for the convenience.

I should have been more clear. I realize the package is not free. It is bundled pricing for things that Viking considers free or all-inclusive. I suspect that even with that extra fee, the cruise would still be significantly less expensive than Viking. (Of course, price isn’t everything; the perceived value is.) I, too, imagine we would get it for convenience if we were to cruise HAL again as we like knowing what we'll spend in advance and not worry about it onboard.

Vineyard View

3 hours ago, Jim Avery said: For the most part your thoughts are like mine.  We really avoid the included tours as "Panoramic" is just a bus ride for the most part and "Walking Tours" naturally move at the speed of the slowest.  We have had the occasional included tour that was great but you really have to hunt for them.  We also are big fans of the ship and crew.  We love being on the ships months at a time.  It really gets to be home.  We also sail on HAL as it is a drive to embarkation at San Diego so several itineraries from there have suited us well. Is Viking worth the $$$$?  Only you can say.  We have spent much more with Viking than our first houses cost so, like most folks on this board, it is a financial decision that get's weighed carefully.  Glad you had a good time overall. 🍹

Totally agree with Jim on the excursions, as well as what he likes about Viking. We don’t take panoramic tours.  We’ve done a couple walking tours that are okay, but we also have taken them for the transportation to the area when it is not walkable. We ask the guide what time to be back to the bus and go do our own thing (really only works when it is a long enough time scheduled). We tip the guide as we would had we walked with them, and it’s never been an issue 

We haven’t sailed on HALs large ships. We did purchase their package when we sailed their smaller ones.   

At the end of the day, itinerary is a major deciding factor when and whom we sail on. But excursions are not as we DIY or private most of the time. 

2 hours ago, dd57 said: If you do decide to try Viking again, I recommend picking the walking tour ones.  The included walking tours that I took in Iceland and Norway were very informative.  In Seydisfjordur, Iceland, which is a tiny town, the tour was led by a local who grew up there.  She explained the history of the town, the extreme difficulties in building there, what life is like now, etc.  In Alesund, Norway, the tour leader was a history teacher.  Yes, the walking pace of both was slow, but that gave us time to look around and take pictures in very scenic towns.  I would rather take it easy than be on a death march, as we experienced in Rouen.

So much depends on the guide. There are very good and absolutely terrible.

Thank you for your detail trip report.

The reason I  sail on Viking is the ship and crew.  The ambience is exactly what I want.

I came from Celebrity which I did like too.

But  now I do not want to  have to figure out all their promos, categories, up charges ,not interested in their large ships etc. And their M and S class ships are  much darker than Viking . I want to be able to see both the ocean /sky  for the most part when I am on the ship. 

I  am sorry you  did not eat in MDR.  I don't eat in WC for dinner because my travel companion wants table service for dinner.   The food on Viking is fine for me  with lots of variety in different  restaruants. 

I am so looking forward to my Scenic Scandivian cruise in June.

I learned long time ago to  interpret the ship excursions for what they are really providing. It also depends on the tour guide. Some are excellent and other just so, so.

I also have organized private excursions  on various cruises which I found great tour guides and tailor made the excursion for what I wanted to see. 

It seems, after Covid,  roll calls are not full of folks wanting or offering to organize private excursions.

 It  is what is is. 

Good luck to you in future cruising on Viking or other lines. 

lackcreativity

1 hour ago, Azulann said: I learned long time ago to interpret the ship excursions for what they are really providing. It also depends on the tour guide. Some are excellent and other just so, so. I also have organized private excursions  on various cruises which I found great tour guides and tailor made the excursion for what I wanted to see.  It seems, after Covid,  roll calls are not full of folks wanting or offering to organize private excursions.  

I certainly agree with your comments, about Viking in general and about the excursions specifically. In so many cases, the guide really determines one's enjoyment of the excursion. Exceptional guides are special and rare, and it helps not to judge all the others against the best of the best. Fortunately, in our experience, really poor guides do exist  but they are rare too. Most guides are generally satisfactory, and can add something to your experience even if not terrific. 

Post Covid, as you noted, apparently fewer people are looking to form groups for private excursions. That is problematic as the way to reduce the cost of those private excursions is by having the right size group.  For just one couple, private tours that I have seen are pretty costly.

Post Covid, there are also fewer guides available for all types of excursions. Most were forced to seek other employment during the pandemic, and not all of them are rushing back to the hospitality industry. 

Carefully reading the descriptions of the excursions Viking offers is the key, as I think even some of the panoramic tours can be useful if they drop you off somewhere interesting with a shuttle option to return to the ship. If the destination is one that is completely unfamiliar to me, I will even check out the sites to be visited on Google or Flickr or Pinterest to see if it would appeal to me. That takes a bit of effort, but we usually book so far in advance there is plenty of time!

I am with you on almost everything, although we found The Restaurant loud and the food just OK. We did three weeks on Sky (which was too long), and it was a fine cruise. It just did not meet our expectations and the price tag. We are booked for another (shorter) cruise, and we are doing a COVID-delayed river cruise, but we thought we were finding our new cruise line (we left Celebrity after 30+ cruises, but that's another story), and we didn't. Going to try Oceania next. One thing that looks better with them is that instead of the free excursion, they give you OBC, and you choose what to spend it on. Out of 21 days (18 ports), we did Viking excursions (some included, some extra charge) on 14 of them. They were mostly terrible. You would have thought the guides were paid by the word. They never stopped talking. We also did three days on our own with private guides, which were the BEST days of the cruise. We also loved the ship. Thanks for the honest and thoughtful review.

FLcruiser2011

More than a little concerned by the comments about the food.  We are currently deciding between a 2024 WC on Neptune and a 2024 WC cruise on New Crystal, and given the length of time we would be on the ship, our big concern is how we will feel about going to dinner after 100 days.  BTW, just returned from a nearly two-month cruise on Oceania Marina -- which we booked after reading all the raves by Oceania fans about "best food at sea" -- and it was VERY disappointing.

A legitimate concern.  But think about your favorite restaurant.  Could you eat there three meals a day for 120 or so days?  We couldn't either.  Viking does their best to change things up and imho does a great job.  How have we handled 4+ months of eating in the same venues?  Every now and then we grab a lunch ashore.  Even Mickey D a couple of times.  Amazing how that will make you ready for Manfredi's again..... 🍹

1 hour ago, FLcruiser2011 said: More than a little concerned by the comments about the food.  We are currently deciding between a 2024 WC on Neptune and a 2024 WC cruise on New Crystal, and given the length of time we would be on the ship, our big concern is how we will feel about going to dinner after 100 days.  BTW, just returned from a nearly two-month cruise on Oceania Marina -- which we booked after reading all the raves by Oceania fans about "best food at sea" -- and it was VERY disappointing.

Food is highly subjective, but on World Cruises, Viking tend to ramp up the standards. I suggest checking out any of the current travel blogs from the Neptune, the live thread from the current World Cruise and the live thread from the 21/22 World cruise on Star.

Going back to 2020 WC, you can also check out our daily posts from the Sun - www.AndyandJudi.com

23 minutes ago, Jim Avery said: A legitimate concern.  But think about your favorite restaurant.  Could you eat there three meals a day for 120 or so days?  We couldn't either.  Viking does their best to change things up and imho does a great job.  How have we handled 4+ months of eating in the same venues?  Every now and then we grab a lunch ashore.  Even Mickey D a couple of times.  Amazing how that will make you ready for Manfredi's again..... 🍹

OMG Jim, I can see a pie, washed down with a few pints, but Mickey D is really stooping to the low end. Even food on Princess would be gourmet after suffering Mickey D. 😁

10 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:   OMG Jim, I can see a pie, washed down with a few pints, but Mickey D is really stooping to the low end. Even food on Princess would be gourmet after suffering Mickey D. 😁

Mickey D in Saigon was fantastic.  The Quarter Pounder with cheese in Porto wasn't bad either.  😱

Just to be somewhat cool we had already had a local snack and drink or two earlier in the day.  MickeyD just took the place of tea onboard......  Hahahahaha.....

SteelCity Cruiser

We did the Sydney to Auckland cruise last month on the Orion, which was our third Viking Ocean cruise (we've also done four river cruises) and I've found that the food is highly dependent on the head chef on board.  The Orion's food was excellent, including the World Cafe.  I enjoy all of the options (and the Pool Grill has great burgers) but I think the best and most consistent dinner option is The Restaurant.   

As far as excursions - I was somewhat disappointed at the quality of excursions (even a couple of the optional ones) on the recent trip, and it's the first time I've ever given negative reviews on any excursion we've done with Viking.  The other cruises we've been on have been very good to excellent excursions.  I think part of it is because both Australia and New Zealand really haven't been fully re-opened to tourism for very long, and it takes time to rebuild the tour guide and excursion operations.

Just my observation.

On 3/11/2023 at 11:24 AM, amtatom said: re: the Viking on-board app "  My biggest peeve was that dining times were not listed. If you can change the menu daily, why not the times? Why could I book a restaurant reservation but not a craft class reservation? Why could I book a shore excursion but not cancel one? One could only do these things by going down to the desk on Deck 1, which was always crowded. If Viking wants to attract younger guests, they need to update their technology."

Hallelujah and amen! 

I've written about this before here;  it's gotta be a felt friction point of almost all Viking cruisers. If my head is looking at 1 screen of details, don't make me find a different screen or physical location to find such closely related info.

What I literally thought was 

"Viking's IT team is asleep at the wheel.  

The other back office teams are doing all the heavy lifting in creating a great experience.  This is so obvious a need." 

Sunflower & The Scientist

On 3/11/2023 at 12:26 PM, amtatom said:     Of note, I notice HAL now has a “package” that offers many of the Viking perks: gratuity, free room service, free Wi-Fi, upgraded beverages, etc. So we'll have to consider that, too.

We've cruised HAL as well.  If you don't mind casinos, and children, HAL may be where you are happiest.  Personally we found HAL to be older more outdated ships (just our opinion, no flames please) We did not care for the staterooms. We will pay more for the newer, fresh super clean appearance of Viking, and we won't sale again with casinos and children unless we have to. (We like children, just not in the room next to ours, or running back and forth down the hall.) 

Camden lady

3 hours ago, Sunflower & The Scientist said: We've cruised HAL as well.  If you don't mind casinos, and children, HAL may be where you are happiest.  Personally we found HAL to be older more outdated ships (just our opinion, no flames please) We did not care for the staterooms. We will pay more for the newer, fresh super clean appearance of Viking, and we won't sale again with casinos and children unless we have to. (We like children, just not in the room next to ours, or running back and forth down the hall.) 

I am a 4 star mariner on HAL, but I have left them for Viking.  Their ships are worn out and show it so I don't want to be on one of them until they do something about the condition of the cabins.  I was told they had refurbished but found out they had only refurbished the suites.  OK, HAL, you have lost me to Viking.  I am about to go on my 5th Viking cruise and I love the ships.  

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in

• Welcome to Cruise Critic
• Special Event: Q&A with John Waggoner, Founder & CEO Victory Cruise Lines
• Hurricane Zone 2024
• Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com Summer 2024
• New Cruisers
• Cruise Lines “A – O”
• Cruise Lines “P – Z”
• River Cruising
• Cruise Critic News & Features
• Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
• Special Interest Cruising
• Cruise Discussion Topics
• UK Cruising
• Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
• Canadian Cruisers
• North American Homeports
• Ports of Call
• Cruise Conversations

Announcements

• New to Cruise Critic? Join our Community!

Ask Me Anything About

Victory Cruise Lines!

Ask Your Questions Today;

See answers beginning August 12th

Write Your Own Amazing Review !

Click this photo by member XFrancophileX to share your review w/ photos too!

Parliament, Budapest

Features & News

LauraS · Started 3 hours ago

LauraS · Started Thursday at 04:28 PM

LauraS · Started August 14

LauraS · Started August 13

Cruise Planning

Find a cruise, popular ports, member reviews.

© 1995— 2024 , The Independent Traveler, Inc.

• Existing user? Sign in OR Create an Account
• Find Your Roll Call
• Meet & Mingle
• Community Help Center
• All Activity
• Member Photo Albums
• Meet & Mingle Photos
• Favorite Cruise Memories
• Cruise Food Photos
• Cruise Ship Photos
• Ports of Call Photos
• Towel Animal Photos
• Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos
• Write a Review
• Live Cruise Reports
• Member Cruise Reviews
• Create New...

Suggested companies

Viking cruises, vikingrivercruises, celebrity cruises.

Viking Cruises   Reviews

Visit this website

Company activity See all

Write a review

Reviews 2.4.

Most relevant

FALSE PROMISES BY VIKING AIR PLUS

FALSE PROMISES BY VIKING AIR PLUS. Viking Air Plus does NOT honor its promises. It FALSELY asserts "We will continue to monitor all schedule changes" and "You will be promptly notified of any such change." Both statements are FALSE. It does nothing to monitor schedule changes and does NOT advise you of any changes. My wife and I paid Viking Air Plus in Dec. 2023 to book Business Class seats next to one another in Row 2. However, in June 2024, two days before our departure, we learned from the Airline that Viking Air Plus had NOT reserved our seats. Thus, instead of Row 2, we were stuck in the row next to the galley. Several hours on the phone with Viking Air Plus as well as Viking's so-called "Customer Service" were a complete waste of time. As a result, we got zero sleep and were exhausted when we reached our destination. Then the exact same thing happened on our latest cruise. My seat, which Viking Air Plus promised me it has reserved suddenly "disappeared". Immediately, we started complaining to Viking Air ten days before our departure but Viking Air did NOTHING to fix the problem. When we return from our upcoming Viking trip (leaving in 2 days) we will cancel all of our future bookings with Viking.

Date of experience : June 20, 2024

Viking cruise around Iceland July 2024,

Viking cruise around Iceland July 2024, Experienced a great Viking cruise from Barcelona to Puerto Rico in 2023, poor pre and post cruise hotels, but the cruise was really good. So we booked on the Viking Mars to sail around Iceland. Unfortunately it rained for 5 of the 7 days and the penultimate port was cancelled due to bad weather - all of the foregoing outside of Vikings control. However we noticed a distinct decline in staff and crew attentiveness, service and engagement from our previous cruise with Viking. Cabin steward was really very good, and the Maitre D at the chefs table was good, but otherwise no interest from the cruise director, the hotel director or staff, who made no obvious effort to raise the moral of the passengers crew or staff. It would seem that the weather got to everyone. Nice cabin, average food, good cabin staff, uninspiring excursions, and from our experience disengaged crew and staff. Off with Silversea next.

Date of experience : July 20, 2024

Fine Company but Be Careful

The two of us did a Viking cruise through the Panama Canal and really enjoyed it. The ship was fantastic. The service and food was excellent. I like the fact that no children are on board. I deducted one star because I saw the cruise discounted 60 days before departure. We had already paid. I requested an onboard credit of the difference and they were firm about saying no. Watch your wallet with them. I noticed that a lot of these negative reviews had to do with Viking air. I would never let a cruise company handle my air reservations. Viking is a cruise company not an airline.

Date of experience : October 15, 2023

Purchased upgraded seats and got economy

Purchased upgraded airline seats because my husband is large. Even though we paid and were assured we would have aisle seats in business or first class, we got stuck in economy. Still trying to get my money back.

Date of experience : April 25, 2024

Another failure with Viking Air

We have just got off the phone with Viking Air - the latest of several. Viking Air gave us one hour between when they sent us our itinerary and told us they booked the flights. We had no chance to respond. The return flights call for us to be flying to Dallas for 27 hours with a 3-hour layover in Doha. We initially asked them to let us lay over in Doha so we could get some rest. They proposed an 8-hour layover instead of 3. Since you have to collect bags and then return through security there was no sense in taking the option. On this latest call they gave the option of paying $350 each to get a longer layover even though we would never have accepted this itinerary in the first place. No matter how good the cruise is, what I'll remember are the horrendous flights home.

Date of experience : October 19, 2023

See my recent review 'Book at Your…

See my recent review 'Book at Your Peril' Viking have come back to us reinstated our cruise and added a Beverage Package and £100 each on board spending. Thank you Viking Cruises

Date of experience : September 13, 2022

Fire Devastation in Maui - Shame on VIKING CRUISES

On August 8th, Hurricane Dora made landfall on Maui, unleashing powerful winds reaching speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. These formidable gusts resulted in downed power lines that sparked fires, ultimately engulfing the entire of Lahaina, Maui. Tragically, the disaster claimed the lives of many, along with the destruction of countless homes and businesses. While our own residence miraculously escaped the flames, it remains uninhabitable due to the absence of both electricity and water. Regrettably, even after a span of two weeks, power has yet to be restored. The forecast suggests a daunting additional weeks of darkness and inconvenience. My place of employment also burned to the ground leaving me with no income. Given the extraordinary circumstances, both mental and physical limitations prevent us from embarking on any travel. We had a 10 day Viking Cruise scheduled for our 37th wedding anniversary. Viking would not give us a credit or any money back (which we could really use at the moment). They had no concern or empathy for what we experienced. They should be ashamed of themselves for not giving us a credit or our money back.

Date of experience : August 08, 2023

BEWARE OF FREE AIR OFFERED.

We've had our Rhine cruise booked for months. We Travel Aug 7th 2023 to Basel. We were told we would get our flight arrangements at least 4 months prior to boarding. We received our direct flights as promised and booked our seats. I recently received notification they are changing flights (with layovers) and we won't arrive to the ship 15 minutes before required arrival time (No room for error). In addition, I cannot book seats. First come first serve. They have a department called Air 1. I called and they cannot get me back on the original direct flight, yet they want you to pay $100.00 per person to make any changes. I checked Delta direct flights we were originally booked on and there are many seats still available. What a racquet! not a good start to the upcoming trip. I did reach out to our booking agent (Thiago Luff) He is very helpful but explained because Viking air is a different entity, he had to refer me to Viking Air +. I feel l could have booked my own or with another travel professional and my travel arrangements would feel a bit more secure.

Date of experience : May 16, 2023

Don’t Believe Viking’s Hype

We just returned from a Viking Eastern European River cruise. We are so disappointed. We believed Viking was a premiere travel company; this is so not the reality. One of the worst, and most expensive, trips we have ever taken. The flights they booked for us to and from were both 23-hour ordeals. Days were then cut off the beginning and end of the cruise due to low water on the Danube… something they informed us of the day before we left, (even though they knew this was the case well in advance). A third of our “Danube cruise” was instead spent crammed on uncomfortable buses. And, we were crammed into buses for hours daily for crowded excursions. The excursions were not very good, either, with dozens of people being herded around seeing very little. Dining on the boat, and even on extra paid dinner experiences, we were also crammed together. It was always loud, and rushed, and uncomfortable. We often couldn’t carry on a conversation comfortably. Our group of five friends always struggled, and often failed, to find seating together. Everyone ended up sick by the end of the vacation. It was pretty bad. Very sad. I am embarrassed because the trip was my idea, and I subjected five people to quite a bit of misery. Needless to say, Viking is not a company I will ever use again.

They canceled 5 out of 9 stops on our…

They canceled 5 out of 9 stops on our Iceland, Greenland Canada to New York Cruise. 2 Because of weather. Understood. 3 because of ice in the water. Greenland always has ice in the water. The weather was ok and they have sonar and radar. What is the deal? I heard they got a dent from a tug pushing them into the dock and it is their brand new ship, Saturn. Their inaugural celebration is in New York after we disembark. Could it be that they don't want more dents before the inaugural? Also heard that they canceled our Newfoundland stop because they didn't have a docking space. So we have to sit here on the ocean for 4 days. And the food isn't very good. It was great on our last cruise. This cruise was a rip off. Oh, and they're offering a voucher. Why would that make us feel better? We're paying $1200 to board our dogs for this crummy trip.

Date of experience : May 30, 2023

Viking does not vet or care about excursion quality

This was my first, and now last, Viking cruise. One of the excursions we took was completely misrepresented–fewer than half of the promised activities occurred, and those that did were sad excuses for the kinds of things one can reasonably expect. The highlight of the trip was a soggy piece of tasteless pancake with a line of whipped cream sprayed on it in front of us, which we received after waiting in the rain for 20 minutes. It was not just a waste of $400, but of one entire day of the cruise. The trip was led by a 19-year-old who was pleasant enough, but did not know how to run an excursion. He mostly talked about himself and TV shows–on a trip focused on how 19th Century farmers lived! I explained the problems in detail upon getting back on the ship and a few days later received a message from the excursion director–Sasha, I believe. She summarized my complaint with the least important details while leaving out the important ones, and offered 10% credit. So I would only be paying $360 for wasting an entire day on a misrepresented excursion run by a kid barely out of high school! Viking obviously does not vet their excursions with care, and does not stand by their products. They saved themselves 90% of my payment–and lost 2 customers for life. There are many other cruise lines that do take care about whom they entrust their guests to and do care about their guests’ satisfaction–stick to them and avoid Viking.

Date of experience : August 16, 2023

Viking Air Plus - AVOID

Viking Air Plus - division of Viking Cruise that arranges flights to meet the beginning/end of Viking Cruises - AVOID. While Viking Cruises are excellent they are seriously let down by their Viking Air Plus, their in-house travel agent. 1) An aggressive, testy Viking Air Plus customer rep very reluctantly answered questions about options while arranging our trip, only wanted us to BUY before she had clarified what is included in the product, seemed unsure about package basics, and made it clear we were taking up her valuable time. She took 5+ working days to answer a simple email question (re: emergency numbers) - making for an extremely and unnecessarily stressful experience. She also failed to add our Frequent Flyer points correctly to the airline booking. We only found out about this failure when we returned and did not see the points in our Am Air account. Am Air then informed us it was too late to add points after the flight had already happened. Viking is an otherwise great cruise company that was severely let down by their agent/they need to train agents to a standard. 2) Viking needs to find an air partner that also has any level of customer service (American Air lost luggage on direct flights - twice in one round trip journey! - and 2 months later still have not compensated. Unhelpful boarding staff, stewards and telephone service agents.) Dealing with missing air points and lost luggage for MONTHS after an otherwise excellent trip, leaves a disappointing taste in the mouth.

Date of experience : October 03, 2022

Very disappointed with Viking

Very disappointed with Viking I would give Viking a minus 10 stars for how they began and ended the cruise. Beware Viking dropped us off in Panama city in a van from the ship to Fuertes Amador. What an ambush of people trying to sell us tours and grabbing our suitcases right out from the storage area of the bus. One man quoted us $80 USD ride from the drop off to our hotel. He was holding our suitcases as hostage. My husband is disabled. When i refused and started to walk away he said $40 usd!! So sad that at the end of an ok cruise trip, it ended like this. We were all sitting ducks getting off that van from Viking. The beginning of the cruise was also terrible. They cancelled without proper warring the key west stop on the cruise with no reimbursement at all for port charges and land tours that were included in the price we paid before the port was cancelled. I am starting a class action suit against Viking for breach of promise and reimbursement. I did complain before the cruise but was met both e-mail and calls with it was just too bad and no refund would be given (it was decided by Viking there would be no refund). And i wrote an onboard review before i left the ship. What happened at the end in Panama city i could not complain to anyone. Our cabin was a bit small. I like having a balcony Our cabin steward was wonderful. His name was Kandi

Date of experience : February 01, 2023

Viking Cruise Line is like Jekel and Hyde

Viking Cruise Line is like Jekel and Hyde. The ocean cruise team is beyond wonderful and services on board could not be better... so much so, that no other cruise line I've experienced can compare. The staff was attentive to the smallest details. Passengers lack for NOTHING except for some of the chronic negatives on other cruise lines such as casinos, poor food prep, nickel and diming passengers for EVERYTHING and I mean EVERYTHING. One could not ask for a better, more gracious onboard experience. On the other hand, the Viking Air team is beyond terrible... and everyone at Viking seems to know this. I was so tired of being lied to, and asked to do the work for Viking Air, that I had to solicit help from the cruise team to FINALLY get honesty and service. Even on board, passengers and staff alike acknowledge chronic, terrible complaints and problems regarding Viking Air... and I am not taking about airlines, which are no treat, but the actual Viking air service team. I was lied to, given bad information, asked to contact airlines myself only to discover that my efforts were in vain because terrible Viking Air did not pay for my actual flight... just a reservation. With just 10 days to go, a Viking Air employee told me that she would ask her supervisor to use the Viking Air credit card so that could get seat assignments (all I wanted was a seat next to my wife... nothing more). As wonderful the cruise people are... the air team is equally terrible... so much so that it certainly hurts their brand and nobody seems to care. Viking has a well-earned and guarded reputation for quality. Passengers get what they pay for. Perhaps Viking should raise prices on air services so they can provide the quality of service that passengers expect.

Date of experience : June 17, 2023

Big, expensive disappointment

June 4, 2022 Viking Octantis Great Lake Cruise -Milw. to Toronto. Much confusion right from the beginning. Told we needed a negative Covid test to be taken not more than 3 days pre boarding. We took 4 tests to be sure the results would be on time and Viking didn't even ask to see the negative result. A big part of the reason we took this cruise were the 6 man subs onboard. We were told, onboard, that the subs could not be used on our cruise since the US would not allow them to be used in US waters. Nothing was said about why Viking didn't use them in Canadian waters. They were featured very heavily in advertising for this ship. They were used on the cruise in which travel writers were passengers. Since the subs would not be used on this cruise, we were glad to get seats on the Special Operation Boat....however our reservation and the one following ours, were cancelled since the crew had difficulty getting the SOB back onboard the ship. Another disappointment. The lab was supposed to allow passengers the opportunity to participate in some clinical work. That didn't happen, either. We did get an informative lecture in the lab by Dr. Roz., but not what was promised in their advertising. We didn't expect a lot of entertainment, but the Entertainment Director did not join our cruise until the next to last day. On the plus side, the staff was awesome..the food was, too, especially in the buffet area. The cabin was very comfortable, but the 'Balcony Cabins' had no balconies...they had a floor to ceiling window which opened up halfway. The ports were new to us and we enjoyed the tours. Also, the lectures were interesting but the theater had stadium seating and no railings..none..I did complain to Viking and they offered me a $500 pp voucher.... less than 10% of what I paid for this 7 day cruise. This was our 5th or 6th Viking cruise and the first since the covid pandemic. It cost us a great deal of money but we regret having taken it and did not get our money's worth.

Date of experience : July 28, 2022

Is this your company?

Claim your profile to access Trustpilot’s free business tools and connect with customers.

• Expeditions
• Complimentary Brochures
• The Viking Difference
• Cultural Partners
• My Viking Story

Cruise Reviews

Read what fellow guests have to say about their journeys with Viking. Or learn more about our ships through a Cruise Critic review.

Grand European Tour Cruise Reviews

If you want to be pampered for two weeks and make wonderful new friends, then Viking is the cruise line for you.

Passage to Eastern Europe Cruise Reviews

My friend and I took our first river cruise on Viking Primadonna from Budapest to Bucharest this past November and it was a FABULOUS trip!

Romantic Danube Cruise Reviews

I just returned from a Viking cruise. Viking Prestige is awesome, the crew absolutely wonderful and of course the sights were incredible too. Loved it.

Danube Waltz Cruise Reviews

There is nothing like a Viking cruise! Awesome staff, great venues.

Rhine Getaway Cruise Reviews

The most wonderful experience! Great accommodations. The staff were so gracious, friendly and helpful; they treated us like we were so important.

Cities of Light Cruise Reviews

Fantastic trip! My husband and I and two other couples thoroughly enjoyed our Cities of Light trip last summer.

Lyon & Provence Cruise Reviews

The ship was immaculate, the meals fantastic and...each of the staff members...treated us as if it was our own private cruise...knowing our names, remembering every drink and acting in such a professional manner.

Heart of Germany Cruise Reviews

We had the pleasure of sailing with Viking for the Heart of Germany cruise. It was our first cruise of any sort, and since we love Christmas markets, our travel agent recommended this Viking cruise.

Elegant Elbe Cruise Reviews

We have just returned from Elegant Elbe , Berlin to Prague. We traveled with two close friends of ours and had a wonderful time.

Portugal's River of Gold Cruise Reviews

My husband and I had such a lovely time in Portugal and Spain. Everything was wonderful. Thank you, Viking, for such an amazing river cruise!

European Sojourn Cruise Reviews

My wife, Linda, and I had never taken a cruise of any kind. I was stationed in the U.S. Army in Germany in the 1970s and wanted to go back to see the things I missed then. We chose Viking’s European Sojourn , going from the North Sea to the Black Sea, and we could not have been more pleased with our trip.

Paris & the Heart of Normandy Cruise Reviews

We celebrated Hannah’s 13th birthday on Viking Spirit . The entire staff was wonderful and they made Hannah feel special. This was my fifth Viking trip and we can’t wait to travel again with this company.

Châteaux, Rivers & Wine Cruise Reviews

This was our first river cruise, and the experience on Viking Forseti on the Châteaux, Rivers & Wine cruise has won us over.

France’s Finest Cruise Reviews

I have just returned from your France’s Finest river cruise. You run a top-notch organization. Everything is so timely and the food is unparalleled. I will definitely be taking a Viking cruise again.

Tulips & Windmills Cruise Reviews

Such a wonderful trip! Great ship, amenities, people and food, as well as excellent staff throughout.

Waterways of the Tsars Cruise Reviews

We enjoyed all the elements organized by the company. The St. Petersburg guides were most competent and informative. The ship’s crew was very warm, especially at the restaurant. Big kisses to all Viking staff.

Imperial Jewels of China Cruise Reviews

What a glorious part of the world! I think I will come back here again someday. The views, the food, the staff...I couldn’t have asked for more during my much-anticipated vacation to China.

Roof of the World Cruise Reviews

I have traveled extensively and just had the best tour experience ever, thanks to our tour escort. Our tour escort was extremely knowledgeable and consistently considerate; a real  “ people ”  person!

Magnificent Mekong Cruise Reviews

As second-time Viking cruisers (Russia was fabulous!) we knew we’d be well cared for, but the Mekong cruise was far beyond our expectations.

Myanmar Explorer Cruise Reviews

Pathways of the pharaohs cruise reviews.

It was amazing! The food was excellent, the rooms were immaculate and the staff was very friendly and attentive!

Sign up to receive updates from Viking

Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content.

Company Information

• Order a Brochure
• Special Offers
• Sweepstakes
• Travel Advisors
• Media Center
• Investor Relations
• Health & Safety Program
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy
• Manage Cookies

Viking River Cruises

• Mississippi

Viking Ocean Cruises

• Scandinavia
• British Isles & Ireland
• North America
• Caribbean & Central America
• South America
• Mediterranean
• Quiet Season Mediterranean
• Australia & New Zealand
• World Cruises
• Grand Journeys

Viking Expeditions

• Great Lakes
• Longitudinal World Cruises

2024-2027 RIVER CRUISE AND AIR FARES:  Offer applies to bookings made from August 1-31, 2024. Terms & conditions for select promotions may vary. $25 deposit is applicable to all River itineraries. Special fares plus up to FREE International airfare valid on select departures of Grand European Tour, Lyon Provence & the Rhineland, European Sojourn and Capitals of Eastern Europe, Paris to the Swiss Alps, Cities of Light, London DDAY & Paris, Rhine & Main Explorer. Airfares may vary on other gateways & departures. Airfare does not have to be purchased to get cruise\cruisetour offer. All prices are in US dollars and for US residents only. Additional restrictions may apply. 2024 : Pay in full by August 31, 2024 or at time of booking if within 120 days of departure. 2025 : Pay in full by September 30, 2024. 2026 : Pay in full by March 31, 2025. 2027 : Pay in full by November 30, 2025. Offers expires August 31, 2024.

$25 DEPOSIT:  $25 DEPOSIT: For itineraries 35 days or less, a $25 deposit applies to January 2025 & onward departures; for itineraries greater than 35 days, a $25 deposit applies to March 2025 & onward departures; World Cruise products excluded; call for details.

AIR UPGRADE:  Upgrade to Premium Economy air from $799 per person or Business Class air from $3,499 per person based on select gateways and dates. Additional airline-imposed baggage charges may apply; for more information visit  Airline Luggage Restrictions  . Air prices are per person based on cruise/cruisetour check-in date and include transfers plus all government taxes/fees of approximately $160 and air fuel surcharges. Air seats are limited; airfares are subject to change and are not guaranteed until full payment of air is received. For more information about customized air services and US gateways, visit the Viking Air Plus page.

GENERAL RESTRICTIONS:  Cruise fares listed are cruise only in U.S. dollars, per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement savings are off applicable rates. Cruise fares listed are valid for U.S. residents only. All fares and offers are for new bookings only and are subject to availability, may not combinable with other offers except Viking Explorer Society Travel Credits and Viking Referral Rewards, are capacity-controlled and may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Special fares are based upon published full brochure fares; cruise fares do not include pre-paid charges, optional facilities, and personal charges, as defined in the terms and conditions of the  Passenger Ticket Contract  which may be viewed elsewhere on this website. Full brochure fares may not have resulted in actual sales in all stateroom categories and may not have been in effect during the last 90 days. Promotional fares may remain in effect after the expiration date. Air promotion applies to roundtrip flights only from select Viking Cruises U.S. gateways and includes airport-to-ship or hotel transfers, air taxes and air fuel surcharges. Roundtrip airport transfers are included when air is purchased with a cruise or cruisetour package; if air is not purchased from Viking, transfers may be purchased separately. All transfers must be in conjunction with a Viking-purchased cruise, cruisetour, land extension or extra hotel nights. Viking reserves the right to correct errors or omissions and to change any and all fares at any time. For up-to-date prices, please call Viking or your Travel Agent. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Complete terms and conditions may be found in the  Passenger Ticket Contract .

AIR OFFER RESTRICTIONS:  Offer expires August 31, 2024.

NOTE: U.S. flights depart one day prior to check-in date. Paid Business or Premium Economy Class may require travel in economy on flights within North America or Europe. Premium economy is limited to specific airlines and we may not be able to accommodate based on aircraft type and availability. Roundtrip airport transfers are included when air is purchased with a cruise or cruisetour package; if air is not purchased from Viking, transfers may be purchased separately. All transfers must be in conjunction with a Viking-purchased cruise, cruisetour, land extension or extra hotel nights. Air prices are per person based on cruise/cruisetour check-in date and include transfers plus all government taxes/fees of approximately $160 and air fuel surcharges. Air seats are limited; airfares are subject to change and are not guaranteed until full payment of air is received.