Table Of Content
I have some wonderful memories that will stay with me and my mother forever. I hope I can return and review this with a higher rating. They had my traveling companion on a different flight to Amsterdam.
The Spa (and fitness center)
Expert Review of Viking Jupiter Cruise Ship - Cruise Critic
Expert Review of Viking Jupiter Cruise Ship.
Posted: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 16:19:31 GMT [source]
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. The staff were so gracious, friendly and helpful; they treated us like we were so important. Stepping into the LivNordic Spa on Viking Ocean cruises, you’ll understand why the cruise line is a top choice for travelers. Most of the fellow passengers we encountered on the cruise did have the package even if the value didn’t make total sense for them, simply for the ease of not needing to think on vacation.
Ship’s pools
While it was nice to be on a higher floor, so much thought has gone into a top-notch room experience for Viking passengers that the upgrade didn’t make a noticeable improvement to our experience. What’s earned Viking Cruises its praises is founder and CEO Torstein Hagen’s philosophy that truly all-inclusive, luxury cruising means no nickel-and-diming. If this Viking Cruises review is going to be honest, I have to point out the clear and obvious flaws with the cruise line that brought down my rating of it. As a cruise curmudgeon, I was fully prepared to have a very short list of pros for Viking Cruises. Yet, when I stepped on board, my frosty opinion of cruising thawed with the warm Caribbean winds. Note that the credits mentioned above cannot always be combined with promotions the line offers.
Viking Expedition ships
The line also draws a wide range of interesting and accomplished people from all walks of life to serve as guest lecturers, including well-known academics, diplomats and even astronauts. Is a balcony something you can't live without when staying in a cabin on a cruise ship? In general, you'll find a lot of couples on Viking ships and some solo travelers. You'll also find the occasional multigenerational group — a retired couple traveling with their working-age adult children, for instance. In addition, in early 2022, the line began its first cruises to Antarctica with its first expedition ship, Viking Octantis. That summer, the same vessel launched the line's first voyages in the Great Lakes — a destination that only a handful of cruise operators visit.
Airline Reward Programs
To sail between Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in the Great Lakes to Ushuaia, Argentina, at the southern tip of South America takes just over 60 days. These cruises are not for those who get seasickness easily. Speaking of the pools, Viking Ocean ships are the only cruise ships to have infinity pools at sea.
Big kudos go to the spa staff, who are super sweet and helpful. Igor tailored my personal training session to my specific requirements and body needs, rather than giving me some standard plan. Joksim led a surprisingly intense (for a cruise ship) yoga session and then gave me an incredible massage a few days later, working out every knot from my neck to my feet.
Travel Visa Services
Viking has a particularly large footprint when it comes to European river itineraries, with a wide range of sailings on nearly every European river of any note. Viking also recently began sailings on the Mississippi River with a new ship specifically designed for the river and its tributaries. 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.
Viking Orion Cruise Ship Review - Cruise Critic
Viking Orion Cruise Ship Review.
Posted: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 16:36:53 GMT [source]
When you're in and out of cold-weather layers, sometimes you simply don't feel like dressing up for a formal meal. We opted to extend our stay in Europe after the cruise. Viking offers both pre and post extensions, which are a fun way to see more of Europe and combine the best of both worlds (guided group tours with individual trips). If you’ve cruised before you’ll appreciate this luxury! All other cruise lines charge exorbitant internet fees and still have slow service. The ships are well designed to really maximize space and cabins feature a giant closet and tons of drawers to put away your clothes, should you wish to fully unpack.
Most Viking Longships are 443 feet long, the perfect length to fit into the locks on many of Europe's rivers. The 410-foot-long versions of the vessels, for instance, were specifically built to be able to sail into the heart of Paris on the Seine River. As noted above, almost all of Viking's river ships are of the same basic design and are known as the Longships — a reference to the historic vessels used by Vikings in the Middle Ages. At 47,800 tons, these ocean ships are less than a fourth the size of the giant megaships being built by the likes of Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises, in keeping with Viking's focus on intimate, upscale voyages.
If you change your mind about excursions and want to book onboard, it’s not a problem. Guest services are available at all hours for last-minute excursion bookings. Tickets will be delivered to your cabin by housekeeping the night before if you book on the ship.
As noted above, Viking doesn't allow passengers under the age of 18 on its ships — a key differentiator for the brand as compared to other cruise lines. 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.
During special events, such as sailaway on embarkation day, or arrival at Antarctica, the crew might come around with trays of complimentary cocktails. You can choose to purchase the Silver Spirits beverage package if you plan to order more than a drink or two daily, or you can pay for individual drinks a la carte. The room's phone is on the desk, as are Quiet Vox headsets for use on tours (these aren't used much in Antarctica).
