Caveat Emptor on Viking Star

Just back from first, and perhaps last, Viking Ocean cruise. Booked a Penthouse Balcony cabin because the cabin size was large (over 300 sq ft) and I was assured that the in-cabin refreshments including alcoholic beverages would be replenished as needed. The cabin with the balcony was about 300 sq ft thus the cabin was significantly less than 300 sq ft (my feet said 11 x 21 with an 11 x 5 balcony). The beverages and snacks were replenished once a day but; the snacks were one small bag of chips and two tiny candy bars; the beverages included one one-shot bottle of Bacardi rum, one Smirnoff vodka, one Dewar's scotch and a bottle of gin. The bottles of distilled spirits would be replenished daily if consumed. There were two beers but they would not be replenished. The only bottle of wine was the welcome bottle of champagne and that was not replenished. Viking probably met the letter of their statements (I'd like to see their idea about cabin dimensions) but compared to other cruise lines at similar price points they did not perform up to those standards.

I noticed that the higher level cabins did stock some booze. I always wondered what they stocked, but surely did not expect an "open bar" sort of setup.

Here is what the website says "Mini-bar with alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, water & snacks, replenished once daily"

Cabin size? No idea here.

I don't understand the nature of your complaints. We had a wonderful time on Viking Star; I'm sorry you didn't.

We were in a PV during our Med Ody cruise and thought the room size was nice and the mini-bar was as expected. Of course, we were too busy to measure the dimensions. My DH requested his favorite hard liquor be stocked and it was always in the mini-bar. We based our decision to book our 2nd cruise with Viking based on everything but the room or mini-bar. Love the ship, crew was wonderful, and the fellow passengers made the cruise very enjoyable. I'm sorry you weren't impressed but I'm sure you will find the cruise line that fits your expectations. The food! can't forget to mention the excellent selections in all venues!

All veranda cabin square footage include the veranda in the square footage on most cruise lines. Viking specifically states for Penthouse Veranda "Size including veranda: 338 sq. ft." So, that's spelled out. As the other posts point out, the alcohol is replenished once daily as also stated in the cruise information: "Mini-bar with alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, water & snacks, replenished once daily." One bottle of champagne is also included per cruise, also stated in the cabin information.

This is a good post to remind people to read all of the information provided by the cruise line before booking passage. I am sorry the OP didn't enjoy the cruise as specified in the information.

Would have also been nice if the OP mentioned his issues were with the Penthouse...not so much with everything else - or at least it was not mentioned.

Just read the other posts by the OP - does not seem to have much luck cruising.

On our Viking Star cruise, we had a simple V2 cabin. It was fine for us, as we spend little time in the room, and we loved the large bathrrom. On our recent Viking Sea cruise, we were upgraded to a PV cabin, and it had a good deal more room and lots more storage .

Becki

Complaining about things that are clearly spelled out in brochures and the website just doesn't make any sense to me.

I will be sailing on Viking in July and have booked a penthouse jr suite. The list of amenities is not misleading in any way. I don't expect an endless open bar in my room, but I expect to have enough alcohol to enjoy a pre dinner drink or two before heading out.

Also, if the OP had looked at the 360 ship tour there would have been no surprises or disappointments.

A lot depends on your source of information and your interpretation that's why I titled the post "Caveat Emptor".

Not all publications from Viking include the "including the balcony" in the room dimensions, most other cruise lines that I have traveled on list the balcony size in addition to cabin size. For a premium cabin on a premium cruise line (perhaps a misjudgment on my part) the listed 338 without including the balcony seemed reasonable. If you "do the math" 338-55 (balcony) = 283 and for a cabin that was 21 feet long that means it should have been two feet wider than it was; if you pay for the space you should get it, caveat emptor.

Other premium (again, is Viking selling a premium product) cruise lines include wine and beer as part of the provided "alcoholic beverages" in the cabin and IMHO wine and beer are "alcoholic beverages" so Viking should have included them. We requested substituting Jack Daniels for one of the distilled spirits and was told that was not an option. We also requested replacing the Diet Coke that we don't drink with Coke that we do and were told, again, that was not an option. That lack of flexibility is a separate issue ..... the fundamental question is "Are wine and beer alcoholic beverages?" If you think they are then you should know that Viking does not; caveat emptor.

I am not doubting Turbobob's experience, but ours was totally different.

Our room steward asked what we would like the minibar stocked with; I asked for Coke Zero only as far as soda, and that was all that was provided each day. My husband did drink the provided beer on occasion, and when he did, it was replenished.

Further, I did discover that although it is the room steward's responsibility to determine the preferences of the passenger re the minibar, it is not his responsibility to fill the minibar. That is done daily by another crew member who comes around the cabins with a cart to replenish as needed. I found that our room steward put a note with our preferences in the minibar for this crew member.

Becki

I concur with Becki. We requested certain alcohol mini's (such as no gin, just vodka & rum) as well as specific sodas and that was what they replenished for us daily. No issues whatsoever. There were also cans of beer. We didn't ask for wine so can't speak to that as we enjoyed that option with meals.

I also agree that the cruises we have been on (always with a balcony) include the balcony in total square feet.

The good news is that you have many cruise lines to choose from. Few companies, if any, have 100% retention rates.....I believe Viking to be among those cruise lines in the highest range.....but there may be another out there that would suite your specific expectations better. We were not happy with another line for specific reasons and we were in their highest possible suite.I hope you are able to find that line that works for you. We are happy with Viking and have booked a 4th trip with them for late this year.

A lot depends on your source of information and your interpretation that's why I titled the post "Caveat Emptor".

 

Not all publications from Viking include the "including the balcony" in the room dimensions, most other cruise lines that I have traveled on list the balcony size in addition to cabin size. For a premium cabin on a premium cruise line (perhaps a misjudgment on my part) the listed 338 without including the balcony seemed reasonable. If you "do the math" 338-55 (balcony) = 283 and for a cabin that was 21 feet long that means it should have been two feet wider than it was; if you pay for the space you should get it, caveat emptor.

 

Other premium (again, is Viking selling a premium product) cruise lines include wine and beer as part of the provided "alcoholic beverages" in the cabin and IMHO wine and beer are "alcoholic beverages" so Viking should have included them. We requested substituting Jack Daniels for one of the distilled spirits and was told that was not an option. We also requested replacing the Diet Coke that we don't drink with Coke that we do and were told, again, that was not an option. That lack of flexibility is a separate issue ..... the fundamental question is "Are wine and beer alcoholic beverages?" If you think they are then you should know that Viking does not; caveat emptor.

It's difficult to measure a room adequately with your feet, you will never get it right. You can't expect Viking to have the same policy for room size as other cruise lines, you will forever be disappointed.

As for the mini bar, next time, go to one of the many bars and get a drink to bring back to your room when you run out of your favorite beverage. I would also recommend that you get your coke from the bar and ask them not to open the can, this way you have additional sodas that you prefer.

A lot depends on your source of information and your interpretation that's why I titled the post "Caveat Emptor".

 

Not all publications from Viking include the "including the balcony" in the room dimensions, most other cruise lines that I have traveled on list the balcony size in addition to cabin size. For a premium cabin on a premium cruise line (perhaps a misjudgment on my part) the listed 338 without including the balcony seemed reasonable. If you "do the math" 338-55 (balcony) = 283 and for a cabin that was 21 feet long that means it should have been two feet wider than it was; if you pay for the space you should get it, caveat emptor.

 

Other premium (again, is Viking selling a premium product) cruise lines include wine and beer as part of the provided "alcoholic beverages" in the cabin and IMHO wine and beer are "alcoholic beverages" so Viking should have included them. We requested substituting Jack Daniels for one of the distilled spirits and was told that was not an option. We also requested replacing the Diet Coke that we don't drink with Coke that we do and were told, again, that was not an option. That lack of flexibility is a separate issue ..... the fundamental question is "Are wine and beer alcoholic beverages?" If you think they are then you should know that Viking does not; caveat emptor.

You made a lot of assumptions. First, there is no cruise industry standard on whether balcony space is counted in the published dimensions (some lines include it and some don't), nor is there any standard about how to calculate the space (this is true among architects on land as well as cruise cabins) -- sometimes the measurement is from the center of the walls (this is how you read it off blueprints), sometimes from the inside of the walls (what you actually experience). Cruise cabins measurements (ASAIK) always include all the space from the hallway to the outside wall and from side wall to side wall -- i.e. including the closets, bathroom and interior partitions. So you can't pace off the bedroom area and say they quoted too high a figure.

Second, Viking is a "near-luxury" or "super-premium" line -- competing against Oceania and Azamara. If it were a "premium" line as you state -- competing against Celebrity -- getting a free minibar in your cabin would be an unexpected extra. But the standards you are demanding go with the real "luxury" lines -- a level above where Viking is positioned. Perhaps Regent would be a better match for you.

We were in a PV during our Med Ody cruise and thought the room size was nice and the mini-bar was as expected. Of course, we were too busy to measure the dimensions. My DH requested his favorite hard liquor be stocked and it was always in the mini-bar. We based our decision to book our 2nd cruise with Viking based on everything but the room or mini-bar. Love the ship, crew was wonderful, and the fellow passengers made the cruise very enjoyable. I'm sorry you weren't impressed but I'm sure you will find the cruise line that fits your expectations. The food! can't forget to mention the excellent selections in all venues!

Excellent! This is what I'm hoping for. We did the Rhine Getaway this past August and just loved Viking all around (Attention Viking - can I get a job as a spokesguest :D ) Everything was wonderful.

I was happy with our Veranda stateroom on the Viking Mani, and from the photos I expect I'll be happy with our Deluxe Veranda. Tried to talk DH into the PV but he's okay paying for his drinks, and I'd just drink the champagne, but this is what I've heard from others regarding the PVs. If our next cruise - West Indies Explorer 3/2018 is anything like the river cruise, I'll be a happy camper!

Excellent! This is what I'm hoping for. We did the Rhine Getaway this past August and just loved Viking all around (Attention Viking - can I get a job as a spokesguest :D ) Everything was wonderful.

 

I was happy with our Veranda stateroom on the Viking Mani, and from the photos I expect I'll be happy with our Deluxe Veranda. Tried to talk DH into the PV but he's okay paying for his drinks, and I'd just drink the champagne, but this is what I've heard from others regarding the PVs. If our next cruise - West Indies Explorer 3/2018 is anything like the river cruise, I'll be a happy camper!

Sorry Cyber Kat, I have first dibs on that job. :D

Sorry Cyber Kat, I have first dibs on that job. :D

LOL - perhaps they can use more than one :D

With unlimited wine and beer with both lunch and dinner, we found the small bottles of alcohol in the room to be just right for a drink while we were getting ready for the evening events. We requested bourbon and scotch and that's what we got every day after the first. Loved the Star so much that we are leaving on our second trip in late February!

Dear turbobob,

Welcome home! We’ve reviewed your comments and are sorry to learn of your disappointment in both the cabin dimensions and mini-bar refreshments.

Although, in an effort to inform guests, our website does indicate that the square footage includes the veranda and that the Penthouse Veranda mini-bar is replenished once daily, your feedback is certainly appreciated. We are interested in having a conversation with you to determine where you may have received any inaccurate information and how we can better communicate such items moving forward.

Please contact us at TellUs@vikingcruises.com so that we can connect you with a live representative and discuss your comments further.

turbobob, we look forward to hearing from you and sincerely hope this first trip with Viking Ocean Cruises won’t be your last.

Kind regards,

Viking Cruises

Just back from first, and perhaps last, Viking Ocean cruise. Booked a Penthouse Balcony cabin because the cabin size was large (over 300 sq ft) and I was assured that the in-cabin refreshments including alcoholic beverages would be replenished as needed. The cabin with the balcony was about 300 sq ft thus the cabin was significantly less than 300 sq ft (my feet said 11 x 21 with an 11 x 5 balcony). The beverages and snacks were replenished once a day but; the snacks were one small bag of chips and two tiny candy bars; the beverages included one one-shot bottle of Bacardi rum, one Smirnoff vodka, one Dewar's scotch and a bottle of gin. The bottles of distilled spirits would be replenished daily if consumed. There were two beers but they would not be replenished. The only bottle of wine was the welcome bottle of champagne and that was not replenished. Viking probably met the letter of their statements (I'd like to see their idea about cabin dimensions) but compared to other cruise lines at similar price points they did not perform up to those standards.

A lot depends on your source of information and your interpretation that's why I titled the post "Caveat Emptor".

 

Not all publications from Viking include the "including the balcony" in the room dimensions, most other cruise lines that I have traveled on list the balcony size in addition to cabin size. For a premium cabin on a premium cruise line (perhaps a misjudgment on my part) the listed 338 without including the balcony seemed reasonable. If you "do the math" 338-55 (balcony) = 283 and for a cabin that was 21 feet long that means it should have been two feet wider than it was; if you pay for the space you should get it, caveat emptor.

 

Other premium (again, is Viking selling a premium product) cruise lines include wine and beer as part of the provided "alcoholic beverages" in the cabin and IMHO wine and beer are "alcoholic beverages" so Viking should have included them. We requested substituting Jack Daniels for one of the distilled spirits and was told that was not an option. We also requested replacing the Diet Coke that we don't drink with Coke that we do and were told, again, that was not an option. That lack of flexibility is a separate issue ..... the fundamental question is "Are wine and beer alcoholic beverages?" If you think they are then you should know that Viking does not; caveat emptor.

I concur with Becki. We requested certain alcohol mini's (such as no gin, just vodka & rum) as well as specific sodas and that was what they replenished for us daily. No issues whatsoever. There were also cans of beer. We didn't ask for wine so can't speak to that as we enjoyed that option with meals.

 

I also agree that the cruises we have been on (always with a balcony) include the balcony in total square feet.

 

The good news is that you have many cruise lines to choose from. Few companies, if any, have 100% retention rates.....I believe Viking to be among those cruise lines in the highest range.....but there may be another out there that would suite your specific expectations better. We were not happy with another line for specific reasons and we were in their highest possible suite.I hope you are able to find that line that works for you. We are happy with Viking and have booked a 4th trip with them for late this year.

We were DV2 with Silver Spirits package on West Indies Explorer. The first day I requested rose wine for me and Ginger Ale for my husband who is a non drinker. We received premium Ginger Ale and tonic water (Schweppes) and wine was replenished as needed.

We also had no difficulties with the size of cabin. We rearranged the coffee table/chair arrangement to create a bit more floor space and the room was great.

We were DV2 with Silver Spirits package on West Indies Explorer. The first day I requested rose wine for me and Ginger Ale for my husband who is a non drinker. We received premium Ginger Ale and tonic water (Schweppes) and wine was replenished as needed.

We also had no difficulties with the size of cabin. We rearranged the coffee table/chair arrangement to create a bit more floor space and the room was great.

We will be sailing in a DV this time vs. the PV (😰) so I am wondering if you felt that the Silver Spirits Package was a good investment? We are not heavy drinkers....that said, when on Vacation we tend to step it up a bit!

Good to know that rearranging the room opened it up a bit! I did see another post regarding that and it sounds like a good idea!

We were recently on the Star in a Penthouse Junior Suite. With the help of our cabin steward we were able to get our choice of mini bottles. I requested gin ana always got gin. I drank one beer and it was replaced.

We will be sailing in a DV this time vs. the PV (😰) so I am wondering if you felt that the Silver Spirits Package was a good investment? We are not heavy drinkers....that said, when on Vacation we tend to step it up a bit!

Good to know that rearranging the room opened it up a bit! I did see another post regarding that and it sounds like a good idea!

Vineyard View, I am not a heavy drinker either but am fussy about my wine. 😊 The wine upgrades IMHO were worth it. It was also nice to be able to order a cold adult beverage upon returning from a hot shore excursion, before dinner, or at a show without charges adding up, so I would say it is worth it especially now that it has been dropped to apt $20/day.

We were also recently on Viking Star in a PV category. The space was ample and as advertised. With regards to the minibar, ours was replenished daily with the selection of alcohol that we asked for. (2 vodkas and 2 rums). Nice to have a mixed drink every afternoon sitting on the balcony. We loved it!

We are picky about wine as well......and our next trip will not be including good wine ports (Amazon) to bring on board.....so I have been considering it.....and it is a more reasonable price now ....so I appreciate your response and feedback. Thank you. I guess what We need to do is come to a conclusion around spending an additional $880 for a daily cocktail and wine......

VV,

When we were on our Paris and the Heart of Normandy river cruise, we had the Silver Spirits package. We had a waiter who was very knowledgeable about wine and even the nights we didn't have him at our table, the waiter would get him to select our wine, and my husband so enjoyed trying those premium wines each night.

Becki