Tell Me Why.....

[aungrl]

...we should try Viking Ocean.

 

We are a couple that cruise often, mostly in the Caribbean and in suites. Our last two cruises (December and January) were on Oceania and Celebrity. One we found really boring but the food unbelievably good. The other offered excellent suite perks, much better entertainment, and the food was very good to pretty good to okay.

 

So for those who have cruised on Viking Ocean please convince us that we need to give this line a try. We are about to book so your input would be appreciated.

 

Thanks so much.:)

 

Katie

 

Katie, if you haven’t booked already, you can see an extremely detailed review I wrote of my first Viking Ocean voyage this past January. I believe it was just posted earlier today. It’s for the Viking Sky, for the month of January 2018, and the location is “Caribbean”. It’s under my user name of “aungrl”. I wrote this review in as much detail as I did because I was looking for that type of compare and contrast information before I booked on Viking Ocean, and couldn’t find it. I tried to paste in the link and couldn’t make it work, but hopefully you can find it without too much difficulty.

[Peregrina651]

Aungrl's review https://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=613327

[Little Monty]

Katie, if you haven’t booked already, you can see an extremely detailed review I wrote of my first Viking Ocean voyage this past January. I believe it was just posted earlier today. It’s for the Viking Sky, for the month of January 2018, and the location is “Caribbean”. It’s under my user name of “aungrl”. I wrote this review in as much detail as I did because I was looking for that type of compare and contrast information before I booked on Viking Ocean, and couldn’t find it. I tried to paste in the link and couldn’t make it work, but hopefully you can find it without too much difficulty.

 

Thank you for the review aungrl ... balanced and informative. Most appreciated.

[Kiwifromkiev]

I'll bite:

 

Try it because folks like Peregrina651 are on board.

 

 

 

[emoji23][emoji106]

 

 

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[waf50]

Try it because you are tired of mindless entertainment.

Try it because you don't need a casino.

Try it because you are sick and tired of the nickel-and-diming.

Try it because you can live without other people's children.

Try it because you are more interested in the ports of call than in partying until dawn.

Try it because you are never asked to pose for photos.

Try in because you like cruising among friendly people.

Try it because you are invited to BYO wine, beer or other potables.

Try it because you don't have to hide in your room to drink your BYO.

Try it because there is no corkage fee in the dining rooms.

Try it because specialty dining is included.

Try it because the entire staff knows your name after Day 1

Try it because you only need your ship card to enter your room or to leave the ship

Try it because everyone, including the crew, greets you with a smile

Try it because you never have to wait for a table either at the buffet or at The Restaurant

Try it because you are a guest, not just a wallet

Try it because the beverage package is a bargain

[Peregrina651]

Try it because the entire staff knows your name after Day 1

Try it because you only need your ship card to enter your room or to leave the ship

Try it because everyone, including the crew, greets you with a smile

Try it because you never have to wait for a table either at the buffet or at The Restaurant

Try it because you are a guest, not just a wallet

Try it because the beverage package is a bargain

 

Thank you for playing the game! I love your additions to the list and I think you have just come up with the perfect tag-line for a T-shirt.

[Peregrina651]

Time to update the "Try it because" list and bring it forward. This is what we have come up with so far. I'm sure this isn't a complete list, so feel free to add your thoughts:

 

Try it because

you are tired of mindless entertainment.

Try it because you don't need a casino.

Try it because you are sick and tired of the nickel-and-diming.

Try it because you can live without other people's children.

Try it because you are more interested in the ports of call than in partying until dawn.

Try it because you are never asked to pose for photos.

Try it because you like cruising among friendly people.

Try it because you are invited to BYO wine, beer or other potables.

Try it because you don't have to hide in your room to drink your BYO.

Try it because there is no corkage fee in the dining rooms.

Try it because specialty dining is included.

Try it because there is no formal night.

Try it because there is no bang-bang music.

Try it because there are nooks and crannies everywhere to read, relax, and just be.

Try it because the tables in the cafe (buffet) are set with silverware and napkins and a beverage server comes to take your order as soon as you sit down.

Try it because room service will deliver delicious coffee and juice, even on debarkation day, within 10 minutes of your call.

Try it because the free spa area is unbelievable!

Take Viking because the staff can't help enough. If you have an issue they are quick, efficient and do their job with a smile.

Take it because even the service at the buffet is better than any other cruise ship.

Take it because you love English tea in the afternoon.

Try it because the entire staff knows your name after Day 1

Try it because you only need your ship card to enter your room or to leave the ship

Try it because everyone, including the crew, greets you with a smile

Try it because you never have to wait for a table either at the buffet or at The Restaurant

Try it because you are a guest, not just a wallet

Try it because the beverage package is a bargain

Try it because you'll only be sailing with 900+ people, rather than 2500+

[OnTheJourney]

All the reasons sound good to me! Can't wait...

[RJ2002]

Love seeing these lists... a good representation of what makes Viking appealing to many. :)

 

However, for a few of the items, it is definitively "your mileage may vary". For instance, it is indeed possible you may have to wait at The Restaurant for an available table, depending on your time of arrival. On our recent cruise, a B2B on the Star, there were several evenings where there was a wait for a table. Not terribly long, maybe 10-15 minutes, but don't count on always being able to walk right up and be seated.

[Peregrina651]

Love seeing these lists... a good representation of what makes Viking appealing to many. :)

 

However, for a few of the items, it is definitively "your mileage may vary". For instance, it is indeed possible you may have to wait at The Restaurant for an available table, depending on your time of arrival. On our recent cruise, a B2B on the Star, there were several evenings where there was a wait for a table. Not terribly long, maybe 10-15 minutes, but don't count on always being able to walk right up and be seated.

 

And each cruise has its own rhythm, so we can't even make a blanket statement like, "Don't go at Xpm because there is always a line."

[Kiwifromkiev]

 

Try it because there is no formal night.

 

 

 

Can anybody tell me please - why not having a formal night is a good thing? What is wrong with dressing up for the occasion? It really confuses me why this is seeing as a positive (not just here, in many other posts as well, especially where people promoting/raving about smaller/luxury lines?)

[emoji15]

 

 

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[philw1776]

As a guy I don't like wasting valuable space in my suitcase for a suit or suit jacket. No problem with Viking's requested collared shirt & slacks for their main & specialty restaurants, not that they enforce it. Going on Silversea cruise next year where I MUST bring a suit jacket. OK, but would rather not.

[Cyber Kat]

Love seeing these lists... a good representation of what makes Viking appealing to many. :)

 

 

 

However, for a few of the items, it is definitively "your mileage may vary". For instance, it is indeed possible you may have to wait at The Restaurant for an available table, depending on your time of arrival. On our recent cruise, a B2B on the Star, there were several evenings where there was a wait for a table. Not terribly long, maybe 10-15 minutes, but don't count on always being able to walk right up and be seated.

 

 

 

Only time we ever had to wait was if we wanted a particular service team - which we usually did. Only on the last night did we have to wait more than a few minutes.

 

We usually ate between 7 & 7:30

 

 

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[Peregrina651]

 

Try it because there is no formal night.

 

 

 

Can anybody tell me please - why not having a formal night is a good thing? What is wrong with dressing up for the occasion? It really confuses me why this is seeing as a positive (not just here, in many other posts as well, especially where people promoting/raving about smaller/luxury lines?)

[emoji15]

 

 

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There are people who find no joy in dressing up in long gowns and tuxedo/dinner jackets and would rather pay their

money for a cruise that does not bar them from the dining rooms or public spaces because they are not properly dressed. Viking caters to that demographic. It is not to say that Viking does not have a dress code but merely that formal-wear is not required.

[Cyber Kat]

 

Try it because there is no formal night.

 

 

 

Can anybody tell me please - why not having a formal night is a good thing? What is wrong with dressing up for the occasion? It really confuses me why this is seeing as a positive (not just here, in many other posts as well, especially where people promoting/raving about smaller/luxury lines?)

[emoji15]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

 

I don’t mind dressing up, but when I have to cram all the clothes for my trip into 1 suitcase that meets the airline requirements, I’m not wasting space for something I will wear once for just a few hours. So for us, no formal night is a big positive!

 

 

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[kchand]

Please add:

Try it because people do not reserve / hog lounge chairs in the pool area &

open decks.

[Kiwifromkiev]

Please add:

Try it because people do not reserve / hog lounge chairs in the pool area &

open decks.

 

 

 

Good one!

 

 

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[moatenote]

If anyone wants to dress up, fine, go for it and enjoy! We prefer the casual attire, and we dress in nice clothes (abosolutely no torn jeans, etc.). Personally, I'm very glad that dress codes have been relaxed.

[Peregrina651]

 

This "dress code" will be fine for any ship any time: Look elegant whatever you wear.

As elegant, as Viking Ocean ships are...

 

ROTFLMAO. Sorry, elegant is something I will never achieve no matter how hard I try, not even in that lovely red dress.

[Cape Hernlopen]

Dear Peregrina 651:

 

I have never met you nor seen you but I have read many of your postings on Cruise Critic. You are intelligent and articulate and you are elegant!

 

Joel Barry

[MrsB05]

So glad I found this thread and thanks to all of you!

 

I am seriously considering Viking for a cruise in October of November 2020. Up to now, we've done mostly Royal Caribbean with one on QMII and we'll be trying Celebrity in November of this year.

 

Everything I've read here (and other places) has me leaning towards booking this, if I can convince my husband.

 

One question (he'll want to know). I see there is complimentary beer and wine at meals, which is great. He does like martinis and scotch. I think I read somewhere there is a bevo package, not sure if that's needed or the cost of it (I also read "reasonable").

 

I am guessing the answer may be here in the 13 pages of the thread, but, forgive me for not searching for it.

 

Oh, and are the ships (ocean) pretty much all the same? I think the cruise I'm looking at is The Sea.

 

I will read all of this at some point!

[Little Monty]

So glad I found this thread and thanks to all of you!

 

I am seriously considering Viking for a cruise in October of November 2020. Up to now, we've done mostly Royal Caribbean with one on QMII and we'll be trying Celebrity in November of this year.

 

Everything I've read here (and other places) has me leaning towards booking this, if I can convince my husband.

 

One question (he'll want to know). I see there is complimentary beer and wine at meals, which is great. He does like martinis and scotch. I think I read somewhere there is a bevo package, not sure if that's needed or the cost of it (I also read "reasonable").

 

I am guessing the answer may be here in the 13 pages of the thread, but, forgive me for not searching for it.

 

Oh, and are the ships (ocean) pretty much all the same? I think the cruise I'm looking at is The Sea.

 

I will read all of this at some point!

 

Do a quick search in this forum for Silver Spirits Package. We had it last year and will include it for NZ cruise this year and Iceland and Med cruises next year. We considered it good value ... but we mostly appreciated the convenience of having what we wanted when we wanted. We are not big drinkers, it was more about the convenience. Of course 'big' is a difficult term to quantity ;)

[Peregrina651]

Dear Peregrina 651:

 

I have never met you nor seen you but I have read many of your postings on Cruise Critic. You are intelligent and articulate and you are elegant!

 

Joel Barry

 

Joel, thank you for your kind compliments.

[Cyber Kat]

So glad I found this thread and thanks to all of you!

 

 

 

I am seriously considering Viking for a cruise in October of November 2020. Up to now, we've done mostly Royal Caribbean with one on QMII and we'll be trying Celebrity in November of this year.

 

 

 

Everything I've read here (and other places) has me leaning towards booking this, if I can convince my husband.

 

 

 

One question (he'll want to know). I see there is complimentary beer and wine at meals, which is great. He does like martinis and scotch. I think I read somewhere there is a bevo package, not sure if that's needed or the cost of it (I also read "reasonable").

 

 

 

I am guessing the answer may be here in the 13 pages of the thread, but, forgive me for not searching for it.

 

 

 

Oh, and are the ships (ocean) pretty much all the same? I think the cruise I'm looking at is The Sea.

 

 

 

I will read all of this at some point!

 

 

 

The Silver Spirits package is the beverage package and it’s $20 pp per day. Both people have to get it.

 

Yes the ship are all pretty much alike. We were recently on the Viking Sea and it was awesome.

 

 

 

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[goldenrod]

Many change for sparkling water.

 

 

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