Can Oceania survive Viking Ocean?

[Paulchili]

32 minutes ago, LesSails80435 said:

But I offer a word of caution, based on our 2015 4-week cruise on Viking Sea. Every single restaurant reservation made online was messed up when we boarded (and we were traveling with two other couples, so it was a bigger problem)--either time, date, number of people, or restaurant were different from our online confirmation.

Thank you for this very helpful heads-up.

I will be sure to double check all of our reservations - tours & dining - soon after boarding.

[molemaui]

Taking our first Oceania cruise this July and looking forward to comparing with Viking Ocean. The VO ships are fantastic in my opinion. Just about everything about the cruise was excellent EXCEPT for the food (dining room) and dining room service. 

 

Having experienced outstanding food (Silversea) and excellent food (Regent), I felt the food on Viking was just short of Celebrity. 

Not a dig on Celebrity  but I had higher expectations from VO. 

 

Service in another factor. Throughout the ship on Viking, there service was outstanding. In the dining room, we experienced the opposite for most of the cruise. 

 

Conclusion:

Like the ambience/feel of VO. Will sail again if there are good prices for upper categories.  I will just temper my expectations for food and service. 

 

Looking for Oceania to blow me away!  We'll see. 

 

 

 

 

[UDSpud]

Per CC news, 03/04/2019, Viking has committed to two more ships to be delivered in 2024 and 2025.  Viking referred to "sister ships" and "new innovations".  (Hope I got the second comment right)

 

Based upon recent CC port news, there may soon be too many cruise ships or certain areas an times ( the Caribbean in the winter).

[Mura]

8 hours ago, molemaui said:

Looking for Oceania to blow me away!  We'll see. 

 

 

 

 

I hope it does (because we are very loyal fans) BUT I hope you don't come with too many expectations.  Sometimes that will guarantee disappointment.  I get the feeling that you know that already.

 

We haven't been on any Viking Ocean cruises although we've done three of their river boat cruises.  The last one was disappointing and so we haven't returned.  From what I have read, we probably WOULD enjoy a Viking Ocean cruise.

 

My cousin has taken two Viking Ocean cruises so clearly she and her husband were very happy with the product.  They've never sailed on Oceania although they did do at least one Azamara cruise (which they also enjoyed).

 

Mura

 

[Paulchili]

20 minutes ago, Mura said:

BUT I hope you don't come with too many expectations.  Sometimes that will guarantee disappointment.  I get the feeling that you know that already

Agree. We, Oceania loyalists, tend to rave about the cruise line we love perhaps giving newcomers the impression that Oceania is perfect.

It isn’t as no cruise line is - it just fits us best.

molemaui - come with realistic expectations and you are not likely to be disappointed. Blown away? Probably not but hopefully favorably impressed.

[lackcreativity]

14 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Agree. We, Oceania loyalists, tend to rave about the cruise line we love perhaps giving newcomers the impression that Oceania is perfect.

It isn’t as no cruise line is - it just fits us best.

molemaui - come with realistic expectations and you are not likely to be disappointed. Blown away? Probably not but hopefully favorably impressed.

Your view about the good fit of a cruise line is  the key. We are relatively new cruisers, and Viking has proven a perfect fit for us. I came to this board and this thread to learn about Oceania, since they have some itineraries which go places Viking doesn't yet travel. When I overlook the few posters who describe a Viking experience that didn't match our reality at all, I think I can safely assume that Oceania would be a most satisfactory alternative.

[ano]

I think I will accept the Oceania shortcomings, over being evacuated by helicopter because the captain sailed into 115mph rough winds and rough waters and being evacuated. But that is just me.

[brellis]

Perhaps the better question:

 

Can Viking survive the Ocean?

 

sorry...too soon...

[PaulMCO]

15 hours ago, ano said:

I think I will accept the Oceania shortcomings, over being evacuated by helicopter because the captain sailed into 115mph rough winds and rough waters and being evacuated. But that is just me.

That is really not a very thought-out statement.

You could have said same after the Insignia fire, which was likely caused by poor maintenance.

[pinotlover]

Or the (hopefully past tense) engine problems on the Regatta.

[ropomo]

Or perhaps even stated the actual facts.  The winds were more like 38mph with higher gusts (the center of the storm had the stated winds, but the ship was not near the center) and had the ship not had the power issue, there would have been no problem.

[buggins0402]

1 hour ago, PaulMCO said:

That is really not a very thought-out statement.

You could have said same after the Insignia fire, which was likely caused by poor maintenance.

I don’t believe that was the cause of the fire.  Contractors were doing maintenance while the ship was in port to prepare for the first World Cruise.  I was on that ship and no passenger was ever in any danger. Inconvenienced, yes...in danger no.  The Viking ship was close to grounding on rocks in high, frigid seas.  I hate to think what would have happened if the anchor had not held.

[PaulMCO]

1 hour ago, buggins0402 said:

I don’t believe that was the cause of the fire.  Contractors were doing maintenance while the ship was in port to prepare for the first World Cruise.  I was on that ship and no passenger was ever in any danger. Inconvenienced, yes...in danger no.  The Viking ship was close to grounding on rocks in high, frigid seas.  I hate to think what would have happened if the anchor had not held.

Three died!!! 

 

A safety alert from the USCG was issued after the accident.

“…investigation into the fire has revealed that a fuel line supply flange integral to the engine parted after three bolts completely loosened and the remaining bolt fractured. Other bolts within the engine’s hot box were also found broken. The involved engine was a Wartsila model VASA12V32LNE also referenced as a VASA 32. It is a very common engine with thousands operating in ship and shore side service. "

 

The fully investigation report has never been released by the Marshall Islands presumably at the cruise lines request.

Edited March 24, 2019 by PaulMCO

[buggins0402]

16 minutes ago, PaulMCO said:

Three died!!! 

 

A safety alert from the USCG was issued after the accident.

“…investigation into the fire has revealed that a fuel line supply flange integral to the engine parted after three bolts completely loosened and the remaining bolt fractured. Other bolts within the engine’s hot box were also found broken. The involved engine was a Wartsila model VASA12V32LNE also referenced as a VASA 32. It is a very common engine with thousands operating in ship and shore side service. "

 

The fully investigation report has never been released by the Marshall Islands presumably at the cruise lines request.

Obviously, I am very aware that three people died....the contractors doing the work and one crew member.  But, did this cause the fire? Or was it the work being done to repair these issues to the engine that started the fire?

Edited March 24, 2019 by buggins0402

[Mura]

19 hours ago, brellis said:

Perhaps the better question:

 

Can Viking survive the Ocean?

 

sorry...too soon...

For me, the better question is "Can Oceania survive all the competition".  So far it has thrived and I like to think it will continue to do so.

 

I hope Viking Ocean does well also.  I much prefer smaller ships and I want them all to survive.

 

Mura

 

 

[Ken the cruiser]

Maybe someone has already listed these on this thread, but on sea days what exactly makes a Viking Ocean cruise so much more fun? Excursions are excursions and everyone has said O has MUCH BETTER food, so the only thing left is entertainment.

 

Also, I haven't seen any unique Viking cruise itineraries that a bunch of other lines already do. I've heard folks say how bright and cheerful their new ships are and everyone has a veranda cabin. But, what exactly is there to do on sea days on the longer 15+ day cruises? Do they have professional enrichment lectures, structured art classes, interactive culinary classes, evening production shows?

 

I've heard their main theater only has around 250 seats. Is this true? I'm just curious. I keep hearing and reading promotional ads saying how wonderful VO cruises are, but I never hear any specifics as to why other than they have shiny, brand new ships with a bunch of windows and good service. Now, if all they offer is port-intensive cruises, then I can see why sea day entertainment is not a big deal and no one mentions it. But if they do have longer cruises with multiple sea days, what variety of entertainment options do they offer?