Viking ranked #1 luxury in US News and World Report

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, KBs mum said:

We go on holiday to relax.

Several food options without booking. No need to dress up. Quiet places to sit. Sociable places to sit. No children. No class system. No traditional dining. No formal nights. No sports wear outside the gym or pool. Good customer service without bowing and scraping. Crew (as far as we can tell) treated decently. 

Viking. 

Job done,  another cruise booked. 

 

PS the Internet has three sections on board. 

1 ship functions. 

2 the crew. 

3 the passengers. 

In that order of priority, excellent. The crew are away from home for months at a time. I found out that Viking give the crew free Internet. Many cruise lines do not. My opinions on those that charge their crews are not printable. 

 

You are correct with the internet priorities on Viking and that most other cruise lines charge. The crew must purchase pre-paid vouchers to sign-on.

 

What is even worse, the higher paid crew (officers) have free access, but the ratings have to pay. When our son was a cadet with Princess, he had to pay for internet, but once he was 3rd Officer he could use the Bridge or office computers.

[Azulann]

4 hours ago, OceanPatter said:

Hello, Ms. Azulann! Always appreciate your grounded perspectives, and do hope to cruise with you again. Or enjoy San Juan again, the start of that wonderful cruise …

I hope to  cruise with you two again  for sure ! What have you booked in the coming year or two? Tell Mr. OP that I had my first Dark and Stormy on my Bermuda cruise in July. I learned that I  do not like ginger beer! LOL .

Still love a glass of good CAVA though...

My sister and I have a Alaska cruise scheduled for June of 2023. In the meantime, looking for  some last minute deal in 2022. 

I wonder if the cat  is still laying on the bar ,Marilyns in San Juan ? Fond memories of our stay  in San Juan and our first Viking cruise together. 

 

[travelwell]

Thank you for those who answered my questions. I am a walker. I like a promenade deck very much. The ships we usually go on are small, 200-700 passengers. Think many, many laps to make a mile. I end up doing stairs or the gym for exercise and walk outside for the view. Yes, a larger promenade a plus and good to know. The spa sounds great. We also want crew who are treated well. The ship sounds beautiful, we are more into clean style then bling. We tend to choose the older, traditional ships on other lines. But your ships are larger, traditionally a negative for us. This is offset by Vikings Norwegian itineraries.

I am really  interested in the culture of the ship. We are not big drinkers ( glass of nice wine at dinner). We like passenger interaction. We will often head to the lounge prior to dinner just to met up with people. The lounges are a popular  place prior to dinner for that reason and I feel plays a part in the congeniality of passengers of the lines we prefer.We and many others have a sparkling water and lime or a cola etc. We love people of all different ages and backgrounds, and diversity a real plus. We love to eat with who we want and when we  want with an occasional dinner for two. Sounds like in terms of dress code and no kids we like the same things. We do not gamble and we do not want valuable space on a ship wasted on a casino. Our experience is Internet has been terrible, Viking can only be an improvement. 
My top priority is a calm, relaxed and pampered vacation. I retired last year after 40 years of nursing, the last year working with Covid. I am the primary support of my 95 year old mother in law and 86 year old parents. I come on the cruise a bit stressed. To make matters worse, I am a poor sleeper. I am often wandering the ship at 5 am. I love that I am noticed. Crew will check on me and bring me coffee while I am alone reading. Officers and crew will pop by and chat. We have never had a butler and we do not ask for much. On the cruises we have been on quiet pampering just happens. 

Do you think I am a fit for the culture of Viking? 

[Jim Avery]

Travelwell you described a Viking ship to perfection.  I think you will be amazed how nice and "un busy" Viking ships are.  Lots and lots of spaces to meet other passengers.  And more floor to ceiling glass in public spaces than any other ship I have seen.  And somehow they keep it clean all the time..🍸

[KBs mum]

@travelwell  you won't really be aware of lots of other passengers unless you're assembling for an excursion or eating at a popular time. There are two main multi deck lounge areas, plus the two pool areas and the deck 8 outside seating. It's easy to be as social (or not) as you prefer.

I remember watching groups assembling for an excursion to Berlin, which was very popular, at a loss to know where they'd all been hiding on board for the previous week. 

[lackcreativity]

Travelwell,

Are you sure you haven't been on a Viking cruise before? You sound like the person Torstein Hagen had in mind when he created Viking Ocean Cruises!

 

[Heidi13]

Travelwell,

 

I concur that you are the perfect fit for Viking's demographic.

 

Ship size - yes, Viking is a little bigger than your preference, but that does provide some additional entertainment options. The other consideration is the average space per pax. A generic metric is dividing gross tonnage by number of pax. Using that metric, Viking is very close to some of the supposed luxury brands. However, nothing can impact the pax experience more than the ship design and Viking's modern ships really excel. Ships seem very spacious, with lots of quiet spaces throughout the ship.

 

Prom. Deck - this is also a must for us, with 4 laps = 1 mile. In addition, you can walk laps up on deck 8, with stairs up to dk 9 available for extra workout.

 

Viking Crew - having actually worked in the industry, I pay special attention to the crew hours of work/conditions. First of all, Viking's crew retention rates are in the mid 90%, which is exceptional. They are provided free wi-fi, with better bandwidth than the pax. At the onset of COVID shut-down, the Viking crew were treated significantly better than mainstream lines:

• Crew at home and unable to fly to their ship, were started on 1/2 pay once their leave ended
• Crew on board empty ships, or almost empty ships (8 pax), worked every 2nd day, receiving 1/2 pay. Cross training introduced to enhance promotion opertunities.
• On Viking Sun, the crew were so appreciative, they produced a thank you film for the Hagen family and Executive.
• During the initial COVID shutdown, Florida had a plethora of cruise ships waiting for the US CDC to approve crew repatriation. Over 100K crew member remained aboard for many months. Other ships remained off Florida, but Viking sailed their ships, except Orion, to Portsmouth, where the UK Govt accepted crew member repatriation. All crew members who could return home, were repatriated

Drinking - as a minimal drinker, Viking's model of included beer/wine at lunch & dinner will work for you. Unlimited bottles of water provided when going ashore.

 

Dining - we always request sharing tables, which were always available at dinner. Apparently, most don't do sharing at breakfast, but we always found other pax to chat with.

 

Crew - simply amazing.  On the first night, the MDR host asked that we give him a couple of days to remember our names & cabin numbers - he knew them the next day. Every morning, at sea, DW headed to the Atrium dk 1 sitting in the lounge chairs. She ordered tea from the bar, pouring it into her own mug. After a couple of days, the young lady asked her to drop her cup on the bar and to go find a seat. The waiters delivered her tea and returned multiple times for refils. In the Star Theatre, our favourite waiter ordered drinks as soon as he saw us enter. Just before the show started he dropped off another couple of drinks - no need to order. 

 

Enjoy your experience with Viking.

[KBs mum]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

 

 

Viking Crew - having actually worked in the industry, I pay special attention to the crew hours of work/conditions. First of all, Viking's crew retention rates are in the mid 90%, which is exceptional. They are provided free wi-fi, with better bandwidth than the pax. At the onset of COVID shut-down, the Viking crew were treated significantly better than mainstream lines:

• Crew at home and unable to fly to their ship, were started on 1/2 pay once their leave ended
• Crew on board empty ships, or almost empty ships (8 pax), worked every 2nd day, receiving 1/2 pay. Cross training introduced to enhance promotion opertunities.
• On Viking Sun, the crew were so appreciative, they produced a thank you film for the Hagen family and Executive.
• During the initial COVID shutdown, Florida had a plethora of cruise ships waiting for the US CDC to approve crew repatriation. Over 100K crew member remained aboard for many months. Other ships remained off Florida, but Viking sailed their ships, except Orion, to Portsmouth, where the UK Govt accepted crew member repatriation. All crew members who could return home, were repatriated

 

Good to know, thank you. We've noticed that the crew are allowed to use the gym during quiet times, and also mingle with the passengers when going off and on the ship. How 'staff' (I accept not the best word, but the best I can come up with) are treated is important to us for any company we give money to. I'd rather pay more to a good company in this regard than less to a bad one. 

[OceanPatter]

3 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Travelwell,

 

I concur that you are the perfect fit for Viking's demographic.

 

Ship size - yes, Viking is a little bigger than your preference, but that does provide some additional entertainment options. The other consideration is the average space per pax. A generic metric is dividing gross tonnage by number of pax. Using that metric, Viking is very close to some of the supposed luxury brands. However, nothing can impact the pax experience more than the ship design and Viking's modern ships really excel. Ships seem very spacious, with lots of quiet spaces throughout the ship.

 

Prom. Deck - this is also a must for us, with 4 laps = 1 mile. In addition, you can walk laps up on deck 8, with stairs up to dk 9 available for extra workout.

 

Viking Crew - having actually worked in the industry, I pay special attention to the crew hours of work/conditions. First of all, Viking's crew retention rates are in the mid 90%, which is exceptional. They are provided free wi-fi, with better bandwidth than the pax. At the onset of COVID shut-down, the Viking crew were treated significantly better than mainstream lines:

• Crew at home and unable to fly to their ship, were started on 1/2 pay once their leave ended
• Crew on board empty ships, or almost empty ships (8 pax), worked every 2nd day, receiving 1/2 pay. Cross training introduced to enhance promotion opertunities.
• On Viking Sun, the crew were so appreciative, they produced a thank you film for the Hagen family and Executive.
• During the initial COVID shutdown, Florida had a plethora of cruise ships waiting for the US CDC to approve crew repatriation. Over 100K crew member remained aboard for many months. Other ships remained off Florida, but Viking sailed their ships, except Orion, to Portsmouth, where the UK Govt accepted crew member repatriation. All crew members who could return home, were repatriated

Drinking - as a minimal drinker, Viking's model of included beer/wine at lunch & dinner will work for you. Unlimited bottles of water provided when going ashore.

 

Dining - we always request sharing tables, which were always available at dinner. Apparently, most don't do sharing at breakfast, but we always found other pax to chat with.

 

Crew - simply amazing.  On the first night, the MDR host asked that we give him a couple of days to remember our names & cabin numbers - he knew them the next day. Every morning, at sea, DW headed to the Atrium dk 1 sitting in the lounge chairs. She ordered tea from the bar, pouring it into her own mug. After a couple of days, the young lady asked her to drop her cup on the bar and to go find a seat. The waiters delivered her tea and returned multiple times for refils. In the Star Theatre, our favourite waiter ordered drinks as soon as he saw us enter. Just before the show started he dropped off another couple of drinks - no need to order. 

 

Enjoy your experience with Viking.

Kudos, Heidi13, for your awesome insights on Viking’s above-and-beyond treatment of its crew. Hope you don’t mind my sharing of this info on the Crystal board (as an attempt to cross-pollinate and level the playing field).

 

What amazing contributions you, Jim Avery, Azulann, and others make to this board.

Edited November 20, 2021 by OceanPatter

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, OceanPatter said:

Kudos, Heidi13, for your awesome insights on Viking’s above-and-beyond treatment of its crew. Hope you don’t mind my sharing of this info on the Crystal board (as an attempt to cross-pollinate and level the playing field).

 

What amazing contributions you, Jim Avery, Azulann, and others make to this board.

 

Please do, but I would be surprised that many will consider Viking, even after the experiences with Crystal refunds.

[travelwell]

Thank you for your responses. I will be peppering you guys with questions down the road. We would be looking at 2024 or 2025 so I have some time. I do wish that I had an opinion of someone who had been on both the named  luxury cruise lines and Viking on this board. I only see one person on this thread. I challenge you to look at the Regent board. You will see people’s  comparisons on Regent with Viking with many positives on Viking. There is interest in Viking. I do find some of this boards  opinions of luxury cruise lines that do make me question whether you know what I have experienced. Things like only heavy drinkers, formal wear, lots of gambling, kids etc. The four lux cruises are all different, Seabourn has no butlers and no class system, Regent has butlers in their highest suites and you do get some perks, We have always had the lowest suites on these lines. Regent has hall parties, silly games with crew you can be involved with, country fair. We had best beach day ever with  Seabourn’s signature “Cavier on the Surf” in Thailand.  I almost skipped as thought it would be pretentious, would have been huge mistake. Crystal a different beast then the rest, for us not great. Crystal is a great cruise for others and many have cruised with them for years and like a family reunion. I have not tried Silver Seas as seems more formal yet their small explorer ships sound lovely and not formal. I personally have benefited by trying different cruise lines after a lot of research.

[KBs mum]

1 hour ago, travelwell said:

Thank you for your responses. I will be peppering you guys with questions down the road. We would be looking at 2024 or 2025 so I have some time. I do wish that I had an opinion of someone who had been on both the named  luxury cruise lines and Viking on this board. I only see one person on this thread. I challenge you to look at the Regent board. You will see people’s  comparisons on Regent with Viking with many positives on Viking. There is interest in Viking. I do find some of this boards  opinions of luxury cruise lines that do make me question whether you know what I have experienced. Things like only heavy drinkers, formal wear, lots of gambling, kids etc. The four lux cruises are all different, Seabourn has no butlers and no class system, Regent has butlers in their highest suites and you do get some perks, We have always had the lowest suites on these lines. Regent has hall parties, silly games with crew you can be involved with, country fair. We had best beach day ever with  Seabourn’s signature “Cavier on the Surf” in Thailand.  I almost skipped as thought it would be pretentious, would have been huge mistake. Crystal a different beast then the rest, for us not great. Crystal is a great cruise for others and many have cruised with them for years and like a family reunion. I have not tried Silver Seas as seems more formal yet their small explorer ships sound lovely and not formal. I personally have benefited by trying different cruise lines after a lot of research.

There is a lot of overlap between the 'luxury' and 'premium' lines. After research we chose Viking, all the others had either things we prefer to avoid (such as organised activities, children) or we would be paying for things that have no value to us and don't increase our enjoyment of a holiday. An example is butlers, if we have one, fine. If not also fine, don't care either way. 

 

The design of the ship and cabins is also a factor, lots of shiny and sparkly stuff is naff, not luxury. All other things being equal we'll chose the one with the decor we like. 

 

We look at the final sticker price, it seems that the luxury lines only differ, on paper, from the premium by being all inclusive. A lot of it seems to be things that create a perception of luxury but don't really add much. If we can get a cruise that suits us better by adding options to a partially inclusive price that's what we'll do.

It's worth looking beyong the labels, an analogy would be a good 4 star hotel in a good location being better than an average 5 star hotel in a poor location, or British Airways First not being as good as Quantas Business on their flagship routes. As with everything there are compromises needed, Viking don't have the best food of those under discussion, but it's good enough as we prefer to eat ashore. 

 

Like Heidi I've done formal in the past for work, as far as I'm concerned formal is at minimum black tie. Do it properly or don't do it at all. 

It's interesting that on the dress code threads of the formal night cruises, the suggestions for suitable formal attire are what Viking passengers class as smart/evening casual, If you want to go full on formal you won't stand out. 

 

Ultimately, I can tell you why we chose Viking, if somebody else chooses another line, or goes on several, good for them. Everybody has differing priorities and criteria. 

 

 

 

Edited November 21, 2021 by KBs mum

[Pudgesmom]

This is a great thread! I’ve been considering Viking. We are Windstar regulars and have our first cruise booked on Regent.  I like the decor on Viking, and have learned much on this thread. The spa!
 

Although a bit off-topic, we had a really bad experience on a Viking River cruise, and will for sure never use them again. I have heard that the Ocean cruises are a different animal. Would you all agree? Is the food different? (Actually I should ask, is it better?) Also, do they require full payment almost immediately like the river cruises? How are shore excursion advance bookings handled? Because of our previous experience, we are a bit cautious.

[Twitchly]

3 minutes ago, Pudgesmom said:

This is a great thread! I’ve been considering Viking. We are Windstar regulars and have our first cruise booked on Regent.  I like the decor on Viking, and have learned much on this thread. The spa!
 

Although a bit off-topic, we had a really bad experience on a Viking River cruise, and will for sure never use them again. I have heard that the Ocean cruises are a different animal. Would you all agree? Is the food different? (Actually I should ask, is it better?) Also, do they require full payment almost immediately like the river cruises? How are shore excursion advance bookings handled? Because of our previous experience, we are a bit cautious.

What was your previous experience with Viking River? 

[Pudgesmom]

The ship was clean, and the crew pleasant. The included excursions were good. 
 

Food and communications were fair to poor.

 

Overall, we did not feel we got a good value for money spent. 

 

[KBs mum]

23 minutes ago, Pudgesmom said:

The ship was clean, and the crew pleasant. The included excursions were good. 
 

Food and communications were fair to poor.

 

Overall, we did not feel we got a good value for money spent. 

 

The ocean ships are intended to be scaled up river ships (sort of) The food is a known weak point. We've never had any communication problems, but Viking UK is separate from Viking USA. 

Outside the rooms there is no difference, you basically pay more for more space, and priority to book excursions. 

Unlike the rivers the guides don't work nearly exclusively for viking, so some aren't as good as others. 

The rooms are better than on the river boats, and you are spared the evening dinner stampede. 

Value for money is subjective, we'll do our best to answer any questions, but only you can decide if the cost is worth it for you. 

I'm not sure what the US payment terms are, but I believe they are a small deposit then payment a year before the cruise. 

 

[jmfdr]

On 11/19/2021 at 3:12 PM, rbslos18 said:

One thing not mentioned which makes Viking a huge plus for us is having a Promenade walking deck. It is the only non-negotiable item for my wife.  Luxury is having a Promenade Deck to walk on. I arranged a few luxury line cruises without a Promenade Deck and will never do it again! I can choose any cruise line with only one stipulation. Viking makes this quite easy!  

Our first Viking cruise sails in a couple days.  That Promenade Deck was a real draw for us too.  We anticipate loving our first Viking cruise.  A bit worried about some  reports I read on CC of mediocre food?

[Azulann]

1 hour ago, jmfdr said:

Our first Viking cruise sails in a couple days.  That Promenade Deck was a real draw for us too.  We anticipate loving our first Viking cruise.  A bit worried about some  reports I read on CC of mediocre food?

I suggest you try all  food venues. The Restaurant, or MDR , especially when they are open for breakfast. Try the grilled lamb chops  with your breakfast.  in the evening , it menu is  full of choices and I FIND THE FOOD EXCELLENT. Also the Wold Cafe,  or buffet. Check out  the   salads of the day or sandwich  of the day. But usually also get a couple of sliced baguette  bread  and some cheese and various sliced meats ... to go along with my salad.

Also try the pool grill. Love the Nordic hot dog, burgers and of course the onion rings.

 Then there is Mamsen's deli in the Explorer Lounge. Scandinavian fare : best waffles, for lunch  open face sandwiches and liverposti , hot with bacon  on the top. It is like a slice of meat loaf but oh so good. My grandmother used to make it for scratch  , grinding the meat first. Also they have  great dessert: Success cake is the best IMO.

Be sure to do a high tea in the Winter Garden, the most beautiful airy space on the ship. The scones,  clotted  cream, jam and small sandwiches  along with 19 different loose tea variations to choose from,  is a wonderful way to spend a hour in the late afternoon. Of  course there are the two alternative restaurants,  Manfredi, and Chef Table.

And last but not least,  room service  which we order  when go on  a morning excursion. It comes on time and is hot or cos  depending on what you order. Enjoy it on your balcony which has a real table height table for you meal.

Enjoy all these venues at various times of day. I love the variety of food and  always find something that is fabulous on every menu.

 

Edited November 22, 2021 by Azulann

[aungrl]

2 hours ago, Azulann said:

I suggest you try all  food venues. The Restaurant, or MDR , especially when they are open for breakfast. Try the grilled lamb chops  with your breakfast.  in the evening , it menu is  full of choices and I FIND THE FOOD EXCELLENT. Also the Wold Cafe,  or buffet. Check out  the   salads of the day or sandwich  of the day. But usually also get a couple of sliced baguette  bread  and some cheese and various sliced meats ... to go along with my salad.

Also try the pool grill. Love the Nordic hot dog, burgers and of course the onion rings.

 Then there is Mamsen's deli in the Explorer Lounge. Scandinavian fare : best waffles, for lunch  open face sandwiches and liverposti , hot with bacon  on the top. It is like a slice of meat loaf but oh so good. My grandmother used to make it for scratch  , grinding the meat first. Also they have  great dessert: Success cake is the best IMO.

Be sure to do a high tea in the Winter Garden, the most beautiful airy space on the ship. The scones,  clotted  cream, jam and small sandwiches  along with 19 different loose tea variations to choose from,  is a wonderful way to spend a hour in the late afternoon. Of  course there are the two alternative restaurants,  Manfredi, and Chef Table.

And last but not least,  room service  which we order  when go on  a morning excursion. It comes on time and is hot or cos  depending on what you order. Enjoy it on your balcony which has a real table height table for you meal.

Enjoy all these venues at various times of day. I love the variety of food and  always find something that is fabulous on every menu.

 

Great post, Azulann.  I wanted to pile on to say that we also find Viking Ocean food excellent.  Food is for sure subjective, but for us, we found all venues on Viking Ocean other than Manfredi's - which was still quite good - to be superior to our (also excellent) food experience on Regent, and superior to Oceania in recent years (post their acquisition.  In earlier years, long ago by now, Oceania was amazing on the food front.)  

 

Your experience may differ, but I believe you can put any food concerns to rest.

Edited November 23, 2021 by aungrl

[rbslos18]

On 11/22/2021 at 5:07 PM, jmfdr said:

Our first Viking cruise sails in a couple days.  That Promenade Deck was a real draw for us too.  We anticipate loving our first Viking cruise.  A bit worried about some  reports I read on CC of mediocre food?

Food is very subjective. Sounds like their crab cooking is crabby. Even on premium cruises we have rarely had a memorably bad meal.

[jmfdr]

On 11/22/2021 at 6:28 PM, Azulann said:

I suggest you try all  food venues. The Restaurant, or MDR , especially when they are open for breakfast. Try the grilled lamb chops  with your breakfast.  in the evening , it menu is  full of choices and I FIND THE FOOD EXCELLENT. Also the Wold Cafe,  or buffet. Check out  the   salads of the day or sandwich  of the day. But usually also get a couple of sliced baguette  bread  and some cheese and various sliced meats ... to go along with my salad.

Also try the pool grill. Love the Nordic hot dog, burgers and of course the onion rings.

 Then there is Mamsen's deli in the Explorer Lounge. Scandinavian fare : best waffles, for lunch  open face sandwiches and liverposti , hot with bacon  on the top. It is like a slice of meat loaf but oh so good. My grandmother used to make it for scratch  , grinding the meat first. Also they have  great dessert: Success cake is the best IMO.

Be sure to do a high tea in the Winter Garden, the most beautiful airy space on the ship. The scones,  clotted  cream, jam and small sandwiches  along with 19 different loose tea variations to choose from,  is a wonderful way to spend a hour in the late afternoon. Of  course there are the two alternative restaurants,  Manfredi, and Chef Table.

And last but not least,  room service  which we order  when go on  a morning excursion. It comes on time and is hot or cos  depending on what you order. Enjoy it on your balcony which has a real table height table for you meal.

Enjoy all these venues at various times of day. I love the variety of food and  always find something that is fabulous on every menu.

 

 

[jmfdr]

Just now, jmfdr said:

 

Thanks for the food responses.  My mouth is watering except for the lamb chops for 🤪breakfast.

[Squawkman]

4 minutes ago, jmfdr said:

Thanks for the food responses.  My mouth is watering except for the lamb chops for 🤪breakfast.

Don’t knock it until you try it. 😊