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I am just back from my first Viking voyage, a 12-night cruise on Viking Sea,. In this review, I will share various aspects of the Viking experience, specifically a Viking Sea cruise ship review, to provide insights into what you can expect on this ship. I hope sharing this Viking Ocean cruises review will help you decide on your next adventure. Passengers on Viking Sea are well traveled and seek new experiences.
Viking Ocean Cruises Review: Conclusion
That's something that even the most upscale of Viking's ocean cruise rivals including Oceania Cruises, Azamara, Seabourn, Silversea Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises can't say. In closing, it was great to again be aboard one of their ocean cruises. Next, we’re looking forward to sampling Viking’s new river ships on the Mississippi and one of their new expedition ships on the Great Lakes. Unlike most other cruise lines, Viking Ocean Cruises offers house wines and beers along with soft drinks complimentary with lunch and dinner.
Cruises
They’re a marked departure from the other Viking ocean ships. The ocean cruise brand now has eight ships in this class, with another (Viking Saturn) debuting in 2023. Also included in your cruise rate is the use of the fitness center, which offers excellent views and plenty of brand-new machines and weights. For an additional cost ($10), you can sign up for group classes like Pilates. Treatment prices at the spa are in line with what you’d find at a high-end spa or luxury hotel, though discounts were available on certain days. There’s also a salon onboard offering blowouts, manicures, and pedicures.
Where does Viking Sea sail to?
The cost of the cruise, considering the inclusions and amenities, is competitive in the cruise industry. With the cruise cost including full use of the spa, the entertainment, and wine, beer and soft drinks at lunch and dinner, we felt that we got excellent value for our money. A cruise on Viking Sea focuses heavily on destinations, and passengers are entitled to one included excursion in each port the ship visits. Upgraded "premium" excursions also are offered and are excellent, but many passengers are content with the included option. Viking provides local guides who speak English and know the regions well. Onboard programming complements the excursions; lectures focus on port history and culture.
Guests, many repeat, also like the design of the Viking ships. We’re given complimentary bottles of water when leaving the ship and iced facecloths when we return. “Well, there goes that idea,” moans one of our fellow guests, dressed for sunny safari weather, camera at the ready.
The pools
On Viking Jupiter, you’ll find modern, clean, and brand-new cabins. All rooms have flat-screen TVs, ample closet space with built-in shelves, bathrobes, safes, a small seating area, and a desk with a pop-up vanity. Rooms are serviced twice per day, and a room steward is on duty.
Which Viking cruise ship is the best?
We had some frustrations with guest services not following up on requests for post-cruise plans. Our charter flight was scheduled to leave at 6 pm from Manaus so we hoped to use that day to see more of the city and surroundings on a private tour. But three days before we arrived in Manaus, guest services still had no idea what time we’d be disembarking, what hotel we would be brought to, and when we needed to get to the airport.
Walking on the promenade deck
So we tried out the warm, swim-against-the-current pool (with underwater massage roller beds), heated stone loungers, sauna, steam room and hot whirlpools. By this time, we were starting to appreciate the “no nickel-and-diming” philosophy onboard. So on our first cruise, it took us a while to figure out that the Viking Star spa is free (except for massages and spa treatments, of course).
Compare that to Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships which can each carry over 5,000 passengers! There won’t be any children onboard either — all guests must be at least 18 years old. You’ll also notice the absence of many traditional cruise line features like art auctions, casinos, waterslides, and photography setups. Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear).
After interning at SmarterTravel, Ashley joined the team full time in 2015. She's lived on three continents, but still never knows where her next adventure will take her. She's always searching for upcoming destination hotspots, secluded retreats, and hidden gems to share with the world.
In each port, passengers (who were divided into smaller groups) were treated to a complimentary shore excursion. For example, one day on the Viking Star cruise ship, there was a memorable Scandinavian seafood lunch, followed by made-to-order waffles, berries and cream for dessert. Measuring 280 square feet, they’re bigger than the Veranda and Deluxe Veranda staterooms.
Like many guests, one of our favorite ways to keep reasonably fit on a cruise is to walk around the deck when at sea. For dinner, we especially loved Manfredi’s, one of two specialty restaurants onboard. There are several dining options onboard, and the dress code is elegant casual at night (no formal nights). On both the Viking Star and Viking Sea, we never felt the urge to try local restaurants ashore – the ship’s food was that good. The Penthouse Verandas also come with perks like priority restaurant and shore excursion reservations. The Viking Star and its sister vessels offer a long list of free inclusions that usually aren’t offered by other cruise lines.
