There is another UA-camr that has done over 100 cruises all over the world. He has been to Greece many times. He did a Viking Ocean to Greece in the last 2 years and said he learned more about Greece than all the other cruises he had gone on to Greece combined. He loved the learning aspect. He is a more of a solo cruiser, but well educated. That was the only downside of Viking. Most of the passengers of Viking are very well educated. That is a major positive in my view.
We just completed a Viking cruise from Rome to Barcelona. Your comments are spot on👍 It’s was a wonderful experience and we hence booked a river cruise for next year. The adult only, small ship, all balcony and all inclusive format appealed to us! We have cruised with other fine cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Princess, but Viking is more to our liking at this stage of life!
We are doing the Rome to Barcelona with Viking in December. I've been trying to find out train information to get from Rome Airport to downtown Rome, then downtown to the ship for embarkation, to Monte Carlo (this sailing does not stop there) and Barcelona downtown and airport. Any ideas please?
Karenbastin9991 I take it you didn’t book your flight through Viking? When you do, they take care of arranging all your transfers. I hope someone can help you! We’re doing this trip in October.
Thank you. That was a great video. My wife and I are going on the Saturn in about a month. Our first Viking cruise. We are truly excited and looking forward to it. Have a great day!
Your video is spot-on and one of the best I’ve seen! We took our 1st Viking Ocean Cruise to Norway and Iceland in 2022 (13 days). The ship was stunning, the service so accommodating, the cabin roomier and more comfortable than other cruise ships we’ve been on, the food absolutely delicious, and while it doesn’t have the “entertainment” you’ll find on other cruise lines, we were very happy with the evening show and the piano player, guitarist, and violinist were wonderful! We took advantage of some of the “included” excursions and they were quite nice. If you’re back from an afternoon excursion early enough, “Tea Time” is very nice! Our 2022 trip was truly enjoyable. We are now leaving for the 13 Day Viking Mediterranean Cruise in October. I just am baffled that you state you paid $2,899 per person? We paid $7,200 per person for our 2022 cruise and $10,547 per person for our upcoming cruise. Did your cost include airfare? And how many days was your cruise?
My wife & I just got back from a Viking cruise to Turkey & Greece & it was fantastic! The ship was great. The food was great & the stateroom was very good with a balcony. The tours were great & we had a lot of great lectures & entertainment. We also loved the violinist & pianist. Viking also made the flight arrangements & someone was present on the first stop & directed where to go in the airport. Free laundry so you don’t have to pack a lot of clothes.
Thanks for the review. Most of the ‘cons’ are really about any ocean cruise, regardless of brand. One definitely has a trade off between ease and ability to really dive into a culture when cruising. Sometimes I want to just relax and not have to worry about logistics and sometimes I want to plan my own trip.
We do both. No matter what tour or cruise we’ve been on, we start or end with a few days to a week on our own. Usually it’s because there’s something I really want to experience in depth. And because we don’t go abroad for less than 2-3 weeks. We live in MT, it’s far to anyplace & we do love that business class air travel, haha. So it’s always a big trip.
We did Barcelona to Venice on Viking, wonderful cruise, best staff on the water. We've also done river cruises with them and in a few weeks we are headed out on the "Search for the Northern Lights" cruise to the northern tip of Norway. We did 6 cruises with other cruise lines (Carnival, Holland America, Norwegian, and Celebrity) but after trying Viking we will probably never be going back. Just love the low key and all inclusive nature of Viking.
Going on the Barcelona to Venice 13-day Mediterranean Odyssey trip in Sept/Oct. Would you recommend any specific paid excursions that you felt were worth it vs the free included excursions? Thx
@@kevinmchugh870 I'm sure there have been changes to the excursions since our cruise, but some of them that we enjoyed were; Montserrat monastery of the black Madonna, I enjoyed the tour of the Da Vinci museum (my wife not so much), we did a dinner tour of the Colosseum and Forum, I enjoyed the tour of Herculaneum (I think my wife would have preferred Pompei), The wine and oysters tour in Dubrovnik was probably our favorite, and we also enjoyed the Krka fall tour in Split. Enjoy your trip.
@@kevinmchugh870 I'm sure the offered excursion have changed some since our cruise, but some of the non-included excursions we enjoyed were: Montserrat tour of monastery of the Black Madonna, Boat tour of Calanques near Marseilles, Tour of Da Vinci museum (I loved it, wife was bored), Dinner tour of Colosseum and Imperial Forum, Tour of Herculaneum (I think my wife would have preferred Pompeii), Wine and Oysters in Dubrovnik (our favorite of the cruise), and a tour of Krka falls in Split. Enjoy your trip...I'm sure you can't go wrong with anything you choose.
As a fan of Viking, I'll add my observations: the thing we like most about Viking, is it's not a party cruise. It's more educational (if you want to participate in that experience, not something you have to do). I tell folks that are considering Viking, that if you like specialty dining, wifi, and the included excursion, then the price difference isn't that great. Also a hint, when you make your reservation, you select a certain number of specialty dining..BUT, the moment you check into your room, go on the TV and make all the reservations you want. We've had experience when booking, the only meal times were very, very late, but the first thing we do when we get to our room, is go on the TV and every reservation we wanted was available. I guess they prebook a small Orton of the meal service and leave the rest for once folks get to the ship. Having been on 3 Viking cruises we often pay for specific excursions to see and do what we want to. The free one/ included one, is usually just a basic tour of the area with a few stops for sightseeing. If you are going to a port and want to experience a specific thing, buy that excursion. For some, the entertainment is not good, but it's okay to us. Usually very basic but good enought to provide an enjoyable evening.
Great feedback. This will be our very first cruise and wasn't sure if the price of the additional excursions were worth it. We plan to book 5 free and 5 paid excursions. Do you have any tips on when the excursions become available to book? Do these book quickly from your ex[experience?
My wife and I did the Grand European river cruise last August and it was fantastic. Viking really makes it easy. Yesterday, my wife surprised me by booking our first ocean cruise, this time over Christmas. Barcelona round trip with stops all over the Med. I can only hope that the ocean cruises are as good as the river cruises. This from a guy who swore he had no interest in any kind of cruise. Viking changed my mind! The included tours were great, the extra time in ports and the food…OMG, the food was so good! Looking forward to December and my first trip to the Mediterranean!
Excellent review. We did the Midnight Sun cruise last fall and the Christmas Markets River Cruise in December. Fabulous! Headed to southern France river cruise soon.
I agree with your comments, both good and bad. We make it a rule to find our own local restaurant at least a few times to experience the cuisine, even though that means "wasting" the money for the onboard meal. The onboard meals are great, but they are an interpretation of the regional cuisine, not exactly authentic. Some of our most memorable experiences have been when we skipped the included tour and explored on our own.
It depends on the itinerary you're doing with Viking as it pertains to how long you can do stuff in each port. If you're doing a 7-8 day cruise, you may only be in each port for 1 day or half a day. I did a 15 day cruise with Viking this past summer in the Scandinavian region. I did a 2 day pre extension, so I got 4 days in Bergen, Norway but if you flew in the day of, you still could have stayed out late the day you arrived since we didn't leave until the afternoon the next day. We were also in Oslo for 1 1/2 days, so you could do whatever you wanted the first day. The optional excursion we chose for Oslo basically included the included excursion, so we spent most of the first day wandering around the city on our own. If we really wanted to, we could have gotten on a train and went somewhere else in Norway since the ship was staying overnight.
Thank you - great review! We did our first Viking River Paris to Normandy with pre and post extra days in Paris where I had all the time I wanted to do the local “wander and savor” moments. I LOVE that Viking offers door to door assistance at the airports and extension hotels - including a walk in Paris before hotel check-in. We are looking to cruise 2026 Barcelona to Venice - very exciting!
My late wife and I were on the Adriatic cruise from Venice to Athens. Personally, my favorite port was Koto in Montenegro. Beautiful and it has a lot of variety. plus I got to see a Yugo. You don't get to see that very often.
I`m watching a documentary about Christianity currently & making use of your cruise videos. On your day in Ephesus you may have stood in some exact spots where the Apostle Paul stood 2000 years ago during his missionary journeys. On a personal note I think its amazing to have a video of your trip there (& other creators) so easy to view. In years past the Aegean basin area seemed like a far off land which I could only read about because I`m just a small town kind of person. Travel Possibilities are exciting.
Viking actually has one of the best itineraries if you’re interested in Paul (and John). The Greek Odyssey cruise goes to Thessaloniki which is rare, and there’s an optional excursion to Corinth, as well as the port of call near Ephesus. And a couple other Islands Paul went, I think.
Three years ago we went on our first Viking cruise that included the Scandinavian countries and Germany where we got to see what's left of the wall ... the staff is wonderful and you get to know them. They do everything to make your cruise as enjoyable as possible ... and they are fun! The food is wonderful and they offer food that relates to the region. What we've also found - we're on our third cruise this upcoming year, we have had the same cruise advisor helping us - she gave us her extension number and she always steers us to what we need to know.
We completed a Viking cruise like yours in January this year (2024). It was like you said except for Crete and Athens. We were able to temporarily ditch the tour to partake of some authentic Greek food.
We just got back from The Rhine Viking trip & loved it. U can do the excursions or go on ur own, eat wherever u want, as long as the ship is in port. Pay attention to the time u must be back on board! But u can dive deeper into the culture, if ur that kind of more experienced unafraid traveler! The more u travel with Viking, the more perks u get (discounts on ur choice of wine upgrades, room upgrades, if available, etc.). The only way to go! It is getting younger. We r active tourists in early 12:33 60’s & noted many family groups! Already have trips planned for the next 2 years with Viking. We have traveled with families & found it affordable for all. It is expensive for singles, though. There’s other cruises for 18 & over that’s more affordable for singles, like Virgin.
Great observations! We took the Romantic Danube River cruise one year and it was great. I’ve always wanted to do the Rhine - how did you like that one?
Planning to travel on River cruise next year. We'll book the air ticket through Viking, if flight cancelled or delayed, will Viking take responsibility and rearrange?
I’m a self-organizing traveler - I’ve driven rental cars in several European countries and love to stay in one place for 3 - 5 nights. I also have taken only one cruise - a so-so cruise on one of Royal Caribbean’s smaller boats when my daughter was in elementary school - she loved it, I didn’t. But I am very excited to be cruising with Viking from Athens to Istanbul this spring. My friend and I paid the single supplement to get our own rooms, but we took advantage of a huge sale, which steeply discounted the rooms and gave free airfare. I think Viking just might change my opinion of cruising. I’m very excited! We’re staying in Athens several nights before the cruise and in Istanbul several nights after, so we’ll get a wonderful immersion into those cities, and the other ports of call are places I’d probably only want to spend one day in anyway - except Crete. If I really like it there I could see returning there in a self-organized trip. But I don’t know that I’d take a cruise where a large city is a port of call rather than the embarkation or disembarkation city - it might be too frustrating for me.
That’s so exciting!! Athens and Istanbul are beautiful ports to sail into. Istanbul is particularly stunning in my option. The cruise is definitely more of a hand holding experience than what you’re used to which makes it relaxing! You can still do your own thing if you want when you get to the ports, but the Viking cruise includes their own tours. They are very introductory to the place.
I loved it being on the ship - it was so relaxing! I went in late April/early May and the weather was very good. Here’s some advice based on my experience. 1 - definitely do the infinity pool in the aft of the boat - particularly as you are leaving a port - you likely will have it to yourself because people don’t seem to use it 2 - make sure to spend time in the lovely pool in the spa 3 - after returning from land excursions, grab a deck chair on the pool deck but along the sides facing out toward the sea 4 - do eat at the Chef’s Table - it’s a great experience 5 - otherwise eat dinner in the dining room instead of at the buffet - the dining room menu features some of the items on the buffet each day but the dining room dishes are made to order - the food is much better in the dining room than in the buffet 6 - consider researching the attractions at the ports of call and taking a taxi to them or hiring a driver (or a local guide). I found the Viking excursions a bit frustrating because they were very basic. For example, I just saw the highlights in the ancient city of Ephesus on the Viking tour - I wish I had taken a taxi to Ephesus and spent a couple of additional hours seeing more stuff there. Same with Troy - if you took a Viking excursion, you could either see the museum or tour the ruins, but not both - do both on your own (after doing research, of course). Enjoy!!!! My next Viking trip will be from Santiago, through the Chilean fjords, around the southern tip of South America and up to Buenos Aires. I can’t wait!
I joined the Viking Sun in February of 2019 in Valparaiso Chile for a segment of the world cruise and crossed the Pacific. We had lots of sea days which was my favorite aspect of it all. We visited Robinson Crusoe Island, Easter Island, Thaiti, Bora Bora, Bay of Islands NZ, Aukland NZ, Wellington NZ, Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound fjiords then crossed the Tasman sea to Sydney Australia. I went solo so there was no discount but it was my first long ocean voyage and worth every penny. This last February I went back down there and did a solo Royal Caribbean 12 day cruise on the Ovation of the Seas and enjoyed it almost as much as Viking. Spent two extra nights in Sydney.
We've settled on Holland America as a base, which I think is the best of the mass market (excluding entertainment). Viking Ocean seems like the best option for an occasional upgrade, especially those transatlantic cruises. We're going to head to Spain for the eclipse in 2026, and then try our first Viking River cruise a few days later.
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We are 3 star on HAL. "Upgrade" for us is the occasional Neptune Suite. Viking is not worth anywhere near its lofty cost [or pretense] unless you want to cruise like a vegetable.
Best video about Viking Cruises! The Eagle excursion with Seafood Boil and walk was an highly recommended excursion on the Princess Alaskan cruise 2022, but extra.
thanks! I've outgrown party vacations and just want peace and relaxation. I want to surprise my bf with a cruise next year and they are difficult to sort through these days. viking caught my eye because of the no kids and all inclusive bit.
Viking is definitely a great choice for a relaxing vacation! The all inclusive part made it so easy because you don’t have to handle any payments during the trip.
The free shore excursion per port is typically under 4 hours, and you have to get back to the ship yourself if you want to explore longer (some people use the tour as transportation only and let the guide know). To see the excursions generally offered, click on the itinerary, then click on the specific day, looking closely for the one marked included. Details will be available at time of booking, about 100 days before the cruise (best rooms can book sooner).With the overnight stay in Livorno, there is a free tour to Pisa, but no free tour the other day. We are opting to use the train to get to Florence (trenitalia, tickets available 2-4 months in advance) , as the 9 hour Florence on you own only gives about 5 hours to explore Florence and then tour Pisa the second day as we set sail at 8pm tour (independent tour transportation has less free time). Florence tours include one of the top two museums, so I booked independent to hit them both. We are flying into Rome for 3 days on our own, and staying an additional day in Barcelona. I think our cost will be one half what Viking would have charged for add on days, staying in $200 hotel, 1-2 guided tours per day, restaurants, using metro, train and a couple of taxis. The convenience of not having to plan is not cheap! Tours are pre-paid at booking and may be refundable as ship credit. Final cruise payment is due 1 month after booking, while other cruise lines allow more time to pay. While it is refundable, your money is tied up. Many times the specials offered are for specific cruises, what we booked didn't have as good an offer. I am still looking forward to our cruise, but am learning to read the fine print. I think we are only using two of the five free tours. For the cost of the cruise, I don't want to be limited to 3 hours in port and am willing to to pay more.
We got back from a Norwegian, Faroe islands and Iceland cruise 2 weeks ago. Agree with is review brand large. It was a brilliant holiday and it it is hard to think of any negatives with Viking. Now hoping to do an Alasken cruise next year with Viking.
Thank you for your honest opinion. I was getting very interested in Viking cruises but we are indeed foodies and I like to explore so they are not yet what we would really enjoy.
Glad it was helpful! Yes ,if you're a major foodie and love trying local cuisine, it might be best to do a different type of trip. It would be hard to miss the Neapolitan pizza experience in Naples!
This was so helpful. We are going on our first Viking cruise, doing the same itinerary you describe here. We are a bit worried because for all the pros of uncrowded adult-only experience with very good rooms, the "nanny feel" of having everything planned out and structured, with little opportunity to do a deep dive into culture and restaurants, scares us. We also dislike being looked at when we are traveling as "tourists" and the thought of standing out with a guide with a sign and a big crowd of obvious older Americans, makes me shiver. Oh well, I think we'll have to go in with our eyes open and recognize that we should enjoy this, knowing it might not be the best fit for the way we like to travel. (Also, I *hate* that we chose to have them handle our flights, as we disliked the itinerary very much but weren't allowed to change it.) 'Nuff said that we will hopefully enjoy this, but this may be a one-off for us.
One thing you can do is a trip extension in the beginning or end so you have some time to explore on your own. You also can just do shore excursions on your own dime too if you just want to walk around without their included bus tour.
My wife and I went on a Med cruise (Athens -Ephesus-Crete-Sicily-Naples-Rome) last November. We enjoyed the no kids and no casinos (and no sales) part. The excursions were quite good. Super-friendly crew. Morning buffet felt like a cattle car. Generally restaurant food was "fair". One dumb thing they do - they have the "port talk" at 4PM. If you go on an afternoon excursion, you miss it. Why they don't record it and make it available on the TV I don't understand. Room was very comfortable (Jr. Penthouse). Absolutely LOVED Ephesus, and highly recommend going to Taormina if you go to Sicily.
Haha we agree on the morning buffet - it felt chaotic at times. I would try to get there when it opened to avoid the crowd or get room service. We missed most of the port talks as well. It's definitely hard to attend everything you want to see. Oh yes - Ephesus! Such impressive architecture. I love how the cruise focuses on learning and education about the sites.
Love your videos! I was wondering on the Viking cruise, looks like you sailed close to winter season. How was the waters? Was it real choppy? Also were you able to take advantage of the pools or was it too cold for it?
A lot of times we could barely tell we were moving, the waters were pretty smooth. It feels more like a gently pull with a low humming sound, and you can leave the doors open in your veranda to hear the sound of the ocean too. The only times we felt the water was pulling into port because you hear the ship motor and it’s maneuvering around. There’s two pools and jacuzzi, mostly barely used during this cruise. The only time the jacuzzi got crowded was our day at sea.
Are the optional tours less crowded? I’m not a huge fan of tours in general, but feel too lazy to plan this time. TBH it doesn’t matter the size of the tour, you’ll look like a tourist if you’re in one. Also, they’re less than half a day, so is there any reason why you can’t spend the rest of the day on your own?
Looks like Viking will be great if you want evverrrything taken care of. I just came back from Mexico with Holland America, I prefer skipping cruise excursions and doing my own thing heading into a town and checking out the food. So, for Europe I'll probably pass on Viking, though it does look like they provide an amazing service, I wouldn't want my hand held the entire time. Would love the onboard lectures though..
It’s a lot of hand holding. There are some ports where you can just DIY and walk around yourself or use a taxi. It was rare to see someone not take advantage of the included tours though.
Just booked our fourth Viking Ocean cruise since 2018. One of the best amenities is the free guest laundry. On a recent 13 night cruise I brought only 7 changes of clothes plus what I had on. That made for easy packing. And yes, I'm one of those more interested in the journey than the destination which is why longer cruises with several sea days are so great.
Don't be nervous. The only nerve wracking part is getting to the city where you board the ship. Once you get to baggage claim, there will be Viking reps looking for you. That's why they give you red luggage tags, and red Viking stickers. They will look for the red tags/stickers and come find you. The boarding process usually takes less than 20 minutes. Once you're onboard you can tour the ship, or just relax and meet new people. The staff will almost always do everything they can to make your trip as fun and relaxing as possible. I witnessed several staff members in the buffet re-aligning tables so that they were perfectly spaced. If you prefer to have a certain alcoholic beverage or coffee, they will have that memorized in less than a day, as well as having your name memorized.
Yes. Viking includes one free tour at each port. Its usually a city walking tour. But if you want to explore beyond that, there are additional tours that have additional charges. Most are excellent. But if there is an insufficient number of people, they will cancel the tour.
Great video. Planning to travel on River cruise next year. We'll book the air ticket through Viking, if flight cancelled or delayed, will Viking take responsibility and rearrange?
We will be doing a Viking cruise from Istanbul to Athens and we will have one morning in Istanbul before the included afternoon Bosporus strait cruise excursion. Could you tell me if it is convenience to leave the ship and explore the city (to Blue Mosque) then return to the ship. From other videos, we saw many check points in the port to the actual ship. Thank you for the video and the information!
"Caters to an older crowd" Is there a decent mix or is everyone 70+? We are booking for this February and would prefer to hang out with people in the 40-60 age range.
I would say the average age of a cruise under 10 days long is 65. If you are in the 40-60 age range you will feel very young g on this cruise. I could count the amount of people under 40 on two hands. For cruises longer than 10 days, the average age is 70+.
I've been on 5 Viking cruises with my wife and another couple. My impression is that there are a lot of people In the 40-60 range. Maybe not the majority. But plenty enough to make friends with in the lounges. The entertainment nights, cultural enrichment talks, and stuff like trivia, or the gym also provide opportunities to meet people. Also, when you see someone in your age group, just go up and introduce yourself. Maybe even suggest sharing a table for meals. Enjoy!
Viking is not the only player in this industry. She only talks about Viking. There are tons of other value-priced companies that have the same or better services.
It’s pretty smooth and most of the time we barely noticed we were moving. The most you’ll feel is when entering / exiting ports because it involves some turns. You won’t see stuff shifting around, however you’ll hear the boat vibrating and maneuvering around a bit. The Mediterranean is fairly calm waters overall, but if there’s a storm you can feel it a bit. No one got sea sick on any of our cruises.
Yes - to clarify, you can certainly travel solo with Viking, it just can be pricey and we noticed the rooms are more geared to double occupancy. They do have solo traveler get togethers most nights, like happy hour. According to their site: On occasion, Viking will make special solo traveler fares available.
Their average cruise is normally double that price. They went during Christmas time and not a normal touristy time of year, so the prices for those types of cruises are significantly cheaper.
I was wondering about that. The cost sounded too good to be true! I'm going on my first Viking river cruise this summer and for an 8 day cruise it is considerably more expensive than the price she quoted. We're also looking into a Viking ocean cruise for next year and all prices appeared to be double, However I prefer either spring or early autumn. @@erics607
Not quite "all inclusive"...gratuities are NOT included. We just booked our first Viking cruise and I was surprised to learn that our grats were $17/day. Also, there are drinks that are not included, unless you buy the Silver Spirits pkg. And one of the specialty restaurants is not included and it isn't cheap.
@@RunTheAtlas Doesn't it depend on the country you book from? If you are from the US you may pay gratuities but those of us from Australia, NZ and the UK have gratuities included in the original cost of the cruise. We've just returned from the Iconic Iceland cruise ending in New York and had no gratuities to pay.
Christmas movies in the theater, carols and live music, Christmas dinner, complimentary egg nog, everyone working on board wears a Christmas hat. And a Christmas fruit bread was in our room as a gift.
Just completed a four-day cruise to Nassau and Bimini. I've never, ever seen so many obese people in my life. Soo much food was wasted by people that needed exercise more than eating. Wasn't a black woman over 20 who wasn't 50 pounds overweight.
They do serve spirits but it costs extra and only available at certain parts of the ship. It’s more like martinis and gin & tonics than margaritas and pina coladas. Basically this cruise is the opposite of a Carnival cruise in every way.
Last August I took a voyage with SeaDream Yacht Club in the Adriatic. In a few ports we knew there was a Viking ship in the vicinity because we’d see 20 or so groups of people wearing orange earphones traipsing by following someone waving a stick with a Viking symbol on the end. None of these people ever looked happy. As you said, they did stick out as tourists. Maybe a better plan is to spend some time reading up on the ports before you leave home so you can do a self guided walk through the town. Or just hire your own personal guide. Yes, it may be expensive, but as the trip is a special event why not splurge a bit to make sure you will get some really wonderful memories.
PS. My 1st cruise was with NCL Epic. My start SUCKED as they left my luggage out in the rain. They washed it and it shrunk. however the food, the ship & the service were great. I went this year on Carnival Horizon & IT SUCKED SO BAD. NEVER EVER AGAIN. The food was over cooked & dry. It was the same old crappy stuff. I would go NCL any day over carnival.
Viking is the ONLY cruise line that I have EVER beeen servered a day-old leaftover steak from the day before, in the specialty resturant. O.o did I forget to mention the Peking Duck Burrito. ROFLMAO Defently not worth three times the money. I'm not the only one.....
Peking duck burrito?! That’s an interesting one… 🤔 I did notice the creativity of the menu was a little far fetched. The reservation dining had items like elk tartar and rabbit ravioli… (something along those lines) I didn’t want to be on a boat / tour buses the next day after eating experimental cuisine. How did you know the steak was old?
That’s the demographic of this cruise. If it was Contiki it would be 18-35. Every cruise and tour has a diff demographic group. I’m calling it out because if you’re not in that age group, you’ll be one of a few.
Horrible, don't do it. Worst time I've ever had and most money being a total waste! City of. Light s cruise was nothing but a horrible time. Boat broke down, horrible food, and crew was rude to everyone. Take another cruise line any of them would be better than Viking. I could not hate it more. A total waste of 14,000 dollars!
The best video about Viking cruises! Lots of useful information and great shots of the ship. state rooms and destinations❤
Glad it was helpful! 🚢🚢🚢🙌
@@RunTheAtlas are all food and drinks included or are the better wines extra?
There is another UA-camr that has done over 100 cruises all over the world. He has been to Greece many times. He did a Viking Ocean to Greece in the last 2 years and said he learned more about Greece than all the other cruises he had gone on to Greece combined. He loved the learning aspect. He is a more of a solo cruiser, but well educated. That was the only downside of Viking. Most of the passengers of Viking are very well educated. That is a major positive in my view.
We just completed a Viking cruise from Rome to Barcelona. Your comments are spot on👍 It’s was a wonderful experience and we hence booked a river cruise for next year. The adult only, small ship, all balcony and all inclusive format appealed to us! We have cruised with other fine cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean and Princess, but Viking is more to our liking at this stage of life!
We are doing the Rome to Barcelona with Viking in December. I've been trying to find out train information to get from Rome Airport to downtown Rome, then downtown to the ship for embarkation, to Monte Carlo (this sailing does not stop there) and Barcelona downtown and airport. Any ideas please?
We are going on that same cruise May 1st.
Karenbastin9991 I take it you didn’t book your flight through Viking? When you do, they take care of arranging all your transfers. I hope someone can help you! We’re doing this trip in October.
Thank you. That was a great video. My wife and I are going on the Saturn in about a month. Our first Viking cruise. We are truly excited and looking forward to it. Have a great day!
Glad it was helpful! Enjoy your cruise - it's so exciting to set sail on the ocean!
I sailed the Mediterranean on Saturn and it was the best vacation ever!😊
Your video is spot-on and one of the best I’ve seen! We took our 1st Viking Ocean Cruise to Norway and Iceland in 2022 (13 days). The ship was stunning, the service so accommodating, the cabin roomier and more comfortable than other cruise ships we’ve been on, the food absolutely delicious, and while it doesn’t have the “entertainment” you’ll find on other cruise lines, we were very happy with the evening show and the piano player, guitarist, and violinist were wonderful! We took advantage of some of the “included” excursions and they were quite nice. If you’re back from an afternoon excursion early enough, “Tea Time” is very nice! Our 2022 trip was truly enjoyable. We are now leaving for the 13 Day Viking Mediterranean Cruise in October. I just am baffled that you state you paid $2,899 per person? We paid $7,200 per person for our 2022 cruise and $10,547 per person for our upcoming cruise. Did your cost include airfare? And how many days was your cruise?
Liked but no reply...hmmm
We went on Viking's Alaskan cruise in 2022 and loved it. We are going on a river cruise in 2025 from Switzerland to Paris.
My wife & I just got back from a Viking cruise to Turkey & Greece & it was fantastic! The ship was great. The food was great & the stateroom was very good with a balcony. The tours were great & we had a lot of great lectures & entertainment. We also loved the violinist & pianist. Viking also made the flight arrangements & someone was present on the first stop & directed where to go in the airport. Free laundry so you don’t have to pack a lot of clothes.
Thanks for the review. Most of the ‘cons’ are really about any ocean cruise, regardless of brand. One definitely has a trade off between ease and ability to really dive into a culture when cruising. Sometimes I want to just relax and not have to worry about logistics and sometimes I want to plan my own trip.
That is true! There are a lot of trade offs with cruising in general.
We do both. No matter what tour or cruise we’ve been on, we start or end with a few days to a week on our own. Usually it’s because there’s something I really want to experience in depth. And because we don’t go abroad for less than 2-3 weeks. We live in MT, it’s far to anyplace & we do love that business class air travel, haha. So it’s always a big trip.
Being big Viking fans, you did a terrific job giving a rundown of Viking Ocean.
We did Barcelona to Venice on Viking, wonderful cruise, best staff on the water. We've also done river cruises with them and in a few weeks we are headed out on the "Search for the Northern Lights" cruise to the northern tip of Norway. We did 6 cruises with other cruise lines (Carnival, Holland America, Norwegian, and Celebrity) but after trying Viking we will probably never be going back. Just love the low key and all inclusive nature of Viking.
Going on the Barcelona to Venice 13-day Mediterranean Odyssey trip in Sept/Oct. Would you recommend any specific paid excursions that you felt were worth it vs the free included excursions? Thx
@@kevinmchugh870 I'm sure there have been changes to the excursions since our cruise, but some of them that we enjoyed were; Montserrat monastery of the black Madonna, I enjoyed the tour of the Da Vinci museum (my wife not so much), we did a dinner tour of the Colosseum and Forum, I enjoyed the tour of Herculaneum (I think my wife would have preferred Pompei), The wine and oysters tour in Dubrovnik was probably our favorite, and we also enjoyed the Krka fall tour in Split.
Enjoy your trip.
@@kevinmchugh870 I'm sure the offered excursion have changed some since our cruise, but some of the non-included excursions we enjoyed were: Montserrat tour of monastery of the Black Madonna, Boat tour of Calanques near Marseilles, Tour of Da Vinci museum (I loved it, wife was bored), Dinner tour of Colosseum and Imperial Forum, Tour of Herculaneum (I think my wife would have preferred Pompeii), Wine and Oysters in Dubrovnik (our favorite of the cruise), and a tour of Krka falls in Split.
Enjoy your trip...I'm sure you can't go wrong with anything you choose.
Thank you
As a fan of Viking, I'll add my observations: the thing we like most about Viking, is it's not a party cruise. It's more educational (if you want to participate in that experience, not something you have to do). I tell folks that are considering Viking, that if you like specialty dining, wifi, and the included excursion, then the price difference isn't that great. Also a hint, when you make your reservation, you select a certain number of specialty dining..BUT, the moment you check into your room, go on the TV and make all the reservations you want. We've had experience when booking, the only meal times were very, very late, but the first thing we do when we get to our room, is go on the TV and every reservation we wanted was available. I guess they prebook a small Orton of the meal service and leave the rest for once folks get to the ship. Having been on 3 Viking cruises we often pay for specific excursions to see and do what we want to. The free one/ included one, is usually just a basic tour of the area with a few stops for sightseeing. If you are going to a port and want to experience a specific thing, buy that excursion. For some, the entertainment is not good, but it's okay to us. Usually very basic but good enought to provide an enjoyable evening.
Agree - we weren’t looking for a party cruise as I was traveling with my family. It’s more classy and educational on board.
Great feedback. This will be our very first cruise and wasn't sure if the price of the additional excursions were worth it. We plan to book 5 free and 5 paid excursions. Do you have any tips on when the excursions become available to book? Do these book quickly from your ex[experience?
My wife and I did the Grand European river cruise last August and it was fantastic. Viking really makes it easy.
Yesterday, my wife surprised me by booking our first ocean cruise, this time over Christmas. Barcelona round trip with stops all over the Med. I can only hope that the ocean cruises are as good as the river cruises. This from a guy who swore he had no interest in any kind of cruise. Viking changed my mind! The included tours were great, the extra time in ports and the food…OMG, the food was so good! Looking forward to December and my first trip to the Mediterranean!
Excellent review. We did the Midnight Sun cruise last fall and the Christmas Markets River Cruise in December. Fabulous! Headed to southern France river cruise soon.
Glad you enjoyed it! The Christmas Markets River Cruise has been in my bucket list for years!
I agree with your comments, both good and bad. We make it a rule to find our own local restaurant at least a few times to experience the cuisine, even though that means "wasting" the money for the onboard meal. The onboard meals are great, but they are an interpretation of the regional cuisine, not exactly authentic. Some of our most memorable experiences have been when we skipped the included tour and explored on our own.
It depends on the itinerary you're doing with Viking as it pertains to how long you can do stuff in each port. If you're doing a 7-8 day cruise, you may only be in each port for 1 day or half a day. I did a 15 day cruise with Viking this past summer in the Scandinavian region. I did a 2 day pre extension, so I got 4 days in Bergen, Norway but if you flew in the day of, you still could have stayed out late the day you arrived since we didn't leave until the afternoon the next day. We were also in Oslo for 1 1/2 days, so you could do whatever you wanted the first day. The optional excursion we chose for Oslo basically included the included excursion, so we spent most of the first day wandering around the city on our own. If we really wanted to, we could have gotten on a train and went somewhere else in Norway since the ship was staying overnight.
Thank you - great review! We did our first Viking River Paris to Normandy with pre and post extra days in Paris where I had all the time I wanted to do the local “wander and savor” moments. I LOVE that Viking offers door to door assistance at the airports and extension hotels - including a walk in Paris before hotel check-in. We are looking to cruise 2026 Barcelona to Venice - very exciting!
That’s awesome! Viking is great about the pre/post trip add-ons. Enjoy Barcelona to Venice!
My late wife and I were on the Adriatic cruise from Venice to Athens. Personally, my favorite port was Koto in Montenegro. Beautiful and it has a lot of variety. plus I got to see a Yugo. You don't get to see that very often.
Going on theViking Mediterranean cruise in a few weeks. Our first cruise ever. I think we will like it and glad to hear so many good things about it.
Have fun! It's such a memorable travel experience. Which ports are you headed to on your cruise?
@@RunTheAtlas Barcelona, marseille, Monte Carlo, Florence, Rome, Naples, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Split, Venice!
@@betha59 We are going on the same trip in Sept/Oct. Cant wait it will be our first cruise.
@@kevinmchugh870 you will love it!
I`m watching a documentary about Christianity currently & making use of your cruise videos. On your day in Ephesus you may have stood in some exact spots where the Apostle Paul stood 2000 years ago during his missionary journeys. On a personal note I think its amazing to have a video of your trip there (& other creators) so easy to view. In years past the Aegean basin area seemed like a far off land which I could only read about because I`m just a small town kind of person. Travel Possibilities are exciting.
Viking actually has one of the best itineraries if you’re interested in Paul (and John). The Greek Odyssey cruise goes to Thessaloniki which is rare, and there’s an optional excursion to Corinth, as well as the port of call near Ephesus. And a couple other Islands Paul went, I think.
Three years ago we went on our first Viking cruise that included the Scandinavian countries and Germany where we got to see what's left of the wall ... the staff is wonderful and you get to know them. They do everything to make your cruise as enjoyable as possible ... and they are fun! The food is wonderful and they offer food that relates to the region. What we've also found - we're on our third cruise this upcoming year, we have had the same cruise advisor helping us - she gave us her extension number and she always steers us to what we need to know.
Can you share your cruise advisors name?
We completed a Viking cruise like yours in January this year (2024). It was like you said except for Crete and Athens. We were able to temporarily ditch the tour to partake of some authentic Greek food.
Yay I’m glad to hear! We def wanted to ditch the tour to get the real foodie experience. Greek food is amazing
The cost of additional optional excursions can add up quickly. The Silver Spirits package is great if you are into fine spirits and wines.
We just got back from The Rhine Viking trip & loved it. U can do the excursions or go on ur own, eat wherever u want, as long as the ship is in port. Pay attention to the time u must be back on board! But u can dive deeper into the culture, if ur that kind of more experienced unafraid traveler! The more u travel with Viking, the more perks u get (discounts on ur choice of wine upgrades, room upgrades, if available, etc.). The only way to go! It is getting younger. We r active tourists in early 12:33 60’s & noted many family groups! Already have trips planned for the next 2 years with Viking. We have traveled with families & found it affordable for all. It is expensive for singles, though. There’s other cruises for 18 & over that’s more affordable for singles, like Virgin.
Great observations! We took the Romantic Danube River cruise one year and it was great. I’ve always wanted to do the Rhine - how did you like that one?
Planning to travel on River cruise next year. We'll book the air ticket through Viking, if flight cancelled or delayed, will Viking take responsibility and rearrange?
Very accurate review!! Our British Ilse next week will be our 6th Viking cruise and all you have shared is 100% accurate! Love Viking!!
We are hoping to do this cruise in the spring. I hope you'll post how you liked it!
I’m a self-organizing traveler - I’ve driven rental cars in several European countries and love to stay in one place for 3 - 5 nights. I also have taken only one cruise - a so-so cruise on one of Royal Caribbean’s smaller boats when my daughter was in elementary school - she loved it, I didn’t. But I am very excited to be cruising with Viking from Athens to Istanbul this spring. My friend and I paid the single supplement to get our own rooms, but we took advantage of a huge sale, which steeply discounted the rooms and gave free airfare. I think Viking just might change my opinion of cruising. I’m very excited! We’re staying in Athens several nights before the cruise and in Istanbul several nights after, so we’ll get a wonderful immersion into those cities, and the other ports of call are places I’d probably only want to spend one day in anyway - except Crete. If I really like it there I could see returning there in a self-organized trip. But I don’t know that I’d take a cruise where a large city is a port of call rather than the embarkation or disembarkation city - it might be too frustrating for me.
That’s so exciting!! Athens and Istanbul are beautiful ports to sail into. Istanbul is particularly stunning in my option. The cruise is definitely more of a hand holding experience than what you’re used to which makes it relaxing! You can still do your own thing if you want when you get to the ports, but the Viking cruise includes their own tours. They are very introductory to the place.
How did you enjoy your cruise from Athens to Istanbul . We are doing one in May of 2026. Was the season you went a hood one.
I loved it being on the ship - it was so relaxing! I went in late April/early May and the weather was very good. Here’s some advice based on my experience.
1 - definitely do the infinity pool in the aft of the boat - particularly as you are leaving a port - you likely will have it to yourself because people don’t seem to use it
2 - make sure to spend time in the lovely pool in the spa
3 - after returning from land excursions, grab a deck chair on the pool deck but along the sides facing out toward the sea
4 - do eat at the Chef’s Table - it’s a great experience
5 - otherwise eat dinner in the dining room instead of at the buffet - the dining room menu features some of the items on the buffet each day but the dining room dishes are made to order - the food is much better in the dining room than in the buffet
6 - consider researching the attractions at the ports of call and taking a taxi to them or hiring a driver (or a local guide). I found the Viking excursions a bit frustrating because they were very basic. For example, I just saw the highlights in the ancient city of Ephesus on the Viking tour - I wish I had taken a taxi to Ephesus and spent a couple of additional hours seeing more stuff there. Same with Troy - if you took a Viking excursion, you could either see the museum or tour the ruins, but not both - do both on your own (after doing research, of course).
Enjoy!!!! My next Viking trip will be from Santiago, through the Chilean fjords, around the southern tip of South America and up to Buenos Aires. I can’t wait!
Thanks for your very informative detailed video!
I joined the Viking Sun in February of 2019 in Valparaiso Chile for a segment of the world cruise and crossed the Pacific. We had lots of sea days which was my favorite aspect of it all. We visited Robinson Crusoe Island, Easter Island, Thaiti, Bora Bora, Bay of Islands NZ, Aukland NZ, Wellington NZ, Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound fjiords then crossed the Tasman sea to Sydney Australia. I went solo so there was no discount but it was my first long ocean voyage and worth every penny. This last February I went back down there and did a solo Royal Caribbean 12 day cruise on the Ovation of the Seas and enjoyed it almost as much as Viking. Spent two extra nights in Sydney.
We've settled on Holland America as a base, which I think is the best of the mass market (excluding entertainment). Viking Ocean seems like the best option for an occasional upgrade, especially those transatlantic cruises. We're going to head to Spain for the eclipse in 2026, and then try our first Viking River cruise a few days later.
We are 3 star on HAL. "Upgrade" for us is the occasional Neptune Suite. Viking is not worth anywhere near its lofty cost [or pretense] unless you want to cruise like a vegetable.
Best video about Viking Cruises! The Eagle excursion with Seafood Boil and walk was an highly recommended excursion on the Princess Alaskan cruise 2022, but extra.
We are taking our first Viking cruise in October.
Took our first last Nov. You won't be disappointed!.
thanks! I've outgrown party vacations and just want peace and relaxation. I want to surprise my bf with a cruise next year and they are difficult to sort through these days. viking caught my eye because of the no kids and all inclusive bit.
Viking is definitely a great choice for a relaxing vacation! The all inclusive part made it so easy because you don’t have to handle any payments during the trip.
i love Viking cruises. they are so organized and you dont need to do any planning andthe airfare is so cheap.
The free shore excursion per port is typically under 4 hours, and you have to get back to the ship yourself if you want to explore longer (some people use the tour as transportation only and let the guide know). To see the excursions generally offered, click on the itinerary, then click on the specific day, looking closely for the one marked included. Details will be available at time of booking, about 100 days before the cruise (best rooms can book sooner).With the overnight stay in Livorno, there is a free tour to Pisa, but no free tour the other day. We are opting to use the train to get to Florence (trenitalia, tickets available 2-4 months in advance) , as the 9 hour Florence on you own only gives about 5 hours to explore Florence and then tour Pisa the second day as we set sail at 8pm tour (independent tour transportation has less free time). Florence tours include one of the top two museums, so I booked independent to hit them both. We are flying into Rome for 3 days on our own, and staying an additional day in Barcelona. I think our cost will be one half what Viking would have charged for add on days, staying in $200 hotel, 1-2 guided tours per day, restaurants, using metro, train and a couple of taxis. The convenience of not having to plan is not cheap! Tours are pre-paid at booking and may be refundable as ship credit. Final cruise payment is due 1 month after booking, while other cruise lines allow more time to pay. While it is refundable, your money is tied up. Many times the specials offered are for specific cruises, what we booked didn't have as good an offer. I am still looking forward to our cruise, but am learning to read the fine print. I think we are only using two of the five free tours. For the cost of the cruise, I don't want to be limited to 3 hours in port and am willing to to pay more.
Shore excursions??? Terrible
We got back from a Norwegian, Faroe islands and Iceland cruise 2 weeks ago. Agree with is review brand large. It was a brilliant holiday and it it is hard to think of any negatives with Viking. Now hoping to do an Alasken cruise next year with Viking.
Wow how were the Faroe Islands? That’s been on my bucket list forever
We have been on 2 Viking Ocean cruises to include one on the Saturn. Excellent description of the Viking experience.
Thank you for your honest opinion. I was getting very interested in Viking cruises but we are indeed foodies and I like to explore so they are not yet what we would really enjoy.
Glad it was helpful! Yes ,if you're a major foodie and love trying local cuisine, it might be best to do a different type of trip. It would be hard to miss the Neapolitan pizza experience in Naples!
@@RunTheAtlas if you do enjoy local cuisine, which cruise would you recommend?
This was so helpful. We are going on our first Viking cruise, doing the same itinerary you describe here. We are a bit worried because for all the pros of uncrowded adult-only experience with very good rooms, the "nanny feel" of having everything planned out and structured, with little opportunity to do a deep dive into culture and restaurants, scares us. We also dislike being looked at when we are traveling as "tourists" and the thought of standing out with a guide with a sign and a big crowd of obvious older Americans, makes me shiver. Oh well, I think we'll have to go in with our eyes open and recognize that we should enjoy this, knowing it might not be the best fit for the way we like to travel. (Also, I *hate* that we chose to have them handle our flights, as we disliked the itinerary very much but weren't allowed to change it.) 'Nuff said that we will hopefully enjoy this, but this may be a one-off for us.
One thing you can do is a trip extension in the beginning or end so you have some time to explore on your own. You also can just do shore excursions on your own dime too if you just want to walk around without their included bus tour.
Its safer in a pack than alone. I lived in Naples 4 yrs and you will stand out even alone. Pickpockettadah😂
I just wanted to share something I found amusing: The UA-cam ads that popped up before/during your video for me were for Viking River Cruises.
I noticed that as well! This video is not sponsored but I suspect Viking bought the “cruise” or “Viking” keywords which are in the title of the vid
My wife and I went on a Med cruise (Athens -Ephesus-Crete-Sicily-Naples-Rome) last November. We enjoyed the no kids and no casinos (and no sales) part. The excursions were quite good. Super-friendly crew. Morning buffet felt like a cattle car. Generally restaurant food was "fair". One dumb thing they do - they have the "port talk" at 4PM. If you go on an afternoon excursion, you miss it. Why they don't record it and make it available on the TV I don't understand. Room was very comfortable (Jr. Penthouse). Absolutely LOVED Ephesus, and highly recommend going to Taormina if you go to Sicily.
Haha we agree on the morning buffet - it felt chaotic at times. I would try to get there when it opened to avoid the crowd or get room service. We missed most of the port talks as well. It's definitely hard to attend everything you want to see.
Oh yes - Ephesus! Such impressive architecture. I love how the cruise focuses on learning and education about the sites.
the port talks are shown on your TV anytime, including live or recorded
@@timlewis1956 Interesting - they were NOT available on our cabin TV during our cruise
Great video. Thank you for posting :)
Glad you enjoyed it!!
Love your videos! I was wondering on the Viking cruise, looks like you sailed close to winter season. How was the waters? Was it real choppy? Also were you able to take advantage of the pools or was it too cold for it?
A lot of times we could barely tell we were moving, the waters were pretty smooth. It feels more like a gently pull with a low humming sound, and you can leave the doors open in your veranda to hear the sound of the ocean too. The only times we felt the water was pulling into port because you hear the ship motor and it’s maneuvering around. There’s two pools and jacuzzi, mostly barely used during this cruise. The only time the jacuzzi got crowded was our day at sea.
Are the optional tours less crowded? I’m not a huge fan of tours in general, but feel too lazy to plan this time. TBH it doesn’t matter the size of the tour, you’ll look like a tourist if you’re in one. Also, they’re less than half a day, so is there any reason why you can’t spend the rest of the day on your own?
Great video I’m looking into a Viking cruise I’ll let you guys know which one I decide on 👍
We’d love to know which cruise you go with!
Thanks so much!
You bet!
Looks like Viking will be great if you want evverrrything taken care of. I just came back from Mexico with Holland America, I prefer skipping cruise excursions and doing my own thing heading into a town and checking out the food. So, for Europe I'll probably pass on Viking, though it does look like they provide an amazing service, I wouldn't want my hand held the entire time. Would love the onboard lectures though..
It’s a lot of hand holding. There are some ports where you can just DIY and walk around yourself or use a taxi. It was rare to see someone not take advantage of the included tours though.
Good heavens - you can do whatever you want at port…. Come on and off as many times as you like
Just booked our fourth Viking Ocean cruise since 2018. One of the best amenities is the free guest laundry. On a recent 13 night cruise I brought only 7 changes of clothes plus what I had on. That made for easy packing. And yes, I'm one of those more interested in the journey than the destination which is why longer cruises with several sea days are so great.
Yes same! I loved having the laundry service, it saves so much space in my suitcase. I just have to bring a couple changes in clothes.
Great video. Iam booked for iceland in June. My only other cruise was 35 years ago. Just retired so iam nervous.
Have fun! Once you get in board you’ll feel like you’re home! They even say welcome home when you come back on the ship after the excursions.
Don't be nervous. The only nerve wracking part is getting to the city where you board the ship. Once you get to baggage claim, there will be Viking reps looking for you. That's why they give you red luggage tags, and red Viking stickers. They will look for the red tags/stickers and come find you. The boarding process usually takes less than 20 minutes. Once you're onboard you can tour the ship, or just relax and meet new people. The staff will almost always do everything they can to make your trip as fun and relaxing as possible. I witnessed several staff members in the buffet re-aligning tables so that they were perfectly spaced. If you prefer to have a certain alcoholic beverage or coffee, they will have that memorized in less than a day, as well as having your name memorized.
Yes. Viking includes one free tour at each port. Its usually a city walking tour. But if you want to explore beyond that, there are additional tours that have additional charges. Most are excellent. But if there is an insufficient number of people, they will cancel the tour.
Great video. Planning to travel on River cruise next year. We'll book the air ticket through Viking, if flight cancelled or delayed, will Viking take responsibility and rearrange?
Great review, I really appreciate this.
We will be doing a Viking cruise from Istanbul to Athens and we will have one morning in Istanbul before the included afternoon Bosporus strait cruise excursion. Could you tell me if it is convenience to leave the ship and explore the city (to Blue Mosque) then return to the ship. From other videos, we saw many check points in the port to the actual ship. Thank you for the video and the information!
"Caters to an older crowd" Is there a decent mix or is everyone 70+? We are booking for this February and would prefer to hang out with people in the 40-60 age range.
I would say the average age of a cruise under 10 days long is 65. If you are in the 40-60 age range you will feel very young g on this cruise. I could count the amount of people under 40 on two hands.
For cruises longer than 10 days, the average age is 70+.
I've been on 5 Viking cruises with my wife and another couple. My impression is that there are a lot of people In the 40-60 range. Maybe not the majority. But plenty enough to make friends with in the lounges. The entertainment nights, cultural enrichment talks, and stuff like trivia, or the gym also provide opportunities to meet people.
Also, when you see someone in your age group, just go up and introduce yourself. Maybe even suggest sharing a table for meals. Enjoy!
Viking is not the only player in this industry. She only talks about Viking. There are tons of other value-priced companies that have the same or better services.
This video is on Viking only
@@RunTheAtlas Duh!
Does the ship move around a lot on the open sea or does the ship's stabilizers smooth things out?
It’s pretty smooth and most of the time we barely noticed we were moving. The most you’ll feel is when entering / exiting ports because it involves some turns. You won’t see stuff shifting around, however you’ll hear the boat vibrating and maneuvering around a bit. The Mediterranean is fairly calm waters overall, but if there’s a storm you can feel it a bit. No one got sea sick on any of our cruises.
very informative. I would be traveling solo. I guess I need another cruise line.
Yes - to clarify, you can certainly travel solo with Viking, it just can be pricey and we noticed the rooms are more geared to double occupancy. They do have solo traveler get togethers most nights, like happy hour.
According to their site: On occasion, Viking will make special solo traveler fares available.
@@RunTheAtlas awesome.. thanks
Gratuities onboard is 25eur/ day, or about 300 eur per couple for a week.
The cost of your cruise was 2900 pp for how many days?
8 days - www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/western-mediterranean/journey-to-antiquities/index.html
Thank you!@@RunTheAtlas
Their average cruise is normally double that price. They went during Christmas time and not a normal touristy time of year, so the prices for those types of cruises are significantly cheaper.
I was wondering about that. The cost sounded too good to be true! I'm going on my first Viking river cruise this summer and for an 8 day cruise it is considerably more expensive than the price she quoted. We're also looking into a Viking ocean cruise for next year and all prices appeared to be double, However I prefer either spring or early autumn. @@erics607
Thank you.
Not quite "all inclusive"...gratuities are NOT included. We just booked our first Viking cruise and I was surprised to learn that our grats were $17/day. Also, there are drinks that are not included, unless you buy the Silver Spirits pkg. And one of the specialty restaurants is not included and it isn't cheap.
You’re right! Gratuities come at the end of the cruise
The food is terrible and the wines are grocery store wines. Do not eat on the boat. So many great restaurants close by.
@@RunTheAtlas Doesn't it depend on the country you book from? If you are from the US you may pay gratuities but those of us from Australia, NZ and the UK have gratuities included in the original cost of the cruise. We've just returned from the Iconic Iceland cruise ending in New York and had no gratuities to pay.
@@tomblevins5020 Well that's not our experience - the food was top class in every part of the ship and we are discerning foodies.
@@chrisdennis3615 You just pay more up front.
Viking's trip insurance is very expensive. I was surprised.
Anything special onboard for Christmas?
Christmas movies in the theater, carols and live music, Christmas dinner, complimentary egg nog, everyone working on board wears a Christmas hat. And a Christmas fruit bread was in our room as a gift.
What type of currency do you bring?
I brought dollars and some 💶 euro. Kusadasi took euro since it’s a big tourist cruise port
Just completed a four-day cruise to Nassau and Bimini. I've never, ever seen so many obese people in my life. Soo much food was wasted by people that needed exercise more than eating. Wasn't a black woman over 20 who wasn't 50 pounds overweight.
Haha my uncle used to call cruises “fat boats” for this reason
Fat or body shaming is offensive!
When you say umbrella drinks, do you mean Mojitos, Pina Coladas and things like that? I'm curious, because I'm not a beer and wine guy.
They do serve spirits but it costs extra and only available at certain parts of the ship. It’s more like martinis and gin & tonics than margaritas and pina coladas. Basically this cruise is the opposite of a Carnival cruise in every way.
They'll make most any drink. And the cost of a drink is reasonable, unlike the big-box cruises.
Good video but we just got back from Alaska and it was not worth it.
My wife and I are considering an Alaska cruise on either Viking or Holland America. Why do you feel your Alaska cruise on Viking wasn’t worth it?
@@JBM425 I'd like to know too
Last August I took a voyage with SeaDream Yacht Club in the Adriatic. In a few ports we knew there was a Viking ship in the vicinity because we’d see 20 or so groups of people wearing orange earphones traipsing by following someone waving a stick with a Viking symbol on the end. None of these people ever looked happy. As you said, they did stick out as tourists.
Maybe a better plan is to spend some time reading up on the ports before you leave home so you can do a self guided walk through the town. Or just hire your own personal guide. Yes, it may be expensive, but as the trip is a special event why not splurge a bit to make sure you will get some really wonderful memories.
Funny - your cons, are my pros!
Haha!! Which is your top reason to join the cruise?
Is it true no kids on Viking?
It is true
PS. My 1st cruise was with NCL Epic. My start SUCKED as they left my luggage out in the rain. They washed it and it shrunk. however the food, the ship & the service were great. I went this year on Carnival Horizon & IT SUCKED SO BAD. NEVER EVER AGAIN. The food was over cooked & dry. It was the same old crappy stuff. I would go NCL any day over carnival.
Watch out for their cancelation charges and getting a refund.
This is very true!
Viking is the ONLY cruise line that I have EVER beeen servered a day-old leaftover steak from the day before, in the specialty resturant. O.o did I forget to mention the Peking Duck Burrito. ROFLMAO Defently not worth three times the money. I'm not the only one.....
Peking duck burrito?! That’s an interesting one… 🤔 I did notice the creativity of the menu was a little far fetched. The reservation dining had items like elk tartar and rabbit ravioli… (something along those lines) I didn’t want to be on a boat / tour buses the next day after eating experimental cuisine. How did you know the steak was old?
Do not eat on the boat. You are traveling through Europe and you eat with a bunch of tourists in a cafeteria???
5:06
Rooms and common areas look very dated.
Funny you say that, we took a different cruise with them in 2018 and the rooms and decor remained unchanged
Best advice? Do not eat on the boat. You will see so many beautiful cities full of great restaurants. Why drink grocery store wine???
Oh snap! Sorry, all of us boomers messed up your cruise. God forbid you would be standing in the line with a bunch of old people.!!!!!!!
That’s the demographic of this cruise. If it was Contiki it would be 18-35. Every cruise and tour has a diff demographic group. I’m calling it out because if you’re not in that age group, you’ll be one of a few.
Horrible, don't do it. Worst time I've ever had and most money being a total waste! City of. Light s cruise was nothing but a horrible time. Boat broke down, horrible food, and crew was rude to everyone. Take another cruise line any of them would be better than Viking. I could not hate it more. A total waste of 14,000 dollars!
So; any hot women on these beautiful ships??😅