Rarely does reality meet expectations, but Viking cruises are one of the exceptions. You name it, and a Viking Ocean cruise excels at it: onboard facilities, dining, staterooms, excursions, and crew friendliness. As a result, time on a Viking Ocean cruise seems to fly by. This article provides what you need to know to take full advantage of this excellent travel opportunity. My husband and I have so enjoyed ocean cruising with Viking. They pay attention to details, have highly trained crews, and provide a very comfortable way to travel to fascinating places. For a complete overview of a Viking Ocean cruise, please read Viking Ocean Cruises: The Ultimate Guide.
Embarkation
Upon arriving at the ship’s terminal, you’ll provide your passport for identification to a Viking staff member. You may have your picture taken for additional identification (this may be required even if you uploaded a picture on MyVikingJourney.com before you left home, as those uploads don’t always work correctly).
Then you’ll receive an envelope with your:
- stateroom key card that you’ll use when you leave and return to the ship, unlock your stateroom, and charge things to your account. The envelope also notes your stateroom number and the time your stateroom will be ready.
- excursion tickets. There’s one excursion ticket for each stateroom guest for each excursion. Bring the appropriate excursion tickets with you when reporting for your excursions. The Viking Daily will indicate which excursions require you to bring along the Audiovox receivers and earpieces. TIP: If sharing a room with someone, after unpacking, sort through the excursion tickets and order them together by dates. Usually, they’re placed in the envelope so that all the excursion tickets for the first guest are followed by all the excursion tickets for the second guest. I saw a few guests who assumed the tickets were ordered together and had to return to their staterooms to grab the correct tickets for that day. For detailed information on excursions, please read Viking Ocean Excursions: What You Need to Know.
Once you board, you’ll be directed to an area for a safety briefing. Sometime later, there will be additional safety announcements.
Attire
During the day, the dress is casual on the ship. In the evening, Viking suggests “elegant casual” attire. This translates to a dress or a blouse paired with a skirt, capris, or pants for women and pants and a collared shirt for men. Jeans are frowned upon in The Restaurant, Manfredi’s, and Chef’s Table. Casual clothes like jeans and shorts are commonplace elsewhere on the ship.
Attire Tips
- Request a bathrobe and slippers for your stateroom if you plan to use the onboard spa. To do so before your cruise, log onto MyVikingJourney.com, go to Onboard Experience > Preferences > Stateroom Preferences. Otherwise, request them from your stateroom steward once you’re aboard.
- Keep in mind for excursions that shoulders and knees need to be covered at some religious sites.
Bars & Dining
There’s no shortage of bars or dining spots aboard a Viking Ocean Cruise ship.
Bars
Complimentary house wines, beers, and soft drinks are served during lunch and dinner. Outside of meal time, you can always purchase alcoholic beverages at the many onboard bars — which have generous hours, from mid-morning till late at night. Plus, you can bring wine on board (perhaps from shopping while on an excursion), and a bartender will gladly uncork the bottle for you — at no charge.
Viking offers a Silver Spirits beverage package with premium wines, beers, cocktails, and spirits. The cost is $25 per night per guest; if interested, both guests in a stateroom must purchase the package. Read more about this option by logging onto MyVikingJourney.com, going to Onboard Experience > Dining & Beverage > Silver Spirits Beverage Package.
Dining
Viking Ocean ships provide an enticing collection of menus and dining spaces — from casual pub-type food to fine dining to 24/7 room service. All food is included in the cruise cost, so there’s no upcharge for dining in one of the specialty restaurants.
For casual dining, head to the Pool Grill or the World Café (a buffet offering an ample assortment of salads, sandwiches, entrees, sides, and desserts). Also, Mamsen’s offers a Norwegian-inspired menu, including the popular heart-shaped waffles, open-face sandwiches, and desserts.
Three dining spaces offer more formal dining. The Restaurant is an expansive dining space with a varied menu from classic favorites to international dishes. The two specialty restaurants are Chef’s Table, with a rotating menu focused on specific cuisines, and Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant, which concentrates on Italian fare and steak. These two restaurants require reservations that can be made online via MyVikingJourney.com before your cruise begins (highly recommended) or once onboard.
In addition to the restaurants, there’s afternoon tea in the Wintergarden (that also features live music). And as mentioned, room service is available 24 hours a day. On some Viking Ocean cruises, the Kitchen Table features a unique experience that includes shopping for ingredients (on an excursion) and participating in an onboard interactive cooking lesson for an additional charge.
Communication
Viking does an excellent job communicating with guests before, during, and after your journey.
Once you’ve booked a Viking ocean cruise, you can log into MyVikingJourney.com, which has detailed information on your cruise (including entry information to the countries you’ll be visiting). In addition, this is where you’ll specify stateroom amenities you’d like (such as bathrobe and slippers), sign up for excursions, make reservations for specialty onboard restaurants, and sign up for the Silver Spirits premium beverage package (if you want).
Onboard, Viking continues to keep guests informed through:
- Daily Announcements: The cruise director usually makes daily announcements (around 8:00 am) detailing the day’s excursions and other special events. These announcements are heard in the common areas – usually not in your stateroom — helpful if you decide to sleep late.
- Viking Daily: each evening, you’ll receive this printed newsletter in your stateroom that has information for the coming day, including departure times for excursions as well as a schedule of events on the ship, such as afternoon tea, lectures, entertainment, and so on. TIP: Take a picture of the first page of the Viking Daily each evening when you read it because it has the ship’s contact information, location, your country’s embassy contact information, and the time you need to be back on board – all of which is essential information when you’re away from the ship. Plus, having the Viking Daily on your camera roll will help you remember the locations of all the pictures you snap the next day!
- Viking Voyager App: you can manage restaurant and spa reservations through the Viking Voyager app. Download the app before leaving home; it’s activated once you board.
Education & Entertainment
Expect an interesting array of education and entertainment onboard a Viking Ocean cruise ship.
Daily port talks contain information about what to expect the next day. In addition, there are destination-focused lectures, TED Talks, and documentary films throughout the cruise. The lectures and port talks are presented in the Star Theater and are available later on your stateroom TV if you miss the live presentation.
On a recent Empires of the Mediterranean cruise, my husband and I listened to a historian describe the power of the Venetian Republic, armed with its maritime and trading strength and wealth, which dominated other lands for over 1,000 years. That power influenced the culture, history, and architecture of many of the ports of call on our itinerary. Very interesting!
In addition to informative talks and films, there are plenty of entertainment offerings. These include live musical instrumental performances in the Atrium most afternoons and evenings, during Afternoon Tea in the Wintergarden, and in the evening at the Explorers’ Lounge. There are also live evening performances in the Star Theater and Torshavn, the nightclub-type lounge. If dancing is your thing, there are opportunities for that, too. Look for all the entertainment offerings in the Viking Daily, the daily newsletter waiting for you in your stateroom after you return from dinner. It’ll give you a complete schedule of the next day’s schedule, excursion departure times, and more.
Exercising
The Fitness Center is near the spa (Deck 1) and has treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes, free weights, medicine balls, and yoga mats. Bottled water and towels are within reach while working out. If you want to get some fresh air while you try to reach your daily step goal, walk or jog outside on Deck 2 (4 laps equals one mile).
Guest Services
Head to Guest Services (Deck 1) if you have questions or concerns about the cruise. Also, although they won’t exchange money, they will break a large banknote into smaller denominations. This is especially handy after I withdrew money at an ATM (while off the ship) only to receive €50 bills. Once back on board, I requested smaller bills from Guest Services. Small denominations make it easy to tip tour guides and bus drivers and pay for small incidentals while on tours.
Laundry
There are complimentary self-serve launderettes with washers and dryers on four levels of the ship (Decks 3, 4, 5, 6) for guest use. No need to bring laundry soap (Viking provides it) or dryer sheets (Viking doesn’t want them used in their dryers).
In addition to the self-serve laundry facilities, Viking offers laundry services where you can send your laundry out to be cleaned. This service is free for several stateroom levels (Penthouse Junior Suite, Explorer Suite, and Owner Suite) and at a nominal cost for guests in other stateroom levels. Laundry charges are $3.50 for a pair of jeans or pants, $2.50 for a men’s sports shirt, $6.00 for a dress, and $1.00 for a pair of socks. Regular service means that if the laundry is picked up in your stateroom by 9:00 am, it will be returned by late afternoon/early evening the next day. There is a 50% surcharge for same-day service.
Safety and Health
- There is a mandatory short video presentation in the Star Theater upon boarding the ship on the first day. After that, there will be an announced time for all passengers to listen to safety announcements. There are life jackets and lifeboats for every passenger, and the crew will give directions should those items be needed on a cruise.
- The crew has weekly safety drills (usually when guests are out on excursions) to continue practicing procedures should an emergency occur.
- You must scan your stateroom keycard when you leave and return to the ship. This is how the ship’s captain knows who is always on the ship — a significant bit of information when it’s time to leave a port. Also, when you return to the ship, your belongings (e.g., backpacks, purses) will be scanned either in the cruise terminal or as you step aboard.
- Hand sanitizer is available throughout the ship, and guests are encouraged to wash their hands at the sinks upon entering the World Café.
- There is a medical center onboard all of Viking’s ocean cruise ships.
Spa Features
The spa is the place to head to when you want to relax thoroughly. Guests are invited to use the spa features whenever the spa is open (usually 8:00 am to 8:00 pm). Reservations are required for paid spa services such as massages, facials, manicures, etc.
Complimentary Spa Features
The spa offers saunas, a cold plunge pool, a thermal pool, a snow grotto, and locker rooms. Viking suggests that guests try the Nordic bathing routine, where you alternate between spending time in a warm environment like the sauna with a dip in the cold plunge pool and/or snow grotto.
Paid Spa Services
The spa offers massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, haircuts, and personal training services for a fee. In addition, there may be early morning yoga sessions offered. These services require an appointment which can be made on MyVikingJourney.com before leaving home or once onboard.
Spa Tips
- Book your spa appointments on MyVikingJourney.com when your window for reservations opens. You can change or cancel your spa reservations online after your initial booking.
- Plan to change into a bathrobe and slippers in your room before heading to the spa. (You can request a bathrobe and slippers on MyVikingJourney.com, so they’ll be waiting for you in your guestroom. Or you can request them from your stateroom steward upon arrival.)
- Stay on top of your scheduled spa appointments The spa will charge you the total fee for a service if the treatment is canceled less than 24 hours from your appointment time.
- The spa is operated by a company independent of Viking, so expect to be offered an opportunity to tip after a service has been provided (as the pre-paid gratuities option Viking provides does not cover spa services). For instance, after my massage, I was given an iPad to rate the experience and an option to tip (which I did).
Tipping
Viking offers a prepaid gratuity option that provides tips to the entire crew – those seen and unseen. (Many people work behind the scenes to make the cruise run smoothly, like the cooks and those doing laundry, cleaning, and maintenance.)
To supplement the gratuity option, you may want to acknowledge excellent service from some staff members who have made your cruise enjoyable and meaningful – like your stateroom steward or a favorite server. I pack a few thank you notes and include an extra tip (in the local currency, like Euros for Mediterranean cruises) for our stateroom steward. I usually hand any extra tips to servers who have provided stellar service. (If planning to tip a server, I suggest handing them the money discreetly when talking with them during a meal.)
Travel Consultant
There’s an onboard Viking travel consultant (Deck 2) to help guide you if you’re contemplating booking another Viking cruise – be it on a river, ocean, or expedition ship. Sometimes there’s a financial benefit to booking another cruise while onboard rather than waiting till you’ve returned home.
Viking Staff
It’s hard for me not to overemphasize the difference the Viking staff makes in the overall experience. They are a hard-working team that genuinely wants to make their guests’ experiences positive.
Disembarkation
You’ll receive a letter explaining the disembarkation procedures with color-coded luggage tags one to two days before the cruise’s end. The luggage tags will help Viking sort the bags based on the guests’ plans, such as joining a post-extension trip or flying home.
Basically, you’ll need to have your luggage outside your stateroom door the night before disembarkation, keeping your personal items (e.g., backpacks or bags) with your passports, medications, and any valuables with you.
On the morning of departure, you will most likely be asked to gather in a specific part of the ship, like the Atrium, to await transfers to your post-cruise destination (e.g., post-extension or airport).
Related Articles
Viking Cruise Articles
- Viking Ocean Cruises: The Ultimate Guide
- Viking Ocean Cruise Dining: What You Need to Know
- Viking Ocean Cruise Excursions: What You Need to Know
- Viking Ocean Cruise Staterooms: What You Need to Know
- Viking Cruises: Best Action Steps to Take After Booking a Cruise
- Viking River Cruises: The Complete Guide
- Best Sights to See on a Viking Grand European Tour Cruise
- Viking Antarctica Cruise: A Complete Guide for Adventurers
Trip Planning Articles
- Best Apps and Websites for Savvy Travelers
- Travel Lightly: Top Ten Tips for Your Next Trip
- Travel Planning Timeline
- Expert Tips for Traveling to Europe for More Fun, Less Stress
- How to Use Google Translate While Traveling
Final Thoughts
My husband and I thoroughly enjoy cruising aboard Viking. We appreciate their attention to detail regarding the ships’ design aesthetic, their many dining venues, shared spaces, and staterooms. One feature that is mentioned over and over by Viking cruisers is the staff’s stellar service. We agree. All the Viking crew members throughout the ship greeted us with smiles — and sometimes by name — and were eager to make the cruise comfortable and enjoyable for us.
Some Favorite Experiences
- breakfasts (from room service) every morning while sitting on our balcony and discussing the day ahead
- working out in the fitness center — a great way to burn off some of the many calories consumed onboard
- Swedish Deep Tissue massage and other experiences at the spa — so relaxing and refreshing
- dining in The Restaurant — a nice variety of international and destination-focused menu choices
- lectures in the Star Theater — helped to add perspective and context to our destinations
- sipping on tea while nibbling on scones at afternoon tea in the Wintergarden
- relaxing in the Explorers’ Lounge in the afternoons and evenings — the best way to unwind and watch sunsets
- port talks — prepared us for the next day’s adventures
- savoring some wine on our balcony in the evenings while recapping the day
We’ve so enjoyed our onboard experiences that we’re already looking forward to the next Viking cruise we booked while on the last one.
Comments
Feel free to share your suggestions and thoughts about life aboard a Viking Ocean Cruise ship. Your ideas could help other cruisers. Thanks! 🙂
