Viking Ocean Cruises: The Ultimate Guide

Want to see more of the world while enjoying the relaxing comfort of a floating resort hotel? That convenience is a hallmark of a cruise. This article highlights the features of a Viking Ocean cruise that transports passengers to worldwide destinations. Viking is an industry leader for many reasons, including its appealing destinations, varied excursion options, attention to detail in designing private and shared spaces, and welcoming and hard-working staff members.

Viking regularly receives industry accolades. For example, Travel & Leisure rated Viking the world’s best for ships with 300 to 799 cabins in July 2023. Similarly, Condé Nast Traveler awarded Viking the Readers’ Choice Award in October 2022.

My husband and I have cruised with Viking for years, and we have come to rely on their impeccable hospitality and interesting, varied excursion choices. On a Viking Ocean cruise, we enjoy the comfort and amenities of our stateroom, meeting new people on the ship, taking time to indulge in the spa services, cooling off in the pool, feasting on varied menus in the different onboard restaurants, sipping wine on our private balcony, relaxing in the Explorers’ Lounge while at sea, and enjoying the entertainment offerings in the afternoons and evenings. There’s so much to like about a Viking ocean cruise experience. No wonder they’re a perennial favorite for many cruisers.

**The Viking *Sea* is docked in Montenegro.**

Contents

Viking Ocean Cruise Ships

Viking’s ocean ships each have a capacity of 930 guests and are considered small ocean ships compared to other cruise lines with thousands more guests. Its smaller size at about 750 feet long often enables it to dock at ports that mega-ships (that can total 1,000+ feet long with 5,000+ passengers) can’t approach. This is an excellent benefit for Viking guests because they can often walk off the ship and begin exploring a destination. Otherwise, guests are tendered to shore on small boats — a practice most often required for mega-ships. On a recent 10-day Viking Ocean cruise, we were required to tender to shore only once. On that same cruise, we saw mega-ships tendering guests to port in other destinations while our ship unloaded us at the dock.

The Viking ocean ships have the same layouts in calming Scandinavian design, colors, and decor. Once you travel on one Viking ocean ship, you know what to expect from all the others.

**Passengers enjoy a sunset in the Explorers’ Lounge aboard a Viking ocean ship just above the ship’s bridge.**

Destinations

Viking Ocean cruise ships travel to all the continents except Antarctica (although Viking Expedition ships sail there). The journeys span from 8 to 180 days and depend on the number of and distances between destinations. There are journeys in and along the coasts of Canada and the U.S.; Latin America, including the Panama Canal; South America, including the Amazon; Europe, including Scandinavian and the Mediterranean ports of call; Asia, including India, China, and Japan; as well as Australia and neighboring New Zealand.

What Do Passengers Like About Viking Ocean Cruises?

Past passengers have their favorite aspects of a Viking ocean cruise, and their favorite memories include:

not having to worry about anything once aboard a flight on the way to the embarkation point.
the friendly staff and their service (this is a popular response).
the quality and selection of food in various dining locations.
the spaciousness of the ship and never feeling crowded.
the interesting lectures … and the option to watch them later on the stateroom TV if unable to attend in person.
relaxing in the Living Room, listening to a pianist play nearby.
afternoon tea in the Wintergarden.
sitting in the Explorers’ Lounge while watching the world go by.
heated bathroom floors and anti-fog bathroom mirrors.
a massage in the spa after a day out exploring.
being able to order room service 24/7 (at no extra charge).
adults only (no passengers younger than 18), so no children are underfoot or running around.

Who Travels on Viking?

Viking caters to adults (18 years old and above) seeking to learn more about an area’s cultural, historical, and natural qualities. Viking states that their cruises are “thinking person’s” cruises. Most guests are aged 40 and up, traveling solo, as couples, as groups of friends, plus some traveling with their grown children and/or grandchildren.

Viking Ocean Cruise Excursions

Viking offers various excursion choices highlighting UNESCO heritage sites and local establishments, culinary and cultural experiences, and active outings in cities and national parks. Of course, excursion choices are dependent on the destination itself. Rest assured, there are plenty of options.

**View from the Old Fortress in Corfu, Greece**

There are complimentary excursions in each port; these “included” excursions are usually walking or bus tours of a city and give a general overview of a place. In addition, several “optional” excursions are more focused on guests’ interests, such as visits to museums, castles, forts, concerts, farms, estates, and wineries, as well as recreational outings like hiking and biking. While there are no fees for the “included” options, there are charges for the “optional” excursions (that typically range from about $60 to $200+ each). In addition to the “included” excursions, expect about 6-10 “optional” excursions.

I’ve found it difficult at times to choose excursions. What helps me is weighing how much time an excursion takes (they can span from 2-8 hours), how active it is (a stroll through a town vs. a hike in a national park), and how long a bus ride may be to reach the excursion destination. I like to have a balance throughout the cruise, so I also have downtime on the ship, enjoying its amenities.

For more details, please read my article on Viking Ocean Cruise excursions, their costs, options, planning tips, and how to book them.

Viking Ocean Cruise Staterooms

There are six stateroom categories ranging in size from 270 to over 1,000 square feet. All staterooms have private balconies and two chairs. My husband and I enjoyed spending time on our balcony: we sat there and ate breakfasts (from room service) in the mornings and sipped wine in the evening while enjoying the views.

Stateroom stewards take good care of guest rooms. They clean staterooms twice daily, restock the refrigerator, and ensure guests have what they need. Never hesitate to request something you need. If they have it, they’ll surely give it to you!

All staterooms have some common elements like a king-size bed that can be separated into two twin beds, a private balcony, plenty of storage, bathrooms with heated floors, a TV, a stocked mini-fridge, electrical outlets that accommodate USB, Type B (American standard) and Type C (Europlugs) outlets so there’s no need to pack adaptors.

**Living area in a Viking Penthouse Junior Suite stateroom**

As the stateroom category rises, there is more square footage, more upholstered furniture pieces, and other appealing features. Some of those extra perks are the ability to access your stateroom earlier on embarkation day and book your excursions, dining reservations, and spa appointments earlier than lower stateroom categories.

Rest assured that you can board the ship when you arrive on embarkation day, but you may have to wait on the ship – perhaps enjoying a buffet lunch – until your stateroom is ready.

The Viking Onboard Experience

A few things set Viking Ocean Cruises apart from other cruise lines.

First, Viking cruises are for adults only. No passengers are younger than 18, so the atmosphere is calm and relaxed.

Second, Viking has been committed to providing excellent service. My husband and I are impressed with our cheery, positive interactions with the Viking staff. They seem genuinely interested in ensuring guests have a wonderful time aboard the ship. Many show interest in learning about us and where we live. Likewise, many welcome conversations about their lives as well as where they’ve lived and traveled.

Third, the variety of onboard activity options is quite appealing. The list is long and includes listening to live lectures by historians and other experts in their fields; spending time at the pool, the fitness center, or the spa; dining on delicious food from around the world; or simply relaxing in the Explorers’ Lounge, the Living Room, the Wintergarden, outside on one of the decks, any other shared space on the ship, or your stateroom.

Finally, there are a myriad of exciting excursions offered at each destination. That means you’re covered if you’re a history lover, like to sample wines at boutique wineries, want to participate in a cooking class in a villa, prefer to be active by hiking or biking, enjoy scenic boat rides, visit workshops of local craftspeople, want to join a fisherman in a joint quest for a great catch, visit someone’s home or farm for a meal, or simply take a relaxing walking tour of a town.

Note that if you’re considering a spa treatment (massage, facial, mani, pedi, haircut, etc.) while aboard, it’s best to book online (at MyVikingJourney.com) when the reservation window opens for your stateroom level. You can also book once on the ship, but to guarantee you’ll receive the service you want when you want it, try to do it before leaving home.

To learn more, please read Viking Ocean Cruise Onboard Experience: What You Need to Know.

**The infinity pool and hot tub on the Aquavit Terrace — very close to the and the World Café Aquavit bar, so food and drinks are always nearby.**

Common Spaces Aboard A Viking Ocean Ship

Viking ocean ships have a variety of well-designed common spaces that provide a variety of settings to enjoy. There are three pools (the main pool, the infinity pool and hot tub on the Aquavit Terrace, and the thermal pool and hot tub in the spa), the Wintergarden, which is a relaxing, airy space enclosed in glass where afternoon tea is served, and a host of other relaxing spaces – both inside and outside the ship. Some popular places to unwind, read a book, gather with friends, or play a board game are the two-level Explorers’ Lounge, the Living Room, and the Atrium seating areas.

**Wintergarden – a place for afternoon tea or whenever you seek a relaxing place**

Dining Aboard a Viking Ocean Ship

Guests can find just about any cuisine they imagine on a Viking Ocean cruise. The World Café offers a variety of options, served buffet style, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Restaurant is the main dining space with tables topped with white tablecloths; here, you can choose from classic menu items (like chicken, salmon, steak, and vegetarian options) as well as creative international dishes.

The Chef’s Table and Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant are specialty restaurants requiring reservations. Chef’s Table offers a five-course tasting menu highlighting a specific cuisine, such as Asian, British, or Chinese. Manfredi’s is a popular place for Italian fare and steak.

In addition to the restaurants, guests can enjoy a meal at Mamsen’s, a small Norwegian-inspired café, order room service 24/7 (at no additional cost), or grab a bite at the Pool Grill or the Living Room bar.

I suggest you plan when you’ll want to try the specialty restaurants, so you can make a reservation online (at MyVikingJourney.com) as soon as the window for dining reservations opens up for your stateroom level. For example, if you’re in an Explorer Suite, you can make your dining reservations 90 days from your sail day. If you’re in a Penthouse Junior Suite, you can make them 80 days before your cruise begins. And if you’re in a Deluxe Veranda Stateroom, you can do so 60 days before your sail day. Basically, the more expensive staterooms have priority over the less costly staterooms when it comes to booking.

White tablecloths dress the tables surrounded by chairs at The Restaurant on a Viking Ocean cruise. — **The Restaurant aboard a Viking Ocean cruise ship**

Viking Cruise Articles

Trip Planning Articles

Final Thoughts

My husband and I have really enjoyed our cruises aboard Viking. We appreciate the soothing decor and furnishings, the comfortable staterooms, the variety of excursions, the varied commons spaces and spa areas to relax, and the high level of service from the dedicated staff. Apart from the ship itself, we like visiting exciting places without having to do detailed planning (for reservations for dining and tours) and getting transportation to each place. That’s all perfectly arranged while traveling in comfort. We still like planning our own trips because of the freedom it provides, but we also have come to appreciate cruising on Viking. Totally different experiences, but each has its advantages, and Viking has been a wise travel choice for us.

**Sunset as seen aboard a Viking Ocean cruise ship**

Comments

Please share your thoughts and experiences aboard a Viking ocean cruise. Your ideas could help future cruisers. Thanks! 🙂