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Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/15/23 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/15/23

Viking Octantis. A Great Lakes Expedition Cruise

By John and Sandra Nowlan

From the exterior it doesn’t look like a typical expedition ship. But Viking Octantis combines all the elements of a luxury expedition cruise experience with unique features that make it stand out.

Expedition ships typically store their Zodiacs outside on upper decks. On Octantis the 17 inflatable craft are kept in a huge lower deck area called The Hangar that also houses 16 kayaks, two Special Operations Boats (comfortable, 12 passenger military-style speedboats) and two compact yellow submarines. These spherical submersibles can hold six guests in comfortable seats with a 270 degree view. Quite unlike the Titan and its ill-fated Titanic dive, these two submarines, named John and Paul, rarely go more than 100 feet below the surface but are designed to handle depths of 1,000 feet. On Octantis’ sister ship, Polaris, the two submarines are called George and Ringo.

Viking’s Special Operations Boat in Lake Superior

Viking Octantis is ice certified for polar exploration and will regularly take guests to the Arctic and Antarctic. But our cruise was an unusual and memorable expedition to some remote areas on the Great Lakes, sailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Milwaukee, little known to cruisers, is a delightful city with our historic downtown hotel, The Pfister (dating from 1893), located close to some fine restaurants and the excellent Public Market.

Boarding Viking Octantis the next day we were impressed by the muted and functional Scandinavian design and furnishings as well as space allocation. The ship’s capacity is just 378 guests but the generous public spaces could easily handle more. The many lounges, in particular, were stunning with cozy chairs, electric fireplaces and bookshelves stocked with fiction and non-fiction titles guests could borrow.

Our room was on the smallish size at 220 square feet, but was well laid out with walk-in closets, a very comfortable bed and a bathroom with a generous sized shower. Instead of a traditional balcony (often impractical in frigid polar regions) we loved the “Nordic Balcony”, floor to ceiling windows that half lowered at the touch of a button. Fresh air, a great view and extra space!

Like all expedition ships the emphasis aboard Viking Octantis is on science, learning and exploration. Instead of a casino, pool games or lavish entertainment the ship has two science labs with opportunities for hands-on experiments plus a staff of naturalists for questions and guidance on excursions. With the rich geology of the Canadian Shield around Georgian Bay and Lake Superior a disappointment for us was the lack of a trained geologist to discuss the extraordinary rock formations.

Releasing the weather balloon from the top deck

Science was on full display when Octantis, one of only two commercial ships in the world to work with the U.S. Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, released a helium weather balloon with instruments from the top deck. Data were collected as it rose almost 20 miles into the morning sky.

Being a Norwegian owned ship we expected a fine spa area and weren’t disappointed. All guests had free access to the well-equipped gym, the hydrotherapy pool, heated loungers, a covered open air hot tub called a Badestamp plus a series of Nordic spa rooms with a sauna, steam enclosure, a multi-nozzle rain room, a water bucket room and even a chilly snow grotto for the very brave. For an extra cost, guests could enjoy a manicure, pedicure or massage.

Expedition cruises build up an appetite and Viking lived up to its reputation for fine cuisine. For a relatively small ship the choices were extraordinary. The main dining room called The Restaurant and the excellent World Café buffet had similar menus each day but The Restaurant, with white tablecloths and fine service, was more formal. Many senior officers seemed to get their dinner at The Grill, close to the buffet and offering nightly lobster tails and a selection of top grade steaks at no extra cost for all guests. Wine and beer are complimentary at lunch and dinner.

Creative open faced sandwiches at Mamsen

Many guests loved the Italian specialties at Manfredi’s or the Deck 5 sushi bar. Our favorite venue for lunch was Mamsen’s, named for the mother of Viking’s chairman. Her recipes for Norwegian open faced sandwiches and decadent desserts were inspired.

Expedition cruises focus on non-traditional itineraries and Viking delivered. The Great Lakes is a relatively new region for cruising but it’s the largest area of fresh water in the world and was formed at the end of the last ice age, 10,000 years ago. From an industrial area of Milwaukee (city officials are planning a better cruise terminal) we sailed north on Lake Michigan, then under the Mackinac Bridge, the largest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere, connecting Michigan’s lower and upper peninsulas. Our first stop was nearby Mackinac Island, a unique tourist destination with a 1780 fort, the luxurious Grand Hotel with the world’s longest front porch (660 feet), 13 fudge shops and a law banning vehicular traffic. The island is truly a step back in time as “rush hour” involves bicycles, horse drawn carriages and riders on horseback.

Rush Hour on car free Mackinac Island Michigan

From Mackinac Island we entered Canadian waters on Lake Huron and then Georgian Bay for three stops. The huge bay is sometimes called the sixth Great Lake because of its size (5800 square miles – 15,000 square kilometers). Tours were available to hike wilderness trails or board a Zodiac, kayak or a Special Operations Boat to explore the rugged, pristine shorelines for animal sightings or the dramatic igneous and metamorphic rock outcroppings. On a visit to the town of Parry Sound, Ontario, and nearby Killbear Provincial Park we were inside the UNESCO Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve with its 30,000 islands, the world’s largest freshwater archipelago.

We also visited isolated Killarney Mountain Lodge for a Great Lakes fish fry and the even more remote Okeechobee Lodge, accessible only by boat. It was once a popular holiday destination for Chicago mobsters.

Remote Killarney Mountain Lodge in Georgian Bay

Leaving Georgian Bay and Lake Huron we headed west towards Lake Superior. A cruise highlight for many Octantis guests was our entry into the Soo Locks located between the U.S. and Canadian cities of Sault Ste. Marie. This engineering marvel, dating back to the mid 1800s, bypasses the river and rapids joining Lake Superior to Lake Huron. Operated by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, it uses only gates and gravity to raise or lower about 10,000 ships a year the 21 feet differential between the two lakes.

Our first stop in Lake Superior was to the tiny north shore community of Silver Islet, once the location of the world’s most valuable silver mine. It’s now home to Ontario cottagers who embrace solar power and live totally off the grid. The old fashioned general store does a lively business with tourists.

Silver Islet Ontario Solar panels for all

From Silver Islet it was just a short sail to Thunder Bay, our final stop on an extraordinary Great Lakes adventure. This former fur trading post now has a population of about 110,000 and honors the past at Fort William Historical Park, a living museum recreating the early 1800s with costumed interpreters and a marvelous collection of birch bark canoes.

Birch bark canoes at Fort William Historical Park

Instead of shuttling us directly to the airport as most cruise lines would do, Viking gave us an unexpected and welcome city tour, a visit to the Historical Park, a stop at dramatic Kakabeka Falls (the second highest in Ontario) and time to admire the impressive Terry Fox Memorial and Lookout. The Memorial, adjacent to the Trans-Canada Highway, marks the exact spot where cancer activist Terry Fox, with a prosthetic leg, was forced to abandon his coast to coast, cross Canada run for cancer research. Sixty countries and millions of participants now take part in the annual Terry Fox Run.

Viking has become a significant player on the global cruise scene with a fleet of 90 river, ocean and expedition ships. All share Scandinavian heritage and interior design elements. But its two Polar Class 6 ships, Viking Octantis (named for the southern polar star) and Polaris (the North Star) are unique and like their names, have become stars in the fast growing expedition cruise market.

John and Sandra Nowlan are travel and food writers based in Halifax.

Photos by John and Sandra Nowlan

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/23/22 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/23/22

Viking Mars Viking Homelands Cruise

Rickee and I spend 10 nights on Viking Mars

By Chris Dikmen, President, CruiseReport.com

Itinerary: Stockholm, Stockholm, Mariehamn, Aländ Islands, Gdansk, Poland, Bornholm, Denmark, Berlin, Germany, Copenhagen, Älborg, Denmark, Oslo, Oslo, Stavanger, Eidfjord, Bergen, Bergen

INTRODUCTION

Viking Cruises started in 2000 with the purchase of four river cruise ships and proceeded to build a reputation as the world leader in European river cruises. We have been sailing with Viking since 2003, way before the launch of their revolutionary Viking Longships. We have watched this company quietly grow and expand into a major player in the cruise industry.

In 2015, Viking launched their first Ocean cruise ship, the Viking Star, and every year after that, or so it seems, they crank out another ocean-going ship. There are currently eight Viking Ocean ships sailing, with another on the way: Viking Saturn, in 2023. Unlike most cruise lines, Viking Ocean’s ships are all virtually identical. They all carry 930 guests, which, by today’s standards almost qualifies them as small ships. From the outside, the ships are honestly nothing special. If you see Viking Mars docked next to Celebrity Edge Or Carnival Mardi Gras, your eyes are going to move toward the larger, more glitzy ship.

On the inside, Viking ships are subtle and elegant. Nothing is “in your face”. There’s no shock-and-awe when you step aboard a Viking ship. The decor is understated and most definitely Scandinavian, but not in a cheap IKEA way. All of the furnishings and materials are of the highest quality. The interior is comfortable and inviting. The ships are contemporary, but very tasteful. And, they are all virtually identical on the inside. What this means is that when you book your next cruise with Viking Ocean, you only need to concern yourself with the destination, because no matter which ship you choose, it’s going to be just like the last one you were on.

Also, this is a cruise line for adults, in fact, no children under 18 are allowed. There are no water slides, no ropes courses, no rock climbing walls. This 15-night night itinerary is referred to by Viking as “Viking Homelands”.

PRE-CRUISE AND ARRIVAL

We booked our air with Viking and we paid for a business class upgrade with Scandinavian Airlines. Unfortunately, about a week after we purchased our air, SAS pilots went on an extended strike and the airline was basically grounded for more than 2 weeks. So, here we are a week before our cruise and we did not know if SAS would even be in business, much less still flying. Viking’s air department offered to re-book us on IcelandAir going to Stockholm and returning from Bergen on Iberia. Also, our return flight would now require an additional overnight stay in Madrid. Needless to say, even though Iceland Air and Iberia both offer business class, it is not the business class experience we were hoping for. These were very expensive upgrades and we were looking forward to the nice lay flat-business class seats. There were other airlines offering business class service which we would have much preferred over IcelandAir or Iberia. Finnair, for example. However, these airlines were not Viking partner airlines and not available to us. I am not telling this story to complain, only to warn you that when you book air through a cruise line and pay for business class, you may end up on a completely different airline or with a completely different itinerary, or both. That said, with the current state of airline travel, I would highly recommend booking through the cruise line so that you have an advocate to assist you should something go wrong. If we had booked directly with SAS, we would probably have been screwed. I feel like Viking’s air department did all they could to make the best of a bad airline situation.

At the time of our cruise, airlines were experiencing record numbers of delays and cancellations. Also, lost luggage was a real serious concern. For this reason, we reached out to our friends at Luggage Forward and they offered to ship our two large duffle bags from our home in Dallas to Stockholm. We have used Luggage Forward in the past with excellent results. They are a sponsor of this channel. They overnighted our luggage tags and instructions to us and, about 12 days before our cruise, a DHL truck picked up our bags and shipped them to Stockhom. The next time we saw our bags, they were sitting outside of our stateroom on Viking Mars when we boarded. We can highly recommend Luggage Forward.

As it turned out, we got lucky and all of our flights were on time. We arrived in Stockholm the day prior to our cruise. We always plan on arriving an extra day or two prior to embarkation just in case there is a flight delay or cancellation. We were fortunate to be hosted on this trip by Hotel Rival, the #2-rated hotel in Stockholm according to TripAdvisor. This boutique hotel is centrally located in Stockholm and is a perfect pre-/post- hotel for cruise guests as it is less than 10 minutes from the cruise ship port. We enjoyed a very comfortable room and an excellent meal at The Tavern restaurant downstairs. Thank you, Hotel Rival. I should also mention that Viking offers guests pre-cruise and post-cruise hotel accommodations which include transfers from the airport and to the ship.

EMBARKATION

After enjoying the complimentary breakfast at Hotel Rival, we ordered an Uber to drive us to the cruise port which, as it turns out, is only about 10 minutes from the hotel. Embarkation begins at 11am and we arrived right at 11am and guests were already in line at the small makeshift tent set up next to the ship. Check-in was a breeze. We simply presented our passports and we were handed our stateroom keys and invited to board the ship. It could not have been any easier.

Unlike my 2021 cruise aboard Viking Orion, our 2022 cruise on Viking Mars had no pre-cruise Covid testing requirements. Of course, these protocols can change at any time, so make sure you check the Viking website for the protocols on your particular sailing. Once we stepped aboard Viking Mars, we were greeted with a glass of sparkling wine and invited to head to the Star Theater for a life vest demonstration, which only took a few minutes. Viking does not put life vests in your stateroom. Instead, they keep the life vests in the muster stations. In the event of an emergency, you don’t have to go back to your stateroom to get your life vest. You simply go to your muster station where a life vest will be waiting for you. This actually makes much more sense to me. It also frees up storage space in your stateroom, and prevents guests from dragging life vest straps up and down stairs, which can easily cause someone to trip and fall.

After the life vest demonstration, we were told that our stateroom would not be ready until 1pm. However, we decided to stop by our stateroom anyway to drop off our hand luggage before going to lunch. We were greeted in the hallway by Ida, our stateroom attendant, who informed us that our stateroom was in fact cleaned and ready for us ahead of schedule. He mentioned that we needed to watch the safety video playing on the stateroom television and to confirm through the Viking App that we had watched it, which we did.

After watching the video, which takes about 5 minutes, we headed to World Cafe on Deck 7 aft for lunch.

THE SHIP

*Viking Mars Docked In Copenhagen, Denmark*

Viking Mars can accommodate 930 guests. There are 10 Decks accessible via elevators and stairs. Public spaces are on Decks 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9. Deck A is below Deck 1 and is only used for embarkation in some ports or tender operations. A bank of 4 elevators aft are quite large and very fast and they go from Deck A to Deck 8. There are two forward elevators that go all the way from Deck A to Deck 9. The medical center is located on Deck A forward.

These ships are extremely easy to navigate and large touch screens are located in the elevator lobbies to help, just in case you get lost. The elevators even have a GANGWAY button that will always deliver you to the correct deck for disembarkation when in port. Very smart design. In fact a lot of thought has obviously gone into the design of these ships.

DELUXE VERANDA STATEROOM

Our Deluxe Veranda stateroom 6046 was located on Deck 6 midship. It was a great location for me since each morning I could simply walk up one flight of stairs and easily get to World Cafe where I would have my morning coffee and work on my blog. The Deluxe Veranda is 270 sq. ft., Last year on Viking Orion, I was in a Penthouse Veranda which, at 338 sq. Ft., is noticeably larger. Nevertheless, the Deluxe Veranda stateroom is very comfortable.

As we enter from the hallway, you find the door to the bathroom, which we will go into in more detail at the end. There is a large cabinet with a shelf for storage, a coffee maker/espresso machine, a very large electronic safe, large enough to hold a laptop, iPad and all your valuables and three large drawers for storage. The bed can be configured as two twin beds or as a single queen-size bed, as we have here. One one side of the bed you will find the closet behind sliding doors. The space between the bed and closet is very narrow and cramped.

Inside the closet, there is another dresser with three more large drawers for even more storage above with space for hanging clothes. The other side of the closet is purely for hanging clothes. There is a shelf on top for more storage as well. Complimentary bath robes and slippers are provided as well as an umbrella. It should also be emphasized that all of the drawers throughout the stateroom are the soft-close type to cut down on excess noise between staterooms. As for the bed, I found it reasonably comfortable while Rickee claimed it hurt her back. I have since learned that we should have requested a topper for her side of the bed. It just did not occur to us to ask. The mattress was firm enough for my liking, but the pillows were a little soft for me. I finally did request a firmer pillow and our stateroom attendant brought a memory foam pillow that was perfect.

All of the bedding is very high quality and comfortable. The bedside tables are larger than you will find on most cruise ships, each one has a drawer, storage shelf and even a pull-out writing desk. Both nightstands have two USB charging ports, and new on Mars is that one of the USB ports is now a high-speed USB-C port. There is a 110 volt US-style outlet and a 220-volt European-style power outlet on each night stand. This is about as nice of a setup as we have seen on any cruise ship. There are light switches on each side of the bed to control all the lights in the stateroom as well as one that will turn on the bathroom light, which can serve as sort of a night-light to help you find the bathroom in the dark.

*Excellent Charging Ports on Nightstand*

Over each night stand. There is a bedside lamp over each nightstand and the switch acts as an on/off switch or if you hold down the switch, it is a dimmer so you can adjust the light. There are small, adjustable reading lights on each side of the bed as well. Across from the bed is a 42” HD TV with a good choice of programming I have found on any cruise ship. There is a choice of news channels, complimentary movies, TED talks and destination oriented content. There is also a very sophisticated interactive system for checking your onboard account balance, booking restaurant and spa reservations or shore excursions. However, on this itinerary, the live TV was not functioning when we were in most ports-of-call.

The living room features two chairs instead of a sofa. The long coffee table is adequate for in-room dining, however, a removable square table top would make for more dining space. Across from the sofa is a large desk slash vanity with more than enough room to work on a laptop. The desk lamp has two more USB charging ports in its base. There is a 220-volt European-style outlet on each end of the desk, and 2 110-volt US-Style outlets on the right side of the desk. The desk also has two Audio Vox receivers in their charging base for use on shore excursions. The telephone can be used to make phone calls from your stateroom, or to contact guest service, or other departments on the ship.

One of the signature features of a Viking Ocean stateroom is the clever flip-up lighted vanity mirror in the center of the desk. Underneath the mirror is ample storage for a world cruises worth of cosmetics. There is also an expansive mirror just above the desk. The desk chair is also very comfortable.

On one side of the desk is a large pull-out refrigerated mini-bar drawer. Here you will find cold sodas, beer, spirits and snacks. In fact, this is the coldest mini-fridge I have seen on a cruise ship and the drawer design is very efficient. We had the Silver Spirits drink package and were not charged for any sodas we consumed from the mini-bar.

The balcony is accessible through a sliding glass door, which, by the way was VERY hard to open. Nevertheless, a sliding glass door is much preferred to a hinged door since they are quieter when they close, and they do not take space away from the balcony.

There are two comfortable chairs on the balcony and a table large enough to enjoy al fresco breakfast, or a sunset glass of champagne. The balcony is not very deep, so you cannot stretch out in lounger fashion, but is it certainly large enough to sit comfortably and watch the world go by.

Now, let’s head back inside and check out the bathroom. Just outside of the bathroom, across from the closet, is a full length mirror. There are hooks on the back of the bathroom doors to hand your robes, or pajamas. There is a large glass enclosed shower with a shelf where you can put soaps, shampoos, razor, etc. I suppose ladies can also use this shelf for shaving your legs. A small wire soap rack would be a welcome addition here. Also, the shower would leak and we would get a lot of water seeping out into the bathroom floor. I had this exact same problem on Viking Orion last year, so there must be something going on with the design of the shower stall. The water pressure was always good but we did experience a fluctuation in water temperature and a couple of days, no hot water at all. I love the spacious shower stall and the wrap around glass. There is a nice size vanity with a large sink, a drawer on each side and some shelf space underneath. There are glass shelves on each side for your smaller toiletries. And, something that is a real step above, a heated floor! You never have to step out of the shower onto a cold bathroom floor.

*One Of The Nicest Bathrooms On Any Cruise Ship*

Bathroom amenities are premium Freyja brand, which is Viking’s own brand. You get shampoo, conditioner, body wash and body lotion in very large tubes. The bar soap is Freyja brand as well, and all bathroom amenities are replenished as needed.

So, was there anything that I did not like about the Deluxe Veranda? There are a few improvements that could be made for sure. Adding some hooks to the hallway wall would be a welcome addition. Rickee and I both would prefer a small sofa to the 2 chairs in the living room. We had an issue with the heat in our stateroom. Basically, there was not any. We had the thermostat turned all the way to hot and the unit was still blowing cold air from the vent. After a call to guest services, this was quickly addressed and fixed. The live television reception was abysmal during this sailing. Perhaps we just noticed it more on this cruise because we were quarantined for 5 days and stuck in our stateroom.

As you might have guessed, I was pretty impressed with this stateroom. I personally love the Scandinavian decor that you find throughout Viking ships, and that is carried over into the staterooms as well. The blue and beige color scheme gives the stateroom a cool and relaxing feeling.

Also, there is no clock in the stateroom, other than the one on the television. And, in the middle of the night, I really don’t want to turn on the TV to see what time it is. A small clock on one of the nightstands, or even mounted on the wall, would be a nice addition. Something else that I wish had been mounted to the wall are some hooks! I love hooks to hang up caps, jackets, etc. The only hooks were on the inside of the bathroom door. I always travel with some small magnetic hooks that I can use, but it would not take much for Viking to add a few hooks.

HEALTH PROTOCOLS

Since my last Viking cruise in 2021, the company has relaxed many of the strict Covid protocols. Even though Viking recommends getting a pre-cruise Covid test prior to sailing, it is no longer a requirement, at least not in the countries that our cruise was visiting. As I stated previously, these protocols can change depending on the destination. All guests were required to be fully vaccinated, but boosters were not required. As for masks, all crew members were wearing N95 masks throughout the cruise but guests were no longer required to do so, unless it was required by local regulations when on shore excursions. Masks are still provided in your stateroom. The contact tracing medallions that were required in 2021 are gone, as are the daily temperature checks at World Cafe and The Restaurant entrances. Guests are still reminded to wash their hands when entering The Restaurant or World Cafe at sinks near the entrance to these venues. At other venues, guests are reminded to use the hand sanitization stations. And, there is always a crew member there to remind you. Hand sanitization stations are located throughout the ship. Guests are also no longer required perform the daily Covid test which required spitting into a test tube each morning.

*In 2021, Viking Required A Daily PCR Test*

The buffet line at World Cafe is now self-serve. Having the crew serve you in the buffet line is the one protocol that we wish would have remained. We applaud the relaxation of these policies and it signals that cruising is returning to “normal”.

Some may find it odd that we celebrate the relaxation of these protocols since we did end up testing positive for Covid-19 on this cruise. The reason for our position is simple. Other than social distancing measures, and having crew members serve food in the buffet, we never believed that the strict protocols provided much real protection from the virus. Throughout 2021 with all of the strict protocols in place, cruise guests continued to get infected with the virus. Once it became more obvious learned that the “vaccine” per3formed more like a traditional “flu shot” and would not prevent the spread of the virus, all of the other measures started to look ridiculous. I think even the CDC figured that one out. I mean, if you can’t prevent Covid from spreading on a cruise ship, a completely closed bubble where everyone is “vaccinated”, everyone is tested, everyone is wearing masks, everyone is socially distanced, then you simply cannot prevent it from spreading.

Rickee started to feel bad on day 4 of the cruise, but nothing serious. Her symptoms started as a headache and a mild sore throat. By day 8, however, she had developed a nasty cough that kept both of us up through the night. When we went to the Medical Center on the morning of day 8, I had a mild headache, but I often get that from just sleeping wrong. I went into more detail on all of this in a couple of videos which I posted from the cruise, so if you want more details, I will put links to those videos above and in the description below.

*Viking Provided Us With OTC Meds at No Charge*

Overall, I feel like Viking’s medical staff did a good job of following up with us daily to see how we were feeling. The meds they gave us did offer some relief from the symptoms. By the end of the 5th night of quarantine, our symptoms were mostly gone. The only remaining symptoms were fatigue and a lack of appetite. We were able to move around the ship on the final day of the cruise, but we missed some of the most beautiful ports on this sailing. Also, much of the video I was planning to shoot of the ship did not get done because of our quarantine. Okay, enough Covid talk.

FOOD AND DINING

*The Sushi At World Cafe Is Some Of The Best You Will Find At Sea*

There are many dining options available on Viking Ocean ships. Let’s start at the top of the ship and work our way down. On Deck 7 aft you will find World Cafe, the ship’s Lido Buffet. World Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. World Cafe is one of our favorite buffets on any cruise line. If you have followed us in the past, you know that we are not big fans of buffets. The food is usually cold, flavorless and sub-standard. World Cafe seems to do a better job than most. There is seating and nearly identical serving lines on both the port and starboard sides of World Cafe. At the aft of World Cafe, you will find some additional seating as well as seating on the Aquavit Terrace for al fresco dining. When the weather is nice, large sliding doors can be opened to give the entire dining room an open-air feel.

At breakfast, you can choose from all of the popular items, or you can have eggs made-to-order. However, there are some changes from my Viking Orion cruise last year. You can no longer get a waffle made to order, unless you want a vegan waffle. You can only get one of the pre-made waffles from the buffet serving line. The fried rice at breakfast is gone and that was my daily go to item. There is an Asian serving station at the aft-facing section of World Cafe where they still offer some Asian specialties in the morning, like the Shu Mai dumplings and egg rolls. But, I really miss the fried rice.

For lunch and dinner, the hot dish items change every day and there is a carving station where you can have a slice of roast beef, chicken, or even Porchetta on one day at lunch! The pizza can be found at the aft section of the starboard serving line, while ice cream is served on the port side. The pizza, quite frankly, is really good if you can get a slice right out of the oven. However, after only a few minutes on the serving line, the crust becomes limp and the pies just lose their flavor.

One thing that is missing from World Cafe is a sandwich station where you can have a sandwich made to order. They do offer a daily sandwich offering, but sometimes Rickee just wants a simple ham and cheese sandwich on a baguette, which you can get on most cruise ship buffets.

The Asian stir-fry station that I enjoyed so much on Orion last year is also on Mars. During lunch and dinner there are daily specials offered here. And, while every one I tried was good, they are no longer prepared a la minute as they were on Orion. The dishes have been pre-cooked and are self-serve. There are some noodle dishes offered here that are still prepared to order which are good. I found it odd that you have to go back to the port or starboard serving line to get rice to go with your entree.

Dinner is served at World Cafe every evening from 6pm to 9pm and they still have the wonderful boiled shrimp and crab legs on the starboard serving line. On the port side serving line, you will find a selection of some of the best sushi offered on any cruise ship. There are several evenings where we wanted a light dinner and made a meal on the sushi and the boiled shrimp.

On Deck 7 Midship you will find the Pool Grill serving burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches. The burgers here are thick and juicy and can be made to order. I wouldn’t say these are the best burgers I have had on a cruise ship, but they easily in the top 3. When the line here is long, service can be very slow, so patience is required. The fries here are crispy but on our two visits, were not served hot. They still put Cole slaw on the plate and I am not sure why because all it does is provide liquid to make the fries soggy. And yes, they DO have onion rings but you have to ask for them, they are not on the menu. The onion rings have a very crunchy Panko breading and are quite good.

On Deck 7 Forward, port side, you will find Mamsen’s. I like to think of Mamsen’s as a Norwegian snack bar. Norwegian specialties are available here throughout the day and this is a good spot for early riser’s coffee each morning. The traditional Norwegian waffle is something that every guest should try at least once. And, don’t balk at the dark curls of Norwegian cheese. The cheese is a carmelized goat cheese and it actually complements the flavor of the syrup-soaked waffle.

Mamsen’s is generally open from 6:30am to 11:00am then reopens with snacks from 4:00pm - 5:00pm and 10:00pm to midnight. The cakes and sweets here looked amazing.

*Surf And Turf Served At The Restaurant*

On Deck 2 aft, you will find The Restaurant, which is the largest dining venue on the ship. The Restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch on sea days and dinner every day. We had dinner here one evening and were very impressed with the service and the food. I would say that the meal we had was as good as any main dining meal on any cruise ship and better than most. On my Viking Orion cruise they were requiring reservations to dine at The Restaurant but not on this cruise. The Restaurant is now considered one of the “Casual” dining options.

There are two specialty restaurants on Deck 1 aft. Manfredi’s is Viking’s Italian Restaurant and remains one of the best restaurants on any cruise ship. Manfredi’s is only open for dinner and the menu is the same every evening. It offers an excellent choice of Italian specialties. Unfortunately, we were only able to dine there one time on this cruise thanks to our quarantine. I had the Antipasti starter, which was excellent, Rickee and I both had the cream of mushroom soup, which was also very good.

My main course was the legendary Bistecca Fiorintina, a marinated and grilled Rib Eye that is still the best steak you will find on any cruise ship. HOWEVER, my Bistecca was noticeably smaller than I have had on previous Viking Ocean cruises. It was still delicious, and it was still a decent portion, but it was smaller. Maybe this is a supply chain issue? Rickee had the risotto, which she devoured.

*Bistecca Fiorintina at Manfredi’s Is Still The Best Steak At Sea*

My history with Manfredi’s side items has taught me to stick with the creamed spinach, which was as delicious as I remembered.

Next door to Manfredi’s on Deck 1 is The Chef’s Table, also only open for dinner. This is a unique ethnic Dégustation dining concept that features a set 4/5-course tasting menu which changes every 3 or four days. The meal includes a wine pairing with each course, however, an upgraded premium wine pairing is available for an additional $25 per person. If you have the Silver Spirits package, as we did on this cruise, the upgraded wine pairing is included.

We have dined at The Chef’s Table multiple times, but never experience the XIANG menu. I am so glad we changed our reservation to try this new, for us, menu. It may be our new favorite. The beef tenderloin main course was to die for.

All dining on board Viking Ocean ships is complimentary. On other cruise lines, you would easily pay an additional $30 to $50 per person to dine at Manfredi’s or The Chef’s Table. There is one other dining venue on Deck 1 and it does come at an additional cost. The Kitchen Table, which is an interactive cooking lab.

Viking also offers 24-hour complimentary room service with a menu which can be found on the stateroom television. Room Service breakfast can be ordered using the breakfast menu in your stateroom and hanging the menu on your door before going to bed. During our quarantine we were limited to using room service for all of our meals. Room service was generally good with delivery of our food arriving within 30 minutes of placing an order. There were a few hit or miss items. A couple of items we ordered did not make it on the tray and a couple items we did not order did show up. Breakfast room service seems to be the most efficient, probably because they do more of that than lunch or dinner.

Ham and Cheese Omelette From Room Service

The last dining venue which is very special is Afternoon Tea at Wintergarden on Deck 7 midship. Wintergarden may be one of the most beautiful spaces on any cruise ship and is perfectly suited for Afternoon Tea. Afternoon Tea is offered every day from 4pm to 5pm. Guests are offered a menu with a large selection of teas. Freshly-made scones with clotted cream and strawberry preserves are delicious. And, a three-tiered tray of more sweets and savory finger sandwiches may have you reconsidering, or at least delaying, your dinner plans. We had tea here twice and both times it was amazing.

BAR SERVICE

There are five bars and lounges on Viking Mars. The Viking Bar is located on Deck 1 midship, just off the Atrium. Here you will find very comfortable seating on Deck 1 and even on Deck 2 just above the Atrium. The Viking Bar is open from morning to midnight. This was one of our favorite places to come before dinner to listen to classical music and enjoy a cocktail. Torshaven is located on Deck 2 and is more of a nightclub atmosphere with live entertainment most evenings. Torshaven is open from 9pm till closing.

The Pool Bar is on Deck 7 midship and on Deck 7 aft is the Aquavit Bar. Both of these bars open at 10am. The pool bar closes at 8:00pm while Aquavit stays open until 10pm. Explorer’s Bar is still our favorite hangout with expansive views of the ocean and comfortable seating.

Bar service in all of these venues was excellent and drink prices are competitive with other cruise lines. A glass of Viking Sparkling Wine is still only $5.50 and it is our favorite sparkling wine on any cruise line. A glass of Ponte Prosecco is $8. Most beers are in the $5 range which is pretty typical. Canadian Club or Crown Royal are $8, although Crown Royal was not available on this sailing. I seem to recall a Happy Hour special on previous Viking Ocean cruises, but I did not hear it mentioned on this cruise.

It should be pointed out that beer, wine, and soft drinks are complimentary with meals. Here’s a little insider tip: if you are primarily a wine or beer drinker, you could get by with a long, leisurely dinner at the World Cafe which is open until 9:00pm. Take your “meal” or snack out on Aquavit Terrace and you can drink free from 6pm till 9pm!

Viking offers a Silver Spirits Beverage Package for $19.95 per night/per guest, or $140 for a 7-night cruise. Compare that to Carnival that charges $51.95 per day for their Cheers drink package. And, on Carnival, you are limited to 15 drinks per day. Does anyone really exceed 15 drinks per day?

We purchased the Silver Spirits package on this cruise and consider it to be a very good value, even though we really did not get to use it for the 5 nights we were in quarantine. Now, we COULD have used it because they will actually deliver cocktails to the stateroom. But, we just did not feel like enjoying cocktails while recovering from Covid. Not only do you get all house wines, beers and liquors, including cocktails, house drinks, mixers, long drinks and soft drinks throughout the day, but it also includes the Premium Wine Pairing at The Chef’s Table. That’s a $25 value by itself.

ENTERTAINMENT & ACTIVITIES

When it comes to keeping guests entertained, the primary focus is on the destination itself. There are included excursions in every port, and optional excursions, at an additional cost, in most ports. There are lectures held in the Star Theater during the afternoons which also focus on the destination. On sea days, you might find team trivia or Baggo competition, but that’s about it. On days in port, there is very little offered in the way of onboard activities. This is where a Viking Ocean cruise feels a lot like a Viking River cruise. This is a much slower-pace experience. The focus is on the destination and relaxation.

While Viking is not famous for impressive, glitzy production shows, we were VERY impressed with the shows we attended. Viking DOES have a cast of vocalists and a live band that put on some entertaining evening shows. Under the leadership of veteran cruise director Aaron Syfert, all of the vocalists were excellent. There was also a piano virtuoso and a magician who each had shows in the theatre.

As for lounge entertainment, Paolo played the guitar and sang each evening at Explorers and was one of the best lounge performers we have ever enjoyed. The Classic Duo performed in the Atrium each evening as did pianist Sofia. On previous Viking Ocean cruises, we have seen Adagio dancers, but there were none on this sailing. Most likely, Viking is still rebuilding their entertainment after the Covid shutdown.

One area where Viking really excels in the LiveNordic Spa located on Deck 1 forward. There is a substantial fitness center fully equipped with TechnoGym circuit machines, free weights, treadmills and other cardio equipment. The spa is one of the best you will find on any cruise ship and it is complimentary. There are beautiful locker/changing rooms for both men and women, dry sauna, cold plunge, showers, a huge Thallasotherapy pool and hot tub. The Snow Grotto was being worked on during our cruise, but is usually full of real snow and is quite refreshing after stepping out of the steam room.

The heated relaxation beds are amazing and there are pool loungers where you can take a peaceful nap. If you want to really wake up, try the cold water bucket dump! This is one of the venues I planned to visit toward the end of our cruise and was unable to due to our quarantine. The LivNordic Spa offers a wide variety of spa treatments and massages and has a full hair and nail salon. Of course, there is a charge for these services.

There are two swimming pools on Viking Orion: one is located midship on Deck 7 and a sliding roof can completely cover this pool in inclement or cold weather. There is a large hot tub at one end of the pool and plenty of loungers, both in the sun and in the shade.

There is an infinity pool and another hot tub aft on Deck 7 at the Aquavit Terrace which is a signature feature of all Viking Ocean ships. This is the best place on the ship to enjoy a beautiful sunset.

There is a walking path on Deck 8 where 4 laps will add up to 1 mile. The Sports Deck on Viking Orion is Deck 9 forward and features mini-golf, table tennis, bocce ball and lawn bowling as well as two shuffleboard courts. There is also comfortable seating up here for some amazing views while sailing through the fjords. Viking Mars, by the way, does NOT include a planetarium. Viking Jupiter and Orion are the only Viking Ocean ships to have this venue.

The Star Theater is located on Deck 2 forward and is where you can enjoy lectures during the day, or evening entertainment. There are also two cinemas in the aft section of the Star Theater which are used to show movies, or can be used for additional theater seating during a show.

If you are a sun worshipper, you will probably spend most of your time on Deck 7 aft, around the Infinity Pool, or on Deck 8 aft where an expansive deck can accommodate a lot of sun loungers.

ITINERARY AND EXCURSIONS

Our 15-night Viking Homelands cruise visited Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Poland and Aländ Island. This is a very port intensive itinerary with only one official day at sea. It is unfortunate that we missed 5 of those days due to our quarantine, but, it is what it is.

One of the great values associated with Viking cruises is that guests are offered an included excursion in every port. Of course, there are optional excursions that can be booked at additional cost, but having an included excursion in every port is something only a handful of cruise lines offer. On this itinerary, we found the included excursions, overall, to be good. That said, you will typically get a much better experience with a purchased excursion. The included excursions are typically motor coach tours and/or walking tours lasting 2 to 3 hours.

In addition to included excursions, Viking also provides guests with a complimentary shuttle in most ports. The shuttle will typically take guests to and from the city center or popular shopping areas. This is another huge value since many ports are located in industrial areas, often miles from city centers. We have been on many cruises where, if you want to go into town, you have to pay for a local taxi, which can be expensive and can be difficult in foreign countries with foreign currencies and language barriers. Typically, the shuttle buses run every 30 minutes.

*Complimentary Shuttle Buses Are Offered In Most Ports*

Stockholm, Sweden - Stockholm is a city in which you would be wise to spend a couple of extra days at the beginning or end of the Viking Homelands itinerary. Viking offers pre-/post-cruise hotel extensions in Stockholm, or if you prefer to book on your own, we can highly recommend Hotel Rival which is a beautiful boutique hotel perfectly located for cruise guests.

The ship overnights in Stockholm and there are a lot of different excursions offered here. We opted for one of Viking’s included excursions, “Panoramic Stockholm” which, like many of Viking’s included excursions, involves a motorcoach ride. The excursion takes about 2.5 hours and we felt like it offered a nice tour of the city. The local guide did a good job of explaining many of the sights along the way. We did make one stop at Stockholm Town Hall for photos and a bathroom break. We would recommend this excursion if you have been to Stockholm before, or if you combine it with another excursion. There is a lot more to see in Stockholm than what you will see on this tour.

Day At Sea - There was only one day at sea on this itinerary, making it one of the most port-intensive itineraries we have ever enjoyed. On days at sea, Viking Mars offered some additional onboard activities such as team trivia and Baggo competitions. There are also excellent lectures offered in the Star Theater.

Mariehamn, Aländ Islands - This was our first visit to Mariehamn and we did not choose a Viking excursion here. Instead, we opted to simply walk into town on our own. Actually, we took a free shuttle train into town then walked back to the ship. As long as you have no mobility concerns, it is an easy walk into the town center which is about a mile from where the ship docks. Mariehamn is a Finnish island and the shops here do accept Euro and everyone we encountered spoke very good English. The pedestrian street in the city center is lined with small shops, cafes and other businesses. The path leading to/from the ship is clearly marked with big yellow markers in the sidewalks, so you can’t get lost.

*Walk To/From The Ship Is Clearly Marked In Mariehamn*

We walked back to Mars in time for a late lunch, then decided to disembark again to walk to Pommern, an early 20th century Tall Ship that has been turned into a museum. Pommern is docked right behind where the cruise ships dock so it is an easy 5-minute walk. Viking guests are invited to tour the ship for free; just show your room key and you will be invited onboard!

*A tour of Pommern Is Well Worth Your Time*

Gdansk, Poland - This was our first visit to Gdansk and, once again, we chose one of the Viking included excursions: City of Gdansk on Foot. This was a very good excursion, with one exception. Apparently, one of the local guides failed to show up so his tour group was combined with our group resulting in a completely full motorcoach. We suspect that this might have been where we contracted Covid as there were a few people coughing on this tour and there was no way to socially distance. The excursion took us to the main pedestrian street in Gdansk which is lined with cafes and shops, many of which are selling amber jewelry. The tour included an amber demonstration at a local amber shop, but since we had 50 people in the group, there were too many people to fit comfortably in the small shop. We were given about 45 minutes of free time here to explore on our own. We walked through the narrow streets lined with local souvenir vendors. We were able to buy our refrigerator magnets (we collect them) from a local vendor who agreed to accept Euro since he could not get his credit card reader to work. This is a good tour for photographers as you will get some views of the river, the town hall clock tower and Neptune’s Fountain. We can recommend this excursion.

Bornholm, Denmark - In Bornholm, we chose Scenic Bornholm, one of Viking’s included excursions. The motorcoach tour lasted about two hours and is basically a drive around the small island with a stop at a church. Honestly, this is not an excursion I would recommend, unless you just want an excuse to get off the ship for a couple of hours. There was not much to see on this excursion.

Berlin, Germany (Warnemunde) - I would consider the port call at Warnemunde to be the highlight of the cruise. This is the closest cruise ship port to Berlin and Viking offers a variety of excursions here. If you wish to visit Berlin, you will have to purchase an optional excursion. Every excursion in Berlin requires a 2.5 hour train ride from the port to Berlin, and another 2.5 hour train ride back to the port from Berlin. So, be prepared for a long day. We chose the Sachsenhausen & Berlin excursion ($229 per person) which included a visit to a Nazi concentration camp and “traditional German lunch” at a local restaurant. I should mention that this is not the excursion we wanted to take. We really wanted to take the Berlin and Lunch at Reichstag excursion ($279 per person), but it was sold out by the time we were able to book excursions. You can also do Berlin on your own, but you will be required to purchase the train ride ($000 per person). This would be a good option if you wanted to do a Hop On/Hop Off Bus tour of Berlin. This might be what we do on a return to Berlin.

Over 700 guests gathered in the Star Theater on the morning of the Berlin excursions to take the train to Berlin. The train station is less than 200 yards from the ship and is an easy walk. The train cars have seats that face each other and our car was only about 1/2 full, so we were able to stretch out and put our feet on the seats facing us. The train is relatively comfortable and offers a very smooth and quiet ride. Snacks are handed out to guests as well as bottled water.

Once we arrived at the Berlin Hauptbahnhof Train Station, we were greeted by our local guide who led us to our motorcoach for the morning tour of Berlin. We made a stop at the Berlin Wall for photos and a bathroom break. Even though we did drive by Checkpoint Charlie, we were on the wrong side of the coach to get a photo and there was not a stop here. This is a good reason to do a Hop On/Hop Off bus in Berlin. Our final stop before lunch was at a Holocaust Memorial park and the Brandenburg Gate. Our German lunch was at one of the large tourist restaurants that can serve hundreds of guests at once. Lunch consisted of a pretzel, pork roast, sauerkraut, roasted potatoes and apple strudel for dessert. The food was good, not great.

After lunch, we boarded the motorcoach for the drive to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. This was a very interesting, but emotionally draining tour. After touring Sachsenhausen, we were taken to a train station for the train ride back to the ship. Overall, we can recommend this excursion and felt like it was a good value.

*One Of The Remaining Barracks Where Prisoners Were Housed At Sachsenhausen*

Copenhagen, Denmark - This was the day where Rickee felt too bad to get off the ship and join me for the Viking included tour: Copenhagen By Foot. My main mission for this morning tour was to seek out a local pharmacy (or, Apoteka) where I could purchase some cough syrup and other OTC cold meds for Rickee. I joined the walking tour group which gathered shoreside at 10am. I asked our local guide to point out a pharmacy along our route so that I could get what I needed, but unfortunately, he was not much help.

The walking tour itself was just okay. There is a lot more to see in Copenhagen than what you will find on this excursion. The excursion lasted about 2.5 hours and, honestly, it was more standing than walking. We would walk leisurely for about 10 minutes, then the group would stop to look at whatever the guide was talking about for another 10 minutes. These walking tours tend to be a very slow pace, so don’t think that they are a good way to get some exercise. We did walk to a couple of monuments, including the famous Little Mermaid. But, trust me, there is a lot more to see in Copenhagen than this tour will deliver. That said, it might be a good excursion to do early in the morning, then book another afternoon excursion.

Älborg, Denmark - By the time we arrived in Älborg, Rickee had developed a pretty serious cough and I was getting desperate to get her some cough medicine and other cold medications. We suspected that if she went to the Medical Center for treatment, they would test her for Covid and probably test me as well. We knew that a positive test meant that we would be quarantined. So honestly, we held off as long as we could. It is not as if we were exposing other guests since Rickee did not feel like getting out of the stateroom anyway. If we had not been in Älborg on a Sunday when all of the pharmacies were closed, we may not have gone to the Medical Center. But, it was Sunday, so we decided to go to the Medical Center.

As anticipated, Rickee was given a rapid Antigen test which immediately came back positive. Next, they asked Rickee to take the PCR spit test since it is a more accurate test. The nurse brought me one of the tubes for a spit test as well. We were informed that if we tested positive, we would be quarantined and required to remain in our stateroom for five nights. All of our meals would be delivered to us through room service. If Rickee tested positive in PCR and I tested negative, I would be allowed to continue normally and leave the stateroom, but Rickee would be quarantined. After the PCR tests were administered, we were told to return to our stateroom until the results came back in about 2 hours, which we did. After only an hour, we received a call in our stateroom from the nurse informing us that we both tested positive for Covid. Interestingly, I only had very mild symptoms at this point, just a mild headache.

So, the rest of this itinerary, which by the way, was the most beautiful part of the itinerary, we were only able to see from our stateroom. It is a real shame since many of the remaining ports we visited were places we have never been before.

SUMMARY

We are big fans of Viking Ocean and Viking Mars. Viking Ocean remains as one of our top five cruise lines of all-time. Remember, we have sailed on 39 different cruise lines. We did notice a few minor changes to the food service in World Cafe, but you would really have to be nit-picky to notice it.

The complimentary WiFi on this sailing sucked. On most days in port, WiFi was non-existent. When the ship was sailing, WiFi worked most of the time, but it was extremely slow. You will not be able to stream video. In fact, it won’t even allow access to YouTube. Fortunately, I had purchased an international data plan from Airalo.com prior to this cruise just for this eventuality. An international data plan like the one Airalo offers would allow me to use my iPhone 13 Pro as a WiFi hot spot when the ship was in port, assuming, of course, that I could get a cellular signal. The second benefit was I was able to use Google Maps or Apple Maps to find the closest pharmacy or restaurant or other point of interest when walking in a foreign city. We use Apple Maps all the time when we explore foreign cities on our own. For about $100, I was able to purchase an International Data Plan that worked in every European country we visited on this cruise. The Airalo eSim is simple to install and worked perfectly. There were a couple of ports where I had trouble getting a cellular signal, but overall, it worked perfectly and I will definitely use this service again in the future. As a result of my experience on this cruise, CruiseReport is now an Airalo affiliate. So, if you are interested in this service, you can click here for more information.

I am not sure why cruise lines cannot seem to figure out this WiFi situation. I swear I have been fighting this for 20 years and it does not seem to be getting any better. This is not unique to Viking. Earlier this year, we struggled to get any Internet service aboard Celebrity Apex and we had their top tier plan. Along with the WiFi issues, the Live TV broadcasts on the ship’s televisions were non-existent when the ship was in port. Why? This became a real annoyance when you are locked down in your stateroom for 5 days and nights with no WiFi and no live TV.

We do miss having a casino on Viking ships, but we can live without it. We both love the fact that there are no children under 18 allowed, no pushy photography sales, no art auctions, no charge for alternate dining, free WiFi, complimentary use of launderettes, no smoking and no formal nights. You don’t experience that feeling of being nickle-and-dimed on Viking.

On this cruise there were 780 guests, or thereabouts, and the ship did feel quite full. There were some lines to get into the theater in the evenings. Afternoon Tea in Wintergarden felt pretty crowded as well. This was probably the highest occupancy sailing of any Viking Ocean cruise we have been on so far.

A Viking Ocean cruise is one of the best values in cruising. And, it is the only cruise line that can take you through the rivers of Europe, the oceans of the world, soon, the Mississippi River and expedition cruising.

Video Reviews

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/25/18 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 7/25/18

Into The Midnight Sun on Viking Sky

We spend 14 nights sailing the fjords of Norway on Viking Ocean’s new Viking Sky

Daily Blog

Itinerary: Bergen, Bergen, Geiranger, Molde, At Sea, Tromsø, Honningsvag, Lofoten, At Sea, Lerwick, Kirkwall, Edinburgh, At Sea (Owner's Suite), Greenwich, Disembark

Cruising is kind of like dating. You don't really know the other person until the second or third date. Along those same lines, we don't feel like we really know a cruise line until the second or third cruise. Our first date with Viking Ocean was in 2017 on Viking Sea, and it was a good experience, a very good experience. So, when we had the opportunity to sail on sister ship, Viking Sky, we were anxious to discover if our impression of Viking Sea was justified. It was.

The Ship

When you step aboard a Viking Ocean ship, there is a unique sense of familiarity. That is because every Viking Ocean ship is virtually identical. Other than tweaks and improvements that are integrated into each iteration, the five (soon to be six) Viking ships are indistinguishable from each other. The staterooms are the same, the lounges are the same, the furnishings are the same, the color palette is the same...get the idea? The last cruise line that attempted a "cookie-cutter" strategy was the now defunct Renaissance Cruises back in the late 80s. Remember the R ships?

Repeat Viking guests (and, there are many) immediately feel like they are "coming home," regardless of which Viking Ocean ship they choose. The anxiety of getting lost for the first two or three days of the cruise is gone. Everything is exactly where it is supposed to be. And, the back of house benefits, too. Crew members can easily be moved between vessels without a learning curve.

*Internet cafe is located on Deck 1 midship (next to Guest Services)*

If you plan to build a fleet of identical ships, you have to get the first one right or any problems or shortcoming will be duplicated in subsequent ships. Since the 1980s, Viking Founder and CEO, Torstein Hagen, has been revolutionizing the cruise industry. His leadership made Royal Viking Line one of the most respected upscale cruise lines in history. And, we all know how Viking River Cruises created a paradigm shift in European river cruising. You only have to walk through a Viking Ocean ship once to realize the designers knew exactly what they were doing. The Viking Ocean ships are some of the most logically and elegantly designed ships on which we have sailed.

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As with true Scandinavian design, form follows function. So, while the ship is beautiful, it employs many innovations that cannot go unmentioned. The use of technology throughout the ship is impressive. Interactive touchscreen monitors deliver information to guests in a user-friendly and intuitive manner.

We found ourselves asking the question repeatedly, "Why doesn't every cruise line do this?" One example is the display of the disembarkation deck on the monitors near the elevators and stairs. Another monitor outside the theater displays scheduled activities and times for entertainment for that day.

Interactive screens make for easy navigation around the ship | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

Embarkation

Embarkation times on Viking Ocean vessels are staggered based upon stateroom/suite categories. Guests occupying higher (meaning more expensive) stateroom categories can embark and occupy their staterooms earlier. Our Deluxe Veranda suite had an embarkation time of noon with the ability to occupy our stateroom at 2:00pm. This was not an issue since our flight from Helsinki to Bergen did not arrive until after 5pm. Nevertheless, Viking personnel were at the airport to greet us as soon as we exited Customs. Porters grabbed our luggage and escorted us to a waiting motorcoach for the transfer to Viking Sky.

*Rickee checks in before boarding the motorcoach*

When we arrived at the Bergen Cruise Terminal, the check-in and embarkation process was very smooth and efficient. As soon as we boarded the ship, we were greeted by General Manager, Sujith Mohan, who welcomed us back to Viking. We sailed with Sujith last year on Viking Sea. We thought it was very special for him to take the time to personally welcome us back. Glasses of champagne are being handed to guests as they step aboard Viking Sky. With champagne in hand, we make our way to Deck 6 and our Deluxe Veranda Stateroom. You can read more about our embarkation here.

The Itinerary - Into the Midnight Sun

Our 14-night cruise started in Bergen, Norway, and ended in Greenwich, England. This is the second time we have cruised in Norway and we found this itinerary to be superior to our previous visit. Viking offers this itinerary on five dates in 2019 and five in 2020. Our July 20th sailing was the last of the season, and, as such, much of the snow had already melted on the mountains so the waterfalls in the fjords were not as impressive as they might have been earlier in the season. On the other hand, the temperatures on our cruise were much warmer than we were expecting and the weather was actually quite pleasant. You can expect beautiful sailing through the Norwegian fjords and the Orkneys. You can read our day-by-day cruise blog here. If you want more information on this itinerary from Viking Cruises, click here.

Accommodations

There are five categories of staterooms on Viking Cruises' vessels, six if you include the Owner's Suite on Deck 7. The base category is the Veranda, which is a generous (by cruise ship standards) 270 sq. ft. The Deluxe Veranda, which we occupied, is essentially the same stateroom as the Veranda, but with a few extra perks. The other categories range from 338 sq. ft. up to 757 sq. ft. for the Explorer Suite. Since we occupied the Deluxe Veranda for twelve of the fourteen nights onboard, that is what we feel most qualified to talk about. That said, we did have an opportunity to spend two nights in the Owner's Suite on Deck 7 Forward.

Our Deluxe Veranda Stateroom (6068) was located aft on Deck 6. The layout of the stateroom is straightforward. As you enter from the hallway, you walk past the bathroom to the bedroom. At the entrance to the bedroom, you will find a wall unit with several dresser drawers, an electronic safe and an espresso/coffee machine.

Coffee maker in room | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

The overall decor of the ship is carried through to the stateroom with the use of light tones in the woods, furnishings and carpeting. The king-sized bed is comfortable enough, but not the most comfortable we have slept on. Linens and pillowcases are very high quality. The bed frame is high enough off the floor so that even the largest pieces of luggage can fit underneath. The "living room" has two chairs and a small coffee table.

Seating area | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

The coffee table is covered in fabric and leather which looks very elegant, but is not impervious to spilled ketchup stains. Perhaps Viking considers it better to replace leather/cloth than it is to refinish or replace a wooden or marble tabletop? Regardless of the reason why that surface was chosen, it is very nice. There is a small desk/vanity on the opposite wall from the bed and chairs. The desk has a desk lamp that, upon closer inspection, contains five, yes FIVE, USB charging ports on its base! There are two US-style 110 outlets at the desk and a pair of Quietvox receivers in a charging base.

A pitcher of water with two glasses sits on the desk and is replenished daily. A large pull-out refrigerator drawer is stocked with soft drinks which are also replenished daily. The most innovative feature of the desk/vanity is the flip up, lighted vanity mirror with makeup storage area. It is a great idea, but when opened, the mirror part was positioned so low that Rickee had to bend over uncomfortably to see herself. This could be rectified with a lower desk chair perhaps? In addition, the lighted mirror was a little too far away to be practical for anyone whose vision is less than optimal. Nevertheless, this was a very unique and welcomed addition to the stateroom!

*Lighted makeup mirror integrated into the desk*

Each of the two nightstands also has US-style 110 outlets and two USB charging ports. Thank you, Viking! Finally, I can keep my cell phone or iPad charged on my nightstand!

*Electrical outlets and USB charging ports*

Above each nightstand are light switches. One controls the bedside lamp while the smaller switch controls a convenient nightlight feature. If one person gets up in the middle of the night to say, go to the bathroom, the nightlight provides a soft floor light in the hallway between the bedroom and bathroom, and a soft light in the bathroom as well. There is no need to disturb your sleeping partner in the middle of the night with a harsh light.

*Closet lighting is automatically turned on/off when doors open/close*

The closet is next to the bed and becomes part of the wall between the bedroom and bathroom, providing a small degree of sound insulation. The sliding doors on the closet employ a soft-closing mechanism to eliminate the annoyance of slamming closet doors. All drawers in the stateroom utilize similar technology to dampen sound. The bathroom is a nice size for a 270 sq. ft. stateroom and has a large sink, a very nice glass-enclosed shower stall and quality amenities.

All Viking ships now provide their own brand (Freyja) of soaps, lotions and shampoos. We found the quality to be very good.

Freyja amenities | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

There is ample storage space in the bathroom with two large drawers, three shelves on each end of the vanity and open cabinet space below the sink. A unique feature of the Viking bathroom is the heated floor, which is warm enough to heat the entire bathroom. You never have to step out of a warm shower into a cold bathroom again! However, a temperature control dial would be a nice feature. Currently, if the floor heat needs adjustment, you have to request it from your room steward.

The veranda is smallish, but very usable with two chairs and a nice-sized table large enough for an al fresco breakfast.

Viking Sky Balcony | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

The stateroom also has a large flat-screen HD television mounted to the wall directly across from the bed with excellent programming choices. However, we did notice intermittent interruptions in the TV signal during our cruise, a pretty common issue with satellite communications on a ship.

Television programming | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

Overall, we would rate the Deluxe Veranda Stateroom a 4.5 out of 5 as it is definitely one of the most comfortable staterooms, for its size, of any ship afloat.

Food and Dining

When it comes time to eat on Viking Sky (or any Viking Ocean ship), there are a lot of choices. And, all of them are good. The Restaurant on Deck 2 aft is Viking Sky's traditional cruise ship dining venue with a la carté menu service for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Restaurant is a full menu-service restaurant with lunch and dinner offerings that change daily.

Restaurant menu | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

We never failed to get a table for two in The Restaurant. We found that if you arrive early, you have a better chance of getting a window seat. In the evening, The Restaurant can fill up quickly, so it is a good idea to arrive a few minutes before the posted opening time.

*Tables set for two and four in The Restaurant*

Service was very good in The Restaurant and we found the food to also be good. The evening menu offers a lot of variety and there is a nice "always available" selection. One standout dish was the excellent traditional Beef Wellington, but there were other exceptional dishes as well.

Complimentary red and white wines are offered at lunch and dinner in The Restaurant, and in all dining venues for that matter. We tend to like sweeter wines than are offered, so we preferred their house red wines, which were all good. Typically, The Restaurant is only open for breakfast and lunch on sea days.

The World Cafe is Viking Sky's Lido buffet.

*Hand-washing station at World Cafe entrance*

Neither Rickee nor I are big fans of cruise ship buffets. They tend to be overcrowded, and the food is usually bland, cold or both. But World Cafe is different. First, there are a lot of tables for two, with a lot of seating outdoors on the aft deck. And, in good weather, a large sliding glass door/wall can be opened to make the entire restaurant feel like a patio dining experience.

World Cafe Seating | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

As for food, there is a nice selection of salads, hot entrees, and sandwiches. You can opt for a choice of á la minute dishes prepared in an open-kitchen. On the port side of World Cafe, you will find the nicest selection of cold seafood (boiled shrimp, king crab legs, etc.) and fresh sushi and sashimi of any restaurant at sea. There were evenings when we just wanted a light dinner and would go to World Cafe for sushi and shrimp cocktail.

*Fresh sushi is handmade every night at World Cafe*

On starboard side aft, you will find freshly-made pizza at lunch and dinner. The pizza is quite good, especially when it is fresh out of the oven. Back on the port side aft is the location of the very popular ice cream bar featuring at least five flavors, some of which change each day.

The Chef's Table on Deck 1 aft, port side is one of two reservation required alternate restaurants. The Chef's Table offers a variety of fixed "tasting" menus, each with a different ethnic or regional theme. The five-course menus change every two or three days. We visited the Chef's Table twice on this cruise, trying two different menus. You can read a full review of The Chef's Table here.

The Chefs Table Restaurant | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

If you walk directly from The Chef's Table to the other side of Viking Sky (starboard) you will find Manfredi's, Viking Sky's Italian restaurant. Unlike The Chef's Table, Manfredi's is an á la carte restaurant with a very extensive menu. On our last Viking cruise, we made the mistake of only dining in Manfredi's once. We rectified that mistake by dining here three times on this sailing! Make sure you read our full review of Manfredi's on our Cruise Ship Dining Reviews blog.

*Bistecca Fiorintina (spice rubbed Rib Eye) at Manfredi's is the best steak at sea*

A popular lunch spot on Viking Sky is The Pool Grill on Deck 7 amidship. The Pool Grill is your basic burger, hot dog, sandwich grill. I found the burgers to be better than I remembered on our last Viking cruise. In fact, the burger is quite good. However, the Pool Grill concept could use some tweaking.

The Pool Grill | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

Guests line up at the serving line to place orders, and the line eventually backs up into the salad bar area creating a real traffic jam. Mustard, ketchup and mayo are in small bowls at the end of the serving line where you pick up your order. On one visit, they ran out of ketchup and it took several minutes to get someone to fill the bowl causing a "pile up" of guests who had received their burger and fries, but were waiting for ketchup. It is the only place on the ship where I saw any traffic issues. On sea days, it was easier to just go to The Restaurant and order a burger, which was just as good as the one at the Pool Grill.

Waitstaff circulate through the pool area taking drink orders. Soft drinks, wine and beer are complimentary at lunchtime throughout the ship. There are lots of tables set up on the pool deck for dining, some of which are protected from the sun and elements.

Viking Sky also offers guests 24-hour complimentary room service. We had room service a couple of times and everything we ordered was delivered in a timely manner, and arrived hot.

Another interesting dining option on Viking Sky is Mamsen's located in the Explorers' Lounge on Deck 7 forward, starboard. Mamsen's is sort of like a snack bar and is open at various times throughout the day. In the morning, guests wait in line for one of the fresh, made-to-order waffles. At lunchtime, you will find a variety of Norwegian specialties including sandwiches, smoked salmon and beef tartare.

Viking Cruises has revived the traditional Afternoon Tea with one of the nicest presentations you will find anywhere. Most afternoons at 4:00pm, The Wintergarden (Deck 7) is the venue for a quite formal tea service, even though the dress code remains casual. A tiered tray of sweet and savory goodies is brought to each table along with warm scones with traditional toppings. A wide variety of teas is offered.

Afternoon Tea at Wintergarden | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

Bars & Lounges

As with most cruise ships, there is no shortage of places on Viking Sky where guests can quench their thirst. In the Atrium (Decks 1, 2 and 3), you can enjoy your favorite beverage from The Viking Bar while admiring the art displayed on the huge screen at the top of the grand staircase. The Pool Bar on Deck 7 amidship is the go-to spot for your favorite beverage when lounging poolside.

The Pool Bar | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

The most popular spot in the evenings is Explorers' Lounge on Deck 7 forward. Not only was it a great place for a pre-dinner cocktail, it was my early morning blog and coffee spot. The Aquavit Bar is located behind World Cafe on Deck 7 aft, and is a great place for a cocktail al fresco. Torshavn, located on Deck 2, is open from 9:00pm until whenever and is the place for late night dancing, entertainment and cocktails.

Drink prices are comparable to prices on other cruise lines. The Viking Sparkling Wine is one of our favorite sparkling wines, and is a good value at $5.50. A finger of Crown Royal will set you back $8, and it is a small finger. Viking Cruises has a very good Silver Spirits package that gives you unlimited cocktails, beer, wine and soft drinks for about $30 per day/per person. So, in my case, three Crown Royals per day would make it a good value. A comparable beverage package on Princess Cruises is $69 per person/per day!

*Silver Spirits beverage package is a good value*

Entertainment & Activities

We were completely blown away with the entertainment on our last Viking cruise. And, Cruise Director, Aaron Syfert, did not disappoint on this cruise.

The three male and three female singers were all very talented. And, the production shows integrated technology in some unique and interesting ways. However, we did recognize some of the productions as being the same as we saw on last year's Viking Sea cruise.

Female vocalists | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

In addition to production shows in The Star Theater, we really enjoyed the singing duo, Vincent and Jennifer, who performed in Torshavn.

In addition to the cast of singers and dancers, musicians performed throughout the ship. At various times throughout the day, The Atrium would be filled with the sounds of Laslo playing the classical guitar, or the Viking Classical Trio.

*Viking Classical Trio performs in The Atrium*

We continue to be impressed with the quality and variety of entertainment provided by Viking.

The Spa

The spa, located on Deck 1 Forward, is one of the nicest spas you will find on any cruise ship. Use of the spa facilities and adjacent fitness center is complimentary for all guests. The fitness center is very well equipped with the latest cardio equipment and weight training machines.

Liv Nordic Spa | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

Liv Nordic Spa Towels | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

You don't need to "check in" to use the spa, simply go to the locker room and use your stateroom key to obtain a locker for your valuables and/or clothing. Spa slippers, towels and a bathrobe are all provided. There is a dry sauna in the locker room and an adjacent cold plunge pool. The coed "wet area" consists of a large thallasotherapy pool with warm, soothing jets. A more aggressive hot tub has more powerful water jets and 102 degree water.

Luxurious cushioned loungers surround the pools and are a great place to relax and cool down. A powerful steam room is just steps from the pool area. No visit to the steam room is complete without a stop in the snow grotto. That's right, a small room filled with snow! No pun intended, it is very cool.

If the snow is too cold for you, you can always cool off with a bucket of cold water being dumped on your head. Just pull the rope! The Spa on Viking Ocean ships has everything you could want. It is the nicest spa I have seen on a cruise ship, and nicer than most you will find on land.

The LivNordic Spa and the adjacent salon offer a full range of services (additional costs apply), including various types of massages, manicure/pedicure, waxing, body scrubs, facials, hair-cutting and styling services. There is a small barber shop where men can get a haircut.

Beauty Salon | Viking Sky | CruiseReport.jpg

Shore Excursions

We expected the shore excursions on Viking Sky to be good. This is one area where all Viking's experience as the largest river cruise company in the world can be easily leveraged. Every guest is offered an included excursion in every port. Of course, there are optional excursions available at additional cost, but the included excursion feature of Viking Cruises is a huge value. Included and optional excursions can be booked in advance through the MyVikingJourney website. Upon embarkation, you find your excursion tickets waiting in your stateroom.

We found the included excursions to be quite good, with competent local guides. The two optional excursions we experienced were also very well executed, and actually, a good value. My favorite was the "Hike the Arctic Hills with Huskies".

Hike with the Huskies | Viking Sky | CruiseReport

Viking provides each stateroom with Quietvox audio systems for use on local excursions. We have been singing the praises of these little transceivers for years and can't believe that every cruise line has not adopted them.

Another huge benefit of a Viking shore excursion operation is the ability to book your excursions to depart at various times of the day. Many excursions are offered both in the morning and the afternoon which is great for those of us who like to sleep in, have lunch, then go on excursion. Of course, this also allows you to enjoy multiple excursions in each port, one in the morning and another in the afternoon.

Viking also provided complimentary local shuttle service to town in many of the ports we visited.

Staff and Crew

We said it last year on Viking Sea, and our opinion has not changed. Quite simply, this is one of the best crews with which we have ever sailed. It does not take long to realize that everyone working on the ship loves their job and really loves working for Viking Cruises. Sujith Mohan, the Hotel General Manager, is the most visible hotel manager we have ever seen on a ship. Sujith is just one example of how Viking has managed to assemble the very best people in the cruise industry to make the Viking experience a memorable one.

We cannot fail to mention our excellent stateroom attendants, Arvin and Kevin. They never failed to greet us in the hallway and always asked if there was anything we needed. Our stateroom was maintained perfectly. When we were offered the opportunity to spend two nights in the Owner's Suite, Arvin even called the Owner's Suite stateroom attendant to inform her that we preferred a top sheet on the bed!

*Kevin and Arvin, our stateroom attendants*

All of the restaurant waiters and waitresses we encountered were friendly and delivered excellent service. We dined in Manfredi's on three different occasions, and each evening were taken care of by Hector, our new favorite waiter.

Rickee Richardson with Hector at Manfredis | Viking Sky | CruiseReport.jpg

The Viking Sky Experience

A cruise aboard Viking Sky is a casual experience. Gentlemen, leave your tuxedos at home. You can bring a sport coat if you wish, but you probably won't even need that. The entire ship is very relaxed and casual. A collared shirt and a nice pair of slacks will get you by after 6pm anywhere on the ship. As for demographics, on our cruise the average age was in the 50-60 range.

This is a cruise line for adults. If you want to take the kiddos on a cruise, look elsewhere.

Gratuities will be added to your shipboard account at the end of the cruise ($12 pp/pd), but can be adjusted with a trip to Guest Services. Wine, beer and soft drinks are included at lunch and dinner. Even the soft drinks in the mini-bar in your stateroom are complimentary and replenished once each day.

Complimentary shuttle service and included excursions make a Viking Cruise a considerable value.

Summary

If cruising truly is like dating, it is no wonder why so many Viking faithful are now in a committed relationship with this rapidly expanding cruise line. Viking claims that 80% of its guests are repeat guests, a number that any cruise line would be proud of. State-of-the-hardware, a happy and enthusiastic crew, and, destination experiences that are second-to-none combine to make this one of the very best cruise lines operating today.