Viking Mars Viking Homelands Cruise
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.
Hotel rival, stockholm
EMBARKATION
Embarkation In Stockholm
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.
Safety Video on Stateroom Television
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.
Deluxe Veranda Stateroom 6046
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.
XIANG Menu At The Chef’s Table
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.
Wintergarden (Deck 7 Midship)
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
Cruise Director ,Aaron Syfert
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.
Swimming Pool - Deck 7 Midship
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.
The Fjords of Norway
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.
Neptune’s Fountain - Gdansk, Poland
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.
Østeriars kirke in bornhom
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.
The Train To Berlin
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.
The Berlin Wall
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 Little Mermaid - Copenhagen
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.
