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Review- Viking Sea: From the Caribbean to the Amazon (Dec 16, 2017 to Jan. 6, 2018)


Shoalwater
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We are just off the 22-day inaugural Viking Sea “From the Caribbean to the Amazon” cruise (Dec. 16, 2017 to Jan. 6, 2018). While comments about this voyage exist in several threads across the CC boards, I thought I would provide my review in a separate, purpose written site. Having completed 37 cruise with Princess, this was our 3rd Viking Ocean cruise. I’ll try to keep this short and to the point.

 

Summary: Wonderful ship,excellent pols and spa, nice fitness center, great crew and staff attitude, splendid staterooms, very good food. Long mealtimes (too few table staff), and weak, boring at times entertainment. Only two guest entertainers in 22 days! The Amazon ports are uninteresting and some were plain filthy and sketchy (several passengers were victims of pickpocketing and theft – jewelry pulled from their person resulting in mild injury along the way).

 

The Good: Cabins are nice size, comfortable beds, excellent TV entertainment system, and depending on cabin class, either plenty of drawer storage or not enough, a binary choice. The ship is nicely laid out and appointed. The Holiday decorations were tastefully done, nothing extravagant. The food quality is by and large excellent, with a few misses but hey, that’s life. Nicely prepared, reasonable portions, and interesting. The two specialty restaurants are a nice, price-included option if you like the menu choices. The steak in Manfredi’s is superb, but be sure to peruse the fixed menu of the Chef’s Table for the day you want to make a reservation to be sure it’s something you like. The buffet, Pool Grill and Mamsens turned out great food, and the nice al fresco eating area on deck was a favorite hangout of ours. The Caribbean ports were a nice visit, and the Boi Bumba folkloric include show ashore in Paritins, Brazil on Christmas Day was spectacular. The enrichment destination lecturers remain a stalwart of strength in the Viking offering, excellent stuff there all the time. There was an excellent couple singing pop tunes for dancing in Torshavn, if you could find room to dance.

 

Areas for improvement: One needs to remember you are not cruising the Med, and the ports have neither the history nor the ambiance of a Barcelona or Florence. However, the Amazon ports were generally reflective of an impoverished area. Dirty streets, crumbling infrastructure, and a populace looking to make a living off of the visitors, either by selling to or taking from. I had one tour-stop store submit a $480 charge to my credit card bank for a $43 purchase. This issue is under dispute now. A few passengers fell victim to theft and mugging. Some of the price-included Viking tours were crude walk-bys while others were very well done. We took only one extra excursion, Meeting of the Rivers and it was fine.

 

My biggest gripe remains the poor entertainment package. On some nights it consisted solely of a movie in the theater that was also available on your TV. How does the movie “Some Like it Hot” qualify as ship-wide entertainment after dinner? We had only one couple for dancers and three male and three female singers. They were talented and put on a good show, except three of the shows set in the theater were previously done on earlier cruises as specialty acts in Torshavn, the inadequately small, windowless box of a nightclub with a very tiny dance floor. The two production shows were fine. Guest entertainers were limited to two. Mel Mellers is credible funny-man magician who did 2 acts, and Lee Bradley wowed us twice with his operatic tenor singing. He was outstanding. But…that’s it for 22 days. Oh, they threw in two sessions of Balderdash and one of Majority Rules. Seriously, do audience participation games really make up a credible evening main entertainment? Surely not for the prices paid for this cruise they don’t. Sea day afternoon activities were also seemingly light.

 

Recommendations: Return to the earlier dining room staffing levels so it doesn’t take 2 or 2.5 hrs to have dinner. Have more waiters roaming the open air dining tables on deck 7 so you can get your drinks with your meal and not have to wait so long that either you have finished before they arrive, or you wait till the food is cold for the beverage to come. And find a useful purpose for Torshavn, but move the dancing up to the Explorers Lounge. This is a much better venue. And please improve your afternoon and after- dinner activity offerings beyond just one at each time. Also, link the live TV to the gym video screens equipment rather than the street scenes making it seem as if you are cycling among the pedestrians.

 

I have never written such a negative review of a cruise in all our voyages, and it pains me to have to write this. We have a reservation on the Viking Sun 2019 World cruise made last July while sailing the Into the Midnight Sun aboard Viking Star, but this Amazon River cruise has badly shaken us and we are re-considering. We could not stand 127 days like the 22 we just endured.

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Thanks for your detailed review. Your positive points are exactly why I booked a Viking cruise rather than Celebrity. Your concern about more entertainment and the quality are not a high priorty for me at all.

The ports of call in a third world country are what they are. Having traveled through Central America, one needs to be cautious and aware of your surroundings. yet I have met the friendliest people and saw wonderful natural and historical places in those travels on land.

This intinerary is not for everyone.

As for your concern about doing a world cruise, I would be sure to read the couple of blogs of the current WCers. They are currently on seven sea days before their first port of call. They also will be going to many third world ports of call during their WC.

Again thanks for your comments and what you found great and also what could be improved from your perspective on your sailing.

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I also thank you for your review as we will be sailing on the Viking Sea soon, but we are doing the West Indies Explorer itinerary.

 

I was happy to hear that the ship is lovely and the food is good. Those are things that I look for.

 

Like Azulann I’m not concerned with the lack of entertainment. It’s not something we look for on a cruise. Most times we just skip it even if it’s good. A different strokes kind of thing. It is a criticism I’ve heard about Viking before from others. I’m guessing that those looking for good entertainment are not in Viking’s target group... or they’re working on it.

 

Kind of disappointed about the Torshavn because that is somewhere we would gravitate to after dinner - not for a show but for music and some drinks. Much as I love to dance, my DH does not [emoji17]

 

While I do hope they get any service issues handled, 2 hours for dinner is the norm for the land restaurants we visit, so not a problem.

 

I am looking forward to the optional excursions we hope to do on our cruise. I hope we don’t encounter anything like you did in the Amazon ports. Much as I would like to see the scenery, the things I have read and heard about that area have it low on my list of places to visit.

 

If you don’t mind answering, I’m curious about what drew you to choose that itinerary?

 

I looked at the itinerary for the 2018 cruise and I think I’d love to do that one if I could manage the logistics of being away from home for that long. But the 2019 itinerary doesn’t appeal at all. They aren’t going through either canal, but they are sailing around both Capes - which I have heard can be rough. IIRC, they are doing no Polynesian or Asian ports.

 

Not that it matters because unless I win the lottery or find someone I trust who is willing to house sit for 4 months I’m not going anyway [emoji16]

 

I hope the WC works out for you and that you enjoy it better than you have this Amazon itinerary.

 

We have only done one Viking cruise and that was the Rhine Getaway in 2016, but we were very happy with the way they do things and we’re looking forward to our West Indies cruise. We also have another river cruise booked.

 

And thanks again for taking the time to report on your cruise. I found it helpful.

 

 

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Thanks for your detailed review of the Viking Sea. We have our first Viking cruise coming up in February, so these types of reports are very helpful.

 

I would like to make one comment about the Amazon and the people. We just returned from a Regent cruise there, and I have to say that our experience and observations of the stops along the river were not the same as you experienced. I agree it's not the Mediterranean, and it can be terribly hot and humid. However, no one on our sailing (to my knowledge) were victims of thefts or assaults during our time on the river. In Manaus, for instance, after our ship excursion we walked from the ship over to the nearby mercado (a replica of the Les Halles market in Paris) for some shopping. Our interactions with people on the street and in the shops were pleasant. In fact, we had pleasant interactions at most all of our stops. My advice is to go the region with an open mind, and exercise the same precautions as you would in any foreign city or town. It was an amazing trip... not necessarily one that I'd want to repeat, but definitely worth it for an initial visit.

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Thank you Shoalwater for taking the time to write this review. We are booked on this itinerary for November, so I have been following all the reviews regularly that have been posted by you, and others, on this first Amazon journey.

 

Like Azulann and Cyber Kat, we do not book any of the cruises we take based on the entertainment offered. That said, when there are many sea/river days, it is more likely we will engage occasionally in what is offered, so for this itinerary of 22 days with multiple non-port days, I have to admit that your points sound valid and important for a percentage of passengers....whether that is a large group or small I have no idea....but I do know that I don’t want to be constantly entertained.

 

When we go out for a nice dinner, I do not want to be rushed. I want to enjoy the experience. So if our dinner takes two plus hours, but the service is good, I have zero issues with that...key point, service needs to be be good or two hours is not enjoyable. I have read other posts where it seems that there were a lack of servers in MDR and if that is the case, hopefully Viking will address that ASAP.

 

We are not expecting Amazon Ports to be like Europe. We have travelled third world countries - and we will book private or optional excursions in a couple ports to get out of the cities and into the jungle/forest. I am looking forward to Boi Bumba. I am concerned about Belem after reading comments on this port.

 

We are booking Viking for all the positive points that you make, because this is what we have experienced on both Viking Oceans and Rivers. All of the positive comments you make are extremely important to us, and they are a top priority for us to spend this level of money on a cruise. We truly feel that Viking exceeds at this - the crew, officers, ship, public spaces, food, etc.

 

I know Viking monitors these threads, which is so very much appreciated. I have to believe that the MDR service levels will be addressed quickly, and that they will be looking to improve the Amazon experience. It sounds as if they quite honestly need to do that if the Amazon is to be a successful itinerary for them - based on what I have read....

Edited by Vineyard View
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We also prefer a leisurely dinner followed perhaps by a drink while sitting in the explorer lounge listening to music, or the classical trio downstairs. We avoid the cruise lines with thousands of passengers and lots of splashy entertainment as it just doesn't appeal to us. But we have friends who want nothing else, and I am afraid they might be disappointed on their upcoming Viking cruise.

 

We are also thinking about the 2019 WC. It is indeed very different from the 2018 cruise, and Viking told me when I called, that that was intentional, as many doing the 2018 WC are also signed up to do the 2019. So a well-planned marketing tool, I think. I, myself, prefer the 2019 itinerary, but to each her own.

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Wait a minute---you mean when they show movies at night they are showing things like 'Some Like it Hot'?!?!

That's from 1959. Exactly what demographic are they targeting---centenarians?

I am going to have to make sure I have more movies downloaded before I leave.

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Wait a minute---you mean when they show movies at night they are showing things like 'Some Like it Hot'?!?!

That's from 1959. Exactly what demographic are they targeting---centenarians?

I am going to have to make sure I have more movies downloaded before I leave.

 

Sorry if I mislead you. The movie selection on the large, digital in-cabin TV is broad with many options from new releases to classics, and special interest like several Charlie Chaplin, James Bond(s), all 3 Godfather movies, etc. There are also BBC TV shows, a large selection of Shakespeare movies, TED talks..plenty to do if you want to hole up in your cabin. My gripe is none of these substitute for evening entertainment in the show theater.

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We also prefer a leisurely dinner followed perhaps by a drink while sitting in the explorer lounge listening to music, or the classical trio downstairs. We avoid the cruise lines with thousands of passengers and lots of splashy entertainment as it just doesn't appeal to us. But we have friends who want nothing else, and I am afraid they might be disappointed on their upcoming Viking cruise.

 

We are also thinking about the 2019 WC. It is indeed very different from the 2018 cruise, and Viking told me when I called, that that was intentional, as many doing the 2018 WC are also signed up to do the 2019. So a well-planned marketing tool, I think. I, myself, prefer the 2019 itinerary, but to each her own.

 

Full agreement with avoiding the mega size ships. Our Princess favorite is the 680 passenger Pacific Princess that manages to have good cabaret style shows in the mini-theater aboard with the singers/dancers doing several production shows and guest entertainers like musical virtuosos, comedians, magicians, hypnotists, folkloric presentations, etc., variety. This was missing on the cruise in question here. There is also passenger participation shows in another venue after the theater, and usually a pop music band for dancing in another lounge, often supplemented by the ship band. We typically cruise by ourselves versus doing it in a group, and so for us at least we look forward to the after dinner interlude for enjoyment. We're not cocktail drinkers, so sipping an adult beverage after dinner at a table for two listening to one of the three "classical" groups Viking had was not of interest. We did enjoy their play during afternoon tea and other times around the ship however. Point is, Princess accommodates a wider range of interests on a similar size ship, and I hope Viking edges over into that paradigm rather than where it looks like it is going.

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Dear Shoalwater. Thank you for taking the time to post your comments. I am in agreement with some of the others in this thread - I don't need to be 'entertained' at night, which is one of the many reasons Viking suits me. In the evenings I am happy to sit and chat to fellow travellers, to watch the world go by, and / or have a glass of wine in the lounge. Broadway productions etc would be wasted on me. I would be interested to read some of the reviews you have completed after your many Princess cruises - it seems to me you might be a glass half empty kind of guy. No disrespect intended - but rather than wanting to change Viking into what you want it to be, why don't you just stick with Princess if they give you what you want and let people like me enjoy Viking for what it gives us. Whatever you choose to do, I wish you safe travels.

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This post is a duplicate from this thread

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2368586&page=34

 

 

My wife and I were on this recent Amazon cruise and I thought I would add our comments to this thread.

 

We have been on three Viking River cruises and one Viking Oceans back in 2015 from Barcelona to Istanbul. So we were Viking fans and had looked forward to this cruise for over a year due to the opportunity to experience the Amazon.

 

Overall, our experience was negative and I would advise that anyone considering this cruise wait until you hear that Viking has worked out all the kinks.

 

PROS

We enjoyed most of the Caribbean destinations and most of the tours we took seemed well planned and provided a reasonable snapshot of each island. We particularly like the optional catamaran swimming tour on St Lucia with the included plantation tour. The included sightseeing tours in San Juan and in St Thomas and the optional snorkeling/Nylon Pool tour on Tobago were all very enjoyable.

 

Most of the Viking staff try very, very hard to please and seem to sincerely want you to have a great time. However, it does seem that Viking might be expanding a little too quickly and may not be training new staff as much as they should. There were a number of times when it took far too long to get a wine refresh or we were served the wrong dish. We never encountered this on prior Viking trips.

 

The Viking Ocean ships continue to be very pleasing in their scale, facilities, decor and staterooms.

The entertainers varied in abilities but we particularly liked the male and female singers (Jenifer & Vince) who were often in Torshaven. They also put on a great New Year’s Party.

 

The guest lecturers were also very enjoyable, especially Jill Eyers the Geologist.

 

Overall food quality and variety were generally very good but I found myself relying on the standard “left-side” of the menu choices more often that I recall on prior voyages.

 

CONS

Almost all of the ports on the Amazon portion of the cruise ranged between just disappointing to, in the case of Belem, disgusting. Viking has failed to do its research to determine suitable points of interest for travellers. There was little of interest to see, or if there was something of note it was closed while we were there(e.g, the Opera house in Manuas). The one notable exception was the very enjoyable included Boi Bomba performance in Parintins. However,aside from the performance, there was not a lot to see in Parintins especially as everything was closed on Christmas Day.

 

The quality of the excursions overall was also very poor. It appears as if Viking “took whatever it could find” in terms of excursions. Our optional Santa Lucia Nature Walk in Santarem was nothing more than a three hour wander in the forest. The most any of us saw was a few very large ants and the possible sighting of a bat. The people who opted for the included Panoramic Santarem tour saw much more wildlife in addition to numerous cultural demonstrations. Of course, nature being nature, Viking cannot guarantee that we will see wildlife but if you have a hundred or so people loudly stomping through a small path in a small area it is pretty well guaranteed that you will not see wildlife.

 

 

The tour of Belem and the city itself was the low of the cruise. Our guide sprinted off with about twenty of us trying to keep up. My wife and myself are in good shape and were OK but I could see others falling further behind. Of most concern was that the city sidewalks had numerous unprotected deep holes that anyone could easily fall in, especially if your focus is trying to keep the guide in sight. I ran up to our guide and told him he had to slow down or there would be serious accidents. He complied but it is not something you should have to say to an experienced guide. The portion of the town on our tour was incredibly unpleasant with garbage everywhere, blasting noise from numerus music sources, public urination and a strong stench everywhere. This unpleasant experience was compounded when there was no organization at the tender station and so many people were crowded into a small area that several people collapsed, worsened by the heat and humidity. It started to get ugly with passengers shoving and shouting as more people crowded into the station.

 

 

Our welcoming view of Manaus was watching the local workers dredge the harbour of all the floating garbage. Our included tour was to a rubber baron’s mansion and the legendary Opera House. Our guide told us that neither of these were open to us and we only got to tour the outside and as there was nothing left to see spent the balance of our tour time sitting in a square waiting to return to the ship. However several other guests told us later they went out on their own and at both sites were allowed in and were even given free local tours.

 

 

We did not get to stop at French Guiana and see the Devils Island prison due to loss of time having to wait for a food shipment. This was especially disappointing as we had both opted for the risky (and not inexpensive) Yellow Fever vaccination because FG insisted on it. Food planning problems showed up later in shortages of such things as butter, sugar, and other items other guests could not find.

 

In summary, we still had an enjoyable cruise but this was despite of the Amazon rather than because of it. We have traveled to several South American countries before on Celebrity and were excited to visit again. Unfortunately this Viking cruise has only highlighted the problems of the region with very little opportunity to view its positive features.

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Amazon cruises are certainly not typical ocean-cruise experiences. On our Regent cruise in November/December, we did not call at Belem, so I can't comment on that. I do see for the next Viking Amazon sailing, they apparently have eliminated this port, and will only be calling at Santarem, Parintins and Manaus. We called at these three ports, as well as Alter Do Chao (beautiful beach-resort type village) and Boca de Valeria (essentially a small collection of huts and buildings, primarily for tourist visits). The "included" tours on Regent were apparently much better than what these posters experienced on Viking.

 

As for the comment about seeing wildlife in the jungle areas, we were advised right up front that sightings would be limited due to the time of day for our visit (were were there midday - very hot, and most critters primarily are out in early morning or dusk).

 

With regard to Devil's Island, we were able to tender in, but operations were suspended several times during the day for swells. Our captain announced that the success rate of tendering passengers here was about 50%, due to the swells and swift currents which circle the three islands. So, scheduled calls there by any cruise line are always "iffy".

 

Anyone considering an Amazon cruise should carefully research the port stops. An Amazon cruise is not for everyone, but for the informed traveler with a desire to see this amazing area, it is indeed a unique experience.

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Dear Shoalwater. Thank you for taking the time to post your comments. I am in agreement with some of the others in this thread - I don't need to be 'entertained' at night, which is one of the many reasons Viking suits me. In the evenings I am happy to sit and chat to fellow travellers, to watch the world go by, and / or have a glass of wine in the lounge. Broadway productions etc would be wasted on me. I would be interested to read some of the reviews you have completed after your many Princess cruises - it seems to me you might be a glass half empty kind of guy. No disrespect intended - but rather than wanting to change Viking into what you want it to be, why don't you just stick with Princess if they give you what you want and let people like me enjoy Viking for what it gives us. Whatever you choose to do, I wish you safe travels.

 

 

In the next 5 years, Viking is going to almost double its size to ten ships. That means it needs to fill more cabins with more guests than ever before.

 

There may be some like you who do not need to be entertained at night, but for Viking to fill those cabins, they will need to attract many others including those who want a better level of entertainment than being provided now. Viking Ocean cannot just depend on existing guests who enjoy doing "nothing" and/or do not wish to have better entertainment on board.

 

Just because you do not seem to want better entertainment , you should not prevent others like Shoalwater who wish to have top rate entertainment on Viking to have a chance to do so, should you? It is not right. No, folks like Shoalwater do not necessarily need to "stick with" Princess, they want to be cruising with Viking but they want Viking to improve its entertainment quality ( and if management is smart, they will do that.). Is that too much to ask? Viking has been able to make so many of its items to be top rate, we are sure they (Viking Ocean management ) can, if they try to, they will improve and have top rate entertainment which would be the envy of others (which they do not have at the moment). These entertainment does not necessarily have to imitate other cruise lines, they could be imaginative yet tasteful.

 

For those guests who enjoy doing "nothing" or very little, they can still stay in the lounges or in their cabins, or wherever they want to,just as they do now. No one is stopping them. All Shoalwater, and others like us as well, ask of Viking Ocean management is to provide better entertainment for their future cruises for those of us who wish to continue cruising with Viking to provide that "service".

 

Instead of trying to "chase out" present Viking customers who wish better entertainment to other cruise lines (and thus losing Viking vital future business), it would benefit the cruise line more if they up their game and provide top rate entertainment instead of mediocre ones, so these customers continue staying with Viking for their future cruises.

Edited by Gnoelj
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Dear Shoalwater. Thank you for taking the time to post your comments. I am in agreement with some of the others in this thread - I don't need to be 'entertained' at night, which is one of the many reasons Viking suits me. In the evenings I am happy to sit and chat to fellow travellers, to watch the world go by, and / or have a glass of wine in the lounge. Broadway productions etc would be wasted on me. I would be interested to read some of the reviews you have completed after your many Princess cruises - it seems to me you might be a glass half empty kind of guy. No disrespect intended - but rather than wanting to change Viking into what you want it to be, why don't you just stick with Princess if they give you what you want and let people like me enjoy Viking for what it gives us. Whatever you choose to do, I wish you safe travels.

 

Well first off, no disrespect taken. My opinions are what they are, but I can say that a sampling of elevator, table and other discussions with passengers on our cruise indicated I am not alone. Not trying to change Viking, just provide unfiltered feedback. Second, I have not reviewed any of the 37 Princess cruises we've taken, but their package satisfies both preferences, yours and mine, even on the smaller ship. We enjoyed the brand for years, but it has migrated towards the mass market mega-ship paradigm, but not for us ( love the CCL stock price on the shares we bought at $15). We do tend to take longer voyages and enjoy sea days vs. port intensive travel. Not looking for over the top Broadway productions, but something more than Liar's Club or Some Like it Hot in the evening. Lastly, I really enjoy fishing, and there are I would proffer no pessimistic "glass half empty' people who are avid fishermen. Every morning at the boat ramp I am certain we're going to have a great day, and most other common cruising complaints roll off my back and don't detract from my day.

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For the two of us, this was a second cruise up the Amazon - our first was with Oceania 11 years ago. So I did know what to expect and had done my homewirk on the Viking experience and, like others on this same cruise, I found Viking to be lacking in all the areas mentioned above by Shoalwater.

 

Like Shoalwater, we also prefer the small ships like Pacific Princess, Oceania, and Azamara and felt Viking would be a similar experience. We may cruise them again in the future but will give them time to fix their problems.

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For the two of us, this was a second cruise up the Amazon - our first was with Oceania 11 years ago. So I did know what to expect and had done my homewirk on the Viking experience and, like others on this same cruise, I found Viking to be lacking in all the areas mentioned above by Shoalwater.

 

Like Shoalwater, we also prefer the small ships like Pacific Princess, Oceania, and Azamara and felt Viking would be a similar experience. We may cruise them again in the future but will give them time to fix their problems.

 

We have sailed with Azamara, Oceania, and Viking , although we have not been on the cruises to the Amazon.

 

We hope this "hiccup" (to the Amazon) is just what it is, and that it is not a sign of Viking trying to grow to fast too soon without enough time to get things totally right (is there more to come? hope not.) Their ocean fleet is growing at a much faster rate than any of its comtemporaries/other luxury ocean cruise lines.

Edited by Cahpek
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Shoalwater makes a couple of points that are hard to disagree with. My wife and I adore Viking Ocean cruises, and have our 4th and 5th cruises booked. However, we just got off the Panama and Central America 14 day cruise over Christmas and New Year's. There is no question that this part of the world presents Viking with challenges, given their model.

 

In addition to the issues with poverty and underdevelopment, the areas that are developed for tourists do not have intellectual pursuits in mind. They are developed for the beach and for light-hearted party-type entertainment. A resident historian on board does not have material to work with, at least in terms of excursions that are going to be possible. Viking needs to realize that customers who come on board not having done their homework and looking for a typical Caribbean cruise are going to be sorely bored, and those who come on board having expectations from the Mediterranean, Baltic, or Norway, are going to be disappointed by the often superficial (may I say, trivial) excursions.

 

Second, there is no reason that the entertainment could not be more substantial. We happen to greatly enjoy the classical trio, guitarist, and pianist (who were all wonderful on our cruise), and we go out of our way to listen to them in the evening. The entertainers - two dancers, three male singers, three female singers, and a four piece band - could be made more substantial without taking anything away from any other activities. I certainly was surprised to see a version of the same show in the Mediterranean in April 2016 and in Central America in December 2017.

 

Finally, a couple of points of disagreement. Please don't move dancing to the Explorer's Lounge. It's our favorite place for quiet reading. Second, if you are not being served on the Aquavit Terrace, well, it is a buffet, and the bar is right there. Why make it a challenge and see how long it takes to get your drink? Just get up and go to the bar. Maybe it will also alert them to the service problem.

 

Finally, changes in the entertainment staff may be difficult. The spaces to sleep on the ship are zero-sum game. More for one thing means less for something else.

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I would to hear from those who have sailed in the Carribbean and Europe what was the difference in the lectures or resident historians etc. I considered these ship activites as a high priority for me. And I don't mean anything about port shopping as some cruise line peddle as a lecture.

What other cruise line give you reading list for your perusal in anticipation of your sailing? I am slowing going through the list for my upcoming cruise.

I thought Viking was making a effort to have local entertainment on the ship while in port.

Did this happen?

Viking is unique in many ways with their launch of a modern vision of a ocean ships. I say so far they are very successful and folks are voting with their pocketbooks.

Meanwhile, others like Azamara and Crystal still have only two ships with each line getting a refurbished ship sometime in 2020 or later.

 

The second season the Americas will be coming to a end in two month. Looks like for 2019 and 2020 they will be expanding to South America.... stay tune... They are still a young cruise line.

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Shoalwater makes a couple of points that are hard to disagree with. My wife and I adore Viking Ocean cruises, and have our 4th and 5th cruises booked. However, we just got off the Panama and Central America 14 day cruise over Christmas and New Year's. There is no question that this part of the world presents Viking with challenges, given their model.

 

 

 

In addition to the issues with poverty and underdevelopment, the areas that are developed for tourists do not have intellectual pursuits in mind. They are developed for the beach and for light-hearted party-type entertainment. A resident historian on board does not have material to work with, at least in terms of excursions that are going to be possible. Viking needs to realize that customers who come on board not having done their homework and looking for a typical Caribbean cruise are going to be sorely bored, and those who come on board having expectations from the Mediterranean, Baltic, or Norway, are going to be disappointed by the often superficial (may I say, trivial) excursions.

 

 

 

Second, there is no reason that the entertainment could not be more substantial. We happen to greatly enjoy the classical trio, guitarist, and pianist (who were all wonderful on our cruise), and we go out of our way to listen to them in the evening. The entertainers - two dancers, three male singers, three female singers, and a four piece band - could be made more substantial without taking anything away from any other activities. I certainly was surprised to see a version of the same show in the Mediterranean in April 2016 and in Central America in December 2017.

 

 

 

Finally, a couple of points of disagreement. Please don't move dancing to the Explorer's Lounge. It's our favorite place for quiet reading. Second, if you are not being served on the Aquavit Terrace, well, it is a buffet, and the bar is right there. Why make it a challenge and see how long it takes to get your drink? Just get up and go to the bar. Maybe it will also alert them to the service problem.

 

 

 

Finally, changes in the entertainment staff may be difficult. The spaces to sleep on the ship are zero-sum game. More for one thing means less for something else.

 

 

 

I have to say that in the shore excursion area I agree Viking needs to work to bring this area up to the standards they have set in Europe. But they have a lot of challenges before them. And I think they are kind of between a rock and a hard place - as you have described - in meeting expectations of disparate groups.

 

This will be our first Viking Ocean cruise. The itinerary wasn’t my first choice. I wanted Into the Midnight Sun, or one of the Med cruises, or even the Eastern Seaboard Explorer. My husband wanted to go somewhere warm [emoji16]

 

I looked at the West Indies Explorer and the itinerary was similar to one we had been considering doing on Windstar. But while Windstar has sails, they don’t have balconies.

 

We were fresh off our wonderful river cruise, so I adjusted and we booked on Viking. Just by reading the descriptions, I knew the experience wouldn’t be like the river cruise or the European ocean cruises.

 

The islands were a mix of ones I’ve been to and some new ones. I like that. There are no sea days - don’t like that. I do love my sea days. So I’ve adjusted my expectations.

 

As long as I get good food, a nice cabin and some mix of beach time and sightseeing, I’m good. I’m hoping to meet some compatible people to have a drink with after dinner. I have high hopes and low expectations. I find that helps to avoid disappointment.

 

 

 

 

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Thank you for your review. We did a transatlantic cruise combined with the Amazon a few years ago on Swan Hellenic’s Minerva II (now P&O Adonia and soon to be Oceania ??). Probably our favourite cruise ever.

 

The Boi Bumba show in Parintins was something we will never forget. “Petty” crime is a problem everywhere, not just in the “third world”. Think Barcelona, Rome, Athens.

 

The only time I have ever been robbed was in Naples on the main drag in broad daylight when I had a Rolex watch snatched by a gang on Vespas.

 

If you crave entertainment on a long cruise, you might consider Cunard (a bit too snobby for me now, although we are Platinum with them) as they fly on different guest entertainers for each sector of the voyage.

 

 

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I just enjoyed a long conversation with a Viking Ocean representative following up on evaluations of the Amazon cruise. I would say that Viking listens, and the rep was not defensive nor did she try to substitute constructive criticism with excuses. I trust they will take the comments offered by many and use them to build and improve their brand and offerings. She was able to address many of my concerns about the World Cruise in 2019.

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I just enjoyed a long conversation with a Viking Ocean representative following up on evaluations of the Amazon cruise. I would say that Viking listens, and the rep was not defensive nor did she try to substitute constructive criticism with excuses. I trust they will take the comments offered by many and use them to build and improve their brand and offerings. She was able to address many of my concerns about the World Cruise in 2019.

 

Thanks for sharing your interaction with Viking. Was there any acknowledgement that they need to do better in the areas where many have suggested they are falling short?

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I just enjoyed a long conversation with a Viking Ocean representative following up on evaluations of the Amazon cruise. I would say that Viking listens, and the rep was not defensive nor did she try to substitute constructive criticism with excuses. I trust they will take the comments offered by many and use them to build and improve their brand and offerings. She was able to address many of my concerns about the World Cruise in 2019.

Thanks for the update, appreciate it.

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Thanks for sharing your interaction with Viking. Was there any acknowledgement that they need to do better in the areas where many have suggested they are falling short?

The rep said she is collecting passenger comments for her report to corporate staff. She had no real answers for why things were as they were, but said her job was to uncover the thin spots so they can be fixed. I said I was glad they were doing this, and that with 6 ships on the ways (under or planned for construction) ignoring passenger comments is at your own peril. The proof will be in the pudding.

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