Tour of the ship

Does Viking offer a tour of the ship? The parts where passengers are not normally allowed to go? I think it would be fascinating to see some of the ins and outs of keeping 900 people going for 10 days.

Does Viking offer a tour of the ship? The parts where passengers are not normally allowed to go? I think it would be fascinating to see some of the ins and outs of keeping 900 people going for 10 days.

Don't think so. It may depend on the Captain and how much time they have. When we did Viking Homelands in 2016, the offered two tours of the bridge (max 20 and free), one each week. Am on the Sky now and no bridge tours were offered at all. And I read the Viking Daily religiously.

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Don't think so. It may depend on the Captain and how much time they have. When we did Viking Homelands in 2016, the offered two tours of the bridge (max 20 and free), one each week. Am on the Sky now and no bridge tours were offered at all. And I read the Viking Daily religiously.

 

 

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We found out through reading CC threads that when you embark you can go to the desk and request a tour of the bridge. They don’t advertise it anywhere. They give you a time, you meet in the living room, and up you go with your escort. My husband who has sailed all his life found it fascinating!

I must be cursed. Signed up. Bugged them. No tour.

I must be cursed. Signed up. Bugged them. No tour.

[emoji26]

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Let's imagine you are on huge floating anthill cruise ship where 95% of the passengers are treated like....

There is a "ship within a ship" exclusive area for those willing to pay double or triple price.

There is a huge theater with high tech equipment, amazing "behind the scene" area.

There is a huge loundry facility that works like a factory.

There is a key-entry spa area ($$$)

A tour of the ship will let you have a look at those "secret" areas as well as at the Bridge, the galley, probably engine control room.

 

Now we go back to Viking.

There is no class segregation on Viking ships. So you don't have to pay for a tour to be amazed by "ship within a ship" gimmickry.

There is no theater per se, so nothing to explore.

Bridge tour - it's a pleasure to be a guest of the Capitan at his "working place". Nothing more than that. There is nothing to do or look at in the bridge tour unless you are a zero beginner in cruising. It's worth taking once (no matter what ship) and that is enough for the lifetime.

Galley - you'll see stoves, refrigerators, pans, etc. The guide will give you facts about the number of portions prepared a day, gallons of something consumed per week. No secrets will be uncovered. Your waiter can tell you much more if you ask.

Spa is included in the price and easily accessible.

Loundry and waste compactors.....

A tour is unlikely to include what is really interesting: "behind the bridge" area, the engine room (not to be confused with the engine control room), and crew cabins and social areas.

 

Bottom line: it's a big plus of the Viking product that the whole ship (almost) is yours, and you can take a tour by yourself any time you want.

The places of the real interest are closed for the public anyway, so there is nothing to do with the ship tour on Viking.

Easy does it big guy - I was interested in some of the technical aspects of the ship - the bridge yes, but also how they recycle waste and water, how and when they bring on food stores (so, how fresh is fresh), and some of those behind the scenes. If it is not to be, it is not to be, but the forum is the best place to ask the question.:D

Easy does it big guy - I was interested in some of the technical aspects of the ship - the bridge yes, but also how they recycle waste and water, how and when they bring on food stores (so, how fresh is fresh), and some of those behind the scenes. If it is not to be, it is not to be, but the forum is the best place to ask the question.:D

Not really sure what that rant was about. Most cruise lines offer "behind the scenes" tours, for a charge, but I don't believe Viking does. It does not interest all folks, but it does many. On these tours, you may not get to actually see some of the things you mention (like waste water treatment), but you typically go to the Engine Control Room, and see all the controls that keep the ship operating, and there will be a Senior engineer, frequently the Chief Engineer, there who will be happy to describe things, and answer questions. Frequently, this is the longest stop on these tours, as folks continue to ask questions.

I've been going to sea for 42 years, over 30 as Chief Engineer, and done several years on cruise ships. Searches of my posts can explain lots of technical aspects of cruise ships, and there have been a couple of threads started just to ask me questions.

Viking will probably get into the tour business in the future, as it is pretty much a cash cow for them. As there are security considerations involved in having passengers in crew areas (and places like the Engine Control Room are off limits even to 90% of the crew), so their ISM and ISPS management systems may need to be rewritten to allow for the tours.

Not really sure what that rant was about. Most cruise lines offer "behind the scenes" tours, for a charge, but I don't believe Viking does. It does not interest all folks, but it does many. On these tours, you may not get to actually see some of the things you mention (like waste water treatment), but you typically go to the Engine Control Room, and see all the controls that keep the ship operating, and there will be a Senior engineer, frequently the Chief Engineer, there who will be happy to describe things, and answer questions. Frequently, this is the longest stop on these tours, as folks continue to ask questions.

 

I've been going to sea for 42 years, over 30 as Chief Engineer, and done several years on cruise ships. Searches of my posts can explain lots of technical aspects of cruise ships, and there have been a couple of threads started just to ask me questions.

 

Viking will probably get into the tour business in the future, as it is pretty much a cash cow for them. As there are security considerations involved in having passengers in crew areas (and places like the Engine Control Room are off limits even to 90% of the crew), so their ISM and ISPS management systems may need to be rewritten to allow for the tours.

Thanks! It is excellent to know there is someone like you on the boards (or is that onboard?) - I will take a look at your old posts and see what there is to see!

Hey Viking - since I know you monitor these sites - if your insurance won't allow you to have passengers in the working areas of the ship, how about a video crew, and you can post the video on the ship's TV system! It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but there are a lot of us out there who are techies at heart and would love to see some of this.

Thanks! It is excellent to know there is someone like you on the boards (or is that onboard?) - I will take a look at your old posts and see what there is to see!

 

Hey Viking - since I know you monitor these sites - if your insurance won't allow you to have passengers in the working areas of the ship, how about a video crew, and you can post the video on the ship's TV system! It won't be everyone's cup of tea, but there are a lot of us out there who are techies at heart and would love to see some of this.

On NCL's Pride of Aloha (now the Sky), the CD did a series of these, and was able to get down into the engine room, and do voice overs for the noisy areas.

Hello Chief. We are currently onboard Viking Sun a day out from Tonga. Getting head wrapped around never having Sunday January 21 after crossing the International Date Line. Your description of Viking is spot on.😎