Regent or Viking Ocean?

BarbarianPaul · August 13, 2017

The menu did have a note in parenthesis after listing the caviar ("Market Price"). The only times Regent has caviar at no charge is on Sundays at brunch and at the Seven Seas Society Cocktail party.

If you have time, would love to see photos of the ship. While the Scandinavian look isn't my thing, we don't cruise on a ship for the decor. We love the decor of Explorer (dark woods, granite, marble, etc.) but would not have it in our home.

Thanks so much for taking the time to post!

The menu actually featured two offerings of caviar...one for "market price," the other, higher up on the first page, complimentary. I had the latter, which was quite good. Would be happy to post some photos of the ship!

Tomorrow we're in Helsinki, where we're doing an excursion around town, then to the smaller village Porvoo about 45 min away, followed by a scenic cruise to an island for lunch at some apparently interesting and scenic hotel by the name of Haikko Manor. It's a relatively long excursion, around 6 1/2 hours.

Interestingly, each cabin is equipped with two "QuietVox" audio sets, which we're supposed to bring along on certain tours. I guess that eliminates the inconvenience of distributing them on the tour bus and maintains quality.

Sail away out of Stockholm this afternoon was beautiful. Weather has been refreshingly cool and sunny, but we got a little rain late in the day. After a hot summer in LA, my wife and I welcome it.

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BarbarianPaul · August 13, 2017

I'm always interested when cruisers post some pix of the daily newsletter, so here's the Viking Star's for tomorrow. You'll notice that an enrichment lecture on St. Petersburg, which we visit on Tuesday and Wednesday, gets a prime time slot in the main theater at 9:15 pm. Viking is also starting a "resident historian" program where a professor comes aboard and not only gives lectures, but also hosts informal round table discussions on a variety of topics.

There's the usual entertainment as well, but we always appreciate a well designed enrichment program as well.

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vlinbin · August 13, 2017

I love all the information provided on this thread. We are Regent loyalists, but are willing to consider other lines. After the recent encouraging words about Viking Ocean Cruises on this thread, I went to the website to look at the accommodations. Are there just three categories of suites? I couldn't find any that offered more than one bathroom, but perhaps I don't know where to look.

The menu posted did look wonderful, but we need the reactions of those eating the food to support its quality. Many times I am excited when reading the menus distributed on airlines, but find what is actually served a far cry from what I pictured when reading the menu.

While on the Viking website, I did the 360 degree tour. The décor matches my taste far better than that pictured for the Explorer though I have not been on that ship yet -- just the Mariner and the Voyager.

So, at this point, not sure whether we will stay with Regent which always satisfies, or try something new.

BarbarianPaul · August 13, 2017

I love all the information provided on this thread. We are Regent loyalists, but are willing to consider other lines. After the recent encouraging words about Viking Ocean Cruises on this thread, I went to the website to look at the accommodations. Are there just three categories of suites? I couldn't find any that offered more than one bathroom, but perhaps I don't know where to look.

The menu posted did look wonderful, but we need the reactions of those eating the food to support its quality. Many times I am excited when reading the menus distributed on airlines, but find what is actually served a far cry from what I pictured when reading the menu.

While on the Viking website, I did the 360 degree tour. The décor matches my taste far better than that pictured for the Explorer though I have not been on that ship yet -- just the Mariner and the Voyager.

So, at this point, not sure whether we will stay with Regent which always satisfies, or try something new.

I took the menu pix earlier tonight before dinner. My wife and I have since actually had the dinner. I ordered the Bittersweet Symphony and crab cake, the lobster, and chocolate soufflé. My wife had the pheasant consommé, the sturgeon caviar, the wild boar sausage/pasta, and the red plum crostata. It was all delicious!

Also, the freshly baked bread basket every night is great.

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vlinbin · August 13, 2017

Oh good--delicious food (plus a bread basket for one addicted to Regent's pretzel rolls) and a nice enrichment program--makes this all very tempting.

OceanPatter · August 14, 2017

Awesome review, BarbarianPaul. Like you, we were on the Explorer for a two-week cruise (Panama Canal), and will be on Viking Ocean next March for a transatlantic. We thoroughly enjoyed our Concierge cabin on the Explorer, and have booked a similar-size cabin on the Viking Sea - a penthouse junior suite. Admittedly, it would be hard to beat the food on the Explorer, but we hope to experience other cool features of the Viking Ocean ships ... especially a functional wifi.

ano · August 14, 2017

Full disclosure, we have not yet traveled on Viking or Regent, but are looking at both. We have traveled 25+ cruises on a bunch others.

One project I'm taking on is mapping just WHAT is and is not included on various cruise lines, what what was mentioned here for Viking inclusion was often wrong. Maybe things have changed recently, but what I have seen

Viking Ocean typically DOES include:

- Airfare and transfers, its included in advertised prices at least.

- Unlimited Wi-Fi

-Access to the spa, steam room and cold room.

-All restaurants are included at no extra charge.

-One basic excursion is included at each port. 5 or 6 others are available at an extra charge and are relatively cheap.

-24 hour room service

-Beer wine and soda is free at dinner. Other drinks can be purchased, or a beverage package can be purchased relatively cheaply compared to others.

-In room fridge is stocked daily with soda, candy and water. For some rooms and above (penthouse I think) they will stock it with free alcohol of your choice as well.

-You are allowed to bring any alcohol aboard from any port or your initial port and free to bring it to dinner.

-Self service laundry.

-On-demand movies.

-Gratuities are NOT included, suggested at $15/day/person.

So there are gratuities and some alcohol depending on when and your room. Also excursions depending on what you want. As I said, I haven't been on Viking or Regent, but be fair when comparing "perks" because there is just so much "fake news" out there.

BarbarianPaul · August 14, 2017

Re Viking...

I think the beer wine and soda are also free at lunch. Not sure about Air and transfers being included in advertised prices. Our transfers were included because we purchased Viking's two night pre cruise stay in Stockholm as well as their three night post cruise stay in Iceland.

Our hotel in Stockholm, the Radisson BLU waterfront, was better than Regent's hotel in Haifa, though of course it's not a particularly fair comparison.

Sailing into Helsinki now...lots of beautiful green forest!

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NeilP57 · August 14, 2017

I am just loving this thread. I am a big fan of the Viking Ocean product having done cruises on the Viking Star so far and would happily do another one. However, we have a Regent Cruise booked on Seven Seas Voyager next month, so it will be interesting to see whether the extra cost of the Regent product is justified.

I know Viking is a great product that suits us very well and I really hope that the Regent Cruise meets our high expectations. Then we can decide at what price point we wish to cruise going forward.

Interestingly on the Wi-Fi situation, Viking was very good and I note from a brochure that I have received from Regent in the past few days that they claim to have quadrupled their current bandwidth across the fleet and it makes the following claim:

"This performance boosting technology upgrade includes new state of the art satellite dishes, and a SpeedNet programme that delivers popular websites at speeds that mimic high-speed fibre optic networks, similar to those available in homes and offices"

We shall see. I will try and review and comparison of the two lines after I have been on Voyager, however it may not be as well written and considered as the excellent review done by BarbarianPaul below.

Neil

UUNetBill · August 14, 2017

Interestingly on the Wi-Fi situation, Viking was very good and I note from a brochure that I have received from Regent in the past few days that they claim to have quadrupled their current bandwidth across the fleet and it makes the following claim:

"This performance boosting technology upgrade includes new state of the art satellite dishes, and a SpeedNet programme that delivers popular websites at speeds that mimic high-speed fibre optic networks, similar to those available in homes and offices"

Are they still sending out that rubbish? The only way Regent's internet mimics fiber optic speeds is if the optic fiber has been broken, melted, cracked, snapped, mashed, disconnected, broken again, then run over by a steamroller. Twice.

They had removed that statement from the US website and I don't recall seeing it in the recent print media. But either way, don't believe it. We expect slower internet at sea, but Regent takes it to a new level. You'd be better off with two tin cans and a hundred miles of string...

Just my opinion, of course. :rolleyes:

Wendy The Wanderer · August 14, 2017

I'm loving this thread and the current reports from the ship by Paul--keep them up! The ship itself sounds great, and the cabin size we could probably cope with.

I looked at their "Viking Homeland" and similar offerings since we're booked on a fjord cruise on Azamara next year. None of their Norway cruises go north of Bergen, as far as I can see. That's quite disappointing, given that this is their home territory. I don't find many of their other routes particularly compelling either.

I also wonder about ordering dessert at the beginning of your meal--what do they say if you tell them you want to decide later?

tubeamps · August 14, 2017

I ordered dessert several times after the main meal, no problems, like a normal restaurant.

If you want to hit the ports in northern Norway check out their Midnight sun itineraries, they run all the way to the North Cape.

Wendy The Wanderer · August 14, 2017

I ordered dessert several times after the main meal, no problems, like a normal restaurant.

If you want to hit the ports in northern Norway check out their Midnight sun itineraries, they run all the way to the North Cape.

Thanks, found it, hadn't noticed it before.

Wendy The Wanderer · August 14, 2017

I ordered dessert several times after the main meal, no problems, like a normal restaurant.

If you want to hit the ports in northern Norway check out their Midnight sun itineraries, they run all the way to the North Cape.

I compared it to our Azamara itinerary. The nice thing about the Viking itins is that they do them over and over again. Not just once a year. But the price is about the same, and ours is more strictly in Norway, although it starts in Edinburgh. Then again, the Viking one goes to the Shetlands and the Orkeys, which is kind of appealing, and ends in London, which is also nice.

Isklaar · August 14, 2017

BarbarianPaul, I feel as if I've been waiting months for your Viking cruise report, so pleased that you're on board at last! Very much enjoying them so far, please keep them coming but not at the expense of having a wonderful cruise. Look forward to reading more when you have time.

BarbarianPaul · August 14, 2017

Tonight's excellent dinner menu from the Italian specialty restaurant

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BarbarianPaul · August 14, 2017

The menu did have a note in parenthesis after listing the caviar ("Market Price"). The only times Regent has caviar at no charge is on Sundays at brunch and at the Seven Seas Society Cocktail party.

If you have time, would love to see photos of the ship. While the Scandinavian look isn't my thing, we don't cruise on a ship for the decor. We love the decor of Explorer (dark woods, granite, marble, etc.) but would not have it in our home.

Thanks so much for taking the time to post!

Sitting in the theater where a lecture on our destination tomorrow, St. Petersburg, and it's construction is about to start. Just wandered around and took the attached pics. By the way, the weather is clear and warm, and we just had a blast walking the wraparound deck and watching the sunset

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BarbarianPaul · August 14, 2017

And three more...

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BarbarianPaul · August 14, 2017

Sunset!

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Travelcat2 · August 14, 2017

Lovely pictures - thanks!

OceanPatter · August 14, 2017

Great photos, BarbarianPaul. Thanks so much for uploading. (I hope the Regent folks aren't miffed that this has turned into a Viking blog ... oh well.) Along with the Regent Explorer, we've also done cruises on Crystal (like you), but we would not go back to Crystal unless it's on a new ship (2022?). Given our penchant for new ships, we've also been on HAL's Koningsdam, most recently on a Baltics cruise. Their Neptune suite is probably my favorite cabin ... even relative to the Concierge suite on the Explorer. Of course, the Koningsdam's food can't touch the Explorer's by a long shot, but the service was great, and despite the mainstream-aspect, we had a wonderful cruise. I guess we just like newer ships ...

Travelcat2 · August 14, 2017

As a Regent regular, I don't mind hearing about a premium-plus cruise line in terms of a comparison. Having said that, we will not be trying Viking Ocean based on a friend (and Viking officer - formerly of Regent) who did not feel that it would be something we would like. Unless we take another Oceania cruise (for the low price and is also premium plus) or a Silversea cruise (for itinerary), we will likely stay with Regent.

Paul, could you comment on the level of spirits and perhaps pricing of mixed drinks? I know that on Oceania the prices of top shelf drinks is extremely high and has an 18% gratuity on top of that. For this reason we paid $59/day/person for their Premium Alcohol Package. Does Viking offer such a thing that includes premium spirits? Thanks much!

BarbarianPaul · August 15, 2017

We don't usually order mixed drinks, but Viking does offer something called the Silver Spirits Package, for $299 per person for 14 days, which has to be purchased by everyone in the same stateroom.

Without repeating our past discussion, which I'm loathe to do, I was interested to hear our CD refer to Viking multiple times in his various presentations as a luxury, not premium plus, cruise line. Regardless of whether or not we view this as accurate, that is how the line itself is clearly trying to position itself.

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Wendy The Wanderer · August 15, 2017

...
Without repeating our past discussion, which I'm loathe to do, I was interested to hear our CD refer to Viking multiple times in his various presentations as a luxury, not premium plus, cruise line. Regardless of whether or not we view this as accurate, that is how the line itself is clearly trying to position itself.

...

Yes, all these lines are doing that, positioning themselves as luxury. And probably they are all close. It's my belief that one of the biggest distinguishing factors is passenger to space ratio (that being said, I enjoy Azamara, which ranks fairly low, as you can see). Here are some numbers from another site (hope this is okay with cruisecritic), in order of ratio (didn't bother with the mass market but included Celebrity Equinox for comparison.) Having been on both Mariner and Voyager, I can tell you that Mariner definitely has better public spaces, but that's at the expense of cabin size, of course. Nice to see that the Paul Gauguin, my favourite ship, fares well beside Voyager:

Seven Seas Explorer 1 : 74.672

Silver Shadow 1 : 72.463

Silver Whisper 1 : 72.464

Seabourn Odyssey 1 : 71.115

Seabourn Encore 1 : 71.116

Silver Muse 1 : 68.47

Seven Seas Mariner 1 : 67.718

Silver Spirit 1 : 66.689

Crystal Serenity 1 : 63.1810

Seven Seas Voyager 1 : 59.6711

Seven Seas Navigator 1 : 58.2712

Paul Gauguin 1 : 58.1813