Viking Ocean vs Oceania

[zltm089]

Both Viking Ocean and Oceania fall in the premium cruise line category.

 

Viking seems to have more recent and modern ships.

 

How is the food (buffet, mdr and speciality reataurants) on those two lines? Which one do you prefer foodwise?

 

Many thanks

[Heidi13]

Haven't actually sailed with either Viking or Oceania yet, but researched both of them extensively prior to selecting Viking.

 

With respect to food, most reports I read gave a slight edge to Oceania. Although a highly subjective subject, Viking's food is very good, but Oceania topped all cruise lines, even the luxury ones. Other than food, Viking came out tops on all categories important to us.

[Jim Avery]

Food is very subjective true but it really all depends on the staff doing the cooking. We thought food on the current Viking Sun World Cruise excellent. Clearly better than last years Inaugural WC. Until the Chef and 120 other crew left in Valparaíso. Since then choices and quality have declined dramatically. Not just my opinion but that of many of the current world cruisers. All crew needs time off but replacements need to be competent cooks too.

[orchestrapal]

Viking  is a step down from Oceania as far as food goes in our opinion.

Both have their better and not so good dishes.

 

 

[Dhsamso]

I pretty much agree with orchestrapal that Oceania has better food and that both have better and not so good dishes.  However, Viking food is still much better than for example RCL and other huge ships.  I would not chose Oceania over Viking because of the food given a similar itinerary.  Viking ships are more up to date, all cabins have balconies, and there are better self laundry facilities.  Both are good lines, you have to try both and see which is a better fit.

[eylarson]

We have sailed both and agree with Dhsamso.  Food, entertainment, and even ship layout are very subjective.  I did like the concierge level room on Oceania with current hard copy news papers and a staff member able to provide specialized recommendations.  The latter available on Viking, but always had to wait.  Oceania has a casino, either a plus or a minus.  I'm indifferent, SO likes an occasional game of chance.  Red Ginger restaurant cannot be topped in our opinion, Chefs Table close on some menus, but Red Ginger has always delivered an outstanding meal.   

[zltm089]

Thank you all for the comments.

[aungrl]

First, I totally agree with other posters that it’s always best to try both lines as time/budget allow, because so much of this is so subjective.  That said, for a bit of a ‘contrarian’ view, we were Oceania loyalists for many years, back in the early 2000s, sailing with them as recently as 2016/17 after a break of a few years.  Even before our first Viking Ocean sailing in early 2018, our view of Oceania had dimmed quite a bit, when comparing the product and service of the 2016 period with those of a decade earlier.  As other posters have noted, Red Ginger is a superior experience, and we always appreciated the fact that servers with gloves served passengers in the buffet - rather than everyone touching the utensils themselves.  Those are two strong positives.  But in all other respects - for us, at least - Viking is far superior.  The ships are not only newer, we prefer the layout and Scandinavian decor.  No casino and no children for us is a huge plus, and the ‘open to all’ thermal pool/snow grotto/spa area on the lower deck is a real plus.  Viking also has the edge for us in terms of resident enrichment lecturers; we’ve rarely experienced one we didn’t think was first rate.  The included wine/beer with meals, and the mini-bar with alcohol if you want it that is replenished daily in all but the lowest cabin category, along with the one included excursion, are also positives.  (At least on the voyages we’ve taken, the included excursions have rarely skewed to the ‘panoramic bus ride’; they’ve been a mixture of walking and historic site visits.).  Given all of this, we would only sail Viking now, even if Oceania had a slight edge on the itinerary.  We have good friends, however, who feel exactly the opposite, preferring Oceania for a long list of their own reasons.  

[zltm089]

On 12/26/2019 at 1:08 PM, aungrl said:

First, I totally agree with other posters that it’s always best to try both lines as time/budget allow, because so much of this is so subjective.  That said, for a bit of a ‘contrarian’ view, we were Oceania loyalists for many years, back in the early 2000s, sailing with them as recently as 2016/17 after a break of a few years.  Even before our first Viking Ocean sailing in early 2018, our view of Oceania had dimmed quite a bit, when comparing the product and service of the 2016 period with those of a decade earlier.  As other posters have noted, Red Ginger is a superior experience, and we always appreciated the fact that servers with gloves served passengers in the buffet - rather than everyone touching the utensils themselves.  Those are two strong positives.  But in all other respects - for us, at least - Viking is far superior.  The ships are not only newer, we prefer the layout and Scandinavian decor.  No casino and no children for us is a huge plus, and the ‘open to all’ thermal pool/snow grotto/spa area on the lower deck is a real plus.  Viking also has the edge for us in terms of resident enrichment lecturers; we’ve rarely experienced one we didn’t think was first rate.  The included wine/beer with meals, and the mini-bar with alcohol if you want it that is replenished daily in all but the lowest cabin category, along with the one included excursion, are also positives.  (At least on the voyages we’ve taken, the included excursions have rarely skewed to the ‘panoramic bus ride’; they’ve been a mixture of walking and historic site visits.).  Given all of this, we would only sail Viking now, even if Oceania had a slight edge on the itinerary.  We have good friends, however, who feel exactly the opposite, preferring Oceania for a long list of their own reasons.  

 

 

Ideally I would love to try both lines. But since it will be my first proper "Premium" cruise and funds/budget allows me to only chose between one of them (for the time being...)

 

 

[aungrl]

I would be all in on Viking as the one you try.

[Mich3554]

3 hours ago, zltm089 said:

 

 

Ideally I would love to try both lines. But since it will be my first proper "Premium" cruise and funds/budget allows me to only chose between one of them (for the time being...)

 

 

Then I would list what is most important to you.   Viking has no casino, no kids under 18, excellent food (supposedly not as good as Oceania) and all staterooms have balconies, and even the most basic room is larger.  Itinerary is another consideration, which line is going where you want to go?

[zltm089]

3 hours ago, Mich3554 said:

Then I would list what is most important to you.   Viking has no casino, no kids under 18, excellent food (supposedly not as good as Oceania) and all staterooms have balconies, and even the most basic room is larger.  Itinerary is another consideration, which line is going where you want to go?

 

Well the two most important for me would be the ship and food. I want modern, "recent" (ideally under 5 years old or recently renovated) and mid size ships (under 3000 passengers, ideally 2000)...I think the premium lines ships have  about 1000s capacity.

 

Itinerary and onboard entertainment, I'm not too bothered about (obviously as long as it's not going to a war torn country etc and it has a decent theatre...). 

 

Based on the comments I received in the Oceania section of the forum, it does sound like Oceania will win for the food and Viking will win for the ships... 

 

 

[Redtravel]

I like Oceania.  Their ships are beautiful.  Their larger ships have big cabins. Their smaller ships have smaller cabins.  All the cabins are furnished with comfortable bedding and attractive furnishings.  The Bvlgari toiletries are very good. Food is excellent. Tours are expensive and are not always as described.  Some are good. Some are lacking. 

I have not yet sailed on Viking Ocean.I have enjoyed Viking River cruises. Their long ships were clean and attractive. The food was good. Choices were limited. That is expected on river cruises. The big attraction on Viking was the attention paid to details.  Viking is organized.  Their tours use listening devices. Their guides are very knowledgeable. 

I have booked cruises on Oceania and Viking Ocean this year. Looking forward to both cruises. 

 

 

 

[dogs4fun]

On 12/25/2019 at 2:10 PM, Dhsamso said:

Oceania has better food and that both have better and not so good dishes

Although I agree that food quality is subjective, we found the food on Oceania superior to Viking.

[emairs]

We have had several cruises on Oceania, and enjoyed all of them until the TA on Riviera last year. We found a noticeable decline in the food quality (except for Red Ginger). The sommelier service was so bad, that we brought drinks from the bar into the dining room.

We took our first Crystal cruise in October. The food was very good and the service amazing. Crystal might cost a little more, but it’s nice that everything but tours is included. They truly make you feel special.

We are excited to be taking our first Viking Ocean cruise in July and hope it will be more aligned to Crystal.

It’s doubtful that we will return to Oceania.

[OnTheJourney]

I've never been with Oceania, but get their brochures ALL the time. I may be way off in this, but, having been with Viking (Ocean), I really don't consider them to be what I'd call a "luxury" cruise line, whereas when I look at the pictures in and around the ships in the Oceania brochures, to me it looks more 'expensive' / luxury-class. Again, just pure conjecture. I think that, since Viking Ocean runs much like a riverboat in terms of what the price includes, many people think it might be more of a (at least in appearance) luxury ship than it really is. I do like the simpler, less opulent and ornate designing of the Viking ocean ship. I found it to have a more relaxing feel to it. 

[OnTheJourney]

2 hours ago, emairs said:

We have had several cruises on Oceania, and enjoyed all of them until the TA on Riviera last year. We found a noticeable decline in the food quality (except for Red Ginger). The sommelier service was so bad, that we brought drinks from the bar into the dining room.

We took our first Crystal cruise in October. The food was very good and the service amazing. Crystal might cost a little more, but it’s nice that everything but tours is included. They truly make you feel special.

We are excited to be taking our first Viking Ocean cruise in July and hope it will be more aligned to Crystal.

It’s doubtful that we will return to Oceania.

 

Please report back as to a comparison between Viking and Crystal...that would be interesting. 

[chrismch]

We've traveled on all the mass market cruise lines as well as Crystal and Oceania. I definitely think of "O" as the foodie cruise and often think of the wonderful meals I've had there. However, I don't go on a cruise just for the food.  If a ship has ceramic loungers and a thalassotherapy pool that's a bigger plus for me, but few cruiselines have them.

 

We've been reviewing VIking and are considering doing a transatlantic crossing. What activities do you have to keep you occupied during the multiple sea days? How big are the showers in the cabins? What bath amenities do they provide?  Is it open dining? Are there extra charges for mixed drinks or soft drinks at meals?

 

[Mich3554]

8 hours ago, chrismch said:

We've traveled on all the mass market cruise lines as well as Crystal and Oceania. I definitely think of "O" as the foodie cruise and often think of the wonderful meals I've had there. However, I don't go on a cruise just for the food.  If a ship has ceramic loungers and a thalassotherapy pool that's a bigger plus for me, but few cruiselines have them.

 

We've been reviewing VIking and are considering doing a transatlantic crossing. What activities do you have to keep you occupied during the multiple sea days? How big are the showers in the cabins? What bath amenities do they provide?  Is it open dining? Are there extra charges for mixed drinks or soft drinks at meals?

 

This cruise, I have been learning to play bridge on sea days.  It is something I have always wanted to do, but not had the time.  The instructor on our cruise is quite good, and incredibly patient!

 

The showers are good sized.  They aren’t huge (at least in the DV and PV cabins) but you do not get claustrophobic.  You don’t bang your elbows washing your hair, and there is a ledge in the shower.  The bath amenities are Freya, there is body wash, shampoo, conditioner and lotion.  I have only used the body wash, DH has used the shampoo.  World Cafe is a buffet each evening, The Restaurant is table service, and what these 2 restaurants serve mirrors each other.  No reservations at The Restaurant, it is first come, first serve.

 

No charge for soft drinks, coffee, iced tea, beer or wine at dinner.  

[Frenchberet]

2 hours ago, Mich3554 said:

This cruise, I have been learning to play bridge on sea days.  It is something I have always wanted to do, but not had the time.  The instructor on our cruise is quite good, and incredibly patient!

 

The showers are good sized.  They aren’t huge (at least in the DV and PV cabins) but you do not get claustrophobic.  You don’t bang your elbows washing your hair, and there is a ledge in the shower.  The bath amenities are Freya, there is body wash, shampoo, conditioner and lotion.  I have only used the body wash, DH has used the shampoo.  World Cafe is a buffet each evening, The Restaurant is table service, and what these 2 restaurants serve mirrors each other.  No reservations at The Restaurant, it is first come, first serve.

 

No charge for soft drinks, coffee, iced tea, beer or wine at dinner.  

On Viking, soft drinks, coffee, tea, beer and wine are included at both lunch and dinner (all venues).  In addition to the World Cafe and main dining room, you can make reservations for the Chef’s Table (multiple course themed dinner with wine pairings) and Manfredis (Italian) at no extra charge.  Food is also available at the Pool Grill and Mamsens (waffles, sandwiches, desserts).  The spa is very nice with (free) access to the sauna, snow grotto, hot tub, and hydrotherapy pool.  On sea days we do the spa, afternoon tea, fitness center, sports deck activities, and enjoy the view from the Explorer Lounge.  We are sailing on Orion this year which also has a planetarium.   

[Meldrum]

We sailed with Oceania many times, both on O and R ships. This year we sailed in July with Viking and in August with Oceania. We did appreciate Viking a lot, also for its excellent cuisine. We had a number of the same dishes on both cruises and sometimes Viking was better (e.g. Beef Wellington), other dishes were better on Oceania (e.g. Soufflé Grand Marnier) but most dishes were very good on both ships. Viking’s speciality restaurants are included and those on Oceania as well. We like Red Ginger on Oceania a lot, Chef’s table on Viking not so much. Toscana (OC) and Manfreddi’s (VI) are both excellent Italian restaurants. The buffet restaurant is slightly better on Oceania, and way better on special nights, like the Italian night. We found the pool grill on Viking better than Waves on Oceania, but both have excellent gourmet style burgers! Afternoon tea is much better on Oceania, however during tea time you can also visit Mamsens on Viking for excellent waffels, cakes and open sandwiches (smörrebröd). 

We found breakfast room service better on Oceania, but only on a higher category cabin (concierge level and above) a hot breakfast is served. On Viking every cabin category can order hot food (e.g. Eggs Benedict) during breakfast room service, but their morning Coffee is almost undrinkable. Luckely, most cabines have a Nespresso Coffee machine on Viking (not so on Oceania).

In 2020 we have another cruise with Viking as well as a cruise with Oceania. We prefer Viking for cruises in the North (British Isles, Iceland, Alaska...) or in a cold saison and Oceania in warm regions like the meditteranean. The reason is this: Viking has a pool area that can be completely covered when it is cold or raining. On a cold or cloudy day, on a Viking ship we can still read a book, listen to some music, take a swim or step in to the jacuzzi and have some drinks. Holiday style! When it is raining or too cold, there is not so much you can do on an Oceania ship. That and the large indoor Wellness area on Viking with sauna, steam room and thalasso pool, makes it the perfect cruise line for us for all seasons and regions.

[lextrvlr]

4 hours ago, Meldrum said:

We sailed with Oceania many times, both on O and R ships. This year we sailed in July with Viking and in August with Oceania. We did appreciate Viking a lot, also for its excellent cuisine. We had a number of the same dishes on both cruises and sometimes Viking was better (e.g. Beef Wellington), other dishes were better on Oceania (e.g. Soufflé Grand Marnier) but most dishes were very good on both ships. Viking’s speciality restaurants are included and those on Oceania as well. We like Red Ginger on Oceania a lot, Chef’s table on Viking not so much. Toscana (OC) and Manfreddi’s (VI) are both excellent Italian restaurants. The buffet restaurant is slightly better on Oceania, and way better on special nights, like the Italian night. We found the pool grill on Viking better than Waves on Oceania, but both have excellent gourmet style burgers! Afternoon tea is much better on Oceania, however during tea time you can also visit Mamsens on Viking for excellent waffels, cakes and open sandwiches (smörrebröd). 

We found breakfast room service better on Oceania, but only on a higher category cabin (concierge level and above) a hot breakfast is served. On Viking every cabin category can order hot food (e.g. Eggs Benedict) during breakfast room service, but their morning Coffee is almost undrinkable. Luckely, most cabines have a Nespresso Coffee machine on Viking (not so on Oceania).

In 2020 we have another cruise with Viking as well as a cruise with Oceania. We prefer Viking for cruises in the North (British Isles, Iceland, Alaska...) or in a cold saison and Oceania in warm regions like the meditteranean. The reason is this: Viking has a pool area that can be completely covered when it is cold or raining. On a cold or cloudy day, on a Viking ship we can still read a book, listen to some music, take a swim or step in to the jacuzzi and have some drinks. Holiday style! When it is raining or too cold, there is not so much you can do on an Oceania ship. That and the large indoor Wellness area on Viking with sauna, steam room and thalasso pool, makes it the perfect cruise line for us for all seasons and regions.

Thank you for these forthright observations. They are quite helpful.

[chrismch]

Thanks for your replies.  Good to hear that Viking has T-pools with the sauna and steam room. Love those as daily activities. What about evening entertainment on Viking?

[Meldrum]

Although evening entertainment is not Oceania's strongest point, there is almost every night something to see and hear in the Lounge. Typically, there is one musician (violinist, flute player…), one good singer or duo and one comedian or magician during one cruise. On other evenings there are the production shows with the onboard talents and occasionally a movie is shown. After the show there is live music in Horizon, featuring mostly songs from the Great American Songbook. I can't remember how many times we listened to songs like 'Fly me to the moon' or 'Strangers in the Night' on Oceania cruises :-).

 

On Viking, entertainment in the theatre is even less impressive. On our last cruise there were three production shows if I can remember well, with songs from Abba, The Beatles (one destination on our cruise was Liverpool) and the third one I forgot. There was also one guest singer on board with two different performances. The other nights Viking showed a recent movie on a big screen on the pool deck, complete with popcorn and seats with blankets. After the show or movie there was live music in Torshaven, a kind of dark Night club, which we actually liked a lot. There, the onboard band played music accompanied by two singers or there was just one guitar playing singer. It was repetitive after a few days with again many American songs. Viking is a Scandinavian company, but they do a lot of marketing in the US and the ships have a majority of American passengers, hence the choice of music. 

[chrismch]

Looks like Viking has a Philippino lounge band like many of the other cruise lines, too. We love listening to live music and my husband always enjoys chatting with the band afterward as he's a musician.