ES3 vs. ES1 - What am I missing?

[JerseyMom]

I have booked an aft ES3 for a transatlantic on the Viking Sea for March 2022 (hopefully COVID will be far in the rear view mirror by then).  I have noticed that the ES1 cabins are sold out but there are still ES2 and ES3 left.  As I understand it, the ES1 cabins are all forward cabins and are a bit larger on the interior.  The ES1s are also more convenient to the Explorer Lounge and pool deck.  On the other hand, the ES3 aft has a larger balcony, is more convenient to the dining rooms and theater and is $3,200 less expensive than the ES1 for my particular sailing.  My question is, why are the ES1s so much more in demand?

[Jim Avery]

That is a good question.  Especially for a Transatlantic crossing.  I would think the forward suite veranda areas would be unpleasant due to wind on a crossing.  The ES3s are on 3 deck so noise might be an issue.  Someone who has enjoyed them will have to chip in here.

[JerseyMom]

3 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

That is a good question.  Especially for a Transatlantic crossing.  I would think the forward suite veranda areas would be unpleasant due to wind on a crossing.  The ES3s are on 3 deck so noise might be an issue.  Someone who has enjoyed them will have to chip in here.

Thanks, Jim.  That was exactly my reasoning in choosing an aft.  I thought that perhaps I would be able to get more use out of the balcony on the aft.  As for noise, I am a pretty sound sleeper but DH is not so that could be an issue.

[Jim Avery]

We would probably make the same choice.  We have had aft suites on a few other ships and enjoyed them.  On the old R-Ships scattered among Azamara and other lines, the vibration was pretty bad even though the suite was great.  On Viking ships, even aft in the Dining Room, we have never noted vibration to be a problem so  the 3 Deck suites above should be perfectly smooth.  Now if the dxxn virus would just go away.....🍸

[aungrl]

We had an ES3 in 2018 on the Sky, and it was just great.  I was treating my mother to a 7-day Mexican rivera itinerary for a special birthday, so we splurged for the ES3.  At the time, it was the only one available, but after discussing it with the TA, and reviewing the advantages of forward vs. aft - as well as the location above one of the dining areas - it seemed like a good choice.  And it turned out to be perfect.  There was never any noise from below at any time of the day or night, and the views from both the sitting room and the bedroom - and the balconies outside both - were amazing.  If you want to splurge on an ES suite, we had zero concerns and lots of pluses with the ES3.  

 

Some people prefer the smaller balcony/larger interior space of the forward ES cabins, and I know people who prefer forward to aft.  But you can find several threads here on CC where the downsides of the forward ES cabins are discussed - primarily excessive motion and needing to keep the blinds closed at night.

 

In any case, for the price difference, if I was looking to do an ES-level cabin in the future, I wouldn't hesitate on an ES3.  

Edited November 30, 2020 by aungrl
Typo

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

I researched this pretty thoroughly.  You get what you pay for.  ES3 is smaller than others, with somewhat obstructed views, by bow extensions and wave guard for the forward ES3 - still very nice.  It appears that the ES2s (aft only) are larger than the aft ES3, but not 100% sure, as photos of ES2 cabins were hard to find.

 

The photos on the Viking site for the ESs are a hodgepodge of all ES cabins, they are NOT indicative of the particular ES level they are presented with.  This is a fail by Viking.

 

In general, if I were going to a very scenic area, I would get an ES1 if I could, as it has pano windows with no obstructions, and is more spacious.  Or, secondarily, an ES2.  But an ES3 would be better than a balcony cabin.  Big advantages are bedroom with a door and a dining table.

 

Now, for a transatlantic, I would opt for a Penthouse Junior suite in the middle of the ship, since the view would be much the same from any cabin,  and midships is better for motion in the ocean.  And get a cabin that will be on the south side of the ship during the crossing, to get sun.

[JerseyMom]

3 hours ago, aungrl said:

We had an ES3 in 2018 on the Sky, and it was just great.  I was treating my mother to a 7-day Mexican rivera itinerary for a special birthday, so we splurged for the ES3.  At the time, it was the only one available, but after discussing it with the TA, and reviewing the advantages of forward vs. aft - as well as the location above one of the dining areas - it seemed like a good choice.  And it turned out to be perfect.  There was never any noise from below at any time of the day or night, and the views from both the sitting room and the bedroom - and the balconies outside both - were amazing.  If you want to splurge on an ES suite, we had zero concerns and lots of pluses with the ES3.  

 

Some people prefer the smaller balcony/larger interior space of the forward ES cabins, and I know people who prefer forward to aft.  But you can find several threads here on CC where the downsides of the forward ES cabins are discussed - primarily excessive motion and needing to keep the blinds closed at night.

 

In any case, for the price difference, if I was looking to do an ES-level cabin in the future, I wouldn't hesitate on an ES3.  

Thanks, Aungrl!  Good to know, if I am not mistaken, I believe the Sky and Sea are sister ships so I hope it is reasonably quiet.

[JerseyMom]

1 hour ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

I researched this pretty thoroughly.  You get what you pay for.  ES3 is smaller than others, with somewhat obstructed views, by bow extensions and wave guard for the forward ES3 - still very nice.  It appears that the ES2s (aft only) are larger than the aft ES3, but not 100% sure, as photos of ES2 cabins were hard to find.

 

The photos on the Viking site for the ESs are a hodgepodge of all ES cabins, they are NOT indicative of the particular ES level they are presented with.  This is a fail by Viking.

 

In general, if I were going to a very scenic area, I would get an ES1 if I could, as it has pano windows with no obstructions, and is more spacious.  Or, secondarily, an ES2.  But an ES3 would be better than a balcony cabin.  Big advantages are bedroom with a door and a dining table.

 

Now, for a transatlantic, I would opt for a Penthouse Junior suite in the middle of the ship, since the view would be much the same from any cabin,  and midships is better for motion in the ocean.  And get a cabin that will be on the south side of the ship during the crossing, to get sun.

Thanks, Ragnar!  If I were going with anyone other than my husband, I would definitely take your suggestion and go with the PJS.  Traveling with my husband we really need a separate living area and sleeping area with a door that can be closed since he is a night owl and I am a morning person.  I go to sleep hours before he does.  The size will probably be fine as long as I can close off the bedroom area. 

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, JerseyMom said:

Thanks, Aungrl!  Good to know, if I am not mistaken, I believe the Sky and Sea are sister ships so I hope it is reasonably quiet.

 

All of the Viking ships are the same, with minor tweaks from new ship to new ship and almost no changes to the cabins themselves. Sitting in your cabin, it is almost impossible to tell which ship you are on.

[Heidi13]

17 hours ago, JerseyMom said:

I have booked an aft ES3 for a transatlantic on the Viking Sea for March 2022 (hopefully COVID will be far in the rear view mirror by then).  I have noticed that the ES1 cabins are sold out but there are still ES2 and ES3 left.  As I understand it, the ES1 cabins are all forward cabins and are a bit larger on the interior.  The ES1s are also more convenient to the Explorer Lounge and pool deck.  On the other hand, the ES3 aft has a larger balcony, is more convenient to the dining rooms and theater and is $3,200 less expensive than the ES1 for my particular sailing.  My question is, why are the ES1s so much more in demand?

 

As Jim mentioned, as excellent question. Why are the cabins experiencing the most noise and movement the most expensive and highly sought after?

 

The easy answer is slick marketing by cruise lines.

 

We were provided an ES1 on the Sun for 3-weeks from Dubai to Gibraltar, so can provide a quick summary of our experiences.

• Noise - when weighing anchor in Suez we were awakened by the windlass at 04:00 and also the noise/vibration of the bow thruster
• Wind - I expected this to be an issue, especially with head winds, but wasn't. The balcony is on the side, so is actually sheltered.
• Visibility - fwd windows in the lounge and bedroom provide great views ahead. You also have a walkway fwd of the cabin, but due to structural steel, it is not accessible to pax.
• Lounge had a couple of seats and a couch, but they were short backed and we didn't find them overly comfortable. Much better seats in Explorers & Atrium. Also came with a round table & chairs.
• Bathroom had a heated towel rack, which was a great feature. Bath tub also had a TV, which we never tried.
• Access - although nothing is very far, it was a fair distance from the fwd stairs/lifts to the cabin, so we much preferred our original DV4 midships between the 2 stairwells.

 

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

7 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Lounge had a couple of seats and a couch, but they were short backed and we didn't find them overly comfortable.

Thanks Heidi13, I wondered about those chairs at the coffee table in the ESs.  They didn’t look nearly as comfortable as the ones in the balcony cabins.

 

I noted in pax photos of the ES1 that there is a larger chair, that may be a recliner,  by the door to the suite.  Did your ES cabin have this chair?  If so, was it comfortable to lounge in?

[Heidi13]

6 hours ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Thanks Heidi13, I wondered about those chairs at the coffee table in the ESs.  They didn’t look nearly as comfortable as the ones in the balcony cabins.

 

I noted in pax photos of the ES1 that there is a larger chair, that may be a recliner,  by the door to the suite.  Did your ES cabin have this chair?  If so, was it comfortable to lounge in?

 

Ragnar - don't recall any other chair than the one at the desk and couch + 2 chairs at the coffee table. The one at the desk was the most comfortable.