Viking Planetarian Experiences

[OKCowboy]

Viking has two ships with planetarians-Jupiter and Orion. We sailed on the Jupiter and saw two shows. As we are scheduled for the Orion in 2022, I wonder if anyone has experiences to share regarding the shows? Have they been updated? Any shows to avoid? 

[WestW]

We were on the Orion this summer in Bermuda and also in 2019 crossing the Pacific. The shows had not been updated since our 2019 trip. 

[frickwg]

I was unimpressed with the planetarium.  Shows were just OK and image resolution poor.

[FlyerTalker]

45 minutes ago, frickwg said:

I was unimpressed with the planetarium.  Shows were just OK and image resolution poor.

 

In other words, another gimmick to put in the brochures?

[KBs mum]

It seems the planatariums are not that popular. I have read that they seem to be missing from the plans for the new ships, if so will they be removed from Orion and Jupiter when their refits happen? 

If they have been discontinued its unlikely new programming will happen

[Frenchberet]

We sailed on Orion to Australia in 2020 and enjoyed two of the planetarium shows.  We had to reserve tickets in advance and both shows were “sold out”.  I thought the planetarium was a cool feature but it did take some space from the lounge.  

[CCWineLover]

There have been quite a number of posts addressing this exact subject (search on Planetarium) with pages and pages of people's opinions and comments.

 

My advice:  if you've never been go once, and then you'll never have to go again.

 

Appears that Viking has taken the numerous amount of feedback into consideration and after Orion and Jupiter, the Planetariums so far have not been put on the more recent ships.

[Insanityx4]

We were on the Orion in 2019 and the shows were underwhelming. That being said, the main problem was that the Explorer's Lounge was always freezing. We tend to spend a lot of time in that area and always had to wear a warm jacket. We asked about why and was told it had to something to do with the circulation/air flow of heat due to the Planetarium being upstairs.

[CCWineLover]

23 minutes ago, Insanityx4 said:

We were on the Orion in 2019 and the shows were underwhelming. That being said, the main problem was that the Explorer's Lounge was always freezing. We tend to spend a lot of time in that area and always had to wear a warm jacket. We asked about why and was told it had to something to do with the circulation/air flow of heat due to the Planetarium being upstairs.

Plus you had to get a crick in the neck from angling it upwards.  We absolutely froze to death, as did everyone else.  The shows were not well done, and truthfully not that interesting.  Nearly everyone we spoke to on Jupiter and Orion felt the same way.   We didn't even bother to go back this summer on Orion - why waste the time - it was the same old shows even.  I think Viking has given up on this concept for the future ships.

[molymoo]

15 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

Plus you had to get a crick in the neck from angling it upwards.  We absolutely froze to death, as did everyone else.  The shows were not well done, and truthfully not that interesting.  Nearly everyone we spoke to on Jupiter and Orion felt the same way.   We didn't even bother to go back this summer on Orion - why waste the time - it was the same old shows even.  I think Viking has given up on this concept for the future ships.

Same experience here!  We went to one show on the Jupiter a few years ago and, although the show itself was “okay”, there are very few seats offering a comfortable view.  We were so uncomfortable we really wanted to leave but of course that would have disturbed everyone else.  We hunkered down until the end and didn’t go back.  Nice idea, but not a great execution!

[LindaS272]

When I first encountered the planetarium, I expected a presentation on the night sky where we were traveling. But nope. We were on the Orion in SE Asia and a couple of the presentations were on the arctic north! So I skipped it the next time on the Jupiter in SA. Much like the repeats of the Beatles and the the ABBA shows, the planetarium offerings were the same.

[deec]

:(...I was hoping for an astronomer who would then take us out on deck so find the southern hemispheres constellations....on the world cruise one evening the captain was out and about and took us outside and pointed out the Southern Cross!!!

[Australia08]

29 minutes ago, deec said:

:(...I was hoping for an astronomer who would then take us out on deck so find the southern hemispheres constellations....on the world cruise one evening the captain was out and about and took us outside and pointed out the Southern Cross!!!

I was on a different cruise line a few years back and there was a staff member who’d been trained to lead an astronomy experience on the top deck. They were able to turn off most of the outside lights once we were in place and lead us through the night sky above. It had to be canceled several nights because of cloudy conditions but on the night we attended it was wonderful. 

[Clay Clayton]

Generally agree about the planetarium shows BUT we really enjoyed having the astronomer onboard when we did the Far Eastern Discovery cruise in 2019.  He set up the big telescope on deck several nights and we enjoyed his talks and being able to see Saturn and Jupiter. 

[deec]

hoping that there will be one onboard!!

[CCWineLover]

On 10/30/2021 at 5:59 PM, deec said:

hoping that there will be one onboard!!

Especially when we are in the Southern Hemisphere, Dee!!   The Milky Way is fabulous there.

[Twitchly]

Reviving this thread to ask if anyone knows if Viking’s new ship Mars has a planetarium? We’re booked on it for the British Isles cruise in September. I’m hoping they didn’t put one in, because the upper deck of the Explorer Lounge is one of my favorite places on the ship.