Regent V Viking Ocean

[Robyn2]

Having cruised to gold level with Regent we are now considering taking a Viking Ocean Cruise to the Panama Canal. I would value any opinions and comparisons from regular Regent cruisers who may have tried Viking Ocean. Of course still love Regent and have enjoyed Oceania twice. Any thoughts much appreciated, thank you.

[Derosja]

We are regular cruisers with Regent and decided to try Viking on a cruise to Cuba a couple of years back.  We were not very impressed with the food or variety and we found the on land tours sub par as the guides really had no interest in giving tours.  They rushed through the streets so quickly that people were struggling to keep up and when asked to slow down, they told people to use their legs . . We stayed behind to help an elderly lady so if there was any commentary, we missed it.  We will not be cruising with Viking Ocean again.

Just our take

[Tsunami74]

Viking has a more modern look.

 The wifi on Viking s much superior.

Included shore excursions  on Viking are pretty minimal so expect to pay for the upgraded better ones - sometimes quite a few dollars more - for at least some of the ports.

Included alcohol (wine or beer) only at dinner or lunch. Cocktails and non "eating" times are extra.

Food on Viking is good, but not memorable. They do not seem to promote sharing tables (even before Co-vid)

Service on both excellent.

[Robyn2]

Derosja, so kind of you to reply so promptly, thank you very much. I do appreciate ‘your take’ on Viking and have taken it 'on board'.  It sounds like your experience was definitely not a good one. It may be back to the drawing board for us.

[Jimmcdaniel]

We are frequent Regent cruisers and decided to try Viking Ocean before we could get back on Regent. We did a 7-day Iceland cruise this last August. The staff are friendly but in our opinion, not as well trained as Regent’s. This may have been to start-up growing pains.
 

We found the number of staff available to serve was much lower than Regent. Viking ships have many nice areas to sit and enjoy the view but good luck trying to find a bar waiter.
 

The food was OK but not great. The selection in the MDR was very limited compared to Regent’s.  The other thing that really bugged me was the lack of seating and assistance in the buffet restaurant. On Regent there is always someone there to help you find a seat or clear a table. On Viking it was more dog-eat-dog with many people wandering around trying to find a table among many unbused tables. 
 

Despite all of that, we are going to give then another try because a group of friends want to do a Northern Lights cruise. Now I can set my expectations more realistically. 

[Robyn2]

Thank you Tsunami74 and Jimmymcdaniel, I now have a much clearer picture of what to expect with Viking. It seems it would be ok for a short cruise to somewhere exciting but not much onboard luxury and service like on Regent. Would hate having to fight for a table, food not great etc. I think decision made and I do appreciate your time in replying to my query.

[Gilly]

I've also found the replies interesting - thank you.  We have friends who wax lyrical about Viking Ocean and it's not easy for us to make an objective comparison because they have never sailed with Regent and we don't really want to start a "my ship's better than yours" conversation! 

 

Thank you for sharing your experience @Derosja @Tsunami74 and @Jimmcdaniel.

[alainciao]

Robyn,

While I agree with some of what has been said I think Viking is better than represented.  We are long time Regent and sailed Viking once in 2018, 14 days, Into the Midnight Sun.  So, before all the current challenges.  The service on Viking was excellent.  A very good vibe on the ship and the ships are beautiful.  Slightly younger crowd.  It is true the included excursions are like the Regent Panorama tours in a bus.  Ours were satisfactory.  I agree the food is good, not great.  The shows and the theater are not as good as Regent.  Having said all this we had a wonderful time on Viking.  We appreciate good food but are not foodies.  What counts for us is the vibe and the service.  There are other tours available if you want more immersion in the local areas.  BTW, no children and no casino.  Nice spa everyone can access to some extent.  We would sail Viking again for the right itinerary.  You might notice, however, that after adding in everything on Viking it is not much, if any, cheaper!

[Robyn2]

Gilly, your friends don't know what they are missing.

alainciao, perhaps I jumped ship too quickly. Thank you for your more favourable opinion on Viking. I have done a little more research and agree that when drinks package and excursions are added, there is not a huge difference in price but Viking still works out less expensive. We are not really interested in shows but food and nice wine would matter a lot. Also interesting that there is general access to the spa. More homework this evening!

[Not a Georgia Peach]

We have not sailed on Regent yet (cruise scheduled for January),  but have done several cruises on Viking, the first in 2016.  We had no complaints on that cruise, but the service and food have decreased in quality since then.  You also must add in the gratuities to the Viking fare.  If you are looking for nice wine you might not be satisfied with the included lunch and dinner wine.  If that is the case you could either buy by the glass or purchase the Silver Spirit Beverage package.  I have investigated the restaurant menus for Regent and Viking does not offer the wide variety that is available on Regent.  Our first cruises on Viking were in a DV cabin, but we found it to be small.  We sailed in a PV on our last cruise and it was very comfortable.  Our satisfaction with Viking has diminished to the point were we will no longer sail with them.  We have a cruise booked with Regent and Silversea.

 

[Portolan]

We have cruised many, many times with Regent and it is our first choice, always.  However, we've sailed once with Viking and will do so again in January to Norway in search of the Northern Lights.  They are the only line doing this.  We enjoyed our previous cruise with Viking which was similarly a unique itinerary not offered by Regent (or anyone else for that matter).  In a head to head comparison, Viking loses for us, but if they offer an itinerary you want to do and Regent doesn't then we think you'd find it an adequate alternative.

 

As earlier posters alluded to, in a head to head comparison you would not find Viking a significant bargain.  We opted for a Penthouse Junior Suite (well up their scale for cabins) to have a suite comparable to the F2 suites on Explorer/Splendor/Grandeur, then add significant costs for excursions, most of which were at the included level on Regent, and not the Regent choice level, then add the Silver Spirits package so as not to be paying for (most) drinks (still a few limitations versus Regent), then add laundry costs, and finally add the tips.  Adding it all up and it wasn't much less expensive.  But they itinerary was unique, so we've chosen Viking twice. 

[Gilly]

Thank you all again for continuing the objective comparison, which makes for really useful reading.  My mind goes straight back to our Tokyo to Vancouver cruise, immediately pre-CV, when a Viking ship was sailing an almost identical itinerary at the same time (not that we ever came across them).  At the time, I recall someone (probably not here) asking why we chose to pay so much more for our cruise on Mariner than we'd pay for the Viking option - and how I felt the need to justify what seemed like a needless splashing of the cash.  (There were many sea days and I wanted to be on board my favourite ship!)  Having read all of the above, I feel confident we made the right decision then and why we continue to choose Regent.  Yes, of course we'd be perfectly comfortable on board a Viking ship (especially on an itinerary that Regent didn't offer) but once in a while, it's good to be spoiled - and we are extraordinarily lucky to be able to have that choice.

 

@Robyn2 such conversations are impossible to have with anyone who hasn't "been there, done that", don't you find?  Which is one reason why chatting about Regent here is such a joy.

[UUNetBill]

I think it depends on what you're looking for.  I've only taken one non-Regent cruise so I can only compare 'on-paper', but I think any of the 'Big Four' luxury cruise companies (Regent, Crystal, Seabourn, Silversea) will give you a good cruise for your money.  They all have their differences but in the end I think they're more alike than their marketers would like you to believe.  🙂

 

I swung over and checked out the Viking Great Lakes cruises, and I have to say they're not inexpensive.  In fact, I'd have a tough time justifying that...I suppose you pay a premium for the 'expedition' portion of it, but man...that's a pretty big check for the Great Lakes, IMO.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

18 hours ago, Portolan said:

We have cruised many, many times with Regent and it is our first choice, always.  However, we've sailed once with Viking and will do so again in January to Norway in search of the Northern Lights.  They are the only line doing this.  We enjoyed our previous cruise with Viking which was similarly a unique itinerary not offered by Regent (or anyone else for that matter).  In a head to head comparison, Viking loses for us, but if they offer an itinerary you want to do and Regent doesn't then we think you'd find it an adequate alternative.

We haven't sailed with Viking, but I did a huge amount of research on them when we decided to do a world cruise (pre-pandemic, cancelled, alas.)  Viking *does* have some nice itineraries, especially in Norway, and I think I would enjoy their ships, and it appears they provide good value.  The included excursions are, I believe, unremarkable and that would mean more money but perhaps the chance to book private tours. I Their policies of full payment a year or more in advance has always been a show-stopper for me, but I'd overlook that too for the right itinerary.

 

Portolan, how confident are you that Norway will open up to North Americans by January?

[Portolan]

5 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

We haven't sailed with Viking, but I did a huge amount of research on them when we decided to do a world cruise (pre-pandemic, cancelled, alas.)  Viking *does* have some nice itineraries, especially in Norway, and I think I would enjoy their ships, and it appears they provide good value.  The included excursions are, I believe, unremarkable and that would mean more money but perhaps the chance to book private tours. I Their policies of full payment a year or more in advance has always been a show-stopper for me, but I'd overlook that too for the right itinerary.

 

Portolan, how confident are you that Norway will open up to North Americans by January?

 

Whether Norway will open by January is the big question right now.  Even though we are in the booking window, Viking has not posted excursions for any of the ports presumably because they are limiting their commitments.  Fortunately, other than the loss of the cruise experience, we aren't at risk.  Air (and very nice, at that) was booked with points so no penalty for cancellation up to flight time.  Likewise our pre-cruise arrangements in London.  And, of course, if Norway isn't open we fully expect immediate and full refund from Viking.  They'd probably have to cancel the cruise anyway since our previous experience on the same itinerary (yeah, we like cold places and northern lights) was hugely filled with American passengers.  We'll see.

 

We are also booked on an Antarctic expedition starting right after Thanksgiving with similar concerns about Argentina's reopening which was supposed to be yesterday.  Still waiting to see if that really happened or whether there were snags.

 

Travel in the time of COVID.

[alainciao]

On 11/1/2021 at 5:23 PM, Robyn2 said:

Gilly, your friends don't know what they are missing.

alainciao, perhaps I jumped ship too quickly. Thank you for your more favourable opinion on Viking. I have done a little more research and agree that when drinks package and excursions are added, there is not a huge difference in price but Viking still works out less expensive. We are not really interested in shows but food and nice wine would matter a lot. Also interesting that there is general access to the spa. More homework this evening!

 

[alainciao]

Robyn,

If food and nice wine matter a lot I would say this.  For us ambiance is as important in a restaurant as the food.  Regent wins hands down here.  There is nothing like the Regent specialty restaurants on Viking.  Chef's Table is their upscale dining experience and it does not rise to any of Regent's specialties.  It has a fixed menu but rotates the cuisine.  The Italian restaurant was our favorite on Viking because it did have a modicum of ambiance. The main restaurant is big and plain.  Again though, the food is good just not great.  You  have to buy the Silver Spirit package for good wine.  Or, you could order by the bottle if you only want good wine infrequently.  Their alcohol prices are quite reasonable compared to other lines.  The SS package also means you will be served in larger wine glasses (it matters to us) whenever you have wine.  There is one other thing I like about Viking.  Their terrace restaurant flows out to an infinity pool on the aft end and there is a bar located just forward of the pool in between the restaurant seating areas that looks out over the wake.  I love that bar! Also, Viking is very much Norwegian and they have a digital tour of all the Vkiing/Norwegian art and artifacts on board.  Very interesting.  I responded here to help with the food and wine and then got verbose!  We like Viking and would sail for the right itinerary.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

16 hours ago, Portolan said:

And, of course, if Norway isn't open we fully expect immediate and full refund from Viking.  They'd probably have to cancel the cruise anyway since our previous experience on the same itinerary (yeah, we like cold places and northern lights) was hugely filled with American passengers.

Yes.  And I presume Regent would do the same thing.  Our penalty date is February for a mainly Norway itinerary next summer, with St. Petersburg in there too.  I also have a strong feeling that Norway will attempt to open up next summer, if not before.  Good luck with your itinerary--would love to do that particular Viking one.

[bitob]

Having been on neither line (3 booked with Regent going forward) I will add this

 

Whenever I am on Crystal and just chatting with people informally, the conversation often gets around to preferred cruise lines.  I have met so many Viking fanatics I have lost count.  I might try Viking some day (on the surface I do not see the appeal) but its seems to have a VERY loyal following, even among luxury cruisers.

[Jimmcdaniel]

10 hours ago, bitob said:

Having been on neither line (3 booked with Regent going forward) I will add this

 

Whenever I am on Crystal and just chatting with people informally, the conversation often gets around to preferred cruise lines.  I have met so many Viking fanatics I have lost count.  I might try Viking some day (on the surface I do not see the appeal) but its seems to have a VERY loyal following, even among luxury cruisers.

I’ve observed the same thing. I don’t understand. 

[alainciao]

I would use "many Viking fanatics" as a significant data point.

[alidor]

I can see where Viking is a big improvement over lines like Princess, Celebrity, etc.  And I think that’s where most of their passengers come from.  I can definitely see how Viking would feel more luxurious than those lines.  But, I don’t think it is anywhere near Regent, Seabourn, etc.   having said all that, we are going on a Viking Caribbean cruise in January and I’ll let you know how it goes.  Never tried them so we will but I still prefer Regent, etc and do have 3 cruises booked for the future with Regent and Seabourn.

[flossie009]

14 hours ago, bitob said:

I have met so many Viking fanatics I have lost count.

 

4 hours ago, Jimmcdaniel said:

I’ve observed the same thing. I don’t understand.

 

It is probably an additive they put in the bottled water 😉 🤣

I am sure that Regent uses a similar potion to keep us returning to their ships 🙂

[UUNetBill]

1 minute ago, flossie009 said:

It is probably an additive they put in the bottled water 😉 🤣

I am sure that Regent uses a similar potion to keep us returning to their ships 🙂

It must work - we've only strayed from Regent once, and that was eleven years ago.

[Robyn2]

Yes Alainciao, I too would  rate ambience very highly and it seems Viking would not have the same atmosphere and luxury feeling. I do like the sound of that bar by the infinity pool, it could be very inviting!

I won't be writing off Viking just yet, it does all boil down to itinerary and time of year.

Great response as always from the Regent 'Fanatics', hope they don't change the potion.

Thank you so much.