Changes Needed?

[friendlyfifer]

Like the majority of passengers I love sailing with Viking and feel instantly at home when I board one of their ships. The crew provide excellent service and we disembark with heavy hearts.

 

That said, I would like to see some changes on board:

1. Could we have a new menu in Manfredi’s please? By all means keep the top requested dishes but bring many new dishes to the table.

2. Star Theatre - I really don’t want to see the Beatles and ABBA  shows again. I know it’s difficult with only four singers but Viking really do need to ring the changes.

3. How about hand wash rather than bars of soap? I assume all these partly used bars get thrown out at the end of a cruise. Topping up soap dispensers would be less wasteful.

4. Lastly, perhaps some different cakes at Mamsens.

 

Does anyone else want to add to my list? I realise that many people will not want any changes and I apologise to them in advance.

[deec]

We like Viking so these are suggestion IMO that would be an added benefit to us:

included gratuities

a choice of a couple included excursions...one for "active"

discourage use of scooters

low cost ability including transportation when using Viking Air to arrive one day early in order avoid travel hassles

[Selion]

20 minutes ago, deec said:

included gratuities

Always puzzled by Viking's decision not to price in the gratuities.  Like a few hundred bucks will make a material difference to anyone's decision when booking a $10k+ cruise.

[Jim Avery]

Totally agree.  The tips are the main "nickel & dime" thing Viking does.  

[Jammy Bun]

1 hour ago, friendlyfifer said:

Like the majority of passengers I love sailing with Viking and feel instantly at home when I board one of their ships. The crew provide excellent service and we disembark with heavy hearts.

 

That said, I would like to see some changes on board:

1. Could we have a new menu in Manfredi’s please? By all means keep the top requested dishes but bring many new dishes to the table.

2. Star Theatre - I really don’t want to see the Beatles and ABBA  shows again. I know it’s difficult with only four singers but Viking really do need to ring the changes.

3. How about hand wash rather than bars of soap? I assume all these partly used bars get thrown out at the end of a cruise. Topping up soap dispensers would be less wasteful.

4. Lastly, perhaps some different cakes at Mamsens.

 

Does anyone else want to add to my list? I realise that many people will not want any changes and I apologise to them in advance.

 

Absolutely agree with you!  Manfredis doesn't bother me too much, but Mamsens cakes yes there's too little choice... if you're only onboard for a week it would be OK, but we prefer 3-4 weeks if we have to fly.  I'd like macarons to be one of the choices! 

We no longer go to Abba and Beatles shows - and I don't offerings like 'The Rat Pack' which also regularly appear on ships.   Or 'Swinging Sixties' come to that, even though it's my era!   The only musical performances that have held me spellbound have been those by Heather Clancy - a mixture of all sorts of music.  But then again, she's the most talented of ladies.  We felt we'd hit the jackpot when we got onboard last December and realised she was our cruise director.  

 

 

[friendlyfifer]

33 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Totally agree.  The tips are the main "nickel & dime" thing Viking does.  

Gratuities are included with the cruise price here in the UK. That goes for all cruise lines. There must be some some reason why it is not the same in other countries. 

[friendlyfifer]

16 minutes ago, Jammy Bun said:

 

Absolutely agree with you!  Manfredis doesn't bother me too much, but Mamsens cakes yes there's too little choice... if you're only onboard for a week it would be OK, but we prefer 3-4 weeks if we have to fly.  I'd like macarons to be one of the choices! 

We no longer go to Abba and Beatles shows - and I don't offerings like 'The Rat Pack' which also regularly appear on ships.   Or 'Swinging Sixties' come to that, even though it's my era!   The only musical performances that have held me spellbound have been those by Heather Clancy - a mixture of all sorts of music.  But then again, she's the most talented of ladies.  We felt we'd hit the jackpot when we got onboard last December and realised she was our cruise director.  

 

 

I agree with your comments. Heather Clancy was our CD on the Venus last May. She was the most invisible CD we have ever had. She has an amazing voice but did not endear herself to passengers. 

[Jim Avery]

10 minutes ago, friendlyfifer said:

Gratuities are included with the cruise price here in the UK. That goes for all cruise lines. There must be some some reason why it is not the same in other countries. 

Your government regulations.  Lucky you.🍺

[Twitchly]

1 hour ago, deec said:

We like Viking so these are suggestion IMO that would be an added benefit to us:

included gratuities

a choice of a couple included excursions...one for "active"

discourage use of scooters

low cost ability including transportation when using Viking Air to arrive one day early in order avoid travel hassles

I like most of these, but I’m unclear about the scooters. Doesn’t Viking already discourage these? And why are scooters a bad thing if they enable people to join us who otherwise wouldn’t be able to? Is it because they get in the way when moving around the ship? Or …?

 

As for suggestions, I too would love to see a change in the evening shows offered. No more Abba/Beatles/sixties/show tunes, please. Our favorite shows showcased the music of the area being visited. Would love to see more of that, though I realize it’s not feasible for every evening. Other music ideas: jazz, Big Band era, choral quartet music …

 

 

Edited August 15, 2022 by Twitchly

[SoDakPirate]

Additionally, would like to see some new itineraries. With 10(?) Ocean ships I think Viking has to get more creative if they want to keep us repeat customers to keep buying the product.  Obviously the "Norway" itinerary keeps selling and attracts new customers.  I look at Oceania routes and with 1/2 the vessels they go to some interesting ports.  We did a 23 day Viking cruise in 2017 (Barcelona, Baltics & Beyond) and for us it was a perfect amount of time to be on vacation.  

[duquephart]

Be upfront about "gratuities" perhaps beginning with the fact that they aren't really gratuities.

[Jim Avery]

Viking used to say they don't accommodate scooters but obviously people bring them anyway.  My issue is when they park them outside their cabin partially blocking the passageway.  Also scooters really impact tours as the poor driver gets to unload and set up then re stow the scooter at each stop.  Really adds to delays.  And we have nearly been run down by scooters because the "driver" thinks he always has the right of way.  Now I have had several orthopedic surgeries and certainly don't get around like 50 but I don't expect others to modify their cruise to accommodate me.  

[CILCIANRQTS]

1 hour ago, friendlyfifer said:

I agree with your comments. Heather Clancy was our CD on the Venus last May. She was the most invisible CD we have ever had. She has an amazing voice but did not endear herself to passengers. 

Agree!
More than a bit standoffish.

Perhaps if she ditched the heels, bought some comfy clothes and started mingling with the masses she’d improve her image (and have more fun!). 😉😎

[cmaasfamily]

I've wanted to post something like this for a while. The repetition at Chef's Table is even more of an "issue" than it is at Manfredi's.  We do like the menu but it's intended to be somewhat of a travelouge of unique cuisines. Not feeling so you unique when you get the same menus every time you sail. Same with ABBA and the Beatles - we haven't been back since the first time and no plans to return. 

 

Seems like most people we met were on their second, third, or fourth Ocean sailing , so my hunch is that repeaters are a significant share of Viking's audience. Newbies won't know the difference and old-timers would appreciate a little variety. (My eyes are beginning to stray - Viking!)

[Mitina]

We don't go the ABBA or the Beatles anymore as well. But for new Viking cruisers, they're still great shows.  

 

But I'm not sure what the target audience is for 'The Rat Pack' or 50's themed shows.  Maybe 10-15 years ago, it had an appeal.  But the current Viking population average age continues getting younger.

[sleepybobo]

5 hours ago, Twitchly said:

I like most of these, but I’m unclear about the scooters. Doesn’t Viking already discourage these? And why are scooters a bad thing if they enable people to join us who otherwise wouldn’t be able to? Is it because they get in the way when moving around the ship? Or …?

 

As for suggestions, I too would love to see a change in the evening shows offered. No more Abba/Beatles/sixties/show tunes, please. Our favorite shows showcased the music of the area being visited. Would love to see more of that, though I realize it’s not feasible for every evening. Other music ideas: jazz, Big Band era, choral quartet music …

 

 

Totally agreed with you.  How many ABBA/Beatles shows can returning Viking cruisers see?!?  I like the idea about shows featuring local music.  

 

I think this is a great thread.  I also feel Viking needs to add some varieties to keep things interesting for returning cruisers.  

 

For me, I felt diminishing returns with each Viking cruise.  The first one was fabulous.  The second one less so, but still was amazing.  By the third one, everything on the ship felt just too familiar and the sense of wonderment was largely gone.  

 

I still enjoy Viking and all it has to offer.  But, something new, such as new shows, new menu, to spice things up would be a welcoming change. 

 

[Kentishincanada]

Definitely ‘yes’ to included gratuities - it really bugs me to have to pay them later.  Quite enjoyed Beatles/Abba as the deck party but enough for the theatre.  Agree Rat Pack have had their day.

When I read WC blogs, I was impressed with the ethnic food served - maybe a few good curries etc. for lunch in World Cafe sometimes would be nice.  Manfredis isn’t too much of a problem for us as it is usually only the one or two visits.  Hope if they change they keep the dover sole and the Florentine steak!  There is a lack of lamb on the ships and I have yet to see a rack of lamb on the evening menu - for me eating lamb chops for breakfast is a stretch too far.

Itineraries not starting or finishing Barcelona or Athens are of interest to us as we like to spend a few days pre and post and have visited both of them too many times.

[CCWineLover]

4 hours ago, cmaasfamily said:

I've wanted to post something like this for a while. The repetition at Chef's Table is even more of an "issue" than it is at Manfredi's.  We do like the menu but it's intended to be somewhat of a travelouge of unique cuisines. Not feeling so you unique when you get the same menus every time you sail. Same with ABBA and the Beatles - we haven't been back since the first time and no plans to return. 

 

Seems like most people we met were on their second, third, or fourth Ocean sailing , so my hunch is that repeaters are a significant share of Viking's audience. Newbies won't know the difference and old-timers would appreciate a little variety. (My eyes are beginning to stray - Viking!)

 

Totally agree with all of these suggestions!  We've done 10 Ocean cruises now.  We no longer go to the Star Theater performances.  So much repetition.  If for some reason we want to hear one or two ABBA songs, we just turn on the TV 🙂 

 

Someone once said there had been 21 menus at Chef's Table.  In all our cruises, we've only seen 7 of them, so they are definitely repeating over and over again.  Some new menus would be great!  Variety variety!   Someone also told us the crew often has meals from their own culture.  Perhaps they could do a Ethnic meal night in World Cafe or something so we can experience some of those different world foods!

 

I'd also like to see a revamping of the Silver Spirits wine list.  They've gotten stuck in a rut (likely due to contracts with wine distributors?), but having some new wines to try would be fun!

 

Thank goodness they now put the shows, port talks, lectures on TV so if you miss them you can catch up.  Speaking of port talks, these need a complete overhaul.  We've never learned that much about a port and the majority of the talk seems to be details on excursions that everyone has already purchased.  And the several people we've had as excursion managers have been so difficult to understand with their accents.

 

We really appreciate and enjoy the new scheme of assigning bus numbers to people, based on when they check in, not assigned ahead of the cruise and printed on the excursion tickets.  Seems to really help out, and allows those who want to travel with friends to do so by all checking in together.

Edited August 15, 2022 by CCWineLover

[duquephart]

4 minutes ago, Kentishincanada said:

Definitely ‘yes’ to included gratuities - it really bugs me to have to pay them later.  Quite enjoyed Beatles/Abba as the deck party but enough for the theatre.  Agree Rat Pack have had their day.

When I read WC blogs, I was impressed with the ethnic food served - maybe a few good curries etc. for lunch in World Cafe sometimes would be nice.  Manfredis isn’t too much of a problem for us as it is usually only the one or two visits.  Hope if they change they keep the dover sole and the Florentine steak!  There is a lack of lamb on the ships and I have yet to see a rack of lamb on the evening menu - for me eating lamb chops for breakfast is a stretch too far.

Itineraries not starting or finishing Barcelona or Athens are of interest to us as we like to spend a few days pre and post and have visited both of them too many times.

 

You don't "have to" pay them.

[lackcreativity]

23 minutes ago, sleepybobo said:

I think this is a great thread.  I also feel Viking needs to add some varieties to keep things interesting for returning cruisers.  

 

For me, I felt diminishing returns with each Viking cruise.  The first one was fabulous.  The second one less so, but still was amazing.  By the third one, everything on the ship felt just too familiar and the sense of wonderment was largely gone.  

 

I still enjoy Viking and all it has to offer.  But, something new, such as new shows, new menu, to spice things up would be a welcoming change. 

 

I really don't want to sound as if I am disagreeing with your point of view, and I would welcome some new variations to the areas you mentioned. However, for me, the familiarity of Viking is comfortable, and the sense of wonder comes from the places we visit. That is where I would love to see some new offerings. 

 

The Mediterranean is my locale of choice, and there are so many options that Viking could work into their established itineraries. I know that repeating ports can allow you to have a totally different experience with a different shore excursion. However, I would love a chance to see some different ports, like Valetta, Palma de Mallorca, Sardinia, or other stops in Sicily besides beautiful Taormina. 

 

I imagine that trying to get everything back on track post-pandemic is currently Viking's main goal. I just mention my hopes for the future!

Edited August 15, 2022 by lackcreativity

[Heidi13]

6 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Your government regulations.  Lucky you.🍺

 

Jim - The included tips isn't actually Govt Regs, as a few years after purchasing P&O, Carnival introduced the US model by adding tips (for your convenience) to all the P&O UK ships. It bombed big time, as most removed the auto-tips, so Carnival had to back down and revert back to the British model.

 

If enough pax complain and remove the tips option, Viking will also be forced to reconsider.

[sleepybobo]

10 minutes ago, lackcreativity said:

I really don't want to sound as if I am disagreeing with your point of view, and I would welcome some new variations to the areas you mentioned. However, for me, the familiarity of Viking is comfortable, and the sense of wonder comes from the places we visit. That is where I would love to see some new offerings. 

 

The Mediterranean is my locale of choice, and there are so many options that Viking could work into their established itineraries. I know that repeating ports can allow you to have a totally different experience with a different shore excursion. However, I would love a chance to see some different ports, like Valetta, Palma de Mallorca, Sardinia, or other stops in Sicily besides beautiful Taormina. 

 

I imagine that trying to get everything back on track post-pandemic is currently Viking's main goal. I just mention my hopes for the future!

No disagreement with you at all.  I love the Viking ships.  I'm a big fan of the elegant Scandinavian decor.  I don't advocate for a wholesale change, especially the design of the ships.  But , perhaps some updates to the restaurant offerings? May be more local food in the menu? New shows?  

 

And yes.  I would love to see new Med itineraries.  But as you mentioned, trying to get everything back on track is challenging enough.  So new itineraries may be too much to ask for now.

 

And may be I have to be careful of what I wish for, the last time Viking tried something new (i.e. the planetarium), the result was...... 

 

 

[BrendaEDH]

39 minutes ago, sleepybobo said:

No disagreement with you at all.  I love the Viking ships.  I'm a big fan of the elegant Scandinavian decor.  I don't advocate for a wholesale change, especially the design of the ships.  But , perhaps some updates to the restaurant offerings? May be more local food in the menu? New shows?  

 

And yes.  I would love to see new Med itineraries.  But as you mentioned, trying to get everything back on track is challenging enough.  So new itineraries may be too much to ask for now.

 

And may be I have to be careful of what I wish for, the last time Viking tried something new (i.e. the planetarium), the result was...... 

 

 

I agree with many of these suggestions!  We so enjoy Viking and continue to sail on Viking, as it fits our style (no formal nights, no casinos, beautiful Scandi design).  However, I also would like to see more Med itineraries to some of the smaller ports (Ravenna, Sorrento, Sardinia, Palma de Mallorca, Portovenere, Syracuse, Taormina...), different levels of excursions ("active walkers" and "gentle walkers"), when applicable provide more walking tours and less bus tours and  included gratuities.  

[formernuke]

How about waiting lists for excursions (with an indication of how far down the list you are)?

 

Also better descriptions on the details of excursions, more like Travelocity or Rick Steves' tours. Is it a drive by on a bus or do you actually get to go in?  How long a drive, about how many miles walking, approximately how much free time do you expect (understanding that these will be approximate numbers and not guarantees). This would also help weed out people that get surprised by how vigorous the tour is and may choose to avoid it. 

[Pushka]

8 hours ago, Selion said:

Always puzzled by Viking's decision not to price in the gratuities.  Like a few hundred bucks will make a material difference to anyone's decision when booking a $10k+ cruise.

Gratuities are always included in Aus and UK pricing.