On Venus

[oskidunker]

Weather great in Norway. Food good. A little better than Oceania for fish. Deserts are small and not very good. Little rectangular pieces of cake . Wines included are pretty good,especially  the white 
 

all our tours are at 3:30. Not happy with the system allowing suites to book all the good times. Freezing at 3:30 and gets back too late. Beware .

[millybess]

Good to hear from you!  If you take lots of those rectangular cakes, you can make a big square dessert!

Make sure you try the Lava Cake in the restaurant. All the chocolate icing, which would normally be on top of the cake, flows like lava out of the middle once you stick your fork in it. Heavenly. 
 

Enjoy your trip. 😊

[TayanaLorna]

Love the little desserts!  Can try 3 or 4 or 5 of them PLUS gelatto and not gain a pound.

[Nippy Sweetie]

Have they not had soufflé yet? Gorgeous chocolate one with hot Bailey's sauce then another day Grand Marnier one with orange sauce. Deelishus. That was on the cruise immediately before you. 

We were luckier than you with excursions but only in DV. We thought the weather was great and we'd brought too many warm clothes. I hope you saw the lights from the boat. Magical experience.

[Azulann]

Have you tried the success cake at Mamsen Deli in the Explorer Lounge?

The desserts  are all Norwegian desserts.  They are open for breakfast lunch and late evening.

I would check with guest relations and maybe you will be able to move up your excursion time , if there is availability. Some people cancel their excursion when on board for various reasons. 

Thanks for posting a update while you are on your cruise.

 

[azdrydock]

4 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Weather great in Norway. Food good. A little better than Oceania for fish. Deserts are small and not very good. Little rectangular pieces of cake . Wines included are pretty good,especially  the white 
 

all our tours are at 3:30. Not happy with the system allowing suites to book all the good times. Freezing at 3:30 and gets back too late. Beware .

I don't understand why you would be upset about suites getting first shot at excursions, Oceania gives free laundry based on your cabin class. Most Airlines board by class and loyalty and so on. 

 

We just got off the Venus. We booked late in a DV and except for Narvik found acceptable tours.

We couldn't make restaurant reservations in advance but had no problems once onboard

 

Hope the rest of your cruise is as good as ours was. No missed ports, lights from the ship 4 or 5 times, only one stormy night.

 

The deserts in the Restaurant seemed bigger than in the Cafe. We ate in the Restaurant most of the time and was surprised that on a cruise this long there was little repetition of main dishes. Breakfast pastries were on the weak side so we went to the living room picked up pastries and brought them in to the Restaurant.

 

You have to feel sorry for some of the crew members who have been onboard since the fall with all of the rough seas and most of them never been in these weather conditions.

 

For us this cruise was truly "above expectations"

 

Is there a resident photographer onboard? I thought I saw ours at the airport.

[KBs mum]

Best desserts are ice cream/gelato. They are bought in so taste as described. Anything bought in and served as is heated or not as applicable is the best bet. 

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, KBs mum said:

Best desserts are ice cream/gelato. They are bought in so taste as described. Anything bought in and served as is heated or not as applicable is the best bet. 

 

The ice cream/gelato is made daily in the galley - it is beside the bakery, on the Stbd side, just aft of the Manfredi's galley.

 

Unfortunately, I don't have photos, but recall chatting with the ice cream cook, when the final 8 pax toured the galley on Viking Sun.

[oskidunker]

Lab at cake was good cakes in Mandan’s are real cakes and better than the restaurant. Ice cream is good 

[oskidunker]

19 hours ago, azdrydock said:

I don't understand why you would be upset about suites getting first shot at excursions, Oceania gives free laundry based on your cabin class. Most Airlines board by class and loyalty and so on. 

 

We just got off the Venus. We booked late in a DV and except for Narvik found acceptable tours.

We couldn't make restaurant reservations in advance but had no problems once onboard

 

Hope the rest of your cruise is as good as ours was. No missed ports, lights from the ship 4 or 5 times, only one stormy night.

 

The deserts in the Restaurant seemed bigger than in the Cafe. We ate in the Restaurant most of the time and was surprised that on a cruise this long there was little repetition of main dishes. Breakfast pastries were on the weak side so we went to the living room picked up pastries and brought them in to the Restaurant.

 

You have to feel sorry for some of the crew members who have been onboard since the fall with all of the rough seas and most of them never been in these weather conditions.

 

For us this cruise was truly "above expectations"

 

Is there a resident photographer onboard? I thought I saw ours at the airport.

 

I don't understand why you would be upset about suites getting first shot at excursions, Oceania gives free laundry based on your cabin class. Most Airlines board by class and loyalty and so on. 
 

maybe because I have never been in a cruise line that does this. Oceania doesn’t. They were the last cruise we took. 

[loriva]

14 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Unfortunately, I don't have photos, but recall chatting with the ice cream cook, when the final 8 pax toured the galley on Viking Sun.

 

Is Viking still giving galley tours post-COVID?  @oskidunker would love to hear if you learn anything on this.  We're on a different ship (all identical on physical plant, I know) and itinerary on our first cruise with VO in May, but would be interested in this option, if available.  I presume it's something you sign up for at Guest Services?

[Jim Avery]

1 hour ago, oskidunker said:

 

I don't understand why you would be upset about suites getting first shot at excursions, Oceania gives free laundry based on your cabin class. Most Airlines board by class and loyalty and so on. 
 

maybe because I have never been in a cruise line that does this. Oceania doesn’t. They were the last cruise we took. 

Better avoid Cunard.  They have entire sections of their ships reserved only for the upper classes of cabins.

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, oskidunker said:

 

I don't understand why you would be upset about suites getting first shot at excursions, Oceania gives free laundry based on your cabin class. Most Airlines board by class and loyalty and so on. 
 

maybe because I have never been in a cruise line that does this. Oceania doesn’t. They were the last cruise we took. 

 

Every cruise line has different pre-cruise and onboard perks for repeat pax and those that spend more on a cabin.  On Viking, once onboard, which I'll suggest is the most important part of the entire cruise experience,  all pax are treated equally and have consistent access to all dining areas and public spaces.

 

As Jim noted, on Cunard and an increasing number of other cruise lines, the ships are re-introducing class systems, with specific dining areas, open decks and lounges restricted to certain pax, based on cabin class and loyalty status. They just don't call it First Class these days. You won't find this on Viking.

 

Personally, I couldn't care less if the suites book shore-ex before me. If Viking can't provide the tours I want, at the times I want, I'll happily take my money elsewhere, finding a private operator. As pax, we are not obligated to avail ourselves of Viking shore-ex, as those are only 1 of many options available to us.

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, loriva said:

 

Is Viking still giving galley tours post-COVID?  @oskidunker would love to hear if you learn anything on this.  We're on a different ship (all identical on physical plant, I know) and itinerary on our first cruise with VO in May, but would be interested in this option, if available.  I presume it's something you sign up for at Guest Services?

 

On the current World Cruise, I believe I recall reading of galley and Bridge tours being provided. Not sure about the shorter cruises.

[Nippy Sweetie]

I must say that our main/only complaint re our recent Venus cruise was the awful quality of the baking! We couldn't believe how bad the bread selection at dinner was and were appalled at the 'scones' served at afternoon tea. I'd hate to think that American guests thought those damp, leaden items were anything like scones! 

It's only a small complaint but quite striking compared to how good every aspect of the cruise was.

[KBs mum]

1 minute ago, Nippy Sweetie said:

I must say that our main/only complaint re our recent Venus cruise was the awful quality of the baking! We couldn't believe how bad the bread selection at dinner was and were appalled at the 'scones' served at afternoon tea. I'd hate to think that American guests thought those damp, leaden items were anything like scones! 

It's only a small complaint but quite striking compared to how good every aspect of the cruise was.

The fish and chips resembled a cheap frozen bung in oven for 20 minutes ready meal version

[azdrydock]

23 hours ago, KBs mum said:

The fish and chips resembled a cheap frozen bung in oven for 20 minutes ready meal version

Did you try the British Menu at the Chef's Table and if so how authentic was it?                  

Edited March 28, 2023 by azdrydock

[Jim Avery]

27 minutes ago, azdrydock said:

Did you try the British Menu at the Chef's Table and if so how authentic was it?                  

We actually like the British menu at Chef's.  Authentic??  Let's say that "authentic" fish & chips are Sean Connery.  Chef's fish & chips are Elton John.....🍸

Edited March 28, 2023 by Jim Avery

[Heidi13]

45 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

We actually like the British menu at Chef's.  Authentic??  Let's say that "authentic" fish & chips are Sean Connery.  Chef's fish & chips are Elton John.....🍸

 

Jim - we also liked the British menus, but they certainly didn't fit my definition of authentic. 

[KBs mum]

3 hours ago, azdrydock said:

Did you try the British Menu at the Chef's Table and if so how authentic was it?                  

We don't bother with the chefs table, but the description and photos I saw did not look particularly authentic. 

 

 

[KBs mum]

3 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

We actually like the British menu at Chef's.  Authentic??  Let's say that "authentic" fish & chips are Sean Connery.  Chef's fish & chips are Elton John.....🍸

Yersh

[KBs mum]

On 3/27/2023 at 4:55 PM, Nippy Sweetie said:

I must say that our main/only complaint re our recent Venus cruise was the awful quality of the baking! We couldn't believe how bad the bread selection at dinner was and were appalled at the 'scones' served at afternoon tea. I'd hate to think that American guests thought those damp, leaden items were anything like scones! 

It's only a small complaint but quite striking compared to how good every aspect of the cruise was.

They did manage an actually good (rather than good for Viking) carrot cake one day. Only appeared once then it was back to the Mr kipling type coloured sugar offerings 

[KBs mum]

On 3/26/2023 at 10:51 PM, Heidi13 said:

 

The ice cream/gelato is made daily in the galley - it is beside the bakery, on the Stbd side, just aft of the Manfredi's galley.

 

Unfortunately, I don't have photos, but recall chatting with the ice cream cook, when the final 8 pax toured the galley on Viking Sun.

Am genuinely surprised by this, they seemed too good to have been made onboard. Had I known I would have mentioned the chef on the feedback form

 

Whoever was in charge of the spuds made a good wallnut mash one day, but it was only on the menu once

 

 

 

[PRH]

My husband loves the Success Cake in Mamsen’s.  The pieces are large.

[LostFan#1]

We'll be on Venus for the Feb. 2024 Northern Lts sailing, so please post anything else you would like to report about the ship or this itinerary - I'm making a list!

 

Thank you!