Seasoned Princess Cruisers try Viking Ocean - Thoughts

[bubbaed]

After 31 Princess cruises (plus several more on other mainstream lines) we just returned from our first Viking Ocean cruise - a 12-day Canada & New England from Montreal to NYC on Viking Neptune. Overall, the cruise was excellent for all the reasons you’d expect: beautiful luxurious ship, no crowds, plenty of space, high standards of quality in everything, great service from a friendly crew, very nice fellow passengers (with no kids), and an overall very upscale ambiance.

 

However, Viking’s philosophy is to “not be all things to all people” and we certainly found that to be the case. Not necessarily in a bad way; Viking offers an exceptional product. It just offers a product that may not be right for us, yet (we are both in our 40s with no kids.)

 

Rather than post a lengthy review of our trip, and since this is the Princess forum, I felt a comparison list between the two would be more helpful for Princess cruisers considering a Viking Ocean cruise. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I tried to cover most of the main points (even when accounting for the drastic difference in the size of the ships.) But if you want to know something specific about our experience, just ask.

 

So here goes:

 

Viking Wins

 

• Luxury touches: cloth towels in public restrooms; cold towels & slushies offered at pool; high-end glassware and table decor (even outdoor terraces and by the pool); individual Bose-style headphones for MUTS; included bottled water, special coffee, and sodas; filtered water delivered to stateroom 2x daily
• Stateroom bathroom: multi-ply quilted toilet paper (minor, yet noticeable difference); large walk-in showers with clear plexi doors; heated floors; great lighting; high quality towels & robes; tons of storage
• Food/Dining: obviously high quality food; food presentation; all restaurants included; generally excellent restaurant service
• Thermal Suite/Spa: One of the best thermal suites ever experienced

 

Princess Wins

 

• Stateroom: storage, lighting, and the Luxury Bed
• Food/Dining: Buffet hours, pool grill & pizza, International Cafe, Alfredo’s/GiGi’s (if equipped) food taste overall, food variety overall
• Bar & Beverage: beverage variety and availability; Wheelhouse Bar/Crown Grill Bar
• Entertainment: Production shows, guest entertainers, Crooners, nightlife, Piazza vibe, Casino, Skywalker’s (if equipped)
• Recreation: Pools & hot tubs (especially Lotus pool, if equipped)
• Technology: Internet; Medallion (especially for ordering drinks, locating travel companions); website & cruise personalizer; EZ Air (if utilized)

 

Substantially the Same

 

• Itineraries & choice of destinations
• Stateroom furnishings (balcony/deluxe balcony/mini suite, particularly Royal class)
• Service & crew interaction
• Shore excursions

 

Viking Areas for Improvement (things we missed from Princess)

 

• Food availably: hours of buffet and food venues was lacking - finding breakfast after 9:30am was nearly impossible, as was anything other than burgers/hot dogs after 2:30pm. Only room service was offered 24h but that isn’t always desirable. Would be nice to have small bites available throughout the day, even between main meal services
• Food taste & variety: food needs more seasoning, and more variety is needed
• Overall “liveliness” of the ship: this is subjective, but we found the ship to be almost too quiet and relaxing - like a library or university faculty lounge. We are certainly not looking for Carnival-style “fun” and craziness by any means, and the small ship ambience is certainly going to be different than a large ship, but a bit more activity around the ship would be nice

 

Princess Areas for Improvement (things Princess can learn from Viking)

 

• A bit more luxury: upgraded furniture, glassware, tableware, toilet paper, towels, filtered water delivery, etc. would go a long way to making a Princess vacation feel “special” again
• Better ship maintenance: clean glass, fixed rusty spots, repaired lighting fixtures, replace damaged/worn furniture, fix broken cabinet doors, replace broken tiles and clean grout, etc. would go a long way in reminding guests that they have chosen (and paid for) a premium cruise
• Higher quality food: compared to Viking, Princess food has more flavor and variety, but the quality is lower (in contrast, Viking chooses higher quality food, but prepares it bland.) If Princess were to upgrade the quality of the fruits, veg, and meats but continued with the current level of seasoning & preparation, it would be a significant step up
• Thermal Suite Design: Thermal suites need to include a way to cool off - cold plunge, snow room, outdoor deck, swimming pool access. I hope Princess considers this in the design of the Sphere class thermal suites to include a way to cool off while using

 

In summary, there was much to like about our first Viking cruise, and we’d consider booking again if the itinerary and price (hint: it’s not cheap) made sense. But will Viking become our new go-to line? No. As much as we appreciated the luxury atmosphere of the smaller ship, there was too much we missed from the likes of Princess for us to make the leap 100%.

 

But that’s the great thing about cruising these days - we all have choices, and that’s a beautiful thing. In December of this year we’ll try our first Oceania cruise… can’t wait to see how that stacks up!

 

Thanks for reading, and happy cruising!

[sunviking90]

Interesting comparison. Thank you.

[voljeep]

how did the price point for similar cabins compare?

what about 'packages' like PLUS or Premier - does Viking offer that?

[LACruiser88]

We almost pulled the trigger on a Far East Viking Ocean cruise but couldn't quite get over the price difference and itinerary difference.  Instead we booked the Coral Princess, 32 day, Singapore to LA voyage, for Oct of 2024.

[bubbaed]

31 minutes ago, voljeep said:

how did the price point for similar cabins compare?

what about 'packages' like PLUS or Premier - does Viking offer that?

The Viking fare already includes taxes & port fees, one excursion per port, WiFi, and drinks (beer & wine)  at meal times. The upgrade to the full drink package is very reasonable at $25/day and includes pretty much everything except the very top-shelf level of spirits. Viking does not have a package that includes tips, so those are always added to the account. We booked when they had a sale on airfare (free!) so I'll try to account for that in my comparison.

 

We did buy the upgraded drink package so standard veranda, premium drink package, tips, wifi = around $328/day pp on Viking. (This daily figure excludes an estimated $700 for air and $100 pp for each excursion - but both were included in our total fare but not broken out so I can only guess.)

 

Our historical average in a (non-Reserve Collection) mini-suite on Princess (we don't always sail in a mini, but that's probably the best comparison) with Princess PLUS is around $225/day pp.

 

However, if you sail in a Reserve Collection MS, I think the gap narrows quite a bit.

 

But, knowing that air and excursion pricing can vary wildly (we often drive to the port to embark on Princess and rarely use cruise provided shorex) and Viking includes certain things that Princess does not, limiting the comparison to apples-to-apples can be difficult. I tried to keep it to fare+taxes&fees+drinks+tips+wifi.

 

Hope this helps!

[bubbaed]

32 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

We almost pulled the trigger on a Far East Viking Ocean cruise but couldn't quite get over the price difference and itinerary difference.  Instead we booked the Coral Princess, 32 day, Singapore to LA voyage, for Oct of 2024.

You made the correct choice, IMHO. We also looked at that voyage and I think it would be amazing on Coral!

[SCX22]

Great points!  I think you missed one other thing regarding Viking that Princess cruisers on this forum relish in.  There's almost a 100% guarantee that there will be no kids.

[Guest ldtr]

However Princess is a mass market line, with a mass market price point, not a premium line, with the correspondingly higher price point.

[Guest ldtr]

1 minute ago, SCX22 said:

Great points!  I think you missed one other thing regarding Viking that Princess cruisers on this forum relish in.  There's almost a 100% guarantee that there will be no kids.

Do a long cruise during the school year and you can be pretty sure that the number of children on Princess will be minimal.

[bubbaed]

4 minutes ago, SCX22 said:

Great points!  I think you missed one other thing regarding Viking that Princess cruisers on this forum relish in.  There's almost a 100% guarantee that there will be no kids.

Not even almost - Viking is an adults only line so it is definitely a 100% guarantee there will be no kids!

[bubbaed]

7 minutes ago, ldtr said:

However Princess is a mass market line, with a mass market price point, not a premium line, with the correspondingly higher price point.

True - one of my laments. We couldn't help thinking that Viking Ocean is now what Princess might have been back in the day, before Carnival. I remember my first few Princess cruises (before Carnival) felt much more upscale in terms of food and service levels. Hence my list of things Princess can improve.

 

I'd go on a limb and say I'd even pay a bit more if Princess brought back some the "premium" aspects - and NOT just by booking in Reserve or Signature - I mean ship wide.

[Guest ldtr]

2 minutes ago, bubbaed said:

True - one of my laments. We couldn't help thinking that Viking Ocean is now what Princess might have been back in the day, before Carnival. I remember my first few Princess cruises (before Carnival) felt much more upscale in terms of food and service levels. Hence my list of things Princess can improve.

 

I'd go on a limb and say I'd even pay a bit more if Princess brought back some the "premium" aspects - and NOT just by booking in Reserve or Signature - I mean ship wide.

Sure one could say the same about Celebrity, HAL as well as Princess. 

[SCX22]

16 minutes ago, bubbaed said:

Not even almost - Viking is an adults only line so it is definitely a 100% guarantee there will be no kids!

 

I took a Viking Ocean cruise in my late 20s when my relative with deep pockets decided that my cousin, a little younger than I am, needed a roommate.  Even though my cousin and I were "adults," man did we feel like kids on the Viking Orion.

 

Now in my mid-30s, it'll be a while before I consider taking any Viking cruise.  Totally understand the draw for some, but I would characterize the atmosphere and "overall 'liveliness'" as sedate.

[Ombud]

2 hours ago, bubbaed said:

The Viking fare already includes taxes & port fees, one excursion per port, WiFi, and drinks (beer & wine)  at meal times

I DIY at ports ex disembarkation and take tea with meals. Does Viking have an option w/o their excursion?

[bubbaed]

6 minutes ago, Ombud said:

I DIY at ports ex disembarkation and take tea with meals. Does Viking have an option w/o their excursion?

Nope. You cannot "unbundle" the included excursions or basic drinks.

 

FWIW, the included excursions were not that good, to be honest. Just your run-of-the-mill bus tour (in one port we had a school bus!) with a stop or two where we were allowed to (slowly) get off the bus and walk around a bit. DIY options would probably have been much better.

[TBfrPH]

Thank you, BubbaEd for posting this.  You saved us a lot of time and money trying out a line that we apparently would not enjoy very much.  The overly relaxed and sedate atmosphere is the final nail in that proverbial coffin.

 

We have an Oceania booking (first time) next year.  Please do post your experience and excellent comparison after your December cruise.  Here's hoping that Oceania is not just Viking Light.

 

[charliedalrymple]

4 hours ago, TBfrPH said:

Thank you, BubbaEd for posting this.  You saved us a lot of time and money trying out a line that we apparently would not enjoy very much.  The overly relaxed and sedate atmosphere is the final nail in that proverbial coffin.

 

I was about to say the same thing!  I've always wondered whether Viking was worth the money and thought we might try it one day soon, but your review has convinced me otherwise.  

 

I'm rather surprised that you didn't enjoy the food more on Viking, in spite of the higher quality.  No kids is definitely appealing, but free excursions is not a draw at all for us.  We prefer DIY excursions--or none at all.  

 

You didn't mention the demographic aside from the fact that there are no kids on Viking.  Do the passengers skew older than Princess?

[jeeper2]

Thank you for your concise comparison, answers to questions (wish I had some to add!), as well as your opinion of what Princess could learn from Viking!  I look forward to learning your opinions of Oceania!  Happy cruising!

[sabrefan]

Very accurate comparison. We have sailed on Viking 3 times and most recently on a Scandinavian cruise last month. Going on our 4th Princess cruise around the United Kingdom next month. Our last Princess cruise was 5 years ago so it will be interesting to see how Princess stacks up. We are also Elite level on Celebrity and have sailed with Oceania 4 previous times. I look at Viking as a boutique type cruise line and Princess as a mass market type cruise line. Viking cruises tend to be very quiet, their entertainment is very poor, they could use a casino at the very least. The bottom line here, it is great that we have many choices and when we choose a specific cruise it comes down to cost, itinerary and cruise line.

[RLK33853]

Thanks for the informative review.  Like yourself, we are trying some different lines after being loyal Princess cruisers (30 years and 46 cruises).  This is due to a lot of things, most specifically the Princess cutbacks regarding food quality and loyalty benefits.  In the next year we have 4 Princess, a Paul Gauguin, a Viking Ocean, and a Silversea.  We may find a new "home", or maybe not.  Again, thanks for letting everyone know your experiences.

[susancruzs]

Thanks so much for this!  I have looked at Viking itineraries!  Sailing as a single, Princess works for me because of the overall "feel" of the experience.  .

 

My 1st cruises with NCL early 80s, then went on Princess mid-80s, what a difference!  Awesome, two week big band cruise (Les Brown), I was 39, friend 42, among the 12 "youngest" under 50.  Yes, I've seen the changes with Princess and other mass market lines.

 

I might not participate in the activities around the ship, use the pool/spa area but I like signs of life.  I tried 2 Celebrity cruises, did not work for me.  Can't explain it well but Princess is for me.

[vakamalua]

As Princess veterans, we have looked at Viking but are always put off by having to pay in full seven months prior to the cruise.

[bubbaed]

5 hours ago, charliedalrymple said:

 

I was about to say the same thing!  I've always wondered whether Viking was worth the money and thought we might try it one day soon, but your review has convinced me otherwise.  

 

I'm rather surprised that you didn't enjoy the food more on Viking, in spite of the higher quality.  No kids is definitely appealing, but free excursions is not a draw at all for us.  We prefer DIY excursions--or none at all.  

 

You didn't mention the demographic aside from the fact that there are no kids on Viking.  Do the passengers skew older than Princess?

Regarding the food - it's not that it was overly bad - we definitely did not go hungry. There were some things we quite enjoyed - the sushi station for one, the gelato, and a few of the dishes in the Restaurant were great - but it just wasn't significantly better than Princess in taste & variety. We've also had excellent dishes on Princess in the MDR, Crown Grill, and Sabatini's and the expanded variety in Princess buffets far exceed anything on Viking.

 

The demographic is not necessarily older than Princess, unless you count that fact that on some Princess cruises (shorter itineraries, Caribbean, holidays, etc.) there can be a large contingent of younger people and families. I get the sense that this does not happen on Viking very often (or at all.)

[Poulsbo Cruisers]

Excellent review. We are platinum with Princess and took our first Viking Ocean cruise last year from Bergen to Barcelona. Beautiful ships and impeccable service. But, the entertainment and technology was not up to Princess standards. The internet service was from the dark ages. And the included excursions were sorely lacking. We loved the no kids policy, the no upselling policy and no casino. But, after the cruise ended we had to ask ourselves if the substantial increase in price was worth it. And while we really enjoyed our Viking experience and we can understand their loyal fan base, we will not be booking with them again. 

[msualum]

We went on our first Viking ocean cruise in March and thought it was very nice. It was a 14 day transatlantic with only two port days.  We have at least 10 cruises on Princess, but not since the restart.  We have two upcoming cruises on Princess, one 12 day in September and a land tour/15 day in October, almost side by side, but one day in between.  I’m curious to see how Princess is now.  So far we’ve had a lot of issues with our booking, somehow they got linked and we’ve been unable to make dining reservations.  Many phone calls to our travel agent, to Princess, live chats, nothing has worked.

 

The Viking cruise sailed with 615 passengers, so very easy to have access to the venues.  I found the food very good, specialty restaurants are no charge, beer, wine and soda are included with lunch and dinner.  We also had a mini bar in our stateroom.  The decor around the ship was beautiful, crew members were the best we’ve experienced.  Entertainment was good, movies were shown in the theater during the afternoon.  We tried the afternoon tea, which was nice, but not our thing.  Enough to do, but also time to just relax.

we took the Viking air, and since we couldn’t get to the port the day of the cruise, they paid for a hotel, with transfer to the ship, which I was impressed with.  We had reserved a room because we knew there was no possibility we could fly in the day of the cruise, so we were able to cancel our reservation and save a few dollars.
 

Viking did a good job on the included excursions in getting everyone off the ship and on the buses.  I remember sitting in the theater on Princess waiting for excursions to get out the door for over an hour later than posted.
 

we also took a California coastal tour on Oceania last September.  It was the worst cruise experience of the 20 cruises we’ve taken.  From trying to embark, to waiting for a transfer to the airport at disembarkation for well over an hour, I was totally unimpressed with the food, the crew, the ship, the whole experience was terrible.

 

once we’ve taken our upcoming Princess cruises, we’ll decide whether we want to stay with Princess.  We do have a Panama Canal cruise on Viking booked for March, so we’ll see how that one is.  
 

if you watch the Viking website or get their emails, every once in a while you can find a real bargain.  Our cruise was about the same price as a Princess cruise would have been, but with all inclusions except gratuities. As I said, we were very satisfied with our experience.  
Maureen