Norwegian cruisers...Viking Ocean or Regent?

[chill6x6]

Hello all,

 

We're looking for a change up.  Basically looking for a little different itinerary than what NCL and Royal for that matter, offer. We are used to the Haven and Royal Sky/Star suites.  I have found a couple if 10/11 day itineraries that look good to us and they are with Viking Ocean and Regent Seven Seas.  Of course I know next to nothing about either cruise line.  

 

So I just wanted to see if any fellow NCL cruisers had been on either cruise line and your thought.

 

Thanks you!

[bookbabe]

1 hour ago, chill6x6 said:

Hello all,

 

We're looking for a change up.  Basically looking for a little different itinerary than what NCL and Royal for that matter, offer. We are used to the Haven and Royal Sky/Star suites.  I have found a couple if 10/11 day itineraries that look good to us and they are with Viking Ocean and Regent Seven Seas.  Of course I know next to nothing about either cruise line.  

 

So I just wanted to see if any fellow NCL cruisers had been on either cruise line and your thought.

 

Thanks you!

We've sailed all three lines, plus some others, and have cruises booked on all three in the future.

 

Viking - small ships, slower pace, lower-key activities.  Good food.  Will have to wear slightly more formal clothes than on NCL for dinner anywher other than the buffet.  No butlers or priority onboard services even for the biggest suites, but service is good and there's so few passengers we really haven't noticed the lack.  Beer and wine included with meals even if you don't have the drink package.  One included tour per port, usually the generic walking or bus overview-type tour.  No shows or "big" entertainment, think lectures plus solo performers and duos mostly, lots of classical or older popular music. Excellent included spa area.

 

Regent - small to mid-sized ships, slower pace, way more formal than NCL.  Good food, but no evening casual dining options at all other than room service.  No evening buffet.  No shorts or casual wear in public areas after 6pm.  Bigger suites have butlers and a few perks.  Lots of good included excursions.  Regular drinks included, think some premium choices might be extra but we didn't run into any.  Can't remember what entertainment there was, and we just sailed a couple months ago, so it was obviously pretty unmemorable.

 

Over the next few years we've got PoA and a Jade Alaska booked with NCL for different family/friend group cruises; and for just the two of us, a 36 night Istanbul to Norway and a 15 night British Isles booked with Viking Ocean, a 15 night Europe river cruise booked with Viking River, and a World Cruise booked with Regent.  We like them all, but they are all much different experiences.  We have more fun on NCL, but Viking has better itineraries (although Regent has a better world cruise itinerary).  Wish there was a way to pick and choose bits from each cruise line to create the perfect experience.

[chill6x6]

Thank you, thank you!

 

That was exactly what I was wanting to know.  I did not realize there were no casual spots to eat dinner on Regent  It would also be VERY hard for us to not wear shorts in some public areas after 6pm on a Caribbean cruise. We could probably do it. It sure would be a change. I was actually leaning in the Regent direction. 

 

Might be best for us to go the direction of Viking or maybe even Oceania.

 

You have some amazing cruises planned! Enjoy your cruises!

 

Thank you again for your response!

[CptJLMcCrea]

No casino on Viking, if that's important to you.

 

[bookbabe]

13 hours ago, chill6x6 said:

Thank you, thank you!

 

That was exactly what I was wanting to know.  I did not realize there were no casual spots to eat dinner on Regent  It would also be VERY hard for us to not wear shorts in some public areas after 6pm on a Caribbean cruise. We could probably do it. It sure would be a change. I was actually leaning in the Regent direction. 

 

Might be best for us to go the direction of Viking or maybe even Oceania.

 

You have some amazing cruises planned! Enjoy your cruises!

 

Thank you again for your response!

Yeah, that's the part that kills us too, the Regent no casual spots after 6pm.  Dressed up for work for years, no desire to do it on vacation, and we live on a beach so formal wear isn't really a thing for our lifestyle.  Our solution was to book a Grand Suite, which includes room service from the specialty restaurants for dinners.  On our 7 night cruise, we only went out to eat twice.  We aren't into hanging out in the bars and such, so it worked for us.  A little worried about the world cruise, but DH loves the itinerary enough that we decided we can suck it up for six months and he'll put on long pants.

 

Viking's buffet in the evening is a good one, with a lot of the same dishes as the main restaurant, and you can go in shorts.  Viking is also no passengers under 18, if that makes a difference to you.  No casino, as the PP noted.  No photographers or art sales either.
 

Haven't tried Oceania or Royal Caribbean yet, we might at some point when we have a gap in the schedule.  Have done Carnival, but only when traveling with friends or family that insist on it.  Disney is good but pricey and there are lots of kids, depending on how you feel about that. 

[tubeamps]

Regent is not as dressy as some make it out to be. Evenings inthe dining room you only need to wear a standard button shirt with collar and no jeans…..that’s it, I wouldn’t call it formal by any stretch.

 

 

[cruiseny4life]

35 minutes ago, tubeamps said:

Regent is not as dressy as some make it out to be. Evenings inthe dining room you only need to wear a standard button shirt with collar and no jeans…..that’s it, I wouldn’t call it formal by any stretch.

 

 

Too formal for me which is why we wrote Regent off a few years ago for the Haven. 

 

Have a wonderful cruise @chill6x6. Let us know what you finally decide!

[zqvol]

Regent is not at all dressy. A pair of slack and a collared shirt for men nd you are good to go. 

[bookbabe]

On 2/23/2024 at 9:19 AM, tubeamps said:

Regent is not as dressy as some make it out to be. Evenings inthe dining room you only need to wear a standard button shirt with collar and no jeans…..that’s it, I wouldn’t call it formal by any stretch.

 

 

We live on a beach.  T-shirts, shorts and sandals are our way of life.  DH owns a couple of pairs of long pants, bought specifically for cruising, and puts them on at the last minute before dinner and takes them off again immediately afterwards.  For us, the lack of an evening casual option for dinner is why we consider Regent "too formal" to cruise on much, and why it was worth booking a Grand Suite for their world cruise, so we can have good food delivered to us while we are forced to hide in our cabin due to a lack of interest in pants. 😉

 

[bookbabe]

21 hours ago, zqvol said:

Regent is not at all dressy. A pair of slack and a collared shirt for men nd you are good to go. 

See my previous post.  Dressy is in the eye of the wearer, IMO.  If you never wear long pants, putting them on every evening is a big change, and yes, DH and I consider that Dressy.  
 

One of the things we love best about NCL and the Haven is the ability to have a good meal in shorts and a t-shirt and not be forced to hide in the cabin so our wardrobe preferences won't offend people. 😉