10%

In The Wake Of Vikings

Viking Star Sails To North America

By CHRIS OWEN

October 7^th, 2016

A hit everywhere the ship has been, Viking Star made her way to North America for the first time on an interesting In The Wake Of Vikings itinerary from Bergen to Montreal.

We joined that sailing in progress when Viking Ocean Cruises made their first stop in Iceland then on to Greenland before arriving in Canada.

Looking forward to sailing in the Caribbean with uniquely different Viking Ocean Cruises, we have yet to throw other cruise lines under the bus. That’s not apt to happen either. We have sailed just about every cruise line that visits the Caribbean multiple times and all have value. It was not always that way though. On the way to North America, we had time to enjoy all the features of Viking Star that will be enjoyed in the Caribbean.

Today’s robust cruise industry continues to differentiate each brand from one another. Still an evolving work in progress, that effort continues today and opened the door for uniquely different Viking Ocean Cruises to enter the marketplace. So here we are, on the eve of Viking Ocean Cruises arrival in the familiar Caribbean, perhaps the young cruise line’s toughest test to date. We believe they will pass with flying colors. Here’s why.

Continuing to prepare for the arrival of Viking Star in the Caribbean, we go to the world of pirates, treasure and smuggling. Now forget the pirates and treasure, focus on the smuggling. Or don’t. Yes, not thinking about smuggling in the same thought as the Caribbean may be a difficult concept to grasp by a number of cruise travelers. We don’t blame the other cruise lines; they have to make up for artificially low cruise fare prices somehow. Still, the price of onboard beverages on a number of cruise lines can easily add $hundreds more to the price paid to get on the ship. The choice is simple: smuggle or pay. But that skill is not needed in any way with Viking Ocean Cruises, for a number of reasons.

That beer and wine are included during meal times hits the lions share of consumption. Add reasonable prices for alcoholic beverages at other times in the Viking Caribbean and the situation turns around to be far more traveler-friendly. Want to buy something to drink ashore and bring it on the ship? Walk right on with it, that’s no problem either. In your stateroom you’ll find a chilly refrigerator to cool that beverage and a cabin steward who will keep you stocked up on ice as well.

A big step in the right direction that does not stop there, everyone in the Viking Caribbean finds more included as well. Stop by the lobby bar for a cappuccino or espresso. Coffee drinks are also included as are soft drinks most of the time. A self-serve coffee station, two of them actually, is fully stocked 24 hours a day in the ship’s World Cafe. Room service too has all of the above. But that’s not the end of this story.

A very good example of how Viking is constantly listening, learning and acting on what passengers have to say comes from this arena of beverages as well. In a rare “like other cruise lines” moment, Viking Star originally also charged a gratuity in addition to that reasonable ala carte price alcoholic beverages served outside of meal times. Viking Travelers did not like that so it was removed, menus reprinted and the passenger experience ruled over profit, something we just don’t see a lot of these days.

Also lovely, we find dining areas well staffed with plenty of people around to keep those glasses full. Better yet while daily included selections include a good German Pilsner beer and house wines that would easily score 85+ points* without trying, there is an upgrade available.

Viking’s Silver Spirits Plan does what Viking does best: open doors to worlds not seen before, especially in the Caribbean. All Viking Travelers enjoy complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks with onboard lunch and dinner service, plus specialty coffees and teas are available 24 hours a day. The Silver Spirits plan is nicely priced at $30 per day and brings premium cocktails, wines and spirits. A selection of top shelf beers are also included. Granted the plan supplements what is normally included but makes sense for those who would like to push that wine to a upper 80 to low 90’s scored vintage. Beer from around the world, top shelf spirits and just about any coffee drink one could think of are also on the list. Frozen cocktails that go so well with the Caribbean? Included.

To compare, on a recent 7 day sailing in the Caribbean typical of other cruise lines, we paid more than twice that rate for not nearly as large a selection of beverages from which to choose. Frankly, the Silver Spirits plan on Viking Ocean cruises is an even better value than the river cruising counterpart. But it does not end there.

A very popular big ship feature being added lately taps the trending world of mixology with each line addressing that need a bit differently. The world of mixology is one Viking is quite familiar with as their river ‘bar chefs’ create custom concoctions as just the beginning of a journey through spirits, wines and beers that change as the fleet of Viking Longships sail through Europe. We found that same level of knowledge sailing with Viking Ocean Cruises in the Mediterranean and most often ended our day in the ship’s marvelous Explorers Lounge to continue that journey and tie the day up nicely with a bow. Look for this area to be an understated hero in the Viking Caribbean as well.

Taking that inclusive focus to shore, each port of call includes a tour; a part of the deal Viking believes will present the Caribbean in an entirely different way.

Take the thought of “do I want to pay for a shore excursion or not” off the table and also removed is sizing them up for perceived value. It’s that thought that drives the world of third-party shore excursions as cruise travelers compare pricing on what can be one of the most expensive add-ons of any cruise vacation. Not with Viking who believes cruise lines should not charge their guests to go from place to place then charge again to see those places. It’s a totally foreign thought to anyone who has ever visited the Caribbean on any other cruise line: every single one of them charges to go on tour.

Taking the tried and true philosophy of the highly-successful Viking river cruise operation to sea, including tours makes perfect sense. Frankly, now that Viking is about to do just that, I am surprised no one thought of it before now. No secret for quite some time that Viking was planning to do that, I’m even more surprised no one followed suit. Yes, there are occasional sales that include a discount on tours or a certain amount of onboard credit, earmarked for shore excursions from other cruise lines. But thinking of tours as Viking does, putting a $ amount on the experience ashore borders on insulting to cruise travelers. I know, it’s the way they all do it but that’s about to change in a very big way.

Those included tours also include a choice of times to enjoy them. Early risers can get off the ship, see the port of call on a thoughtfully planned tour and be back for lunch in most cases. Those who would like to sleep in or take life at a slower, island-style pace can go mid-morning or in the afternoon.

Even those who have been to a particular port of call a number of times and have already seen the places visited on tour can choose from a selection of optional tours that have a more specific focus. All are rated for physical ability needed as well as what the focus is on and if there is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the tour.

Viking Star brings a new travel option to the Caribbean, not offered by any other cruise line. In our countdown series, we have discussed a number of features unique to the Viking ocean cruise experience and how they have worked out in other parts of the world. Under the microscope in the Caribbean, Viking Star will be closely scrutinized. Comparisons will be made to ‘the other guys’ on a number of topics, perhaps to make sense of an otherwise difficult discussion. One topic sure to come up: this is really not a family focused travel experience. That’s just one feature that will not be part of the Viking Caribbean experience.

An Adult-Oriented View Of The Caribbean Viking Star carries just 930 passengers very few of which are children. The ship is simply not attractive to the family travel market. All staterooms are set up for two people and there are no family-friendly features or accommodations.
The Grand Casino– Also not a feature on Viking Ocean Cruises: the casino. There is not one on the ship.
The Water Slide- Nope, no water slide here. For that matter, few top deck attractions other than a miniature golf course and some workout machines.
Inch Of Gold- While there is a first class jewelry store on board, there are never tables set up with onboard revenue-generating Inch Of Gold.
The Photo Gallery- If you find a camera in the hands of a crew member aboard a Viking ship, it is probably someone else’s and that crew member is taking a photo of guests for them.

Everyone I have talked to on board Viking ocean ships agree: it is inappropriate to compare what Viking does to any other cruise line. It’s not fair to Viking or whoever we might compare them to. Frankly, I don’t miss any of the above features we might find on a ship of larger size…but I can and have enjoyed those features in that setting. This is different.

Welcome To North America, Viking Ocean Cruises, We hope you will visit often,

Button Label

Story Told With

Start publishing stories like this