Hello, brand new member and my first post so thanks for reading. A little about us: we are recently retired, (55 and 62) and so far have been on two Viking cruises, Barcelona to Rome and just last month Panama Canal. Really liked Viking, but am considering an alternative for our next cruise. Here is what we loved/liked about Viking:
Beautiful ship (Sky) and very clean
Great customer service-top notch
Incredible spa
Really enjoyed the port talks and on board historian. Truly the "thinking man's" cruise line"
Very comfy king size bed(a must for us as we are both 6" and need space!). We had a deluxe veranda, Ok size albeit a bit snug. Larger balcony would be great
All our excursion's were good to great. Only one was poor.
The not so great:
Ship is nice and a perfect size, but the minimalist Ikea style will get boring.
Food was generally good, sometimes excellent. Loved the Chef's table and the attempt at premium wine pairing, but the wines weren't premium. Food was sometimes a miss-all the seafood in the World Cafe was overcooked. Main restaurant was just OK.
Biggest negative-even with the Silver package upgrade, the wines were pretty abysmal. You only got a decent wine if you purchased an entire bottle.
Entertainment was spotty. Cruise director and her assistant gave stellar performances. Other than that, not much.
So looked like Oceania would be a great choice as they tout their focus on dining experiences, but a lot of the recent reviews I read indicated otherwise and there has been a rather precipitous decline. I realize there will always be a few people who get a less than desired experience on any given cruise. But is this a prevalent trend with them? Any fans or confirmers of their decline? Any Azamara fans? Is Regents worth the extra $? Any insights from experienced travelers who are fellow foodies/wine lovers greatly appreciated. We are looking forward to many more years of cruising!
