Viking Sea Jan 8th mini review.

[beachmudhut]

Oh dear... hope the weather settles and the night is not too rough. Safe journey.

[Vineyard View]

We never had wine swerved in tumblers in the restaurants when we were on the Star ..... and while I agree completely that Viking really needs to upgrade their wine offering, I would not be okay with drinking wine out of tumblers. Call me a snob....but it just would not work for me......this is the first thread that I have read about the tumblers so I am hoping it is not the direction that Viking is going.

 

We have very much enjoyed Viking and have not experienced Azamara- but I know them to have a great reputation and following. I like the fact that Viking monitors the boards....and I believe are taking note of what the members say....so hopefully they will consider revamping their wine soon....and keep the stemmed wine glasses for goodness sake!

 

Also hoping you have a smooth departure and fantastic remainder of your trip!

[photopro2]

Update as of 9:45 local.

Departure was delayed approximately 7 hours. Ship is currently making good speed (19.5 knots) with an estimated arrival of 12:30 (5.5 hours late)

This would suggest that the delay is likely to have been weather related rather than a mechanical issue.

All the best to those on board and I trust your trip is soon back on schedule.

 

 

Sent from my mobile using the CC forums app

[Lottie A]

We left Livorno at 4:30 am to travel slowly to Civitavecchia. It is now nearly 1 pm and we are just arriving in Civitavecchia. I have to say that the weather on route was not in the slightest bumpy! It was very calm in fact. This leads me to think that there may possibly be ongoing technical problems but no-one is actually saying anything, so I don't know for sure.

 

It is a shame that they did not announce the late arrival in Civitavecchia earlier last night as they must have known by late afternoon. Some people have lost $600 in arranged private tours as they did not realise we would not be in Civi early morning and their drivers turned up. If they had been able to contact the private tour operators by last night then they would not have lost the money. We only found out from our room service guy, when I asked him why we had not left Livorno as scheduled. I then rang Guest Relations to confirm and was not given any details but they said it was because of rough weather. The Captain announced the late arrival over the PA system at 8am this morning. Not good enough Viking as people should have been informed yesterday, so they could inform their private tour operators. All the paid tours this morning were cancelled of course, but the included walk around ones are going ahead this afternoon.

 

The weather is actually sunny and hot today...I just had to come inside from our balcony as I was very hot sat in the Sun! How nice is that for January in the Med?

 

As to the stemmed wine glasses ....or tumblers....yes, in The Chef's Table last night the wine was served in tumblers. We have the Silver package so they exchanged our tumblers for stemmed wine glasses. I have a few menu's from the different Chef's Tables, so I will post them when I'm home and have more time.

 

Tonight the show is guest entertainer bel canto singers and hooray, the show doesn't start until 10pm!

[photopro2]

Hello Lottie,

I am really sorry to hear about the delay but more especially about the lack of information given on board.

 

It is worth noting that ship did keep up a good speed and pulled back a little of the lost time so if there was a mechanical issue it seems to have been fixed.

 

Thanks for the "heads up" on the tumbler issue - I am following that with interest too!

 

Just one more thing - did you get to the Meet and Mingle or, to be more exact, do you know when it was scheduled for?

 

Enjoy the sunshine and I hope that the rest of the trip goes more to plan.

[Lottie A]

Actually photopro the ship was dawdling along all night. We could have made Civi by 10 am easily if they had actually been doing 19 knots all night. I know my ship speeds and I would say it was less than 10 knots all night. The ship did slightly speed up at about 9:30 am this morning. As I say, the sea was calm last night and I'm not sure the "rough seas" excuse is correct. However, we are unlikely to ever know for sure.

 

We did go to the meet and mingle and met the delightful Ms Sailaway and friends. It was held in the Explorer Lounge on Monday at 6pm, straight after the muster drill. This was our second day as we had an overnight in Barcelona the day before. There were some canapés, wine, cocktails and soft drinks but no organisation at all. Some officers were there but they just hovered around. It needs someone to manage the meeting, introducing people by their cruise critic handle and acting as a host. Another thing that Azamara do very well.

 

We have decided not to bother going into Civi this afternoon as the sun is glorious. We are sitting outdoors ar The Aquavit Bar enjoying a quiet drink while most other people have departed for a hurried tour of Rome. They are keeping Manfredi's open later tonight until 10 pm and the show doesn't start until 10pm either.

[photopro2]

Hello Lottie,

 

I have to accept your judgement because you are on the ship and I am not but the satellite tracker I am using certainly shows the ship at over 19 knots for most of the leg from Livorno to Civi. I have tried to attach a screenshot so you can see what I see. It should show below as a thumbnail and you can click on this for a slightly bigger version though CC seems to limit the file size I can attach.

 

As an alternative you can try this link which i think will show the last leg until you depart on the next http://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/shipid:3710157/mmsi:258215000/imo:9725421/vessel:VIKING_SEA Scroll down on that page for the timeline. You might like to check the site out as you continue on the cruise to see how it corresponds with your experience onboard?

 

It is also worth noting that the leg was completed in 8 hours rather than the 9 hours scheduled which is not too shabby.

 

Thank you for the info on the M&M. It is very helpful to know not to expect too much crew interaction.

 

I am really glad you are enjoying the sunshine and thank you again for taking the trouble to post answers to our questions - knowledge is power :)

[beachmudhut]

Glad to hear you have arrived safely and that you have some lovely weather. I envy you.

 

We attended the meet and greet but there were more officers than guests. There were only six of us and one couple left very early. It felt very awkward and lacked the relaxed humour that you get on AZ. Lots of lovely canapes though - we didn't need to go for dinner!!!

 

Another thing a lot of folk missed ....... in the World Cafe in the evening, next to the Aquavit bar they set up an area where they were cooking extra dishes separate from the main menu. If you didn't know about it you would almost certainly miss it.

 

Enjoy your lovely sunny day - it's freezing here.

[dln929]

Lottie, we were on Viking Star last January on the Med and mid-week we caught a patch of really rough seas in the evenings. One night I literally did not sleep because of the ship movement. Have you been on Azamara on the sailing that goes from Miami to the Caribbean, where the Atlantic is deep and volatile? It was worse than even that. The Star, being a small ship like Azamara's, was pitching all over the place during the storm and the Captain commented the next day that it would have been much worse had the stabilizers not been on full force. :eek: After that experience, if your Captain said you were in Livorno because of a naughty Mediterranean Sea, I'd be inclined to take him at his word.

[Cyber Kat]

A friend of mine recommended this blog by someone who is on this cruise. They told me about it, because we will be doing the West Indies Explorer on the Viking Sea next year. It's interesting - he mentioned the same weather and late arrival for Rome

 

http://captainmartinisblog.tumblr.com/page/3

 

I'm wondering if they use the tumblers to distinguish who has the upgraded wines and who is drinking the house wines. We all had wine glasses on our river cruise, but with only 1 restaurant and 190 passengers, it's probably easier to keep track.

[Kentishincanada]

We took the Athens To Venice cruise in September. The only time we were served wine not in stemmed glasses was at Chef's Table and Pool Bar. Even the sparkling wine at various events i.e. embarkation, was in stemmed glassware. I should note that the tumblers in Chef's Table were Ridel type tumblers and quite elegant. The second time we dined in Chef's Table we took the upgraded wine package for $25 and were served in stemmed glasses. We found this to be an excellent alternative to the wine package as we were usually happy with the included wines. There was a wine one evening I did not enjoy but the wine I bought to substitute was very reasonable at approx. $7 a glass. Also we found that Viking's policy to allow purchased wine to be carried on to the ship was wonderful. We found interesting wines in Greece, Croatia and Montenegro to try on our veranda before dinner.

[Cyber Kat]

I should note that the tumblers in Chef's Table were Ridel type tumblers and quite elegant.

 

I had the feeling that was the case - those glasses seem somewhat in. I'm seeing them in all the stores in the fine china and glassware departments. I prefer stemware, but I wouldn't find these too objectionable.

 

Apologies to the OP ... I meant to say thanks for posting the review. I have long time to wait for our cruise on the Viking Sea, so I'm hungry for every little bit I can get. It looks to be a wonderful ship.

 

But I must say, I'm curious about this "Azamara vibe" Can someone give a hint? We've cruised mostly on Carnival because my sister got me into cruising again after a long lapse and it's what she can afford. My husband resisted for a long time, but now I think I've got him hooked as well.

 

I've been looking at lines with smaller ships, and a more upscale style, but he doesn't want to dress for dinner beyond dockers and a collared shirt. We're retired and he's packed away most of the jackets and ties he had to wear for work :rolleyes:

 

We loved the Rhine Getaway cruise, so Viking gets a first look, but we're not exclusive!

[Fpacifico]

I had the feeling that was the case - those glasses seem somewhat in. I'm seeing them in all the stores in the fine china and glassware departments. I prefer stemware, but I wouldn't find these too objectionable.

 

Apologies to the OP ... I meant to say thanks for posting the review. I have long time to wait for our cruise on the Viking Sea, so I'm hungry for every little bit I can get. It looks to be a wonderful ship.

 

But I must say, I'm curious about this "Azamara vibe" Can someone give a hint? We've cruised mostly on Carnival because my sister got me into cruising again after a long lapse and it's what she can afford. My husband resisted for a long time, but now I think I've got him hooked as well.

 

I've been looking at lines with smaller ships, and a more upscale style, but he doesn't want to dress for dinner beyond dockers and a collared shirt. We're retired and he's packed away most of the jackets and ties he had to wear for work :rolleyes:

 

We loved the Rhine Getaway cruise, so Viking gets a first look, but we're not exclusive!

Try the China land and river cruise, I think you would love that also.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I had the feeling that was the case - those glasses seem somewhat in. I'm seeing them in all the stores in the fine china and glassware departments. I prefer stemware, but I wouldn't find these too objectionable.

 

Apologies to the OP ... I meant to say thanks for posting the review. I have long time to wait for our cruise on the Viking Sea, so I'm hungry for every little bit I can get. It looks to be a wonderful ship.

 

But I must say, I'm curious about this "Azamara vibe" Can someone give a hint? We've cruised mostly on Carnival because my sister got me into cruising again after a long clapse and it's what she can afford. My husband resisted for a long time, but now I think I've got him hooked as well.

 

I've been looking at lines with smaller ships, and a more upscale style, but he doesn't want to dress for dinner beyond dockers and a collared shirt. We're retired and he's packed away most of the jackets and ties he had to wear for work :rolleyes:

 

We loved the Rhine Getaway cruise, so Viking gets a first look, but we're not exclusive!

 

Dockers and a golf shirt will be fine on Azamara at all times. No formal nights!

 

The "vibe" is informal and relaxed -- but classy. Food is very good, as are the included wines. The unique thing is the visibility and friendliness of the senior officers. That means you can easily voice a complaint or suggestion -- and they take action immediately!

[Lottie A]

I had the feeling that was the case - those glasses seem somewhat in. I'm seeing them in all the stores in the fine china and glassware departments. I prefer stemware, but I wouldn't find these too objectionable.

 

Apologies to the OP ... I meant to say thanks for posting the review. I have long time to wait for our cruise on the Viking Sea, so I'm hungry for every little bit I can get. It looks to be a wonderful ship.

 

But I must say, I'm curious about this "Azamara vibe" Can someone give a hint? We've cruised mostly on Carnival because my sister got me into cruising again after a long lapse and it's what she can afford. My husband resisted for a long time, but now I think I've got him hooked as well.

 

I've been looking at lines with smaller ships, and a more upscale style, but he doesn't want to dress for dinner beyond dockers and a collared shirt. We're retired and he's packed away most of the jackets and ties he had to wear for work :rolleyes:

 

We loved the Rhine Getaway cruise, so Viking gets a first look, but we're not exclusive!

 

It's hard to explain the Azamara onboard ambience Cyber Kat. Perhaps go on the Azamara boards and read through some threads there. The simple way to say it is it's like coming home. The officers and crew, from the Captain down are special people who mingle with the passengers, have coffee or lunch with them and you don't have to be a VIP for that to happen. Nothing is ever too much trouble and no reasonable request is ever refused. They are the happiest ships I have ever been on and it shines through that the crew are treated well by the company.

 

This is the Viking forum, so I won't say more, but take it from me, if you do want a special Cruise experience then Azamara is the way to go. Viking are very good too and I will certainly cruise with them again, but for me, it just isn't like Azamara.

 

I think the organisation of the day with the lost morning here in Civi was very good. The restaurants opened later, the show was later and we had longer to pack the cases. Many passengers took the free Rome afternoon tours and were still arriving back at 8:15 pm. They looked tired and still had to eat and pack. I'm glad we decided to remain onboard and have a chilled day. However, despite saying there would be extra activities put on for those staying onboard I could see no evidence of this at all.

 

We are up early for the flight home tomorrow. I will post the Chef's Table menu's when I have the chance. I am sorry to leave this lovely ship.

[beachmudhut]

Thanks for your review Lottie. Safe journey home to you and Spursgirl.

[Host Jazzbeau]

We took the Athens To Venice cruise in September... I should note that the tumblers in Chef's Table were Ridel type tumblers and quite elegant.

 

Like these?

Edited January 14, 2017 by Host Jazzbeau

[Britcruiser]

Thanks Lottie for the mini review. Like many others on this board we are Azamara fans as you know. In the last couple of years have cruised on Oceania and Regent as well as AZ. I still share your preference for AZ which is down to the officers and crew (and fellow passengers!) and small ship numbers. However prices are not always competitive and we will continue to look at value for money. Viking may be next on our list.

[Haworth]

We attended a Viking "event" last year and since then have been keen to try a Viking Ocean cruise, we managed to find the trip we wanted at the right price yesterday and are now all sorted.

 

We enjoyed Azamara for a number of years but have felt that the prices have risen too much and are now too close to Seabourn (our prefered luxury line) as such it will be very interesting to see where Viking fit in our overall comparison of lines we have experienced.

 

We will go with an open mind.

[Lottie A]

Hi Diane,

Just got your email...such great news and I will reply tonight.

 

Jazzbeau, yes those are similar to the tumblers but I still would not want to drink my wine from them. As the Viking Silver Beverage package is such good value we would always buy it in future anyway, so we would get stemmed glasses anyway. In Manfredi's last night people did seem to get stemmed glasses with the included wine.

 

Haworth, we would agree with you that Azamara prices are now approaching Silversea and Seabourn and this may be a mistake on Larry P's part as the two Azamara ship's can in no way compare with the luxury of the newer Silversea and Seabourn ships. If you take the "Azamara Experience" out of the equation ....and new cruisers won't know about that, then people would be crazy to pay the inflated prices this year when for a few hundred more they could cruise with SS or Seabourn in total luxury. However, for me the Azamara vibe wins every time and we have found a bargain for May on Quest. We are on Quest again in July and Journey in October....so we are still Azamara fans. :)

 

I must say the Viking organisation on debark today was excellent. It was the smoothest process ever, including going through the lovely new international terminal at Fiumicino.

[Haworth]

Hi Lottie

 

I do agree with you about the Azamara vibe, the visibilty of senior officers helps, I also suspect that as one gets more familiar with a " small ship cruise line" then it only increases, being greeted by name by staff who remember you from previous cruises is a special feeling.

 

We have a cruise booked later this year in the MSC Yacht Club and will be interested in how the ship within a ship experience compares with both Azamara and Seabourn.

 

John

[Mrs Miggins]

Thanks for your reviews and comments. They coincide almost exactly with our own experience. However I would just say that the total cruise experience on any ship is greatly influenced by many factors we cannot control eg weather, travel problems, but most especially our fellow cruisers.

We have been fortunate most of the time. We have met some lovely, articulate and well travelled fellow travellers. We have laughed a lot. However just occasionally we have had to 'bite our tongues' and escape. We cannot of course blame the cruise provider and it may well be that, justifiably, others would want to escape from us.

Safe journey!

[Haworth]

Like these?

 

They use simmilar stemless wine glasses when serving the Thomas Keller menu on Seabourn, and also in his famous French Laundry restaurant.

Edited January 15, 2017 by Haworth

[Lottie A]

Thanks for your reviews and comments. They coincide almost exactly with our own experience. However I would just say that the total cruise experience on any ship is greatly influenced by many factors we cannot control eg weather, travel problems, but most especially our fellow cruisers.

We have been fortunate most of the time. We have met some lovely, articulate and well travelled fellow travellers. We have laughed a lot. However just occasionally we have had to 'bite our tongues' and escape. We cannot of course blame the cruise provider and it may well be that, justifiably, others would want to escape from us.

Safe journey!

 

Oh Pam, there was certainly a lot of "biting our tongues" and "escaping" going on, especially at dinner! We are by no means the fashion police....but what some people thought was appropriate for wearing to dinner astounded us. :eek:

 

However we met some very nice people as well and I must say, had a thoroughly enjoyable time, despite the demographic being a little older and more sedate than us. Viking does what it does very well and I would certainly cruise with them again.

 

The good news is that we may be on your May 29th Quest cruise. We are looking into the penalties for cancelling our May Oceania Marina cruise as we really want to be back on "mother Azamara" as Hazel keeps saying. :) If the penalties aren't too heavy then we will do it, much as we love the O itinerary, we do love Azamara and the crew more. It would be lovely to meet up with you and Mr M again on Quest....I'll buy the drinks!

 

I'm in the lovely Sofitel at Heathrow now, relaxing before my journey home tomorrow.

 

I'll tie things up with my final cruise thoughts and post the Chef's Table menu's when I'm not so tired.

[TrulyBlonde]

They use simmilar stemless wine glasses when serving the Thomas Keller menu on Seabourn, and also in his famous French Laundry restaurant.

 

These wine glasses seem to be everywhere lately. I prefer a stem, but these should not be considered tumblers. I always wondered if they were a cost savings for the many restaurants that use them as the stems are more difficult to clean and more breakage?

 

I am getting used to them but my wine seems to taste just a bit better with the elegance of a stem;-)