Viking River or Ocean?

[hawkeye65]

We are close to booking France's Finest river cruise for Sept 2020. We have done a river cruise with Viking before so know what the ship/service/amentities are.

 

Our other option is Viking Homeland on Viking Ocean cruise. Cost is not very different. We've heard good things about VOC but have never done one.

 

Does anyone have any opinion that might help our decision? TIAl

[Squawkman]

My wife and I love both VO andVR. Have you done ocean cruises on other lines before? If so, I think you’ll find VO a good blend of the advantages of both.

[Host Jazzbeau]

We did Viking Ocean British Isles Explorer and loved it.  The ships are beautiful, and they are clearly aiming for a more luxurious product on the ocean.  My only qualm is that the included excursions were so basic that we did not take any – and without that 'value' the cruises are (IMHO) overpriced.

[Paulchili]

10 hours ago, hawkeye65 said:

Does anyone have any opinion that might help our decision? TIAl

Apples and oranges.

Other than sleeping in a cabin on a ship that floats on water there is very little in common between river and ocean cruises - even if both are on Viking.

Ultimately only you can decide if ocean cruising is better than river cruising by trying it.

Others’ opinions are of limited help as you don’t know who they are and what they like.

If I tell you that I prefer ocean cruising to river cruising, how is it relevant to you?

[CDNPolar]

We have always heard people say that Viking Ocean and River are similar but you cannot compare them.  I don't even think they are similar.

 

What we like about River cruising with Viking is that the ship experience is relaxed and very intimate.  You only have really the lounge to go to (indoor) if you are not in the dining room or up on an outside deck.  This is kind of like retiring to your living room after dinner.  You can segregate yourselves if you want, but in most cases you get to know a lot of people on the River cruise.  Entertainment is very different on River - sometimes they will bring on board entertainment for one night but often it is the crew that are entertaining you.  Dining is only the restaurant and the Aquavit Terrace and set times for each meal.  No room service at all.  River cruising is just calm.  Calm and serene.  Cruising the river is like gliding with no real "motion" and just very relaxing to watch the beautiful scenery flow past you as you sit on deck or in the lounge.

 

Ocean on Viking takes you to 930 guests which is why we like Viking Ocean.  We don't like the big ships with 3000+ people - too noisy and too many people.  On Viking Ocean you can find a seat anywhere on the ship almost anytime.  You have more dining options and also room service.  More lounge areas to retire to at anytime of the day.  Roving entertainment (piano / strings) move between the lounges and common areas.  Just overall bigger and a different experience.  We have sailed on Ocean and met great friends that we have kept in touch with an travelled again with, and we have also  sailed on Ocean and only chatted with people in passing but stayed completely to ourselves.  

 

We love both experiences and you really have to choose by itinerary and just enjoy. 

[hawkeye65]

I'm the OP.  I was prrimarily inquiring about the itinerary, not the ship. If anyone has done either/both particular cruise, I'd be interested in your opinion.

[hawkeye65]

... But any thoughts are welcome ... and relevant.

[gnome12]

25 minutes ago, hawkeye65 said:

I'm the OP.  I was prrimarily inquiring about the itinerary, not the ship. If anyone has done either/both particular cruise, I'd be interested in your opinion.

Again you are comparing apples and oranges. Your river cruise is in France, the ocean cruise is the Baltics and Norway. Only you can decide what your preferences are.

[Coral]

1 hour ago, gnome12 said:

Again you are comparing apples and oranges. Your river cruise is in France, the ocean cruise is the Baltics and Norway. Only you can decide what your preferences are.

I agree. Just decide where you want to go and book it.

[Roz]

Some destinations lend themselves better to river cruises,  some to ocean cruises, and some to land tours.

 

Roz

[lackcreativity]

Both on these forums and in person on Viking ocean ships we have met others like us: people who never wanted to take an ocean cruise until after they took a Viking river cruise and decided to try their first ocean experience with Viking. No one that I have encountered has been disappointed with that choice. If you twisted my arm and I had to pick, I prefer ocean, but we are back on a river cruise in the spring.

I can't help with your specific itineraries. Homelands is one of Vikings most popular, and we did Russia and the Baltic Sea which has some overlap with that cruise. It was an excellent trip and St. Petersburg is now in my top 10 all time visits. Can't help you with France's Finest, as that is not in our plans until  2021! 

[Squawkman]

I totally agree with CDN and Lackcreativity. Couldn’t have said it better.

 

Hawkeye - check out the VO cruise reviews (link at top of this page). You’ll find people on the same exact cruise saying it was the best and the worst. Point here is everyone has their opinions and they can be completely opposite. I would check the itineraries for both of these cruises you’re considering - the Viking website has comments, videos, full descriptions of excursions, etc. then pick the itinerary you think you would like best. We all hope you make the best choice.

[hawkeye65]

Made a decision: we're going to do the river cruise: France's Finest with Viking, Sept 2020. (Can't believe we're booking 13 months In advance!) Thanks for everyone's comments.

[Squawkman]

9 minutes ago, hawkeye65 said:

Made a decision: we're going to do the river cruise: France's Finest with Viking, Sept 2020. (Can't believe we're booking 13 months In advance!) Thanks for everyone's comments.

13 Months? 2 weeks ago we booked British Isles (ocean) 19 months in advance.