Oceania versus Viking

[Packman1000]

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• I am a long time cruiser on Princess, with several cruises on Holland and Celebrity.  I am considering moving up to a more premium line.  So, for anyone that has sailed on both Viking and Oceania, I would be interested in your thoughts.  The pricing over Princess is roughly double when you compare apples to apples.  I am fully aware of the differences between lines regarding excursions, drinks, airfare, etc.  I am just trying to find out what the "experience" is like between Viking and Oceania so that we can pick one that best suites our wants.

 

I have reservations for a Viking river cruise in 2022, but this question is just about the ocean sailings.  Thanks.

[1985rz1]

3 minutes ago, Packman1000 said:

•  
•  
• I am a long time cruiser on Princess, with several cruises on Holland and Celebrity.  I am considering moving up to a more premium line.  So, for anyone that has sailed on both Viking and Oceania, I would be interested in your thoughts.  The pricing over Princess is roughly double when you compare apples to apples.  I am fully aware of the differences between lines regarding excursions, drinks, airfare, etc.  I am just trying to find out what the "experience" is like between Viking and Oceania so that we can pick one that best suites our wants.

 

I have reservations for a Viking river cruise in 2022, but this question is just about the ocean sailings.  Thanks.

Have you tread this thread:

 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

18 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

Have you tread this thread:

 

 

OP: I suggest you peruse the various CC forums devoted to each line you’re considering as well as the various threads comparing them. But, I also suggest that you identify several well-respected cruise TAs that specialize in premium/luxury cruises and ask them for the “straight scoop.”

That said, it may all boil down to your desired, preferences, expectations and the means to pay for them. 
 

FWIW: If food is important to you, consider reading the accolades heaped on Oceania over the years by leading publications like Saveur, Bon Appetite, Food & Wine et al. O has earned its reputation for The Finest Cuisine at Sea.™️

[Host Jazzbeau]

Viking Ocean is a super-premium product.  Beautiful ships (all new).  Very good food and service.  Itineraries are kind of blah to my taste.  Not fair to compare to our Oceania cruise in 2011, but I have every reason to expect that Oceania is the equal of Viking Ocean in every way [even the older R-ships, which we love from Azamara].

 

My warning to you is that Viking River is not a super-premium product.  It is definitely middle-of-the-road, with very crowded ships and shore excursions compared to the five top river cruise lines.  Don't believe the hype about 'longships' – all river ships are limited to a maximum 135m length by the river locks; Viking packs 190 passengers into the same size ships that on Crystal have only 106, Tauck (142), AmaWaterways (158), Uniworld (150-159), Scenic (171).  Viking River is a good product, but not a luxury or even super-premium product.  Viking Ocean is a much higher standard in every way.

[Paulchili]

23 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

My warning to you is that Viking River is not a super-premium product.  It is definitely middle-of-the-road, with very crowded ships and shore excursions compared to the five top river cruise lines.  Don't believe the hype about 'longships' – all river ships are limited to a maximum 135m length by the river locks; Viking packs 190 passengers into the same size ships that on Crystal have only 106, Tauck (142), AmaWaterways (158), Uniworld (150-159), Scenic (171).  Viking River is a good product, but not a luxury or even super-premium product.  Viking Ocean is a much higher standard in every way.

All true. It’s a good value compared to the others even though river cruises are more expensive than ocean cruises

We liked our only Viking Ocean but for a same itinerary we would choose Oceania over Viking.

[Host Jazzbeau]

13 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

We liked our only Viking Ocean but for a same itinerary we would choose Oceania over Viking.

And Oceania has so many more and varied itineraries!  I was hoping that as Viking Ocean added more ships they would start to really vary the itineraries, but No:  even though they now have the same number of ships as Oceania, they keep doing the same few itineraries over and over.  Clearly their itinerary model is based on MSC, not Oceania or Azamara.

[Flatbush Flyer]

39 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Viking Ocean is a super-premium product.  Beautiful ships (all new).  Very good food and service.  Itineraries are kind of blah to my taste.  Not fair to compare to our Oceania cruise in 2011, but I have every reason to expect that Oceania is the equal of Viking Ocean in every way [even the older R-ships, which we love from Azamara].

 

My warning to you is that Viking River is not a super-premium product.  It is definitely middle-of-the-road, with very crowded ships and shore excursions compared to the five top river cruise lines.  Don't believe the hype about 'longships' – all river ships are limited to a maximum 135m length by the river locks; Viking packs 190 passengers into the same size ships that on Crystal have only 106, Tauck (142), AmaWaterways (158), Uniworld (150-159), Scenic (171).  Viking River is a good product, but not a luxury or even super-premium product.  Viking Ocean is a much higher standard in every way.

Please don’t make up names like “super premium.”

And even then, remember that Viking Ocean self promoted itself as “premium” in its ads from “day 1”.

It was Oceania (more than 15 years ago) along with rival (until its recent sale) Azamara that were dubbed as premium by industry publications.

Premium is a title to be earned and Viking isn’t there yet.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Just now, Flatbush Flyer said:

Please don’t make up names like “super premium.”

All cruise line categories are made up – there is no industry standard.  But FWIW I divide the industry into four levels:  mass market (e.g. Carnival, Royal, NCL), premium (Celebrity, Princess, HAL), super-premium (Azamara, Oceania), and luxury (Crystal, Silversea).  I think there is a real difference between each of these levels, much more than the differences between my examples at each level.

[Flatbush Flyer]

4 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

And Oceania has so many more and varied itineraries!  I was hoping that as Viking Ocean added more ships they would start to really vary the itineraries, but No:  even though they now have the same number of ships as Oceania, they keep doing the same few itineraries over and over.  Clearly their itinerary model is based on MSC, not Oceania or Azamara.

Viking is more along the lines of Celebrity. And we all know which “move up” line Celebrity cruisers tend to favor (and then adopt). There’s a reason why most Oceania cruises have 70%+ repeat customers on them.

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 minute ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Viking is more along the lines of Celebrity. And we all know which “move up” line Celebrity cruisers tend to favor (and then adopt). There’s a reason why most Oceania cruises have 70%+ repeat customers on them.

I have sailed both of these lines, and Viking is a much higher level than Celebrity.  I'm glad you love Oceania, but you seem to have blinders to all other cruise lines.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Just now, Host Jazzbeau said:

All cruise line categories are made up – there is no industry standard.  But FWIW I divide the industry into four levels:  mass market (e.g. Carnival, Royal, NCL), premium (Celebrity, Princess, HAL), super-premium (Azamara, Oceania), and luxury (Crystal, Silversea).  I think there is a real difference between each of these levels, much more than the differences between my examples at each level.

I think you’ll find yourself in a group of 1 when referring to Celebrity, HAL or Princess as Premium.

I’m convinced that there are only the four traditional industry segments: Mass Market, Premium, Luxury, Expedition.

But, for the purposes of this thread, it really doesn’t matter. Viking Ocean has aspirations to be “more than” lines like Celebrity and Cunard. But only time will tell.

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

I think you’ll find yourself in a group of 1 when referring to Celebrity, HAL or Princess as Premium.

I’m convinced that there are only the four traditional industry segments: Mass Market, Premium, Luxury, Expedition.

But, for the purposes of this thread, it really doesn’t matter. Viking Ocean has aspirations to be “more than” lines like Celebrity and Cunard. But only time will tell.

 

It's at least a group of 2, because Fodor's classifies Princess, HAL and Celebrity as 'premium cruise lines.'  But what do they know?

https://www.fodors.com/cruises/101/choosing-your-ship/cruise-lines-by-type/best-premium-lines

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I have sailed both of these lines, and Viking is a much higher level than Celebrity.  I'm glad you love Oceania, but you seem to have blinders to all other cruise lines.

Not true. Before it was sold, Azamara was (and may still be) an alternative to Oceania (except perhaps when it comes to food). If young kids are in the mix, my money’s on Disney. 
As for the the luxury lines, “you get what you pay for” and most of those lines have superior products.

And FWIW, I don’t “love” any inanimate object or service or cruise line. I do, however, prefer Oceania because it caters to a very specific niche market of accomplished travelers who have worked hard for their money and enjoy fine food and unique, often long, itineraries.

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

It's at least a group of 2, because Fodor's classifies Princess, HAL and Celebrity as 'premium cruise lines.'  But what do they know?

https://www.fodors.com/cruises/101/choosing-your-ship/cruise-lines-by-type/best-premium-lines

 

Fodor’s for travel advice? I rest my case.

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

It's at least a group of 2, because Fodor's classifies Princess, HAL and Celebrity as 'premium cruise lines.'  But what do they know?

 

Not much I guess

 I would not class Princess or HAL  as Premium  maybe 20 yrs ago but not today

JMO

[1985rz1]

3 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

OP: I suggest you peruse the various CC forums devoted to each line you’re considering as well as the various threads comparing them. But, I also suggest that you identify several well-respected cruise TAs that specialize in premium/luxury cruises and ask them for the “straight scoop.”

That said, it may all boil down to your desired, preferences, expectations and the means to pay for them. 
 

FWIW: If food is important to you, consider reading the accolades heaped on Oceania over the years by leading publications like Saveur, Bon Appetite, Food & Wine et al. O has earned its reputation for The Finest Cuisine at Sea.™️

I assume you meant to quote the OP, not me 😉.

[Jancruz]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I have sailed both of these lines, and Viking is a much higher level than Celebrity.  I'm glad you love Oceania, but you seem to have blinders to all other cruise lines.

Are you the host of all cruise lines or just Oceania??

Jancruz1

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, 1985rz1 said:

I assume you meant to quote the OP, not me 😉.

yes - I was addressing OP. 

[hamrag]

7 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

All cruise line categories are made up – there is no industry standard.  But FWIW I divide the industry into four levels:  mass market (e.g. Carnival, Royal, NCL), premium (Celebrity, Princess, HAL), super-premium (Azamara, Oceania), and luxury (Crystal, Silversea).  I think there is a real difference between each of these levels, much more than the differences between my examples at each level.

I understand where you are coming from, and our earlier cruises with Celebrity and HAL were definitely better than Royal and NCL. Incidentally, if your categorisation is accurate, I'd argue 5 categories....with Carnival well out on its own bottom of the heap in a below mass classification.

 

In recent times, in our experience, there has been little to differentiate HAL and Celebrity (we didn't rate Princess) from the ones you describe as mass market. Ranking your mass market and premium together, I would agree that HAL and Celebrity (Cunard too) are the best of them.

 

So, using your categories, I would agree Azamara is super-premium although the MDR food is no better than HAL or Celebrity....and entertainment is poor. Everything I read about Oceania excites me, yet to experience but a booking July (doubtless to be cancelled), and certainly it's USP appears to be the food experience....which we consider very important.

[Host Jazzbeau]

12 hours ago, Jancruz said:

Are you the host of all cruise lines or just Oceania??

Jancruz1

Not all cruise lines, and not Oceania.  I am the long-standing Host of the River Cruising forum, and more recently of American Cruise Lines, American Queen Steamboat Company, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Azamara, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, Hebridean Island Cruises, Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic, 'Other Cruise Lines', Paul Gauguin, Ponant, and Windstar – a group that covers sub-mass market to luxury and expedition.  In addition I keep up with, and contribute on, the boards of any cruise lines we are contemplating booking [mainly Celebrity, Oceania, and Silversea].  Contrary to a widespread but erroneous assumption, Cruise Critic Hosts are encouraged to participate in any forums of interest and to share their personal opinions as part of the community.

[Redtravel]

Oceania and Viking do a good cruise. At least that was the case before the pandemic. For me the differences are small. I would gladly book either line.  The itinerary may be a deciding factor.  Also, once you book a Viking cruise, ocean or river, there are no price changes for you.  You will probably have to pay Viking way in advance in full.  Viking is extremely efficient and well organized.  Viking includes an excursion in each port. Decor is clean and sleek.  Ocean ships are new and every cabin is large with a veranda. Wine, soda, and beer are included only at meals. Oceania has some older R ships that have small cabins and tiny bathrooms.  Their newer ships, Marina and Riviera, are beautiful. Cabins are big.  Decor is a bit more fancy than Viking.  Oceania will price adjust and will not require full payment until approximately 3 months before sailing.  Oceania includes only soda and bottled water available 24/7.  Oceania doesn’t include excursions.  I usually book the Olife package and select shore excursions.  Depending on the length of the cruise, you get some excursions included. You will have a large selection from which you select.  Viking included excursions are set. Great for visiting a port first time.  They also sell others.  Both lines do not include tips.  Both lines have good food and include specialty restaurants at no extra charge. No casino or kids on Viking.  Oceania will accept kids.  There are usually very few kids on O.  Entertainment is a hit or miss on any cruise.  On any line, you may have great entertainment one time and bad on the next cruise. It’s whatever is available at that time.  Neither Oceania or Viking have big name shows.  
comparing costs, Viking is often more expensive. 
you cannot go wrong sailing on either line.

[Flatbush Flyer]

31 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

Oceania and Viking do a good cruise. At least that was the case before the pandemic. For me the differences are small. I would gladly book either line.  The itinerary may be a deciding factor.  Also, once you book a Viking cruise, ocean or river, there are no price changes for you.  You will probably have to pay Viking way in advance in full.  Viking is extremely efficient and well organized.  Viking includes an excursion in each port. Decor is clean and sleek.  Ocean ships are new and every cabin is large with a veranda. Wine, soda, and beer are included only at meals. Oceania has some older R ships that have small cabins and tiny bathrooms.  Their newer ships, Marina and Riviera, are beautiful. Cabins are big.  Decor is a bit more fancy than Viking.  Oceania will price adjust and will not require full payment until approximately 3 months before sailing.  Oceania includes only soda and bottled water available 24/7.  Oceania doesn’t include excursions.  I usually book the Olife package and select shore excursions.  Depending on the length of the cruise, you get some excursions included. You will have a large selection from which you select.  Viking included excursions are set. Great for visiting a port first time.  They also sell others.  Both lines do not include tips.  Both lines have good food and include specialty restaurants at no extra charge. No casino or kids on Viking.  Oceania will accept kids.  There are usually very few kids on O.  Entertainment is a hit or miss on any cruise.  On any line, you may have great entertainment one time and bad on the next cruise. It’s whatever is available at that time.  Neither Oceania or Viking have big name shows.  
comparing costs, Viking is often more expensive. 
you cannot go wrong sailing on either line.

Just to set the record straight: 

>ALL non-alcoholic beverages are “no extra cost” on O.

>Covid has reduced the FP window on O cruises (at least, temporarily) and has a very good Traveler Assurance Program for cancels/refunds.

>Though small ship size affects what can be done, note that O now uses the same talent management as does NCL.

>O gratuities are covered once you move up in O Club status (silver?) And don’t forget the 2 week comp cruise every 20 cruise credits.

>I have yet to find a similar Viking itinerary at a price that beats (or even comes close to) the O Life price (w/air included).

 

Finally, and with the understanding that food can be a subjective item, I have yet to meet any O cruiser who has been on a Viking Ocean cruise and who thinks the Viking food compares in even the slightest possible way.

 

[TrulyBlonde]

41 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

 

 

Finally, and with the understanding that food can be a subjective item, I have yet to meet any O cruiser who has been on a Viking Ocean cruise and who thinks the Viking food compares in even the slightest possible way.

 

I have cruised on both Viking and Oceania. This statement above holds true for us. While the Viking ships are gorgeous, if given the choice, I would choose Oceania. Would not spend the money to cruise on Viking again. Just my opinion.

Edited April 4, 2021 by TrulyBlonde
typo

[Jancruz]

23 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Not all cruise lines, and not Oceania.  I am the long-standing Host of the River Cruising forum, and more recently of American Cruise Lines, American Queen Steamboat Company, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Azamara, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, Hebridean Island Cruises, Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic, 'Other Cruise Lines', Paul Gauguin, Ponant, and Windstar – a group that covers sub-mass market to luxury and expedition.  In addition I keep up with, and contribute on, the boards of any cruise lines we are contemplating booking [mainly Celebrity, Oceania, and Silversea].  Contrary to a widespread but erroneous assumption, Cruise Critic Hosts are encouraged to participate in any forums of interest and to share their personal opinions as part of the community.

Thanks so much for the explanation..I was not aware of the above..I will be interested to see what everyones opinion is on Azamara when they begin sailing again as an independent company..

 

Jancruz1

[cruisemom42]

2 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

>O gratuities are covered once you move up in O Club status (silver?) And don’t forget the 2 week comp cruise every 20 cruise credits.

 

Out of curiosity, does O give double credits for solos who are paying double?  Some lines do and some don't.

 

It would help sweeten the deal at least a bit for solos if that was the case.