Viking versus Cunard

[Minnie29]

My husband and I are in our early fifties and have cruised several times with Cunard and once with Celebrity. 
We are booked on the Viking Venus in a Penthouse Veranda cabin next week and really excited about experiencing all that a Viking ocean cruise has to offer. 
We also have a Cunard Princess Grill cruise booked in August. 
Does anyone have experience of both Cunard and Viking and if so tell us the main differences we will encounter. 
we don’t have children and are especially looking forward to a child free cruise. 

[Jim Avery]

12 minutes ago, Minnie29 said:

My husband and I are in our early fifties and have cruised several times with Cunard and once with Celebrity. 
We are booked on the Viking Venus in a Penthouse Veranda cabin next week and really excited about experiencing all that a Viking ocean cruise has to offer. 
We also have a Cunard Princess Grill cruise booked in August. 
Does anyone have experience of both Cunard and Viking and if so tell us the main differences we will encounter. 
we don’t have children and are especially looking forward to a child free cruise. 

I have sailed Cunard all my life, having an English Mother.  I was a complete Cunard booster until the fading days of QE2 when Cunard was snapped up by Carnival.  Short version is that I find Viking Oceans to be similar to pre Carnival Cunard.  Ships that are stylish, comfortable, and not crowded.  Nor are they floating theme parks.  Excellent crew, friendly and attentive but never pushing "extras".  Viking provides the feeling of taking a voyage somewhere.  Our last Cunard trip, on Queen Victoria, was more of a see how much we can sell  you exercise.  We are Diamond World Club members with Cunard but Viking has no levels of "exclusivity".  And we much prefer the Viking way.  You get some benefits in your cabin based on category but when out and about on the ship one would never know if you are in a V-1 or the Owner's Suite unless you tell them.  You mentioned the no kids policy and that surely helps but there is also no casino with the associated fruit machine jangles and, on some lines, smoking.  On VO you are treated as an adult and can bring a nice bottle of spirits or wine onboard if you find one in your travels.  No taking from you or charging you as on Cunard/Carnival.  The ships are spacious and finding secluded spots is never a problem.  If you like travel, some quiet between socializing, and enjoy the person you are traveling with I suspect you might enjoy Viking Oceans.  I know we do...🍸

[Minnie29]

Thank you so much for your insight. 
it sounds like we will love Viking. 
so looking forward to the laid back feel and the stunning surroundings. The Venus looks beautiful and the food amazing. 
Any insider tips would be gratefully received. 
Is there anything we really shouldn’t miss?

[WanderingBrit]

I'm interested in the conversation here, as my only cruise to date was in 2008 on QE2. As a Southampton lad I had a sentimental attachment to her formed over several decades. There were many aspects of life on board we enjoyed, though she was showing her age. 

We're pretty certain that our first cruise with Viking won't be our last!

[Minnie29]

Ditto to that!! 
we love Cunard for the Art Deco shops d the glamour.

I think Viking will be very different but in a good way. Fantastic food and stunning ship. 
We will be able to compare our Penthouse Veranda experience this month with our Princess Grill experience on Queen Elizabeth in August. 
I hope we love them both

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

My only experience with Cunard has been with Queen Mary 2. My experience has been the ship itself is an ocean liner fantasy come true. The food & service in the Britannia class is hit & miss. There were no crew that really stood out & I can't remember any meals I ate. The refurbishment & creating the Carinthia Lounge & changes to Kings Court are much improvements. The Commodore Club, Chart Room, & Queens Ballroom are some of the most beautiful public rooms at sea. So to me the Cunard was a mixed bag in terms of the overall experience. Ship exceptional, soft product mediocre. Also, after 33 years of cruising I've grown tired of the formal night concept & don't enjoy putting on a tux. Cunard nights are dressed "to the nines" even on non-formal nights.

 

Enter Viking Ocean - the most sublime Zen-at-sea shipboard experience I've ever had. My two Viking Sky sailings were trans-Atlantic where I got to experience all those sea days. Crew who were the same on both sailings immediately remembered me & welcomed me back. The Guest Relations Manager personally checked me in at the port in Miami & escorted me onto the ship. That Scandinavian Modern design is glorious. The atmosphere onboard is genteel relaxed sophistication, yet comfortably casual & cozy at the same time, if that makes sense. The size & number of passengers really make a club like feel. It wasn't uncommon to be in a public room somewhere & have the whole place to myself, or one of only a few others(even on a sea day!). The crew were the most on point & proactive that I've ever experienced. Their service is very personalized & genuine(sorry if that sounds like a cruise line brochure, but it's the truth).  The dress code is resort casual by day & resort casual night in the evening. Some men wore jackets at dinner but not many. Because of the smaller size of the ship it seemed there was more attention to detail in food preparation, variety, flavor. Do not miss Manfredi's! My only complaint with food was a few dinner items weren't at the right temperature in The Restaurant. This was always met with a sincere apology by the server & immediate action to rectify, then a follow up. I IMPLORE you to give Viking Ocean a whirl.

 

[Minnie29]

Thank you for your comments which I find extremely interesting. 
we are very excited now to experience all that Viking Ocean has to offer. It sounds amazing. As you commented, the Cunard public spaces are incredible and very Art Deco. We loved the atmosphere but for me the cabin lacked that five star finish, especially the bathroom.
From what I can gather the cabins onboard Viking ships are sophisticated elegance with all the modern touches. We splashed out and booked a Penthouse veranda for some extra room. 
We have already reserved two nights in Manfredis and we can’t wait to sample the food there. Any recommendations?
 

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

43 minutes ago, Minnie29 said:

Thank you for your comments which I find extremely interesting. 
we are very excited now to experience all that Viking Ocean has to offer. It sounds amazing. As you commented, the Cunard public spaces are incredible and very Art Deco. We loved the atmosphere but for me the cabin lacked that five star finish, especially the bathroom.
From what I can gather the cabins onboard Viking ships are sophisticated elegance with all the modern touches. We splashed out and booked a Penthouse veranda for some extra room. 
We have already reserved two nights in Manfredis and we can’t wait to sample the food there. Any recommendations?
 

Minnie29 - Wonderful! The thing about Viking is that it's so unique. Glad you've got your cruise planned!

With Viking I've always been in the standard veranda level cabin. Meet some friends onboard who were in a Penthouse veranda & it was spacious! For Manfredi's the star of the show is Bistecca Fiorentina! Also really enjoyed the Frito Misto Amalfitano(fried calamari, lemon, garlic), scaloppine, & any of the risotto or polenta offerings. Portion sizes are HUGE but any items can be ordered half portion(which saves room for more sampling!) I also recommend Mamsens in the Explorers Lounge. I even bought the coffee cup!(Nordic Shop). Bon Voyage!

Edited June 1, 2021 by Myrtle Ave. Mayhem

[Dauntless]

42 minutes ago, Minnie29 said:

Thank you for your comments which I find extremely interesting. 
we are very excited now to experience all that Viking Ocean has to offer. It sounds amazing. As you commented, the Cunard public spaces are incredible and very Art Deco. We loved the atmosphere but for me the cabin lacked that five star finish, especially the bathroom.
From what I can gather the cabins onboard Viking ships are sophisticated elegance with all the modern touches. We splashed out and booked a Penthouse veranda for some extra room. 
We have already reserved two nights in Manfredis and we can’t wait to sample the food there. Any recommendations?
 

 

Manfredis has many choices but the prime rib has been rated the best steak at sea.  It's all subjective.  Not really a bad choice in the place.  my choice for a restaurant experience is Chef's Table, though it sometimes gets a bad rap from diners with conservative taste buds.  I'm not opposed to some variety in the menu but not adventurous but open and have always enjoyed the meals here.  I try to make every change to broaden my taste and not my budget.  Some have spoken well of the sushi in the world Cafe but this is not my dish.  Success Cake, Split Pea Soup and waffles in Mamsems have been praised and the Pool Grill has good Pool Grill food.  I loved the variety of World Cafe to start the day off and the waffles here are a little different than Mamsem's.  The coffee at the Living Room Bar wins the taste test.

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

4 minutes ago, Dauntless said:

The coffee at the Living Room Bar wins the taste test.

Best coffee on the ship, indeed!

[Twitchly]

I still dream about the waffles in Mamsen’s. They put cardamom in them. Fabulous.

[Mich3554]

4 hours ago, Minnie29 said:

Thank you for your comments which I find extremely interesting. 
we are very excited now to experience all that Viking Ocean has to offer. It sounds amazing. As you commented, the Cunard public spaces are incredible and very Art Deco. We loved the atmosphere but for me the cabin lacked that five star finish, especially the bathroom.
From what I can gather the cabins onboard Viking ships are sophisticated elegance with all the modern touches. We splashed out and booked a Penthouse veranda for some extra room. 
We have already reserved two nights in Manfredis and we can’t wait to sample the food there. Any recommendations?
 

I had a lobster risotto there one night that was incredible.  Never got a chance to go back for it a second time though.  
 

The bread basket has a garlic Parmesan pin wheel that I start picking at, and find I’ve eaten all of them.  

[MarkBearSF]

Our favorite experience on earth is a North Atlantic crossing on the QM2. Charging across the sea with a ship purpose-built to tame those very waves and the knockout beauty of that ship compensates for the occasional lapse in service. (We've not cruised on the rest of the current Cunard fleet)

However, the mind wanders and I've been increasingly interested in Viking. We've booked one of the upcoming Bermuda Experience cruises in July. We're very excited. Such beautiful ships and a service level that we'll appreciate, I'm sure.