Migrating to Viking from HAL for the first time-I have questions

[Bxianesq]

Hi-we are trying out one of Viking's ocean cruises for the first time.  We booked a 2026 cruise that circumnavigates Australia with a few stops in Indonesia. We've added another Viking Cruise that sails from Auckland to Sydney on the same ship immediately prior to the Australia cruise.  We chose Viking because of the variety of ports available on the Australia/Indonesia portions of the cruise.  We have not been on any of their river cruises. 

 

We've been on the following cruise lines:

Holland America.  We just earned 4 star Mariner status.  We like HAL's interesting ports of call and food.  The entertainment (shows) have been subpar for the most part, although we loved the pianist Hyperion Knight and one of the Spanish guitar performers on a recent Panama Canal full transit. We enjoy the Rolling Stone lounge and lament the departure of BB King's and Lincoln Center. We've enjoyed meeting lots of well-traveled people on some of HAL's longer cruises.  We're looking forward to our unlimited free laundry!

Oceania-We've been one one Oceania cruise.  We loved the afternoon tea, the food, wine and cocktail selections, and the more upscale feel of the lounge areas.  However, we skipped one port (literally as we were pulling up to the dock), and there were flies coming into an open door of the more casual dining venue. 

Celebrity. We've been on one cruise through several of the Greek islands. We thought that the food was boring, although we had a lovely wine pairing dinner (albeit with a hefty additional cost and a hefty Daniel Boulud cookbook to lug home). I didn't like the restaurant separations (i.e., you can only eat here if you book a spa cabin or a suite).  I also got tired of the constant "Attention Celebrity Infinity" overhead announcements. Their excursions were very good. We also liked their casual dining seating placement-unlike HAL's. 

Royal Caribbean-Our first cruise.  I almost didn't get my husband on another cruise ship after that experience....way too many people crammed into their atrium. 

 

I understand that Viking does not charge extra for specialty dining or certain excursions.  I have a few questions:

1.  How is the food in the main dining room and in the specialty restaurants?  Do the MDR menus change daily?

2. Is laundry included, and is it sent out by your cabin steward or do your own?

3.  Is there a library, and are there a decent number of up to date books?

4  Are there any food or wine themed walking tours included?  We're not really big on being cooped up on a bus for hours on end. On a recent coffee plantation tour in Guatemala, my husband commented that we spent 3 hours on a bus to get...a cup of coffee. We are foodies and love exploring local food markets and restaurants.  They don't need to be pricey.

5.  Do they have an interesting wine selection on board? Is there anywhere that I could take a look at their wine list?

6.  Is it easy to go off the ship and do your own thing? 

7.  Is there entertainment on board?

Many thanks for any input.  I realize that the cruise is far off in time and that things can always change. For reference, we'll be on the Viking Orion. 

 

[cutinacaroline]

Hello! I am jumping in because I have been on both HAL and Viking (my last three cruises were on the latter). I enjoy both lines. Here are my answers to your questions about Viking:

 

1. The food in the main dining room changes daily, although there are a few dishes on the permanent menu, including the Chairman’s salmon (Viking’s signature dish) and New York strip. The food is usually excellent, and the portions are reasonable but not ridiculously huge. Some dishes are inspired by the current destination. (Don’t order the bouillabaisse though—way too salty.)

There are two specialty restaurants. One is Manfredi’s, an Italian restaurant, and the menu does not change. I recommend the Steak Florentine. It is gigantic, but they will be happy to save your leftover steak and reheat it for you the next day. 
The other is the Chef’s Table. The tasting menu has a theme and normally changes every other day. I have had tasting menus ranging from Chinese (I was on the China cruise, and Peking duck was on the menu) to French to Pan Asian. There is also a wine pairing. You will definitely enjoy Chef’s Table. Once on board, you can make as many reservations as you want in the specialty restaurants, space permitting. 
 

2. Laundry is included, but it is self-service. If your room is Penthouse Veranda or higher, you can have the steward do your laundry or dry cleaning, 

 

3. Yes, there is a library (or libraries). Books are everywhere on the ship. The main “library” is at the lobby, and there are plenty of other books available by the Wintergarden (where there is afternoon tea). The books tend to be old though, but that is an opportunity to read some rare classics. There is even a book exchange shelf—you can take one book or leave one.

 

4. I believe most cruises offer optional food- or wine-themed tours, but I have not done any. If anybody else is reading this, feel free to elaborate.

 

5. I think there is a good wine selection, but I am not a wine person. I always stick with the included house wine, but I can imagine the specialty wines are much better. 
 

6. it is easy to get off the ship and do your own thing as long as you pay attention to the departure time. I talked to people who skipped the included tour and arranged a private tour or just enjoyed themselves in town. Some ports offer free shuttles to the town center and back. 
 

7. There is nightly entertainment on board. There may be a classical musician or ensemble one night, a comedian the next, and then a magician, and the house singers. When the ship is docked overnight, there may be local entertainers. When I was in Shanghai, for example, some acrobats/dancers came to the ship and performed. At the atrium, house musicians, including the Classical Duo (usually a violinist and cellist—varies by cruise) and a pianist, perform in the evenings. They also perform during afternoon tea. If you enjoy classical ensembles, you are in for a treat. In fact, Mon and I befriended the Classical Duo (a violist and cellist) on one of our cruises. 
 

I am not an expert but I answered to the best of my knowledge. (Any other experienced Viking cruisers reading this, please chime in to add to my answers.) You will love Viking Ocean Cruises. I did go on the Orion during its first year, and we loved it.) I wish you a safe and fabulous Viking cruise. 

 

 

[JF - retired RRT]

18 minutes ago, cutinacaroline said:

Hello! I am jumping in because I have been on both HAL and Viking (my last three cruises were on the latter). I enjoy both lines. Here are my answers to your questions about Viking:

 

Manfredi’s, an Italian restaurant, and the menu does not change. I recommend the Steak Florentine. It is gigantic, but they will be happy to save your leftover steak and reheat it for you the next day. 

Do you have to go back to Manfredi's or will the MDR or buffet heat it up for you?

[millybess]

23 minutes ago, cutinacaroline said:

2. Laundry is included, but it is self-service. If your room is Penthouse Veranda or higher, you can have the steward do your laundry or dry cleaning, 

 

A slight correction here: Passengers in PJS or higher category cabins have their laundry and pressing done for free.  The steward will pick up the laundry bag in the morning and laundry will be returned the next afternoon.

 

Passengers in PV category cabins can have clothes pressed for free

 

To my knowledge, Viking no longer offers dry cleaning due to the chemical process.

 

.

Edited July 20 by millybess

[Mich3554]

1.  How is the food in the main dining room and in the specialty restaurants?  Do the MDR menus change daily?

The menus change daily.  Generally, much of what is served in The Restaurant (the main dining) is served in World Cafe (the buffet).  In the specialty restaurants, Chef’s Table the menu changes every 3 days.  Manfredi’s does not change.

2. Is laundry included, and is it sent out by your cabin steward or do your own?

If you are in a Penthouse Suite or above, you can send your laundry out for free.  PV gets free pressing.  Everyone has access to the free laundry room.  If you send out your laundry, the cost is very reasonable.  

3.  Is there a library, and are there a decent number of up to date books?

There are books all over the ship of various subjects.  There is also shelves of books where passengers exchange books.  I usually have m6 Kindle, which has about 3 lifetimes of reading material on it.

4  Are there any food or wine themed walking tours included?  We're not really big on being cooped up on a bus for hours on end. On a recent coffee plantation tour in Guatemala, my husband commented that we spent 3 hours on a bus to get...a cup of coffee. We are foodies and love exploring local food markets and restaurants.  They don't need to be pricey.

Depends on where you go.  There is a Kitchen Table, where you can go shopping locally with the chef and he prepares food.  We have been on a tapas tour, and to quite a few vineyards.  On sea days, a chef teaches a cooking class in the back of Manfredi’s (ask at guest services if you are interested, it’s not publicized well).  You get to eat at the end, and I hav3 had some fabulous meals (and gotten a lot of tips from professional chefs)

5.  Do they have an interesting wine selection on board? Is there anywhere that I could take a look at their wine list?

The wine list varies.  We usually try them out and ask for those at dinner.  We hav3 also bought wine on vineyard tours and brought it on board to have for dinner.  They have no problem with you bringing your own on board.

6.  Is it easy to go off the ship and do your own thing? 
Depends on location.  Many ports, Viking provides a shuttle where you can.  

7.  Is there entertainment on board?

There is entertainment, but not the sort you see on the larger cruise lines.  

Edited July 20 by Mich3554

[cutinacaroline]

9 minutes ago, JF - retired RRT said:

Do you have to go back to Manfredi's or will the MDR or buffet heat it up for you?

As for the bistecca, I am honestly not sure, as I read from another person’s post (can’t remember where) that they had their leftover steak reheated the next day. If you have the bistecca and can’t finish it, just tell the server to keep the leftover for you and then have it reheated. 

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, JF - retired RRT said:

Do you have to go back to Manfredi's or will the MDR or buffet heat it up for you?

 

1 hour ago, cutinacaroline said:

As for the bistecca, I am honestly not sure, as I read from another person’s post (can’t remember where) that they had their leftover steak reheated the next day. If you have the bistecca and can’t finish it, just tell the server to keep the leftover for you and then have it reheated. 

Never heard about having leftovers-seems side to order the half portion that is mentioned on thr menu. 

[Clay Clayton]

3 hours ago, Bxianesq said:

Hi-we are trying out one of Viking's ocean cruises for the first time.  We booked a 2026 cruise that circumnavigates Australia with a few stops in Indonesia. We've added another Viking Cruise that sails from Auckland to Sydney on the same ship immediately prior to the Australia cruise.  We chose Viking because of the variety of ports available on the Australia/Indonesia portions of the cruise.  We have not been on any of their river cruises. 

 

We've been on the following cruise lines:

Holland America.  We just earned 4 star Mariner status.  We like HAL's interesting ports of call and food.  The entertainment (shows) have been subpar for the most part, although we loved the pianist Hyperion Knight and one of the Spanish guitar performers on a recent Panama Canal full transit. We enjoy the Rolling Stone lounge and lament the departure of BB King's and Lincoln Center. We've enjoyed meeting lots of well-traveled people on some of HAL's longer cruises.  We're looking forward to our unlimited free laundry!

Oceania-We've been one one Oceania cruise.  We loved the afternoon tea, the food, wine and cocktail selections, and the more upscale feel of the lounge areas.  However, we skipped one port (literally as we were pulling up to the dock), and there were flies coming into an open door of the more casual dining venue. 

Celebrity. We've been on one cruise through several of the Greek islands. We thought that the food was boring, although we had a lovely wine pairing dinner (albeit with a hefty additional cost and a hefty Daniel Boulud cookbook to lug home). I didn't like the restaurant separations (i.e., you can only eat here if you book a spa cabin or a suite).  I also got tired of the constant "Attention Celebrity Infinity" overhead announcements. Their excursions were very good. We also liked their casual dining seating placement-unlike HAL's. 

Royal Caribbean-Our first cruise.  I almost didn't get my husband on another cruise ship after that experience....way too many people crammed into their atrium. 

 

I understand that Viking does not charge extra for specialty dining or certain excursions.  I have a few questions:

1.  How is the food in the main dining room and in the specialty restaurants?  Do the MDR menus change daily?

2. Is laundry included, and is it sent out by your cabin steward or do your own?

3.  Is there a library, and are there a decent number of up to date books?

4  Are there any food or wine themed walking tours included?  We're not really big on being cooped up on a bus for hours on end. On a recent coffee plantation tour in Guatemala, my husband commented that we spent 3 hours on a bus to get...a cup of coffee. We are foodies and love exploring local food markets and restaurants.  They don't need to be pricey.

5.  Do they have an interesting wine selection on board? Is there anywhere that I could take a look at their wine list?

6.  Is it easy to go off the ship and do your own thing? 

7.  Is there entertainment on board?

Many thanks for any input.  I realize that the cruise is far off in time and that things can always change. For reference, we'll be on the Viking Orion. 

 

You’ve gotten good answers to your questions.  You ought to check out this thread which is full of advice and hints to make the most of your Viking cruise:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2416372-tips-for-new-viking-ocean-cruisers/page/62/#comment-62141739

[OneSixtyToOne]

10 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

 

Never heard about having leftovers-seems side to order the half portion that is mentioned on thr menu. 

I too have never heard of this and for health reasons I'm sure they will never do this. 

The Steak Florentine USE to be huge, just like in Tuscany. Post COVID, they have reduced the size of the cut. 

[Bxianesq]

These responses are great- thank you! On the Kindle issue, I load mine up with tons of books via my  library’s Libby app before a cruise. However, I’m never sure how good the Wi-Fi will be on board. I also bring several books to trade when I am on HAL and am glad that this appears to be an option on Viking. I will check out the other thread. I still check the “HAL for newbies” thread before every HAL cruise (being sure to mark where I left off) because things change over time. 

[OneSixtyToOne]

7 minutes ago, Bxianesq said:

These responses are great- thank you! On the Kindle issue, I load mine up with tons of books via my  library’s Libby app before a cruise. However, I’m never sure how good the Wi-Fi will be on board. I also bring several books to trade when I am on HAL and am glad that this appears to be an option on Viking. I will check out the other thread. I still check the “HAL for newbies” thread before every HAL cruise (being sure to mark where I left off) because things change over time. 

 

All Viking ships have a unique curated book selection by Heywood Hill of London. You'll find books in every nook and cranny onboard. It's one of the charms of the ship. BTW I was told by a cruise director that the answer to all the trivia questions can be found in the books aboard. Start reading... 

https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/video/why-viking/curated-libraries--recommended-reading/play.html

[CurlerRob]

4 hours ago, Bxianesq said:

Hi-we are trying out one of Viking's ocean cruises for the first time.  We booked a 2026 cruise that circumnavigates Australia with a few stops in Indonesia. We've added another Viking Cruise that sails from Auckland to Sydney on the same ship immediately prior to the Australia cruise.  We chose Viking because of the variety of ports available on the Australia/Indonesia portions of the cruise.  We have not been on any of their river cruises. 

 

We've been on the following cruise lines:

Holland America.  We just earned 4 star Mariner status.  We like HAL's interesting ports of call and food.  The entertainment (shows) have been subpar for the most part, although we loved the pianist Hyperion Knight and one of the Spanish guitar performers on a recent Panama Canal full transit. We enjoy the Rolling Stone lounge and lament the departure of BB King's and Lincoln Center. We've enjoyed meeting lots of well-traveled people on some of HAL's longer cruises.  We're looking forward to our unlimited free laundry!

Oceania-We've been one one Oceania cruise.  We loved the afternoon tea, the food, wine and cocktail selections, and the more upscale feel of the lounge areas.  However, we skipped one port (literally as we were pulling up to the dock), and there were flies coming into an open door of the more casual dining venue. 

Celebrity. We've been on one cruise through several of the Greek islands. We thought that the food was boring, although we had a lovely wine pairing dinner (albeit with a hefty additional cost and a hefty Daniel Boulud cookbook to lug home). I didn't like the restaurant separations (i.e., you can only eat here if you book a spa cabin or a suite).  I also got tired of the constant "Attention Celebrity Infinity" overhead announcements. Their excursions were very good. We also liked their casual dining seating placement-unlike HAL's. 

Royal Caribbean-Our first cruise.  I almost didn't get my husband on another cruise ship after that experience....way too many people crammed into their atrium. 

 

I understand that Viking does not charge extra for specialty dining or certain excursions.  I have a few questions:

1.  How is the food in the main dining room and in the specialty restaurants?  Do the MDR menus change daily?

2. Is laundry included, and is it sent out by your cabin steward or do your own?

3.  Is there a library, and are there a decent number of up to date books?

4  Are there any food or wine themed walking tours included?  We're not really big on being cooped up on a bus for hours on end. On a recent coffee plantation tour in Guatemala, my husband commented that we spent 3 hours on a bus to get...a cup of coffee. We are foodies and love exploring local food markets and restaurants.  They don't need to be pricey.

5.  Do they have an interesting wine selection on board? Is there anywhere that I could take a look at their wine list?

6.  Is it easy to go off the ship and do your own thing? 

7.  Is there entertainment on board?

Many thanks for any input.  I realize that the cruise is far off in time and that things can always change. For reference, we'll be on the Viking Orion. 

 

 

Welcome to the Viking boards. We had over 300 nights on HAL prior to our first Viking cruise - all of that was on HAL's smaller ships, before they invested in the 2000+ pax vessels. We also have sailed Oceania once, like you.

 

You've already received a number of thoughts from posters - I'll try to touch on a couple of comparisons that always strike me - as always, free opinions are worth what you pay for them 😈:

 

Food - we find the dining room and buffet food quite adequate on both HAL and Viking, with the edge going to Viking for quality. Viking has not succumbed to HAL's MDR nickel and diming, with their extra charges for many things. Either can have hits and misses, as can any cruise line. Viking's Chef's Table is a fun concept and worth experiencing. Regretfully, we have not been impressed with Viking's Manfredi's post-Covid performance - while Canaletto on HAL carries a modest surcharge, we've always enjoyed our meals there. 

 

Wine selection - I'd suggest that Viking's wines by the glass are comparable to the various wine packages that you may have purchased on HAL. While we don't find either of those very impressive, you can usually find something you enjoy and Viking staff will try hard to find it for you at mealtimes, even if it's not the "daily offering". Viking's huge advantage is in allowing you to bring any amount of beer/wine/liquor on board at any point and enjoy it anywhere on the ship without corkage. That blows HAL and Oceania away, and frankly renders the on-board wine list pretty much irrelevant.

 

Entertainment - we have nearly zero interest in on-board entertainment, so we're not a useful reference. The one item I noted from your post is that you appeared to like the various music venues on HAL (which are vanishing ...). You will likely find Viking's entertainment to be quite a bit more subdued overall than HAL - something worth considering.

 

Miscellaneous - if you enjoy the Crow's Nest on HAL, Viking's Explorer's Lounge is the living version of what HAL's Crow's Nest used to be, before it was assimilated by the shorex and pseudo Starbuck's stuff. Viking Ocean ships have an extraordinary amount of public places to sit, relax or converse - the clean Scandinavian decor makes the ships seem incredibly open and spacious. 

 

If your Viking NZ-Oz booking will be your first experience in that part of the world, I predict that you'll have a wonderful time! That circle (done on HAL) ranks as one of our most memorable trips - it would have been great even if sailing in a canoe!

 

Hope that helps a bit. 🍺🥌

 

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, Bxianesq said:

These responses are great- thank you! On the Kindle issue, I load mine up with tons of books via my  library’s Libby app before a cruise. However, I’m never sure how good the Wi-Fi will be on board. I also bring several books to trade when I am on HAL and am glad that this appears to be an option on Viking. I will check out the other thread. I still check the “HAL for newbies” thread before every HAL cruise (being sure to mark where I left off) because things change over time. 

There is also a section to leave a book/take a book.  This is in The Living Room, starboard side, across from the computers 

[Bxianesq]

2 hours ago, Bxianesq said:

These responses are great- thank you! On the Kindle issue, I load mine up with tons of books via my  library’s Libby app before a cruise. However, I’m never sure how good the Wi-Fi will be on board. I also bring several books to trade when I am on HAL and am glad that this appears to be an option on Viking. I will check out the other thread. I still check the “HAL for newbies” thread before every HAL cruise (being sure to mark where I left off) because things change over time. 

 

32 minutes ago, CurlerRob said:

 

Welcome to the Viking boards. We had over 300 nights on HAL prior to our first Viking cruise - all of that was on HAL's smaller ships, before they invested in the 2000+ pax vessels. We also have sailed Oceania once, like you.

 

You've already received a number of thoughts from posters - I'll try to touch on a couple of comparisons that always strike me - as always, free opinions are worth what you pay for them 😈:

 

Food - we find the dining room and buffet food quite adequate on both HAL and Viking, with the edge going to Viking for quality. Viking has not succumbed to HAL's MDR nickel and diming, with their extra charges for many things. Either can have hits and misses, as can any cruise line. Viking's Chef's Table is a fun concept and worth experiencing. Regretfully, we have not been impressed with Viking's Manfredi's post-Covid performance - while Canaletto on HAL carries a modest surcharge, we've always enjoyed our meals there. 

 

Wine selection - I'd suggest that Viking's wines by the glass are comparable to the various wine packages that you may have purchased on HAL. While we don't find either of those very impressive, you can usually find something you enjoy and Viking staff will try hard to find it for you at mealtimes, even if it's not the "daily offering". Viking's huge advantage is in allowing you to bring any amount of beer/wine/liquor on board at any point and enjoy it anywhere on the ship without corkage. That blows HAL and Oceania away, and frankly renders the on-board wine list pretty much irrelevant.

 

Entertainment - we have nearly zero interest in on-board entertainment, so we're not a useful reference. The one item I noted from your post is that you appeared to like the various music venues on HAL (which are vanishing ...). You will likely find Viking's entertainment to be quite a bit more subdued overall than HAL - something worth considering.

 

Miscellaneous - if you enjoy the Crow's Nest on HAL, Viking's Explorer's Lounge is the living version of what HAL's Crow's Nest used to be, before it was assimilated by the shorex and pseudo Starbuck's stuff. Viking Ocean ships have an extraordinary amount of public places to sit, relax or converse - the clean Scandinavian decor makes the ships seem incredibly open and spacious. 

 

If your Viking NZ-Oz booking will be your first experience in that part of the world, I predict that you'll have a wonderful time! That circle (done on HAL) ranks as one of our most memorable trips - it would have been great even if sailing in a canoe!

 

Hope that helps a bit. 🍺🥌

 

Thanks for taking the time to do the comparisons, @CurlerRob. We are HUGE Crow’s Nest fans. I don’t mind having the coffee there, but I do mind when large groups come in and take over. Nice to hear that you enjoyed the HAL circumnavigation-unfortunately, they don’t seem to be doing one that lines up well with a NZ add-on in the next couple of years. 

[CurlerRob]

2 minutes ago, Bxianesq said:

 

Thanks for taking the time to do the comparisons, @CurlerRob. We are HUGE Crow’s Nest fans. I don’t mind having the coffee there, but I do mind when large groups come in and take over. Nice to hear that you enjoyed the HAL circumnavigation-unfortunately, they don’t seem to be doing one that lines up well with a NZ add-on in the next couple of years. 

 

One other thing I really like about the Explorer's Lounge - there is an exit on each side to a forward balcony deck - you can take photos facing directly forward (a bit like the forward deck on some HAL ships just below the bridge). Fairly unique on cruise ships. 🍺🥌

[OneSixtyToOne]

28 minutes ago, CurlerRob said:

 

One other thing I really like about the Explorer's Lounge - there is an exit on each side to a forward balcony deck - you can take photos facing directly forward (a bit like the forward deck on some HAL ships just below the bridge). Fairly unique on cruise ships. 🍺🥌

Snow covered Mt Vesuvius looking forward from the Explorers’ Lounge.

[MSEm]

We found the prices of wine by the glass very reasonable priced. On our last Viking cruise (June 2024) wine by the glass was $8 including tip.  It is a generous pour of wine. Also there is NO corkage fee on any bottles you bring on board You can even take the bottle to any dining room.

Study the ship layout that is the same for all Viking Ocean cruise ships. We usually booked  a cabin near the laundry door side.

At many ports a city tour with a stops at pubs, tapas, etc is offered.

Enjoy your cruise

[Bxianesq]

1 hour ago, MSEm said:

We found the prices of wine by the glass very reasonable priced. On our last Viking cruise (June 2024) wine by the glass was $8 including tip.  It is a generous pour of wine. Also there is NO corkage fee on any bottles you bring on board You can even take the bottle to any dining room.

Study the ship layout that is the same for all Viking Ocean cruise ships. We usually booked  a cabin near the laundry door side.

At many ports a city tour with a stops at pubs, tapas, etc is offered.

Enjoy your cruise

I did not know that you could bring your own wine on board.  Sounds like we need to fly into Auckland early to visit some wineries 🙂

[OneSixtyToOne]

10 minutes ago, Bxianesq said:

I did not know that you could bring your own wine on board.  Sounds like we need to fly into Auckland early to visit some wineries 🙂

 

Viking has a very liberal alcohol policy. This comes from their roots as a European river cruise company where many itineraries pass through wine growing regions and excursions visit wineries. If you think about it, this actually lowers their cost as wine is included with meals.

Edited July 21 by OneSixtyToOne

[CCWineLover]

On 7/20/2024 at 1:21 PM, cutinacaroline said:

recommend the Steak Florentine. It is gigantic, but they will be happy to save your leftover steak and reheat it for you the next day. 

Wow - I'd like to know who did that for you as they were in violation.

 

I specifically asked that our last cruise (even though I knew what the likely answer would be).

NO - they will NOT save food and reheat it for you I was told.  It is not per their operational procedures, due to health concerns and is a violation if caught.  Totally understandable.

[SteelCity Cruiser]

On 7/21/2024 at 1:34 PM, Bxianesq said:

I did not know that you could bring your own wine on board.  Sounds like we need to fly into Auckland early to visit some wineries 🙂

When we were there (at the end of our cruise) we wanted to purchase a couple bottles of New Zealand wines to bring home (because of weather, we missed the port with the vineyard visit).  We found a wonderful 'hole-in-the-wall' shop in the city:  Cahn's Wines and Spirits on O'Connell street, a short walk from the dock.  They have a terrific selection of New Zealand wines, and the young man there was wonderful helping us make our selections - even offering some tastings during our time there.

[2cruisecats]

On 7/21/2024 at 1:34 PM, Bxianesq said:

I did not know that you could bring your own wine on board.  Sounds like we need to fly into Auckland early to visit some wineries 🙂

If you do go to Auckland early, take a trip out to Waiheke Island, a 30-40 minute ferry ride from Auckland.  Many wineries, several tours on offer & the island doesn't get all the Auckland rain.

[Frenchberet]

11 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

Wow - I'd like to know who did that for you as they were in violation.

 

I specifically asked that our last cruise (even though I knew what the likely answer would be).

NO - they will NOT save food and reheat it for you I was told.  It is not per their operational procedures, due to health concerns and is a violation if caught.  Totally understandable.

We’ve learned to order half portions at Manfredi’s.  This gives us the opportunity to sample different menu items and no food wasted.

[oskidunker]

On 7/20/2024 at 12:17 PM, Bxianesq said:

Hi-we are trying out one of Viking's ocean cruises for the first time.  We booked a 2026 cruise that circumnavigates Australia with a few stops in Indonesia. We've added another Viking Cruise that sails from Auckland to Sydney on the same ship immediately prior to the Australia cruise.  We chose Viking because of the variety of ports available on the Australia/Indonesia portions of the cruise.  We have not been on any of their river cruises. 

 

We've been on the following cruise lines:

Holland America.  We just earned 4 star Mariner status.  We like HAL's interesting ports of call and food.  The entertainment (shows) have been subpar for the most part, although we loved the pianist Hyperion Knight and one of the Spanish guitar performers on a recent Panama Canal full transit. We enjoy the Rolling Stone lounge and lament the departure of BB King's and Lincoln Center. We've enjoyed meeting lots of well-traveled people on some of HAL's longer cruises.  We're looking forward to our unlimited free laundry!

Oceania-We've been one one Oceania cruise.  We loved the afternoon tea, the food, wine and cocktail selections, and the more upscale feel of the lounge areas.  However, we skipped one port (literally as we were pulling up to the dock), and there were flies coming into an open door of the more casual dining venue. 

Celebrity. We've been on one cruise through several of the Greek islands. We thought that the food was boring, although we had a lovely wine pairing dinner (albeit with a hefty additional cost and a hefty Daniel Boulud cookbook to lug home). I didn't like the restaurant separations (i.e., you can only eat here if you book a spa cabin or a suite).  I also got tired of the constant "Attention Celebrity Infinity" overhead announcements. Their excursions were very good. We also liked their casual dining seating placement-unlike HAL's. 

Royal Caribbean-Our first cruise.  I almost didn't get my husband on another cruise ship after that experience....way too many people crammed into their atrium. 

 

I understand that Viking does not charge extra for specialty dining or certain excursions.  I have a few questions:

1.  How is the food in the main dining room and in the specialty restaurants?  Do the MDR menus change daily?

2. Is laundry included, and is it sent out by your cabin steward or do your own?

3.  Is there a library, and are there a decent number of up to date books?

4  Are there any food or wine themed walking tours included?  We're not really big on being cooped up on a bus for hours on end. On a recent coffee plantation tour in Guatemala, my husband commented that we spent 3 hours on a bus to get...a cup of coffee. We are foodies and love exploring local food markets and restaurants.  They don't need to be pricey.

5.  Do they have an interesting wine selection on board? Is there anywhere that I could take a look at their wine list?

6.  Is it easy to go off the ship and do your own thing? 

7.  Is there entertainment on board?

Many thanks for any input.  I realize that the cruise is far off in time and that things can always change. For reference, we'll be on the Viking Orion. 

 

I am doing this exact two cruises jan 6. I will post a review when I return

[katlew]

3 hours ago, 2cruisecats said:

If you do go to Auckland early, take a trip out to Waiheke Island, a 30-40 minute ferry ride from Auckland.  Many wineries, several tours on offer & the island doesn't get all the Auckland rain.

I second this. We did almost a week in Auckland before doing the Auckland to Sydney cruise & our day on Waiheke was wonderful. We booked a private tour that met us on the island. He took us to 3 wineries, one where we had a lovely lunch, and also a olive grove where they made fantastic olive oil.