For years, decades even, I have been sailing with many different mainstream cruise lines.
Back in 2019, I was invited on a Viking cruise as part of a four-day press trip. Since then, I have wanted to try a proper Viking cruise and take my parents along. I was sure they would love it!
To find a cruise I could afford, I went to the Viking website, searched price low to high in the entire world and for the next three years. I booked the cheapest which happened to be over the 2025/2026 new year!
Luxury cruising often sounds a bit intimidating – expensive, overly formal, possibly full of demanding guests – but I was genuinely surprised by my Viking cruise experience.
It was very easy and relaxed compared to many mainstream cruise line experiences. The other guests and the crew were all absolutely lovely! I came off the ship feeling more relaxed and rested than I had in years.
Why Viking Is Considered a Luxury Cruise Line
Viking Cruises are positioned firmly in the luxury cruise line space.
In 2025, Viking won EIGHT Cruise Critic awards in the luxury (Ocean), River, and Expedition categories.
Viking focuses on adults-only cruising, destination immersion, and visits unusual ports with its smaller, luxurious ships.
Many things are included within the cruise fare. Alcoholic drinks are included at meal times only, but I was lucky enough to get a booking deal that upgraded me to fully inclusive drinks, all of the time.
Viking doesn’t focus on onboard thrills or lots of entertainment onboard, but the entertainment they do provide is of high quality and well thought out.
Best in Cruise Awards
Press release regarding Cruise Critic’s 2025 “Best in Cruise” Awards
Cruise Critic honoured Viking with eight awards across the Luxury (Ocean), River and Expedition categories. In the Luxury (Ocean) category, Viking received four awards: #1 Cruisers’ Choice Cruise Line, Best Enrichment, Best for Remote Workers and Best Spa—an award it has won every year since introducing ocean voyages in 2015. In the River category, Viking was recognized as Best for First-Timers and Best for Remote Workers. Additionally, for the third consecutive year, Viking was awarded Best for Light Expedition and Best Spa in the Expedition category.
First Impressions
The overall experience was different from the moment we stepped onboard Viking Star.
The lack of crowds and very quiet public spaces was immediately noticeable.
When I posted pictures online, many people asked where all the other guests were. Did I get up especially early to film and take pictures before other guests were around?
The answer is no. Apart from the occasional passenger here and there, the ship felt quite empty a lot of the time, it was easy to avoid filming or photographing the other guests.
There were no crowds to battle through at the Civitavecchia cruise terminal. Embarkation was very easy, and our bags arrived at our cabins almost immediately.
The cabin steward came in straight away to introduce himself and explain how everything in the cabin worked. It was a far more detailed explanation than any other I had encountered on a cruise ship.
What’s Included on a Viking Cruise
There were many inclusions compared with my normal mainstream cruising experiences.
We visited two speciality restaurants onboard. Both were completely free but had to be booked.
Soft drinks, teas, and coffee are included, along with Wi-Fi and access to spa facilities.
It was great never to have to worry about using the internet, buying a Wi-Fi package, or running out of mobile data.
The mini-bar in the room was complimentary, but if we had asked for any item to be refilled, we would have been charged for that item.
Needless to say, we ate some of the free snacks, but never asked for them to be replenished!
This was because we had booked the cheapest, guaranteed cabin on the ship. Passengers in more expensive cabins have the minibar completely included.
Room service, 24 hours a day, was also included, so I did make sure I had my breakfast delivered to my room one day – for research purposes, of course!
The waiter arrived a little early, and I was still in bed! I was very grateful for the luxurious robes and slippers found in every cabin….
Every cabin on a Viking ship is a balcony cabin, so I really didn’t feel like I missed out by not having one of the more expensive cabins or suites.
The Spa Experience
The spa is included and not treated as a premium upsell.
On mainstream cruise lines, access to the spa is usually chargeable. On MSC, I can visit the spa for one free visit as part of my loyalty status, but otherwise, I don’t visit the spa at all.
On Viking you can use the spa as often as you like, but i only visited once. I went a duringport day in Barcelona. We were docked for two days, and I had visited Barcelona many times before, so I decided to stay onboard and try out the facilities.
The Nordic Spa
Viking
After a day of exploration or a relaxing day at sea, indulge in The Spa, a soothing sanctuary of Nordic wellness. Whether you unwind in the Sauna, refresh in the Snow Grotto or work out in the Fitness Center, you will feel recharged and revitalized.
There were a couple of other guests in the spa, but it certainly didn’t feel crowded.
Space Per Passenger
The biggest difference from the mainstream cruise lines is the amount of space per guest onboard.
I am so used to going to different bars or the theatre, hoping to get a seat to see the entertainers on board. Often, there are no seats available, and I end up leaving without seeing any entertainment at all.
That never happened on Viking. I could have had five seats if I had wanted them!
The bars reminded me of comfortable lounges, with quality sofas, chairs, rugs and blankets – and even an impressive (electric) fireplace in the Explorer lounge at the front of the ship.
Viking ships have a very good passenger-to-crew ratio, typically around 1 crew member for every 2 passengers.
Viking Star has around 930 passengers and 465-550 crew. The crew provide attentive, friendly service, giving you a really premium experience.
Small Luxury Touches That Make a Big Difference
Subtle details that stood out included blankets provided in the theatre, monogrammed towels on every sunlounger, and robes and slippers in every cabin.
When we took a swim, we had the pool and hot tubs to ourselves. On mainstream cruise lines, I often swim in the early evening, as that is the best time to get to the pool when it isn’t too crowded. Everyone else is at dinner.
I decided to go back to my cabin to get changed after my swim, as it was only a short distance away.
When I returned a short time later, there were new, fresh monogrammed towels laid out precisely on the sunbeds. It was as if we had never been there at all!
Included Excursions
One of the things I really enjoyed was the included excursions at every port.
In our cabin, there was a rechargeable “Quiet Vox” that we could take along on tours. You simply turn it to the right channel and listen to the guide directly through the earpiece.
All the tours we took were walking tours with local guides who knew the area well.
There was one included excursion at every port. These needed to be booked online via your Viking account before the cruise.
Because we were in the cheapest, guaranteed cabins, we found that we didn’t have much choice about the times of the tours we took. Those in more expensive cabins got to pick their tours first.
We didn’t miss out on any tours though, but often went later in the afternoon when the earlier tours had returned to the ship.
The timings worked fine for us – we could have a lazy morning, enjoying the ship’s wonderful facilities, and venture out later in the day.
There are additional excursions available for an extra charge if you don’t want to take the included tours, but we were more than happy with the included ones.
Normally, we don’t take cruise line excursions anyway, so it was a bonus for us to have anything included.
Entertainment and Atmosphere
Viking’s entertainment is more understated than that found on bigger, mainstream ships. There was one show per evening in the theatre, and one trivia per evening, often in the Explorers Lounge at the top of the ship.
There were musicians playing music in other bars around the ship. From classical pianists to easy listening guitarists, all were very enjoyable.
There were interesting port talks about the destinations we would be visiting.
One night in Barcelona, they brought local entertainers onboard to perform “La Rumba” – a lively style of Spanish music and dance which is a fusion of traditional Spanish flamenco and Cuban music. It was fantastic!
On another night, two Italian Opera singers performed. They went down really well with the Viking audience.
Although not for everyone, Viking’s entertainment suits cruisers who prefer calm evenings and conversation over spectacle.
Dining Experience Compared With Mainstream Lines
Dining felt relaxed and enjoyable; the service was outstanding.
There is no pressure to book premium venues or pay supplements, speciality restaurants are included.
You can just dine when you feel like it – which I really love. No set dining or table sharing on Viking!
Dress codes were very relaxed. It seems the more people pay for their cruises, the less they want to be told what they have to wear.
There are no “formal nights” in the evening; evening dress is “elegant casual” for all dining venues, performances and special events. On these occasions, required attire for ladies includes a dress, skirt or slacks with a sweater or blouse; for gentlemen, trousers and a collared shirt. A tie and jacket are optional; jeans are not permitted.
Viking
Who Viking Luxury Cruising Is (and Isn’t) For
Viking suits travellers who don’t mind paying extra for more space per person, who enjoy a calm atmosphere, who value lots of inclusions, and who are focused on interesting and unusual destinations.
If you are looking for nightlife, waterslides, family-friendly features, or high-energy entertainment, you won’t find it on a Viking ship.
Viking are an adult only cruise line. Some people love that, others hate it.
Final Thoughts
The Viking experience was surprising because it felt so calm, comfortable, and genuinely easy compared with cruising with the mainstream cruise lines.
Although their cruises cost more, they offer many inclusions, and you are paying for the space and the higher crew-to-passenger ratio.
We came off the ship with no onboard account to settle. Everything we needed was included in the price.
Unfortunately, I can’t afford to sail with Viking all the time, but I can understand why some people refuse to sail with anyone else!
Before You Go
Compare my luxury Viking Ocean cruise with the cruise I took with Uniworld, a luxury river cruise ship here:
7 Days on a Luxury River Cruise: An Inside Look at The Reality
I spent a week on onboard Emerald Azzurra, a luxury SuperYacht that takes only 100 guests. Find out all about that here:
I Spent 7 Days in a Luxury Suite on a SUPER YACHT (Full Review)
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