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The Viking Expedition ships are purpose-built expedition ships to sail in Antarctica and the Great Lakes where the ship not only carries fare-paying passengers but also conducts scientific research throughout the voyage too. There are some exceptions to this in Viking's fleet, primarily on Portugal's Douro River, Germany's Elbe River and the Seine River in France. On those rivers, Viking uses smaller ships to navigate locks and have access to buzzing city centers, like Paris. While these "baby Longships," as the company calls them, may be smaller, they have similar amenities, restaurants and cabin choices. On the line's river ships, you'll also find onboard lectures, usually related to the destinations the ships are visiting, as well as destination-related demonstrations and tastings.
Expedition cruises
Coffee stations and some snacks are usually available during the day. Room service is limited -- it's breakfast only and only available to passengers in the Explorer Suites. That said, given the complexity of booking a cruise — there are a lot of decisions to make during the booking process, trust us — we always recommend that you use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises.
Viking Mississippi
Journey through the world’s most exciting destinations with The World’s Leading River Cruise Line. River ships originally put Viking on the map, and they're still at the core of the brand. The ship boasts a total of eight unique eateries that range from authentic Italian cuisine at Manfredi's to homey Norwegian comfort food at Mamsen's. The buffet-style World Café truly lives up to its name by serving international fare, while the Chef's Table focuses on specific regions for its comprehensive menu that changes every three days.
Where does Viking Neptune sail from?
However, the latest incarnation constructed at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy will bear all the trappings of the understated Scandinavian style for which Viking is known. Viking has many inclusions on their river cruises, although not everything. On your trip, you'll get at least one shore excursion per port included in the fare, as well as bottled water, all meals plus wine and beer at lunch and dinner, as well as onboard programming and entertainment. You'll also find musicians including pianists and guitar players performing at times in the Viking Living Room — a three-deck-high, atrium-like space at the center of the ship.
These two decks also house the other half of the ship's public spaces, like the Wintergarden and adjacent pool deck, World Café, Aquavit Terrace, the two-deck Explorer's Lounge and Mamsen's. Deck 9 features a small sports deck with a walking track, bocce ball, golf putting green and shuffleboard. Most of Viking Mars' restaurants are also included in your fare, providing a cornucopia of culinary variety. Beer, wine and soft drinks also come standard, as does Wi-Fi and self-service laundry.
Viking fares do include port taxes and fees, which can add up to hundreds of dollars per sailing. Most other lines do not include port taxes and fees in their base fares and add them later in the booking process. All of the line's vessels have standard North American-style, 110-volt outlets in rooms as well as European-style, 220-volt outlets and USB ports in cabins. Viking's recently unveiled Mississippi River ship offers self-service launderettes but no send-out laundry and pressing service. You'll also find live piano music in the evenings in river ship lounges.
Report: Windows Aboard Expedition Cruise Ship Couldn't Resist Fatal Wave - The Maritime Executive
Report: Windows Aboard Expedition Cruise Ship Couldn't Resist Fatal Wave.
Posted: Wed, 29 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
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Viking Octantis Expedition Ship, Switzerland - Ship Technology
Viking Octantis Expedition Ship, Switzerland.
Posted: Mon, 25 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
In addition, in early 2022, the line began its first cruises to Antarctica with its first expedition ship, Viking Octantis. That summer, the same vessel launched the line's first voyages in the Great Lakes — a destination that only a handful of cruise operators visit. The line's ocean ships can be found in nearly every ocean and sea around the world, from North America to Europe and Asia. Passengers onboard Viking Sea wear "resort casual" clothing, which in the evening means somewhat dressy, with men wearing slacks and button-down or polo-style shirts and women wearing dresses, skirts and blouses, or slacks and blouses.
Such access almost always comes with an extra charge on cruise vessels. Ten-night "Greek Odyssey" voyages to the Greek Islands start at $3,999 per person. That works out to roughly $800 per day for a couple sharing a room.
Viking Cruises Ships by Size (from largest to smallest)
When it debuted in 2017, the ship originally catered to the North American market and was called Viking Sun. The centerpiece of the top deck of each of the ships is the main pool area, which features a glass magrodome that can close during inclement weather. The main pool area on each of the ships sits next to a lovely, glass-topped lounge with comfortable seating called the Wintergarden, which is home to afternoon tea. On Viking river cruises, wines are included at lunch and dinner and are poured liberally.
Viking river cruise ship layouts center on the glass-enclosed Aquavit Terrace. Part dining area, part sunny hangout, the Aquavit Terrace sits at the front of the ship and provides a perfect vantage point for scenic sailing. That's something that even the most upscale of Viking's ocean cruise rivals including Oceania Cruises, Azamara, Seabourn, Silversea Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises can't say. For this subset of travelers, Viking offers a wide range of both ocean and river cruise itineraries that have a heavy focus on the destinations visited. If you're looking for a room that is big and open on an ocean cruise (and are willing to pay extra for it), Viking has plenty of options. Designed to hold just 378 passengers, the Viking expedition ships are specifically designed to take travelers to the most off-the-beaten-path parts of the world, including Antarctica and the Arctic.
Every one of the line's 930-passenger ocean ships has a main restaurant (called, simply, The Restaurant) with rotating menus that include dishes that tie to the destination where the vessel is sailing. There also are casual buffet eateries called World Cafe on every vessel. Viking currently operates 11 ocean ships, nine of which are nearly identical.
The vast majority of both its ocean ships and river ships are almost identical in their designs. Viking's two expedition ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, also have three categories of balcony cabins with a similar array of amenities and services. They also have a different type of balcony that makes them feel more spacious than their square footage suggests. As noted above, though, you'll only find the latter two types of cabins on Viking ocean ships. Viking currently operates nine traditional ocean ships aimed at the English-speaking market and two oceangoing expedition ships. Every single passenger room on all 11 of the vessels is either a balcony cabin or a suite with a balcony.
Still, as is typical for cruise lines at the high end, Viking includes a lot in its base price. The latter is something relatively few lines roll into their base fares, and shore excursions can be expensive. During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually. If it's a sea day in a warm-weather destination, and you're bound for the top deck, a short-sleeve shirt and shorts are just fine. On all ships, smoking (including electronic cigarettes) is only allowed in designated outdoor areas. Each of the line's ocean ships has a theater at its front that is home to production shows, movie showings (with fresh popcorn available) and enrichment lecturers.
Each sister ship is engineered at a scale that allows direct access into most ports. Classified by Cruise Critic as “small ships,” the fleet features understated elegance and Scandinavian design. Throughout our decades of sailing the world’s great rivers, Viking has repeatedly reinvented the European river cruise vessel. By continuously building upon our tradition of innovation, we have set industry standard and delighted our guests.
