I have always been reluctant to go on a "cruise," but have to say the Viking Star changed my thinking. Beautiful, well-signed ship, fantastic staff, great food all made it a great experience. Really enjoyed the many options on public spaces to hang out (but Explorer's Lounge was my favorite) and enjoy meals. The Spa facilities were fantastic, especially after walking seven or eight miles on certain days. Understated yet elegant design and detailing throughout the ship was a big hit with me, but then I am an architect. The emphasis on education and exploring really appealed to me, as opposed to some of the cruise lines that promote casinos and night clubs (THANK YOU for being different)! I came away with the sense that Viking as a company has a clear Vision and target market and they have done an exceptional job at meeting the vision.

The staff, from top to bottom really were fantastic; genuinely friendly and always helpful!

My only suggestion would involve how Viking handles getting their guests on and off the ship at ports. Not a huge problem when actually docked, but when anchoring and using tenders, it was very annoying to be the last people off the ship if one was not signed up for an excursion. Read more