We chose this cruise because we had been on one that ended in Athens almost 2 years ago and my husband got sick (we were quarantined to the stateroom on our last day and missed the excursion in Athens). There was a special deal on the first 8 days of the 14 night Mediterranean Antiquities cruise, beginning in Athens and ending with disembarkation in Rome. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were at sea. We did have some rough seas enroute, which of course are not the fault of Viking--it just hindered some of our activities on board and made sleeping difficult at times. The ship was beautifully decorated for Christmas, and there were displays of Christmas goodies available in the Atrium plus a special "Chocolate Display" for tasting one night.There were two opportunities for a Christmas Carol sing-along, and an 11:30PM Christmas Eve service (I wanted to go to that, but was not up to it because the entire day at sea had been very rough). Other onboard entertainment nightly included violins, piano, guitar, plus the Viking band for dancing in Torshavn, the onboard nightclub which we enjoyed once. My favorite was the Beatles Tribute in the theater on Christmas Day. The Spa is wonderful--but I only managed to use the facilities (hot tub, sauna, steamroll) once. My husband went to several of the lectures by the onboard historian and others, which are his favorite. We enjoyed meals at most of the restaurant options--I prefer The Restaurant, but my husband likes the buffet at The World Cafe. One night we had an incredible seafood buffet at the Pool Bar, plus one evening each at Manfredi's and The Chef's Table. Our excursions were good--with the exception of Athens, we took the included tour--on another trip we may try more paid tours.
The cabin was very comfortable for such a small space. The bathroom is well-appointed with pretty much everything you need except a toothbrush and toothpaste, My husband generally naps after our excursion and lunch, so I always have to find other things to do-- I usually take a book to one of the many lounge area options, and enjoy looking out at the water or port scenery while I read or have a glass of wine. Laundry facilities are on every deck, and I also use that time to do laundry.
Beautiful view of the Acropolis--lots of relics and other items in the museum
Walking tour of Ephesus--among the ruins
Not much of a tour--a walk through town, a small museum, and free time in the market square
breathtaking views, mostly bus tour with only a couple of stops to look around