The Viking Sea: Luxury on the High Seas from Athens to Venice

I have long been a fan of Viking River Cruises and totally enjoy the smaller ships, along with the opportunity to converse with other passengers and crew. With a focus that highlights culture, it has always been the perfect blend for me.

So when I had the opportunity to join the Viking Sea – a much larger ship than a typical river cruise of 190 passengers – I was concerned that the focus might be more on drinking and onboard entertainment than on port calls and culture.

However, I soon discovered that I could enjoy the enhanced amenities on the ship while still learning about the region and experiencing the culture. On this cruise, I had it all.

The Viking Sea is one of 13 identical ocean ships designed for 930 passengers with 465 ocean view rooms. Launched in 2016, it carries 550 crew members.

Price is inclusive of WiFi, a complimentary tour in each port, and access to the spa facilities and gym. Wine, beer, and soft drinks are included with lunch and dinner. And best of all is that there are no premium fees for the specialty restaurants.

I like that all Viking ships are adults only, just like the river cruises. I have been on larger cruises where the preponderance of children interferes tremendously with enjoying the common ship facilities likes pools. Plus, the absence of smoke-filled casinos is most definitely a welcome omission for me.

New check-in procedures are streamlined as you are issued a card to facilitate onboarding and offboarding. Much of this is facilitated if you upload your passport and data prior to your arrival.

Once on the ship, you’re given a celebratory glass of champagne as you watch a 90-second video about ship emergency drill procedures. I love the new process.

Dining

There are many choices for dining, ranging from fast food (Pool Grill) and casual (Aquavit Terrace) to Norwegian at Mamsen’s and international buffet at the World Café, where specialty stations include one for sushi and gelato.

We always ate at the World Café for breakfast and enjoyed our power green drink daily. Since it was my husband’s favorite, this was usually where we had lunch as well.

Fine dining includes Manfredi’s, a specialty Italian restaurant, as well as The Chef’s Table, which serves a 5-course meal paired with wines and themed to certain food styles or regions, and The Restaurant, where international cuisine populates the menu.

Reservations are required for Manfredi’s and The Chef’s Table, but there’s no need for reservations at The Restaurant. My husband wasn’t a fan of the no-shorts policy in The Restaurant, so sometimes, I dined alone there while he ate in the World Café. We were both happy with the compromise.

All dining venues, including specialty restaurants, are included with no upcharges or additional fees. Complimentary house wine, beer, and soft drinks are standard with lunch and dinner. There are heart-healthy and vegetarian options.

Be sure to experience Afternoon Tea at the Wintergarden. Our schedule was typically busy in the afternoon with shore excursions, but there was one free afternoon where coffee, tea, finger foods, and live music were available. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

Don’t forget that room service is available around the clock and includes staples such as lasagna and the Viking burger. This was another favorite of my husband, as he used room service three different times during our cruise.

Spa and Fitness

The Viking Sea’s LivNordic Spa celebrates the Nordic bathing concept of alternating hot and cold treatments. It’s complimentary to all guests, so there’s no need to book a treatment ahead of time. Two therapy showers, a thalassotherapy pool, a steam room, and a hot tub, along with the snow grotto, are all available. 

The spa is open from 8 am to 8 pm and includes a variety of massages, such as detox, Swedish, and deep tissue. Other treatments include facials, manicures, and pedicures, along with a special salon for haircuts and styling. A small fitness center lets you keep up your daily exercise routine while cruising.

Entertainment

Enjoy a variety of musical performances such as piano and violin in the Atrium, Viking Living Room, Pap’s Explorers’ Lounge, or Torshavn for more intimate modern music and dancing. We even had a specialty night dancing under the stars.

The Star Theater is where the bigger performances take place. For popular musical shows like the ABBA Songbook and Beatles Songbook, it’s vital to show up early if you want a good seat. (Nostalgia seems to reign supreme).

Shore Excursions

Our itinerary from Athens to Venice covered four countries – Greece, Montenegro, Croatia, and Italy.

While we participated in some of the included tours, I opted instead for more intensive premium tours at many of our ports of call. (Included tours usually focus on the town and involve walking). Since I was primarily looking for photo ops, these two tours really delivered and exceeded my expectations:

• Quaint Towns of Dubrovnik’s Riviera (Croatia)
• Venetian Islands: Murano & Burano (Italy) (see my story about this excursion)

Note that complimentary bottled water is provided for all excursions.

We’ll Be Back on Another Viking Ocean Cruise

In summary, the Viking Sea is a floating oasis of sophisticated refinement with stellar standards for dining, spa treatments, and fitness center. The musical entertainment and theater onboard proved popular with many guests and was entertaining. Plus, there’s an excellent selection of shore excursions carefully designed to appeal to various interests.

The crew is top notch, and I can’t say enough about how well-trained and friendly they are to everyone. The environment is most welcoming and will have you feeling you are part of the Viking family almost immediately. Don’t be surprised if many of the crew address you by your name on the second or third day of your cruise.

The author received a complimentary cruise from Viking, but as always, we are dedicated to providing our readers with an honest assessment of our experiences.