Subtle design, elegant service: Why I really like Viking ocean ships for cruising across the globe

It simply could be the proper cruising second — no less than for me.

As I write this, I’m sitting within the trendy, glass-walled lounge on the entrance of the Viking ocean ship Viking Saturn, my journey companion at my aspect.

Awaiting our lips, in Schott Zwiesel crystal glasses, are martinis made with gin from Highclere Citadel, a Viking accomplice — garnished at our server’s suggestion with orange twists to match the spirit’s citrus overtones.

Within the background, stylish orchestral music performs. Not too softly. Not too loudly.

Simply exterior, the rugged coast of Scotland scrolls by — a seemingly limitless loop of dramatic cliffs, mountains, seashores and picturesque villages.

We take a break from writing to boost our glasses in a toast to the stunning day we had strolling this shoreline throughout a port cease in one of many villages. We reminisce. We smile. We chuckle.

In a couple of minutes, we’ll descend to the ship’s foremost restaurant for a pleasant dinner, attended to by a elegant workers.

Actually, I am unable to consider a greater option to finish the day.

It is not, for the file, a brand new expertise for me. It’s the similar kind of sleek, tasteful cruising second that I’ve been having on Viking ocean ships ever since they debuted a decade in the past, and that has prompted me to jot down fondly of the road many occasions.

Nonetheless, it’s only now, as I head into the later years of life, that I’m starting to grasp the attraction of those vessels at a deeper degree.

Like tens of millions of different Individuals nearing retirement or already there, my years of frenetic household journeys to theme parks and seaside cities are prior to now. So are the extra hardcore journey journeys of my youth — the weeks trekking within the Peruvian Andes or mountain biking within the Appalachians — and the penny-pinching price range journey of my early years.

At 56, I’m lastly prepared for one thing that’s each extra refined and extra stress-free.

I’ve hit the Viking age.

Elegant, upscale cruising

Some cruise strains attempt to be all issues to all folks. Viking is not one in all them.

Since its founding in 1997, the upscale cruise model has carved out a distinct segment catering to a sure kind of considerate, inquisitive, typically older traveler trying to discover the world and be taught a factor or two alongside the way in which.

Most Viking clients, like me, are approaching their retirement years or are already there, they usually’re wanting to lastly see all of the locations they did not have time to go to whereas elevating children and establishing careers of their youthful years.

They’re additionally able to journey in relative consolation, with the entire little hassles that include world journey smoothed away, they usually’re prepared (and eventually have the means) to pay for that kind of expertise.

For this subset of vacationers, Viking has crafted a broad vary of fastidiously thought-out cruise itineraries on ships that had been purposefully designed to supply an intimate and stylish expertise.

As I’m seeing on this 14-night “British Isles Explorer” crusing round England, Scotland, Wales and Eire, and have seen on many Viking voyages earlier than, they’re elegant journeys in each manner.

Impeccably designed ships

It’s an class that begins with the design of the ships, of which there now are 11 — all basically the identical.

From the straightforward movement of inside areas to the understated sophistication of the Scandinavian-influenced decor, the look is unified, trendy and refined in a manner that’s uncommon within the cruise trade.

These aren’t ships jammed with bustling and boisterous amusement zones, bars, eating places and showrooms, as is so widespread lately.

On the core of the general public areas on every of the vessels, as an illustration, is a central atriumlike area that, in distinction to what you discover on many ships, is an oasis of calm and civility. Referred to as The Dwelling Room, it has a noticeably residential really feel, with snug and comfy seating areas which can be good for dialog over espresso and pastries from the cafe in a single nook.

I really like simply sitting on this area, sipping a cappuccino, studying one of many books on artwork and design that may be discovered within the small library in one other nook — or listening to the classical pianist that typically performs the Steinway on the base of the room’s grand stairway.

That stairway leads as much as a second degree the place extra seating areas embrace high-tech tables the place you possibly can name up digital variations of chess, mahjong and different video games. On this crusing, I’ve spent hours up there with my companion and newfound pals.

The Dwelling Room is one in all two foremost gathering spots on every of Viking’s ocean ships, the opposite being the equally serene glass-walled lounge overlooking the bow, referred to as the Explorers’ Lounge. Additionally residential in really feel, and comfy, it’s two decks excessive with a bar and a small meals outlet serving Norwegian specialties — a tie-in to the model’s Norwegian founder.

From morning to nighttime, the Explorers’ Lounge is the place I at all times appear to seek out myself on any given crusing, soaking in the fantastic thing about the passing surroundings via its floor-to-ceiling glass partitions, a espresso in my hand if it is early, a cocktail later within the day.

That’s, if I can tear myself away from the tranquility of my room. The cabins on Viking ocean ships are triumphs of Scandinavian-influenced design, with touches massive and small (I really like the heated flooring within the loos) that make you by no means need to depart.

Associated: All the pieces you might want to learn about Viking cabins and suites

Yet one more factor I really like about Viking ships is that they’re intimate and uncrowded.

The vessels are notably small when in comparison with most of the big ships debuting lately, which creates its personal sort of classiness. In an period of ever-bigger megaships that may maintain as many as 7,000 folks, Viking determined to maintain the scale and capability of the vessels in its fleet at a human degree. Irrespective of the place you might be on board, you by no means really feel such as you’re touring with a crowd.

A refined atmosphere

Nonetheless, the classiness of Viking ships goes past their design. It has simply as a lot or extra to do with their atmosphere.

It is a calm, quiet, cultured kind of vibe — one the place you will not hear music blasting from audio system in each nook of the ship or a number of shipwide bulletins.

On board Viking ocean ships, the exercise schedule revolves closely round what the road calls “cultural enrichment” — lectures by consultants on matters associated to the locations its ships go to, in addition to cultural and culinary choices that always have an area tie-in.

On our voyage across the British Isles, as an illustration, an knowledgeable on ballistics and historic weapons gave a chat on the catapults utilized in fort warfare within the area throughout the Center Ages. One other knowledgeable regaled us with the science behind the making of Scottish whiskies. Scottish music, dance and verse had been the main target of one other lecture.

It’s, as Viking founder Torstein Hagen likes to say, a “pondering particular person’s cruise.”

There’s musical leisure, too — typically great musical leisure. But it surely’s notably not the kind of overly loud and flashy musical leisure you typically get on cruises. As a substitute of raunchy comedians and ear-splitting, strobe light-flashing musical extravaganzas, the principle theaters on Viking ocean vessels serve up a extra serene lineup of performances. On my crusing, we loved a pianist on a few the nights and a small group of vocalists that sang Broadway tunes and different songs.

Simply steps away from the principle theaters on every of the ships, an intimate nightclub known as Torshaven typically has a small band with vocalists performing basic dance tunes geared toward an older crowd (one evening once I walked in, fairly just a few {couples} had been on the dance flooring rocking backwards and forwards — or ought to I say swaying — to the Fifties Dean Martin track “Sway”).

One other leisure spotlight on my crusing has been a classical duo — a violinist and cellist — taking part in conventional Norwegian music in The Dwelling Room within the early evenings whereas works by the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch flash throughout a big digital display screen. Viking calls these Munch Moments, they usually’re about as stylish as might be.

Up within the Explorers’ Lounge, in the meantime, evenings sometimes convey stay music from a guitarist, a pianist or the identical classical duo that performs in The Dwelling Room. But it surely’s stay music performed softly sufficient that you would be able to nonetheless maintain a dialog.

Different day by day leisure consists of an elaborate afternoon tea within the glass-enclosed Wintergarden atop the ship, accompanied by classical music.

As I stated, stylish. And really grownup.

What Viking ships do not provide — and, for a lot of, it is a important a part of the attraction — are any onboard amusements that will draw households, similar to waterslides or go-kart tracks. They don’t seem to be these kinds of ships.

The truth is, the road would not even enable kids below the age of 18 on its ships. It is one of many solely main cruise manufacturers on the planet with such a rule.

Viking ships additionally haven’t got casinos, which is uncommon. They don’t seem to be these kinds of ships, both.

A concentrate on the vacation spot

It is not simply what occurs on board Viking ocean ships that wins my adoration. These vessels additionally get my reward for a way they ship the off-ship expertise.

For starters, Viking ocean ships typically take it sluggish when crusing round a area, constructing in frequent stops at ports that are not all that far aside to permit for longer stays in every place they go to. That, in flip, offers passengers extra time to discover historic websites and expertise the native tradition than is typical on cruises.

On my 14-night British Isles Explorer crusing, as an illustration, we virtually by no means traveled greater than 250 miles between port stops, permitting for lengthy days in every port and even in a single day stays in some locations.

In Liverpool, England, as an illustration, we remained docked till 10 p.m., late sufficient that passengers might head into city within the night for a pint of town’s iconic Cains ale. We might try this as a result of our subsequent cease, Holyhead, Wales, was simply 90 miles away.

In each Bergen, Norway, and London, the place the cruise started and ended, respectively, we docked in a single day for even longer visits.

Much more notable, maybe, is the way in which Viking helps passengers on its ocean vessels get to know every of the ports they go to. In distinction to most different ocean cruise strains, Viking features a guided tour in each port at no additional cost.

That is one thing that even a few of its highest-end rivals, similar to Seabourn, Crystal and Explora Journeys, do not do.

On my crusing, Viking guides toured us via Edinburgh; Belfast, Northern Eire; Dublin; and Canterbury, England, amongst different locations — all for no additional value.

No nickel-and-diming

The dearth of additional prices for no less than one shore tour in each port (there are extra elaborate, extra-charge excursions in each port, too) is simply a part of a no-nickel-and-diming philosophy on the model that’s one in all its greatest options.

I’ve at all times cherished that Viking would not cost for Wi-Fi on board, wine or beer with lunch and dinner, specialty eating places, room service, and even use of the self-serve launderettes positioned in cabin areas — the latter was a lot appreciated by me and my companion as we arrived with two suitcases filled with soiled garments from a number of weeks of touring in Egypt and Europe.

There’s additionally no cost to lounge within the pretty, Scandinavian-themed thermal suite on the ship’s spa, which is residence to a thermal pool and sizzling tub, steam room, snow grotto, expertise bathe, and different spa experiences.

On many ships, even high-end luxurious ships operated by different manufacturers, such thermal areas are solely obtainable to passengers who pay additional charges for an expensive spa remedy or, in some circumstances, a spa day cross.

Backside line

Viking ocean cruises have particularly been designed to attraction to a sure kind of considerate, curious, considerably older traveler who has the money and time to discover the world. As such, a Viking cruise is not for everybody. On most of the line’s sailings, passengers are a cohort of vacationers who, for essentially the most half, are notably older than me — typically of their 60s, 70s and 80s.

However even at 56, I really feel like I match proper in, and in the event you’re like me — somebody who is prepared for a extra refined and stress-free kind of journey expertise after years of bustle — it is an ideal selection.

Viking might be outlined as a lot by what it is not as what it’s. It isn’t a line for households with younger kids. It isn’t a line with megaships topped off by each kind of amusement recognized to people. And it is not a line for the social gathering crowd.

What it’s, alternatively, is a line that has centered very particularly on “pondering particular person’s cruises” that provide a deeper dive into the locations that its ships go to than is typical at many strains, with about as stylish an onboard expertise as is offered lately.

In a phrase, it is all about exploring the world and doing so in consolation.

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