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

It simply is perhaps the proper cruising second — at the very least for me.

As I write this, I’m sitting within the fashionable, 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 Fortress, a Viking associate — garnished at our server’s suggestion with orange twists to match the spirit’s citrus overtones.

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

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

We take a break from writing to lift 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 most important restaurant for a pleasant dinner, attended to by a sophisticated employees.

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

It is not, for the file, a brand new expertise for me. It’s the similar form 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 write down fondly of the road many instances.

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

Like thousands and thousands of different People nearing retirement or already there, my years of frenetic household journeys to theme parks and seashore cities are up 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 funds journey of my early years.

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

I’ve hit the Viking age.

Elegant, upscale cruising

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

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

Most Viking prospects, like me, are approaching their retirement years or are already there, they usually’re desirous to lastly see all of the locations they did not have time to go to whereas elevating youngsters 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 at last have the means) to pay for that sort of expertise.

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

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 simple circulate of inside areas to the understated sophistication of the Scandinavian-influenced decor, the look is unified, fashionable and refined in a means 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 frequent today.

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

I really like simply sitting on this house, 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 generally 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 embody high-tech tables the place you’ll be able to 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 Residing Room is certainly one of two most important gathering spots on every of Viking’s ocean ships, the opposite being the equally serene glass-walled lounge overlooking the bow, often known as the Explorers’ Lounge. Additionally residential in really feel, and comfortable, 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 all the time appear to search out myself on any given crusing, soaking in the fantastic thing about the passing surroundings by 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 bogs) that make you by no means wish to depart.

Associated: Every thing it’s good to learn about Viking cabins and suites

Yet another 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 large ships debuting today, which creates its personal form 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 form of vibe — one the place you will not hear music blasting from audio system in each nook of the ship or loads of shipwide bulletins.

On board Viking ocean ships, the exercise schedule revolves closely round what the road calls “cultural enrichment” — lectures by specialists on subjects associated to the locations its ships go to, in addition to cultural and culinary choices that usually have a neighborhood tie-in.

On our voyage across the British Isles, as an example, an skilled on ballistics and historic weapons gave a chat on the catapults utilized in citadel warfare within the area in the course of the Center Ages. One other skilled regaled us with the science behind the making of Scottish whiskies. Scottish music, dance and verse have been the main focus 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 — usually great musical leisure. Nevertheless it’s notably not the form of overly loud and flashy musical leisure you usually 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 usually has a small band with vocalists performing basic dance tunes geared toward an older crowd (one evening once I walked in, fairly a number of {couples} have been on the dance ground rocking forwards and backwards — or ought to I say swaying — to the Fifties Dean Martin tune “Sway”).

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

Up within the Explorers’ Lounge, in the meantime, evenings sometimes carry reside music from a guitarist, a pianist or the identical classical duo that performs in The Residing Room. Nevertheless it’s reside music performed softly sufficient that you may nonetheless maintain a dialog.

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

As I stated, elegant. And really grownup.

What Viking ships do not supply — and, for a lot of, this can be a vital a part of the attraction — are any onboard amusements that will draw households, corresponding to waterslides or go-kart tracks. They are not these types of ships.

In actual fact, the road would not even permit kids beneath the age of 18 on its ships. It is one of many solely main cruise manufacturers on this planet with such a rule.

Viking ships additionally haven’t got casinos, which is uncommon. They are not these types of ships, both.

A deal with 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 usually 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, provides 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 example, we nearly 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 example, 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 best way 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 further cost.

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

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

No nickel-and-diming

The shortage of additional fees for at the very least 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 certainly one of its finest options.

I’ve all the time 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 situated in cabin areas — the latter was a lot appreciated by me and my companion as we arrived with two suitcases stuffed 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 accessible to passengers who pay further charges for a dear spa remedy or, in some circumstances, a spa day go.

Backside line

Viking ocean cruises have particularly been designed to attraction to a sure sort 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 — usually of their 60s, 70s and 80s.

However even at 56, I really feel like I match proper in, and should you’re like me — somebody who is prepared for a extra refined and enjoyable form of journey expertise after years of bustle — it is an excellent selection.

Viking could 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 form of amusement recognized to people. And it isn’t a line for the occasion crowd.

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

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

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