A cruise of a lifetime. Excellent itinerary except for the change to include Jeddah - they are not ready for tourists yet. Viking is first-class - ship and staff.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Efficient and effortless
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Main dining room was excellent, as were the specialty restaurants. The dinner buffet was hit-or-miss, but breakfast was consistent and good. Specialty outdoor buffets were excellent.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
The pool and pool deck were spacious and immaculate. Activities were almost exclusively indoors and during late morning/early afternoon; we would have participated more often if some activities were outdoors and more in the evening.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
The stage shows were better than other cruise lines and the final show was a home run. The musicians and guest performers were outstanding
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Hospitality and service well above expectations for the entire staff.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The ship was easy to navigate. The entire ship was immaculate.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
The cabin was nicely laid out. The bathroom was nicely sized and the balcony was generous. Bad was very comfortable. We would have liked a bit more storage, but admittedly, we over packed.
Ship tip
Get the Silver Sprits beverage package. Wine and beer are served with lunch and dinner. Period. If you like a drink before or after dinner or want to try an upscale wine, the package is a great deal.
Pleasantly surprised by the modern, immaculate city. The mosque is breathtaking. Would have liked more time to explore the large, bustling souk. Our tour guide was outstanding.
Our excursion was disappointing. The mosque was closed to visitors due to a funeral in process. Other than the mosque, there wasn't much to see. The souk was disappointing - similar shops selling mostly nick-knacks and children's clothes.
Our excursion was the hike to the Treasury and lunch. Amazing. Viking describes this tour as "moderate" level of activity, but it is strenuous. The hike to the Treasury is not too difficult (with walking sticks) but the hike back it - uphill and your are hot and tired. The wait for a golf cart to go back is over an hour. Make sure you bring water and drink lots of it.
We took the glass-bottom boat excursion. Getting on the boat was a challenge because of the moveable pontoon dock. We saw some fish and coral, but the boat generated a lot of bubbles that obscured the view.
We visited the great pyramids and the sphinx. Time was too short to get closer to the pyramids but it was a very hot day. We had a security escort out of the port/city and another upon our return.
We took two excursions. The trip to Jerusalem/Bethlehem was very good. The Church of the Holy Sepulcher was crowded and difficult to walk through. The Western Wall (Wailing Wall) is overwhelming. The Church of the Nativity is more ornate than I expected. Our tour guide was excellent. Our tour of Haifa and Acres was disappointing. We drove by the Hanging Gardens, stopping for a photo op. The tour of the underground city in Acres was very interesting and a pleasant surprise. We skipped the rest of the walking tour of the city/shopping; in fact, several people said we didn't miss anything.
*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency,
and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners
(travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our
users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or
prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site
for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on
external web sites.
Contact us
Submitting...
Need help from a personal vacation planner?
Loading...
Find the perfect cruise with weekly tips and cruise deals for as little as $30/night!
Sign up for weekly cruise deals
Join other subscribers and get the best
cruise deals of the week in your inbox every Thursday.
