Subtracting the long flights over and back and the fiasco with booking excursions and dinner reservations online, the cruise was very good. I had a nice time and met some wonderful people on board. The crowds in the major cities were unexpected. The last time I was there in 2009, I could walk freely in the cities. It was hard to keep up with the guides at times. The ship (Viking Sea) is very nice and I liked the layout. The food was hit or miss but mostly good.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Very easy and no waiting in line.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The dining room was mostly good. There were a few misses. I had a good experience at the Italian specialty restaurant but the Chef's Table was just adequate. The buffet food was not always hot and there was not much variety.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The spa area was excellent with great amenities. I did not use the outdoor pools or the fitness center.
Entertainment
3 out of 5
The entertainment was lacking. It was the same 4 people doing the majority of the shows. Other cruise lines have more variety. There needed to be more lively entertainment in the atrium. The violinists and pianist were very good but not for the entire trip. Add something lively!
Children's Programs
No children are allowed on Viking cruises.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Outstanding. Everyone was very nice and accommodating. The customer service representatives deserve an A+.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Yes, all was excellent. The public area lavatories were well maintained and very clean.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
The cabin was very nice but a little tight at times. There could have been more drawer space. The shower was a great size and so was the bathroom.
Ship tip
Once you get onboard, you can book the excursions that were sold out online. You can also make dinner reservations once onboard. The site would not let me do this ahead of time.
I did not like Livorno. It had confusing streets and hard to get around. I took the shuttle in to Livorno. I should have stayed on the ship! Pisa was wonderful. Florence was too crowded. We only saw sites from the outside. I did the Pisa and Florence excursion.
Rome was extremely crowded and it was hard to keep up the the guide. I did the Coliseum and Rome highlights. The Coliseum was worth it and amazing to see.
Dirty and ugly city. I did the included excursion. The ride through the mountains was nice but when dropped off in the city, I could not wait to get out of there. I should have gone to Sorrento or Pompeii.
I love Split and wish I could have had more time there. I wanted to go to the Game of Thrones Museum, but there was not enough time. I did the Cetina River Cruise and Split Walking Tour.
Getting there and back was a challenge. We were bused to a boat that took us to Venice. Coming back it was reversed, but it was a very long walk from the boat to the terminal and then to the bus. The passengers with walking issues had trouble. I did the included excursion. I was not able to get into any of the sites. Too crowded and not enough time.
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