This was our “welcome back to the world” trip. Viking has put in place an excellent health/safety protocol for the ship to keep everything healthy & free of Covid. Daily PCR testing for everyone onboard, masks required in all common areas on & off the bus, everyone had to be fully vaccinated at least 2 weeks before cruising, we each had contact tracing devices to be worn whenever we were outside our cabin, plus a stated procedure if anyone tests positive for Covid. There is even a dedicated laboratory on the 7th floor where the tests are processed. State-of-the-art. Clear process to keep everyone safe—this was reassuring and really made the trip carefree. The testing & masking & contact tracing neck medallion were not cumbersome, and did not detract from the experience in any way. In fact, this was so well thought out, it made us feel even more loyal to Viking (this was our 3rd Viking ocean cruise).
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Everything went smoothly. We were met at the airport, the guides were easy to find, and immediately took care of our luggage. We were transferred to a check-in located at the Harpa, a well-known concert hall In central Reykjavik, where we checked in and were fed a breakfast buffet while our ship was being sanitized from the previous cruise. We had time to also explore the area a bit on our own after breakfast before. Ring transported to our ship.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
Everything was excellent. We had a wide variety of choices, including daily selections reflecting local dishes.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
The ship had multiple enrichment lectures, including a resident historian and a speaker specializing in geological and natural history of the area. There were 1 to 3 lectures each day that were open to everyone. The entertainment staff put on 3 musical performances during the trip, and through the late afternoon and evening every night there were musicians (guitarist, string quartet, pianist) playing in various gathering spots on the ship. Everything was top notch and very enjoyable.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
Great—see above comment.
Children's Programs
No one under 18 allowed on the cruise.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
All of the service staff were kind, attentive, and helpful. They were genuinely glad to have us on board and themselves were happy to be there. Any small problem or need was immediately addressed.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
The Viking ocean ships are all very similar in design & outfitting. Everything is well thought out for comfort and cleanliness. The cabins each have their own air intake systems which ensure fresh air is always coming into your room from outside. The bathrooms all have heated flooring, which felt great in the mornings, but which also ensured that any moisture from showering dried quickly & completely.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
We had a junior penthouse suite located on the top of the ship. We had plenty of room to move around in without tripping over furniture & there was no problem with luggage storage space. It was comfortable and clean, with what appeared to be new upholstery, drapes, etc. the location was great, not too far from elevators, but far enough to be quiet.
Ship tip
Go to the lectures, speak with fellow guests seated near you, and do follow the state-of-the-art safety protocols that Viking has put in place.
Very well organized. There were no delays, and our group (one of the last to disembark) left the ship exactly on time. There were no problems in locating luggage & putting it on our boys. We were then transported to the Pearl, a natural history museum in Reykjavik where we had a light snack in a restaurant reserved for our group & 2-3 hours to explore the museum before we were driven to the airport for our Kate afternoon flights.
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