5 Things About Viking Ocean That Will Impress Your Clients

TMR recently returned from a two-week Viking ocean cruise onboard Viking Jupiter. From the friendly and service-oriented crew to the quality of excursions on offer, there was a lot that impressed.

Here are five things in particular about Viking that will impress your clients.

1. Viking’s Crew

Crew onboard Viking’s ships are well-trained. No matter where on the ship you encounter them, they’re ready with a smile and to ask how your day is going. Waiters and bartenders are quick to ask you your name, and, impressively, will rarely forget it once they’ve been told. It didn’t matter if we’d first encountered a bartender at the Living Room bar and then bumped into him or her in the buffet, they knew our name and was ready to chat.

Housekeepers are thorough. We could tell that nothing went untouched in our room, even down to the glass barricade on our balcony. Banisters and elevator buttons were constantly being cleaned, and empty plates and glasses didn’t stay on tables more than a minute.

So long as a lounge is open, there is always someone to come take your order. While it’s sometimes faster to go up to the bar to order a drink, you don’t have to. Someone will always come to take it.

2. Food “on Demand”

We might be exaggerating a tiny bit, but within reason, Viking can make a special dish for any meal if given at least 24 hours’ notice. For instance, when our cruise companion chose a steak on lobster night, she asked if she could get the lobster the next night. No problem. After one too many vegetarian dishes at dinner, we asked if we could get a turkey burger with fries for dinner the next night. That, too, was no problem. Another day, we asked if we could order something from the room service menu at the dinner table in The Restaurant. Again, no problem.

Let your clients know, if they’re craving something particular and it’s something any reasonable cruise ship would have the ingredients for, it’s okay for them to ask to have it made special.

3. Can Do Attitude

An extension from points one and two above, the attitude of the crew onboard is to always try. While we often got a “can’t make any promises” reply, we never got an outright “no” and most of the former eventually morphed into yeses.

Whether it was that special meal or trying to get onto a sold-out excursion, the crew always tried their best to make it happen.

In a world where the answer “no” is more common than “yes,” it’s a real delight to be in an environment where the goal is to find a way to meet your needs.

4. Viking’s Extensive Excursion Selection

Considering many of the ports Viking visits on some of its cruises, the number of excursions the line offers is impressive. On our “Into the Midnight Sun” voyage, which visited smaller ports the Orkney and Shetland Islands, and in Northern Norway, we typically had a minimum of 10 excursions, with one or two that were included in the price. Of the extra-fee choices, there were usually a variety of choices from themed tours and food tastings to more active selections and wildlife viewing options.

5. Viking’s Award-winning Dining

Dining on Viking’s ocean cruises is a highlight for most passengers. In 2023, Food & Wine awarded Viking its first-ever Global Tastemakers Award. That same year, Viking topped Cruise Critic’s list of best expedition cruise lines for dining and the line has also previously been named a USA Today’s 10 Best Reader’s Choice for dining.

With several dining options on board (all included in the price), Viking passengers are spoiled for choice, with top marks going to its Italian specialty venue, Manfredi’s. Another popular specialty venue is The Chef’s Table, which on a recent two-week sailing rotated between three menus. The most underutilized eatery onboard is Mamsen’s, which serves a small selection of traditional Norwegian menu items. It’s not for the picky eater, but foodies who like to explore new tastes will enjoy it.