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It’s hard to go backwards from World Cruises to short itineraries, no matter how wonderful the ports.

IT’S NOT ENOUGH TIME

What I missed most on this week-long cruise was the opportunity to really get to know individual crew members. It was incredible to reconnect with some we’d gotten to know well on the 21/22 and 24/25 World Cruises. Because Viking crew are so well chosen and trained we were recognized by name within a day of boarding, but 7 days is too short for meaningful interactions.

That said, yesterday at breakfast the delightful ebullient Masline came over to our table (not in her “official “ section) and asked if it would be okay to miss me when we leave. I will miss her!!

The same applies to passengers. We met some really lovely people, but rarely had a second or third opportunity for the kinds of interactions needed to deepen relationships.

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I PACKED TOO MUCH

We didn’t need as many “dinner” clothes as I’d expected, since back-to-back-to-back port days meant we were often just too tired to eat anywhere other than the World Café (which continues to be light years ahead of the “typical” cruise industry buffets).

Our carry-on suitcases could have been lighter.

ENTERTAINMENT IS MORE LIMITED

The live music on the ship was great, but the evening theatre shows couldn’t hold a candle to what we experienced on the World Cruises. The Viking Vocalists were really put through their paces; over 7 nights they performed three of Viking’s four rotating production shows (Duets, Southern Sounds, and The Beatles Songbook – only ABBA was missing). They’re fun, but the format is repetitive, and that was reflected in less than crowded theatres. The resident Classical Duo took the stage one night, and our Cruise Director had a solo show to round out the week.

If this was our first Viking ocean cruise, we would not have been impressed by the shows, although even on this short itinerary Viking managed to bring a “destination performance” on board in Rome prior to sailing – and they were terrific.

AT LEAST WE DIDN’T GAIN TOO MUCH WEIGHT

In our opinions, Viking shines in the area of food, and even on a short cruise managed to feature one ship-wide special event (the surf & turf barbecue on the pool deck). Over just 7 dinners we were able to enjoy each of the two specialty restaurants once (Manfredi’s Italian and our beloved Chef’s Table), eat in the main dining room twice, and the buffet twice. BUT… we’ve been spoiled by the incredible special events offered on Viking’s World Cruises.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO BROKE BOOKING EXTRA EXCURSIONS

We consciously made the decision to do (almost) only the “included” excursions. Compared to our limited experience on other cruise lines, Viking still has by far the best excursion organization (grouping, transfers, timing, instructions), and hires incredible tour guides – who constantly tell us that they’d rather work for Viking than anyone else.

Ted and I love that there is a strong focus on UNESCO World Heritage Sites, “privileged access” and “behind the scenes” opportunities at popular tourist attractions, and options for direct interactions with local people via in-home cooking classes and art demonstrations (even though we did neither this time).

A WEEK IS TOO SHORT TO TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE

A huge part of what differentiates Viking from other cruise lines is the quality of their lectures and lecturers: professors, diplomats, astronauts, naturalists, etc. On the World Cruises there are up to 8 lecturers on board, and of course there are sea days during which there is time to attend lectures at various times of day.

We had the opportunity on this cruise to have dinner with one of the lecturers, but because we were in port every day, the live lectures by the two on-board guest lecturers were given at 6:30 p.m., which is dinner hour. Lectures are recorded, so we could have chosen to watch them, but between eating, listening to music, and wanting time to write and curate photos, we didn’t – which meant we missed out on some wonderful learning opportunities.

BOTTOM LINE

Overall, we loved cruising with Viking again but, as far as their ocean cruises are concerned, for me one week is far too short. I’d say 21 days is the least period of time for which I’d want to be on board. That would also mitigate the effect of “lost” jet-lag time.

I’m glad we’re retired and can commit to longer sailings.

On their World Cruises, especially, Viking really pulls out all the stops to deliver an outstanding experience in every aspect. As Ted would say, “they’re a completely different beast”, and one that we love.