Karryon set sail with eight travel advisors on one of Viking’s newest ocean liners, Viking Vela, through the Med in November. Read on for our review, with feedback from the advisors on board.
Dining is a big part of any cruise.
Regardless if you have sea days or not, days on a ship revolve around the three main meals of the day, and when you have 100 chefs on board, as they do on Viking Vela, expectations are high, even when they’re turning around 4,500 meals a day.
It’s an achievement many chefs on land couldn’t do because of the pace alone, let alone the conditions, Executive Chef Jason Millar tells us on a tour of the ship’s galley – one of the many onboard experiences a small, personalised ship like Viking can offer.
Millar spends eight months on the ship and four months off (fishing in Cape Town is where you’ll find him when he’s not on board), but he says it’s an extraordinarily rewarding role.
Watching chefs at work, you can see how streamlined the process is, and it’s little wonder the food is as exceptional as it is, with Millar tasting every single dish.
At Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant kitchen, we learn all pasta is made on board, and that night, when I’m dining in the restaurant on mouthwatering ravioli, and later desserts so heavenly only the clink of cutlery can be heard – there’s no denying the quality of the cuisine.
Getting on board
It’s lunchtime when we board for our ‘Venice, the Adriatic and Greece’ cruise and after being greeted with a glass of champagne, our first port of call is World Café, the main buffet-style restaurant among the eight eateries, a place we’ll find ourselves frequently.
Having cruised on a much larger ship before, I am preparing myself for dining with the masses, struggling to find a seat and feeling a little rushed in and out to make way for the hundreds of others who follow.
What we find is anything but. Tables are well spaced, there are multiple dining ‘stations’ and staff are immediately at your side asking, ‘still or sparkling, or something stronger?’
As Kristy Cornish, tour and cruise specialist at Flat Beds Tour + Cruise says, “all of the dining options were amazing, even the World Café – which, being buffet style, can be touch and go on some ships – but it was high quality with a good variety and fresh food”.
A suite life
We are assigned a Deluxe Veranda Stateroom, not that it matters (well, unless you’re in the Penthouse, Explorer or Owner’s cabins), but all of the staterooms have a veranda and free Wi-Fi.
There are also plush robes and slippers, a coffee machine, mini-bar and spacious ensuite (with heated floors), generous-size shower, wardrobe with more than enough storage for a week-long sail, king-size bed and two-seater couch.
The veranda has two loungers and a table, and is perfect for in-room dining and taking in those breathtaking views.
Despite the many eateries on board, a theatre, and Torshavn, a lounge with live jazz and dancing where many of our group party away the night, the ship is whisper-quiet. Sleep is never a problem – if you want to prioritise it.
Wellness rules
Anyone who knows Viking knows about its revered complimentary ‘The Nordic Spa’, with its hydrotherapy pool, sauna, steam room, heated loungers, snow grotto and cold plunge pools.
This space is like walking into a chic bathhouse. It has a state-of-the-art wellness spa vibe, and it was a winner with the advisors on board, too.
Gallivanter Travel owner Debbie Rains says she certainly made the most of the luxurious facilities.
“Regular treatments, a steam, and a bit of time in the sauna quickly became part of my onboard routine. The team there were excellent, and it really added to that sense of calm and well-being that Viking is known for.”
For Complex Travel Group General Manager Genevieve Thompson it was also an area she prioritised while on board.
“Along with the amazing massages and services offered, we were able to access the complimentary thermal suite with its heated pool, spa, sauna, hot tubs, cold water pool and the snow grotto. A truly unique experience onboard.”
A massage is also a must, and you’ll leave feeling like you’re floating along with the ship.
I also spent several hours in the fitness centre, which would outstrip many a gym in boutique hotels I have stayed at, and you can work out while soaking up the stunning views through floor-to-ceiling windows from the state-of-the-art equipment, including treadmills, elliptical trainers, stationary bikes, weights and a separate area for yoga or workouts.
Wining and dining
When the house-made ravioli creates such a response from its first recipient, the entire table of 12 is ordering the same dish after eating their own, you know you’ve succeeded in the kitchen.
All of Manfredi’s Italian restaurant’s dishes were moreish, and it became a talking point throughout the trip. But the decadent dishes didn’t end there. At The Restaurant, dishes were just as divine. Think Meli Melo Salad of Jarlsberg cheese, quail egg, avocado, cherry tomatoes and garlic croutons; seared scallops with mint pea puree and steamed broccoli and a Little Baked Alaska to finish with ice cream, honey meringue and cookie base.
At The Chef’s Table, the ship’s sommeliers pair wines with the dishes to create the perfect food and wine pairings during a multi-course tasting, while at World Café, there are live cooking demonstrations from the open kitchen.
At Scandinavian-inspired Mamsen’s, home-cooked dishes are created in memory of Viking’s Executive Vice President Karine Hagen’s grandmother Ragnhild, otherwise known as Mamsen’s.
Dine indoors, or al fresco on the Aquavit Terrace for stunning panoramic views, and casual Pool Grill is the place for the famed Viking burger.
As Gallivanter Travel’s Debbie Rains says, “What really stood out to me on the Viking Vela was how beautifully relaxed life on board felt. It never felt crowded or busy, more like staying in a gorgeous floating hotel where every space has been thoughtfully designed”.
“There were so many lovely places to unwind, whether it was a quiet corner in one of the lounges, the Aquavit Terrace for that perfect sea view, or the Explorers’ Lounge for a sunset drink. Evenings were always a highlight.
“The entertainment offered great variety, from lighthearted shows in the theatre to beautiful classical performances in the atrium. The latter was something I wouldn’t normally choose to listen to, but it ended up being one of the unexpected joys of the voyage.”
Port visits
We started our cruise in Athens. You can do this Med cruise one of two ways: Venice to Athens or vice versa.
The blessing of our cruise was that you are sailing overnight, so you open your curtains to a different country almost every day (visiting four countries in eight days and seven ports – including Athens). For a full review of the ports we visited, read this review.
As Genevieve Thompson says, “the included excursion offered by Viking in each port had us out and about exploring each day, giving us free time to venture further on our own”.
“What we loved was that due to the Viking ships being classed as small ships we could dock right in the centre of each town/city that we visited.
“This was most evident in Kotor, Montenegro where we saw many passengers from other cruise lines lining up at the dock waiting for their tenders back to their large ships. We could easily head back to the ship for lunch after our walking tour and then disembark for a free afternoon of exploring.”
As well as the included exclusions with local guides, a highlight for our group was a small-group concert by Darko Nikčević and Srdjan Bulatović, who have gained international acclaim (and many awards) for their virtuosic guitar performances.
This once-in-a-lifetime experience was in the St Nicolas Franciscan Monastery, which sits on the water’s edge, across the bay from our ship. It’s one of the ‘Privileged Access’ events you can do with Viking – and these types of exclusive experiences are what create lasting memories post-cruise.
The Verdict
If I hadn’t known almost 1,000 people on board, I would have never believed it. Not once did we ‘battle the crowds’ whether it was dining, wining or relaxing on board this ultra-stylish ship.
Staff address you by name and do their utmost to make you feel like this is your home away from home. It’s little wonder once you sail with Viking, the brand becomes one you will almost certainly return to for your next cruise.
As Debbie Rains says, “the staff made the experience”.
“Every single person on board seemed genuinely happy to be there, and that shows in the level of service. They were warm, attentive, and seemed to take real pride in making guests feel at home.
“That’s what I love about this style of travel, elegant but easy, refined but never stuffy. You can be as social or as quiet as you like, and no matter where you are on board, it feels like the ship has been designed around how people actually want to travel.”
Facts
Viking Vela is an adults-only, all-veranda ship with no casinos built in 2024.
Capacity: 998
Crew: 500
Total staterooms: 499 staterooms
For more information, visit Viking.
