Love Viking. No problems. We went to Italy and Viking just added to the experience. This is a ship for adults. If you need Las Vegas entertainment go to Vegas. You want greater variety go on a mega ship. Staff, room, food, and all the extras you are included are exceptional compared to other company ships. It may seem a luxury but Viking is hands down worth every penny.

Excellent review! We're sailing on Viking in less than an year. I have to admit, most of your"'cons" are pros for us!!

Very thorough overview of the Viking Star. Thanks for posting both the positives and areas for improvement.

Jim, what an excellent review! I love your pros & cons. I actually like a lot of what you call ‘cons’. I think you sold me on Viking. Anyway, great job!

Last year we cruised the Med on Viking and I have zero complaints! It was perfect. They remembered my name, my wine preferences, everything. Onboard, they offered a deal on a next cruise if booked on board and we jumped on it! Leave in 3 weeks for a Viking cruise from Athens to Thailand via Egypt and the pyramids. Its all good! About the pool dome; they use it in the winter. We sailed in February and it was handy to have the dome out when it was cold so we could use the pool.

Excellent review as always Jim. At 56 the wife and I would enjoy this kind of cruise more than a more "busy" larger ship and most of the negatives you mention don't put us off. We are saving up for a cruise and your input is helping us in the planning (which we are enjoying thoroughly!).

I have been watching so many of your cruise videos and LOVE them. My husband and I are big cruisers so your videos are influencing our next ship choices :) Side note: I am an asst. manager of a recording studio in Clearwater FL and I listen to music, vocals and voiceover recordings daily. And I have to tell you that you have an incredible voice for radio or TV.. or doing exactly what you're doing, youtube! Thank you for being so informative and awesome. I have subscribed!

@jak3y369

6 жыл бұрын

Colleen Bradham I know this is a late reply but he actually said he used to be a radio presenter back in the 70s :)

@jenniemccloy7404

3 жыл бұрын

I have subscribed also. I agree with The Good Points, like no children, teenagers, Noisy announcements.....etc. But sorry Jim, you're bad points, for me ,they're good points. Before we married, my better half took me on my first 12 day cruise on the old Fairstar, after we had cancelled a long European Tour (Chernobyl), so he booked the very best cabin, which separate bedroom, lounge room with 2 sofa-beds; we could have taken our 2 young sons! That was the only thing we both loved, sailing with a crowded, mostly teenaged passengers. We were 25 & 24. Matt got early to go running, I got early to go swimming, when the pool was refilled with fresh water, with a few families with kids & the Captain. After 2.00pm all the drunks from the got up, the pool soon was awash with dirty bodies, dried vomit, & noise, noise, noise. I am 59 also Jim, so I guess we all have different things that we value when Cruising. My parents we once Cruise Directors on an American- Matson Cruises Line. I do agree that the cabins appear small, on paper. Still I want to see the Northern Lights and Japan, Viking does several cruises that go there. Good luck Jim

Jim, you do a great and credible job with your overviews.

the overly deep pool is a big part of the reason why you could always find a spot in the pool.. it keeps people from hanging out for long

@jen93106

3 жыл бұрын

AHHHH! That makes so much sense... Thank you! 😆

@alanmoore2197

Жыл бұрын

I'd prefer a deep pool I can swim in for a few mins to cool down without needing to avoid the 30 people parked in the pool standing sipping their drinks. Getting out pretty quickly is the price you pay - to me this is far preferable. Generally Viking ships have plenty of space to sit/lounge around the pool anyway.

Really liked this video!! I think all your "misses" are positive for me!! I don't care about gambling and all the "bad" entertainment that some of the other lines have. So glad about the no smoking also. Sounds wonderful for me!!

The commentary speaks of several items as "free." I think that it would be more accurate to say "included in the fare," or "available at no additional cost."

@JimZim

7 жыл бұрын

You're absolutely right, Gordon. That's what I get for "winging it" without a script. If I had scripted it, like I do with a lot of my videos, I probably would have chosen my words a lot more carefully.

@AxelQC

5 жыл бұрын

Complimentary is the accurate term. Nothing is "free" when you paid thousands of dollars to get on board.

@SpeedNoodles

5 жыл бұрын

Yep, thousands more than what you'd pay on most cruise lines. But people are getting a different experience, and I get that.

Very detailed presentation & liked the comparisons. We're booked for Oct & so happy to hear there are no children & no scooters. Most negatives are mostly positive, with the exception being the deep pools. We live in Vegas, so we're not that interested in the shows on the ship, just the shore excursions , good food & relaxation.

We just returned from the Empires of the Mediterranean cruise on the Viking Star. I can honestly say, it was the best cruise experience I have ever had. The ship is beautiful, quiet and very clean. Most of the staff on our trip were from Indonesia and the Philippines and could not have been kinder or more accommodating. I asked for ice in a bucket ONE day and received it every day of the cruise. The attention to detail was remarkable. We loved that there were no small children running around, no casino and not hundreds of people vying for food or pool chairs. We have already booked another Viking ocean cruise! Tours were outstanding although physically challenging at times for my bad knee....Also rest assured the medical care is outstanding. I blew out my knee in Greece and spent an entire day in the ship's infirmary and got outstanding care! You will not regret cruising on Viking! Also Jim, if you had booked a Penthouse Veranda, you would have had a very roomy dresser in the cabin for clothing in addition to the closet.......oh and did I mention the heated floor in the bathroom? Probably one of the best things about the cruise! Cruise director Nolan and assistant Brian were fantastic as was the entertainment on our cruise.

@JimZim

6 жыл бұрын

Yes, the lesson I learned on my Viking cruise was to book a Penthouse Veranda next time, for sure!

Excellent review...we are on the Viking Sea next month and hope it lives up to what you said about the Viking Star. They are sister ships. We just want to enjoy a very pleasant atmosphere and if the weather in the Mediterranean is not bad, then we can walk around and take some tours as well. Thank you for your honest and thorough critique. Great job Jim. Joe

Very well done Jim,many thanks for covering so many things both positive and negative. I've been on over 100 cruises and the Viking river cruise ten years ago was by far the worst. Happy to see they are in the bigger ship category now and have scored good results.Keep the information flowing.Nicely done my friend.

@chriswilliams6568

4 жыл бұрын

William Leeds The Ocean cruises by Viking are more upscale than their river cruises. Not the same.

god job as usual Jim! a lot of good ideas on this ship! sadly till I turn 60 being 46 I feel I would not fit in on board with the fellow passengers! but some of the ideas here are great! the towel thing, room to move, pay per view being included, alcohol being included bring your own bottle thingy! some really good ideas.

Thanks for this review. My wife and I will be going on a cruise on the Viking Sun in less than 2 weeks and this gave me a good idea of the kinds of things to expect. Being our late 40's we may be among the youngest so that'll be interesting

Just got back from our very first cruise which was on Viking Sea and this review ticks most of the boxes for me. We loved it for all his plus reasons and some of the minuses were not an issue for us. We are going again next month. Their attention to hand hygiene is excellent with hand sanitizers at the entrance to every area serving food and they remind you early on in the cruise although they rely on the passengers to continue.

Great video! We're looking at the 8 day Viking Sun because of it's stop in Havana, Cuba. We can't wait to hear about your Haven experience on the NCL Pearl next year. We're booked in the Haven on the Pearl in November 2017.

After watching this video I REALLY want to go on a Viking Cruise!

@leaturk11

5 жыл бұрын

me to

@jenniemccloy7404

3 жыл бұрын

@@leaturk11 Me Three!

@magdalenevillarliberg6104

2 жыл бұрын

Me 4. I'm sold on the cons you mentioned.

Very nice, we're going and I'm very excited about the whole thing. Nice shirt btw

Wow. I wish I’d seen this video before I spent a fortune on Royal Caribbean. This will be my next ship. Thanks Jim.

@chriswilliams6568

4 жыл бұрын

Jodie R yes you needed to be matched with your style of cruise ship. You needed advice. good luck.

Awesome presentation. Thank you. I'm going on the Viking this year

Extremely helpful video. We are getting ready to take our first cruise and it will be on the Viking Star. Hopefully they watch your show and have addressed the few negatives you commented on.

Loved the video. Viking is back on my watch list now. Had quit looking at them because of the price, now with you talking about all the includes I'm thinking, maybe.

@happytraveller2122

3 жыл бұрын

All the inclusions were in their advertising material. You didn’t need this video to know this. 🤷‍♀️

pretty much his "misses" are pluses in my book, except for the pool being too deep. My husband and I choose Viking since there are no children and no "big entertainment junk". We are there to travel in luxury and visit the towns that the ship docks in.

@daydreambeliever6603

7 жыл бұрын

Jean Braun I even like the deeper pool😉

@IRAUDR

6 жыл бұрын

Jean Braun don't hate kids

@haroldthemathfish2385

6 жыл бұрын

I certainly enjoy the luxury aspects of Viking Cruises. We have sailed with them before on their river itineraries. The sole reason that there cannot be children on the vessels is due to insurance complications. I certainly would have enjoyed such a fine experience on the scale of an ocean cruise instead of a river cruise. Unfortunately, the age restriction was two years too high for me. Hopefully, ​I will be able to set sail very soon!

@frankieboy967

6 жыл бұрын

Jean Braun k

@chriswilliams6568

4 жыл бұрын

Harold the Math Fish The Ocean cruises are more high end than their river cruises.

Wow - super great review and tour Jim ! I have a comment/speculation as to why Vikiing's pools are so relatively deep. As a swimmer girl loving to do her laps, I love the fact that others who are in the pool with me not swimming per se, are off to the sides and outta my way LOL ! Everyone has the same right to enjoy a pool as they wish, I understand that, but for people to enter the pool while I'm lapping it up, and just standing there in the center of the pool at length, is a bit frustrating. Therefore I think Viking was considering the swimmer folks like me and many others, since this is an adult-crowd as well. And so Jim and all fellow cruisers, due to your fabulous review and Viking's iuser-friendly website with great virtual tours, my hubster and I are booked (I think the same itinery as you Jim) on their 12 night NYC - Bermuda - Caribbean cruise October 2020 - and they are still having their free air promotion folks. Coming from the Monterey CA area going into NYC and then coming back from San Juan, the savings there is incredible on top of an already reasonable cruise fare. THANK YOU JIM, you personify the perfect cruise reviewer to me - fair and detailed with a lot of humor sprinkled in ! Cheers ! M.

Thank you for your detailed review. I'm cruising on NW Escape next Saturday. I'm going to hold off on Viking until I'm a little more seasoned.

great review. Everything you say goes along with what others have told me. One couple (about your age) told us that they sort of prefer the bigger boats b/c they have more entertainment options. But there's plusses and minuses to all of it. The smaller boats can also fit into better ports (not stuck out at an ugly shipping-container type of port).

What a great review of the pros and cons......i may consider Viking in the future...

Thanks so much. Great, comprehensive review. I really love the sound of Viking Cruises - especially the ones around the Baltic cities. So many pluses and the minuses aren't too bad. Really odd about the depth of the pool though! I think the "keeping it cold idea in the spa pool is aligned with their ideas around heat and cold being good for health. They aren't big on "warm" - they love extremes.

@alanmoore2197

Жыл бұрын

On Viking Sea the thermal suite pool was always warm (but not cold and indeed not hot) but there is a hot tub, sauna/steam room.

Wow, Thank you very much for this video. I am trying to get a job for the Vikings, so thank you again.

Sounds like a nice uncrowded alternative for the older crowd.Thank you.

Traveling to Cuba on this ship Nov. 1, 2018. Looking forward. I liked your review.

I so love Viking. I got sick on my current cruise and medical care was free as long as I follow doctor's orders. I was told to stay in my cabin until the nurse released me, and when she did, all was ok!

@carolmcelheney7152

5 жыл бұрын

About the dome over the pool; for our first cruise it was February so the roof helps.

Found this very informative. Have never been on a cruise before. Thanks

Great video and even better blog review. We are now looking at viking after reading it. Also I sent a link to the review to my Viking vacation planner. Who knows, maybe it will get passed up the food chain and they will invite you back for another cruise

Sounds like a GREAT ship for me, I am going to look into it. What you described is more like the service and accomodations I used to get aboard the "smaller" ships back in the 1970s! Probably even better than those, though, since this ship does not allow kids. The negatives you mentioned would generally not matter to me- I don't often do shore excursions, rarely go in the pool. Variety of food sounds a little iffy, but I expect there is still enough variety to keep me happy. I have watched quite a few of your videos, and this one seems to show the kind of ship I like. I wondered if they existed any longer at anything less than an astronomical price.

hi Jim we have done river cruiseing with viking before and cannot fault them , we are going on the west indies explorer in march cannot wait , really enjoyed your honest review.

@JimZim

7 жыл бұрын

I think you'll really enjoy it!

Glad to hear you were able to stay crocked for the entire cruise at no extra charge!

Great video, if only there were more like you then know what to expect. This would myself and my wife as we fit the age group. Thank you.

I like your giant microphone

Excellent comments You are perfect with good ideas. 🤗🤗 Will book a Viking cruise once this crazy virus is off to another planet.

Mr. Zimmerlin, I so appreciate your thoughtful and well-informed reviews. You have a wonderful speaking voice, and I especially like the fact that there's no annoying music added to the footage, so that we can judge the ambiance for ourselves. You also don't seem to be pushing your own agency. However, you seem so reasonable and well-informed that if you did have an agency, I would definitely be interested in booking through you. Do you, or if not, which agency do you prefer? Perhaps, since you do so much cruising, you could put out a new video just comparing cruise agencies. I would certainly follow your advice.

@JimZim

6 жыл бұрын

Hi George Sorry for being a little slow to reply. Somehow I missed your comment when you first posted it, and was lucky to find it just now when looking through the comments from the last few days. Yes, a lot of the folks that post cruise videos on KZread are travel agents. I can see how KZread would be a good free source of advertising for them. I'm not a travel agent... I just post cruise videos because I'm enthusiastic about cruising... and the ad revenue that KZread shares with me is a nice motivator, too. I generally book my cruises through cruises.united.com/ because they offer a very generous bonus of United Airlines frequent flyer miles for each cruise you book. With the frequent flyer miles, I can quite often upgrade to First Class when I fly United.

This looks amazing! We are in our 30's still (hubby will be 40 next year) so it sounds like we'd be on our own....Some of the things you mentioned remind me of our Disney Cruises we have taken. Service. Top notch and crew very happy. Towels are on the pool deck for everyone's enjoyment, and also you are free to grab one in port. You are asked to bring it back, but nobody tracks them. We are trying our first Royal cruise this May on Anthem of the Seas and we are a bit worried they won't live up to Disney's standards. Love your videos!

@sleepyjo9340

7 жыл бұрын

kikky811 I'm 19, and I rather take this cruise.

@cdavis7510

7 жыл бұрын

We're in our 40s and are cruising on the Viking Sky next year... some of our fellow passengers are younger than us, so I wouldn't worry about it. We cruised on a very, very similar cruise line 17 years ago when we were newly 30... no children, no casino, no smoking; we were definitely in the younger demographic on that ship, too, but so were some others. We've been on 5 Disney Cruises, too; Are def not interested in the megaships any more. We can't wait for this Viking cruise next year! It's all about the luxury cruising and ports.

I find your reviews very helpful, even for a young person. New subbie 🙂

Ha..I’m just 4ft. 9in talk, so a deep pool could be a problem..Although I can tread water for at least an hour(I’m almost75).. 70 degree water is cold, in my book.. Zi agree that the thermal pool should be heated.. That’s the point..

@CesarinPillinGaming

5 жыл бұрын

I think the cold temp in the pool inside has to do with the Scandinavian standard of going into a cold pool or sea AFTER being in the jacuzzi.

@aregee7121

5 жыл бұрын

No wonder you NEVER see anybody in the "thermal" spa in any pictures on any video

Re the deep swimming pool. My thoughts are they prefer guests to use the pool to swim i.e. it is a 'swimming' pool and not a hot tub and rather not have the pool crowded with people standing just to cool off. A very balanced review capturing all the key aspects of a cruise with Viking.

Just got back yesterday from a 14 day Baltic cruise on Viking Star (which didn't make it to Gdansk due to strong head winds or a storm in the way depending on which crew member you spoke to, went to Bornholm instead). Many of Jim's negatives were positives for us. I loved the fact I could get in the main pool and actually swim, I was the only person in it. If it were shallow enough to stand up that would encourage people to just hang around in it, and that isn't the point (to me). The spa pool was not as cold as Jim implied though Fahrenheit means nothing to me so I don't know if his figure was accurate, actually the spa pool seemed quite warm to me. And there is the adjacent hot tub, and the wet sauna, and the dry sauna if you want heat (serious heat in the saunas). We had the Silver Spirits drinks package and that meant speciality wines by the glass and most spirits were included for us. The speciality wines were much better than the house wines, I tried quite a few and went to the two wine tasting sessions and ended up on first name terms with the wine waiters and the sommelier. Half of the balcony partition can be folded back, this meant my balcony and that of my mum and aunt in the adjacent cabin were joined. This was great for popping round to the other cabin or sitting out on the balcony together. Some of the included tours were a disappointment, and some were great. The problem was telling which. For us the walking tours were great, you are so much more immersed in the place you are visiting. Someone else commented that hours of walking was not their idea of fun, but it sounds great to me except none of ours lasted for hours. I disliked the Panoramic tours, these basically meant being driven round in a coach and looking out of the windows at things with the occasional photo stop. I didn't go on the last two Panoramic tours and we just went into town ourselves, the Viking provided shuttle busses were very frequent. I would have liked more bicycle tours, there were only three on a 14 day cruise. The two I went on were great, you cover plenty of ground. I am 52 and from the UK, my mum and aunt are in their 70s. Most of the passengers were Americans in their 60s to 80s and they were a delight to chat to for hours in the atrium or explorers bar after dinner (hence no need for evening entertainment). Many of them had travelled the world, run companies, lived parts of their lives outside the US, etc. The breadth of experiences they had and balanced views of world affairs were so refreshing. I'd go again just for the quality of their company. There were several people on the ship who could barely walk 2 paces (and one that could not), and yet enjoyed themselves and went on some of the excursions and were seen at dinner. So the no electric scooters policy clearly didn't deter them, they were helped by staff with wheelchairs. And speaking as someone who has been run over by electric scooters twice I was very pleased at their absence. I'm not sure I'll go on Viking Ocean cruises again, but only because a) the Baltic is the only itinerary they do at present that interests us, b) as a solo traveller the single supplement makes it very expensive for me. We are booked next year on a Riviera river cruise, partly because they have some standard cabins (admittedly the cheapest ones) with no single supplement. I'll join my mum and Aunt in their deluxe suite.

Earlier this year, we took a 19 day repositioning cruise on Viking Star from San Juan to Barcelona with stops in St Martin, Madeira, Casablanca, Cadiz, and Valencia. While I agree with most of what you said, I do have some disagreement with the negatives. We also had a deluxe veranda cabin and found no problem with storage space so all I can say is you are bringing too much stuff. Another was the variety of the food. It was excellent and if you didn't like any of the half dozen entries for lunch or supper, they would grill you a steak, salmon filet, or shrimp; no need for a steak house. We took the free excursions at each stop and found them to be excellent. Plus, they filled a good portion of the day and allowed for free time before we had to be back onboard. As you point out, the average age of the passengers is a lot older than you get on the other cruise lines and I think Viking has come up with a good selections for the age group. Another positive you forgot or I missed, no photographers sticking their cameras in your face every five minutes. We have cruised on Carnival, Celebrity, Princess, Holland American, and Norwegian. No doubt, Carnival was the worst with Norwegian or Holland American on top. But, none of them come close to the quality of a Viking Ocean Cruise.

Great presentation. Does the microphone double as "security" when you're in port? ;)

9/10 review Fantastic!

Thanks for the great review. I would love to hear a comparison with Disney. I am aware that there is a big difference between the fellow passengers, but am wondering if the level of service is camperable. Thanks again.

Interesting--the "misses" are the very items that make us Viking cruisers. We spent 16 days on the Star and will have 8 days next April on the Sky. Also we've got two river trips in. We agree on the entertainment ... but since we live in Reno NV the stage stuff is ho-hum. Excursions? Ours in Europe have been excellent. Even the buses (river) are Viking. Hey--the 70 degree pool in the spa? That's a Norwegian thing. You go into the Sauna/Steam room--then the snow room--then a dip in the tepid pool. If you want to paddle around with the kiddies there's always Carnival. You mentioned specialty restaurants. Hope you tried the Italian... we went back three times. Fabulous. And the five course/wine Chef's Table is world class. As a travel agent you had to balance, but I detect you realize the Viking experience is the best value experience afloat.

Very nice review. Thank you.

Sounds like most of the negatives are really a plus??? Looks much more sensible than those ugly, overcrowded, floating hotels. If you want entertainment - go to Vegas.

First time viewing your review was nice and not out of order.

Just got off the Star after Going through Panama Canal. Saw one person on a small scooter getting around. Pool water level lowered when at Sea and you can stand up if you have any height above 5’. Covid had the front pool closed. Viking has it dialed I’m on Covid testing. I have cruised with other cruise lines. Only doing Viking because first class all the way.

Personally I would trade all those stupid shows ("entertainment") for a less crowded ship. To me, that's a relaxing vacation. Not being crammed in with a million people and standing in line. Who needs that?

@monkeyb1820

7 жыл бұрын

You don't like magic shows? acrobats/gymnast type shows? magic/variety? There are smaller boats with none of that, although they're typically much more expensive and the average age is around 70 or so.

@explosionsandstuff7787

5 жыл бұрын

I don't know, some of the "comedy magic" acts are pretty awful, and I love magic.

Great review Jim! I am a new subscriber.

Good review! Thank you.

You didn't mention all the greats books everywhere on the ship, all free, and the excellent talks, Just love Viking, oh and their port transfers are super.

Jim I really liked your video. I definitely want to try a viking cruise. We have done a few with Princess and love the cruise life.

Very informative video- looks like a classy ship but as you stated for a mature crowd.

I prefer Seabourn, Crystal or Regent where all types of alcohol are included, all day and regardless of room type. Looks like you had Karl on. I miss having him on Seabourn.

Honest review thanks

Viking is awesome. Heading on a river cruise later this year

Thank you for this really well balanced review Jim. I couldn't have put it better myself. In fact, I didn't on my own Viking review! One thing to note though is that your comparison to other cruise ships only included those of the much larger, more popular and family orientated ships from Carnival, RC and NCL. Perhaps a Viking ship would be better compared to the likes of Seabourn, Crystal or Azamara? Just a thought. Thank you anyway. Most entertaining and very insightful. :)

@alanmoore2197

Жыл бұрын

Exactly - you can best compare this with premium lines with the same approx. sized ships. There will always be less venue/entertainment choices on smaller ships - but far fewer people too and a better chance to experience everything and without waiting in lines. This is a huge benefit to me

what's your newest and biggest ship and is it all adults or can teenagers go

Solution to the deep pool. Bring a squiggly or noodle so you can wrap around you or some other simple float device.

A suite or jr. spa suite, the Diamond or Pinnacle Club and Costal Kitchen on RCCL Oasis & Quantium Class ships and you pretty much have it all, except for the crowded pool on sea days.

Agreed with most of this, love Viking Ocean, as well as Oceania, which is very similar in many ways and perhaps a little less expensive than VO. Perhaps the variety of excursions offered seemed too slim for your liking, but I suppose that's because so many of current Viking Ocean cruisers take advantage of the included ("free" if you'd prefer that term) shore excursion in each port. Think you should have at least mentioned the other restaurants, also included/free. The buffet is decent, and eating dinner or lunch with the big glass windows open if it's nice makes it kind of special. (Eating outside is nice, too.) However, the 2 specialty restaurants are worth mentioning.

Having been on the Viking Star --I think the plus far outway the minuses---some how I survived the no shows and the no steak house ---

Viking sounds like paradise! Why I cruise Holland America. Mostly adults, quiet and really good food!

wow this looks amazing

I love hearing your input, it's very insightful!

Sounds like an ideal cruise!

We are looking at the Pearl April 3, supposed to be fresh out of drydock.

I'm sure we will ,good cruising Jim .

I want to plan a cruise and using your videos for reference and viking star is up there...the one thing that makes me hesitant is that I'd certainly be the youngest on the ship

Well done, thank you.

Jim Great video as usual! Question for you. Are the Viking Sun and Viking Sky the same as the Star Ship in regards to the less crowded feeling? Also, are they like Star in the way they don't nickel and dime you and other perks as you mentioned with the Star Cruise ship? Thanks for any info! :-)

@JimZim

5 жыл бұрын

Definitely yes. All of the Viking Ocean ships are nearly identical in layout and the number of passengers they carry. So, all are equally un-crowded. And the policy of not nickel and diming the passengers is a central part of the Viking Ocean Cruises company philosophy.

@l.m.8468

5 жыл бұрын

@@JimZim thank you!

Would love your take on other luxury lines too: Seaborn, Crystal, Silverseas, Cunard Grills. Love the comparison of the mega ships; the pros and cons.

@jenniemccloy7404

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, please review all the Cruise lines you have been on, thanks Jim

@JimZim

3 жыл бұрын

@@jenniemccloy7404 Actually, I have been doing that all along. The easiest way for you to find all my reviews is to take a look at www.jimzim.net/CruiseHistory.html

Some great perks on Viking.

I love your videos. Do you have one about the Haven?

@JimZim

6 жыл бұрын

Several! Just do a search (on my channel) for the word Haven.

i cant wait , negatives are all positives for me... feb cant come soon enough

Are you paid by viking... your story is unbelievebly enthousiastic... my next cruise will be a viking cruise!!! Question canthey serve vegan ( not vegetairian ) food ?

He seems to have a thing for deep pools. I hear the ocean is deep too. lol But I do like this review.

@jenniemccloy7404

3 жыл бұрын

Exactly, Kent H, lol. I'm 5ft 5inch- 165cm- I live deep pools!

Hey Jim! Where are you docked in this video? It kinda looks like Ocho Rios or Roatan but I’m probably way off! This cruise sounds AMAZING! It may be a bit tame for us (were 32 and 37) but I can see these cruises in the pretty near future! As always, thanks for the detailed review!

@JimZim

4 жыл бұрын

If you're asking where the thumbnail photo was taken... that was St Lucia.

@andrealong4948

4 жыл бұрын

Jim Zim Beautiful! That’s one of my bucket list places to see!

Could you give me some advice on how to sign up for a tour of the bridge on the Viking Sea? I read that you really enjoyed that tour and I'd like to make sure I can do that when we cruise in January.

@JimZim

6 жыл бұрын

I'm afraid that I don't remember how that process of signing up for the tour went. It was something simple, but I don't remember the details. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. I'm sure you can get a tour of the bridge during your cruise. Just ask a crew member about it when you get onboard.

My question is how do you compare Viking to the other six star lines? We’re thinking of trying Viking because we like the interior design. Worried about paying at the bar, and lack of variety at the buffet. Have you reviewed any six star ship? Great site, I have just found it.

@maylangthang749

6 жыл бұрын

The interior design is all you would get out of the cruise. I just get back from this cruise yesterday and it was a BIG disappointment for me in many ways. The food is good but not much varieties, the hours are not 24/7. Breakfast does not open until 7 and closes at 10. Lunch opens at 11 and closes at 3. Dinner opens at 4 and closes at 9. No more food any where on the ship open after 9 pm. Food only available through room service 24 hrs. Their buffet items does not change from day to day much, pretty much the same for breakfast and lunch. Their dinner buffet also the same. If you like king crab legs, mussels, clams, and fish than this might fit your liking. The entertainment is so BORING!!! Nothing to do around the ship but a pianist, a guitarist, and a couple of violinists every single days! Boring boring boring boring....! There are a few table computer games like blackjack, poker, crabs, etc... and the likes if you are into playing computer games. We got one decent night of musical show of Beatles and Abba and that is it! Out of 8 nights that we were on this ship! The other one night they provided another musical jazz show with the equivalent of a high school band. The jazz band were from local in Italy, they were good for HS quality, I would not considered as a great Jazz musical show. Very cheaply set up with mediocre performances. The included shore excursions are nothing to die for. Especially, the one port in Sete. This excursion is just pure walking for 3hrs through narrow crowded streets and traffics. Nothing interesting to see but a few canals with fishing boats and fishing nets. It was hot, no breaks in between and no bathroom break, no shopping time allowed. Just pure walking in hot weather for 3 hours with no accommodation of any kind! Port of Sete was basically a fishing town of 40,000 population with a long stretches of old buildings. That's all. No beach stop for swimming or trolling or snorkeling. Monte Carlo casino in Monaco charges 17 euros (20 us dollars) to get in. Do not waste your money for this. Nothing inside the casino worth seeing. Far less inferior to some of the casino in Las Vegas! The architectures were not that impressive to me considering the fame it claims. And the walk only last about 15 minutes, not a very big casino. The outside of it is more interesting and nicer than the inside. Most of the included excursions are just walk walk and more walking! Very cheap and tiring way of exploring. Considering the price they charge 5k per person, 10k for both, and you have to book a double occupancy to get this price. We have to walk on all of our included excursions. They are long and very hot with no lunch included. And again no time for any shopping. Everything is rush rush and hurry hurry! It's like I am into a walking marathon! We skip on 2 included shore excursions and went on our own. We pay 11 euros for a boat ride around the town of St. Tropez of France and that was nice. We took our own time to do the shopping ourselves without the bugged of hurry hurry... from the guide. In Monte Carlo we paid hop on and off bus 23 euros to take us around Monaco to do shopping, sights seeing, and some gambling. Forget the included 3.5 hrs walking tour, not worth my time walking around in the hot sun and always in a hurry. The plus side of this cruise is that the crews are exceptionally nice and served very well. Nice decorations on board. That's all you are getting for paying high price on this cruise. I would not come back to this cruise line ever again. Too expensive for very little return. Boring Boring Boring and cheap excursions. Norwegian is much better.

@trg78lji43r

6 жыл бұрын

My experience was the same as May LangThang. The included excursions were a joke. In the description of Monte Carlo excursion, they mentioned about visiting Oceanographic Museum. But what really happened was we stopped in front of the museum and the tour guide explained the museum was built by XXXX blah blah blah and whoever interested can come back later on their own....then we walk off to the park. Also we did a paid tour in Rome, we went inside the Colosseum and that was alright. But next at Roman Forum (Palestine Hill)... again we stopped right after the entrance seeing the remains from far away and the guide started history lecture for like 15 minutes then back to the bus. Viking has great itineraries but unless you book with 2 for 1 promotion, Viking is overpriced for what it offers.

@chriswilliams6568

4 жыл бұрын

May LangThang you should have researched your choice of cruise line better, you obviously like the big glitzy showy ships with thousands of people in a fairground type setting. Every cruise line has its following, we each have to do some research.

Could not help but wonder if the "formal nights" really still are on the Viking Star. My wife and I have been on many, many cruises over the years and whereas before the formal nights were something really special on our last cruise (Conquest) there were diners wondering into the dining room for dinner on formal night in jeans and t-shirts. We aren't stuffy - believe me. Worked in public service my entire life. But it was just sort of a reminder of days gone by and gave us an opportunity to dress up, get some photos taken and have a different sort of night out together.

@maylangthang749

6 жыл бұрын

No formal nights here if you are looking forward to one. See above reply for more info.

Jim love these videos! Have you ever been on Royal Caribbean out of Baltimore to Bermuda? I want to take that cruise and was curious if your opinion.

@JimZim

6 жыл бұрын

I haven't sailed out of Baltimore. You gotta be careful to only cruise out of a place like that during the good weather months... my guess would be April through October. The seas of the Atlantic can be kind of nasty during periods of bad weather. A friend of mine was telling me about a cruise they took in January out of Baltimore and it sounded like a complete nightmare! We did a cruise out of New Jersey in March of 2017 and we hit some pretty rough weather on the last two days on the way back. Not recommended! But in the summer time, I bet it would be great. In August and September and October you would be gambling with hurricane season. The safest bet would be May, June, or July... I would think.

@danielaufdem-brinke8391

6 жыл бұрын

Jim Zimmerlin thanks Jim! You the man! I was looking at June so I’m hoping the weather will cooperate

@JimZim

6 жыл бұрын

I think that would be ideal!

Enjoy the informative video, but I have a question for you. Did you pack that ginormous mic in you suitcase?

@JimZim

7 жыл бұрын

I travel with a LOT of gear! I definitely do not pack light for a cruise. 3 cameras, a tripod, that big microphone, a laptop computer. I did recently scale back to only carrying 2 lenses for my DSLR instead of 3. I take two big suitcases on a cruise, plus a backback full of camera gear. Gotta have all the tech stuff to produce good videos!

I never went on a cruise because the thought of thousands of loud, ignorant, shabbily dressed drones got me physically I'll. If I do cruise, I will cruise Viking, thanks to this videos. I am 53, old but not 70 yet, fit, active and athletic, but I hate loudness, crowds and bad manners. I appreciate quiet. Viking it may be for me.

@chriswilliams6568

4 жыл бұрын

kronos77 you would love it.

Looks great. Was the thermal suite pool always cool? I loved the thermal suite on the Epic so would be nice that this is included but would be disappointed if water wasn't warm.

@JimZim

5 жыл бұрын

When I was on the Viking Star, and that was more than a year ago, they did always keep the big pool in the thermal suite a bit cool... not Jacuzzi temperature like Norwegian keeps theirs. But I don't know if they still do it that way. However, as luck would have it, I am on another Viking cruise this week... and I will definitely be checking the temperature of the pool in the thermal suite. I even brought a pool thermometer with me, so I could measure the temperature in order to better explain to people what the situation is. Give me a day or two, and I'll get in to that pool and measure the temperature.

@JimZim

5 жыл бұрын

I am delighted to report that the water in the thermal suite on Viking Sea is hugely warmer than what I experienced a year and a half ago on Viking Star. I noticed it as soon as I entered the pool. I had a thermometer with me, and the water temperature was 95 degrees in the big pool in the thermal suite, and 101 in the Jacuzzi in the thermal suite. It felt absolutely perfect to me. My guess is that Viking heard feedback about the pool temperature that they had back in 2017 and decided to raise it. I would guess that it's not just the Viking Sea, but the whole Viking fleet. I doubt the individual ships make their own decisions on something like that... the head office probably makes a decision for the whole fleet. I'm really pleased that they figured out that they had their thermal suite pool too cold! 95 is so much better than what I experienced a year and a half ago!

@jwedgewood9116

5 жыл бұрын

@@JimZim thank you for the follow up on this. The viking ships look great and I'm considering for my 2020 cruise .

Wonderfully detailed, but now it's time to check the cost. I'm wondering if this ship falls closer in line to the other "Luxury " brands that also holds under a thousand passengers, like Silver Seas or Crystal Cruises. Instead of the cost friendly NCL or Royal Caribbean which you describe as crowded. Sometimes in order to cruise we must put up with some negativity. Still, if the prices are within my reach, I'd pick Viking if only because no splashing kids on board.

@JimZim

7 жыл бұрын

I think you'll find the pricing is a lot lower than the "luxury" lines. It's definitely more expensive than the mainstream lines such as Royal Caribbean, but then again you get a lot more, too.

@andreatuckman1084

7 жыл бұрын

Jim Zimmerlin okay so I went online and checked pricing. $6000-$10,000 for an 8 day cruise depending on the destination. Well, considering a river cruise in the USA runs about $10,000, I guess we shouldn't complain . Unfortunately it will take me about a year to save for either one.

Interesting that you have not done a Viking vs haven comparison

Your voice is so soothing

I enjoyed your video