Viking vs Disney 2019

[LBollengier]

Viking vs Disney scale 1 - 5

I love DCL, pretty much it's all we do but if anyone is interested in Viking, t
his is our comparison. JUST our honest opinion!!

. Disney. Viking .


Food quality buffet 3. 4.5

Food Quality Seated regular. 3. 4.5

Special dining included. No. Yes

Special dining quality. 3.5. 4.75

Cleanliness of windows. 5. 3

Availability for special dining. 2. 5

Friendliness of waiting staff. 4. 4

Beer & wine included w/meals. No. Yes

All inclusive drink pkg available. No. Yes

Use of Spa Facilities included. No. Yes

All rooms have Veranda. No. Yes

Excursion included every port. No. Yes

Heated bathroom floor. No. Yes

No fog heated mirror bath. No. Yes

Free WiFi onboard. No. Yes

Split bathroom 2 sinks. Yes. No

Unsupervised children. Yes. No

Free minibar in room refilled daily. No. Yes

Less than 1000 passengers. No. Yes

Broadway style shows. Yes. No

Disney characters. Yes. No

Free airfare specials. No. Yes

Exclusion from areas by class. Yes. No

Free distilled water in room daily. No. Yes

Free bottled water at every port. No. Yes

Total tip for 10 days. $500. $150

Free room service 24 hrs. Yes. Yes

Room service breakfast. Continental. Full - omelette etc

Coffee maker in room stocked. No. Yes

Library with free books. No. Yes

Hard sell spa products. Yes. No

Photography available. Yes. No

Nut free desserts Yes-lots. Almost none

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Average age 75+. No. Yes

 

[LBollengier]

We were about the average age - I would say average is 55 - 60

 

[randumb0]

OP I am assuming you didn't cruise Viking with kids. I don't think their rooms allow for more than 2 occupants. I am not sure if it is a fair comparison

 

[soniam]

The aesthetic of the Viking ships is so beautiful. They are on our list to try once the kiddo goes off to college.

 

[Cheburashka]

I just checked out Viking's website, and wow, are they expensive. They also only offer long cruises and don't offer the Bahamian/Caribbean cruises which are Disney's bread and butter. They don't have much in common with DCL at all (no families, no private island, no waterslides or other fun activities), so I'm not really sure the purpose of this comparison. It's apples & oranges- a totally different type of cruise and for a totally different market.

 

[Kariyaffa]

Were they in the same price range? You compare the difference in tips and in what’s included but don’t mention if they cost about the same

 

[CaptainAmerica]

OP I am assuming you didn't cruise Viking with kids. I don't think their rooms allow for more than 2 occupants. I am not sure if it is a fair comparison

Viking is 18+ by rule.

The aesthetic of the Viking ships is so beautiful. They are on our list to try once the kiddo goes off to college.

Outside of a few boutique lines with very small ships, I think Viking is the only one with no casinos onboard besides DCL.

 

[Cheburashka]

Were they in the same price range? You compare the difference in tips and in what’s included but don’t mention if they cost about the same

I just checked and it's almost impossible to compare pricing because the offerings are so different. They don't do weeklong cruises to the Caribbean out of Florida, the way Disney does, so those types of cruises can't even be compared to begin with. Viking specializes in longer cruises, so most of their offerings have number of days in the double digits. When I searched for single digit cruises, which were mostly European cruises, none of the ones I saw took place in summer, which is when Disney sails to Europe (and which is high season for pricing). So a real price comparison would be difficult.

Viking certainly isn't cheap. When you look at their pricing online, you have to remember to multiply the price by two, since like most lines and unlike DCL, they show their initial pricing as for one guest only, but it's subject to the double occupancy pricing requirement. So the "from $7,500" cruises really cost $15,000 minimum.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Average age 75+. No. Yes

We resemble that remark.

We’ve cruised Viking Rivers in Europe, both 7- and 14-night itineraries. We find that they offer a quality product. Prices for their river cruises seem to be comparable with a number of other river cruise lines.

We’ve also price compared ocean itineraries on Viking with some of the longer DCL cruises that we’ve done. All Viking rooms have verandahs, and we always book a verandah on DCL (usually cat. 5B midship). Cost per night on Viking for the three comparable itineraries we looked at were about the same as for DCL: Panama Canal, Transatlantic, and Northern Europe/Baltic. The discounted airfares with included airport transfers and included excursions would make total cost for Viking less than DCL for those specific itineraries. Of course, DCL offers a good number of stateroom categories that would be less expensive than the 5B verandahs we book. We have ended up with DCL for those cruises because we enjoy the experience, including having all age groups onboard (although usually fewer on the longer cruises), the characters, the shows, and other DCL touches. Viking serves a more limited market and we well might do an ocean cruise with them at some point in the future, but for now we’re booked on 7 DCL cruises over the next 14 months, so not anytime soon.

 

[tink1970]

OP-what itinerary did you sail?

 

[tink1970]

Viking was my most recent cruise (Feb-Mar 2020, Australia/New Zealand)---and I am a convert! Just waiting to knock out my 2 DCL cruises from 2020 and then my plan is to be with Viking most if not all of the time. Right now Viking is very very cautious with covid protocols, otherwise I'd be sailing on them right now🛳
Also, at 49 I wasn't the youngest passenger--there were at least 5 other pax younger than I was

 

[LBollengier]

We took this Viking as our 3rd trip to Alaska, first 2 on the Wonder. We actually got a really good deal with 2 for 1 pricing and yes we are relatively new empty nesters! We have already taken the grandkids on some cruises, all Disney of course!! But obviously we still cruise as a couple for the most part. I compared these for my benefit and just decided to share it as I know we are not the only ones who feel like Disney has lowered it's standards a bit lately. We only ever did Verandah rooms so that was fairly equal footing. I thought the food was very good which is easier when you are on a vessel with less than 1000 passengers. We quite enjoyed the size of the vessel. We were 59 and 61 and most people were about our age. Some older a few younger.

We are about to take our 18th Disney Cruise and many of ours have been 10-14 days. Personally I wouldn't even bother comparing the other cruise lines I have been on to Disney, I hold them on a pedestal. Just so many knit picky things they've done the past few years have irked me. Starting with the alcohol policy, then the pillowcase or other item signing you used to be able to get (drop off at front desk and pick up last day). Now Palo going to a la carte... It just seems like one thing after the other and with Chapek in charge I see that as a continuing trend. So we checked out Viking. I missed Disney the whole time but it was lovely. I just made the list when I was on the last day of the cruise so I could remember what I did and didn't like. I ran across it and just thought I would share it.

 

[tink1970]

We took this Viking as our 3rd trip to Alaska, first 2 on the Wonder. We actually got a really good deal with 2 for 1 pricing and yes we are relatively new empty nesters! We have already taken the grandkids on some cruises, all Disney of course!! But obviously we still cruise as a couple for the most part. I compared these for my benefit and just decided to share it as I know we are not the only ones who feel like Disney has lowered it's standards a bit lately. We only ever did Verandah rooms so that was fairly equal footing. I thought the food was very good which is easier when you are on a vessel with less than 1000 passengers. We quite enjoyed the size of the vessel. We were 59 and 61 and most people were about our age. Some older a few younger.

We are about to take our 18th Disney Cruise and many of ours have been 10-14 days. Personally I wouldn't even bother comparing the other cruise lines I have been on to Disney, I hold them on a pedestal. Just so many knit picky things they've done the past few years have irked me. Starting with the alcohol policy, then the pillowcase or other item signing you used to be able to get (drop off at front desk and pick up last day). Now Palo going to a la carte... It just seems like one thing after the other and with Chapek in charge I see that as a continuing trend. So we checked out Viking. I missed Disney the whole time but it was lovely. I just made the list when I was on the last day of the cruise so I could remember what I did and didn't like. I ran across it and just thought I would share it.

We've been on 16 or so DCLs so until Viking I thought I would always be a DCL cruiser but...the lack of unsupervised, screaming children and the small size, as well as no casinos, plus the mini fridge, free rainforest like room and the service won me over. When we returned from our trip 2 years ago, I did the same list and found the split bathroom and Disney music in the halls were about the only things I missed. I can kick DH to a public toilet and download Disney music so fairly easy fixes.

My only 2 cruises to AK have been on the Wonder as well so it sounds like Viking is a good option if I decide I'm tired of the heat during the summer

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Also, at 49 I wasn't the youngest passenger--there were at least 5 other pax younger than I was.

I'm 32 now, but the vibe and itineraries of Viking really appeal to me in theory. But I'll never forget when I read on a message board, a prospective passenger was asking if he and his wife would be "too young" for Viking. A few posts later, he revealed that he was 52.

Is it true that the primary way they sort all of their shore excursions is by level of mobility?

 

[tink1970]

I'm 32 now, but the vibe and itineraries of Viking really appeal to me in theory. But I'll never forget when I read on a message board, a prospective passenger was asking if he and his wife would be "too young" for Viking. A few posts later, he revealed that he was 52.

Is it true that the primary way they sort all of their shore excursions is by level of mobility?

I actually cannot remember how the shore excursions are sorted-but that's definitely on the description. First they list the free one, then others and in the description there are mobility levels, duration, vague cost (actual cost isn't listed until your booking opens), etc. While I've dm'd with someone recently who felt that some of her fellow (older) pax overstated their mobility levels on the Med trip, I didn't notice this...the only time I'd get frustrated with the older people was returning to the ship (for some reason that gangplank would just drain their batteries) and at the buffet, when they weren't quite as hyper as I was about getting food in a timely manner/keeping it warm. We were traveling with a couple who are old enough to be our parents (in their 70s) and they put us to shame with the long excursions they took so I really think it depends on the make up of your fellow cruisers on your specific cruise.

 

[LBollengier]

We did a couple of the included excursions, they would be nice if you don't want to pay for an excursion. The included ones were all easy and low impact for everyone. As I said we had been at most of the locations before on Disney cruises so we had an idea of what to do each location. We paid extra for the Taku Glacier excursion for the 3rd time!! Up to now it is my favorite ever! Leaving that place for our upcoming Hawaii cruise - just in case!! Been trying to get to Hawaii for years, it will be hard to be as wonderful as Alaska though.

The smaller Viking Ocean liner was able to get in some places the Wonder couldn't so we did have 2 in between stops that were interesting and beautiful.

Probably the most memorable thing was the spa and free services you could sign up for. My husband's favorites were the2 upscale restaurants you made reservations for that was no extra charge. We actually made a second trip to one of them too as they told us it was based on availability and we checked back.

Another notable feature was the package for alcohol where we paid around $200 and got unlimited wine and cocktails. I took this fun little list of cocktails I had never tried and the bartender looked through the whole thing and made a bunch of them! Of course I tipped him extra!! Their tips are actually included in the fees. There are a lot of things included that I feel like Disney has started to nickel and dime us for. Every room - every passenger got a stainless steel water bottle and there was free chilled distilled water brought to our room every day and if that was not enough they had water filling stations by the spa and gym you had access to.

 

[bbn1122]

I love Disney and will be on the Wish in September. But, the Viking Ocean Cruise around the British Isles and Ireland, one of the cruises stops at Shetland Islands and then heads to Bergen, Norway and some beautiful fjords is calling my name. It’s expensive, but I think it’s definitely something I will keep my eye on and maybe for my next big Birthday being on one of their cruises.
Th extras that are included and special airfare, make the prices easier to digest.
Thanks for sharing 🛳

 

[bbn1122]

I love Disney and will be on the Wish in September. But, the Viking Ocean Cruise around the British Isles and Ireland, one of the cruises stops at Shetland Islands and then heads to Bergen, Norway and some beautiful fjords is calling my name. It’s expensive, but I think it’s definitely something I will keep my eye on and maybe for my next big Birthday being on one of their cruises.
Th extras that are included and special airfare, make the prices easier to digest.
Thanks for sharing 🛳

 

[MomOTwins]

Adventures By Disney does European river cruises too, sounds a lot more like Viking (except open to families with kids on most sailings).

From my research on ABD, my main takeaway is the only thing these river cruises have in common with DCL is the word “cruise.” Big ocean cruise ships are just a different type of vacation. A DCL ship itself is a destination for us, with lots of activities that appeal to all ages, kids clubs, pools/water slides, themed MDRs and broadway shows. With river cruises it is a far more destination/touring heavy vacation—like a portable boutique hotel and restaurants. Both good trips but I do think it is a but apples/oranges to compare.

It did give me an idea though—might be interesting to do a similar exercise comparing WDW and Disney cruises. Very different types of vacation too, though both fun. However, with all the G+ changes since our last trip I probably need to wait until I visit WDW again, as I worry it is not the same vacation it used to be… which is partly why we are doing cruises our next two vacations