Can you compare Viking Ocean and NCL cruise lines for Mediterranean voyage?

[Ginevra]

We are planning a cruise trip with friends next year (fall 2024). Most likely departing or arriving in Rome and including Florence but beyond that, I’m not too picky about what other ports we’ll have on the itinerary. Friend is interested in Viking. I am not necessarily opposed, and there are things I think I would love about Viking, but it is significantly higher in price. I have never been on Viking before. 
 

NCL (Norwegian) does have some very good itineraries and we have been on NCL before and had a great experience. It is far less expensive. I really love the way NCL times their port calls; they mostly sail at night and then you are in port at 7am the next day. This is a strong selling point for me because the trip is about the ports for me; it’s not that much about the ship. 
 

Anyone with experience on Viking? Did you find it to be worth the higher expense? Anything else that might be helpful for me to know? 

[lmrich]

Can't compare the two, but we  are doing a cruise to Alaska with a lot folks (friends who  invited friends kind of thing)...  we are working with a travel agent, which  I have never done before, but it is very helpful. 

Also when  comparing -  remember to price out excursions. I know some river cruise include excursions. 

[Janeway]

My oldest sister wants all of us siblings and spouses to take a trip in a few years. She has sent me links to many trips and I am unsure what to do.

[Bootsie]

I haven't been on Viking, but I have done two Mediterranean cruises on NCL--one was from Rome to Greece, the other was from Barcelona with several Italian ports (Naples, Rome, Pisa/Florence).  We enjoyed both cruises, but the one from Barcelona was on an older ship and many people complained about the small cabins and lack of newer ship amenities.  Also, ports for Rome and Florence are quite a distance from the cities; the cruise had a port stop each day and people who tried to do a tour in every city found it tiring.  

[Corbster98]

1 hour ago, lmrich said:

Can't compare the two, but we  are doing a cruise to Alaska with a lot folks (friends who  invited friends kind of thing)...  we are working with a travel agent, which  I have never done before, but it is very helpful. 

Also when  comparing -  remember to price out excursions. I know some river cruise include excursions. 

I live in Alaska if you have any specific questions. Just send me a message. 

Enjoy your trip!!

[PeterPan]

I'm booked on a different cruiseline (MSC, budget, budget) but had thought about jumping to NCL. If you look kind of last minute, prices on NCL, Celebrity, etc. drop and get pretty similar. I didn't move over to NCL, partly because of the itinerary but largely because the NCL ship was OLD. The spa was outdated, not worth changing for. Definitely look at the ship and amenities if they matter to you. I would expect the Viking ship to be much nicer and have a better ratio of staff to passengers, better service, better food, etc., all the things that go with paying more.

I personally would also be miffed if my friends asked me to pay double for something when I would have been happy on a cheaper/different option. Are you sure you want to cruise with them? It's not necessary and to me, if the money is an issue, it will cloud your enjoyment. You could have a LOT of fun with the price difference on some of these cruiselines.

YES, you are absolutely wise to be caring about the time in ports!!! The twist though is you need to look at whether the ships *tender* or actually dock. Sometimes a port has both but smaller ships dock in the port and larger ships tender. Viking could have an advantage there. 

You're also going to have some demographic differences I think. I'm not entirely sure about that, but I think so. You might look for some videos on youtube, maybe by Gary Bembridge, and see if he has anything on Viking. He does a lot of upscale cruise reviews, and I find I like the pizzazz and level of activity that comes with larger ships. Just me. 

I'll say it again. I would NOT pay $$$$$ more just to appease friends. If you aren't feeling it, go your own way and book what you like. That money might get you massages, stellar excursions, all kinds of things. Now if the extra is nothing to you, fine. But don't be afraid to do your own thing, mercy. 

Edited September 10, 2023 by PeterPan

[PeterPan]

Btw, you want to do something crazy? Go look at the MSC World Europa. It sails in the Med and that ship has a spa like NOBODY'S BUSINESS. I kid you not. Who needs friends when you have a multi-room spa you could stay in all day? 🤣

[PeterPan]

I don't know if I can link it for you. MSC lets you get on/off at every port. Check out the World Europa. You could get on in Barcelona, which is cheap/easy to fly to. You can still do Rome, no problem. Fly to Rome, do your time there, then hop over to Barcelona and get on board. EasyJet is crazy cheap there. The World Europa blows my mind. I'm not a super huge MSC fan, but they have this really different approach to entertainment and their vibe too. If you want to be different, it's kind of fun. And if you like the spa, it's mind boggling. 

 

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, Janeway said:

My oldest sister wants all of us siblings and spouses to take a trip in a few years. She has sent me links to many trips and I am unsure what to do.

 Go if you want and don't if you don't. 🙂 Cruising is great fun and it can be fun to have a large group. I'm not a group person, so the thought of having to delay, wait, do what the group wants, etc. would completely destroy my soul and ruin my vacation. Yuck, yuck, yuck. And if that's what you're feeling, I agree. But if you LIKE hanging with a group and doing group activities and group dinners and this and that, do it! Cruise lines are set up to handle this, with large tables, etc., and it's a blissfully restful way to vacation. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Viking ships are smaller, and therefore often port in different locations than the mega ships. I’d check on where the ships actually dock, because that will affect how much time you can spend in the cities you want to see. 

[PeterPan]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otTfZ5_fPgE

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uO8iHJLqFY

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um3KlBzZn9g

 

Here's Gary Bembridge that I mentioned. He books high end stuff, so he did a suite on Viking, the Yacht Club on MSC, etc. etc. and brings a lot of perspective. He's as nice in person as he comes across in his videos btw. I met him on one of the recent cruises he made a video about. 😁

Definitely watch the videos, especially his video where he revisits Viking a year later. It's not about good/bad, just what fits what you're looking for.

Edited September 10, 2023 by PeterPan

[PeterPan]

Btw, if the ports are important to you, have you looked at the ports carefully? You can get a cruise that departs from Rome that will go to the eastern Med. Ports are much more interesting for history over there. (Knossos, Athens, Istanbul, Ephesus, etc.) I'm sort of against the stream, so I like the oddball ports. Definitely take the time to look before you book. 

Also, for the price of that Viking cruise you could probably do a Med cruise *and* sail back on a transatlantic to extend your fun. The transatlantic cruise will possibly stop at ports that would have been on your western med itinerary, so you can do the eastern med and get a touch of western med on the same trip. 😁

Edited September 10, 2023 by PeterPan

[Janeway]

36 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

 Go if you want and don't if you don't. 🙂 Cruising is great fun and it can be fun to have a large group. I'm not a group person, so the thought of having to delay, wait, do what the group wants, etc. would completely destroy my soul and ruin my vacation. Yuck, yuck, yuck. And if that's what you're feeling, I agree. But if you LIKE hanging with a group and doing group activities and group dinners and this and that, do it! Cruise lines are set up to handle this, with large tables, etc., and it's a blissfully restful way to vacation. 

I really want to go with them to be with them. But I don’t like the idea of a cruise or the fact that they seem to last so long.

[PeterPan]

10 minutes ago, Janeway said:

I really want to go with them to be with them. But I don’t like the idea of a cruise or the fact that they seem to last so long.

Ok, then some things to know. We were sort of nervous when we started cruising too, and we just took the plunge and went all the way. Turns out we LOVE it. So it could turn out you like it. 

Things to know?

-There's a lot of VARIETY. Almost anything you like is probably happening, meaning it's pretty hard to be bored. You can eat, go to the spa, go to crafts, read, lay out, make friends, go to trivia, watch movies in your cabin, on and on. I've had SO many crazy experiences. I made friends with the ship magician one cruise because I would go down to the library late at night to read. He was there with another magician doing tricks, night after night, and I got sucked in. 😁 But you really do have to be you, do you, do the things you like. I like to eat and do the spa. I'm sort of fringe, so I might go into a show or might not. Mainly food and the spa. I like dive in movies that they show on the big screens. If the spa sucks, I'm so out of luck because I spend a LOT of time there, lol. But I took a friend and she was all about her reading and sat in the adults only area reading. You do you. and you'll be happy.

-Cruising is the most blissful vacation. You send your kids to the kids clubs. They are happy, you don't worry. No cooking, no cleaning, no laundry. My ds wet the bed almost nightly, like completely soaking it even through night pants, etc. I did SO much laundry for so many years. I KISSED THE FEET of the workers who were willing to attend to that while I was cruising so I could have a break. Seriously. Paid stuff, everyone safe, and you get to go talk with adult humans and do your own thing. Bliss. Sheer bliss.

-The staff are adorable. I'm not sure how you could possibly get bored. In addition to the activities, just the people are on board. I make friends with the crew, learning their names and saying hi. People hide ducks. I will do shared tables for meals and make friends, then I have friends around the ship. I make friends in the spa. For a not very social me, I seem to do well with this smile and greet level of social. It's just enough for me and makes it fun without being a heavy commitment. 

-You might need to prepare. We practiced dealing with the horn noise. Yes, it's a lot of transition to go somewhere else for a week. My ds wet his pants multiple times the first time we went cruising, just from the stress. It's OK to say it's stressful to try something new!! What you're doing though is you're modeling this and helping your kids learn to do this. My ds now can travel. He can just pack his own suitcase (for real!) and get on a plane and be chilled and do it, no stress at all. So when you do something over and over, you get better at it. If you don't climb that hurdle, you stay where you are. It's worth the effort for yourself, for your kids, but it's ok to say it's going to be stressful and that you might want to take some chamomile and take familiar items to help it go better.

Edited September 10, 2023 by PeterPan

[Resilient]

Have no experience but two friends who cruise with adult children and they live Viking cruises.  I am given to understand it is 18yo+.  
 

I’m interested but dh not so much.  😒

[Laura Corin]

6 hours ago, PeterPan said:

I don't know if I can link it for you. MSC lets you get on/off at every port. Check out the World Europa. You could get on in Barcelona, which is cheap/easy to fly to. You can still do Rome, no problem. Fly to Rome, do your time there, then hop over to Barcelona and get on board. EasyJet is crazy cheap there. The World Europa blows my mind. I'm not a super huge MSC fan, but they have this really different approach to entertainment and their vibe too. If you want to be different, it's kind of fun. And if you like the spa, it's mind boggling. 

 

Be very aware of tiny baggage allowance on Easyjet.  The extra fees can add up fast.

[Ginevra]

11 hours ago, PeterPan said:

personally would also be miffed if my friends asked me to pay double for something when I would have been happy on a cheaper/different option. Are you sure you want to cruise with them? It's not necessary and to me, if the money is an issue, it will cloud your enjoyment. You could have a LOT of fun with the price difference on some of these cruiselines.

It’s not like that, though. They’re not insisting it must be Viking or nothing else. When we first discussed it, the friend said she was interested in Viking and thought we would enjoy a smaller ship more. I just want to have a good idea if it’s the best option or not. We plan to have dinner with them soon and I want to have a good understanding of options so we can together make the best choice. 

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, Ginevra said:

It’s not like that, though. They’re not insisting it must be Viking or nothing else. When we first discussed it, the friend said she was interested in Viking and thought we would enjoy a smaller ship more. I just want to have a good idea if it’s the best option or not. We plan to have dinner with them soon and I want to have a good understanding of options so we can together make the best choice. 

Then I would watch the Gary Bembridge videos. He says what he liked best about the Viking cruises was the educational aspect. If you like to free wheel and do your own thing in ports, if you like a LOT of entertainment and things going on, it might not be your ship. Best is only what's best for you. I tend to like big ships with a lot going on, so I was watching his videos thinking about the tradeoffs. Emma Cruises is another who has wonderful reviews of Med cruises. She was just on Azamara I think. 

If you're not feeling the love for the Viking Med cruise but have those dollars, you might look at a Viking river cruise in europe or even a river cruise in EGYPT. That way you won't spend the whole time thinking you would have been just as happy on NCL.

Edited September 10, 2023 by PeterPan

[livetoread]

I haven't sailed them, but my parents have multiple times. They did the river cruises though. They liked Viking a lot and thought it was worth the extra money, but then they have a lot of money, lol. They tend to cruise the next level up from us. We do Royal Caribbean, and they do Viking, Oceania, and Celebrity.

More expensive cruises tend to have better food, fewer kids, entertainment is more upscale (think more high brow music and less belly flop competitions), fewer people, and excursions can be included which can add up if you do ship excursions.

So in deciding whether more money is worth it, you have to know what your priorities are for cruising. Do you like really good food versus decent food, is high quality entertainment important, do you prefer a string quartet or a conga line, etc?

 

[PeterPan]

6 hours ago, livetoread said:

high quality entertainment important,

Ironically, from what Gary Bembridge was saying, the entertainment on the Viking med cruises is really lacking. They skew more toward lectures.

 

[Ginevra]

3 hours ago, PeterPan said:

Ironically, from what Gary Bembridge was saying, the entertainment on the Viking med cruises is really lacking. They skew more toward lectures.

 

I greatly enjoyed watching the Gary Bembridge links you posted, so thank you for that. His reviews of Viking do make me lean strongly that direction. I love the verandas on all rooms. I love the historian and “Thinking Man” style (Although - hello? “Thinker’s Cruise” Would be much better. No gender stereotypes, thank you.) I like the inclusive price. And I like no kids and an older demographic.  

[Janeway]

22 hours ago, PeterPan said:

Ok, then some things to know. We were sort of nervous when we started cruising too, and we just took the plunge and went all the way. Turns out we LOVE it. So it could turn out you like it. 

Things to know?

-There's a lot of VARIETY. Almost anything you like is probably happening, meaning it's pretty hard to be bored. You can eat, go to the spa, go to crafts, read, lay out, make friends, go to trivia, watch movies in your cabin, on and on. I've had SO many crazy experiences. I made friends with the ship magician one cruise because I would go down to the library late at night to read. He was there with another magician doing tricks, night after night, and I got sucked in. 😁 But you really do have to be you, do you, do the things you like. I like to eat and do the spa. I'm sort of fringe, so I might go into a show or might not. Mainly food and the spa. I like dive in movies that they show on the big screens. If the spa sucks, I'm so out of luck because I spend a LOT of time there, lol. But I took a friend and she was all about her reading and sat in the adults only area reading. You do you. and you'll be happy.

-Cruising is the most blissful vacation. You send your kids to the kids clubs. They are happy, you don't worry. No cooking, no cleaning, no laundry. My ds wet the bed almost nightly, like completely soaking it even through night pants, etc. I did SO much laundry for so many years. I KISSED THE FEET of the workers who were willing to attend to that while I was cruising so I could have a break. Seriously. Paid stuff, everyone safe, and you get to go talk with adult humans and do your own thing. Bliss. Sheer bliss.

-The staff are adorable. I'm not sure how you could possibly get bored. In addition to the activities, just the people are on board. I make friends with the crew, learning their names and saying hi. People hide ducks. I will do shared tables for meals and make friends, then I have friends around the ship. I make friends in the spa. For a not very social me, I seem to do well with this smile and greet level of social. It's just enough for me and makes it fun without being a heavy commitment. 

-You might need to prepare. We practiced dealing with the horn noise. Yes, it's a lot of transition to go somewhere else for a week. My ds wet his pants multiple times the first time we went cruising, just from the stress. It's OK to say it's stressful to try something new!! What you're doing though is you're modeling this and helping your kids learn to do this. My ds now can travel. He can just pack his own suitcase (for real!) and get on a plane and be chilled and do it, no stress at all. So when you do something over and over, you get better at it. If you don't climb that hurdle, you stay where you are. It's worth the effort for yourself, for your kids, but it's ok to say it's going to be stressful and that you might want to take some chamomile and take familiar items to help it go better.

I would prefer a trip that would not allow kids. Everyone wants to make this an adult only trip and my one cousin has said he wants to bring his adult daughter, who is 19 and exactly the same age as my second child. I don’t want to exclude my children but then have others’ kids there. That happened a couple years ago. I was told it was an adult trip, then my cousins showed up with their kids younger than mine. It really bothered me. 
 

That being said, do you have any trips you recommend?

[PeterPan]

11 minutes ago, Ginevra said:

I greatly enjoyed watching the Gary Bembridge links you posted, so thank you for that. His reviews of Viking do make me lean strongly that direction. I love the verandas on all rooms. I love the historian and “Thinking Man” style (Although - hello? “Thinker’s Cruise” Would be much better. No gender stereotypes, thank you.) I like the inclusive price. And I like no kids and an older demographic.  

Oh that's wonderful!! Yes, I suspect his assessments are spot on. If you liked those things in his video, it's probably an exceptional fit. It's not best or good/bad, just the fit. And if your friend knew you and knew enough about Viking to know it would be a good fit, that's very perceptive! 🙂

[PeterPan]

6 minutes ago, Janeway said:

I would prefer a trip that would not allow kids. Everyone wants to make this an adult only trip and my one cousin has said he wants to bring his adult daughter, who is 19 and exactly the same age as my second child. I don’t want to exclude my children but then have others’ kids there. That happened a couple years ago. I was told it was an adult trip, then my cousins showed up with their kids younger than mine. It really bothered me. 
 

That being said, do you have any trips you recommend?

Virgin. The 19 year old could go because the minimum is 18. It's a very adult environment, so you wouldn't even be tempted to take your kids. The food is AMAZING, the ship striking. You definitely would not be bored. 🤣 I haven't cruised on Virgin, but I've been docked beside the Scarlet Lady and seen her. Cruising with Ben & David has reviews and they LOVE her. I'm not saying it's too my taste, because I'm a really quiet, sit in the spa kind of person. The entertainment would be, um, pretty extreme for me. But for what you're describing, it could be really fun. 

 

[PeterPan]

11 minutes ago, Janeway said:

an adult only trip

Virgin definitely is adult only, so it will eliminate conflict. They're pretty young at heart, so they have unusual entertainment. They have HAMMOCKS on their balconies!!! I'd book just for that. I've heard they also have, um, "toys" in the cabins. Like I said, definitely an adult cruise. But the food, oh my the food. It would be so unusual you would never be bored. You could get tatoos.

Edited September 11, 2023 by PeterPan

[PeterPan]

19 minutes ago, Ginevra said:

No gender stereotypes,

Ironically, both vloggers I've linked here are outspoken about having same sex partners or marriages, so I doubt they were intending to offend anyone. Ben & David will point out when ports are *not* welcoming or safe for some people, etc.

[PeterPan]

33 minutes ago, Janeway said:

That being said, do you have any trips you recommend?

When do you want to go? If you find a travel agent you trust, that's one way to book. You can also connect with the cruise line and have them assign you a personal concierge or cruise consultant. Every line has them, and it's handy to have someone who works there who can handle things for you. Rather than just randomly booking, I would let someone help you like this. 

I'm looking at Virgin to see what they have going. There are a LOT of deals for Australia right now. Australia is open but they have been such a pain in the butt with their c-vid policies that it killed tourism. I'm constantly getting free/stupid cheap cruises offers for there which would mean just the cost of a plane ticket. Unfortunately, even that would be $$$$$$ for me. 

I like Jan/Feb in the Caribbean. Pulling that up, I'm seeing $175 a day per person. Remember that's very all inclusive, no surprises, including drinks, gratuities, etc. Their 5 night itineraries would be tons of fun and keep the cost down. Puerta Plata is the Dominican Republic and I've been there (Amber Cove, the port associated with that town) many times. LOTS of fun. Cozumel would be amazing fun for your group. People will go to Mr. Sanchos and spend the day on the beach. If you want to get spendy, there are some amazing full day excursions you can do to the mainland where you swim in caves, snorkel with turtles, etc. Bimini is just a great beach day.

Widening the dates, I'm seeing prices as low as $129 per sailor per night, which again is reasonable when you consider what is included. They're also doing an airfare promotion. You need to make sure that when you do this you all book TRAVEL INSURANCE. You can consider whether you want CANCEL FOR ANY REASON insurance or just regular insurance. Cancel for any reason insurance is something you get through a vendor like www.tripinsurancestore.com You can get quotes, compare prices, see what suits you. If your willingness to go is dependent on the group, meaning you would want to cancel if others canceled, then you will want cancel for any reason insurance. 

You could also do a Disney cruise and have a ton of fun with your group. It would cost $$$ but that way people could just bring their kids and be done with it. The kids would be occupied and the adults would have an amazing time. I also like Carnival, but the main advantage there is price. If you like extra features, Royal Caribbean, which seems to go yuppy with their ice rinks, escape rooms, on and on. 🤣 I'm so simple, needing just a spa and good food to be happy. But you know, go with what suits the group. But for a special SPLURGE, I'd be looking at Virgin or Disney. For more normal, just go with what calls to you. 🙂

Sorry, I forgot to put links. Just go to Virgin and see. In Jan/Feb, you have reliable weather and will just have fun. Prices are low in October because it's hurricane season. I've cruised then and like it, but you need both the mercy of G*d that your cruise actually goes and the willingness to be flexible on ports. I wouldn't do that for a large group that wants it to go well, kwim? I'd go at a more reliable time. Not spring break, haha. I mean, you do you, but I wouldn't do spring break. But yeah, use the filters, see what turns up that hits reasonable price points for your people. 

Edited September 11, 2023 by PeterPan

[PeterPan]

34 minutes ago, Janeway said:

a trip that would not allow kids.

Haha, one more youtube video. This guy is CRAZY. But it will let you see the wild side of Virgin. 😁

 

[Janeway]

22 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

When do you want to go? If you find a travel agent you trust, that's one way to book. You can also connect with the cruise line and have them assign you a personal concierge or cruise consultant. Every line has them, and it's handy to have someone who works there who can handle things for you. Rather than just randomly booking, I would let someone help you like this. 

I'm looking at Virgin to see what they have going. There are a LOT of deals for Australia right now. Australia is open but they have been such a pain in the butt with their c-vid policies that it killed tourism. I'm constantly getting free/stupid cheap cruises offers for there which would mean just the cost of a plane ticket. Unfortunately, even that would be $$$$$$ for me. 

I like Jan/Feb in the Caribbean. Pulling that up, I'm seeing $175 a day per person. Remember that's very all inclusive, no surprises, including drinks, gratuities, etc. Their 5 night itineraries would be tons of fun and keep the cost down. Puerta Plata is the Dominican Republic and I've been there (Amber Cove, the port associated with that town) many times. LOTS of fun. Cozumel would be amazing fun for your group. People will go to Mr. Sanchos and spend the day on the beach. If you want to get spendy, there are some amazing full day excursions you can do to the mainland where you swim in caves, snorkel with turtles, etc. Bimini is just a great beach day.

Widening the dates, I'm seeing prices as low as $129 per sailor per night, which again is reasonable when you consider what is included. They're also doing an airfare promotion. You need to make sure that when you do this you all book TRAVEL INSURANCE. You can consider whether you want CANCEL FOR ANY REASON insurance or just regular insurance. Cancel for any reason insurance is something you get through a vendor like www.tripinsurancestore.com You can get quotes, compare prices, see what suits you. If your willingness to go is dependent on the group, meaning you would want to cancel if others canceled, then you will want cancel for any reason insurance. 

You could also do a Disney cruise and have a ton of fun with your group. It would cost $$$ but that way people could just bring their kids and be done with it. The kids would be occupied and the adults would have an amazing time. I also like Carnival, but the main advantage there is price. If you like extra features, Royal Caribbean, which seems to go yuppy with their ice rinks, escape rooms, on and on. 🤣 I'm so simple, needing just a spa and good food to be happy. But you know, go with what suits the group. But for a special SPLURGE, I'd be looking at Virgin or Disney. For more normal, just go with what calls to you. 🙂

Sorry, I forgot to put links. Just go to Virgin and see. In Jan/Feb, you have reliable weather and will just have fun. Prices are low in October because it's hurricane season. I've cruised then and like it, but you need both the mercy of G*d that your cruise actually goes and the willingness to be flexible on ports. I wouldn't do that for a large group that wants it to go well, kwim? I'd go at a more reliable time. Not spring break, haha. I mean, you do you, but I wouldn't do spring break. But yeah, use the filters, see what turns up that hits reasonable price points for your people. 

Well, I think the sex toys might make my cousins too happy. LOL.....

I like calmer stuff. I love the idea of seeing historical places or scientific things. My favorite things to do include observatories and historical sites. Nothing like seeing how people lived long ago, I would love that! BUT, it would be nice if the cruise were only for 40 and up or 50 and up.  We will travel in October. Specifically, in three years from now. 

[Janeway]

On 9/9/2023 at 7:55 PM, PeterPan said:

I'm booked on a different cruiseline (MSC, budget, budget) but had thought about jumping to NCL. If you look kind of last minute, prices on NCL, Celebrity, etc. drop and get pretty similar. I didn't move over to NCL, partly because of the itinerary but largely because the NCL ship was OLD. The spa was outdated, not worth changing for. Definitely look at the ship and amenities if they matter to you. I would expect the Viking ship to be much nicer and have a better ratio of staff to passengers, better service, better food, etc., all the things that go with paying more.

I personally would also be miffed if my friends asked me to pay double for something when I would have been happy on a cheaper/different option. Are you sure you want to cruise with them? It's not necessary and to me, if the money is an issue, it will cloud your enjoyment. You could have a LOT of fun with the price difference on some of these cruiselines.

YES, you are absolutely wise to be caring about the time in ports!!! The twist though is you need to look at whether the ships *tender* or actually dock. Sometimes a port has both but smaller ships dock in the port and larger ships tender. Viking could have an advantage there. 

You're also going to have some demographic differences I think. I'm not entirely sure about that, but I think so. You might look for some videos on youtube, maybe by Gary Bembridge, and see if he has anything on Viking. He does a lot of upscale cruise reviews, and I find I like the pizzazz and level of activity that comes with larger ships. Just me. 

I'll say it again. I would NOT pay $$$$$ more just to appease friends. If you aren't feeling it, go your own way and book what you like. That money might get you massages, stellar excursions, all kinds of things. Now if the extra is nothing to you, fine. But don't be afraid to do your own thing, mercy. 

I want to go with them, I am just not in to cruises. And I don't want to go with my cousins. I want it to just be us siblings and spouses. The main reason for the cruise idea is that sister-in-law has mobility issues.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Janeway

[PeterPan]

1 minute ago, Janeway said:

Well, I think the sex toys might make my cousins too happy. LOL.....

I guess as long as you're not in the room...

1 minute ago, Janeway said:

I love the idea of seeing historical places or scientific things. My favorite things to do include observatories and historical sites. Nothing like seeing how people lived long ago, I would love that!

Belize, Cozumel, and Costa Maya have terrific ruins and things to go to. In Costa Maya I've done Lake Bacalar, which is totally beautiful, and the fort there. However most people go do the ruins there. We did ruins in Belize which are "unBelizable" as they say. 🤣 Truly unbelievable though. You ride up the river in a boat and hike through the jungle to these ceremonial pyramid ruins they used to sacrifice people from. Some you can climb. Totally epic, totally Indianess Jones. Or whatever that would be. And the food, oh the food!!! So, so good. I don't know how they have running water and toilets, but their food is crazy good. 

In Cozumel, I would do something else, not the ruins, but they're there too if you really need to. 

So of the "normal" and common cruise ports with serious history stuff, those would be the ones. Well San Juan has history junk. Much less common port, hot, narrow streets, not what I'd recommend for a group, just me. But Belize with a group would be AWESOME. You usually get Belize, Roatan, and Cozumel on an itinerary like that. Every major cruise line does them. 

6 minutes ago, Janeway said:

 We will travel in October.

Ok, feeling brave! So be prepared for motion of the ocean and potential itinerary changes. Unless you book everything through the cruise (which I don't particularly recommend), you really need 3rd party travel insurance. You have to assume delays, getting back late, getting a late start, having port changes, etc. Don't get too attached. Just decide you like the price and you're going to have a good time no matter what. We enjoyed our last hurricane season cruise immensely, but we didn't take wifi, didn't look at the weather, and well apparently have a high tolerance for waves and motion. 

For your trivia, you could get a transatlantic at that time of year for about the cost of a shorter cruise. You'd fly to some place like Barcelona and sail back. If you have the time (14 days) the prices are good. RCL runs some crazy deals on transatlantics for some of their smaller ships. The Oasis class with more to do won't go down as much, but the ports are not as exotic. And a transatlantic coming out of the Med will stop in ports with history to satisfy you. Good stuff, and you can get some crazy deals. 

[PeterPan]

7 minutes ago, Janeway said:

I want to go with them, I am just not in to cruises. And I don't want to go with my cousins. I want it to just be us siblings and spouses. The main reason for the cruise idea is that sister-in-law has mobility issues.

That's amazing to be so accommodating!!! Yes, cruising with disabilities can work very well. Well I hope you get to do it and find something that fits everyone. It's too soon to book Virgin because it looks like they're only booking a year out. Carnival is booking out to Jan/Feb 2026, so you're too early even for them. If your SIL needs an ADA cabin, she'll want to work with a concierge or travel agent and book as soon as the itinerary becomes available. Any regular cabin can fit a scooter, so the ADA cabin is only needed if she needs *no step* going into the bathroom, extra space to wheel up to the bed, or rails in the bath. They have various kinds of ADA cabins and the cruise line can assist picking the ideal one. 

[Janeway]

2 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

I guess as long as you're not in the room...

Belize, Cozumel, and Costa Maya have terrific ruins and things to go to. In Costa Maya I've done Lake Bacalar, which is totally beautiful, and the fort there. However most people go do the ruins there. We did ruins in Belize which are "unBelizable" as they say. 🤣 Truly unbelievable though. You ride up the river in a boat and hike through the jungle to these ceremonial pyramid ruins they used to sacrifice people from. Some you can climb. Totally epic, totally Indianess Jones. Or whatever that would be. And the food, oh the food!!! So, so good. I don't know how they have running water and toilets, but their food is crazy good. 

In Cozumel, I would do something else, not the ruins, but they're there too if you really need to. 

So of the "normal" and common cruise ports with serious history stuff, those would be the ones. Well San Juan has history junk. Much less common port, hot, narrow streets, not what I'd recommend for a group, just me. But Belize with a group would be AWESOME. You usually get Belize, Roatan, and Cozumel on an itinerary like that. Every major cruise line does them. 

Ok, feeling brave! So be prepared for motion of the ocean and potential itinerary changes. Unless you book everything through the cruise (which I don't particularly recommend), you really need 3rd party travel insurance. You have to assume delays, getting back late, getting a late start, having port changes, etc. Don't get too attached. Just decide you like the price and you're going to have a good time no matter what. We enjoyed our last hurricane season cruise immensely, but we didn't take wifi, didn't look at the weather, and well apparently have a high tolerance for waves and motion. 

For your trivia, you could get a transatlantic at that time of year for about the cost of a shorter cruise. You'd fly to some place like Barcelona and sail back. If you have the time (14 days) the prices are good. RCL runs some crazy deals on transatlantics for some of their smaller ships. The Oasis class with more to do won't go down as much, but the ports are not as exotic. And a transatlantic coming out of the Med will stop in ports with history to satisfy you. Good stuff, and you can get some crazy deals. 

I should add that if my cousins do not come, it will end up being only 5 of us, if we are all still able then. Sister-in-law has not been well and not sure if she will still be around then. If she is not, it will be just four of us. So not a big group.

[PeterPan]

Just now, Janeway said:

I should add that if my cousins do not come, it will end up being only 5 of us, if we are all still able then. Sister-in-law has not been well and not sure if she will still be around then. If she is not, it will be just four of us. So not a big group.

Would you share a cabin or do separate cabins? Can you go sooner? You can get some crazy last minute deals for hurricane season. Maybe don't wait. 🙂 

Spain has better accessibility for disabilities than some other european countries. So doing a cruise from Barcelona wouldn't be so crazy. Seriously. Like with wheels, I probably wouldn't fiddle with the Med. Too many tenders, etc. You can find specific blogs/vlogs for cruising with wheels. I sometimes take a friend on wheels, so it's one of those odd things I have to keep up with. Cozumel the scooter just went in the back of the taxi, easy peasy. It's something to talk with the travel agent or concierge agent about and let them guide you. They'll know just from having been there which ports and itineraries would be easier. Some ports don't seem very accessible (like Half Moon Cay) but they have wheelchairs made for sand! So it's stuff like that where they can be helpful. And some ships are easier to navigate than others on wheels. Some you have to sort of go up and down floors to get across and the layouts are a pain. So let the travel agent help you. 🙂

[Janeway]

1 minute ago, PeterPan said:

Would you share a cabin or do separate cabins? Can you go sooner? You can get some crazy last minute deals for hurricane season. Maybe don't wait. 🙂 

S🙂

Date cannot change. It is surrounding a specific anniversary. We won't share cabins. I suggested that, but my sister says they are too small for us to share. 

[PeterPan]

Just now, Janeway said:

Date cannot change. It is surrounding a specific anniversary. We won't share cabins. I suggested that, but my sister says they are too small for us to share. 

I've done three in a cabin with a scooter and it's TIGHT. I've done 3 in a cabin without a scooter, easy peasy. I've done 4 in a cabin (3 adults, one child) and that will leave you crossing your legs and aggravated. So yes, some space is a good thing. I would give the person with wheels some space and then everyone can shack up however suits their budget. 🤣 

Royal Caribbean has some cabins (and maybe Carnival does too) that are magical and LARGE. They're unusual so it would take some study and talking with an agent to find them. They'll be cabins that can hold 4-5, which would get your price per person down. And they have lots of floor space. But me, I don't travel to sleep on a sofa bed or one of the pull down beds, just me. I'm at an age where that is not what I will do. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to move in the morning if I did that. 🤣 

But you know, have your fun. Cruising can be such a fun splurge. Find something you like and push that direction. The Carnival Xcel series ships (Mardi Gras, Celebration, Jubilee) sail out of Port Canaveral, Miami, and soon Galveston. They have WONDERFUL shows that could be really fun. They're on the more economical side, have bright, cheery cabins, have a pleasant spa, have an accessible ROLLER COASTER (yes, yes!!!), and have a dining system where you can choose any time dining and select ANY of the restaurants to eat at. Means you could eat as a group every night as a different restaurant. I made friends and had this wonderful evening at one of the restaurants, eating chinese food for hours and enjoying the Chinese dragon as it came through. 😁 That would be a terrific time with your peeps for a more economical price. Lots of variety, double shows, double comedy, just tons to do. You couldn't possibly get bored. 

[PeterPan]

Hey @Janeway check where the Carnival Jubilee is going to go for ports out of Galveston. She's going to run the same itinerary every week, but I'm pretty sure she's going to Costa Maya and Cozumel. Yup, Cozumel, Costa Maya, Mahogany Bay. Mahogany Bay is the island of Roatan, which is off the coast of Honduras. It's a TON of fun, super great port. You can ride the sky ride down and enjoy their free beach or go into town with an excursion and see sloths, parrots, etc. We've been there multiple times and always have an amazing time. If you want an economical suggestion, that would probably be a top recommendation. You'd have two great beach days and a port with some history for you. It would be a nice compromise. Galveston has a great food scene btw, so it's a wonderful port to sail out of. 

You MUST buy trip insurance for this, because it's hurricane season. But yeah, you might love the Jubilee. She's going to have some Texas theme, food by Emeril. Carnival just won top honors as having the BEST CRUISE FOOD. Seriously. People laugh at them as being the Walmart of cruising, but they're really bringing it. It would definitely be a cruise to consider.

I think Royal is bringing a new ship to Galveston also and building a port there. I'm not sure what the ship is. But for bright, cheery, you really wouldn't go wrong with the Jubilee. I'd probably go with whatever fits your budget. 🙂

[PeterPan]

For @Janeway here's what I'm talking about with the Bolt roller coaster. The video will show you how the accessibility works. Although the Skyride on Vista class ships with carnival can be accessible, it has a lower weight limit (250 pounds) and is of course inherently physical as you have to pedal. With Bolt, if they can sit astride and hold on, they can do it. 😁