Thanks for the feedback. We always strive for unbiased opinions. Not everyone will always agree, these things can be subjective but you'll always get at least our honest opinion. Thanks for watching!
My wife and I went on our 1st Viking Ocean cruise last September on the Viking Mars. We started in Boston and ended in Montreal with stops in NY, Newport RI, Halifax, Gaspe and Quebec city. Fyi the ships stayed 2 days in Boston, NY city, and Montreal. Viking did that well. Agreed that the freebe shore excursions were mismatched with a luxury cruiseline being super mediocre at best. The educational lectures on the ship were superb. One called Freedom of the seas, was given by a former admiral of the Bristish navy. Another historian gave a lecture on the revolutionary war , and was a former govenor of a british provence and a former British ambassador!.Excellent! Multiple cruise members knew our names by the 2nd day, it was wonderful. In January we will be on our 1st cruise with Azamara 10 days from Lima Peru to Santiago Chile. We are very excited and are very encouraged by this video comparison. Our plan is to try Oceania, and Windstar in the next 2 years, and perhaps we will find our niche cruiseline. So far Viking tops as the best cruise line we've experienced. (And the most expensive)..So looking forward to Azamara! Thanks for the review
Sounds like you had an amazing experience! I do agree it's hard to beat the educational lectures on Viking - high quality. Love your idea about trying the different lines and ultimately finding the best match for you. There are definite differences and in the end one will be calling you back I'm sure for many more sailings and loyalty. You can't go wrong but great way to do it. Enjoy them all!
We're on the same Azamara cruise as you in January. It will be our 4th since we came across them coming out of lock down. Really think they can't be beaten for the money. I Hooe you enjoy them as much as we do. See you on board.
I have been on 3 Viking Ocean cruises and have never had to wait more than 3 minutes for a table in the main restaurant. Two of those sailings were completely sold out. So I don't know how you're having to wait. We turn up for dinner at around 7pm.
Good to hear. It was our experience but certainly not every time. I feel like the one we did more recently we had the bigger issue. It's possible since there were more sea days on a repositioning there were more people at one time. Hard to say but glad to hear you didn't have the experience.
I agree with all the pros you mentioned for Azamara, and the cons are minor for us. We do our own thing for shore excursions, so the high prices are not an issue. Azamara is our favorite cruise line by far. BTW, I was on the Spanish Intensive cruise with you in 2023. I don't recall meeting you, but it was a great cruise. It was the only combined ocean and river cruise I have ever been on. Great video. Keep them coming.
Right? That was a really special one. We remember sailing up the river and the ship seemingly about to touch the sides - very much like a river cruise experience. Happy to hear you've had such amazing journeys. Maybe even on the Azamara Journey :)
Agreed - the idea there though is if you want to sail the same ship with all the same experiences an inside is a budget way to do it. It is an option on Azamara and not one on Viking. But no question Viking will always have the edge when it comes to the cabins.
@@generynkewicz4871 Good question. My answer is because I (hopefully most people) don't spend much time in the cabin. I spend probably less than 5% of my awake time in my cabin and most of that is just getting ready to leave or go to sleep. I have sailed with many balconies and love it but still don't hang around my cabin just to spend more time on them. I'll pay more for a balcony but not much more.
We meet the best people on Azamara -- far better connections on Azamara than any other cruise line we've sailed with. I only have 3 knocks on Azamara: 1. While desserts are usually better than main steam cruise lines, they're still not up to the Oceania, Viking, and Virgin Voyages level. 2. AZAMARA lunch buffet can be really tired and few options. We've noticed less options coming out of covid. 3. The bathrooms are just way too tiny for a luxury cruise line. the shower may be the smallest at sea. Everything else is great.
Thanks for the video. We are doing Azamara next year. We love Viking Ocean, so hope it is as nice. Never waited for a table for dinner on Viking. That would make me upset. With the buffet, room service and specialty restaurants we never found the main restaurant crowded and just walked in which was nice. Sounds like you were unlucky. I would turn around and just get room service if there was a wait. Viking now has starlink so their internet is very fast - this was upgraded last year? I think. So that issue has been resolved. I also love the spa and pool on Viking Ocean. So relaxing! Any cruise is great though!!
Great feedback. Glad they finally cracked their internet problem. I think you'll really enjoy the Azamara experience. Just don't go into it expecting the ship itself to be comparable in every category to Viking. The unique small ship experience however, if you are open to it, will make up for it. Either way, both lines, you should always have a great sail.
Tina and I cruised last year on Viking Ocean and Azamara and for us, Azamara is our choice for generally a more fulfilling experience on a ship that felt Old-World classy in many ways. We booked the same class of cabins on both ships - standard size verandas in the center of the ships. Azamara took us through the middle east to India all the way to Singapore. Viking included a pre-cruise 5-day land excursion in Patagonia followed by a long cruise around South America. We booked another Azamara cruise taking us around Africa in February 2025. We will not be booking another Viking Ocean cruise. Rather we booked two Holland America and one Princess voyages with all-inclusive upgrades on the three cruises. All four future ships are mid-sized 700 to 2000 to 2700 passengers. That's about the limit for us for passenger density, although we've also had experiences on ships with just 400 passengers, a totally different experience.
You've got some amazing cruises planned! We were so close a few times to booking Azamara in Africa. We were going to take advantage of the book on board deals, which are great, but the space filled up on the one we wanted and prices went up quite a bit. Like the range of ships and sizes you have there. We've likewise done smaller (Windstar) and WAY larger :) up to the Oasis/Spectrum class on RCCL. You just have to know what you are getting yourself into. Have a great time on them all!
Viking has a tipping pkg which adds about $250 per person/$500 per couple. At same time they give you a $500 credit so it’s a wash. No additional tipping on board.
I generally agree with the comments here. We have done 5 Viking ocean cruises and several Azamara cruises in the last few years (since their change in ownership). Food on Viking has gradually seemed to be lower in quality and definitely in variety. The Viking ships being newer are "prettier" and the comparable cabins slightly larger but their included tours border on the awful (just got off Bali to Sydney this week) and we frequently encountered long waits for tables in the Restaurant and even the World Cafe (buffet) AND the crowd was definitely not the sophisticated or well dressed! The few good shows were filled to overflowing and the others weren't really worth going to, even the enrichment lecturers only had one good one (resident historian) and the others were past their prime if they ever had one. For these and many other reasons, we have booked a 49 day Azamara cruise in 2025 and a 44 day cruise in 2026 for much more reasonable pricing (in large verandah cabins) than either Viking or Oceania!
Thanks for the thorough feedback, especially from someone who has sailed both quite a bit. It seems like some (including us) have experienced that on Viking while others have not. Seems very ship dependent perhaps. Agree there is more value on Azamara as long as you accept the ship being nice, well cared for, but not as sleek as a Viking ship. I never understand why Viking holds one show and forces everyone to squeeze in with only enough capacity for half the ship. Enjoy your amazing new adventures next year and the year after. Sound great!
We go 100% for Azamara have been on Azamara more than 15 times and have another 3 booked have only been on Viking ones to Alaska it was good but not great will probably not going Viking again and regrading gratitudes if you come from Australia it is included but if you are from USA not included.
I would add the boarding experience: Our Viking Ocean cruise boarding experience was appalling, whilst boarding for Azamara has always been a breeze. Otherwise, I would pretty much agree with all of your assessments.
We have sailed on Oceania once and have another one coming up early '25 on the Vista (Riviera last time) so we will get a good comparison between those two classes of ships here in a few months. Maybe someone else here can weigh in since it is fascinating to hear what each cruise line did with the same R-class ships.
Great job, btw, on Azamara v. Viking! Good details & overall criteria. 3 questions, if I may: 1. When you say Azamara “Japan intensive” cruise, can you send a sample of your itinerary? 2. We also would like other comparisons of ~700 or less passengers capacity cruise lines. Plus, all-inclusive, like Crystal v. Azamara, for instance? 3. How big are Regent’s adult only ships? Thanks in advance, Misha
It would be interesting to add Oceania to your comparison. I think Azamara's R-class ships are far better than Oceania's BUT I love the 1200 passenger Marina and Riviera. The 4 specialty restaurants are free and are terrific. These ships do not feel crowded at all. The cabins are huge. An oceanview is 242 sq ft and is beautiful. Balconies are the same size plus the balcony. But Azamara wins in the friendliest passenger and staff category and that is why I'm taking it in a few weeks for my next cruise.
Yes, we plan on doing one. We have sailed on one Oceania with another scheduled. That would give us a pretty good reference than across all of these lines in comparison. Completely agree - some great cabins on Riviera (and Marina). We didn't like the cruise quite as much but no question the cabins beat Azamara easily. We haven't sailed the same ships though on Oceania and sounds like the experience is quite mixed on those. We'll be trying a Vista class next up.
I tried Oceania Vista as a Founder. Too small. Mostly bland, slightly snobby, horrible people who I hope are worth millions. Food was not great all around.
Haven’t done a Viking cruise but was thinking of doing one, the included excursions seemed a real plus but from what you’ve said maybe not so much. Have done a 16 night Azamara cruise in an inside cabin but had the best time, that was 6 years ago and Azamara has changed hands since, I’ve wondered if it was less good now, but sounds pretty good still, from this video, so may be tempted to do another one
I wouldn't lean into the included excursions. They are "fine' - usually nothing special nor would they be something we'd want to pay much for. However, it can be nice when you have nothing else planned to know you can always jump on one and not pay extra. Definitely not a reason to avoid Viking - plenty of pros. Just think personally this benefit is a bit overrated. We've sailed Azamara before and after the changing of hands. Honestly we think there are small adjustments, and right after the hand-off there were some transition pains, but really feel the experience itself has held up.
Thank you for your video review! Nicely done. Question for you: I am a classical music and cool jazz lover. I don’t care for pop music at all and never did. My impression is that Viking features classical performers more than most. What’s your impression between these two companies? Secondly, my wife and I are on a nutrition focused vegetarian/vegan diet. No alcohol, no sweets, no dairy, obviously no meat, fish nor chicken. Which line would you say would be more likely to cater to our food needs? Or about the same? Thank you!
Viking does a really nice job with a duo/trio in the main atrium. I can say that Azamara has a number of live musicians for every show. Seems like both embrace having live musicians and not just piped in tracks. I might say that Viking to me perhaps embraced classical a bit more? Maybe someone else could weigh in who knows more than me on the topic. On the food, both lines likely will accommodate your dietary needs if you notify them in advance, but Viking may be slightly better suited for a nutrition-focused, plant-based diet due to its focus on fresh, healthy ingredients and Scandinavian-inspired menus that often include lighter and vegetable-based dishes. However, Azamara offers more personalized service and is flexible with special requests so I think you'll likely do well on either.
Thanks for the video, I enjoy your channel. I was looking for a comparison. I have only cruised Viking ocean once, and it was August 2021 when the world was just opening back up, so the ship was 200 passengers! I have always wanted to try Azamara, but when doing a cost comparison, it felt more expensive. I think you have to compare apples to apples to see the cost. Viking only has balconies, so it would make sense to cost compare with an Azamara balcony cabin. I love the idea of the Azamara destination immersion, so am still very interested to see if I can find a destination on Azamara that is cost competitive.
We had a cruise or two when ships started sailing again as well - it was amazing going out at such low capacity. Haven't seen that for a while. Totally agree you have o compare everything and you are right - important to compare similar cabin types. Without question Viking will have the superior cabins as well. We just really enjoy some of what makes the smaller ship cruising special even if it cannot really compete on the actual ship itself.
Hi, How do the 2 lines compare in booking customer service. I have heard Azamara has poor pre-cruise communication and planning, while Viking seems very trustworthy. Are there any financial situations with either line?
I can't speak to the financial position of either since I'm quite sure they are both privately held. Azamara did indeed have a lot of issues when they transitioned their systems from Royal Caribbean ownership to private equity ownership. That was a long and probably painful change for them. However, I can tell you in the last two we have taken we've never waited long on-hold to change/add something to our booking. Their system itself is it as good as the one from Royal? No. But it has improved a lot. One frustrations we've had with Viking is when they allow bookings online for things like excursions, etc. It's like a crazy mad dash sometimes to get what you want. But, the system always worked fine other than that stress :)
Agree, that has to be accounted for but we did make the point in the video. And, I think it can be an edge for some people with a budget that can still do a sailing like this and afford it with the inside cabin on Azamara. On Viking you have to go for balcony. But, no question it's not apples to apples.
Thanks for the feedback - not sure what part that is but would agree there is a major difference between the two cabins. It's just nice to be able to select one on Azamara if you are trying to do this as budget as possible which some people are. Thanks for watching!
Viking is about 30% larger by cruiser number. Most Viking paid excursions are around $100 per person. You can't compare inside cabins to balconies. Viking has no insides.
Yes, we've been on one Oceania so far (Riviera) and will be sailing them again in January on a Panama Canal crossing on their newer Vista ship. Our first experience was "good" and definitely not "great". We felt it was worth another try to see if the newer version of their ships will resolve some of the issues we had.
@DigitalRoamadsDR what I especially liked about Oceania is that they treat solo cruisers like me really well. Had a nice little cabin at a good price and they had several solo meetups during the cruise.
Good comparison. I’ve wondered about Viking. We are very fond of Azamara. 3 cruises so far and another booked. We really enjoy the smaller ship intimacy and the service is fantastic. What was the site you used for the pricing?
Awesome - glad you've had some great sailings so far with more booked. That's always key - having that next one on the calendar. We use cruiseplum, cruisedirect and cruisewatch at times to search.
Ok ,we sailed with viking one year ago, so it looks like they have changed their fares. I stand corrected. Wouldn't stop me from sailing with them again. Cheers Doug.
Just come off a Viking cruise. Gratuities were included. Your statements that they were not included may not be correct. Longest wait for a table in The Restaurant, immediately after a guest lecture, was probably five minutes. That was on one occasion only. Never had to wait for a lift. You neglected to mention the The Explorers lounge area for breakfast. Otherwise a helpful comparison.
Thanks for the feedback. I think it might depend upon the fare you book if included. Good idea to check/confirm to be sure. Glad you had better luck than us in the restaurant. That was a frequent point of frustration but think it will vary by itinerary, capacity and probably even the management on that ship. Agree, the Explorers Lounge is a fun place for a different style of breakfast. Those waffles are great!
Seems like from feedback it can vary from the sailing - it is something we experienced but perhaps it can depend a bit on the sail date, occupancy and itinerary.
A key difference not discussed, is payment terms. Viking takes Full Payment far in advance of the cruise (U.S. citizens, not sure about non-U.S.). Viking holds that money for a long time, especially if you are booking 2-3 years out. Azamara is closer to the industry norm of 120 days prior to sailing, when requiring full payment. For that reason alone, Viking does not get my cruise dollars.
Yep, that really annoyed me a few times. We had booked a Viking trip from NYC to Iceland through Greenland and booked it very early to make sure we got the best deal and cabin selection and we had to pay in full WAY in advance. It was frustrating that it was required. Great point.
Viking in the UK is 25% deposit on booking, balance payable 90 days before departure. But you can't book Viking through a travel agent in the UK, only direct which is really annoying.
Another difference not discussed is Azamara excursions are about twice the price of equivalent excursions on Viking. I'm booked on my first Azamara cruise and unless it completely blows me away it will be my last at these excursion prices.
We love Viking ocean one. Seafood buffet is best, no one has kings crab legs and among others. We will be sailing with them again to China in November from HONG KONG TO Beijing.
You are definitely right there. Those are great along with the sushi that they set out. Nice pre-dinner snack :) Have a great sail - sounds like a fantastic itinerary.
I have sailed both Azamara and Viking Ocean. I found the service to be comparable but I prefer Viking's modern ships over Azamara's older R class ships.
Very understandable. Azamara has done a great job with the R class ships - which were an amazing design for their time (think about how many still sail) - but it is hard to compete strictly on the ship vs. Viking in that area.
I see you have sailed on the Viking Orion to Australia. We are thinking about doing that same cruise. Did you enjoy that cruise with Viking or if you had to do it again would you go with Azamara?
Had a bad experience on Viking. If something goes wrong they refuse to offer compensation, just a discount on a future cruise. For small ship cruising go with Seabourn. Much better experience.
Without getting into details we had a horrific shore excursion experience once and we hit a brick wall there as well. I chalked it up to just the management on that ship but who knows give your experience. We still need to try out Seabourn. On the list!
This analysis was helpful and I will consider Azamara for a port intensive cruise in the future. I have done a world cruise with Viking and loved it. Having a better health club/spa on Viking is a must for a long cruise. We had no issues with a single show offering or waits for restaurants including getting specialty reservations. As for internet, Viking has StarLink on all ships but the data speed was poor when everyone returns from shore excursions and their photos automatically upload to the cloud or they start to FaceTime with home.
Makes total sense especially on a longer ship. I'd agree the edge on a very long sailing like yours would go to Viking for the ship reasons. One thing I have noticed is some cruise lines are forcing the speeds down on Starling - it can go much faster. We once sailed on Azamara Onward when they first installed and it wasn't being capped. It was amazing. On a recent sailing they clearly were tamping down on the speed and it was a clear difference. I feel a lot depends on how much of the bandwidth they want to allow to control their costs.
We had several Azamara cruised. Journey & Quest. Quest is more personal, just like at home. Capitan & his wife are friendly! Q entertaining manager Taniyia is a Opera singer! When we came back from Azamara night on Therater Uruguay, She stand on board sing from Tuscan to Carmen, made long line to short for enjoy 😉
Many would disagree but that is the beauty of cruising - there is a line and ship for everyone no matter what you desire. We have another video in the channel on finding the best one for you: th-cam.com/video/sx_aIPTnFJc/w-d-xo.html
@@DigitalRoamadsDR I did not write the above message to disrespect anyone. Just not something that is for me and my partner. If pushed, I guess I I may try Viking once just to see what it is all about.
I suppose you can run into that on any sailing - figure the more various people and backgrounds it's possible on any sailing. We did however find it to be less casual/friendly though that is not across the board.
THANK YOU! just stumbled onto your channel! Finally, someone who does a no nonsense comparison of trips/ providers ! Gracias!
Thanks for the feedback. We always strive for unbiased opinions. Not everyone will always agree, these things can be subjective but you'll always get at least our honest opinion. Thanks for watching!
My wife and I went on our 1st Viking Ocean cruise last September on the Viking Mars. We started in Boston and ended in Montreal with stops in NY, Newport RI, Halifax, Gaspe and Quebec city. Fyi the ships stayed 2 days in Boston, NY city, and Montreal. Viking did that well. Agreed that the freebe shore excursions were mismatched with a luxury cruiseline being super mediocre at best.
The educational lectures on the ship were superb. One called Freedom of the seas, was given by a former admiral of the Bristish navy. Another historian gave a lecture on the revolutionary war , and was a former govenor of a british provence and a former British ambassador!.Excellent! Multiple cruise members knew our names by the 2nd day, it was wonderful.
In January we will be on our 1st cruise with Azamara 10 days from Lima Peru to Santiago Chile. We are very excited and are very encouraged by this video comparison. Our plan is to try Oceania, and Windstar in the next 2 years, and perhaps we will find our niche cruiseline. So far Viking tops as the best cruise line we've experienced. (And the most expensive)..So looking forward to Azamara! Thanks for the review
Sounds like you had an amazing experience! I do agree it's hard to beat the educational lectures on Viking - high quality. Love your idea about trying the different lines and ultimately finding the best match for you. There are definite differences and in the end one will be calling you back I'm sure for many more sailings and loyalty. You can't go wrong but great way to do it. Enjoy them all!
We're on the same Azamara cruise as you in January. It will be our 4th since we came across them coming out of lock down. Really think they can't be beaten for the money. I Hooe you enjoy them as much as we do. See you on board.
I have been on 3 Viking Ocean cruises and have never had to wait more than 3 minutes for a table in the main restaurant. Two of those sailings were completely sold out. So I don't know how you're having to wait. We turn up for dinner at around 7pm.
Good to hear. It was our experience but certainly not every time. I feel like the one we did more recently we had the bigger issue. It's possible since there were more sea days on a repositioning there were more people at one time. Hard to say but glad to hear you didn't have the experience.
I have had to wait on Viking every cruise. And the tables seem to be close together.
Well done comparison - objective and comprehensive. Sailing on the Azamara Spain Intensive next March and really looking forward to it!
Thanks for watching. You will have a great time on that cruise. We did the Spain Intensive and it was great - so many nice stops.
I agree with all the pros you mentioned for Azamara, and the cons are minor for us. We do our own thing for shore excursions, so the high prices are not an issue. Azamara is our favorite cruise line by far. BTW, I was on the Spanish Intensive cruise with you in 2023. I don't recall meeting you, but it was a great cruise. It was the only combined ocean and river cruise I have ever been on. Great video. Keep them coming.
Right? That was a really special one. We remember sailing up the river and the ship seemingly about to touch the sides - very much like a river cruise experience. Happy to hear you've had such amazing journeys. Maybe even on the Azamara Journey :)
Wait a minute! All Viking cabins have a balcony! You can't compare that to Azamara inside cabin on price. Oranges to apples.
Agreed - the idea there though is if you want to sail the same ship with all the same experiences an inside is a budget way to do it. It is an option on Azamara and not one on Viking. But no question Viking will always have the edge when it comes to the cabins.
How can it be the same experience with one staring at 4 walls and the other looking at the ocean or land?
@@generynkewicz4871 Good question. My answer is because I (hopefully most people) don't spend much time in the cabin. I spend probably less than 5% of my awake time in my cabin and most of that is just getting ready to leave or go to sleep. I have sailed with many balconies and love it but still don't hang around my cabin just to spend more time on them. I'll pay more for a balcony but not much more.
We meet the best people on Azamara -- far better connections on Azamara than any other cruise line we've sailed with.
I only have 3 knocks on Azamara:
1. While desserts are usually better than main steam cruise lines, they're still not up to the Oceania, Viking, and Virgin Voyages level.
2. AZAMARA lunch buffet can be really tired and few options. We've noticed less options coming out of covid.
3. The bathrooms are just way too tiny for a luxury cruise line. the shower may be the smallest at sea.
Everything else is great.
Done both. Have reservations on both. I agree with everything you said.
Great you've had a chance to do both. Fun experiences in either line with some differences. Thanks for the feedback and watching.
Glad to see this review as we’re booked on Azamara Onward 2026 Venice to Athens, focused on Croatian coast.
That's one we want to do - they have some intensives in that region as well. You will have a great time.
Thanks for the video. We are doing Azamara next year. We love Viking Ocean, so hope it is as nice. Never waited for a table for dinner on Viking. That would make me upset. With the buffet, room service and specialty restaurants we never found the main restaurant crowded and just walked in which was nice. Sounds like you were unlucky. I would turn around and just get room service if there was a wait. Viking now has starlink so their internet is very fast - this was upgraded last year? I think. So that issue has been resolved. I also love the spa and pool on Viking Ocean. So relaxing! Any cruise is great though!!
Great feedback. Glad they finally cracked their internet problem. I think you'll really enjoy the Azamara experience. Just don't go into it expecting the ship itself to be comparable in every category to Viking. The unique small ship experience however, if you are open to it, will make up for it. Either way, both lines, you should always have a great sail.
Viking Ocean wifi uses Starlink now, I don't know when they brought that in. Speed was fine for me watching youtube in 1080p.
Excellent. Long overdue. Our last cruise was last summer so sounds like that happened over the last year. Good move.
Tina and I cruised last year on Viking Ocean and Azamara and for us, Azamara is our choice for generally a more fulfilling experience on a ship that felt Old-World classy in many ways. We booked the same class of cabins on both ships - standard size verandas in the center of the ships. Azamara took us through the middle east to India all the way to Singapore. Viking included a pre-cruise 5-day land excursion in Patagonia followed by a long cruise around South America. We booked another Azamara cruise taking us around Africa in February 2025. We will not be booking another Viking Ocean cruise. Rather we booked two Holland America and one Princess voyages with all-inclusive upgrades on the three cruises. All four future ships are mid-sized 700 to 2000 to 2700 passengers. That's about the limit for us for passenger density, although we've also had experiences on ships with just 400 passengers, a totally different experience.
You've got some amazing cruises planned! We were so close a few times to booking Azamara in Africa. We were going to take advantage of the book on board deals, which are great, but the space filled up on the one we wanted and prices went up quite a bit. Like the range of ships and sizes you have there. We've likewise done smaller (Windstar) and WAY larger :) up to the Oasis/Spectrum class on RCCL. You just have to know what you are getting yourself into. Have a great time on them all!
Viking has a tipping pkg which adds about $250 per person/$500 per couple. At same time they give you a $500 credit so it’s a wash. No additional tipping on board.
Thanks for the share.
I generally agree with the comments here. We have done 5 Viking ocean cruises and several Azamara cruises in the last few years (since their change in ownership). Food on Viking has gradually seemed to be lower in quality and definitely in variety. The Viking ships being newer are "prettier" and the comparable cabins slightly larger but their included tours border on the awful (just got off Bali to Sydney this week) and we frequently encountered long waits for tables in the Restaurant and even the World Cafe (buffet) AND the crowd was definitely not the sophisticated or well dressed!
The few good shows were filled to overflowing and the others weren't really worth going to, even the enrichment lecturers only had one good one (resident historian) and the others were past their prime if they ever had one. For these and many other reasons, we have booked a 49 day Azamara cruise in 2025 and a 44 day cruise in 2026 for much more reasonable pricing (in large verandah cabins) than either Viking or Oceania!
Thanks for the thorough feedback, especially from someone who has sailed both quite a bit. It seems like some (including us) have experienced that on Viking while others have not. Seems very ship dependent perhaps. Agree there is more value on Azamara as long as you accept the ship being nice, well cared for, but not as sleek as a Viking ship. I never understand why Viking holds one show and forces everyone to squeeze in with only enough capacity for half the ship. Enjoy your amazing new adventures next year and the year after. Sound great!
We go 100% for Azamara have been on Azamara more than 15 times and have another 3 booked have only been on Viking ones to Alaska it was good but not great will probably not going Viking again and regrading gratitudes if you come from Australia it is included but if you are from USA not included.
Great thanks for that tip. Congrats to you on the 15 times with 3 more booked! We are way behind you - we have some catching up to do!
Great comparison, we just booked a Croatia intensive for 2026.
Amazing - that is one we've wanted to do for a while. It's on the future cruise list for sure. Great part of the world - you'll love it.
I would add the boarding experience: Our Viking Ocean cruise boarding experience was appalling, whilst boarding for Azamara has always been a breeze. Otherwise, I would pretty much agree with all of your assessments.
Thanks for your feedback on that. It can be frustrating when you just want to get onboard and get the trip started and it takes forever.
I really want to see an comparison of the same R-class ships, Azamara vs Oceania. Now that is an apples to apples comparison.
I'd love to see that as well!
We have sailed on Oceania once and have another one coming up early '25 on the Vista (Riviera last time) so we will get a good comparison between those two classes of ships here in a few months. Maybe someone else here can weigh in since it is fascinating to hear what each cruise line did with the same R-class ships.
Great job, btw, on Azamara v. Viking! Good details & overall criteria. 3 questions, if I may:
1. When you say Azamara “Japan intensive” cruise, can you send a sample of your itinerary?
2. We also would like other comparisons of ~700 or less passengers capacity cruise lines. Plus, all-inclusive, like Crystal v. Azamara, for instance?
3. How big are Regent’s adult only ships?
Thanks in advance,
Misha
It would be interesting to add Oceania to your comparison. I think Azamara's R-class ships are far better than Oceania's BUT I love the 1200 passenger Marina and Riviera. The 4 specialty restaurants are free and are terrific. These ships do not feel crowded at all. The cabins are huge. An oceanview is 242 sq ft and is beautiful. Balconies are the same size plus the balcony. But Azamara wins in the friendliest passenger and staff category and that is why I'm taking it in a few weeks for my next cruise.
Yes, we plan on doing one. We have sailed on one Oceania with another scheduled. That would give us a pretty good reference than across all of these lines in comparison. Completely agree - some great cabins on Riviera (and Marina). We didn't like the cruise quite as much but no question the cabins beat Azamara easily. We haven't sailed the same ships though on Oceania and sounds like the experience is quite mixed on those. We'll be trying a Vista class next up.
I tried Oceania Vista as a Founder. Too small. Mostly bland, slightly snobby, horrible people who I hope are worth millions. Food was not great all around.
Haven’t done a Viking cruise but was thinking of doing one, the included excursions seemed a real plus but from what you’ve said maybe not so much.
Have done a 16 night Azamara cruise in an inside cabin but had the best time, that was 6 years ago and Azamara has changed hands since, I’ve wondered if it was less good now, but sounds pretty good still, from this video, so may be tempted to do another one
I wouldn't lean into the included excursions. They are "fine' - usually nothing special nor would they be something we'd want to pay much for. However, it can be nice when you have nothing else planned to know you can always jump on one and not pay extra. Definitely not a reason to avoid Viking - plenty of pros. Just think personally this benefit is a bit overrated. We've sailed Azamara before and after the changing of hands. Honestly we think there are small adjustments, and right after the hand-off there were some transition pains, but really feel the experience itself has held up.
Thank you for your video review! Nicely done. Question for you: I am a classical music and cool jazz lover. I don’t care for pop music at all and never did. My impression is that Viking features classical performers more than most. What’s your impression between these two companies? Secondly, my wife and I are on a nutrition focused vegetarian/vegan diet. No alcohol, no sweets, no dairy, obviously no meat, fish nor chicken. Which line would you say would be more likely to cater to our food needs? Or about the same? Thank you!
Viking does a really nice job with a duo/trio in the main atrium. I can say that Azamara has a number of live musicians for every show. Seems like both embrace having live musicians and not just piped in tracks. I might say that Viking to me perhaps embraced classical a bit more? Maybe someone else could weigh in who knows more than me on the topic. On the food, both lines likely will accommodate your dietary needs if you notify them in advance, but Viking may be slightly better suited for a nutrition-focused, plant-based diet due to its focus on fresh, healthy ingredients and Scandinavian-inspired menus that often include lighter and vegetable-based dishes. However, Azamara offers more personalized service and is flexible with special requests so I think you'll likely do well on either.
Thanks for the video, I enjoy your channel. I was looking for a comparison. I have only cruised Viking ocean once, and it was August 2021 when the world was just opening back up, so the ship was 200 passengers! I have always wanted to try Azamara, but when doing a cost comparison, it felt more expensive. I think you have to compare apples to apples to see the cost. Viking only has balconies, so it would make sense to cost compare with an Azamara balcony cabin. I love the idea of the Azamara destination immersion, so am still very interested to see if I can find a destination on Azamara that is cost competitive.
We had a cruise or two when ships started sailing again as well - it was amazing going out at such low capacity. Haven't seen that for a while. Totally agree you have o compare everything and you are right - important to compare similar cabin types. Without question Viking will have the superior cabins as well. We just really enjoy some of what makes the smaller ship cruising special even if it cannot really compete on the actual ship itself.
Hi,
How do the 2 lines compare in booking customer service. I have heard Azamara has poor pre-cruise communication and planning, while Viking seems very trustworthy. Are there any financial situations with either line?
I can't speak to the financial position of either since I'm quite sure they are both privately held. Azamara did indeed have a lot of issues when they transitioned their systems from Royal Caribbean ownership to private equity ownership. That was a long and probably painful change for them. However, I can tell you in the last two we have taken we've never waited long on-hold to change/add something to our booking. Their system itself is it as good as the one from Royal? No. But it has improved a lot. One frustrations we've had with Viking is when they allow bookings online for things like excursions, etc. It's like a crazy mad dash sometimes to get what you want. But, the system always worked fine other than that stress :)
I think your price comparison was unfair because Viking only has balcony cabins so you should have filtered the non balcony out the analysis.
Agree, that has to be accounted for but we did make the point in the video. And, I think it can be an edge for some people with a budget that can still do a sailing like this and afford it with the inside cabin on Azamara. On Viking you have to go for balcony. But, no question it's not apples to apples.
I appreciate what you have done with the exception of balcony to inside room. There is such a disappointment as the rest of your video was spot on.
Thanks for the feedback - not sure what part that is but would agree there is a major difference between the two cabins. It's just nice to be able to select one on Azamara if you are trying to do this as budget as possible which some people are. Thanks for watching!
Why didn’t you compare the Spa on Viking to Azmara.
Viking hands down. They have a pretty great spa area.
Viking is about 30% larger by cruiser number. Most Viking paid excursions are around $100 per person. You can't compare inside cabins to balconies. Viking has no insides.
All good points. Agree on the cabins. Viking clearly has the edge there no disputing that.
The Viking tours are usually coach tours.
Have you tried Oceania? How do you think it compares to Azamara? I tried them recently. Pretty nice, but I'm intending to try Azamara too.
Yes, we've been on one Oceania so far (Riviera) and will be sailing them again in January on a Panama Canal crossing on their newer Vista ship. Our first experience was "good" and definitely not "great". We felt it was worth another try to see if the newer version of their ships will resolve some of the issues we had.
@DigitalRoamadsDR what I especially liked about Oceania is that they treat solo cruisers like me really well. Had a nice little cabin at a good price and they had several solo meetups during the cruise.
Good comparison. I’ve wondered about Viking. We are very fond of Azamara. 3 cruises so far and another booked. We really enjoy the smaller ship intimacy and the service is fantastic.
What was the site you used for the pricing?
Awesome - glad you've had some great sailings so far with more booked. That's always key - having that next one on the calendar. We use cruiseplum, cruisedirect and cruisewatch at times to search.
Ok ,we sailed with viking one year ago, so it looks like they have changed their fares.
I stand corrected. Wouldn't stop me from sailing with them again.
Cheers Doug.
You really cannot go wrong. There were many very happy cruisers on all of our Viking sailings.
Just come off a Viking cruise. Gratuities were included. Your statements that they were not included may not be correct. Longest wait for a table in The Restaurant, immediately after a guest lecture, was probably five minutes. That was on one occasion only. Never had to wait for a lift. You neglected to mention the The Explorers lounge area for breakfast. Otherwise a helpful comparison.
Thanks for the feedback. I think it might depend upon the fare you book if included. Good idea to check/confirm to be sure. Glad you had better luck than us in the restaurant. That was a frequent point of frustration but think it will vary by itinerary, capacity and probably even the management on that ship. Agree, the Explorers Lounge is a fun place for a different style of breakfast. Those waffles are great!
I agree that Viking wait times can be long, and tables are closer together.
Seems like from feedback it can vary from the sailing - it is something we experienced but perhaps it can depend a bit on the sail date, occupancy and itinerary.
A key difference not discussed, is payment terms. Viking takes Full Payment far in advance of the cruise (U.S. citizens, not sure about non-U.S.). Viking holds that money for a long time, especially if you are booking 2-3 years out. Azamara is closer to the industry norm of 120 days prior to sailing, when requiring full payment. For that reason alone, Viking does not get my cruise dollars.
Yep, that really annoyed me a few times. We had booked a Viking trip from NYC to Iceland through Greenland and booked it very early to make sure we got the best deal and cabin selection and we had to pay in full WAY in advance. It was frustrating that it was required. Great point.
Viking in the UK is 25% deposit on booking, balance payable 90 days before departure. But you can't book Viking through a travel agent in the UK, only direct which is really annoying.
That’s why I only cruised Viking once. Irritated me.
Another difference not discussed is Azamara excursions are about twice the price of equivalent excursions on Viking. I'm booked on my first Azamara cruise and unless it completely blows me away it will be my last at these excursion prices.
I’m Canadian and wanted to cruise with Viking. They wanted payment in full 18 months out! Yikes! I won’t sail with them for that reason.
We love Viking ocean one. Seafood buffet is best, no one has kings crab legs and among others. We will be sailing with them again to China in November from HONG KONG TO Beijing.
You are definitely right there. Those are great along with the sushi that they set out. Nice pre-dinner snack :) Have a great sail - sounds like a fantastic itinerary.
I have sailed both Azamara and Viking Ocean. I found the service to be comparable but I prefer Viking's modern ships over Azamara's older R class ships.
Very understandable. Azamara has done a great job with the R class ships - which were an amazing design for their time (think about how many still sail) - but it is hard to compete strictly on the ship vs. Viking in that area.
I see you have sailed on the Viking Orion to Australia. We are thinking about doing that same cruise. Did you enjoy that cruise with Viking or if you had to do it again would you go with Azamara?
Is this one going from Australia to New Zealand (or vice versa) or a repositioning cruise from somewhere else?
Had a bad experience on Viking. If something goes wrong they refuse to offer compensation, just a discount on a future cruise. For small ship cruising go with Seabourn. Much better experience.
Without getting into details we had a horrific shore excursion experience once and we hit a brick wall there as well. I chalked it up to just the management on that ship but who knows give your experience. We still need to try out Seabourn. On the list!
I have to correct you
- In the UK and other countries Viking Cruises does include gratuities along with flights in all cruise fares
It does vary by where you book. Thanks for sharing that.
This analysis was helpful and I will consider Azamara for a port intensive cruise in the future. I have done a world cruise with Viking and loved it. Having a better health club/spa on Viking is a must for a long cruise. We had no issues with a single show offering or waits for restaurants including getting specialty reservations. As for internet, Viking has StarLink on all ships but the data speed was poor when everyone returns from shore excursions and their photos automatically upload to the cloud or they start to FaceTime with home.
Makes total sense especially on a longer ship. I'd agree the edge on a very long sailing like yours would go to Viking for the ship reasons. One thing I have noticed is some cruise lines are forcing the speeds down on Starling - it can go much faster. We once sailed on Azamara Onward when they first installed and it wasn't being capped. It was amazing. On a recent sailing they clearly were tamping down on the speed and it was a clear difference. I feel a lot depends on how much of the bandwidth they want to allow to control their costs.
Azamara ALL THE WAY…
Thanks for watching and glad you had an excellent experience. We look forward to our next Azamara cruise in 2025.
1 Viking = 2 azamara! Plus more personalized and cusomer care policy. You feel more relaxed.
Besides, unlimited Landry on Azamara ! No brainer
Glad you have been enjoying! I hope you've got a good one booked.
We had several Azamara cruised. Journey & Quest. Quest is more personal, just like at home. Capitan & his wife are friendly! Q entertaining manager Taniyia is a Opera singer! When we came back from Azamara night on Therater Uruguay, She stand on board sing from Tuscan to Carmen, made long line to short for enjoy 😉
Seems obvious 8 minutes in that you prefer Azamara.
We have debated it a lot - there's much to like in both cases. Don't think you can go wrong.
Azamara seems better! It's a crying shame that RCL sold it!
I'm not sure if they just got a great offer from the private equity company or felt it was going after similar to Silversea.
Go to dinner like europeans at 21.00 and no waiting...
Probably true! :)
After three enjoyable Viking cruises, I don't think Azamara will be an option.
Great to hear you enjoyed your Viking cruises - you can't go wrong.
tips ARE included on Viking
Awesome, appreciate the update.
I was just on a 15 day Viking cruise and tips were not included. $17.00 per day, added to your bill at the end of the cruise.
No, they're not.
Neither appeals to me. Small ships and limited entertainment, they sound like platforms with no vibe. Something for pensioners to experience.
Many would disagree but that is the beauty of cruising - there is a line and ship for everyone no matter what you desire. We have another video in the channel on finding the best one for you: th-cam.com/video/sx_aIPTnFJc/w-d-xo.html
@@DigitalRoamadsDR I did not write the above message to disrespect anyone. Just not something that is for me and my partner. If pushed, I guess I I may try Viking once just to see what it is all about.
So why did you respond ??
Viking Cruisers are more obnoxious! They think they are above average, who cares😅
I suppose you can run into that on any sailing - figure the more various people and backgrounds it's possible on any sailing. We did however find it to be less casual/friendly though that is not across the board.
I love Viking ships but not the cruise experience. And Viking charges full payment shortly after booking.