Viking Orion
Recently I cruised on Viking Orion, a brand new five star Ocean Liner, from Darwin to Cairns. Think pared-back Scandinavian style featuring light wood, airy functional spaces, no clutter and an emphasis on excellence without being stuffy. This is what greeted me as I boarded the ship, a truly Nordic aesthetic. Founded by Torstein Hagan in 1997, his vision was to “connect our guests to local culture, with an understated interior elegance that never upstages the destination”. I must say that I believe he fulfilled his brief to the letter.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the Orion. She truly is a beautiful ship. Despite being fully booked with over 930 guests onboard, I never felt crowded or had to fight for a sunbed by the pool. Service was excellent throughout and the inclusions were amazing.
Starting with our room, a spacious twin cabin with one of the best bathrooms I have seen on a liner and large showers. Norwegian bath products, fluffy towels, bathrobes, and the most comfortable beds and pillows that felt like a little piece of heaven. Each stateroom has a veranda and with six different categories of stateroom of varying size to choose from there was one to fit all tastes. All have the best amenities, a large television displaying not only tv and the latest movies, but a large variety of music, Ted Talks, destination enrichment programs, details on shore excursions, activities on the ship, spa treatments, and a live cruise tracker. There were plenty of USB charging ports throughout the room for the technophiles as well which were useful. The complimentary internet made working easy and what a wonderful office the ship proved to be during my stay. Daily stocked mini bar and table and chairs out on the veranda made it the perfect place to kick back and chill out. The 24-hour room service certainly helped for those times you just couldn’t be bothered leaving the comfort of your room.
The pool areas were also amazing. The larger main pool, protected in bad weather by a retractable roof, was flanked by alcoves where you could relax on a sunbed in front of a large window, protected from the sun and wind, but still being able to watch the world float by. The Pool Grill and Aquavit bar situated here ensured sun lovers would not go hungry or thirsty and didn’t need to go very far to have their appetites satiated. I loved how the staff would periodically come around handing out cool towels and iced water to help keep the patrons hydrated and comfortable in the hot weather. The pool itself was decked out in Turkish Tiles and was just as elegant as any other part of the ship. A large movie screen provides movies by night and dancing under the stars was immensely popular. The second pool is a wonderful infinity pool that is glass backed and cantilevered off the stern. I believe it is the first infinity pool on an ocean liner. It was just stunning and proved very popular, especially as the World Café was easily accessible from here so the perfect place to chill out and relax after a light lunch. Both pools had plenty of sun loungers around and there were certainly an abundance of spaces to chill out and relax without being bothered by anyone if that was what you were after.
Another important aspect and possibly the most for some cruisers is the cuisine onboard. The Orion has more Al Fresco dining than on any other ship with the Aquavit Terrace and World Café offering tasty and fresh dishes for a quick and relaxed dining experience. The World Café offers multiple choices with different themes every night and is the perfect choice for patrons not wishing to get too dressed up and wanting a more casual dining experience. The main dining room, “The Restaurant” offers a changing daily menu including regional specialties made with fresh, local ingredients for those wanting a more formal sit down experience. Then you have the specialty restaurants Manfredi’s serving Italian fare, The Chef’s table providing a fine dining, culinary experience, and the Kitchen Table which can be booked for private functions. For a quick bite, there is a coffee shop and Mamsen’s serving traditional Norwegian snacks and light fare. As well as restaurants there were many areas to kick back and relax including the Wintergarden which served high tea from 4-5pm daily in an elegant setting, Explorer’s Lounge, the Explorer’s Bar, library, games areas, and the atrium.
By far my favourite place on the ship was the Liv Nordic spa. The facility itself is fully complementary, and I’ve never seen a spa like it on any other ship. Relaxation areas, dry sauna, plunge pool, steam room, heated lounges, daybeds, an Ice Room and of course a huge jacuzzi with lay flat beds as well as jets. It was truly amazing and I spent quite a bit of time here after my daily workouts, just relaxing. Viking offers an array of spa treatments all with a Nordic theme and I opted for the Nordic Bathing ritual which included dry brushing, scrubbing, and using all the facilities to give your body a full cleanse. It was wonderful! The gym too offered state of the art equipment and staff on hand to offer advice and set up programs for patrons if desired. It was wonderful working out and watching the sea go by. It was the largest and best-equipped gym I have ever seen on a ship and was very well patronised by all.
The Star Theatre offered nightly entertainment while the lounges and the atrium had more intimate musicians daily to entertain in a more relaxed atmosphere. Torshavn bar had the resident band singing nightly and was great for a bit of an after dinner boogie and cocktail. There are no big productions on Viking, the mood is more intimate and refined so it’s not the ship to be on for those seeking constant entertainment. It is however perfect for those who want to “stop and flop”, who want things to do if they wish, but are happy to relax, read and enjoy watching the scenery passing by. Trivia competitions, games between ships crew and patrons, the usual cruise pastimes of shuffleboard, ping pong and games areas where one can enjoy a multitude of electronic board games, mixology classes, dance classes, specialist lectures on destinations and astrology (a theme running through all Viking cruises as a nod to the early Viking history of navigation); there was plenty on offer if you were so inclined.
Things to love on Viking.
- Fabulous fresh Nordic inspired food as well as local delicacies
- Internet included
- Wines and Beers included with meals and drinks packages available for other times
- No cover charges for the specialty restaurants
- A nod to the Viking Heritage is apparent throughout
- Dedicated to green cruising with hybrid engines that meet stringent emission standards
- State of the art stabilisers ensures smooth sailing regardless of the weather
- THE SPA! No cover charge for Jacuzzis, steam and saunas, ice room, plunge pools and everything you would want. Fabulous Nordic-inspired spa treatments at a very reasonable cost
- Modern fitness center with every machine you could possibly want or could use
- The staff are attentive and undoubtedly some of the best in the business
Overall I enjoyed my stay on Viking Orion and would be happy to recommend her to clients who prefer the finer things in life. Cruising the Caribbean or Mediterranean on her would be amazing, as it would on any of Viking’s sister ships. One for experienced cruise lovers who can appreciate that the ship they are travelling in is just as important as the destinations visited.