Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Jupiter
Viking is a household name when it comes to river cruises. The ones we have experienced are among our favorite vacations. When this family-run company began offering ocean cruises in 2015, we were intrigued.
Viking Ocean Cruise, with the newest fleet of small ships, quickly became the world’s leading small ship cruise line. By 2016 and right through 2019 these ocean cruises have been voted #1 in Travel and Leisure. They were also named best in 11 of 13 categories by Cruise Critic members.
We chose the Viking Homelands cruise aboard the new 930 passenger Viking Jupiter. It took us from the spectacular Norwegian fjords to fascinating little towns and grand Scandinavian capitals — 11 ports and 8 countries in 15 days. We booked a stateroom well in advance of our September 2019 voyage since sailings fill quickly.
St. Petersburg, Russia 
Copenhagen, Denmark 
Tallinn, Estonia 
Stegastein Viewpoint, Norway
Much of Viking Ocean Cruises’ reputation comes from all the features that are included when compared to others — a shore excursion in every port, free wifi, open access to the spa, wine and beer with lunch and dinner, alternative dining, specialty coffees and teas, port taxes and fees, 24 hour room service, and laundry machines and detergent. Ground transfers are included with air purchase.
Copenhagen & Castles of North Zeeland optional tour, Viking Jupiter
An array of additional optional tours are offered for a fee. We signed up for many of them before departure to simplify things during our cruise. But once we were onboard and aware of all there was to enjoy there, we canceled a few, without the fees others charge.
Our trip began with the smoothest embarkation in all our years of cruising. Helpful staff lined the way, whisking our luggage away and guiding us through Bergen’s cruise terminal. After the quickest check-in ever we were right onboard. No lines or waiting. Viking made everything easy. We felt relaxed and well cared for right from the start, and impressed by the soothing effect of the soft colors of the decor and the streamlined Scandinavian furnishings.
We were greeted by a young woman wearing a traditional Norwegian bunad.
No one was pushing drinks or other products. In fact, throughout the cruise, there was no sales pressure at all. Just top-notch service.
A buffet lunch awaited in the World Café. Waiters brought drinks to our table on the Aquavit Terrace, where we took in the view of Bergen’s waterfront and the variety of ships going in and out of the port.
Deck 9, Viking Jupiter
Then we explored the ship and took photos discretely before many other passengers arrived, from Deck 9 Sports Deck’s outdoor gym right down to Deck 1’s LivNordic Spa and specialty restaurants.
Explorers’ Lounge, Viking Jupiter
We stopped to look through the telescope and take in the two-story panoramic view from the super-comfortable leather chairs in the Explorers’ Lounge on Decks 7& 8.
Explorers’ Lounge, Viking Jupiter
This room celebrates Norwegian navigators with an array of ship models and navigation tools.
Explorers’ Lounge, Viking Jupiter
It became one of our favorite areas, with little nooks for reading a selection from the library, areas for conversation, and reindeer pelts draped over the sofas in the cozy fireplace area. A pianist performs at night.
Explorers’ Lounge fireplace area, Viking Jupiter
Mamsen’s is a little deli there named for what Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen and his sister called their mother. Her recipes are used for the for heart-shaped waffles topped with fruit and goat cheese, open faced shrimp sandwiches, pea soup and hearty stews.
Mamsen’s, Viking Jupiter
Look under the plates and you’ll see “Tor Viking 2.” Hagen’s daughter, Karina, had Mamsen’s china reproduced for use here. This is a place where you can enjoy a Swedish “fika,” a coffee and sweets break with others, and gain a sense of what the untranslatable kind of coziness known as “hugge” in Denmark or “koselig” in Norway is.
The adjacent Wintergarden is the light-filled site that is especially nice for enjoying Afternoon Tea along with the sounds of a stringed quartet.
Wintergarden, Viking Jupiter
Then there’s the main pool and hot tub area that has a retractable roof for year-round enjoyment. By night it is an ideal place to enjoy stargazing. The Pool Grill serves some of the best hamburgers and cheese steak sandwiches we have tasted.
Pool area, Viking Jupiter
From there it is on to the seemingly endless array of food from the open kitchens in the World Café. Beyond that is the Aquavit Terrace. Viking’s ships have the most al fresco dining at sea. The infinity pool and hot tub complete this deck.
Aquavit Terrace, Viking Jupiter
The staterooms, mostly on Decks 4, 5, and 6 all have private verandas. The king size bed has soft duvets and fluffy goose down pillows for a great night’s sleep. Viking Cruises also has some of the largest suites, including the Owner’s Suite with some of Chairman Torstein Hagen’s collections.
Bathrooms have heated floors and anti-fog mirrors. Shower controls are straightforward and the premium Freya toiletries pop open. The remote for the large screen tv is easy to use, there are plenty of USB ports and US/EU plugs. There is 24 hour room service. It’s tempting to put on the plush robes and slippers and just stay there.
The Nordland bunad_Viking Jupiter
There are Norwegian influences throughout the ship. Deck 3 includes an upper atrium area with traditional Norwegian costumes, or bunads, on display.
Viking clothing, Viking Jupiter
There is also a small museum of Viking artifacts.
Deck 2 is for entertainment and dining, starting with the multipurpose theater’s production shows, guest lectures, and seminars, Sometimes it is divided into 2 cinemas, for things like TED talks and Destination Insights.
Then there’s Torshavn, a lively place with jazz singers, piano players, dancing and drinks. Specialty brandies are served here.
gift shop display window, Viking Jupiter
There is a spacious jewelry store and my favorite, a shop with Norwegian clothing and handicrafts.
Copenhagen & Castles of North Zeeland tour
Live music from the Steinway piano on Level 1 fills the Atrium. Tabletops there stream onboard events. You’ll spot people reading, working on a puzzle, or enjoying a game of Scrabble or chess here.
Performance based on Phantom of the Opera, Atrium, Viking Jupiter
Floor-to-ceiling windows reveal an ever-changing view during open seating dining at The Restaurant, Regional cuisine and American classics are served here.
The Restaurant, Viking Jupiter
Level 1 had some of our favorite getaways, beginning with the revitalizing LivNordic Spa, a hot-to-cold experience oasis that even includes a snow grotto. Purify your body in the sauna and plunge into a cold pool or the snow — if you dare.
LivNordic Spa
We enjoyed this so much we stayed onboard one day and had the spa to ourselves. Swedish massages and other fee-based treatments are also available. The Fitness Center, salon and a shop with Russian treasures rounds out this area.
shop display of the Faberge-inspired Royal Danish Egg
This leads to the comfortable Living Room, which has informative and inspirational books and a bar that is clinker-built of overlapping planks, like the Viking ships of yore.
Living Room, Viking Jupiter
When in Norway the resident pianist might be playing traditional Norwegian music while Edvard Munch’s paintings are projected on the Atrium screen.
view from The Chef’s Table, Viking Jupiter
The specialty restaurants that feature multi-course meals paired with wine are here, as well, at no additional cost, but should be reserved in advance.
The Chef’s Table features a changing tasting menu of regional and specialty cuisine. Unfortunately, we missed the Scandinavian nights, but thoroughly enjoyed the Asian and Mexican menus.
The Chef’s Table, Viking Jupiter
Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant was inspired by Italian trattorias.
Manfredi’s, Viking Jupiter
Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen and his friend Silversea Chairman Manfredi Lefebvre D’Ovidio collaborated in testing the recipes.
bread basket at Manfredi’s, Viking Jupiter
Reserve a place in advance or at the beginning of the cruise. We discovered is that few passengers book the specialty restaurants for embarkation night and snagged a table without a reservation.
We stopped to see the Kitchen Table, used for culinary adventures (additional charge) with the Chef during the tour of the restaurants’ galley.
Is this cruise for you?
We booked this cruise for all that it is. We loved it for what it is not.
No cacophonous sounds from a casino. No blaring announcements for things like raffles or art auctions. No photographers interrupting dinner and no smoking. No hype and no glitzy formal nights.
There are also no passengers under 18. Activities are appropriate to the mature traveler. Production shows featured music from the 50s and 60s.
This is a journey many describe as a thinking person’s cruise. The Resident Astronomer gives talks in the theater. 3D presentations are held in the Explorers’ Lounge’s a 26-seat planetarium, which serves as a domed theater.
Cruise-related topics like the Vikings and Imperial Russia are the domain of the Resident Historian. Miroslav Dimitrijevic spoke on topics relating to his high-quality items in the onboard shop, including the nesting dolls known as Matryoshka.
Matryoshka dolls, Viking Jupiter
We became so relaxed on our cruise that we scaled back our usual enthusiasm for experiencing it all onshore to have more time to enjoy the amenities this beautiful ship.
We used an app for a self-guided tour of the Nordic art collection. And those heated tile lounge chairs and snow grotto were just too compelling. We came home relaxed from and enriched by our Viking Ocean Cruise experience.