The New Viking Star Ocean Cruises (and Viking River Cruises)

Peterhof in Russia

As you know, cruising consistently receives the highest guest satisfaction ratings of any form of travel, but even among such a happy group of vacationers, some are more thrilled by their cruises than others. 

Viking River Cruises has carved out a niche in small ship river cruising that brings rave reviews.  By combining port-intensive itineraries that include complimentary shore excursions with other niceties that would cost extra on most cruises, from wine and beer with meals to port charges/taxes to reduced-price air (including transfers) to free internet and self-service laundry, Viking easily fills its ships that visit the great inland cities of Europe and takes other cruises to more exotic locales like China and Egypt.

Viking Star Piano Bar in the 3 story Atrium

Viking River Cruises also includes deluxe two and three day land packages as add-ons for either end of the river cruises to extend the vacation for those who want to experience even more.

Their chefs make a point of procuring the finest local ingredients to prepare fine cuisine onboard for guests, with regional wines and beers to accompany the locally-inspired dishes.

While at first glance, their prices seem higher than mainstream ocean cruises, returning passengers have found that the bottom line trip costs the same or even less, once all those shore exursions and drinks on an ocean going vessel have been paid with the final bill.

This has led to not only Viking rapidly expanding its river ship fleet, but other great competitors like Uniworld, AMA Waterways and Avalon entering the market with their own variations on the river cruise theme.  This has pushed Viking to keep improving, and Viking Long Ships were introduced recently to great acclaim.

Viking Star

In 2015, Viking Star will take the river cruise experience to coastal cruising in Europe.  As other cruise lines have announced pulling ships from Europe for next season, this certainly is a bold statement by Viking.  Like all great companies, however, they are expanding to give their customers what they say they want: the same river cruise experience on European coastal cruises.

To that end, Viking Star is designed for a more intimate onboard experience with its primary emphasis on the ports visited rather than the onboard experience.  The offerings for 2015 are amazing itineraries through Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, most having more leisurely two week itineraries with ports almost every day.  It's possible to combine several together consecutively into an amazing amalgamation. See the great itineraries at the second half of the Viking Star Brochure for 2015.

Al fresco dining at Aquavit Terrace on Viking Star

To glide comfortably through the ocean, Viking Star will obviously be larger than Viking Long Ships, but carrying only 928 guests, she is certainly not your typical mainstream ship.  If you're looking forward big shows and partying until the wee hours, this is not your line.  In fact, Viking Star will take the space normally devoted to a casino on most ships and use that for just lounging and enjoying Hygge.  The Explorer's Lounge, with two story panoramic windows, and the glass enclosed Wintergarden, all with coversational seating arrangments to encourage interpersonal relationships rather than at atmosphere of watching entertainers from afar.

Viking Star Infinity Pool

And there's still a great spa, along with the only infinity pool at sea.

Oh, and by the way, every stateroom has a balcony, and they are larger than standard balcony rooms on mainstream ships.  Remember that when comparing prices.

You'll enjoy complimentary excursions introducing you to the ports, and then have time to branch out on your own. Viking Star is destined to be a favorite of everyone who cherishes time in ports, with long days and a few overnights, always arriving with a smaller contingent of fellow passengers rather than swarming the ports from a mega-ship.



Laszlo and Gina in Copenhagen

As with traditional Viking River Cruises, you must book early to enjoy the greatest savings.   As the embarkation date approaches, air prices and cruise prices will begin inching higher.  Plus, booking early allows you to choose the very best ship locations.  Paying early entitles you to greater savings.

Make your future wonderful, and begin enjoying the anticipation today.

Better service leads to better trips! 

Explore Trade Routes of the Middle Ages

At first, making the stretch to Viking Ocean might feel uncomfortable.

After all, you've enjoyed wonderful cruises with Princess and Celebrity for lower prices.

Many people who felt just like you --- maybe you? --- took a chance on a river cruise.

What they found on the river turned out to be quite special and worth the premium price.

Frequently they returned feeling in the end that they spent less for a better vacation.

After all, on holiday we don't want to worry about small things.

We want to feel free to enjoy all aspects of our vacation.

Free-flowing local wine and beer with lunch and dinner, shore excursions in each port and even free internet all combine to make you feel like you're a wealthy traveler in a classic movie, and I'm not talking about a National Lampoon's Vacation.

It can be habit forming.

Many river cruise passengers asked, "Why can't we have all this on an ocean voyage?"

We always could, as long as we were willing to pay for it, and some upscale lines with prices four times as high included extras, but only recently did lines like Oceania and Azamara attempt to split the difference.

In 2015, the leading river cruise line, Viking, made the leap to ocean cruising.

Viking Ocean Cruises include those same amenities as Viking River Cruises, and while the prices may indeed cause you to gasp a bit, it turns out by the end of the trip you probably will have spent no more to live the life of luxury.

For example, in April of 2018, you can explore Trade Routes of the Middle Ages on a unique 14-night voyage from Barcelona to Bergen aboard Viking Sky with prices starting at just $3699 for a Veranda!

All staterooms on Viking Ocean have balconies, but you can decide exactly how large and deluxe you want your room.

Keep in mind this is not a mega-ship, and the least expensive categories (as well as the top suites) sell out quite early, so you must book early to lock the best deal.

Just as on river cruises, the included shore excursions will weave a tapestry of the region that will leave you not just having seen but understanding an amazing part of the world.

"Better service leads to better trips!"

Are Other River Cruises Better Than Viking?

If you go online to learn about river cruises, you'll probably not only be confused but likely misled into believing something that is simply not true.

To correct this, of course, I am writing one more online article, which I'm sure you will treat as the definitive article so that you never need to consult another.

Let me start with the elephant in the room: Viking River Cruises.

Watching TV commercials and judging by their success, you logically conclude that Viking River Cruises must be pretty awesome.



You are correct, sir or madam.

Yes, indeedy-do.

Viking does an excellent job.

Then why do you also find articles that seem intent on denigrating Viking?

In trying to differentiate other lines for their unique marketing propositions, they position Viking, as the best known company, as an able foil.

For example, Uniworld is more inclusive, easily proven by their standard pre-paid gratuities, unlimited shore excursions and open bar with top shelf liquors.  Crystal undoubtedly provides more anticipatory service than Viking, but while they include the open bar like Uniworld, they don't have unlimited free shore excursions, so in that way they're more like Viking.



AmaWaterways and Avalon Waterways have larger rooms than Viking, but also larger than Uniworld, in most cases.

If you definitely would appreciate any of those specific advantages of other lines, then the alternatives should definitely be on your radar.

In the final analysis, none of that should make you think you wouldn't like Viking River Cruises, especially if you've never been on a river cruise before.

Make no mistake; a Viking River Cruise is not some bottom of the barrel experience.

There are lesser lines than Viking, to be sure, most geared for markets with less discerning tastes than well-traveled Americans, and you would be well-advised to avoid those, unless you happen to be more at the back-packing through Europe stage of life, which most likely you're not.

Once you factor in what is not included on those sub-Viking lines, not to mention what the average river cruise customer seeks, you may be surprised to find that the bottom line savings aren't as great as you initially believe, especially when air promotions pop up for Viking.




Nonetheless, many times price is more significant as a factor than we like to let on. We all want good value, and of course, we want to get the most out of our valuable vacation days.

While there are exceptions based on specific promotions, for the most part it is hard to beat Viking on price for a great river cruise at the base River View level.

If you're only going to cruise the Romantic Danube once, however, you'll want to do it right for you. Perhaps you insist on suites on ocean cruises or always stay at Ritz Carlton Hotels; then another line might be a better choice for you personally. Even then, however, finding a cruise that aligns with your schedule may take priority, and make Viking or another line the obvious choice.

I personally think many lines provide value as good as Viking, especially for those who appreciate larger rooms, though usually at higher price points.

For example, let's say you have a very discerning palate for fine wines and dinner, or if air promotions aren't in favor of Viking --- whether because you pick a specific date where AmaWaterways has one or when Viking doesn't --- then pulling the handle for AmaWaterways might be an obvious choice.

Never forget that timing of when you book can make a huge difference. Knowing when to book can be as significant as knowing what to book.

The bottom line is that your best way to choose a river cruise is to enlist the assistance of a knowledgeable travel consultant to help you make an informed decision on all fronts.

Time for a Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands?

Perhaps like me, you grew up attending Sunday School, learning about the legends from the Bible.  I know that for me, David, Sampson and Solomon were big heroes, even more so than Zorro, Superman and the Lone Ranger, whom I understood to be just fiction.



The former seaside port of Ephesus (as in Ephesians)

Years later when I made it to college, a close friend took his own life, and I had a hard time dealing with that. I began attending church more religiously and bringing a Bible with me to read while waiting for Business classes to start.

At the same time, I did yoga along with a PBS Television class daily and meditated regularly in Mom's green backyard under a magnificent apricot tree.  Incidentally, that fruit tree became incredibly abundant with sweet, juicy, thoroughly delicious apricots, so much so that we would give bag after bag away every summer and still have lots to enjoy ourselves. 

I must have begun to present myself differently from the rocker I believed I was.  When working on a group project with a half dozen others in a Manpower Management class at Long Beach State, one of the other students uttered the slightest profanity, something not nearly as offensive as what seems to have become somewhat common language among young adults these days.  He turned to me and quite sincerely said, "Oh, I'm sorry Wes.  I didn't mean to offend you."  I smiled and said no apology was necessary.

What a diffferent world it has become since then.

Over the years, I've always felt a strong relationship with God and been extremely grateful for His many blessings.

While I'm not a medieval knight or Muslim who feels compelled to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and the Holy Lands, it is a place I've dreamed about since my earliest memories, a land where heroes for the ages arose.

Have you always dreamed about visiting the Holy Lands?

There's no time like the present, but a "trip of a lifetime" frequently requires more time to plan and save for, so perhaps you'll be ready for your sojourn right about when Viking introduces its Holy Lands cruise.

Viking Ocean Cruises is a sister line to Viking River Cruises, which has been the market leader in river cruising in Europe and beyond for several years.

With their ocean cruise product, they are basically taking the features that made them popular on the river to ocean voyages.





As such, while their prices at first glance seem high, they do include an introductory shore excursion with local guides in every port, and on board free wifi, free alternative dining with a choice of 11 restaurants, plus complimentary beer and wine by the glass with lunch and dinner served on board the ship.

All things considered, this more inclusive cruise costs more than, for example, Celebrity Cruises, which is a very deluxe large ship, even after similar excursions and some allowance for the rest is allowed, but small ship cruising has nonetheless become increasingly popular with experienced cruisers.  In any case, Viking's itinerary has very succinct descriptions of excursions to amazing sites which can be easily explored on a Holy Lands cruise.

Viking River Cruises

The dominant name in river cruising is Viking, which has by far the most ships of any line.

Viking's marketing program is second to none, so if you've ever turned on a television or done an internet search, you probably are familiar with the brand and know Viking River Cruises include lots of no-cost inclusions like free shore excursions as well as beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner.

In fact, their commercials are so inviting that I dare say you've often found yourself deferring the usual DVR fast forward or "skip ad" feature to not only watch those cinematic images but have come to recognize the narrator's voice.

When you hear the opening strains of classical music, your mind might wander to beautiful castles and vineyards along calm European Rivers from their ads.



Most people choose the Rhine as their first European river cruise, perhaps taking this "trip of a lifetime" to celebrate a landmark anniversary or retirement.

They enjoy it so much, however, they often follow up with a Danube cruise within a couple of years.



An increasingly popular destination is Portugal, selected as Travel+Leisure's Destination of the Year for 2016.

Those with more time can combine a river cruise with a land trip through Spain, perhaps on a guided tour with Globus.



And, of course, who can think of Europe without contemplating romantic Paris and French cuisine?

Set your beret at a jaunty angle and cruise through Normandy or Provence, or both!



But Viking River Cruises are not limited to Europe.

One of their most popular vacations is through inscrutable China, a land where you definitely want to be in trusted hands to thoroughly enjoy and comprehnd your total experience.

I could go on raving about their magnificent itineraries and the wonders of river cruising long after you stopped reading (and probably already have done so).  Viking Ocean takes their river cruise experience to the open seas.

And Viking is just one brand in a growing market.

When you're ready to book your next trip of a lifetime, you don't have to go it alone.

In me, you have a friend in the travel industry.

"Better service leads to better trips!"

Time to Splurge for a River Cruise in Europe?

Are you looking for a great way to celebrate a milestone like a wedding anniversary or retirement?

Or do you just want to enjoy an incredible immersion in some of the most beautiful regions in the world?

Either way, is hard to beat a river cruise.



While ocean cruising wins over 95% of people who try it, the one whispered complaint that cruises battle consistently is a perception by some of being "nickel and dimed."

To combat this, more inclusions have been added, and unlimited beverage packages on Celebrity, Azamara, Oceania and Norwegian Cruises have definitely worked.

While some luxury lines charging two to four times as much have been all-inclusive for years, it seems like river cruises showed mainstream cruises the way.

In fact, when Viking River Cruises took their river cruise philosophy to the ocean, they quickly became the top ranked ocean cruise line in many surveys of travel agents and past guests.

Viking includes free-flowing regional wines and beer with lunch and dinner. free internet and even a free shore excursion in every port.



Other river cruise lines like Uniworld and AmaWaterways take that philosophy of all-inclusive even further, with more additional free shore excursions, bicycles and, in the case of Uniworld, free drinks anytime on board.

Of course, some luxury ocean lines like Regent and Crystal have been providing anticipatory service and amenities for decades, so when Crystal decided to enter river cruising, we knew it would be very special.

Crystal River Cruise ships are among the most beautiful of all, and their own "all-inclusive" approach demands premium prices on rivers just as on ocean liners.

Regardless of whether you choose Viking, Crystal or any other fine river cruise line, you will not feel nickel and dimed.

It comes down to the level of exclusiveness you want with your inclusive value.



I feel compelled to point out that the lowest advertised prices are almost inevitably for November and December, when snows fall in Central Europe.

These Christmas Market cruises have their own special magic and are well-worth experiencing, but don't hold your breath waiting to get that same low price during prime weather months.

You will nonetheless find your money has been very well-spent when your splurge for a river cruise.

Relative Value

No, we won't be trying to hang a price tag on your cousins.

Relative value in this case refers to comparisons between cruise possibilities.

Sometimes, we have obvious differences, such as between Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line, which are now part of the same corporate family of brands.



Yes, if you take the top suite on NCL, you can pay in the neighborhood of what you'd pay for RSSC, giving you the big ship cruise experience when you want it and luxurious privacy when you don't, but for the most part, the average customer on either ship has vastly different expectations.

Guests of premier cruise lines like Regent Seven Seas expect the best of everything, including intuitive service that anticipates what you want an instant before you realize it yourself.  The staff learns not only your name but your personal preferences in order to provide personal service.

NCL for the most part will be a place where you are free to find what you want for yourself to make your cruise enjoyable for you personally.  They call it free style, where no one plans your schedules but you.  Then again, they do provide information when asked, as well as providing a daily program of activities.

Sometimes, the differences between lines are more subtle.

For example, competitors Oceania and Azamara have very similar attributes and target audiences.




With ships smaller than mega-sized mainstream lines and larger than ultra-luxury lines, their approaches come down to port-intensive itineraries and country club casual ambiance.

Their exact mix of offerings differs.

For example, Azamara always includes free beverages and pre-paid gratuities, whereas on Oceania there is frequently free internet plus a choice among great amenities like several free shore excursions, free beverages or pre-paid gratuities.

Oceania includes "free air," or gives a discount if you don't take advantage of that service.

There used to be a stark difference between ocean and river cruising.



Travelers making the leap from ocean cruises to river cruiess accepted the would pay more, because the river cruise experience included items which would be extras on a standard cruise.

Not necessarily so any more.

Viking Ocean has taken their river approach to deep seas, with more-inclusive mid-sized ships that include free shore excursions, free wifi and free wine and beer with lunch and dinner.

Meanhwhile, in mainstream ocean cruises, Royal Caribbean has ridden its ever larger and more jaw-dropping ships to demand well-deserved higher prices not only than competitors for several years running.



In fact, RCCL's jaw-dropping mega-ships have had such strong appeal across demographics that they usually cost more than upscale sister Celebrity.

More recently, Celebrity has taken a page from the smaller, more-upscale ships with more inclusive offerings, which has made all the difference, dramatically increasing the perceived value of their offerings and putting them more in line with Royal Caribbean in terms of demand and pricing.

Often, there can be price differences between a different promotion stripped of benefits that can be a better value for the price-conscious cruiser who is happy to scrimp on a few inclusions in order to save on his bottom line.

For example, on Celebrity the difference between a stripped cruise only booking and having $150 per person on board credit and free Classic Beverage Package might be anywhere from $150 per person (where it obiously is a good deal) or $1200 pp, at which you must ask yourself how much booze you actually want to down in ten days.

There's also a difference between how the lines interpret those inclusions.  When Norwegian includes their free beverage package, a service charge (about $99 pp for a 7 night cruise) is added, whereas Celebrity's Classic Beverage Package is truly free.  However, NCL includes a wider variety of drinks, whereas Celebrity's Classic package includes basic drinks with a selection that satisfies most guests, with the option to upgrade to get better selection including more named brands for a fee (usually $10 per day) for those with more discerning palates.

When you give me the mission of finding a cruise for you, I start with what you tell me are must-haves, such as itinerary and time frame, and then work to find the best value for your unique desires.

Because I receive daily updates about cruise specials and new innovations, I find different possibilities on essentially every cruise search, frequently leading to alternatives of better relative value you may never have otherwise considered.

On the other hand, just because one cruise might from a strictly rational view seem to be a better value, what really matters is where you will be most comfortable for your next great vacation, which is why it is important that I get to know you personally to help you find the best possible cruise.  The more you share about your tastes, past experiences and future desires, the better I can help.

"Better service leads to better trips!"

Let's Get Small

If you remember Steve Martin's "Let's Get Small" as being funny --- or perhaps you vaguely recall Steve as some old comedic actor when you were a kid --- and you enjoy cruising in a balcony or suite, then perhaps it's time to consider small ship cruising.



Recently, I've received feedback from some folks who, like me, are in their sixties. They returned from a long cruise on a very nice ship feeling their fellow guests were too old. Coming from California, where 60 really is the new 30, undoubtedly exacerbates this impression, but there are certainly demographic trends at work here, too.

People who have the time to take longer trips unquestionably skew older than those on trips of 7 nights or less. I've noticed this too, although as I've noted in my blog, people who look older frequently turn out to be young rockers and hippies from the 1960's wearing perfect disguises.

On the other hand, many affluent people in their forties to early sixties are choosing smaller premium ships, whether for seven nights or longer voyages, and their absence on large cruises may be palpable to some people.

River cruises are the fastest growing segment in travel, and why not?



These more inclusive voyages give you a free introductory excursion in every port, so you never come away feeling any stop was inconsequential. The delicious food is sourced daily on shore by chefs to create regional magic. Local wines and beer with dinners are the norm, and some like Uniworld include essentially all beverages all the time. The dress code is country club casual rather than overly formal or grubby. And for a generation that increasingly finds web accessibilty essential, free internet on board feels quite liberating, even if once in the vacation frame of mind we realize cyberspace is a pale substitute for reality.

Viking Ocean Cruises has taken their award winning approach to river cruising to 930 guest ocean ships with wide acclaim, including recently landing at the top of Travel+Leisure World's Best Large Cruise Ships.



Yes, at 930 guests, it is still considered a large ship, as are Oceania and Azamara Club Cruises, which include vessels as small as around 700 guests in a very inclusive format, if not quite all-inclusive. They're generally more port intensive and include more late evening and overnight stays than large ships. They give you most of that mainstream ship style entertainment including production shows, if not all of those can't-believe-we-can-do-this-at-sea features of mega-ships.

Larger mainstream ship cruising continues to be rated near the top for value and overall customer satisfaction in travel. It is especially well-geared for multi-generational families with children.

If you love mega-ship cruising, by all means carry on.



However, if you want to try something a bit different and perhaps hope to surround yourself with travelers you relate to as being more like yourselves, try river cruising or smaller ship ocean cruising.

Big experiences can be found in small packages.

Why Should You Cruise on Avalon Waterways?

For empty nesters looking for a destination-immersive, relaxing and easy vacation, it is hard to beat a river cruise, regardless of brand.

Industry leader Viking earns the lion's share of business with great marketing, including specials that attract attention, and they deliver a wonderful experience.

Uniworld and Tauck take the inclusiveness of most river cruises to a more encompassing level, including pre-paid gratuities, adult beverages on demand any time and anticipatory service, and I assume Crystal Cruise Lines foray into river cruising will give them a run for their money.

What about Avalon Waterways?

As a member of the Globus Family of Brands, Avalon Waterways capitalizes on 88 years of tour experience to enhance their land experiences with certified local guides in each port.

That association with Globus allows them to offer a much wider range of seamless land experiences before and after the cruise beyond the typical 2 or 3 nights, including multi-country land tours on industry leader Globus Tours or modular independent regional stays with Monograms.

In the final analysis, however, the big appeal of Avalon are the unique Open Air Balconies found on their Suite Ships.

Words can't compete with the video above, but if you don't want to watch it, know that the freeze frame is not one of two suites on each ship.  80% of the rooms on the Suite Ships have 11 foot wide glass doors that open to become a 7 foot wide Open Air Balcony.

The room setup allows you to enjoy the features of a balcony in the comfort of your in-room seating area or while snuggling in bed.

While not all the ships in the Avalon fleet are identical to this, they have similar concepts for most of their rooms, and even the smallest river view room is 172 square feet, which makes comfortable room, and the price differential between their Suite Ships and others in the line is only about 6%, whereas some other lines may charge a 40% premium to be on their newest ships.

Everyone seems to want to be on a new ship, though there certainly is a good argument to be made for older ships that are well-maintained as a means of saving vacation dollars.

Avalon Waterways, however, is committed to never having a ship in the fleet more than eight years old, selling aging ships to other lines rather than retrofitting them to their newest concepts.  As an example of the opposite approach, higher priced Tauck will retrofit its own fleet over the next two years to include their newest design features, just so you know that I am not intending to disparage the practice.  It is simply part of Avalon's unique marketing proposition to say you will never be on an old ship if you choose Avalon.

You may not be surprised to learn that Avalon costs less than those more inclusive lines like Tauck and Uniworld, but it may surprise you that in comparison with Viking, the net pricing can be quite similar, and often less when it comes to their balcony rooms.

It should also be noted that Avalon has fewer rooms on ships of the exact same dimensions as Viking, translating not only into larger average sized staterooms but also 15% more space per guest throughout the ship.

What do you give up on Avalon? 

Like other lines, Avalon has introductory shore excursions in all ports (though Avalon claims theirs to be better in quality and selection), free wifi and wonderful meals, but you'll only get free flowing local wines and beer with dinner, whereas Viking includes them with lunch, too.

And while some lines like Uniworld and AMA Waterways have bicycles on board for the use of guests, Avalon does not, although they do offer optional bicycling tours.

Bottom line, if you've enjoyed ocean cruising with lines like Celebrity, Princess, Crystal, Oceania, Azamara and Regent Seven Seas and want an immersive, port-intensive vacation, you'll love river cruising in general and Avalon Waterways in particular.

Booze Cruise?

If you've ever found yourself at the end of a cruise with a bar tab larger than what you paid for your stateroom, then probably got an amazing deal on your cruise!

Then again, it might make you question why you didn't go to Sandals or some other all-inclusive resort instead.

However, you don't have to give up the convenience and multiple destinations of a cruise to get your drink on.

Most cruise lines offer beverage packages as add-ons for about $60 to $70 per day, and sometimes you might catch a sale that takes 15 to 30% off those prices.

Psychologically, however, it is much harder to carve that much out of your travel budget.

Quite frankly, to justify buying the package, you need to have about 8 drinks a day, which is 4 times more than what my doctor recommends as a maximum.



Cruise lines offering free beverages have nonetheless found that to be a wonderful siren's song, one learned by luxury lines long ago, but many of those cost three times as much as a mainstream cruise.

Azamara Club Cruises, designed to fit into the wide niche between those very upscale cruises and the large ship cruises most travelers choose, includes free beverages on every voyage, plus free pre-paid gratuities for not just the barkeeps but for dining staff and room stewards.  I must admit it is a very liberating feeling, even if you don't imbibe much alcohol.  It makes it very easy to offer new friends a drink.

I would attribute having free beverages on Celebrity Cruises in ocean view rooms and above as having brought that great line to the attention of travelers who had previously ignored it.



While Celebrity now offers free beverages as a choice from a menu of amenities on most cruises, there is always an opportunity cost.

Specifically, there is quite frequently a lower price for Residents, Seniors or some other promotion without amenities that will save you $100-$300 per person or more.  At that point, it still is a good deal for many people, especially if there happens to be a second free amenity that comes with the beverage package.

It should be noted that Celebrity includes tips for the bar staff in their drink packages.

Norwegian Cruise Lines includes open bar packages on essentially all of their cruises (except Hawaii), unless you buy the cheapest category labeled with the letter X or buy a last minute deal a few weeks before the cruise.

Let's face it: when you go out to a nightclub, it feels right to order a beverage, even if that's not necessarily the case when sitting in front of the boob tube back home.



Unlike Celebrity, NCL always charges in advance for waitstaff tips, so expect to pay about $18 per day or more for those tips along with the cruise.  So, on a 7 night cruise, you pay about $125 (subject to change), which is approximately what you'd spend on two drinks per day with tips, depending on your tastes.

If you only like one drink a day, and especially if you prefer that to be splitting a bottle of fine wine at dinner (and I should note the waiter will save and mark your unfinished wine for your next dinner), then obviously this wouldn't be a good deal.

However, a river cruise or Viking Ocean might suit you perfectly.  They include free flowing local wines and beer with dinner, and also lunch on most lines.  In fact, some river cruise lines like Tauck and Uniworld include all of your beverages on board, plus all of your shore excursions, pre-paid gratuities, internet and many other items for which you would expect to pay extra.



As mentioned, most cruise lines offer beverage packages as an add-on.  Occasionally they run specials where they include beverage packages as an amenity, but thus far they seem to be experimenting.

Fast growing MSC Cruises currently takes an innovative approach of alternative choices for people on a tighter budget.

In the final analysis, cruise lines seek to maximize customer satisfaction but never intentionally at the expense of their bottom line.

That doesn't mean that it can't be a win-win proposition, where it is also the best value for you.

Before paying extra, it's good to consider that on a port-intensive itinerary, you'll spend much of the your time on land, where most onboard drink packages enure no benefit.

"Better service leads to better trips!"

Sometimes It Pays to Take a Newer Ship

Today I received an e-mail from some happy folks just back from a Caribbean cruise aboard Norwegian Epic.

I always appreciate a brief note providing feedback on cruises, and of course I like the positive ones best of all. 

"Cruise was great -- noticeably better food quality from last year NCL. Or maybe each ship is different. And entertainment was top-notch!"

Often, voyages aboard the latest state-of-the-art ships cost more than those on other ships, even within the same cruise line.

It's not exclusively about the onboard hardscape, however. Usually, it comes down to the specific sailing's crew members and your fellow guests.

Obviously, we all enjoy being surrounded by happy people, and crew members are not exceptions.

It is not unusual for the best crew members to sign up for the most enticing itineraries or the newest ships.

When guests enjoy the meals, shows and ambiance of the ship, it leaves them smiling and pleased to be on board. Add great ports, and you have an amazing cruise vacation experience.

That's what we hope to achieve every time.

And that's why I share travel experiences hoping to entice you to enjoy amazing vacations as part of a well-rounded life.

Let's face it. If you can afford to spend more, you will generally get a better cruise experience, with the ideal perhaps being something like Viking Ocean Cruises.

But let there be no mistake: there are great cruise experiences awaiting you in all price ranges, as our weekly specials regularly attest.

Sunny Day In Grundarfjordur (Grundarfjörður)

For our next port in Iceland, we chose to walk to a nearby waterfall that we'd read about rather than taking a shore excursion.  

After our long tour day in Reykjavik and an extensive excursion scheduled for our next port, Akureyri, we appreciated the concept of a slower paced day.

Princess offers a handful of guided excursions from the port in Grundarfjordur, with the top recommendation being the Best of Snæfellsnes Peninsula at $254.95 per passenger.

Other tours cost almost that much, so we were never really tempted.

Had we been cruising with Regent Seven Seas, which includes unlimited excursions, or Viking Ocean Cruises, with one introductory excursion per port, we would certainly have taken advantage of those offerings, assuming the ships called on this port.

Then again, those more deluxe cruise lines obviously cost considerably more than mainstream Princess Cruises. As the late Milton Friedman famously stated, "There is no such thing as free lunch."

We started the day with bran muffins and cappuccinos at the International Cafe.  With 7 AM arrival time in port, we could have also selected a Princess Egg Muffins with no additional charge at that little cafe in the atrium.  We enjoyed those delicious McDonalds-inspired creations in a couple of other early morning ports, but on this particular day we went up to the buffet for omelets, fresh fruit, potatoes, etc.

Incidentally, while we love our animal proteins, I should note that all restaurants including the International Cafe has vegan and vegetarian choices, including Avocado Toast.  There's also a decent selection of gluten-free foods, though I understand for people with Celiacs that being on the proper plate may not mean they are picked up with a dedicated utensil.

An advantage of cruising on the same line a lot of times is the preferred tender access, so as usual we were on the first tender boat heading ashore.

The short, pleasant tender boat ride on a gorgeous sunny day brought us to the little town.  It was larger than Seydisfjordur, which we had visited on a different cruise, but it still is not a place where you would be likely to spend much time.

There's not much chance of getting lost.

We followed signs toward the Visitor's Center, which we somehow missed.

I stand corrected.

Without trying, we spotted the Orca Statue that we'd heard about in a port talk onboard but didn't take a photo.  The artwork signifies the fact that whales can be spotted here in season.

We turned right when we saw an old lady sitting at a fold-out table selling a few items in a mini-yard sale.

No, I wouldn't count on that landmark being there should you come.

We meandered through a small neighborhood, finally finding our way to the main road leading out to the waterfall.

As we walked the coast, we could always see what I thought at first to be a volcano island, but Julie, having actually looked at the map, immediately knew it to be the peninsula with Mount Kirkjufell, or "Church Mountain," perched on it.  It simply looks very different depending on the angle from which we looked at it.

Along the way, the waterfalls beckoned us visually from afar, if we zeroed in on them.

The route really was very simple, but we had hoped to find an alternative to walking on what for Iceland was a busy two-lane highway for at least part of the walk.

To be clear, this road was not one that a fast-food chain would target as a source of business.

Maybe a hundred cars per hour on this busy day with a large cruise ship in port.

Not enough cars to disturb the beautiful Icelandic horses in their pasture beside the road.

All in all, it was a very pleasant walk out to the falls.

Kirkjufellsfoss is gorgeous. 

 

It's a series of three waterfalls.

Mount Kirkjufell makes a dramatic backdrop.

We return knowing that we were correct in assuming this site is the reason Princess chose this port, and on a cruise where it is easy to spend hundreds of dollars on shore excursions, it is always nice to have awesome natural wonders easily accessible.

Click to see short Grundarfjordur Waterfall video one.

Click to see short Grundarfjordur Waterfall video two.

The distance to these marvelous cascades are about two miles each way from the tender port.

Would it be wonderful to seek panoramic views from Mount Kirkjufell or take a guided excursion?  

Probably.

But sometimes less is more.  We were elated by our easy day in Grundarfjordur.

For foodies who take advantage of every port to try local cuisine, there are purportedly good restaurant choices available.

On this sunny day, Julie and I snagged seats at the top of the tender boat for the short ride to Caribbean Princess for lunch. 

Notwithstanding Friedman's adage about free lunches, we enjoyed a terrific lunch, which if not free was, like breakfast and dinner, already included in our cruise fare.

Once again, we lavished in lovely views from the ship on a sunny afternoon in Iceland.  Never underestimate the value of these sea views of lovely ports.

On this particular afternoon, we took advantage of the perfect temperature on our balcony.  

In a photo Julie captured the book I found in the ship's library, If You Would Have Told Me.  By the way, if you ever wonder how I remember different details of a trip weeks or months later when writing my blog, it often comes back to photos taken on the voyage.

It seems like I always find an interesting biography that I read on a cruise.  This time, it was the autobiography of John Stamos.

As the book's title alludes, if you would have told me I'd be reading a book about John Stamos on this cruise, I'd never have believed you.

I was not, as you may logically infer, a big fan of his TV show Full House, although I had watched a few episodes over the years.  I picked out the book because I had met him once, and he seemed to be a nice guy.

Working behind the desk at my suntan salon in Anaheim, Stamos came in with a friend to use tanning beds.  The friend had a playful look about him as he asked, "Don't you know who this is?"

"No."

"This is the famous actor, John Stamos."

"Oh, nice to meet you.  You'll need to fill out these questionnaires."

I still had no idea who he was, but I figured the friend was trying to score free tanning sessions, which wasn't going to happen on my watch.

Anyway, they had no cash, so John wrote a personal check.  I noted the address was in a neighborhood that wasn't far away.

After the tanning sessions ended, they sort of paused by the door, John Stamos smiled bemusedly looking to see if I knew who he was.  This was pre-internet, so unless he had been in the edition of Forbes Magazine that I happened to be reading, the answer would have still been no.

Here's a photo approaching the waterfalls.

My cousin Bonnie came in a couple of hours later to relieve me.  When I pulled the check from the till to take to put in the floor safe, I asked her if she knew who John Stamos was.

"Oh my gosh, was JOHN STAMOS HERE!?!!!"

"Yeah, you know him?"

"He's Blackie!  On General Hospital.  He's in all the fan magazines."

If you choose to just look at the pretty photos, I understand.

So anyway, seeing his face on a book cover aboard Caribbean Princess reminded me of that day, so I checked out his book.  What was it doing in the limited selection of that cruise ship library?  It might have to do with his ex-wife Rebecca Romijn cohosting The Real Love Boat with her new husband.  Just a guess.

In his autobiography, John talked about going to Disneyland with his friend --- the friend with him at the suntan salon? --- while in high school to meet girls.  That reminded me of similar adventures at Disneyland on weekend nights that I had with my friends Chris and Kevin.

Stamos wrote that he always wanted to be a celebrity, and on more than one occasion, his friend would pretend to recognize him as an actor in a Disney movie to impress some girls they admired from afar.  My friends and I did stuff just as goofy.  I enjoyed thinking about my own past while reading about his.

Seeing photos of waterfalls is better than me describing them.

It was an enjoyable read, cover to cover, because as odd as it seems, I could relate to a lot of his experiences and aspirations. One other note is that Stamos said he made the second worst movie in history (right behind Showgirls) at what must have been about the time I met him.

Upon returning home, I found that movie, which co-stars Gene Simmons of KISS, available for free viewing on youtube.  Never Too Young to Die is so bad that you might find it as amusing as I did, so I linked it for you to view, should that interest you..

I read a few chapters on the balcony that day before taking an afternoon nap.

As we cruised from Grundarfjordur, we enjoyed our usual cruise ship evening of happy hour, live music in small venues, gourmet, multi-course dinner and a big show in the Princess Theater. 

Life is always good, but taking a cruise makes that all the more obvious.

More of Julie's Photos

More of Wes's Photos