From the elegant, Scandinavian-inspired design and exquisite culinary offerings to the luxe thermal spa and lively lectures, guests will feel pampered 24/7 aboard this new ocean cruise ship.
The last time I visited Greece was with a rowdy bunch of 20-somethings focused on consuming as much ouzo as possible. So, I was more than eager to experience a much more refined journey when I was invited with my sister to board Vesta, Viking’s newest ocean vessel, for its Ancient Mediterranean Treasures itinerary through Türkiye and Greece. Here’s what your clients can expect on deck and ashore.
A Viking Deluxe Veranda stateroom (Photo Credit: Viking)
Elevated accommodations
At 784 feet long and 101 feet wide, this sleek 12th addition to Viking’s growing Ocean Cruises fleet accommodates 998 guests. Each of the 499 spacious staterooms – from the 288-square-foot Veranda Staterooms to the two-room Explorer Suites and 1,448-square-foot Owner’s Suite – has a private balcony, ideal for soaking up the spectacular views along the Aegean Sea.
Complimentary 24-hour room service includes breakfast and select dishes; my sister and I ordered pots of steaming coffee at 6 am each morning, which we enjoyed on our balcony. In the Deluxe Veranda Staterooms, Viking supplies a pair of binoculars that came in handy as we scoped out the surroundings.
Our stateroom category also included a mini bar stocked with complimentary snacks and drinks, plus free laundry services (there are also self-serve laundry machines on each deck.) One of the poshest details: heated bathroom floors.
The lichen garden (Photo Credit: Viking)Welcoming spots abound
Vesta’s stylish gathering areas will appeal to a wide variety of travellers – there’s live jazz in Torshavn, a games area where passengers can play at digital tables or help complete a 3,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, a curated library in the Viking Living Room with a take-a-book-leave-a-book area, which I was happy to contribute to, and casual conversation areas with plush furnishings throughout the three-story Atrium. Clients will love the lichen garden under the open-style steps – a nod to the ship’s Scandi-chic design ethos that showcases natural elements. Viking artifacts are on display in an open-air museum on Deck 2.
Culinary delights
With eight complimentary dining venues onboard – plus house wines and beer included at lunch and dinner – there’s something delicious around every corner. Deck 2’s The Restaurant offers fresh seafood, regional specialities and vegetarian options in a bright, airy space where the open windows let in the sea air.
Scrumptious Italian cuisine at Manfredi’s includes fresh pasta, osso buco, and a to-die-for Viking Bistecca – a thick rib eye coated in garlic oil, porcini mushroom powder, brown sugar and red chili flakes. The Chef’s Table features a five-course, wine-paired tasing menu; on our sailing, the theme, Xiang – which means ‘aromatic scent’ – was inspired by China’s Cantonese and Hualyang cuisine. We savoured hot and sour soup, fried prawns with crispy garlic and chili, coconut-lemongrass-ginger-infused granita, followed by wok-fried beef in black pepper sauce with rice, wrapped in a vibrant lotus leaf, and chilled mango cream for dessert. Pro tip: Suggest clients pack only elastic-waisted pants!
For casual breakfasts and lunches, my sister and I loved The World Café’s buffet choices on Deck 7, which included a sushi bar, pizza – with gluten-free crust available upon request – fresh-baked bread, a customizable dan dan noodle bar, decadent gelato and much more. We enjoyed dining al fresco under the Mediterranean sun on the Aquavit Terrace. Make sure clients don’t miss the luscious heart-shaped Norwegian waffles and Smørrebrød (open-faced sandwiches) at Mamsen’s in the Explorers’ Lounge, or the decadent afternoon tea in the Wintergarden with its towers of warm scones and tiny sandwiches.
Viking's Kitchen Table (Photo Credit: Viking)
Groups travelling together can reserve private rooms in several of the dining venues. It’s well worth booking the ship’s behind-the-scenes galley tour and the Kitchen Table cooking class with Vesta’s talented chefs. On our sailing, we prepared dumplings, spring rolls, and a hot pot. Not only do clients get to create each dish and eat it family-style, but they’ll leave with recipes and a Viking-branded apron.
Informative lectures and port talks, plus entertaining performances
Clients won’t find glitzy Broadway-style productions onboard Viking ships; here, the focus is on cultural enrichment, with destination-inspired evening shows in the Star Theater like classical music, dance or cabaret. Guest lecturers and resident historians present daily lectures and roundtable discussions – these presentations help bring the amazing art we saw in Türkiye and Greece to life. Bonus: Passengers who miss the live lectures or daily port talks can watch them on-demand in their staterooms.
In the Explorers’ Dome, the cutting-edge onboard planetarium, guests can enjoy 7K-resolution stargazing and documentary films.
Choice of excursions
I loved that Viking encourages a choose-your-own-adventure approach to cruising; the ship itself, while beautiful and comfortable, is meant to be your home base, with the focus on the myriad options for exciting excursions – one per port is included in the cruise fare. We stopped in Istanbul, Troy, Ephesus, Rhodes, Crete and Athens. Whether you prefer a leisurely bus tour through a bustling city, a cooking class at a local restaurant, a visit to a Turkish hammam or an e-bike tour through Athens, Viking’s shore team have designed an impressive array of immersive experiences. Just be sure clients book early – tours fill up quickly.
Viking Aquavit terrace and infinity pool (Photo Credit: Viking)
A standout spa, pool areas and fitness centre
When high winds prevented us from docking in Troy, we got a bonus sea day, so we checked out the LivNordic Spa on Deck 1 and booked a Swedish Mindful Massage. Clients may want to try the new Hygge massage while lying on a heated quartz sand bed.
Included in the cruise fare, the well-appointed thermal circuit has a thalassotherapy pool, sauna, steam room, heated ceramic loungers, cold plunge pool, ice-bucket shower and a unique snow grotto, so we took advantage of the hot-cold-rest circuit for most of the morning. It’s no wonder Viking regularly tops the "best spa at sea" lists year after year.
Vesta’s infinity pool and hot tub adjacent to the Aquavit Terrace are ideal spots to take in gorgeous ocean views. There’s also an indoor Main Pool with a retractable roof – practical on winter sailings. Clients who over-indulge in Viking’s gastronomy can blast away those calories in Vesta’s expansive gym, where there are spots for weights, cardio and mat work.
What else to expect
Vesta’s passengers are mostly aged 55 and older and from the U.S.A., the U.K, Canada and Australia. The vessel’s 470-person crew means there’s about a one-to-two staff-to-guest ration, making for a superior sailing experience. The ship’s smaller size means it can dock in ports larger ones can’t, and sustainability-focused clients will appreciate its hybrid engines and solar panels.
To learn more about how Viking Cruises works with travel advisors, please see viking.com/travel-advisor/welcome where you can also access the agent portal.
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