Traveller’s Tales – Luxury vs. Economy
In my last Traveller’s Tales, I had promised to explore the differences between luxury cruising and your fun, family ships. I had promised the answer to a question that has been with me for some time: “Is spending the money for luxury really worth it?”
First and foremost, travelling with Viking Cruise Lines was one of the greatest experiences I’ve had. Not only was I lucky enough to go with one of my best friends who happens to work for Viking, but I was able experience the pride that Viking has. This is a pride that exists beyond any holiday I’ve ever taken. It was a pride that was felt in the way staff interacted with guests, in the small details of the ship and in the effort put forth to ensure the perfect holiday. It’s a pride that I could take ten articles to express, going into way too much detail about the food, the guests, the staff – everything – but I will restrain myself to this one article.
Now, before I get started here, I should say that I know how hard it is to afford a holiday and that even travelling to Cuba or choosing Carnival as your week away isn’t easy to save for. But, Viking is expensive for a reason, and the travel style is one that I’d love for you to try at least once because it didn’t take long to notice that they are a company geared towards the client. That alone is an experience worth paying for.
What I found so special on the Viking cruise line is the amount of detail and personality they put into absolutely every aspect of the ship. Everywhere you went on the ship, you found personal touches relating to Torstein Hagen, founder of Viking. You could enjoy his father’s favourite drink in a lounge named Paps, after his dad. I can’t say I was the biggest fan of the brandy, warm water and sugar, but I could enjoy picturing Paps with his favourite drink by the fireplace. In the same lounge you could also find “Mamsen,” a waffle and deli bar named after his mom, where even her personal china design was used.