Viking Star Ship Tour || Viking Ocean Cruises

We just finished the Barcelona to Venice sailing of Viking Ocean’s Mediterranean Odyssey. It was an absolutely incredible experience! Not only were the ports beautiful, but the ship was out of this world.

Since you couldn’t be on the cruise with us, we thought we’d take you on a tour of the gorgeous Viking Star.

On the first day of the cruise (yes… the first day) we had a magical massage in the spa. Throughout the next thirteen days, we became well acquainted with this beautiful space.

There are a variety of services you can enjoy like massages and facials, but if that’s not your thing, don’t worry! There is an incredible sauna and cold plunge; jacuzzi and snow grotto; workout room; and great places to sit and relax.

When you leave the relaxation area you’ll find (still in the spa) a full service barber shop, hair salon and a nail salon. We didn’t use the services from the salons, but know many people onboard did and everyone seemed satisfied with the results.

Just outside the spa is what I like to call the hall of shops. Jewelry, clothes, shoes, bags and the essentials like band-aids, chocolate and playing cards. If you need it, you’ll find it here.

Also on the first floor, you’ll find a bar. You can find all of your favorite cocktails, mixed drinks and straight alcohol. There are a few pastries like muffins and cookies available for those peckish moments or a quick breakfast. And if you’re not an alcohol kind of gal or guy, there are also soft drinks available. Or, my personal favorite, coffee.

In Europe I usually have the hardest time finding my coffee of choice… an iced latte. Most Europeans are into the hot coffee and in the summer, I just can’t. If you’re on my level, then Viking has you covered! Just go to the bar and order an iced latte and prepare to be satisfied. They’re amazing!

If you’re looking for a place to hang out with friends, read a great book, drink an iced latte, or just chill out, the first and second floors of the Viking Star have you covered.

In the first and second floor atriums you’ll find comfy and casual seating areas with coffee or cafe style tables. On the first floor, it’s called the Living Room. This is where you’ll find the piano and violin performances throughout your cruise.

On the second floor you can sit and play Scrabble at one of the game tables or curl up in the Heritage section on a window seat.

Also on the second floor you’ll find the Star Theatre, which is where you’ll enjoy the welcome toast, TED Talks, lectures, movies, and live performances from the onboard talent. If you’re there for a movie, don’t forget to grab some popcorn, because it’s only available for those presentations!

While you’re waiting for an awesome performance in the Star Theatre you can get some shopping in at two of the fancier stores on the ship.

The last three things you’ll find on deck two are restaurants. The Chef’s Table and Manfredi’s require a reservation, but offer a fresh alternative dining experience. If you don’t make a reservation, you can eat in The Restaurant during breakfast, lunch and dinner hours.

On floors three through six you’ll find staterooms. On the Viking Ocean ships every stateroom has a beautiful veranda, so you truly get the luxury experience with every room class.

On each floor you’ll also find laundry services, free of charge. The washing machines automatically dispense detergent, but we recommend bringing dryer sheets or fabric softener (if you use it) for the dryers. Also something to note, the washers take about 45 minutes to an hour to wash and then you’re looking at an hour or more to dry.

Moving up to the seventh floor… the Explorer’s Lounge offers a great seating environment with the most beautiful views, a bar, eating area, and some delicious pastries from Mamsen’s. This is where we spent our first hours on the ship, enjoying the view and comfy seats.

Also on the seventh floor is the beautiful pool and pool grille, where you can grab a quick lunch bite or enjoy specialty buffets throughout the cruise.

The last delicious food option on the Viking Star is our personal favorite, World Café. It’s a buffet style restaurant with appetizer, main dish and dessert options galore. You’ll have mainstay favorites like pizza and local flavor from each port you visit.

With great, flexible hours World Café was our go-to for meals. We also had the best interactions with the staff! Fredrick (waiter) and Ariel (head waiter) were wonderful to us the entire cruise and Dale (pizza maker extraordinaire) was basically our hype man for thirteen days.

If you don’t want to go to a restaurant or you’re craving something late at night, Viking Ocean offers 24/7 room service, which we took full advantage of!

You’ve already seen the main pool, but the Viking Star has one more pool… the infinity pool. It was beautiful to look at and so cool for everyone swimming during our day at see. Talk about awesome views!

Everything about the Viking Star was a dream! The decor was beautiful. There was so much to do and see. Seating was plentiful and whether you wanted to be with people or by yourself, there was a place for you on the ship.

The staff in every department was wonderful, kind and welcoming! We couldn’t have asked for a better experience with Viking Ocean and can’t wait to sail again.