Best & Worst Cabins on Viking Ocean Cruises (What to Book & Avoid)
The Wintergarden onboard the Viking Venus
This is an important part of your vacation that you need to get right before you even set sail!
As a premium line with modern ships, all of Viking’s cabins will be similar in quality, but the location of those cabins will come with various benefits and drawbacks.
This guide will help you to avoid some of the common mistakes people make when booking a Viking cruise, and select the stateroom that is best for you.
Best and Worst Cabins on a Viking Ocean Cruise
Best Cabins
Here are some of the very best cabins that you can book onboard a Viking ocean cruise.
Best for luxury
If luxury is your priority, then you’ll want to book either the Explorer Suite or the Owner’s Suite. These are the most expensive staterooms onboard - and for good reason! Both of these suites are enormous, and come with additional features and services.
The Owner’s Suite is the largest onboard at 1400 sq ft with a private sauna, library and butler’s pantry. Other perks include complimentary pressing and shoe-shining, pre-dinner cocktails, and so much more.
Alternatively, the Explorer Suites are slightly smaller in size, measuring up to 1100 sq ft and located at the front and back of the ship. They are similarly luxurious with separate living rooms, a full size dining table and bathroom with a bathtub.
Best overall value
If getting the best value for money is the most important thing to you, then I’d recommend booking a Deluxe Veranda Stateroom, which is virtually the same as the Veranda Stateroom but with additional benefits.
The cabins are both 270 sq ft, but the Deluxe Veranda Stateroom also comes with a blanket and binoculars, priority booking access for excursions, spa treatments and dining reservations. The minibar is even restocked daily in that cabin category, which for me is a huge perk!
I stayed in stateroom 4035 on my trip around Southeast Asia and loved it, with absolutely no complaints. I never heard any noise, always slept well, and didn’t feel seasick at any point.
You can read my full cabin tour and review on my blog post here.
My cabin onboard the Viking Venus
Best for stability
If you suffer from motion sickness, then you’ll want to choose a cabin that has less motion on rough seas. This means you should book a midship cabin on one of the lower decks.
Decks 3, 4 and 5 are ideal for this. Just let your travel agent know, or explain to Viking when booking your cruise.
Best for views
Finally, if you’re keen to have some of the best views on the ship, then you’ll want to go for an aft-facing cabin on one of the higher decks. The aft facing Explorer Suites on decks 4 and 5 offer panoramic views when sailing away from port, enjoyed from the large wraparound verandas.
Worst Cabins
While it’s difficult to choose the ‘worst’ cabin onboard a premium line, there are a few areas that you may want to avoid if you have certain preferences.
Cabins Near noisy areas
If you’re a light sleeper, then you’ll want to avoid cabins that are above or below restaurants and bars to avoid any potential noise.
Similarly, it can be a good idea to avoid high traffic areas that are near elevators or laundrettes if you are sensitive to sound.
Forward cabins
If you get seasick, then the forward cabins are at higher risk of motion in rough seas. If you are planning to sail through the North Sea or the Bay of Biscay, for example, then you might want to choose a mid-ship stateroom.
Obstructed or less private balconies
Unusually, Viking doesn’t classify any of their staterooms as having an obstructed or less private veranda. You might feel sceptical about this, as many mainstream cruise lines will have lifeboats that obscure the view of some of their cabins, but this actually isn’t a problem on Viking ships.
Views from the Aquavit Terrace on deck 7
On a Viking ocean ship, the lifeboats are typically stored by the atrium, instead of outside guest cabins. This means that the view from your stateroom is something that you don’t need to worry about when booking your cruise!
How to Choose a Cabin
This is easy if you follow my simple formula below.
If you get seasick, then you’ll want to choose a midship cabin on a lower deck. Similarly, if you want a stateroom that is as quiet as possible, then you’ll want one away from public or high traffic areas. Finally, if you want the best views, then go for a cabin that’s on the higher decks or the aft of the ship.
If you don’t require any of these things, then you should be happy with pretty much any cabin location as there are no obstructed views.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cabins should I avoid on Viking cruises?
It’s hard to say which staterooms should be avoided on a Viking ocean cruise, as it really depends on your personal preferences. All of the cabins have their own balconies, but different categories come with their own upgrades and benefits.
Are higher decks better on Viking ships?
Higher decks are better only if you don’t get seasick, and if you’re keen to get the best views. If you’re prone to motion sickness then you’ll want a cabin on a lower deck.
Is midship really better for motion?
Easy answer - yes! It’s a well known fact that midship cabins are subject to less motion as they are closer to the ship’s centre of gravity. This means that you move around less than in other cabins.
Mistakes People Make When Choosing a Viking Cabin
Finally, here are some of the most common mistakes that people make when selecting their stateroom on a Viking Ocean ship.
In my opinion, the biggest mistakes are made when cruisers choose cabins that don’t fully suit their needs. For example, by choosing a high deck for the views, but ending up with more motion and feeling sick.
Similarly, booking near the elevators can be great for convenience, but not so great if you are sensitive to noise and have trouble sleeping.
Overpaying for upgrades that you don’t use is another easy mistake to make. If you’re not bothered by the blanket, binoculars and daily mini bar refills offered by the Deluxe Veranda Staterooms, then you may as well have booked a Standard Veranda Stateroom.
For more information about Viking Cruises, take a look at the blog posts below.
Read more about Viking Cruises
Ship and Cabin Tours
Viking Ocean Ship Tour and Review