There is a long line at the ticket kiosk for the world-famous ruins of Ephesus when I arrive with a group of about 30 tour-goers to see it. But thankfully, we won’t be losing any time waiting in it.
Our guide, Nevin, already has our tickets in hand.
Purchased in advance and good for immediate, skip-the-line entry, they let us breeze past the hundreds of other visitors waiting to get into the iconic Greco-Roman site near Kusadasi, Turkey, and we soon make our way down its marble-lined main boulevard on our way to the soaring Library of Celsus — one of the architectural marvels of ancient times.
Such speedy access to one of the world’s most visited sites is one of the most appealing perks of the three-hour tour of Ephesus and the surrounding area.
But, to me, there is one perk that is even more alluring: The tour isn’t costing us a thing. It’s included in the fare for the Viking Eastern Mediterranean cruise we are on.
Unlike most other cruise lines that operate ocean voyages, Viking includes tours in every port in its fares. And it’s not the only thing that Viking includes in its pricing.
From meals in every onboard restaurant and beer and wine with lunch and dinner, to internet access and spa access, Viking includes an unusually high number of things in its fares that often come with an extra charge at other cruise brands.
It’s all part of a ‘no-nickel-and-diming’ philosophy that has been one of the core principles of the brand since its founding nearly 25 years ago — and that, in my opinion, makes Viking trips a particularly good value.
It’s a value that can be hard to appreciate until you compare what Viking includes against what other cruise lines charge extra for.
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A seamless experience
Among all the inclusions that you’ll get when booking a Viking cruise, tours in every port stand out the most. In the world of ocean cruising, it’s quite rare — and something that I have always loved about the line.
As regular readers know, I’m a big fan of cruising. It’s a mode of travel that makes it easy to explore the world in a way that many travelers — particularly older travelers — might not be able to do on their own.
But after more than 200 sailings on 41 different brands over a three-decade career writing about ships and ship-based trips, I have developed one big criticism of many cruise lines: They take you all over the world to wonderful places and then leave you largely on your own.
Unless you buy an expensive ship-sold tour at any given port, you’re on your own.
Viking is one of the rare ocean cruise lines that identifies the best experiences in each port so you don’t have to, and then takes you there at no extra charge.
On a seven-night “Ancient Mediterranean Treasures” voyage from Athens to Istanbul, such as the one I recently sailed, that means an included visit to the world-class Heraklion Archaeological Museum during a stop at the Greek island of Crete followed by a walking tour of the main town of Heraklion.
Related: The ultimate guide to Viking ships and itineraries
During a stop at Cannakale, Turkey, it means an included visit to the ancient ruins of Troy — the legendary setting for the Trojan War of Greek mythology made famous in Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey.
During an overnight visit to Istanbul, it means an included tour that kicks off with a drive along the city’s ancient walls to the nearly 500-year-old Rustem Pasha Mosque, known for its blue tiles, followed by the city’s bustling Spice Bazaar.
These tours would cost $100 to $200 per person if purchased separately, as you do when sailing most other cruise brands.
That’s a significant value that many prospective cruisers don’t consider when comparing Viking’s pricing against competitors.
But to me, just as valuable as the cost savings that come with the included tours is the added value of having all the logistics of touring in any given port figured out by someone else
Related: The ultimate guide to Viking cabins and suites
It makes for a seamless travel experience, which is a big focus at Viking.
Other Viking offerings that are aimed at creating a seamless travel experience for its customers include optional discounted airfare to get you to and from Viking ships. Round-trip flights between North America and Europe are available for as little as $700 per person on sailings like the one I was on.
For those who book air through the line using these add-on fares, the seamless experience at Viking extends to included ground transfers between the airports in destination cities and the ship.
Onboard inclusions
The inclusions continue when you’re onboard a Viking ship.
The most notable onboard inclusion, to me, is that you can dine at any restaurant on a Viking vessel for no extra charge. That’s relatively uncommon in the cruise business, with only a handful of luxury lines offering something similar.
Related: Why I love Viking ocean ships for cruising around the world
On most cruise ships, there are large main restaurants and quick-bite eateries available to every passenger at no extra charge. But you’ll pay extra for more intimate, higher-end eateries, known in cruise industry lingo as “specialty restaurants” — either with a flat-fee cover charge or a la carte pricing.
On every Viking ocean ship there are two such specialty restaurants, an upscale Italian eatery called Manfredi’s and a rotating-cuisine eatery called The Chef’s Table that serves five-course tasting menus with featured wine pairings. Both are open to everyone on board for no extra charge.
I love sitting down at Manfredi’s for an elegant Italian meal of fresh, handmade pastas and lovely main courses like the melt-in-your-mouth, signature porcini-rubbed Bistecca Fiorentina (I order this almost every time) and walking away without a bill.
On most cruise ships, an eatery of this quality would cost at least $50 to $75 per person, not including automatic gratuities.
Viking also includes beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner at every onboard restaurant.
Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Viking cruise
That’s no small thing — on many cruise ships, bar bills accumulate quickly at dinner even when food is included.
In the realm of dining and drinks, Viking also provides specialty coffees, teas and bottled water at all hours at every venue. Sit down at a bar on any Viking ship, and you can order a cappuccino or latte, for instance, at no extra charge.
Around-the-clock room service — increasingly a paid add-on at other cruise lines — is included on Viking ships.
Passengers in higher-level cabins also will find minibars stocked with alcoholic drinks (vodka, gin, whiskey, etc.) and snacks that are all complimentary — something that is in sharp contrast to the exorbitant minibar pricing common on most ships and land-based hotels and resorts.
The included spa
One of the most unusual onboard inclusions on Viking ships (and one of my personal favorites) is the complimentary spa access.
Even on many of the most luxurious, highest-priced cruise vessels operated by rival brands, the spa area on ships typically is only accessible to passengers who are getting a treatment or willing to pay a day-use fee of $50 or more.
But on Viking vessels, you can walk into The Nordic Spa at any time, no fee or reservation required.
The Nordic Spa on each Viking ship features a Scandinavian-inspired thermal suite built around a traditional hot-cold bathing ritual
In each of these thermal suites you’ll find a large mineral-infused hydrotherapy pool surrounded by heated loungers, a sauna, a steam room, a cold plunge pool and — my favorite feature, though I can’t take staying in it too long — a snow-filled Snow Grotto.
There’s also a cold-water “dump bucket” experience that, I admit, I have to force myself to endure. They say it’s great for reducing muscle soreness, decreasing inflammation and enhancing mood through a temporary shock response, so … why not, I say.
Meanwhile, yoga and Pilates classes at the well-equipped fitness center next to the spa are also included. You’ll pay as much as $30 a class on some ships for these sorts of classes.
And the little things, too
Rounding out all of the inclusions you’ll find on Viking ships that I find so wonderful are several relatively little things including free use of the self-serve launderettes in cabin areas. Even the detergent in these launderettes is free.
By comparison, a growing number of cruise ships don’t even have launderettes on board, and those that do often charge passengers for use.
The top three cabin categories on every Viking ocean ship also come with complimentary shoeshine and pressing service. Complimentary dry cleaning and laundry service is available to customers in the top two cabin categories.
Related: I extended my Viking cruise with a pre-cruise land tour — here’s why you should, too
Plus, and this could be considered a small thing or something big, depending on your point of view: Passengers on Viking ships aren’t charged for internet access, as is common on most other cruise lines.
It’s not the fastest internet at sea, and streaming videos from Netflix and other sites isn’t allowed as it is on most other lines that charge for internet access. But … it’s complimentary.
If you want to watch a movie while on a Viking ship, you’ll also find movies and television shows on your in-room TV at no extra charge. Yet another item other lines often charge for, included at no cost on Viking.
Bottom line
Viking’s all-inclusive approach covers more ground than most competing lines — from shore excursions and specialty dining to spa access and internet.
As a result, the true value of a Viking sailing can be easy to underestimate when comparing sticker prices alone.
Indeed, if you add it all up, the inclusions can amount to hundreds of dollars per person per day in value for the typical Viking cruiser.
Having sailed with Viking multiple times and with every other major cruise brand in both ocean and river categories, I’d argue the inclusions are one of the strongest cases for choosing Viking over its competitors.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thepointsguy.com
