My First Ocean Cruise: Tips and What to Know Before You Go

I just got home from my very first Viking Ocean Cruise. I found out later what the cruise title meant “Into The Midnight Sun” and I will share that with you. It was pretty cool!

This was a retirement cruise that my husband and I had planned for some time. My husband retired in March of 2024 and this cruise was to celebrate that occasion.

The cruise started out in Bergen, Norway and ended in London, with stops in Scotland.

Viking Ocean Cruise Bergen to London - Ship Saturn

This was our first ocean cruise. We had been on a Viking River Cruise in 2022, The Rhine Getaway, and loved it! Everyone on that cruise raved about the Viking Ocean Cruises, so we decided to book one and find out ourselves.

Viking River Cruise Rhine Getaway - Ship Kara

I was worried about an ocean cruise for several reason: First, I get seasick and I am afraid of the ocean, and second, I have reocurring dreams of a tidal wave killing me and yeah, that’s about it. Even with all my concerns, I consented to try it out. I learned a lot of things from this cruise. What to bring on an ocean cruise and what not to bring! I learned what ocean I want to avoid on any future cruises. I learned what airlines I want to avoid for upcoming travel. I also learned how to relax and enjoy everything and be in the moment.

THINGS TO PACK ON AN OCEAN CRUISE

Outlet Converters (find out what kind of outlets your ship or boat have first before you assume they don’t have the right kind). On our cruise, we did not need them.

Clothes of course, but keep in mind if your ship has a laundry like ours did, it’s convenient to do laundry. I packed way too many clothes for this trip and if I would have considered laundry, I would have scaled down my wardrobe. On a Viking Ocean Ship, the laundry is free and there are rooms on every floor and the soap is free too. Keep in mind you will want to have clothes for nighttime (nicer attire) and clothes for activities during the daytime and the proper footwear. If it’s cold, bring a jacket or plan to layer your clothing. Our itinerary was on the colder side as far as temps go, so we brought layering clothing and a jacket with us and I am so glad we did. We needed it! If the weather will be on the warm side, bring sunscreen, hats, and don’t forget your sunglasses (we used our sunglasses every day).

Packing your suitcase

Chargers are a must and you want to make sure again, that you bring outlet converters, if necessary.

Medicine was something I packed and we used it. I packed cold medicine for day and night, sleeping pills just in case, Ibuprofen, seasick, upset stomach, and allery medications and bandaids. We ended up using the cold medication, Ibuprofen, Dramamine, and bandaids. They were lifesavers. If you wear contact lenses, pack your case, and solution.

Toiletries are something I thought I needed to bring, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, etc. Once we were onboard, all of those things are provided. I will know this for next time and it will save room in my luggage.

Passport and ID

Don’t forget your PASSPORT

Bathing suit (if it’s going to be good weather) our weather was cold but I still brought my suit because the ship had an amazing spa. It even had a bathing suit dryer!

THINGS NOT TO PACK ON AN OCEAN CRUISE

Toiletries if your cruiseline provides them.

Heating blankets, candles and incense, steamers, clothes irons and hot plates are not allowed on board most ships because they are a fire hazard and we all know that if a fire broke out on a ship, it could have dire consequences. You can however, bring electric shavers, curling irons, and hair dryers. Our ship provided a hair dryer and we found that out before we packed.

Weapons of any kind are not allowed on board the ship this includes guns, pepper spray and knives.

Too many shoes takes up a lot of luggage space and you won’t use all of them. Take a comfortable pair for walking and then another pair for onboard casual activities. I brought six pairs of shoes on my ocean cruise and I did wear them all, but it was excessive and I would not do that again, as it took up way to much space in my luggage.

CARRY ON LUGGAGE VERSES CHECKING

On this trip we checked our luggage and it ended up being the worst decision we could have made. We missed our connecting flight due to the airlines being late (American is the airline I would avoid) out of San Diego and into Chicago. If we had carried our luggage onto the plane, we would have been able to catch the next flight out that night. Instead, our luggage was locked up for the night and we had to stay over in Chicago and we missed the first day of our cruise in Bergen. On a brighter note, we were with another couple that was on our plane sitting directly behind us and so we became fast friends, as they had checked their luggage as well and were in the same boat as us.

It’s hard to fit everything into one carry-on but it’s doable and if you have a laundry on board the ship, that will make it easier to plan your outfits accordingly. One of my big tips is USE THE LAUNDRY ROOM. There are washing machines and dryers and an ironing station.

There are definitely pros and cons to carry-on verses checking baggage. Everyone has a different opinion on this and you have to do what is right for you and Air Tags in your luggage isn’t a bad idea! Wish I would have thought of it.

NORWEIGAN SEA

Our itinerary was mostly in the North Atlantic Ocean and the Norweigan Sea.

We had about 27 hours of very rough waters and that made for a very scary experience for this first-time ocean cruiser.

Our captain got on the speaker and warned us that we could experience rough waters and he was right. The boat rocked back and forth and made scary noises. We did not sleep one night because of the loud noises of bow crashing into the waves. I thought all my nightmares were coming true. I took a Dramamine and an anti-anxiety pill and was able to rest through a lot of the rough sea mess. I could not wait to dock in Scotland. We made it through and had a wonderful time in Scotland and London.

Most people who were veteran ocean cruisers told us that they had never had seas as rough as what we experienced. It figures it would be on my first ocean cruise. We decided that we would avoid the Norweigan Sea on all future cruises.

INTO THE MIDNIGHT SUN

I would highly recommend this itinerary. The thing I did not know about this itinerary was the sun never sets in the Arctic Circle during this time of year! It was the coolest thing ever. The sun stayed up all day and night and I have never experienced anything like it. At 10pm it was light. Fortunately we were able to pull our black-out curtains in our room to make it dark enough that we could sleep. That is why this itinerary is called Into The Midnight Sun.

The Sun never sets in the Arctic Circle on this itinerary during this time of year (June).

The places we visited were unbelievably gorgeous and everywhere we went was English-speaking, so we did not have to deal with any translation issues. We brought regular cash with us and used our credit cards and Apple Pay everywhere. No need to get any other currency for this itinerary.

THE VIKING SATURN

The Viking Saturn is a newer ship has only been around since June of 2023. The ship itself is decorated very tastefully and I never felt crowded on this ship. In fact, it felt spacious and most of the time I wondered where everyone was. We don’t like large crowds and with only 930 passengers, it was perfect for us.

Viking Saturn

The guestrooms are spacious with a nice balcony and we found plenty of space for the two of us. We had a bed topper added to our bed and ordered a couple of extra pillows. We also needed more hangers when we arrived. TIP: store luggage underneath the bed. I did not learn this for a few days until I heard someone talking about it. The desk in the room also opens up with a lighted mirror and extra storage.

Some things I loved about our room were the heated bathroom floors, the minibar, and stunning views from the balcony. There is also a feature on the Viking TV that lets you watch the ship’s bow any time of the day or night. They have a camera 24/7 on this bow and it’s cool to watch.

Watching the bow on Viking TV (cameras are on 24/7)

For entertainment the ship has a couple of piano players, violinist, a band, and singers. There are also lectures and port talks most days.

On the sports deck there is miniature golf, ping pong, lawn bowling, shuffleboard, and a pool with many places to sit and relax. The views are unmatched on this itinerary.

DINING OPTIONS

The dining was superb and with four restaurants with amazing food to choose from, you won’t go hungry on the Viking Saturn.

The Restaurant is a place where you can sit down and relax and order a meal off the menu. It’s a beautiful setting with ocean views. The food is very good.

If you are in the mood for a more causal setting then you will want to head to Deck 7 to the World Cafe for the buffet. Here you can find anything from lobster, jumbo shrimp, pizza, steaks, pasta, fish and don’t forget the yummy desserts and gelato. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Mamsen’s is located in the Explorer’s Lounge and it offers Norwegian Specialties for breakfast, lunch and afternoon snack or evening treat. Our favorite was the Mamsen Waffles, made to order topped with fruit and goat cheese. Get there early to avoid lines, but honestly, we did not have that problem. Like I said earlier, the ship never felt crowded. They also have the tastiest breads, pastries and desserts!

Waffles from Mamsen’s on Deck 7 Explorer’s Lounge

Let’s move onto a favorite of ours which was Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant. You will need reservations for Manfredi’s, which are easy to make once you are on board or you can make reservations prior to boarding on the My Viking Journey website. Manfredi’s changes the menu every few days so its a new experience each time you dine there and the food is outstanding with ocean views of course. With our class of cabin (Deck 3, which was just fine and I would book that again), we were not able to make reservations before our cruise at Manfredi’s or the Chef’s Table. However, we had no problems making reservations for these restaurants once we boarded the ship. Regrettably, we never ate at the Chef’s Table and it was not because we could not get a reservation or that the menu wasn’t to our liking because it looked fabulous. It just never happened.

The Chef’s Table is where they serve only one specific menu with different courses to all guests dining. Just make sure to check the menu before you make reservations at the Chef’s Table to make sure you like what is being served on that particular day because there are no other choices.

Caprese Salad Manfredi’s

Seafood Risotto Manfredi’s (highly recommend)

The Pool Grill is not to be missed, located by the pool on Deck 7. It’s a more casual-style of dining and has a a salad bar with fruits and pastas and breads. There is a set menu at the Pool Grill and everything we ordered was just fabulous. We tried the hot dog, cheeseburger, onion rings (LOVED), and cheesesteak sandwich. They were all very good.

Pool Grill Lunch

Room Service any time of day is included, but we never ordered it. I wish we would have tried it once but we always wanted to get out of our room when it came to mealtime. On our next Viking Ocean Cruise, I will be ordering the room service.

The Wintergarden is a speical place where tea is served at 4pm every day. We went to tea twice on the ship and it was a treat! I had never experienced high tea and it was something everyone needs to try once in their lives. My husband discovered he does not like tea, but they brought him his Coke Zero and he was just fine. I think he drank the most Coke Zeros of anyone on the ship! I enjoyed tea, scones and a delicious jam. Then they brought out a three-tiered tray with finger sandwiches and treats which were beautiful and tasty. A pianist and violinist serenaded The Wintergarden and it made for a memorable experience.

THE NORDIC SPA
I was blown away by the onboard spa that all guests have access to. In the women’s locker room there is a cold plunge pool and a sauna. In the main coed room is the main pool, which is heated to body temperature and has jets everywhere. That was very relaxing. There is separate jacuzzi and lounge chairs to relax and rest on. I have never seen heated stone lounge chairs before and they were heaven! There was also something called a Snow Grotto, which was a freezing cold room that had real snow in it! It is recommended to spend no more than 15 minutes in this room. I loved the Snow Grotto! This spa exceeded my expectations and I spent a couple of days enjoying this amenity. There is also an amazing Hair Salon if you need a haircut or you want a shampoo/blowdry. I used it and it was wonderful!

THE FITNESS CENTER

The ship would not be complete without a fitness center and it is equipped with treadmills, bikes, elliptical machines and weights. There are three spacious rooms in the Fitness Center and yes, it has ocean views! The ship also has a walking/jogging deck for those that want to get outside.

Fitness Center Ocean Views

Nordic Spa - Heated Stone Loungers

Nordic Spa - Coed Space with Loungers and Snow Grotto

As you can see from my photos and commentary, we loved this trip! We had a rough start, as we missed the first full day but, made up for it!

The last thing I want to say is that Viking Staff is wonderful and worked their tails off. They are the hardest workers and did an exceptional job with the rooms, food and making sure that all our needs were met. The entertainment was fun to watch and we looked forward to the shows that were performed each night.

Are you planning a vacation? Would you take a cruise like this one? I hope this helped to make your next ocean cruise unforgettable!

Thanks for dropping by!

Sue

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