‘AREN’T cruises just for really old people”, asked my brother Iain, doubtful at my suggestion he should join me for a week sailing the Med. It’s the sort of question I get asked a lot as a travel writer and confirmed cruise fan; a question my brother and I set out to answer when we boarded the Viking Sky in Athens for his first-ever cruise.
Cruising today is a growing market that has rebounded from Covid faster than many in the industry predicted. The upshot is more choice than ever – I’d go as far as to say there is now a cruise to suit all tastes, from the no-holds-barred fun of Princess Cruises’s massive floating cities, right down to the wee ships that saunter around Scotland’s coast with fewer than a dozen passengers.
For Iain’s introduction, I picked a cruise line in the middle. With a maximum of 930 guests, the Viking Sky is small enough to slip into the handiest berths in the centres of the cities we visited.
The time of year is crucial too. Most people think of the Mediterranean as a venue for fly-and-flop summer holidays but after this recent cruise, I would recommend choosing a winter sailing.
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Winter cruising means the ship was not full and the destinations we visited were gloriously quiet. Rather than crowds that make you feel like you’re at Hampden rather than Pompeii, we walked empty streets that evoked the remarkable history of this city frozen by Vesuvius in time. The same went for Ephesus in Turkey. My third visit here was easily the best with plenty of space to get a real feel for this ancient city and to ease back through time. We were the only cruise ship in Naples and Kusadasi and it showed at these two sites.
My brother got to savour uncrowded tourist sites, but one of his main concerns about cruising was seasickness, as he suffered on the old Rosyth-Zeebrugge ferry. Today’s well-designed cruise ships, though, offer a much smoother ride.
We hit gale-force winds sailing across the Aegean from Crete to Sicily, but with stabilisers deployed and a stately speed the “motion in the ocean”, as the infectiously cheery cruise director dubbed it, was kept to a minimum. My brother never even felt queasy once.
Feeling queasy aboard the Viking Sky would be such a waste, as the food is up there with anything I’ve enjoyed at sea.
Having spent a small fortune on other ships paying extra to dine in their speciality restaurants Viking offered a refreshing sea change. You can dine at no extra cost in the signature restaurants – the excellent Manfredi’s Italian, and the creative tasting menu at Chef’s Table.
It’s à la carte at The Restaurant, while the World Café offers a brilliantly eclectic buffet that tempts for informal meals. Informality comes as standard on Viking, a relief to my brother who thought he would have to don a tie every night.
Iain was worried too he would be “trapped” in an inside cabin. This isn’t an issue with Viking as all cabins are not only sea views, but they’ve all got balconies.
It was our wee cocoon where we could relax with a book or just be hypnotised by the passing seas. It proved an ideal setting for room service (handily no charge) breakfasts.
Outside the cabin too there were myriad places to relax and find your own space. We’re talking comfy sofas peering out to sea, a stylish armchair by a pianist tinkling away and high-tech tables with displays offering a variety of board games. And – a highlight for us – an infinity pool aft where you could sit watching the wake.
Finally, we come to that age question. Viking are adults-only, so there no are toddlers haring around bringing down the average age. But my 52-year-old brother said he was surprised at how many people there were “around my age”. Over the week we spoke to the whole gamut of passengers, from couples in their 20s, to people our age, and on to a lovely lady who was travelling with her equally lovely 83-year-old mum.
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Everyone is welcomed aboard by the genial, international crew. And the multigenerational conversation flowed freely throughout the ship. As we were about to disembark I asked my brother if he still thought “cruising is just for really old people”. I didn’t have to. He was on his phone searching deals to cruise again next year.
Robin joined Viking’s seven-night Journey to Antiquities cruise from Athens to Rome, which sails in February and May 2023, then again in winter, with bookings open for 2024 too. From £2490 per person, including return flights, transfers, all meals including wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. Gratuities are included. www.viking.com
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