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Aboard Viking Star, the world’s newest cruise ship

Niall McIlroy takes in the delights of the world’s newest luxury cruise ship.

From an idea hatched by Viking chairman Torstein Hagen to the world’s newest cruise ship, much water has passed under Viking Star’s bridge.

Two years of maritime engineering magic woven at the famed Fincantieri Shipyards near Venice; the laying of the keel, prefabricated sections moulded into a hull, float-out, six more months of non-stop construction inside and out, a rigorous sea trial of 80 tests, from engines and propulsion to plumbing and cabin acoustics.

This is what you do when you’re Europe’s largest river cruise company; when launching 18 new river ships in one day (a world record) feels passe and you want to expand your horizons.

And Viking won’t stop at one — Sea and Sky are due next year and in 2017.

But to the here and now. I’m standing in the shipyards at Greenwich Pier, below the rigs and wood of the famous old Cutty Sark, once the world’s fastest clipper, while just up water, the clean white hull of Viking Star has South Londoners talking.

Having followed the ship’s progress from conception to completion, I knew Viking Star would swaddle passengers in the lap of luxury — and the Penthouse Veranda cabin I’ll call home for the cruise to Bergen, Norway, is fantastic.

I’m in love on entry into a beautiful room with blue carpets and a king-size bed. There’s a light-wood writing desk with leather panelling and a long mirror — very Nordic. What gets me is the living area: it’s huge, too big to be called a cabin, with its cream leather sofa, armchair and table. Pictures of Bergen’s wooden merchants’ houses are on the wall. On the opposite wall, I’ve a big flat-screen TV packed with information about the cruise, ports of call and even menus.

The bathroom has a heated floor, a shower big enough for a bench, a big cupboard under the sink and big tubes of shampoo, conditioner and body wash. A door leads out to a big balcony — two chairs and a table, but room for even more.

This is, in fact, only a middling-size room at 31.5sqm. They start at 25sqm for a veranda cabin and range up to 70sqm for an explorer suite.

A view of the bed and sitting area in a spacious Penthouse Veranda. Picture: Niall McIlroy

With accommodation of this standard and free 24-hour room service, one could be tempted to lounge around in the cabin watching on-demand movies or live TV (forget the wi-fi, free but painfully slow). But that would be a waste. The essence of Viking Star is to meld ship with destination, bringing the outside in, and this has been achieved to stunning effect.

The design team who’ve sculpted the fleet of river long- ships have come to the ocean- going party. Passengers who’ve taken a river cruise will notice the echoes aboard. This starts with the grand atrium staircase, all marble and wood, and through the ship there’s a particularly Nordic look — light and bright, clean and spare, uncluttered and calming. And the Viking spirit of exploration hasn’t been forgotten — a history niche has a time line, replica helmets, books and copies of artefacts. Each place I turn, the artwork is Viking- inspired or created by renowned Norwegian artists, while the beautifully curated library — which occupies shelves throughout the ship, much as you’d find in someone’s home — is far more eclectic. I pass a textured print copy of the Bayeux Tapestry depicting the 1066 Battle of Hastings and pore over it a while, later realising there’s part of it on every deck.

The history of the Vikings permeates the ship, opposite the lifts on every deck there is a segment of the Bayeux Tapestry. Picture: Niall McIlroy

It’s fitting that we set sail from Greenwich, for it was here a millennium ago that the Vikings tendered for three years and were paid tribute not to attack the country by English King Ethelred the Unready.

But while the ship’s headed for Bergen, 1244km away, I’m bound for the buffet a deck up. The World Cafe buffet is the neatest, tastiest breakfast selection I’ve seen on a ship and it’s a taste of what’s to come.

While the big windows allow in plenty of light, many are taking advantage of a sunny London morning and the passing scenery out on the Aquavit Terrace. Bill and Marci Strang of Tucson, Arizona, are enjoying their 47th breakfast — they’ve cruised all the way from Istanbul and loved it. “We were going to take a river cruise but saw the news about this ship and it really caught our eye, so we just waited a little longer and here we are,” Bill says.

For Marci, the 930-passenger Viking Star is very much a happy medium. “It’s big enough to lose yourself if you want to but small enough to catch up with friends,” she says.

The Aquavit Terrace is a great place to eat when it’s sunny. Picture: Niall McIlroy

Up in the two-deck Explorers’ Lounge, through the floor-to- ceiling windows, the views of London and the Thames are bright and brilliant. Maps, globes, charts and pelts again evoke the Viking spirit of exploration. The ever-changing outside floods in, helped by a commentary from Capt. William Wells, a Thames pilot.

Under the command of Capt. Gulleik Svalastog, we continue down the Thames. He tells us we’re the biggest cruise ship ever to negotiate the Thames Flood Gates.

On top at deck 8, games of bocce and mini-golf have broken out. The keen are doing laps of the promenade deck, some are working off breakfast on the recumbent bikes and deckchairs are filling up. But for some it’s too blustery, and that’s the beauty of Star — it’s a ship made for scenic cruising, be it warm weather or cold. Just below, the pool deck is sheltered and has a retractable roof. The warmth floods in through the big windows of the adjoining Wintergarden where passengers read, sip drinks or chat.

There are snack spots everywhere and these are well used this mid-morning as people dine in the Pool Grill and nibble in the homely bar in the Viking Living Room, where a wild lichen garden grows, just as it does on the Finse mountain plateau outside Bergen. It feels like a secret little spot under the staircase and many leave without noticing it. Heading for the Star Theatre, I nimbly dodge pastries and hot drinks at the entrance.

The geometric lichen garden is in a secret spot under the stairs. Picture: Niall McIlroy

The Star isn’t your razzle- dazzle showbiz-style venue. Experts come to present lectures about specific interests and destinations — all part of what Viking chairman Torstein Hagen says makes a Viking itinerary “a thinking man’s cruise, not a drinking man’s cruise”.

I sit in on a talk by historian Paul Covell about British shipping in the 20th century and then the Bergen port talk about the town’s character and history. Every port call includes a free tour and there is a host of optional itineraries.

Although Viking Star doesn’t host big shows, there is plenty of entertainment on board. Resident singers and musicians perform throughout the ship. Passengers can enjoy afternoon guitar in the Wintergarden, pre- dinner piano in the Explorers’ Lounge and a classical trio after dinner in the Atrium. Or head to cosy music venue Torshavn for dancing or a show.

If the weather’s fine, the night sky’s the backdrop for Movies Under the Stars, where the films reflect the location — out of London, it was The King’s Speech and The Queen.

As with any cruise, it’s easy to overindulge — it’s impossible to stray too far from food. But I find the touch-screen panels next to the lifts allow me to plan my meals and see what’s on the day’s menu at each venue. I remain disciplined for a good four hours before heading to the Pool Grill to soak up some sun, a Viking Burger and fries. With Black Angus beef, cheese, bacon, pickle, onion, lettuce and tomato, it’s delicious and if it weren’t such an affront to public decency, I’d eat it every day.

I move into the cooler Wintergarden with my Carlsberg. Alcoholic drinks are included with on-board lunches and dinners and it doesn’t cost extra to eat at specialty venues, although they book out quickly. There are a few places, such as Wintergarden, where alcoholic drinks cost extra — it’s quite reasonable though; $4 for a 330ml beer, $6-8 for a cocktail. For $36 per person per day, a Silver Spirits Beverage Package sees all drinks included. No matter where, teas and coffees are included — there are scores to choose from at Wintergarden and I promise myself I’ll be back for a cup of lapsang before Bergen.

Warm and light filled, Wintergarden quickly became a favourite place to sit. High tea is served there every afternoon. Picture: Niall McIlroy

The ship’s main eatery, The Restaurant, can handle 380 passengers and has an open- seating policy at tables below art by Queen Sonja of Norway and Jakob Weidemann. From every table there are great ocean views and during good weather the push of a button can open all floor-to- ceiling windows. It’s incredible to think this quality of food is included in the fare. Think fine dining but with hearty serves. I start with a baby arugula (rocket) salad with blue cheese and red onion marmalade and as my main enjoy an exceptional dish of chicken tenderloin wrapped in jamon and spend the whole time wishing I could order a second. It is splendid with the Bordeaux I am drinking.

There are novel twists on ship dining. The Kitchen Table takes participants into the markets at a port where they help select the produce and then help prepare their meal guided by a chef in the custom-made kitchen. For $299 per person, it’s a tasty way to tour a new port.

The Chef’s Table cycles through culinary themes — in effect, it’s a different specialty restaurant every nine days. I dine during Sweet and Salty and the five courses run the gamut of taste, each paired with wines. The ship has an unchanging specialty restaurant, Manfredi’s, which is very quick to fill and doesn’t disappoint.

Mr Hagen and his daughter Karine have added a personal touch in Norwegian deli Mamsen. It’s named after their late mother and grandmother Ragnhild and serves delicious open-faced sandwiches pea and sausage soup, pastries, waffles and cakes just as mamsen used to make. From a menu which looks part family photo album, I choose a brie and berry sandwich and blotkake — cream sponge with strawberries. It’s terrific and I don’t even care about eating sensibly now. Again I schedule a pit-stop, this time for pea soup later in the evening, and soon this becomes a late-night custom as I watch the dark sea below.

Brie and berry sandwiches at Mamsen Norwegian deli. Picture: Niall McIlroy

There is one very Scandinavian custom to try on board and it’s certain to leave you hot and cold. I head down to LivNordic Spa & Wellness and from the spa menu choose a hydrafacial, ignoring gibes from other passengers about not recognising me at dinner.

But first I indulge in the time-honoured tradition of Nordic bathing. From a plunge pool that’s just the right temperature, I drip into a sauna so steamy it takes my breath away. Then comes the hard part. Viking Star has its own icy grotto, a little room where snow falls and, sweating from the sauna, I tiptoe over. The icy blast is at first agreeable but then becomes too much. It’s back into the sauna, before I test my mettle, standing under a bucket and yanking a chain to tip its icy contents over my head. It’s exhilarating.

The Snow Grotto glows violet – it’s colder than it looks but is very much worth trying. Picture: Niall McIlroy

Viking Star has made such a big impression I’ve forgotten that it’s a small ship. But I saw the benefits every day in the lack of queues. Encouraged by passenger feedback, this smaller size has also allowed Viking to replicate that long-boat intimacy, perfectly replicating spaces such as the Viking Living Room on Star — this was a key objective for Torstein Hagen and he’s delighted that it came to fruition. Viking Star can also nestle alongside harbours, well and truly off the beaten track, staying longer in port and putting the accent well and truly back on the destination.

Speaking of destinations, we’ve reached ours, this morning pulling up at Bergen — a homeland of those marauding Norwegian vikings. The world gives a bit of it’s own back these days: in a country popular on cruise-ship itineraries, this is the busiest port and hordes come weekly to pillage Bergen’s souvenir shops and plunder its renowned seafood restaurants, leaving a trail of fridge magnets, postcards and shrimp sandwiches in their wake. Today is Viking Star’s big day and it’s the talk of the town. And on Norway’s Constitution Day, Bergen is a sea of citizens in bunad, the national dress: women in blouses, woollen skirts, embroidered aprons and shawls all with purses; men in wool suits and hats, young lads in archery brigade costumes, some with replica swords. The weather brings a wave of black umbrellas, obscuring the red, blue and white flags and ribbons, but the air of celebration is palpable.

A pair of Bergen locals in national costume during Norway’s national holiday – Constitution Day on May 17 – before Viking Star’s Christening. Picture: Niall McIlroy

After a huge open-air concert, godmother Trude Drevland, the mayor of Bergen, gives her blessing and Viking Star is released to cruise the world’s oceans. Bringing passengers to destinations, bringing destinations to life for passengers. For the first time in a decade, the world welcomes not just a new cruise ship but a completely new line.

True to its name, Viking Star is simply out of this world.

Niall McIlroy was a guest of Viking.

FACT FILE

Cabins are available on Viking Star’s eight-day Mediterranean Getaway from Rome to Barcelona from December 15, from $3649. A 12-day Mediterranean Celebration from Rome to Barcelona departing on December 30 is from $5424.

Next year an eight-day Romantic Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona to Rome departing on January 10 is from $3249, or the 15-day Passage through western Europe from Barcelona to Bergen departing on April 17 is from $6299 while a 15-day Viking Homelands from Stockholm to Bergen departing May 1, 2016 is from $6999. Prices are per person in a deluxe veranda cabin and include a $250 early-booking discount if booked before May 31, 2015. 1800 131 744, vikingcruises.com.au and travel agents.