So what does Viking do differently? As it turns out, a lot. Here’s five of my most surprising takeaways from my Viking Star experience:

1. It’s Almost an Expedition Cruise

If Viking slapped some inflatable Zodiac rafts on the upper decks of Viking Star, mine would have been a full-blown expedition cruise. My biggest surprise of this voyage was just how expedition-like the Viking Cruises experience is, from the half-dozen guest lecturers that sailed with us and talked on destination-relevant topics to the high level of passenger engagement.

Guests were encouraged to log wildlife sightings on sheets of paper placed out in the Explorer’s Lounge, and a variety of complimentary excursions ashore felt decidedly expedition-like. This was most apparent in Greenland, where guests were invited to go ashore and explore on their own, but with the help of the local townspeople. The Caribbean might not have that degree of exploration, but if Viking ever did an all-Greenland or all-Iceland cruise, I’d sure book passage.

2. You Can Make It Nearly All-Inclusive

The Viking Cruises experience is nearly all-inclusive: beer, wine and soft drinks are provided complimentary with lunch and dinner. But for $19.95 per person, per day, you can purchase Viking’s Silver Spirits Beverage Package that includes almost all beverages up to $9.50 per glass, and only excludes beverages in Torshavn on Deck 2. Which makes sense: Viking doesn’t want guests hammering back the lounge’s collection of vintage (and costly) Armagnacs. But at $20 per guest, per day, Viking is vastly undercutting even mainstream cruise lines, many of which will nail you for more than $50 per person, per day, for similar offerings.

Couple that with a complimentary thermal suite in the LivNordic Spa and a selection of free excursions ashore, and Viking Cruises starts to have a lot more in common with its luxury counterparts than it does with its upper premium competitors that it currently identifies itself with.

3. Nobody Does Ports Like Viking Does Ports

Ports of call are Viking’s deal. What impressed me about Viking was that in each and every port we visited – even tiny Nanortalik, Greenland, with a population of just 1,300 – Viking equipped its guests with a free, Viking-made map of the city. On other cruise lines, you’re lucky if you get a real map that showcases more than just Diamonds International locations.

Coupled with some spectacularly informative Port Talks that actually focus on the town and aren’t just a hard-sell for excursions, Viking arguably educates its guests more than most cruise lines about the places they’re going to be visiting. It’s a good thing, but it’s also the culturally responsible thing too, and I applaud Viking for putting as much into its on-shore product as it does into its onboard one.

4. Sea Days Are a Bonus

Bad weather forced us to have a few more sea days on our North Atlantic crossing than we had anticipated – and that was okay with me. The ship is so beautiful that you almost feel guilty going ashore. I’m a huge literary fan, and I devour books on polar exploration, world history, and the like – and that makes Viking’s expertly curated collection of onboard books that literally line every single public room aboard the thing such a bonus. The ship is, essentially, one gigantic library.

Between the exceptional service, the wonderful books, and the authentic Norwegian snacks at Mamsen’s on Deck 7 adjacent to the Explorer’s Lounge, sea days aboard Viking Star aren’t just a necessity; they’re a pleasure.

5. It’s A ‘Thinking Person’s Cruise’

Ready to experience it for yourself? Contact a Cruise Specialists:(888) 993-1318