Currently sailing with Viking Ocean Cruises aboard first-ship Viking Star, we’re answering your questions and gathering information for in-depth discussion on a number of topics. One of those questions is of the utmost concern to some potential cruise travelers.  To others, dietary needs are not so important. Good news: Viking Star dining has something for everyone. Really.  Everyone.

So?  How’s it going with your daughter’s diabetes on the cruise?  First time right?- Roger C, Tulsa Oklahoma

Roger, imagine your favorite food person (waiter, chef, manager, etc.) standing by your table on the first night of dining.  Naturally, they are already aware of your dietary needs because you told them that in advance…about like any other cruise line.  But then the story heads in an interesting, unexpected direction.

Instead of a couple things for you to choose from that might work for you, there is your menu designed especially for you. It might even say ‘Rogers Menu For Today on it, as long as we’re dreaming. There are a lot of you’s in that thought because this is an area where it seriously does need to be about you. Eating the wrong thing will affect you in some unwanted way.

Anyone with dietary requirements, rules they must follow that will very quickly bring bad things if not met, eventually comes to the conclusion: you can’t take anything for granted.  ‘Polite’ ends, as it should when iffy dietary situations present themselves.

That realization usually resolves as one of those you against the world situation rather quickly.  On Viking Star, dietary needs and concerns are sincerely attended to with a level of concern I have never seen or heard of before.

Back to that thought of your favorite food person standing tableside. On Viking Star, that happens.  But other cruise lines do a good job addressing such concerns as well right?  Sure they do.  This is not a contest though. No one will vote for an award.  Still, the handling of dietary needs on Viking Star is the sort of thing that contributed to winning best cruise line in their class four years in a row.*

Roger, the best part of all is that they have a nice variety as well. Those with special needs are not relegated to the back of the tasty train.  Anyone who has felt singled out as the odd one when a waiter asks if someone at the table has food allergies will be giddy when this happens.

If every ship in the Viking Ocean Cruises fleet is like this one, what they are doing right now with dietary issues might actually be a solid reason to choose this line over another.

This is a seriously differentiating factor in the decision-making process.

*Travel + Leisure Magazine Poll