Is playing as a Norse basically easy mode, or do I just suck at playing as a Christian?

I've been playing CK2 since shortly after it came out, so I've put in plenty of hours playing as Christian kingdoms, and I feel like I'm decent at it (I can pull off your basic noob challenges, like forming the Kingdom of Ireland by 1100).

But I've never had anywhere near the success I had in my first game with The Old Gods. I started out as a Norse count, was King of Norway within a couple decades. Always having a CB against non-pagan rulers, plus the subjugation CB against appropriate pagan ones, allowed me to rack up more prestige by the middle of my first heir's reign than I normally do after many generations. Raiding gave me an unprecedented source of income.

I mean, I know the trade-off for Norse rulers is that conquest is easier (I'll say!) but maintaining a unified kingdom is harder (which it is, but not nearly enough to outweigh the advantages). But I suppose my question is, is it feasible to see this kind of success with Christian kingdoms, perhaps through means other than pure conquest, and I just suck at it? Or are the Norse really this overpowered?