viking river cruise budapest to amsterdam 2022

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Viking Grand European Tour 15-Day River Cruise Review

I was more than ready for this Viking Grand European Tour 15-day river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. Lee Oliver, our Viking Lif river ship Program Director, greeted us at the gangway with a warm “Welcome Aboard!” 

Those two words were like music to my ears. Maybe not Bartok or Liszt but music nonetheless.

Budapest , Hungary, on the beautiful and sometimes-blue Danube , has so much to experience.

A mid-afternoon boarding gave guests plenty of time before dinner to explore this spirited yet somewhat austere city, either on their own or with a Viking tour excursion.

Viking River Grand European River Cruise Review

In This Post...

In the course of two-weeks, we would cruise on three rivers; the Danube, Main and Rhine rivers. Along the way, Viking Lif  had 12 scheduled cruise ports to visit before docking in Amsterdam. A couple of port tour excursions offered day trips to other nearby ancient towns, and I highly recommend those options. Here’s our itinerary.

Grand European Tour Itinerary

• Day 1:    Budapest, Hungary
• Day 2:    Budapest and Bratislava, Slovakia
• Day 3:    Vienna, Austria
• Day 4:    Melk, Austria
• Day 5:    Linz, Austria and Passau, Germany
• Day 6:    Regensburg, Germany
• Day 7:    Nuremberg, Germany
• Day 8:    Bamberg, Germany
• Day 9:    Wurzburg, Germany and Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany
• Day 10:  Wertheim, Germany
• Day 11:  Koblenz, Germany
• Day 12:  Cologne, Germany
• Day 13:  Kinderdijk, The Netherlands
• Day 14:  Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Getting to Budapest by Train

As a solo traveler and someone who doesn’t fly, it was a challenge to figure out how to get to Budapest. After one night in Munich, Germany, it was an eight hour train ride to Budapest.

In First Class on trains in Europe, you’ll find many English-speaking passengers from North America. It was easy to strike up conversations with fellow travelers and the eight hours quickly passed.

With the help of Viking reservations, I pre-reserved a driver to meet me at Budapest’s historic Keleti station.

Within 30 minutes of pulling into the station and getting into the taxi, I was on board Viking Lif , met our program director and settled into my cozy cabin. Our Viking Grand European Tour was about to begin.

RELATED:   How to Take the Train to Budapest for a River Cruise

Day 1:  Viking Lif Embarkation

By the time I arrived at the ship in the late afternoon, other passengers had already unpacked and were mingling about the vessel. They had enough time for a short city tour and were enjoying cocktails in the lounge. 

I had about an hour to get acquainted with my cabin and Viking Lif river ship before the first pre-dinner meeting.

At 6:30pm, it was time to head to the lounge, meet the other guests and attend the informative yet brief review of our river cruise itinerary. Though the meeting was necessary and very informative, I really looked forward to tonight’s dinner. 

All I ate on the eight-hour train ride from Munich to Budapest was a bowl of Hungarian Goulash. No complaints…the goulash was very good and of course, very appropriate!

READ NEXT:  Getting to Budapest for Viking Grand European Tour Embarkation

It was a balmy autumn night that beckoned tourists and locals alike to stroll along the banks of the Danube late into the evening. I was tired but excited to finally have a chance to walk across Budapest’s historic Chain Bridge. 

Camera in hand, I must have crossed the Danube four or six times, snapping photos of the warm yellow bridge lights, couples strolling arm in arm, and the magnificently illuminated state buildings that line the riverfront.

Finally, it was time to call it a night. Tomorrow, our Grand European Tour river cruise would begin with a full day of sightseeing before we even got underway.

READ MORE:  In-Depth Review of Embarkation Day in Budapest

Day 2:  Touring and Tasting Budapest

If being chatty at breakfast isn’t your thing, there’s the option for a very relaxing breakfast buffet at Aquavit Terrace every morning. It’s also a good way to plan your morning time if you have a 9:00am or even earlier tour departure. This was usually how my day started; quiet, comfortable, and a cappuccino in hand.

By 8:15am on our second day in Budapest, passengers heard the first warning announcement for our city tour departure.

Know Your Tour Departure Time

Here’s how it’s done on river cruises. You know your tour departure time, say 9 A.M. At 8:45 A.M. over the PA system, you’re given a 15-minute heads-up for the tour to leave. 

Then you hear a 5-minute warning for your motor coach departure. The tour departure time that’s posted is not when you should walk out of your stateroom. It’s actually when the bus departs. I’ve had to run to catch the bus on more than one occasion.

Today’s complimentary morning tour was your basic European city overview; historic places, medieval churches, political hotspots of yore. In the scope of four hours, we would either drive by, stop to view or exit the motor coach to stretch and take photos. 

Highlights of Our Budapest Tours

Morning tour of budapest.

Our motor coach drove across the Chain Bridge to Buda side of the Danube. This is the hilly side of the city where many of the most beautiful building are located.

Views from the Buda side of the river…

Fishermen’s Bastion, built between 1895 and 1902, the beautiful towers and covered terrace weren’t built to defend the territory but to provide unparalleled views of the city. We had ample time to wander along the terrace and up to the Neo-Romanesque designed towers. This is the prime photo op location for sweeping vistas of Budapest.

Back aboard Viking Lif in time for lunch. As there would be on every day of the cruise, you can choose from two lunch venues; The Restaurant with table service and a buffet or in Aquavit for a café lunch, buffet-style. Most days, I chose Aquavit Lounge.

Afternoon Tour on the Pest Side

Budapest jewish and hungarian history.

I signed up for the optional 2:00PM Dohány Street Synagogue and Hungarian Jewish Museum tour. The motor coach let us off just a short walk to the synagogue. Part of the intrigue was seeing the small shops, bars and cafés in what was once the Jewish Quarter, or Ghetto.

Built in the Moorish Revival style between 1854-1859, it is the largest synagogue in Europe. In addition to the main synagogue (Great Synagogue), inside you’ll find the Hungarian Jewish Museum, the Graveyard and the Memorial.

The Weeping Willow memorial is in the courtyard behind the synagogue. On its leaves are inscribed the names of 30,000 Holocaust victims. The father of actor Tony Curtis, Emanuel Schwartz, funded the weeping willow memorial. 

The courtyard was named Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who managed to save thousands of Jews from going to concentration camps.

Stopping for a Slice of Budapest’s Finest

After a stop at a small shop for a Hungarian pastry called, “Flódni”, we boarded the bus to head back to the ship. We returned just in time for Cocktail Hour.

Tonight was the official “Welcome Aboard” toast by Captain Marcin and Hotel Manager Eve. One sparkling wine down and just before dinner, we had our next day’s briefing. Next port going north on the Danube would be Bratislava, Slovakia.

READ MORE:  Top 10 Things to See in Budapest

Day 3:  Bratislava, Slovakia and Funny Little Men

I woke up to see that we were underway, gently cruising along the Danube towards our next port, Bratislava , Slovakia.

Following breakfast and before we’d arrive, a mandatory safety drill was held. Warm autumn weather quickly drew everyone to the top deck and the drill took all of 15-20 minutes.

Afterwards, many of us stayed and either walked laps or settled into a lounge chair. With a mid-afternoon arrival into Bratislava, the day would be relaxing and informative. 

Program Director Lee led an enrichment talk about Vienna coffeehouses (where to go and what to eat) and a background about Austrian-born composer Wolfgang Mozart.

Locals have a great sense of humor as can be sensed when you try to find all the bronze statues. When I was in Bratislava, I counted eight almost human-size funny little men bronze statues. How many will you find?

Day 4:  Vienna, Austria

This wasn’t my first visit to this medieval city. From the beautifully baroque Schönbrunn Palace to a peek at the Spanish Lipizzaner Horses, Vienna has something surprising or magnificent around every corner.

I decided to pass on the complimentary morning motor coach tour of the city and get some writing done. One thing to note about Vienna, river cruise ship dockage is usually too far to walk to the city center. It is walkable but most people opt for a bus into the city and some will then walk back to the river ship.

Too good to pass up, I signed up for the Chef’s Tour to the Farmer’s Market (Naschtmarkt). A bit of walking, two subway trains and we were smack in the middle of a working-class neighborhood and a several-blocks-long farmer’s Market.

After a couple of hours, we were back on the subway, walked two blocks through Mexikoplatz and past St. Francis of Assisi Church and we were back on Viking Lif …in time for cocktails, of course. But not much time to spare. 

Not-to-Miss Evening in Vienna

I had signed up for the optional ($) Viking excursion tour to a concert hall for a Mozart and Strauss concert. Every river cruise line offers this but I had never done it. There would be an early dinner on board and then leave on the motor coaches before 7pm for the concert hall.

The concert hall was beautifully Baroque. We were all packed in on folding chairs like sardines in a tin though not as smelly. The performances were excellent with most of the music and singing were familiar classical pieces. 

If you have a chance to book a shore excursion that includes a concert in Vienna, I highly recommend it.

Afterwards, everyone was really quiet on the motor coach back to the ship. It had been a busy, long day from one end of the city to another.

When we arrived back to the ship, we were greeted with a special Viking Grand European bedtime treat: goulash soup in Aquavit Restaurant. The gorgeous bowl of soup and a fresh-baked crunchy roll accompanied me back to my cabin. Within an hour, I was asleep. One more port in Austria tomorrow.

Day 5:  Melk, Austria

All that glitters is mostly gold.

Melk is a curiously monastic community with the resplendent gold Melk Abbey high on a hill overlooking the Danube. Cobblestone street wind through town, leading to the Abbey’s grand entrance. Monks from the Abbey stroll through town and work in the Abbey as they have for more than 900 years.

Plan to spend about an hour inside the Abbey. You can walk up to the entrance or take a motor coach to the top of the hill.

The baroque interior is dazzling, the library has over 80,000 medieval manuscripts and several hidden doors. Leave time to step outside for a sweeping view of the city and Danube below. 

It’s a pleasant stroll over a little bridge back to the river ship, or take the motor coach again. The town is lovely with cafés and small boutique shops.

With a “Be back on board” at 3:45pm, we were welcomed with an Austrian apple strudel-making demonstration. Then the habitual cocktail hour, daily port briefing and the slow walk into the dining room. Another satisfying multi-course dinner and off to bed.

Every night on the river cruise there’s entertainment in the lounge. So far, we’ve had the onboard musician at the keyboard and dancing, Slovakian folk dancing show and the goulash event. With days so busy, evening entertainment has been kept to a minimum. I think Viking knows that we’d be exhausted.

READ NEXT:  Viking Adds New Pre- and Post-River Cruise Options

Day 6:  Passau, Engine Issues and a Slight Detour

Surprise! We were informed last night that Viking Lif was having engine trouble and we’d not make it to dock in Passau. Instead, Viking Lif would tie up in Linz. So at 8:15am, (it was a really early wake-up!) passengers boarded Viking’s motor coach for a full-day nine-hour tour.

Sadly, one man had to see a doctor in the nearest town so he and his wife had to stay in Linz. I was working under deadline to file a story, so a 9-hour day in motion put me into panic. 

Viking’s Program Director, Lee, made similar arrangements for me so that I could spend the day writing instead of touring. I was so incredibly happy when I found out I would have a hotel room for the day in Linz and would get a full day’s writing done.

Even the light drizzle didn’t stop anyone from walking in the city center. After my friend’s doctor appointment, the three of us met for lunch and a walk through town. Linz is one of the most non-touristic larger cities I’ve visited in Europe. It’s very charming. And I’ll bet it’s even lovelier during the holiday/Christmas market season.

At 5:00PM, a white minivan arrived and the three of us were off to meet Viking Lif , fully repaired at the shipyard in Linz. All the other passengers were on their way back from Passau. And we all arrived in time for cocktail hour, daily briefing and another very nice dinner in the dining room.

Onward to Straubing, Germany! Almost halfway through our Viking Grand European Tour. Tempus Fugit.

Day 7:  Regensburg, Bavaria – Germany

This was one of those years in central Europe when the rain seems to never stop. Germany and France had seen flooding at the end of summer and rivers were swollen and overflowing their banks. 

As we made our way up the Danube, I started to watch the water’s edge. I knew from past river cruises, if I saw tree trunks submerged and debris quickly flowing past us, it meant trouble.

With high water, river ships cannot fit under the dozens of ancient bridges. Locks get stuck. But Viking Lif made its way to Straubing and by 2:00pm, we boarded the motor coach for the short ride to beautiful medieval Regensburg.

I was so glad Regensburg was included on this Viking Grand European Tour. It’s among my favorite places in Europe. This is the oldest city on the Danube and dates back to the year 179.

While the Dom St. Peter Gothic Cathedral is one of the grandest in all Bavaria and worth a visit, I always head to the Alte Würstküche, meaning, “Old Sausage Kitchen”, it’s the oldest restaurant in Germany.

The restaurant is usually packed with tourists throughout the summer but this rainy October day, I had no problem getting my own indoor table. Once you’ve finished your beer and extras, take a walk across the Old Stone Bridge. Built between 1135 and 1146, it was the bridge used by the knights on the second and third Crusades to the Holy Land.

Danube Begins to Look a Little Ominous

What I saw from Regensburg Old Bridge didn’t look too good. I’d been on enough floods on the rivers in Europe to recognize the inevitable.

The Danube was rushing past us downstream heading towards the Black Sea, its terminus. Trees were submerged. The water was creeping up to the lower levels of the medieval buildings.

While we were in Regensburg, Viking Lif sailed from Straubing to Regensburg to meet us. This was a chance for passengers who simply yearned for a quiet day onboard to just cruise.

Back onboard with time to freshen up before the daily briefing. But tonight, the meeting took a sudden twist. The Program Director proceeded with an (un)expected announcement.

To paraphrase, Lee said, “Pack your bags, we’re changing river ships in the morning”. It was a very busy evening for everyone. 

We would disembark with our carry-on luggage the next morning at 8:30 AM in Deggendorf, then board a bus to meet sister ship, Viking Skadi, in Nuremberg. Our Viking Grand European Tour was about to take a twist.

Day 8:  Changing Ships and a Detour

A visit to an extraordinarily bizarre monument.

With our luggage taken off the ship and loaded onto buses, we only had to bring along our carry-on bags. 

I had been through this river ship shuffle three times in the last few years so I knew what to expect. River cruisers seem to roll with the punches. There’s nothing you can do when there’s a flood or a drought except board a bus and change ships.

Viking had a really good plan on the way to Nuremberg. Driving through Bavaria en route to Nuremberg, we stopped at Walhalla, Germany’s monument to its native Germanic language politicians, scientists, artists and other distinguished people over the centuries. 

Perched on a hilltop overlooking the Danube river, Walhalla looms on the horizon bearing a striking resemblance to the Parthenon in Greece.

By 11 AM we were back on the bus leaving Walhalla, heading to our next ship. 

How River Cruise Ships Deal With Floods

To explain how this ship shuffle works, our original river ship, Viking Lif, couldn’t go any further upriver – the water was too high to let Viking Lif go under the next bridge. Viking Skad i, on its way south from Amsterdam, couldn’t get past Nuremberg for the same reason. 

Thus, each ship would swap passengers and bus everyone to the other ship. Then the ships do a U-turn and continue on the route of the original river ship. Everyone would end up at their scheduled port. Viking had this ship exchange experience down to a science.

We had reached the half-way point of our Grand European Tour. Where did that first week go?

READ MORE ABOUT:  What exactly happened on this ship-shuffle day

I divided my Viking Grand European Tour river cruise into two parts. 

This is part one; Budapest to Nuremberg. Click the link below to continue onto our  second week; Nuremberg to Amsterdam.

CONTINUE READING : WEEK 2 ABOARD VIKING SKADI – NUREMBERG TO AMSTERDAM

Thank you for reading the first half of my Viking Grand European Tour. Spoiler alert:  Seven more days of cruising, castles, culture and cuisine.

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Hi Gary, Thank you for your comment and for reading my article. I think I did this cruise in 2018. The last two years were a wash for sure. Nothing has changed with the itinerary, unless it is a last minute decision. Viking still advertises for their Grand European Tour so I think my article is very reliable to help readers decide to try this amazing trip. Viking did a great job, especially when you consider the unexpected ship change. Thank you again for taking the time to write. I hope you have the opportunity to try this cruise.

Hi Ruth, Thank you for writing and taking the time to read my post. As you saw, this river cruise was with Viking and it was wonderful. I also recommend AmaWaterways, Avalon and Uniworld for these longer cruises – they also carry fewer passengers.

While a suite isn’t necessary, it does give you more space. But similar to ocean cruising, in my opinion, as long as I can open a door for fresh air, a balcony or french balcony on a river cruise is fine…and less expensive. Whichever line you choose, have a wonderful river cruise. Thanks again for your comment.

When did you take this cruise? It looks like a great cruise.

This is the River cruise I’ve been wanting to do..I’m just undecided which company to go with. This seems very busy to get everything in. I also wanted a suite room but maybe that’s not necessary. Your article is very informative especially about the changing of boats due to water issues..I’ve always wondered how that would work.

Hi Terry, Thank you, too, for reading my article and your comment. Much appreciated!

Most interesting thank you

Comments are closed.

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Updated on August 17, 2022 by Sherry Laskin

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Grand European Tour

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Travel through the heart of Europe

Admire Rhine Valley vistas from a 900-year-old castle. Sample the culinary delights of Austria’s Wachau Valley. Learn the Viennese waltz, visit Melk’s Benedictine Abbey and delve into Nuremberg’s World War II history. Indulge your senses on this 15-day journey spanning the best of Europe, tracing the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers between the windmill-dotted waterways of Holland and the stunning landscapes of Hungary, with engaging encounters at every bend.

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River Cruises from Amsterdam to Budapest

16 river cruises from amsterdam to budapest with 13 reviews.

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"Excellent cruise with lots of activities, great accommodation and excellent staff." David, traveled in May 2022

Jewels of Europe 2024|2025 - 15 Days (15 destinations)

"The inclusions were excellent, walking tour guides at most locations were brilliant and well informed." Chrisopher, traveled in October 2019

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"Food was excellent. Would have no hesitation in booking another Cruise with Amawaterways." William, traveled in August 2019

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What people love about river cruise tours from amsterdam to budapest.

Best trip ever. We can’t think of what we can do to top this trip.

The inclusions were excellent, walking tour guides at most locations were brilliant and well informed. The Cruise Director (Richard Grey) was absolutely fantastic, running the program with precision, and good humour. The entire crew was magnificent. Just a couple of small things that were a bit off; firstly, the cab drivers at the end of the cruise for those travelling under own means, advice of what the coat should be to hotel in Budapest was not clear (they didnt use a meter!). Perhaps a ball-park idea would have been nice to know. The walkibg tours were in some cases a bit rushed - although with the sailing schedule understandable. The on-board information system was great, although it would be really nice to be able to download the fact sheets of the towns and other POIs that show on it, via QR code reader on smart phones. The codes are there, but even Cruise Director couldnt advise whether they are available to the guests. Seems its all locked down to Scenic internal servers. Lastly, the backpacks supplied are fantastic, although an external pocket with the elastic bungee cord mesh to hold the supplied water for the shore excursions would be a good idea (internal pockets plentiful, but water bottle leaked onto clothes inside bag). Thank you, had the most awesome time. The nice touch was the 30th anniversary card signed by the cruise director and bottle of champagne on ice waiting for us on the balcony when we arrived back from a shore excursion was fantastic.

Cruise was excellent. Staff were friendly and helpful. Food was excellent. All told a very pleasant experience. Would have no hesitation in booking another Cruise with Amawaterways through Tourradar. Sarah and William Leonard

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Guests should be able to easily walk one to two miles, which may include climbing one or two flights of stairs and walking over uneven pavement, groomed hiking trails or cobblestones. Standing up to one hour or more may be required.

Moderately paced, and may include some early morning hotel departures, one or two on-tour flights, and extended motor coach travel.

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Cruise along the River Danube from Budapest to Amsterdam on an amazing journey past grand cathedrals, medieval monasteries, castles and vineyards...

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If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally , you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey for entry into the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. You are not required to obtain a visa to enter any of the countries visited for the short duration of this tour.

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The deposit amount is $900 per person

Final Payments:

Final Payment is due to Tauck  60  days before departure for lands trips, and  120  days before departure for cruises and rail journeys. If your deposit was made by credit card, final payment will be automatic unless you opted out at time of booking. Bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice. Failure to make payment will be a considered a cancellation by the guest and all applicable cancellation fees will apply.

Cruise Protection Plan

Effective for plans purchased as of July 1, 2021:

Tauck's Cruise and Event Protection

Tauck's Cruise & Event Protection provides you with cancellation protection before your journey begins as well as insurance benefits while you are traveling. It must be purchased within 10 days of your initial deposit. Guest Protection includes the following:

Cancellation Waiver – Provided by Tauck:

Under Tauck's Cancellation Fee Waiver you can cancel your tour for ANY REASON and Tauck will  reduce the regular cancellation fees outlined herein, provided we are notified of cancellation before your cruise departs. Certain terms and restrictions apply (see below*).

*Extreme Circumstances:  In the event of an act of God, war (whether declared or undeclared), terrorism, accident, natural disaster, outbreak of disease, or other event or circumstance beyond our control that contributes to or results in cancellation rates above our historical cancellation rates in the absence of such event or occurrence, Tauck reserves the right to issue a credit to you in lieu of a money-back refund, applicable to a future Tauck journey.  Travel Insurance Benefits – Underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company.

• Trip Cancellation –  Should you cancel for covered reasons, the plan reimburses cancellation fees imposed, up to your total trip cost. 
• Trip Interruption –  If you have to interrupt your tour for covered reasons, the plan provides reimbursement to catch up to your tour or return home.
• Travel Delay –  Provides reimbursement for missed, prepaid travel arrangements if you are delayed by a common carrier, natural disaster, unannounced strike, or other reasons as cited in the plan.
• Medical Expense –  Reimburses covered medical expenses incurred in the event you become injured or sick during your trip. 
• Baggage / Personal Effects Protection –  Provides reimbursement in the event your luggage or personal effects are, lost, stolen, damaged or delayed during your trip.

Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services –  Provided by Carefree Travel Assistance; 24-hour emergency telephone assistance hotline for medical and travel related problems.

The cost of Tauck's Cruise and Event Protection is:   $799   per person

This plan provides cancellation coverage for your trip and other insurance coverages that apply only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker.

This optional Cruise and Event Protection must be requested at time of booking and fee must be included in initial payment. Details will be provided with written confirmation of your reservation. Cruise and Event Protection does not protect travel agent commissions. Reimbursements will be made according to original method of payment. The amount of any refund shall be reduced by any recoveries obtained by you from any third parties.

To obtain your state-specific Certificate of Insurance that contains the complete terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the certificate, visit  affinitytravelcert.com/docs/TACCREINTL

If You Have To Cancel

If you cancel within 10 days of initial deposit

Within the first 10 days after you place your initial deposit, you may cancel your reservation for any reason with no cancellation fees.

If you cancel more than 10 days after initial deposit

Regardless of reason, cancellations result in costly charges from our travel and hotel providers covering penalties and fees incurred by canceling confirmed bookings. These fees vary from tour to tour. Therefore, the following fees apply for this tour.

Cancellation Fees with Tauck's Cruise Protection Plan:

120 days or more before departure: Loss of cost of Tauck's Cruise and Event Protection fee per person 119 – 60 days before departure: Loss of 25% of the cost of the cruise, not including air (if applicable), plus loss of Cruise and Event Protection fee, per person 59 – 1 days before departure: Loss of 50% of the cost of the cruise, not including air (if applicable), plus loss of Cruise and Event Protection fee, per person Cancellation Fees without Tauck's Cruise Protection Plan: 120 days or more before departure: $900 per person 119 – 60 days before departure: Loss of 50% of the cost of cruise, not including air (if applicable), per person 59 - 1 days before departure: Loss of 100% of the cost of cruise, not including air (if applicable), per person Time of cancellation will be when notice is received in our Wilton Woods, CT office.

Tour Interruption Fees

If you have to interrupt your tour en route, you may be entitled to a refund for the unused land portion if it exceeds 24 hours; certain restrictions apply. Such refunds are based upon the number of overnights missed less a fee of $40 per person per day for unused transportation and other fixed expenses.

Partial Room Cancellation

A person who cancels or leaves a tour while a roommate remains constitutes a cancellation of one type of accommodation and rebooking of another type of accommodation. The price charged to the remaining person is the new, higher price for the new accommodation.

In the event of an unforeseen circumstance beyond our control, Tauck reserves the right to amend the cancellation and transfer terms outlined herein. Note: All Guests, regardless of residency, who book a Tauck journey have the option of purchasing the Cancellation Waiver provided by Tauck in the event they need to cancel their trip after making their reservations. Tauck's Cruise & Event Protection, which includes both the Cancellation Fee Waiver and the Travel Insurance Benefits and Assistance Services described above, is not available to residents of Puerto Rico.

Travel Terms and Conditions

Click here  to find Tauck's Travel Terms & Conditions.

Travel Requirements For This Tour

Health, Safety and Mobility

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

The riverboat is registered in Basel, Switzerland. Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.

If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

VACCINATIONS

If you are a resident of the U.S. , no other vaccinations are currently required for travel to the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovakia or Hungary. For complete vaccination and inoculation information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC website by clicking here .

If you are a resident of another country , please contact an embassy or consulate of the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovakia or Hungary. to determine what additional vaccinations are required for your travel.

While a river cruise from is very relaxing and the pace leisurely, to enjoy this cruise, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. There is a moderate to significant amount of walking during our excursions, often along the cobblestone streets on the hills along the rivers; for the most part, however, the amount of walking you do is at your discretion.

Your riverboat has four decks: Sun, Diamond, Ruby and Emerald. The elevator runs between the Diamond Deck and the Dining room, which includes stops at the Lounge and the Ruby Deck. There is no elevator access to the Sun Deck or Emerald Deck. There is no chair lift between any of the decks.

Because you will be cruising on a river and not on the open sea, you are never far from land and, therefore, there is no doctor on board the riverboat. In case of emergency we can easily dock the boat and call for an ambulance or medical assistance.

PLEASE NOTE: We regret that this Tauck itinerary cannot accommodate wheelchairs or motorized scooters. Likewise, we regret that we're unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs. The responsibility of the Tauck Director who accompanies your trip is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest. Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it.

Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate service animals on any river cruise for medical and legal reasons.

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS

The restaurants, hotels, caterers and numerous other partners we work with all do their best to accommodate special dietary requests from Tauck guests. However, given the diverse nature of those food providers (from small wineries to grand hotels to world-famous restaurants in more than 70 countries worldwide), some of our partners are better able than others to accommodate such requests. We therefore cannot guarantee that all dietary requests can be accommodated at every meal. Also, please note that where dietary requests can be accommodated, choices will frequently be limited.

On board the riverboat, smoking is permitted in a limited area of the Sun deck. Smoking (including e-Cigarettes) is not permitted in any cabin, the restaurant, the lounge or any other interior space.

Reading List

We have compiled a reading list of recommended books to give you more information about the destinations you will be traveling to on your upcoming journey!

You can view the reading list  here.

The climate along the Rhine, Main and the Danube rivers is temperate and unpredictable. From June through August, the average high temperatures increase as you travel south along the river and range from 68 to 78°F (20 to 26°C) and the average low temperatures range from 50 to 59°F (10 to 15°C). Rainfall amounts in this region remain fairly constant throughout the year, although late spring and early summer are generally the wettest seasons of the year. Opposite of temperature, rainfall decreases as you travel south.

To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website, noaa.gov , by clicking here.

What To Pack

Bringing the right clothing for your trip is important – we've partnered with New Headings who provide an "easy-to-use, one-stop shop" for your Tauck travel needs, specifically selected for this trip. Click here to visit their site .

Your journey is designed with leisure in mind. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is flexible and allows for layering. Casual, cotton clothing is always advisable. A light jacket or sweater for the sun deck is also recommended. Pack comfortable yet sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in, as many of the sites visited were built centuries ago and have uneven surfaces, some steep inclines and many steps.

During evenings aboard the riverboat, dress is resort casual. Items such as slacks and collared shirts are appropriate for men.  For women, slacks, a dress or a skirt and blouse are suitable. For dinner and throughout the evening, guests should refrain from wearing shorts, t-shirts, flip-flops or sneakers.  Your journey also includes one or two special occasion dinners, where a sport coat and tie for gentlemen and a dress/pantsuit for ladies are suggested. (Your Tauck Director will advise you prior to those evenings.)

Bathrobes, slippers and hairdryers are provided in each riverboat cabin.

Valet laundry service is available on the riverboat for a fee. There is no valet dry cleaning available on the riverboat. Ironing facilities are available by request to the front desk. Category 7 suites feature their own irons and ironing boards.

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor's prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed. No medications are sold on board the riverboat.

We recommend you pack the following items for your cruise:

• Flat, rubber-soled walking shoes for on board
• Sturdy but comfortable walking shoes that have already been broken-in for onshore
• Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
• A Sport jacket (optional tie) for men
• Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
• A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
• Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and chargers
• Travel alarm clock/cell phone with alarm fuctions (many hotels don't have clocks in the rooms)
• Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
• Reusable zipper-lock bags or other waterproof bags
• Daypack for camera equipment
• Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
• Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your ship cabin while traveling

The Tauck Experience

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Travel in good company, sophisticated, intimate ambiance onboard ship, distinctively inclusive.

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14 Nights Budapest to Amsterdam Cruise on the Viking Baldur Departing on the 29th June 2025

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Viking Cruises

History, review, itineraries, ships, deck plans, news.

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Viking Cruises fleet

Viking hathor, viking aton, viking mississippi, viking osiris, viking gymir, viking egdir, viking saigon, ms rheingalaxie eventschiff, viking kari, viking fjorgyn, viking radgrid, viking skaga, viking hervor, viking gersemi, viking einar, review of viking cruises.

This is CruiseMapper's page for the three Viking Cruises subsidiary companies - the sister-brands Viking RIVER , Viking OCEAN and Viking EXPEDITIONS , their fleets (riverboats, liners, polar ships), cruisetour itineraries, destinations, homeports, cruise tracker. We have listed all Viking ships as schedules (itinerary calendars with prices) and current position tracking maps. Similarly named is the Finland-based cruiseferry company VIKING LINE (1959-founded).

In April 2021 was inaugurated the joint venture company "China Merchants Viking Cruises Co Ltd" (operating via the brand "Viking China Coastal Cruise"). The new company's fleet currently includes only Viking Sun (Zhao-Shang-Yi-Dun) but will be expanded by adding China-made newbuilds in the following years. China Merchants Viking Cruises' General Manager is Wu Wei. Viking Cruises China's Managing Director is Brendan Tansey.

Note: CruiseMapper's Viking ship schedules show departure and call ports (including towns and cities visited on shore excursions), themed voyages (holiday, itinerary themes) and port times (arrival-departure / port stays and overnights). CruiseMapper's Viking schedules also show how much will cost you to travel with the Viking brand.

In February 2024, Viking filed with SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission USA/an independent federal government agency/1934-created) for an IPO (initial public offering/first selling shares of stock to the public) in 2024-Q2. For the IPO, Viking worked with the major American financial/investment institutions UBS Group AG, Wells Fargo & Co, JPMorgan Chase, and Bank of America. After becoming a stock exchange-listed company (on May 1st, 2024), Viking's IPO was priced at US$24 per share, representing ~US$11 billion valuation (if fully distributed). The company plans to raise US$500+ million from potential private investors. 

Company history

The VIKING cruise travel brand was officially inaugurated on August 5, 1997.

Next is the company's 25th Anniversary video released in 2022 and presented by Torstein Hagen - Viking Cruises' Founder, President and CEO.

In 2022, Viking reported revenues of USD 3 billion and served ~470,000 tourists. As of 2023, the company owns and operates 9x ocean ships, 2x expedition ships and 79x riverboats, with another 14x riverboats on order (slated to be operational by 2026) and 10x ocean ships ordered (to be operational by 2030).

The company's significant growth is supported by TPG Inc (fka TPG Capital) and CPP Investments (Canada Pension Plan Investment Board) who in 2016 joined Viking as minority shareholders. In November 2020, Viking announced investments from TPG Capital and CPP Investments that added ~USD 500 million in net proceeds to support Viking's development.

Viking Expeditions ships operate in Arctic-Antarctica, Great Lakes , USA and Canada), Viking Ocean (global).

Viking River boats operate on the European inland waterways Danube, Rhine, Main, Mosel, Seine, Rhone, Saone, Douro, also in Asia (Mekong, Irrawaddy, Yangtze), Egypt (Nile, Lake Nasser), Ukraine (Dnieper), Russia (Volga, Svir, Neva, Lake Ladoga, Lake Baikal) and in the USA (Mississippi).

Viking Cruises Ltd (shipowner) is the parent company of Viking Flusskreuzfahrten AG (Viking River Cruises) as well as of KD Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt GmbH, which is subsidiary of Koln-Dusseldorfer (aka KD Cruises, fka KD Line). KD Line is an 1826-founded, Cologne -based company with a fleet of 14 cruise vessels (including "event ships" and a paddle steamer) deployed in Germany, on the rivers Moselle, Rhine and Main. Koln-Dusseldorfer was acquired by Viking in 2000.

Viking River Cruises holds 1/2 of North America's market. In the period 2011-2015, the company spent USD 600+ million on promotions. In May 2017, Viking celebrated its 20th anniversary. By the year 2027, the company's 16-ship ocean fleet will have a combined capacity of 16930 berths, ranking Viking OCEAN the world's largest cruise company with ship capacity under 1000 passengers.

Since August 2018, Viking Cruises (both brands/river and ocean) is an adults-only company that doesn't allow minor passengers (under 18 years of age) on its vessels.

On April 3, 2020, was the official launch of Viking.TV (https://viking.tv/). The company-exclusive online TV channel provides enrichment content and real-time video streaming from worldwide locations. Viking.TV targets primarily non-cruising people (those staying home) rather than travelers. The new channel also livestream sessions with various guests (experts, scientists, celebrities) and allows real-time interaction by submitting comments and questions.

Viking Cruises China

In early April 2019, Viking Cruises and China Merchants Group (China's first commercial corporation/1872-founded) unveiled a plan to launch a new cruise line (joint venture company) for the Chinese market. China Merchants Group's shipbuilding subsidiaries will design and construct the newbuilds for the new company. As of 2020, Viking fully owned and operated a fleet of 6 ocean liners plus 76 riverboats (almost all of which are of the patented Longship-Class).

On November 25, 2020, China Merchants Shekou and Viking officially signed the joint venture agreement a separate (China- flagged ) fleet of sea liners for coastal cruises. In mid-December 2020, Viking and China Merchants Shekou Industrial Zone Holdings officially announced the creation of the new joint venture company "Viking China Coastal Cruise" focused on mid-sized luxury ship voyages in China exclusively.

The new domestic travel brand (China Coastal Cruise Project) was scheduled for inauguration in 2021-Q1 with Viking Sun - transferred to the joint venture (news 8277). In January 2021, the vessel changed registry (from Norway to China) to qualify for the Chinese coasting trade. As flag state , China allows the ship to visit seaports under China's cabotage rules that regulate the shipping of passengers and/or goods between two Chinese ports. The brand's enrichment program is based on shipboard events (lectures, entertainment) and shore excursions themed on local history, traditions, nature, food.

In China (on Yangtze River), Viking Cruises operates under charter the large-sized boat Viking Emerald .

In October 2023 was announced plan for further investments in the Chinese market. Specifically, two new riverboats will be introduced in 2024, in addition to ocean ship cruises in Europe/Mediterranean tailored for Chinese consumers.

Viking RIVER CRUISES

As a division of Viking Cruises, Viking River Cruises has an estimated European river market share of ~49%. Cruisetour itineraries range from 7 to 23 days and include as regions the European rivers Rhine, Main, Danube, Saone, Rhone, Seine, Elbe and Douro, also Ukraine's Dnieper, Russia's Volga, China's Yangtze, Burma's Irrawaddy and Cambodia-Vietnam's Mekong. Most voyages are cruisetours and include river cruising, land tours, and hotel stays. All itineraries have at least one tour or guided shore excursion per day (complimentary / cruise fare-inclusive).

Viking River Cruises provides travelers with top-quality cruisetours and the world's newest and most innovative fleet of newbuild riverboats (by the patented "longship" design).

Viking's Longship fleet totals 65 boats, delivered in the period 2012-2021. Most were constructed by Neptun Werft GmbH in Rostock , and several by Meyer Werft GmbH in Papenburg (Alsvin, Bestla, Eistla, Ingvi, Lif).

On March 20, 2013, the newly renamed company "Viking Cruises" launched 10 ships at one time, thus entering the Guinness Book of World Records. Beginning on March 17, 2014, Viking christened 16 new boats over a 24-hour period, again setting an industry record. Viking named two more ships in Oporto (Portugal) on March 21.

On March 22, 2015, Amsterdam (Holland) witnessed the naming ceremony of 12 longships. Their godmothers were from USA (Los Angeles), the UK, and Russia. In 2015, Viking's river fleet expanded to 64 boats, 40 of which longships (capacity 190 passengers) introduced in 2012.

During the 2015 christening, 8 longships were in Amsterdam. The other 4 longships were named via live video link with the shipbuilding shipyard in Neptun Werft (Rostock, Germany). Two of the longships (Astrild and Beyla) are specifically designed for Elbe River. These boats are with modified longship design ("baby Longships") with only 2 decks (1/4 lighter) and capacity 98 guests (46 cabins).

On March 16, 2022, were joint-christened 8 riverboats - 4x in Paris (Fjorgyn, Kari, Radgrid, Skaga) and 4x in Amsterdam (Egdir, Gersemi, Gymir, Hervor).

On December 5, 2023, the company announced a shipbuilding order for 10x Viking Longships - 8x to be deployed on the rivers Rhine-Main-Danube, and 2x in France (Seine River). The newbuilds are scheduled for deliveries in 2025 (5x units/TBN) and in 2026 (5x units/TBN). Like all Viking Longships, the 10x new riverboats are constructed in Rostock (by Neptun Werft).

Viking European river cruises for Chinese travelers

In 2016 fall, Viking became the first European river cruise brand to offer voyages dedicated to Chinese tourists. The company dedicated two Longships, on which the primary onboard language is Mandarin.

The first longship's 2016 itineraries (starting November 10th) were on Rhine, between homeports Amsterdam and Basel. The second longship's 2017 itineraries were on Danube. On both riverboats, all the hotel staff was Mandarin-speaking and all signage was in Mandarin (from menus to toiletries). The onboard cuisine was traditional Chinese (dishes prepared by Szechuan and Cantonese chefs) plus European dishes by Michelin-star chefs.

After a 3-year hiatus, in 2023 Viking restarted its European river cruise program for Chinese tourists with Longship Viking Eistla (departing on June 1st out of Amsterdam).

All excursion programs ashore are organized by Viking River Cruises. Each ship has all 8 Mandarin-speaking tour guides assigned to 25-passenger groups. The Rhine cruise program includes a shipboard overnight in Amsterdam and 3 days (2 shipboard overnights) in Basel with Lake Lucerne tour. In Strasbourg, passengers take the high-speed TGV train to Paris. Optional (exclusive) deals include private jet travel (to any airport in Europe) for 1 day at the price of US$30,000 pp. Fares start from ~US$4300 pp.

Cruise Lines International Association/CLIA's projections for 2020 were that the number of Chinese cruisers to Europe will be the same (or larger) in comparison to the Americans.

Viking River Cruises line is a global travel corporation (Viking Flusskreuzfahrten AG) headquartered in the USA. And it all started in the not-so-distant 1997 with the establishment of the modest Viking River brand founded by a consortium of Scandinavian and Dutch investors, with only 4 second-hand riverboats bought in Russia.

In the mid-1990s, the company's founder, Torstein Hagen enjoyed a river cruise in Russia and was so excited that decided to create his own river cruising company. He started in 1997 by purchasing four Russian vessels. In 2000 Viking acquired Koln-Dusseldorfer (KD River Cruises). The KD purchase included an extremely valuable asset - the landing stages, and now Viking Cruises owns docks in more cities in Europe than it stops in. This ensures prime docking locations, easy passenger access and ability to walk into town directly.

In 2000 Viking enlarged into the US market by establishing company's US headquarters in Los Angeles, California . In April 2004 Viking expanded in China with cruise tours on Yangtze River. They additionally include hotel stays in a variety of cities, mainly in Shanghai and Beijing. As a result of newbuilds and acquisitions, in 2014 the company had a river fleet of 52 vessels with a total of 9200 berths.

Worldwide, Viking Cruises hires over 2,500 staff and crew. Line's river cruises are targeted primarily to English-speaking travelers in the UK, North America and Australia. Nowadays, Viking manages the world's largest fleet of river cruise vessels, ever.

In 2015, Viking's European river cruise sales became a bit slower than expected. The slower growth was partially related to the reduced demand for cruises in Russia. Viking's Ukrainian and Russian ships were laid up, but their staff remained on the payroll. Until the 2015 slowdown, the company reported a steady growth of over 30% per year for the period 2010-2015. The company's turnover (gross revenue) from both river and ocean shipping operations for 2015 was about USD 2 billion.

In October 2017, Viking River Cruises announced a shipbuilding order for 7 new riverboats . Of those, 6 are Longships ( Einar , Sigrun , Sigyn , Tir , Ullur , Vali ) plus one modified Longship design Douro River cruiser ( Helgrim ). The newbuilds were launched in 2019 and christened together on March 19. The 7-ship "virtual" naming ceremony was via satellite connections and held in 4 riverports - Basel Switzerland (Sigrun and Einar), Rostock Germany (Ullur and Sigyn), Brunsbuttel Germany (Vali and Tir) and Oporto Portugal (Helgrim).

For 2020 were planned the launches and inaugurations of 6 more Longship-Class boats - 4 with smaller capacity (168 pax) and deployed year-round on Seine River in France ( Fjorgyn , Kari , Radgrid , Skaga ) plus 2 standard (190 pax) and deployed on Rhine River ( Gersemi , Hervor ). In March 2021 were delivered Egdir and Gymir - the last longships on order with Neptun Werft.

Viking River Cruises deals include staterooms, onboard dining, most cultural activities, most shore excursions. Beer, soft drinks and wine by the glass are included with lunches and dinners. Viking ships are nonsmoking (interior) with a dedicated smoking area on Sundeck. Since the focus is on the port cities and river cruising, activities onboard are geared towards enrichment lectures.

In 2016-Q3, Viking Flusskreuzfahrten AG terminated the charter deals with Pericon AG (shipowner) and stopped to operate the riverboats Viking Spirit (now Seine Comtesse) , Viking Sun (now Rhein Melodie) , Viking Helvetia (now Rhein Symphonie) , Viking Pride (now Bijou du Rhone) and Viking Danube (now Filia Rheni 2) .

Viking Cruises Longships

In 2009, the newly-launched Viking Legend became the company's first riverboat fitted with hybrid (diesel-electric) engines. These new types marine engines use 20% less fuel than the conventional ones. The engine rooms are noise-insulated and this reduces noise and vibration. Environmental impact is further reduced through the ship's membrane water treatment plant. In 2011 was launched Viking Legend's sistership Viking Prestige.

In 2012 were introduced the "Viking Longship" class of vessels. All of these really long ships have the same/hybrid engine powerplant. They are environmentally friendly, with a patented interior design creating 2-room suites, numerous French Balcony staterooms, full-size rooms, and verandas. 2/3s of Longship's cabins are with French balconies, verandas, or both. Other features include the indoor-outdoor "Aquavit Terrace" (designed for outdoor relaxation and also suitable for alfresco dining), large "Explorer Suites" with wraparound balconies (aft / stern location), an organic herb garden and solar panels (on the Sun Deck).

Next YouTube video is about the original longships of the Vikings.

The first 6 Longships were launched in 2012 and collectively won "Best New River Ship" award. 10 more were launched in 2013, and additional 18 launched in 2014 (including 2 smaller ships purpose-built for Douro River in Portugal). All Viking Cruises Longships are named after Norse mythology gods and entities. Next official video reviews Viking's Longship cruise experience.

Viking Mississippi River Cruises (USA)

The company plans to add cruise ships on Mississippi River (USA). However, the process is slowed due to issues regarding the so-called "Jones Act" (Merchant Marine Act from 1920). It imposes restrictions on where USA-based ships can navigate and how to be staffed.

The company's plan to enter the USA river cruising market was officially announced in 2015. In October 2018 was announced as a potential start-up (with Mississippi-based boats) the year 2021. By 2027, Viking plans to increase its annual river shipping capacity to 100,000+ passengers (compared to 2018's 50,600) by deploying 6x boats. The 7-day American itineraries include roundtrips from NOLA/New Orleans , as well as one-ways between New Orleans and Memphis TN , and between St Louis MO and Minneapolis-Saint Paul MN .

Viking's USA-based riverboats will be newbuilds ( vessel building cost ~USD 90-100 million per unit), each with 5 decks, passenger capacity 386, all-balcony staterooms (193 cabins total), an aft-located infinity pool, bow ramp (for passenger landings). All the 6 ships will be built and owned by ECO Shipyards (subsidiary of Edison Chouest Offshore - 1960-founded as "Edison Chouest Boat Rentals" marine corporation) and operated under charter by Viking Cruises USA.

The first boat ( Viking Mississippi ) starts operations in August 2022. Bookings opened in 2020 - on March 31 (past customers) and on April 15 (general public). Currently, Viking River Cruises USA offers 4 itineraries, themed as:

• "Heart of the Delta" (8-day from New Orleans to Memphis) - prices started from GBP 3390 pp
• "America's Heartland" (8-day from St Louis to St Paul) - from GBP 4790 pp
• "Southern Celebration" (8-day roundtrip from New Orleans) - from GBP 3390 pp
• "America's Great River" (15-day from St Paul to New Orleans) - from GBP 8690 pp

The Viking Mississippi itinerary program offers visiting 7 states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota) and the port cities Baton Rouge, Darrow, New Orleans, St Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Memphis, Hannibal, St Louis, Burlington, Dubuque, Davenport, La Crosse, Red Wing, St. Paul.

Viking's main competitors in the American market are American Cruise Lines and American Queen Voyages (fka AQSC) .

Viking OCEAN CRUISES

In March 2016, Viking OCEAN confirmed the order of three more ocean vessels, which was increased to four in 2017 (December). By 2023, the newbuilds (by Fincantieri Italy) expanded the fleet to 10 liners.

Viking OCEAN's main competitor on the European market is MSC Explora Journeys .

• The "9-vessel fleet" news was announced at the float-out ceremony of Viking Sky (March 2016). In April 2017, Fincantieri and Viking Cruises signed the MoA for the building of two vessels (fleet's 7th and 8th) with the option for two additional ships.
• The "10-vessel fleet" news was officially announced in December 2017, when Viking Cruises signed the shipbuilding order for the 2 optional vessels.

The "16-fleet" news was announced on March 6, 2018, when Viking entered an agreement with Fincantieri for 6x more ocean vessels, to be delivered in the period 2024-2027. In September 2022 Fincantieri and Viking entered into an agreement for 4x more vessels (based on the option in the 2018-signed contract) with total value ~EUR/USD 1,7 billion. Deliveries were scheduled for 2026 and 2027 (2x units) and 2028 (2x units).

Viking OCEAN's fleet consists of the following vessels - Star (2015), Sea (2016), Sky (2017), Sun (2017), Orion (2018), Jupiter (2019), Venus (2021), Mars and Neptune (2022), Saturn (2023), Vela (2024), Vesta (2025).

• Each vessel has max passenger capacity 928 (plus 465 crew-staff) and building cost ~USD 400 million (EUR 340 million).
• Unlike the preceeding 10-ship series, Viking OCEAN's ships from the second/6-ship series (starting with Vela) are slightly larger (10 m longer, 2 m wider) and with more staterooms (493 vs 464) and bigger passenger capacity (998 vs 928).
• Viking Sun (2017) is also from this series but was transferred to the Viking China joint venture in 2021.
• Viking OCEAN's current plans are for a fleet of 16 sisterships, all of which are Fincantieri -built and Norway- flagged .

Fun fact is that only two Viking OCEAN ships (Orion and Jupiter) have a Planetarium. Named "Explorers' Dome", this theater-like venue is circular, with capacity 26 seats, and located forward on Deck 8, facing Explorers Lounge. It uses the latest video projecting technology to show constellations and other space-related 3D videos on its domed roof.

Among the vessels' innovative marine technologies are energy-saving hybrid engines, top-deck solar panels, pollution-minimizing exhaust systems. These ships also use seawater as a lubricant for their propeller shaft bearings. This technology lowers the vessel's maintenance costs and also the risk of sea pollution. Replacing the biodegradable oils, the water is being directly discharged into the sea.

All Viking OCEAN ships offer destination-rich itineraries marked by "small ship cruise" tour and onboard experiences. Compared to similar-class vessels operated by other companies, Viking OCEAN itineraries feature fewer sea days, longer port stays and many overnight ports of call.

On May 17, 2013, the company announced the launch of its "Viking Ocean" division. This was the reason for modifying the parent company's name to "Viking Cruises". The Viking Ocean brand was introduced in 2015 with Viking Star, which started operations with mostly one-way itineraries in Baltic Sea (Scandinavia, Russia) and Mediterranean Sea.

After Walt Disney Cruise Line (with MS Disney Magic , 1998-launched), Viking became industry's second cruise brand company to launch a purpose-built passenger liner ( Viking Star ). All Viking Ocean ships are from one series - same-designed, with same layouts, interiors and amenities, featuring spacious lounges, multiple dining options (several al-fresco / outdoor deck venues), 3-story Atrium, premium theater/show lounge, Sun Deck (with 2 swimming pools), Nordic-design Spa, Gym and sports area, Snow Room, duty-free boutique shops. The infinity pool (resistance swimming pool) on each ocean ship was a "first at sea" facility,

In mid-September 2016 was announced that TPG Capital and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board intend to make a joint investment of USD 0,5 billion in Viking Cruises. The deal resulted in combined 17% stake in Viking. The funding helped the company's growth, particularly on the ocean cruising market, and also strengthened its balance sheet as it branched into China (since 2016).

• Viking Ocean's port agent for China is Wallem Ship Agency China. The company is responsible for vessels berthing (cruise terminal arrangements), logistics, freshwater supply, customs, crew changes, passenger disembarkation/embarkation.
• Wallem China (part of Wallem Group) has a network of 28 offices across Asia, of which 8 are in China, The shipping agency handles annually over 500 cruise ship calls. The list of its services also includes drydock vessel support, newbuilding supervision, lifeboat servicing, equipment testing.

In 2017, Viking signed a sponsorship with National Geographic Society for shooting NatGeo's "Genius" (anthology series).

MV Viking Star became world's ever-first ocean ship with a "snow room". Must be noted, that the 2013-launched Viking Grace (2800-passenger cruiseferry operated by VIKING LINE ) was the first-ever passenger ship with a Snow Room. Viking Ocean ships' Snow Grotto is a wellness retreat with powdery snow falling down from the ceiling. The experience (touted beneficial to the body's blood circulation) includes heating in a sauna (steam bath), then walking into this small room. It is fitted with benches and has dark stone walls illuminated by blue light. The snow on the floor is kept at sub-freezing temperatures. This Arctic-themed facility is part of the ship's thermal suite (within the spa complex). This relaxation area has 1 hot tub, sauna room, heated ceramic loungers, therapeutic showers, salt-water thermal pool. Snow Grotto access is complimentary to all passengers.

On Apr 4, 2018, Viking and VARD (Norwegian subsidiary of the Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri) signed a LoI (Letter of Intent) for designing and building 2 new-class ocean liners.

• The contract's potential value is approx NOK 5 billion (USD 611 million = EUR 525 m) for both ships, and also includes optional two more vessels of the same series.
• The shipbuilding contract was officially signed on July 23, 2018.

The liners will be developed by VARD Design (Norway) with hulls constructed in Romania ( VARD Tulcea ). If started, the project will result in building a new fleet.

Viking OCEAN cruise deals

Just like on all Viking riverboats, Viking Ocean deals are inclusive of popular amenities, such as Wi-Fi Internet, alcohol (beer and wine at lunch and dinner), shore excursions (at least one in every port of call along the itinerary), spa usage (thermal pool, sauna, hot tub, Snow Grotto room (snow falling from its ceiling), Gym (fitness center), library (with books reflecting the cruise itineraries), 24-hour room service; absolutely all meals at any of the onboard restaurants; beverages (cappuccinos, espresso drinks), self-service laundry; in-room movies on demand, lectures, airport to cruise port transfers. At additional cost are only spa massages, beauty salon services; specialty beer, premium alcohol (wine and spirits), and some shore excursions.

In early 2018 was announced, that the Viking Cruises company raised USD 975 million through a private placement of USD 275 million (5,875% secured notes due in 2027) plus USD 675 million (5% secured notes due in 2028).

• The note proceeds were used for repaying all the company's loans used to finance the building of the Viking Ocean liners Star and Sky, as well as for repurchasing Viking Sea (operated on a sale-leaseback agreement).
• As of January 2018, Viking Cruises operated a combined fleet of 62 riverboats plus 4 ocean ships. As ownership, 1/5 (20%) of the company is owned by TPG Capital (US investment company) and CPP Investment Board (CPP=Canada Pension Plan).

The company's Net revenues for FY2017 were estimated at ~USD 1 billion.

Viking EXPEDITIONS

Viking Cruises' ocean liners made the company world's largest "small ship cruise" brand with a dominant share on the luxury travel market (23,9 % by year 2020). In 2019, the parent company also created the brand "Viking Expeditions" with a newbuild fleet of two small-sized expedition vessels - Viking Octantis (2021) and Viking Polaris (2022), plus an option for 2 more same-designed units.

Viking Expeditions (as a travel brand) was officially launched on January 15, 2020, with cruising operations starting in January 2022. Viking Expeditions ships are Norway- flagged (registered in Longyearbyen Spitsbergen ), smaller-sized (GT 30150 tons, LOA length 203 m, beam/width 24 m) and with reduced passenger capacity (378 each, plus 260 crew/staff) in comparison to Viking Ocean's liners (930 passengers plus 465 crew/staff each). The boats are constructed by the Norwegian shipbuilder VARD (subsidiary of Fincantieri Italy). The vessel's hull and superstructure are assembled at the shipyard in Tulcea Romania , then towed to VARD Soviknes Shipyard ( Alesund Norway ) for outfitting.

Traditionally for an expedition vessel, each Viking Expeditions ship has its own fleet of inflatable Zodiacs (speedboats used for passenger tendering and shoreside cruising), rigid-hulled inflatable boats (large-capacity unsinkable boat with a rigid bottom) and sea-kayaks. The ship design features several spacious open-deck areas, including Promenade Deck and bow-located Observation Deck (forward on Lounge Deck). Most passenger staterooms (189 total) are with French balconies, excluding only Deck 6's Suites (OS-Owner, ES-Explorer). Cabin sizes vary between 21 m2 (Nordic Balcony / French Balcony) and 114 m2 (Owner Suite with 73 m2 Terrace Garden).

Viking's expedition fleet will operate mainly polar cruises - in the European Arctic ( Svalbard Islands and Arctic Russia, roundtrips from homeport Tromso Norway ) and Antarctica (roundtrips are from homeport Ushuaia Argentina , with fly-cruise packages from Buenos Aires / included an overnight hotel stay prior departure and return flights). Other destinations are the Great Lakes USA and Canada-New England.

Signature onboard facilities available on each Viking Expeditions boat include:

• Explorers Lounge (Decks 5-6, bow-facing) is 2-deck, circular-shaped, glass-covered and walled indoor observation lounge with wraparound windows. Explorers Bar is on Deck 5.
• Aula Auditorium (Deck 2 aft) is a glass-walled auditorium (with tiered seating) hosting lectures, media presentations, itinerary-themed port talks, live entertainment programs. The lounge has floor-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows (providing 270-degree unobstructed views) and an outdoor deck seating (Finse Terrace). Aula Auditorium also doubles as Cinema, being fitted with a retractable screen (covering the entire window wall towards the stern) and latest sound and visual equipment. Aula Auditorium provides direct access to Finse Terrace, which makes it an indoor-outdoor observation lounge.
• Finse Terrace is an outdoor lounge (adjacent to Aula Auditorium) with comfortable seating (padded sofas) and heated by firepits (heated lava rocks). Finse Terrace also provides alfresco dining and drinking when weather permits.
• Aft-located (at the stern) indoor-outdoor pool deck lounge (Aquavit Terrace) with 3 infinity pools - positioned side by side and covered by a retractable glass roof. Each of the swimming pools is at a different temperature. The mid-pool has indoor-outdoor swimming experience.

Dining venues include The Restaurant (fine dining, regional cuisine specialties, classic dishes), The World Cafe (market-style buffet restaurant with open kitchen, live cooking station, bakery, grill stations, seafood bar with premium sushi, international food choices), Mamsen's Deli Restaurant (Deck 5, traditional Scandinavian dishes, Italian cuisine specialties) plus Room Service (24-hour, complimentary). Other venues include The Living Room, The Library Lounge, Auditorium Theater (Conference Room / Cinema), Expedition Central (Photography Studio / Photo Gallery / Coffee Bar), Nordic Spa Badestamp (Hot Tub Room), wellness complex (Hydrotherapy Pool, Spa Lounge, Gym, Saunas, Massage Rooms).

The Hangar is an aft-located indoor marina for launching the smaller-sized RIBs (rigid inflatable boats). The launch platform features a 26 m (85 ft) wide rollers-covered slipway (boat ramp) that allows safe and sheltered embarkation on the RIBs inside the ship.

The ship's expedition equipment is provided complimentary and to all passengers (regardless of cabin category). It includes Zodiacs (military-type rigid inflatable high-speed boats used for landings and coastal cruising), 2-seater sea-kayaks, two RIB boats (12-seats each), two mini-submarines (6-passenger, with revolving seats, spherical windows / 270-degree), Expedition Kit (cold-weather boots, waterproof pants, snowshoes, trekking poles, skis, binoculars). Each tour boat is fitted with latest Safety Equipment (satellite phone, VHF radio, ropes, life jackets, survival kits).

Exclusively for Viking Expeditions voyages, Viking Cruises partnered with Cambridge University's Scott Polar Research Institute (Polar Museum) that specializes in polar researches and glaciology. Via this exclusive partnership, on every voyage scientists from the Institute undertake on the ship and also share with the cruisers their expertise. Another exclusive partnership was signed with Cornell Lab of Ornithology (unit of Ithaca NY's Cornell University) which specializes in global bird research. Cornell Lab's ornithologists are also always present on the ship to interact with the passengers. Viking Cruises also partnered with NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). NOAA scientists are present on all Great Lakes USA voyages to conduct researches (on local weather changes and ecosystems) and present lectures themed on the Great Lakes region.

(Coronavirus crisis) passenger shipping pause 2020-2021

Due to the COVID pandemic, Viking suspended passenger shipping operations fleetwide (ocean ships and riverboats worldwide) by canceling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures in the period March 12, 2020, through July 2021. Fleetwide operations were planned to resume on October 1, 2020. However, due to ongoing travel restrictions in Europe and the USA, as well as Canada's and Australia's ban on cruise shipping, Viking canceled the entire 2020 program (river+ocean) in mid-August.

• VIKING OCEAN restarted operations on May 22, 2021, with Viking Venus (UK from Portsmouth England).
• VIKING RIVER (European boats) restarted in July 2021 (Rhine-Douro-France rivers), VIKING's Egypt boat (Ra) - in August.
• In March-April 2021, Viking OCEAN announced plans to restart operations with Viking Venus ("England's Scenic Shores" UK coastal itineraries roundtrip from Liverpool and Portsmouth /since May 22), Viking Orion ("Bermuda Escape" 8-day itinerary roundtrip from homeport Hamilton /since June 15) and Viking Sky ("Iceland's Natural Beauty" 8-day itinerary roundtrip from homeport Reykjavik /since June 26). All these voyages were open for booking to UK residents only. In May were added July-October departures (11-day roundtrips from Valletta Malta ) for the ships Viking Sea and Viking Venus.

All affected bookings received a 125% refund in FCC (future cruise credit) with rebooking or 100% monetary refund. Fully refunded (100% in FCC) were also all prepurchased through Viking packages and services. The FCC is valid for 24 months (after cancellation), for any Viking cruise itinerary (river-ocean-expedition) and fully transferable.

All bookings made by April 30, 2020, received Risk-Free Guarantee that allows penalty-free cruise cancellation up to 24 hours prior departure.

In January 2022, Viking became the world's first (and only) cruise line to built full-scale PCR laboratories onboard all OCEAN and EXPEDITION ships. All passengers and crew are daily tested onboard and Viking’s medical teams get the results quickly. Each PCR lab contains equipment and chemicals for conducting test analysis. The components are kept in freezers and refrigerators and stored at correct temperatures. Raa Labs (via RaaEdge/digital data processing system) gathers data from Wi-Fi sensors onboard, allowing real-time monitoring.

Itinerary of Viking Cruises

Here you can compare all Viking cruise ships ( RIVER , OCEAN , EXPEDITIONS ) and their itineraries, destinations, and departure dates. CruiseMapper provides you with free-of-charge schedules with listed cheapest ticket prices per person per itinerary.

In 2013, the company launched its new brand "Viking Ocean Cruises". Viking OCEAN's product was introduced in May 2015 with the launch of its first vessel MV Viking Star .

In 2019 the parent company created the brand "Viking Expeditions", with a newbuild fleet of two small-sized expedition vessels - Viking Octantis (2021) and Viking Polaris (2022), plus 2 more (optional) same-designed units.

Year-round European river cruises

In May 2023 Viking announced the inauguration of a year-round river cruising program in Europe by introducing the new 10-day "Treasures of the Rhine" winter itinerary.

The voyage is between Amsterdam Netherlands and Basel-Zurich Switzerland (in both directions) and visits as call ports Amsterdam (overnight), Arnhem , Cologne , Middle Rhine/Lorelei Rock, Heidelberg , Speyer , Kehl-Strasbourg , Breisach , Basel (overnight).

Viking's winter river cruise itinerary is run by the Longships/190-passenger boats Viking Alruna and Viking Tialfi .

The maiden voyage starts on December 23, 2023, with prices from EUR 1835 / GBP 1595 / USD 1970 per person for bookings made by June 30th.

(NEW) Longitudinal World Cruises 2023-2026

In 2023, celebrating the company's 25th anniversary, Viking EXPEDITIONS scheduled the "Longitudinal World Cruise I".

The 65-day itinerary (March 2 through May 5, 2023/ship Viking Octantis) visited 29 ports (9 countries, 3 continents) departing from Buenos Aires Argentina . The voyage visited the Antarctic Peninsula , continued northward around Cape Horn , along South America's coast (Chile, Peru, Ecuador), passed through Panama Canal , then up to Mexico, Florida USA, NYC New York , Canada (Nova Scotia and Quebec) and via St Lawrence River to Ontario and via Detroit MI , ending in Milwaukee WI . Fares started from USD 45000 per person with double occupancy.

On September 12, 2023, departed "Longitudinal World Cruise II" (ship Viking Polaris). The longer/71-day itinerary visited 33 ports (10 countries, 3 continents). The voyage started in the USA ( Duluth MN ) and ended in Argentina (Ushuaia), also visiting Antarctica.

The 70-day "Longitudinal World Cruise III" (ship Viking Polaris) was from Milwaukee WI to Ushuaia.

The 71-day Grand Journeys offered unique travel experiences within a single itinerary, navigating North America's inland waterways and engineering marvels Welland Canal and Panama Canal , as well as the scenic Chilean Fjords/Patagonia .

Viking's Longitudinal World Cruises included chartered domestic flights in Argentina (between Ushuaia and Buenos Aires).

Addressing the demand for Antarctic voyages, Viking EXPEDITIONS in December 2023 opened bookings for season 2025-2026.

The program featured the 87-day "From the Arctic to Antarctica" itinerary ( Nuuk Greenland to Ushuaia) departing in September 2025 and passing through the Canadian Arctic, then North and South America's eastern coast, visiting ports in the Caribbean, the Chilean glaciers, and ending in Antarctica.

In March 2024, were opened for booking two grand voyages ("Longitudinal World Cruise VI" and "Longitudinal World Cruise VII") traversing from  Antarctica to the Americas, plus "Viking World Journeys 2026" (from  Los Angeles  to  London-Greenwich ).

(ship  Viking Octantis ) The 69-day "Longitudinal World Cruise VI" ( Buenos Aires  to  Milwaukee ) groups 5 distinct itineraries spanning 9 countries. This voyage starts on February 24, 2026, and features transition through Panama Canal and an optional excursion to the Galapagos . Pricing started at US$96,000 per person, inclusive of business class airfare.

(ship  Viking Polaris ) The 63-day "Longitudinal World Cruise VII" (Buenos Aires to Milwaukee) groups 5 shorter itineraries (9 countries) begining on February 21, 2026. Fares started at US$89,000 pp (inclusive of business class airfare.

(ship  Viking Sky ) The 121-day "Viking World Journeys 2026" (Los Angeles to London) encompasses 50 complimentary land tours and visits destinations in 23 countries. Prices started at US$92,500 per person (inclusive of business class airfare).

VIKING RIVER itineraries

In 2013, Viking had 37 operational riverboats. Till the end of 2014, the fleet grew to 52. All European boats are Longships, with passenger capacity 190. Viking's ships in Russia are with average capacity 200+, while Viking's ships in China accommodate up to 246 guests.

Note: "Longship" is a new patented ship design. "Modified" longships are smaller in size.

Viking river cruise itineraries range from 7 to 23 days. They are operated along the:

• European rivers Rhine, Main, Danube, Saone, Rhone, Seine, Elbe, and Douro
• Asian rivers - Ukraine's Dnieper, Russia's Volga, China's Yangtze, Myanmar-Burma's Irrawaddy and Vietnam's Mekong.
• Some voyages (few in Europe, Egypt, Southeast Asia, and China) are "cruise tours" marked. They include both the river cruising portion and hotel stays.

Viking's schedule 2024 (March thru November) included the new 12-day "Paris & D-Day 80th Anniversary" cruisetour (from London England to Paris France ) commemorating the Allies' "Operation Overlord" (Battle of Normandy). The cruisetour begins in London where are visited historic sites like Bletchley Park (an estate that was the principal center for codebreaking during WW2), Churchill War Rooms (museum), Imperial War Museum London, Gunwharf Quays, Southwick House, D-Day Museum.

After 4 days in England, tourists arrive in Paris City to embark a Viking Longship. The roundtrip French itinerary visits Giverny (Claude Monet's farmhouse and gardens), Rouen , as well as Normandy's American Military Cemetery and the World War beaches.

As the unparalleled leader in river travel, boasting a fleet of 80 river ships and commanding over 50% of the market share for North American travelers, Viking continues to set the industry standard. The company's 2026 itineraries in Europe include:

• Danube Waltz (8 days;  Budapest  to  Passau )
• Rhine Getaway (8 days;  Amsterdam  to  Basel )
• Paris & the Heart of Normandy (8 days;  Paris  roundtrip)
• Lyon & Provence (8 days;  Lyon  to  Avignon )
• Portugal's River of Gold (10 days;  Lisbon  to  Porto ).

All itineraries have at least one tour or guided shore excursion per day - all included in the fares.

Viking Mississippi (2022) is a 5-deck riverboat operated in the USA under charter.

• Aegir longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria
• Alruna longship (Rhine) Germany, France, Switzerland
• Viking Akun (Volga-Svir-Neva) Russia
• Alsvin longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria
• Astrild longship-modified (Elbe River) Germany, Czechia
• Atla longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Belgium
• Baldur longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria
• Bestla longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, France, Switzerland
• Beyla longship-modified (Elbe River) Germany, Czechia
• Bragi longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, France, Switzerland
• Buri longship (Saone-Rhone) France
• Delling longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Belgium
• Egil longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Austria, Germany, France, Hungary, Holland, Switzerland
• Einar longship (Moselle-Rhine-Dutch waterways)
• Eir longship (Rhine River) Germany, Holland
• Eistla longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria
• Embla longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria
• Viking Emerald (Yangtze) China
• Forseti longship (Dordogne-Garonne-Gironde) France
• Freya longship (Danube) Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
• Gefjon longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Slovakia, Czechia
• Gullveig longship (Rhine) Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland
• Heimdal longship (Saone-Rhone) France
• Helgi (Volga) Russia
• Helgrim (Douro) Portugal, Spain
• Hemming (Douro) Portugal, Spain
• Herja longship (Rhine) Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland
• Hermod longship (Saone-Rhone) France
• Hild longship (Rhine) Holland, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland
• Hlin longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria
• Idi longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria
• Idun longship (Danube) Germany, Hungary, Austria, Slovakia
• Ingvar (Volga) Russia
• Ingvi longship (Rhine) Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland
• Jarl longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Belgium
• Kadlin longship (Seine) France
• Kara longship (Rhine-Main-Danube - Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria
• Kvasir longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, France, Switzerland
• Viking Legend (Danube) Austria, Hungary, Germany, Slovakia
• Lif longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Belgium
• Lofn longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Switzerland, Holland, Hungary, Austria, Germany, France, Slovakia, Czechia
• Magni longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, Belgium
• Mani longship (Rhine) Holland, Switzerland, Germany, France
• Viking Mekong (2002) , Viking Saigon (2021) and Viking Tonle (2025) - Mekong River, in Vietnam and Cambodia
• Mimir longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Austria, Slovakia, Germany, Hungary
• Modi longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, France
• Njord longship (Danube) Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
• Odin longship (Danube-Main-Rhine-Moselle) Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, France, Czechia, Luxembourg
• Osfrid longship (Douro) Portugal and Spain
• Viking Prestige (Danube) Austria, Hungary, Germany, Slovakia
• Rinda longship (Danube) Austria, Germany, Hungary, Serbia, Romania, Croatia, Bulgaria
• Rolf longship (Seine) France
• Rurik (Volga) Russia
• Sigrun longship (Moselle-Rhine-Dutch waterways)
• Sigyn longship (Rhine and Moselle)
• Sineus (Dnieper) Ukraine
• Skadi longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, France, Switzerland, Belgium
• Skirnir longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Belgium and Slovakia
• Tialfi longship (Rhine) Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland
• Tir longship (Danube-Rhine-Dutch waterways)
• Tor longship (Rhine) Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland
• Torgil (Douro) Portugal, Spain
• Truvor (Volga) Russia
• Ullur longship (Danube)
• Vali longship (Rhine and Danube)
• Var longship (Rhine) Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland
• Ve longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovakia
• Vidar longship (Rhine-Main-Danube) Holland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia
• Vilhjalm longship (Danube)
• Vili longship (Rhine-Main-Danube)Holland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Slovakia.
• (2021-built) longships on Rhine River - Egdir , Gymir
• (2020-built) longships on Seiner River in France - Fjorgyn , Kari , Radgrid , Skaga
• (2020-built) longships on Rhine River - Gersemi , Hervor
• (2020-built) RheinGalaxie Eventschiff (KD Line, charter cruises between homeports Cologne and Dusseldorf)

Note: In 2025 and 2026, Viking's river fleet will be expanded with 10 new Longships, by adding 5 boats per year.

Viking Cruises Egypt & Asia

Viking Ra (2018), Viking Osiris (2022), Viking Aton (2023), Viking Hathor (2024) and Viking Sobek (2025) are the company's owned ships deployed on Lake Nasser/Nile River in Egypt, in addition to MS Antares (an Amarco-owned hotelship) which is chartered by Viking.

Before the newbuild sisterships, Viking Cruises Egypt also chartered the boats MS Steigenberger Omar El Khayam (a Steigenberger-owned hotelship on Lake Nasser) and MS Mayfair (a privately-owned hotelship).

Century Legend and Century Paragon are the Yangtze River cruise ships in China. Both are privately owned and operated by Viking under a charter. These riverboats are also chartered by other major European lines, like AmaWaterways , Avalon , and Uniworld .

In Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) Viking River Cruises charters riverboats from the Pandaw fleet - including the ships Katha Pandaw (as Viking Mandalay), and Orient Pandaw (as Viking Orient) .

Above is the Viking Yangtze River (China) cruise itinerary map that shows all ports locations (along Yangtze River) as well as the domestic flight connections ( Beijing - Xian - Chongqing and Shanghai - Wuhan ).

In April 2024, Viking introduced land tours to Mongolia. The new "Spirit of Mongolia" cruisetour extension is a 5-night (pre- or post-cruise) guided extension offering a visit to the Gobi Desert out of Ulaanbaatar (aka Ulan Bator). Other ex-China cruisetour extensions included departures/tours from Hong Kong and Beijing. Viking’s new China itineraries (titled "Best of China", "China Discovery", "Classic China", "Coast & Wonders of China") are for the Viking Yi Dun ship .

Egypt cruisetour packages (optional hotel+land travel)

In 2023-2024, Viking Cruises Egypt introduced pre- and post-cruise packages as optional extensions of the brand's premium Nile River voyages.

The 3-night Pre-Istanbul Package (priced from US$1400 pp) is inclusive of 3 hotel nights in Istanbul (at Westin Istanbul Nisantasi Hotel or similar), 3 meals (breakfasts), 2 guided/Viking Host-escorted tours (Istanbul Old City Tour, Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace), flight from Istanbul to Cairo, as well as all transfers.

The 4-night Pre-Jerusalem Israel Package (priced from US$2400 pp) is inclusive of 4 hotel nights in Orient Jerusalem Hotel (or similar), 8 meals (4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 dinner), 3 guided/Viking Host-escorted tours (Bethlehem Walking Tour, Jerusalem City Tour, Israel Museum Tour), a flight from Tel Aviv to Cairo, as well as all transfers.

The 4-night Pre-British Collections of Ancient Egypt package (priced from US$3700 pp) is inclusive of 2 hotel nights in London (Rosewood Hotel), 2 hotel nights in Oxford (Old Bank Hotel), 6 meals (4 breakfasts, 2 lunches), 4 Privileged Access visits (British Museum, Sir John Soane's Museum, Griffith Institute, Highclere Castle), 3 3 guided/Viking Host-escorted tours (Petrie Museum, Oxford Walking Tour, Ashmolean Museum), flight from London to Cairo, as well as all transfers.

The 4-night Post-Petra Jordan, Dead Sea and Amman Package (priced from US$2200 pp) is inclusive of 1 flight from Cairo to Amman, 4 nights (1x at Dead Sea, 2x in Petra, 1x in Amman), 8 meals (4 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners), 4 guided/Viking Host-escorted tours (Ancient Town of Madaba; Dead Sea Museum, Petra, Amman, Jerash), as well as all transfers. The home flight (from Amman) costs extra.

Viking Cruises USA

Starting operations in 2022 with 1 ship (out of all 6 planned newbuilds), Viking's USA-based river cruise ships will be 5-deck, with all-balcony staterooms, aft-located infinity pool, bow ramp (for passenger landings).

All the 6 ships will be built and owned by ECO Shipyards (subsidiary of Edison Chouest Offshore) and operated under charter. The 8-day cruisetours include roundtrips from New Orleans , as well as one-ways between New Orleans and Memphis TN , and between St Louis MO and Minneapolis-Saint Paul MN .

Viking Mississippi cruise itineraries visit seven US states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota) and the riverport cities Baton Rouge, Darrow, New Orleans, St Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Memphis, Hannibal, St Louis, Burlington, Dubuque, Davenport, La Crosse, Red Wing, Minneapolis-St Paul.

On July 2, 2020, Viking opened for booking its 2023 Mississippi River cruises. The first boat ( Viking Mississippi ) was scheduled to debut in August 2022 and sail on the Lower and Upper Mississippi, between homeports Saint Paul Minnesota , and New Orleans Louisiana .

Viking's first USA river voyages were highly anticipated when they were announced in April 2020. The strong demand led the company to open additional 2023 sailings sooner than expected.

Viking's arrival in the USA represented a major commitment to economic and tourism development in numerous communities along the Mississippi River. It was expected that the new voyages would bring 5800+ tourists to the region in 2022 and 17600+ during the first full cruise season in 2023.

2022-2023 Viking Mississippi itineraries included:

• 15-day "America's Great River" from New Orleans to St. Paul on nearly the entire length of the Mississippi River (multiple sailing dates in June, September, and October 2023) prices start at US$11000 per person, with discounted airfare from US$200 per person.
• 8-day "America's Heartland" from St Louis MO (Missouri) to St Paul on the Upper Mississippi (multiple sailing dates in August-September 2022; additional sailings now available in July, August, and September 2023) prices start at US$4600 per person, with discounted airfare from US$200 per person.
• 8-day "Heart of the Delta" from New Orleans to Memphis Tennessee on the Lower Mississippi (multiple sailing dates in October-November 2022; additional sailings now available in May-June 2023) prices start at US$4200 per person, with discounted airfare from US$200 per person.
• 8-day "Southern Celebration" roundtrip from New Orleans, visiting Vicksburg Mississippi exploring the Lower Mississippi (multiple sailing dates in November-December 2022; additional sailings now available in January 2023) prices start at US$3700 per person, with discounted airfare from US$200 per person.

In April 2021, Viking opened 2024 Mississippi River voyages for sale.

Viking Cruises Egypt

Starting in 2018, Viking River Cruises is the first non-domestic company licensed to operate cruise ships on the Nile River in Egypt . The itineraries are operated by three new riverboats - Viking Ra (March 2018), Viking Osiris (August 2022) and Viking Aton (September 2023). Previously, Viking Egypt operated the Nile River and Lake Nasser itineraries with two chartered ships ( Steigenberger Omar El Khayam and Mayfair ).

The Viking riverboats Ra-Osiris-Aton cruise only on the Nile portion (roundtrip from Luxor ). The sailings are with fly-cruise packages inclusive of two domestic flights ( Cairo -Luxor-Cairo). Viking's Nile River cruisetour is themed "Pharaohs and Pyramids".

The 12-day itinerary incorporates 7-day cruising on Nile River and starts with a 3-night hotel stay in Cairo and tours to iconic attractions like Grand Egyptian Museum, Great Pyramids of Giza, Mosque of Muhammad Ali. Cruise tourists then fly to Luxor to visit Karnak and the Temples of Luxor before boarding the Viking cruise ship for a 7-night Nile cruise to Aswan and back. Tours include a private visit to Nefertari's tomb (Valley of the Queens) and excursions to Khnum Temple (Esna) and the Dendera Temple complex (Qena). A visit to a Nubian village is also included.

VIKING OCEAN itineraries

VIKING OCEAN operates a fleet of newbuilds (identically designed vessels) named Viking Star (2015), Viking Sea (2016), Viking Sky (2017), Viking Orion (2018), Viking Jupiter (2019), Viking Venus (2021), Viking Neptune and Viking Mars (2022), Viking Saturn (2023), Viking Vela (2024), Vesta (2025).

See below the list of main Viking OCEAN itineraries as themes and ports of call:

• Mediterranean cruises leave from: Turkey (Istanbul), Italy (Venice, Rome /port Civitavecchia), Spain (Barcelona).
• Northern Europe/Baltic cruises depart from Norway (Bergen) and Sweden (Stockholm).

All voyages include overnight stays in both ports (of departure and final disembarkation). In the UK, Viking OCEAN ships are homeported in London-Greenwich England .

Repositioning cruises are officially themed as:

• Northbound Atlantic: "VIKING EMPIRE" (Istanbul-Stockholm)
• Southbound Atlantic: "PASSAGE THROUGH WESTERN EUROPE" (Bergen-Barcelona), "SCANDINAVIA TO SPAIN" (Stockholm-Barcelona)
• Baltic-UK: "BALTIC JEWELS and THE MIDNIGHT SUN" (Stockholm-London) and "INTO THE MIDNIGHT SUN" (Bergen-London).

Viking Baltic itineraries are operated in the summer, themed as "Viking Homelands" (14 nights in length). Baltic Sea routes offer visits to 8 different countries, with a total of 11 cruisetours (all complimentary, included in the Viking Baltic deals prices). Viking Mediterranean itineraries are themed as:

• (Barcelona to Rome, 7-nights) "Romantic Mediterranean" (visits 4 countries, includes 8 land tours)
• (7-nights) "Mediterranean Getaway" (visits 3 countries, includes 6 land tours)
• (9-nights) "Empires of the Mediterranean" (visits 5 countries, includes 7 land tours)
• (12-nights) "Mediterranean Odyssey" (visits 6 countries, includes 10 land tours)
• (14-nights) "Mediterranean Explorer" (visits 5 countries, includes 12 land tours).

In November 2018, Viking announced an 11-day itinerary named "Greek Odyssey". It is expected to allow passengers to explore the Aegean Sea's ancient empires of antiquity during the quiet season. Voyages aboard the Viking Sea are roundtrips from Piraeus-Athens and begin January 2021. The itinerary includes 3 new ports of call for the cruise line: Nafplio , Volos and Thessaloniki in Greece, as well as a visit to Ephesus marking Viking's return to Turkey.

Highlights of the Greek Odyssey itinerary include:

• Volos, Greece is a cosmopolitan port city, and the region was once considered the playground of the gods. Passengers can experience the exciting scenery of Meteora, with its medieval monasteries, or explore the religious center of Dion, situated on the foothills of Mt Olympus.
• Thessaloniki, Greece is the 2nd-largest city in the country and offers a mix of modern life and ancient culture. While in port, passengers can walk the waterfront promenade with its many restaurants and cafes, or head outside the port city to the remains of the Macedonian kingdom of Alexander the Great.
• Nafpilo, Greece is set between the Bay of Argos and breathtaking mountains. Travelers can explore its Byzantine churches and Venetian homes, take a drive to the imposing fortress towering over the city, Palamidi, or travel to the Peloponnese peninsula.
• Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey is among the world's best-preserved cities of antiquity. Passengers can visit the remains of Byzantine Basilica of St John, enjoy sights like the massive Great Theater and Library of Celsus, and see the modest home where the mother of Jesus, Mary, lived out her final days.
• Scenic cruising: Mt Athos: On sea days, passengers will sail past Mt Athos, the "Holy Mountain" (UNESCO Site, the spiritual capital of Orthodox Christianity). The soaring peaks of the peninsula are home to twenty monasteries where monks work to preserve a vast collection of liturgical works and art.

The cruise fare includes balcony cabins for all passengers, complimentary shore excursions in all ports, all onboard meals, complimentary wifi, wine and beer with lunch and dinner, access to spa's Thermal Suite, and 24-hour room service.

Viking's 7th ocean ship ( Viking Venus ) joined the fleet in 2021, with an inaugural season in Northern Europe and Scandinavia. Itineraries include "In Search of the Northern Lights", "Into the Midnight Sun", "British Isles Explorer" and "Viking Homelands". Viking is also expanding its Mediterranean program by adding 5 new itineraries visiting Istanbul. The new 8-day "Ancient Mediterranean Treasures" itinerary (between Athens and Istanbul ) features overnights in both cities.

Travelers looking for an extended experience in the region are able to choose longer versions of the itinerary, such as:

• 15-day Ancient Adriatic Treasures, sailing between Venice and Istanbul
• 15-day Ancient Mediterranean Antiquities, sailing between Rome and Istanbul
• 22-day Iconic Mediterranean Treasures, sailing between Barcelona and Istanbul, or
• 29-day Mediterranean's Iconic Shores, also sailing between Barcelona and Istanbul and including visits to Croatia and Montenegro.

In September 2020, Viking introduced a new (2023 itinerary) - the 29-day "Baltic Jewels And The Midnight Sun" from London UK to Stockholm Sweden via Norway, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Russia, Finland, Sweden. Viking Venus is scheduled to depart on July 22, 2023, and visit 10 countries (with 19 guided shore excursions included in the fares).

In August 2020, Viking Cruises opened for sale two new Panama Canal itineraries - 18-day "Panama Canal and Coastal Holiday" (departing December 24, 2021) and 11-day "Classic Panama Canal Passage" (departing November 6 and 16, 2021, and visiting Key West , Cozumel , Belize City , Roatan , San Jose , Colon ). In addition, Viking announced 3 new departures (in October, November and December 2021) of the 15-day "Panama Canal and Central America" itinerary roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades, Florida) . Viking's Panama Canal cruises are on Viking Star .

In May 2023, Viking EXPEDITIONS revealed 3 new Arctic voyages for the summer. Starting in July 2025, these new itineraries, ranging from 13 to 27 days, offer explorations of Canada and Greenland in the polar north, with two of the three voyages visiting the Canadian High Arctic.

The first itinerary, "Into the Northwest Passage ," is a 13-day roundtrip voyage from Nuuk, Greenland . It takes guests to remarkable destinations such as the pristine waters of the Ilulissat Icefjord and the eastern entrance of the renowned Northwest Passage in Pond Inlet, Canada. Travelers can immerse themselves in Inuit traditions, witness stunning natural beauty, and partake in activities like kayaking or Zodiac landings. This voyage offers a chance to discover undiscovered territories under the midnight sun, with sailing dates available from July through September 2025.

The second itinerary, "Canada & Greenland Explorer," spans 15 days and operates between Toronto, Ontario, and Nuuk. Travelers on this awe-inspiring journey explore the rugged shores of Canada and Greenland, surrounded by drifting icebergs and dramatic landscapes. They have the opportunity to learn about Inuit traditions in remote communities and experience the stark beauty of the Arctic. Sailing dates for this itinerary are available in July and September 2025.

For those seeking a more comprehensive exploration, Viking offers the 27-day "Canada & the Northwest Passage" voyage. This itinerary sails between Nuuk and Toronto, Ontario , showcasing the majesty of floating icebergs, rugged lands, and deep-blue fjords rich in marine life. Guests gain insights into Inuit communities and their enduring traditions, while enjoying the endless daylight of the midnight sun. Sailing dates for this voyage are also available in July and September 2025.

ex-Malta cruises 2021

Following the COVID crisis, in May 2021 VIKING OCEAN scheduled for three ships ( Sea , Venus , Star ) a mini-season (July-October departures) based on 11-day roundtrips (3 itineraries) from homeport Valletta Malta .

• The "Malta and Adriatic Jewels" itinerary started with an overnight in Valletta and visited ports in Montenegro ( Kotor ) and Croatia ( Dubrovnik , Split , Zadar , Sibenik ), plus Gozo Island Malta (Mgarr Harbour) .
• The "Malta and Greek Isles Discovery" itinerary also started with an overnight in Valletta and visited ports in Greece ( Kalamata , Piraeus-Athens , Santorini , Rhodes , Crete/Souda ).
• The "Malta and the Western Mediterranean" itinerary started with Valletta overnight and visited ports in Sicily ( Messina ), mainland Italy ( Naples , Civitavecchia-Rome , Livorno , Genoa ), and Spain ( Barcelona ).

Later was added the 21-day "Malta, the Adriatic and Greece". The B2B itinerary started with Valletta overnight and visited Kotor, Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, Sibenik, Mgarr Malta, Valletta (overnight), Kalamata, Piraeus-Athens (overnight), Santorini, Rhodes, Souda Crete.

For the ex-Malta season, Viking partnered with Lufthansa (Deutsche Lufthansa AG - Germany's largest airline) to offer non-stop Transatlantic flights between New Jersey USA (Newark Liberty Airport) and Malta Airport, exclusively for Viking OCEAN customers.

Viking World Cruise 2021-2022 (Viking Star)

In mid-July 2020, Viking Ocean announced the company's "Viking World Cruise 2021-2022" planned for MS Viking Star . The 136-day itinerary visits 56 ports in 27 countries, with 11 port city overnights and 3x new for Viking cruise ports ( Phillip Island Victoria Australia , Eden NSW Australia , Yangon Burma ).

The voyage starts from Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA) on December 24, 2021, and ends in London City England . Signature destinations include Central America, Panama Canal transit , USA West Coast, Hawaii, Transpacific crossing to New Zealand and Australia, Asia, Middle East, Suez Canal transit to Europe (Mediterranean) and the UK.

Shorter itinerary segments are also available for booking, including the 119-day "Viking World Horizons 2022" (Los Angeles to London, departure January 10, 2022) that visits 49 ports in 22 countries.

Both packages are priced from USD 50000 (EUR 43100 / ~GBP 39300) per person (double occupancy outside cabin rates). Bookings made by September 30, 2020, receive USD 2000 pp in "shore excursion credit" plus USD 1000 pp in OBC (onboard credit).

Viking World Cruises 2022-2023-2024 (Viking Neptune, Viking Sky)

Viking Neptune itinerary program was announced by VIKING OCEAN in late-December 2020. The new ship was scheduled to start operations with a World Cruise 2022-2023 . The 138-day itinerary visited ports in 28 countries (total 58 ports) with overnights in 11 port cities.

Departing on December 22, 2022, from Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale Florida) , Viking World Voyage 2022 visits ports in Central America, follows Panama Canal transit and sailing up North America's West Coast. A 121-day segment (Viking World Journeys) allows travelers to join the cruise ship in Los Angeles CA , from where the itinerary continues to Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East, Europe (Mediterranean and Atlantic Coastal) ending in London-Greenwich, England UK .

Viking Neptune's World Cruise itinerary offers overnights (also double overnights) in 11 ports, including Auckland New Zealand , Sydney NSW Australia , Benoa Bali Indonesia , Saigon Vietnam , Singapore , Yangon Burma , Colombo Sri Lanka , Mumbai India , Haifa Israel , Istanbul Turkey and London-Greenwich (before the debarkation). Note: For the itinerary's all call ports see at the ship's Wiki section here .

Curiously, in August 2021, Viking OCEAN announced a "double world cruise 2023-2024" with two ships (Neptune and Sky) sailing on an identical itinerary from Florida to the UK. While Viking Neptune departs on December 23 (2023), Viking Sky departs earlier (on December 20, 2023), sailing in parallel with Neptune.

• Departing from Fort Lauderdale and ending in London-Greenwich, "Viking World Voyage 2023-2024" prices started from USD 60,000 (EUR 51015) on Viking Sky/Dec 20, and from USD 55,000 (EUR 46760) on Viking Neptune/Dec 23.
• An Early Booking promo (for bookings made for September 30, 2021) offered USD 2000 pp (shore excursions credit), USD 1000 pp (OBC-onboard credit) plus USD 1000 pp OBC (for Viking Explorer Society/loyalty program members).

Viking's World Cruise record (2019-2020, Viking Sun)

On August 31, 2019, Viking Sun started the 245-day "Viking World Voyage 2019" spanning 6 continents and visiting 51 countries via 111 call ports (including 21 port overnights). The London City (Port Greenwich) roundtrip itinerary was officially listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's "longest continuous passenger cruise".

VIKING OCEAN's 8-month long westbound voyage (officially named "Ultimate World Cruise") included a Transatlantic crossing (RepositionCruises.com) and passing through Suez Canal .

"Viking World Cruise 2019" prices started from USD 90,000 per person (with double occupancy).

VIKING EXPEDITIONS itineraries

The inaugural cruise itineraries of both expedition vessels are 13-day polar voyages - one in Antarctica , the other in the European Arctic. Viking's Arctic cruises (to Svalbard Islands and Arctic Russia) are roundtrips from homeport Tromso Norway and priced from USD 14,000 per person (double-occupancy balcony cabin). Viking's Antarctic roundtrips are from homeport Ushuaia Argentina , with prices starting from USD 15,000 pp (fly-cruise packages from Buenos Aires with included overnight hotel stay prior departure and return flights to Europe-USA-Canada-Australia).

Next are listed all Viking Expeditions cruise itineraries by length and theme.

• 44-day "From the Arctic to Antarctica" (from Tromso to Ushuaia)
• 19-day "Antarctic and South America Discovery" (from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro)
• 18-day "South America and Antarctic Discovery" (from Rio de Janeiro to Ushuaia)
• 15-day and 13-day "Antarctic Adventure" (from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia)
• 15-day "Atlantic and Equator Sojourn" (from Cork to Rio de Janeiro)
• 13-day "Arctic Adventure" (roundtrip from Tromso Norway)
• 13-day "Viking's Northern Isles" (from Tromso to Cork)
• 13-day "Canadian Discovery"(from NYC New York City to Toronto)
• 10-day "Caribbean Connections" (from Bridgetown to NYC New York)
• 8-day "Niagara and the Great Lakes" (from Toronto to Milwaukee)
• 8-day "Undiscovered Great Lakes" (from Thunder Bay to Milwaukee)
• 8-day "Great Lakes Explorer" (from Milwaukee to Thunder Bay)
• 15-day "Great Lakes Collection" (from Toronto to Duluth, and the reverse)

Viking's Great Lakes cruises visit ports and destinations in Canada's Ontario state ( Thunder Bay , Toronto , Welland Canal, Niagara Falls, Point Pelee NP) and the USA's Minnesota-Michigan-Wisconsin states ( Detroit MI , Alpena MI , Mackinac Island MI in Lake Huron , Apostle Islands WI, Houghton MI on Lake Superior , Traverse City MI , Milwaukee WI on Lake Michigan , Duluth MN ) and feature passing through Soo Locks at Sault Ste Marie (Lake Superior - Lake Huron transition).

Viking's Canada cruises visit NYC New York , Halifax NS , Gulf of St Lawrence (scenic cruising, Cape Breton National Park), Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island) , Magdalen Islands Quebec (scenic cruising), Cap-aux-Meules (Quebec), Sept-Iles Quebec , Saguenay Quebec (zodiac cruising through Saguenay Fjord), Quebec City , Trois-Rivieres Quebec , Montreal Quebec , Seaway Locks (transit to Lake Ontario), Toronto Ontario .

Viking's Antarctic cruises are inclusive of 2 domestic charter flights (between Buenos Aires - Ushuaia ) and an overnight hotel (in Buenos Aires / pre-cruise). Signature destinations include Beagle Channel (Glacier Alley) and Drake Passage , Cape Horn , Half Moon Island , Deception Island (Whalers Bay) , Brown Bluff , Wiencke Island (Damoy Point) , Lemaire Channel, Petermann Island , Cuverville Island , Neko Harbor ( Antarctic Peninsula ),

Viking's Arctic cruises visit Tromso Norway , Svalbard Islands Norway , Polar Ice Cap (scenic cruising), Spitsbergen Island (Barentsburg, Smeerenburg, Barentsburg, Alicehamna/Alice Harbour, Hornsund, Nordfjorden, Liefdefjorden), Bjornoya (Bear Island) , Barents Sea (cruising).

Viking EXPEDITIONS summer 2023 season includes a new 2-week itinerary in the Great Lakes along with additional offers in North & South America. Debuting in June 2023, the 15-day Great Lakes Collection itinerary is due to sail between Toronto (Ontario Canada) - Duluth MN (Minnesota USA) , providing passengers with a complete view of the region and call ports in all 5 Great Lakes. Due to strong demand, Viking Cruises has also announced 2023 dates for 4 existing Great Lakes expeditions: the 8-day Great Lakes Explorer, Undiscovered Great Lakes, Niagara & the Great Lakes itineraries, as well as the 13-day Canadian Discovery.

3 additional expedition cruises in North & South America are also due to debut in summer 2023. The new, 16-day Canada & the Atlantic Coastline itinerary will expand offerings along the St. Lawrence River and Atlantic coastline, featuring destinations including Quebec City , Charleston SC , Norfolk VA , Trois-Rivieres (Quebec) , and more. Vacationers can discover the beauty of Patagonia while sailing out of Santiago (Valparaiso, Chile) to Ushuaia (Argentina) on the new 2-week Patagonian Shores & Chilean Fjords itinerary, while passengers looking to explore destinations in North, Central & South America, can choose the new 18-day Panama & Scenic South America itinerary.

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Learn the secrets of preparing a Black Forest Cake

In this episode, you are invited to journey with us into the heart of Germany 's fabled Black Forest. Your host—Gisela Rückert, Senior Manager of Onboard Enrichment for Viking—demonstrates the intricate process involved in preparing an authentic Black Forest Cake and highlights its key ingredients, including locally grown sour cherries and a cherry-flavored liqueur. Immerse yourself in the culinary heritage surrounding this cake and learn the secrets to making your own version at home.

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Beautiful River Cruises That Will Take Your Breath Away

Posted: January 2, 2024 | Last updated: January 2, 2024

River adventures

There are trips especially for solo travelers

Finding alone time is increasingly easy on river cruise ships, many of which are going all out to cater to solo travelers. Take Riviera Travel River Cruises – every year the line operates a number of sailings designed specifically for solos. On these cruises, all cabins are single-occupancy only and there are no single supplement charges. In 2023, Riviera’s solo-friendly cruises include sailings along the Danube, Douro, Rhine, Rhône and Seine.

Ganga Vilas offers the world’s longest river cruise

Does disembarkation day always come too soon? Consider opting for one of the growing number of longer cruises. Ganga Vilas currently offers the world’s longest river cruise – a 51-day sailing along 27 rivers in India and Bangladesh onboard the luxurious 18-suite Ganga Vilas riverboat. The downside? These cruises don’t come cheap – prices start at around $32,000 per person.

CroisiEurope offers paddlewheel cruises on two European rivers

Paddlewheel ships aren’t just found on US rivers. CroisiEurope is the only cruise line to run paddlewheel cruises on two European rivers – the Elbe and the Loire. Other boats are few and far between – these rivers are notoriously shallow but the latest paddlewheel technology means CroisiEurope’s boats can sail these stretches of water year-round.

A-ROSA SENA is one of Europe’s most family-friendly ships

River cruises are often seen as the preserve of couples, but change is afoot. In 2022, A-ROSA River Cruises launched A-ROSA SENA , the only river cruise ship in Europe to have a dedicated kids’ club room. AmaWaterways’ AmaMagna has a theater area where children (and big kids) can watch movies and play games consoles, and Uniworld’s Generation Collection cruises offer kid-friendly activities and excursions.

Viking Cruises’ fleet has both ocean and river boats

If you’re a fan of cruising, what could be better than pairing a river cruise with an ocean one? For example, combine a sail along the Douro, which cuts across Spain and Portugal and finishes at the Atlantic coast, with an ocean-going cruise sailing out of Porto. Doing so is easy, especially if you sail with a line like Viking Cruises , which has a fleet including both ocean and river boats.

Viking holds the record for launching the most new ships in a single day

AmaWaterways’ Color of Provence cruise focuses on Black heritage in Paris

Europe’s rivers are lined with ancient cities and landmarks, but several cruise lines are delving deeper in Europe’s history by tackling a more diverse range of subjects. AmaWaterways is a great example – in 2023 its Color of Provence cruise includes a three-night visit to Paris which focuses on the city’s Black heritage, while another AmaWaterways cruise along the Rhône river includes a Black heritage tour of Marseille.

Excursions are varied, with smaller groups

Because river cruising ships are smaller, the chances of having to join tour groups the size of a Glastonbury crowd are slim, and excursions are more intimate. A case in point is European Waterways , known for their passion for slow travel. Excursions include a tour of the Château de la Motte led by the resident Baroness and visits to the Dalwhinnie whisky distillery, which you’ll travel to in an air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz minibus.

You can explore the Amazon Basin with Seabourn

More river cruise lines are heading to remote rivers. One example is Seabourn . In 2023 the line launches a 14-day Wild Guianas To The Amazon Basin cruise, which sails along Brazil’s Guajará River, a tributary of the Amazon. Excursions include a trip to meet local Indigenous groups – a reminder that Amazon river cruises are great options for getting off the beaten path.

Avalon Waterways has some of the largest windows on a river cruise

River cruise ships make excellent use of space, and we’re increasingly seeing this applied to windows. If you don’t manage to bag a balcony suite, don’t panic – it’s highly likely that you’ll have floor to ceiling windows. If you’re a stickler for a fantastic view, consider sailing with Avalon Waterways – their windows are some of the largest on a river cruise ship, and their Panorama Suites have the widest opening, wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows in river cruising.

American Queen Voyages has launched exciting new itineraries

American river cruises have become incredibly popular in recent years, and in 2023 the American Queen Voyages launches the longest itineraries offered by this historic cruise line. The 23-day itineraries (the first one departs in July) will sail along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers and take in lesser-known destinations such as Maysville in Kentucky, Madison in Indiana, Point Pleasant in West Virginia and Marietta in Ohio.

You might meet your hero onboard an AmaWaterways ship

River cruising companies are going all out to provide deeper insights into the places their ships sail through. One example is National Geographic Expeditions, which recently announced that it will join forces with AmaWaterways and launch several National Geographic Expeditions-chartered departures in 2024. Onboard experts – all of whom will be familiar with itinerary destinations – will include photographers, authors and explorers.

You can sail along the Hudson River with American Cruise Lines

Fancy sailing past the Empire State Building? Now you can – kind of. American Cruise Lines is the only cruise line that offers sailings along the mighty Hudson, along with several other lesser-known rivers, including the Napa and San Joaquin Rivers in California.

You can combine rail and water with Uniworld

In 2022 Uniworld launched cruises combining Danube River sailings with trips on Golden Eagle Luxury Trains. These rail and river cruise packages offer guests the chance to take a five-day train journey through central Europe before boarding the ship. Expect more cruise lines to combine these modes of transport in the coming years.

Experts will join passengers onboard Ponant ships

Uniworld’s decision to combine sailing with luxury railway trips onboard Golden Eagle’s trains is a sign of the times – we’ll see more collaborations designed to enhance guests’ experience. In 2023 Ponant is collaborating with Smithsonian Journeys to offer sailings with onboard experts, such as world-renowned climate specialist Steve Paton, who will provide further insight into areas such as the San Blas archipelago.

Riverside Luxury Cruises is the new kid on the block

River cruising might sound like a crowded market, but the launch of Riverside Luxury Cruises in April 2023 proves that there’s always room for more. This new line launched with one ship – Riverside Mozart – and offers cruises starting in Vienna, Budapest and Passau. The ship’s rooftop bar looks pretty special, although we’re equally excited about the cuisine, inspired by regions the ship sails through.

Even the busiest rivers have quiet spots

The landscape is fabulously diverse

Some river cruise companies cover lakes too

CroisiEurope is the only river cruise line operating on Lake Kariba in Southern Africa. There are two cruise ships to choose from – African Dream and Zimbabwean Dream. Both ships accommodate 16 passengers in eight cabins, and there’s a rooftop bar and restaurant from which guests can soak up the views.

Most river cruises are truly all-inclusive

We’ve all come across cruise lines which claim to be all-inclusive but are actually anything but. These days, more cruise lines are going all out to offer passengers better value for money by including everything from premium drinks to excursions. Scenic River Cruises is a great example – cruise prices include flights from the UK, transfers, premium drinks, all meals (including fine dining ones) and excursions.

You’re unlikely to feel seasick on a river cruise

River cruises will take you to the end of the world (almost)

River cruises can take you to some of the world’s most remote places, as well as waterways which simply aren’t explored very often. CroisiEurope, for example, is the only operator to offer cruises on Spain’s Guadalquivir River (pictured at Seville), while the Heritage Line’s new Upper Mekong cruise, which sets sail in August 2023, will focus on remote areas of Laos.

You can cruise the world’s longest river

The views are better

There are no interior cabins on river cruise ships – all cabins face outwards and most have floor-to-ceiling windows. Cruise lines make the most of the space in innovative ways, too. On several Uniworld vessels, for example, mirrors are actually concealed televisions. The cabins at the rear of riverboats are often the cheapest – but if you’re a light sleeper, remember that this is because the engines are located here. 

Cruise lines are investing in air-filtering technology

One example is Amadeus River Cruises . In May 2023 the line launched Amadeus Riva, which has a hi-tech air filtration system with a two-stage purification system capable of removing aerosols – including any containing microscopic virus particles – from interior spaces.

The added extras are getting better

It's easier to avoid the crowds

There are no (or at least fewer) boring transfers

On ocean cruises, the excitement about seeing the local landmark/record-breaking attraction/ancient site quickly dissipates when there’s a one-hour bus journey between you and the site in question. Not so with river cruising, simply because of the increased accessibility. A great example is the iconic arch in St Louis, Missouri (pictured) –  this feat of engineering is just a 10-minute walk from the dock used by river boats.

Now check out the world's oldest man-made structures still in use today

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Grand European Tour

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Uniworld Adds Sailing Dates On Its Most Popular Itineraries: Danube, Seine, and Mekong Rivers

June 18, 2024

Tags: River - Inland Navigation / Barges Uniworld River Cruises

Guests can now book additional sailing dates on three different Super Ships – the S.S. Joie de Vivre on the Seine River in France, the S.S. Maria Theresa on the Danube River in Central Europe, and the Mekong Jewel on the Mekong River in Vietnam and Cambodia.

The itineraries with added dates include:

Paris & Normandy, S.S. Joie de Vivre – NEW DATE: November 10, 2024 Beginning and ending in Paris, this 8-day sailing takes travelers to the best of Paris and through Normandy’s countryside, uncovering its many charms and unique history. Guests will tour the majestic Palace of Versailles, once home to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette; explore Château de La Roche-Guyon, the medieval capital of Rouen; and visit Monet’s beloved home in Giverny plus the famed Normandy beaches. Active travelers can even spend a morning golfing atop the cliffs of Étretat, perched on the cliff high above the sea with two nine-hole loops to choose from. In Paris, travelers can bike along the Seine; see a show at the iconic Moulin Rouge; visit the largest art museum in the world, the Musée du Louvre and more.

Enchanting Danube, S.S. Maria Theresa – NEW DATE: November 10, 2024 An 8-day itinerary from Budapest to Passau, this trip takes travelers through the very heart of Europe on the fabled Danube River. Ideal for both first-time river cruisers and seasoned travelers, the itinerary takes guests to four countries with locally-based destination experts leading the way to a mixture of famed sites and under-the-radar locales. Highlights include a private early-morning viewing of the acclaimed art collection of the Kunstkammer Vienna; a private Mozart and Strauss concert in one of Vienna’s historic music halls; a tasting at the oldest winery in Austria producing some of the world’s best Riesling and Verliner varietals and much more.

Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & The Mekong, Mekong Jewel– NEW DATES: March 27 and March 31, 2025 This 15-day journey uncovers two of Asia’s most scenic, historic and friendly destinations. Travelers will explore Vietnam and Cambodia, each full of charm, social traditions and fascinating attractions mixing old and new. Beginning in Vietnam’s largest city, Ho Chi Minh, travelers will tour the city’s top sites and a historic collection of tunnels dated back to the Vietnam War en route to the Mekong Jewel. Travelers will then embrace village life on the Mekong River, exploring colorful villages, the capital of Cambodia, and even a local school along the way. After the cruise, guests will transfer to Siem Reap and experience the UNESCO-protected Angor Wat temple complex; explore the remnants of the royal city, Angor Thom; and conclude the adventure in the city of Hanoi, dubbed Asia’s most beautiful city.

In addition to the added sailings on the S.S. Joie de Vivre, S.S. Maria Theresa and Mekong Jewel, travelers still have time to book alternative fall river cruise dates on these and other popular Super Ships sailing in Europe, including the S.S. Catherine, S.S. Bon Voyage, and brand-new S.S. Victoria.

Uniworld cruises are all-inclusive and feature exclusive excursions curated by local ground partners, gourmet cuisine utilizing local ingredients, onboard entertainment, Wi-Fi, airport transfers, and one of the highest staff-to-guest ratios in the river cruise industry.

(Uniworld Adds Sailing Dates On Its Most Popular Itineraries: Danube, Seine, and Mekong Rivers – Uniworld Boutique River Cruises )

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