viking cruises march 2024

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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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Viking Cruises 2024

• Expeditions
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• Paris to Avignon
• Avignon to Paris

France’s Finest

• From $5,099
• 13 Guided Tours
• Dates & Pricing
• 2024 2025 2026
• Paris to Avignon Avignon to Paris

France’s Finest Map

Explore Paris, Normandy & Provence

Explore Avignon’s Palace of the Popes and savor Lyon’s culinary heritage. Toast centuries-old vineyards and luxuriate in Paris’s sophistication. Walk in Joan of Arc’s footsteps at Rouen. Pay your respects at Normandy’s World War II beaches. Art, cuisine, style, joie de vivre —if you love everything français , this is for you: a 15-day journey that combines our popular Lyon & Provence and Paris & the Heart of Normandy cruises into one tour de force.

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Viking Inclusive Value

All you need included, with no surprises or hidden fees

To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below.

Itinerary and shore excursions are subject to change and may vary by departure.

More features, services and excursions included

One complimentary shore excursion in every port of call

Free Wi-Fi (connection speed may vary)

Beer, wine & soft drinks with onboard lunch & dinner

24-hour specialty coffees, teas  & bottled water

Port taxes & fees

Ground transfers with Viking Air purchase

Visits to UNESCO Sites

Enrichment lectures & Destination Performances

Your Stateroom Includes:

River-view stateroom

Bottled water replenished daily

110/220 volt outlets

Queen-size Viking Explorer Bed (optional twin-bed configuration) with luxury linens & pillows

Private bathroom with shower, heated floor & anti-fog mirror

Premium Freyja® toiletries

Plush robes & slippers (upon request)

40" or 42" flat-screen Sony® TV with infotainment system featuring Movies On Demand, plus CNBC, CNN, FOX & more

Telephone, safe, refrigerator

Individual climate control

*All amenities on board Viking Longships; amenities vary on other ships.

Pre & Post Cruise Extensions

More days means more to discover, with extension packages you can add before or after your Viking cruise or cruisetour. Enjoy additional days to explore your embarkation or disembarkation city, or see a new destination altogether with a choice of exciting cities. Pre & Post Cruise Extensions vary by itinerary and are subject to change.

From $899 | 3 Nights

Pre: Paris Premium

From $1,499 | 3 Nights

Post: French Riviera

From $999 | 3 Nights

Post: Aix-en-Provence

From $799 | 2 Nights

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RIVER CRUISING

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CULINARY WONDER AROUND THE WORLD

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VOYAGE AROUND THE WORLD

Viking 2024 and Beyond

Posted on December 15, 2023 Author Chris Owen

Viking’s new itineraries for 2024 and beyond offer a diverse tapestry of adventures:

• Sun-soaked Mediterranean:  Bask in the Amalfi’s golden splendor before immersing yourself in the Parisian Olympic spirit.
• Untamed Arctic:  Experience the breathtaking untouched beauty of the far north in all its pristine glory.
• Luxury Fleet Expansion:  Savor unmatched comfort and exploration aboard Viking’s brand-new sister ships.

This curated selection caters to different tastes, from culture enthusiasts to nature seekers, while ensuring the signature Viking difference – luxurious comfort, immersive experiences, and world-class service. Get ready to discover and rediscover the world with Viking’s exciting new offerings.

River Voyages  

New Itineraries:  

• Viking launched a special 12-day voyage to commemorate the 80 th  anniversary of Operation Overlord and the historic battles of Normandy with the new  Paris & D-Day 80 th  Anniversary  voyage from London to Paris with departure dates running from March through November 2024. Due to strong demand, Viking will also offer the  London, Paris & D-Day  itinerary starting in 2025.  
• With increased interest in extended voyages, Viking added a new 15-day river voyage,  Lyon, Provence & the Rhineland , that combines a sailing on the Rhine River with one in Southern France beginning March 2024. 

New Ships: 

• Viking recently announced an expansion of its river fleet in Southeast Asia with the new  Viking Tonle .  Designed for the Mekong River, the 80-guest vessel will join its identical sister ship, the  Viking Saigon  (debuted in 2022) and will sail between Kampong Cham, Cambodia and Mỹ Tho, Vietnam as part of Viking’s popular 15-day  Magnificent Mekong  itinerary. The ship is under construction and is currently scheduled to debut in October 2025. More details are available in the press release  here . 
• With strong demand on the Nile River, Viking will add two additional sister ships, the  Viking Hathor  and the  Viking Sobek , which will be delivered in 2024 and 2025, respectively. By 2025, Viking will have six ships on the Nile, offering the largest and most elegant fleet, by far.  
• In 2025, Viking will also welcome a new  Viking Longship on the Seine River . This identical sister ship will join our current fleet of four Viking Longships sailing the river, docking in our exclusive location in the heart of Paris, near the Eiffel Tower, offering an exceptional experience for travelers and coincide with the Paris Summer Olympics in 2024. 

Ocean Voyages  

New Itineraries: 

• Beginning in 2024, Viking will introduce the  Iconic Iceland, Greenland & Canada  itinerary. This 15-day voyage will immerse guests in striking natural beauty and volcanic landscapes, while delving into the rich history of Viking exploration, allowing for leisurely strolls through the charming streets in ports of call.  
• The  Malta, Morocco & the Mediterranean  itinerary will make its inaugural voyage in late 2024. The roundtrip journey from Barcelona spans seven countries in 16 days, featuring visits to UNESCO-designated sites, North African cities, the Alhambra palace and other scenic wonders.  
• Viking is set to unveil the  Viking World Voyage I  in 2025. The colossal 180-day adventure traverses the globe, encompassing 37 countries on an unforgettable voyage across six continents.  
• Setting sail in 2025, Viking will embark on a new adventure with the  Grand Australia Circumnavigation  itinerary. The 32-day sailing takes guests on a voyage around Australia, offering the chance to uncover a harmonious blend of iconic natural wonders, lesser-known cultural gems, and captivating histories in cities such as Perth, Adelaide, and Melbourne. The itinerary includes exploration of Indonesian treasures Komodo and Bali.  
• In late 2024, Viking will welcome a new sister ship to the Ocean fleet, the  Viking Vela . 

Expedition Voyages  

Longitudinal World Cruises 

• In 2023, Viking launched the new intercontinental  Longitudinal World Cruise  collection , with expedition ships sailing between Antarctica and the Great Lakes. On these epic voyages, guests will achieve more travel milestones in a single journey than most people accomplish in a lifetime – from the heart of North America through engineering marvels like the Welland and Panama Canals, into the Chilean fjords and finally to Antarctica. Upcoming new 2024/2025 itineraries:  Longitudinal World Cruise IV  and  Longitudinal World Cruise V.    

Antarctica and the Arctic 

• Viking announced three new summer season expedition voyages in the Arctic set to debut in July 2025. The new itineraries range from 13 to 27 days and explore the polar north in Canada and Greenland. More specific itinerary information is available online:  Into the Northwest Passage ,  Canada & Greenland Explorer  and  Canada & the Northwest Passage . 
• More recently, Viking announced another wave of new itineraries in Antarctica for the 2025 season. The new 87-day  From the Arctic to Antarctica  itinerary will expand offerings to the “White Continent,” sailing from Nuuk, Greenland to Ushuaia, Argentina. 

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In this episode, Cruise Addicts host John Shallo is joined by expert Michael Consoli to share Viking Tips on the best practices when planning and taking your Viking cruise in 2024. We cover what mistakes you shouldn’t make while planning and taking your cruise. Listen in as he offers expert advice while answering questions during our recent live Q&A and a member check-in.

If you want to watch a live stream video replay, you can  click here .

Viking Cruising In 2024 Q&A With Michael Consoli

Be sure to visit Michael Consoli’s agency website at planmycruise.com

Thank you for listening, and please leave a review, like, and subscribe to our

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14 surprising things to know about Viking River Cruises in 2024 - First time European River Cruiser tips

A s someone who prides herself on being more of a traveler than a tourist, I have been one to avoid cruises. I had the belief that you don’t get to experience the destination, as you are mostly on a ship, but I hadn’t been exposed to the world of European river cruises . Let me explain why a river cruise is a perfect way to immerse yourself in a European destination. 

A floating hotel where you only unpack once, waking up in a new city almost daily, with pre-arranged tours that are included? As a first time European river cruiser, these are all things you can expect. This complete guide (from a Viking river cruise)will tell you everything you need to know. 

1. you won’t experience sea sickness on a river cruise.

It never even felt like we were moving when we were on the ship. It was calm and serene. So if you have an trepidation about cruising, a European river cruise should be on your list to try.

2. There are no inside staterooms on European River cruises

This is a standard among various river cruise lines. Ships are smaller with about three levels or under 200 rooms. To elaborate on staterooms, any river cruise has at least a window, so you’ll have a view outside. We sailed on the Viking Hermod in France . With 3 levels, level 2 and 3 all have balconies. However, you should know that a balcony may often have times where it is butted up against another ship while the ship docks. So seriously consider if this is worth the paying more for a balcony. 

3. Shore excursions are included daily with most river cruises and Viking’s were exceptional.

The tour guides are knowledgeable and able to provide a thorough history of the the towns we visited. On Viking, the daily shore excursions mainly gave us a feel for the town we were visiting. There are other optional tours you can pay for, but even if you just do the included tours, you will get a feel for the city.  We did two of the optional tours: the Aqueduct tour and a Medieval town. Both were great but we thought the Aqueduct was quite extraordinary. The two tours for the two of us totaled $366. 

4. Viking river cruise stateroom bathrooms are incredible

I even hear they’ve won awards for their bathrooms and I am not surprised. Here’s why: they are geniuses at making the most out of the space they have to work with. There is shelving in the bathrooms, meaning both passengers, can each put their (bathroom kit, makeup bag), whatever you call it on the shelf. Here’s the best part: bathrooms have heated floors. Can you imagine that on a cruise ship??!! Plus the showers are angled and allow for more shower space than you think. Doors open in both directions making it super easy to get in and out. 

5. Drink packages on a river cruise -are they necessary?

It depends. Many cruise ships nickel and dime you if you don’t get a pre-purchased drink package. On our Viking river cruise and most other river cruise lines, they’ll automatically provide beer and wine with lunch or dinner. We noticed at breakfast champagne is free flowing to have your own mimosa or champagne by itself. At lunch dinner you have a choice or white or red wine and a selection of beers. But if you want something special like a Rose or Chianti you will need to pay for it. 

If you want another kind of wine or cocktail you’ll pay for it. OR you can buy their Silver Spirits Beverage package and order from a selection of wine or cocktails whenever you like. I would definitely get this if you like cocktails. The package is about $20 per person per day, which is a lot less than ocean cruises charge. They have many top shelf liquors available like Patron, Bombay Sapphire, etc. So you can order these anytime afternoon until about 10 pm. Plus the beverage package comes with a minibar in your room which gets refreshed daily. 

6. How many restaurants are on a river cruise in Europe?

Usually just one. Meal times are also a set time, so if you were out all day and want to eat at 5 pm, you won’t be able to. Usually breakfast begins at 6 am and ends around 10 am. Here you can choose from a hearty buffet of scrambled eggs, breads, fruits, yogurt, sausage, bacon, cured meats and more. Or order a la carte an omelette, French Toast, Pancakes or more. Lunch seems to be planned around shore excursions and was served as early as 12:15 and as late as 1:15. Dinner is nightly at 7:15 pm. Doors to the restaurant open 15 minutes before dinner so arrive on time if you want your choice of seating, especially outdoors, which has limited tables. Lunch and dinner is a 3-course meal. More on that below. 

7. Dress is casual at dinner on a river cruise

No need to dress up. I packed a different outfit for dinners at night, but I really didn’t need all those clothes. I could have worn jeans most days for excursions and swapped to pants at dinner. In fact one evening I even kept my jeans on at dinner. 

8. Viking river cruises are Adults only

This is my favorite thing about this cruise line! You must be 18 years or older to cruise with Viking. I for one, applaud this. Too many opulent vacation destinations can be spoiled by bratty kids who are undisciplined. We saw several groups generational travel, which seems like a fantastic idea. 

Check out our river cruise going under a bridge on the Rhine river.

9. Getting on and off the ship on a European River cruise is as easy a taking a few steps

Rather than long lines to get on and off, I could go from my stateroom to the street in about 2 minutes. This included scanning my card to get off. So it is super easy as Christina Ernst, owner of VIP Alpine Tours travel agency puts it, “If you forget something in your stateroom, it is easy to run back and get it on a River Cruise. More and more of my clients, even those in their 40s are opting for a river cruise because it’s a terrific way to see Europe.”

10. The food is elevated on a Viking river cruise

Because they don’t have to prepare a meal for thousands, but a few hundred, the food can be made with delicious options. We really loved the Coq Au Vin and the Halibut another night, desserts were also spectcular

Choose between a chef’s recommendation based on the region you are visiting or a traditional menu that is more akin to the American palette with items like steak, hamburgers and hot dogs. Their hot dog was the bomb by the way!

They grow their own herbs to use in dishes and drinks for guest on board. This makes a difference. When I ordered a Gin Basil Smash, I could smell the basil when the bartender plucked it from the fridge to muddle into my drink. Even other passengers could smell it and it piqued their interest in what I was having. From then on, the bartenders knew my drink, and with basically a head nod they would bring it to me. That would never happen on a huge ocean cruise. 

11. Safety is abundant on a Viking river cruise or most any European river Cruise

As a woman, I might feel intimidated to find myself in a new city and set off exploring on my own. However, with Viking you are good because they immerse you into the city you are in, even if they are there for only a day. We had at least one if not two shore excursions INCLUDED per day in our trip. And the guides are well versed on the are and are part of Viking. I also loved how the kitchen staff works well to bring out meals quickly so you don’t miss out on making your excursion. 

12. Wifi is free on board and included with your river cruise purchase.

However, you only have 2 connections per room. This is usually adequate for most passengers, but if you have two cell phones and a laptop, one will be disconnected. Also there’s no connection to Netflix or other streaming services. They do have several movies available on demand, but don’t be expecting a large library of movies.

13. You don’t have to bring adapters on a Viking river cruise

This was a huge plus. Bedrooms have both European plugs and American (220 and 110 voltage) plugs. Plus we even had a plug for USB. Wish we had more but, hey, I’ll settle for one as it makes life easier. I mean, how great it is NOT to have to worry about your charging ports? 

14. You’ll go through many locks on a European River cruise

This is quite an interesting process. The purpose of locks is to make sure the water is level. Some are not too deep, while others can be super deep. You’ll enter into a tight space (there are mere inches in between the sides and you can reach out and touch them) with metal on both sides. The ship stays in place while water is added or depleted.  I believe the deepest we experienced on our Viking Cruise in 2023 was 20 feet. 

FAQs – European river cruise / Viking river cruise (2023)

Watch my videos from my viking cruise in 2023 here.

What should I pack for a river cruise in 2023?

Pack at least one jacket and scarf. I would recommend a jacket with a hood. We went on an open air train ride and the hood helped keep my face ad head warm. The scarf will definitely help you feel warmer on those cooler days. Make sure to pack comfortable shoes as you’ll be walking on a lot of cobblestone streets. The key is layers. For a 7-day river cruise 2-3 pairs of jeans, a couple casual dresses and one or two dressier pants would be fine. 

How many restaurants are on a river cruise ship?

Usually just one. This means meal times must be adhered to. Breakfast is the most generous of time allowed as you can dine between 6 and 10. However, at lunch they may run out of certain things. One of the things we loved though, was the 24 hour a day coffee machine where we could get a cappuccino, latte, espresso or just regular coffee! 

Do you have to dress up for dinner on a river cruise?

No, it is quite casual. They recommend wearing slacks and nicer shoes or casual dresses for women. I think of it like a business casual recommendation. Though a couple days into our river cruise many were wearing shorts and jeans at dinner. 

Can I wear jeans on a Viking river cruise to dinner?

Although it isn’t encouraged, we saw several people wearing jeans and sneakers at dinner. Probably not a great idea on the first evening, but it is more understandable after a day’s excursion later on in the cruise. 

Should I get a balcony room on a river cruise? What are my options? 

That depends. As stated earlier, there are no inside staterooms on river cruises. So, even the least expensive room will still have a window. Then there is something called the French Balcony on a river cruise. This means you’ll get something like a sliding glass door but you won’t be able to sit out there. Lastly is the veranda which comes with a small table and chairs. 

Is there are gym on the river cruise? Is there are pool on board?

Some cruise lines offer a small pool or hot tub, but you won’t find the large pools with slides or zip lines over them like on an ocean cruise. Our Viking cruise did not have either. Leave your workout clothes at home because other than a walking track on top, there was no gym on our river cruise.

Do I need to pack an adapter for a Viking River cruise? 

No, you don’t need to pack an adapter as they have 110v plus in the rooms! 

What is the average age of a guest on a European river cruise? 

While they skew older, (I would say most guests were over 65), there were several younger couples and friends traveling together on our Viking Cruise. I think this is changing as more and more younger people want to really see the place they are traveling vs. party on a ship. 

To find out more about Viking river cruises visit their site .

With my first river cruise under my belt, I am hooked. I love the stress free transportation Viking offered, unpacking one time but still visiting so many towns with a knowledgeable guide. What’s not to love about a river cruise?

The post 14 surprising things to know about Viking River Cruises in 2023 – First time European River Cruiser tips appeared first on Roamilicious .

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May 10, 2024 Viking Announces New Vice President of Investor Relations

May 3, 2024 viking announces closing of initial public offering and full exercise of underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares, may 1, 2024 viking announces pricing of upsized initial public offering, april 22, 2024 viking announces launch of initial public offering, april 11, 2024 viking announces new mongolia extension for china voyages starting in 2024, april 5, 2024 viking files registration statement with sec for proposed initial public offering, march 21, 2024 viking marks float out of newest egypt ship, march 20, 2024 viking celebrates start of 2024 river season in europe, march 5, 2024 viking expedition team announces discovery of new penguin colony in antarctica, february 23, 2024 viking announces confidential submission of draft registration statement for a proposed initial public offering, january 24, 2024 viking opens 2026 ocean voyages and announces new extensions, january 12, 2024 viking announces first-of-their-kind china voyages, january 4, 2024 viking launches new “discover more” sale, december 11, 2023 viking announces opening of 2026 european river season, december 6, 2023 viking dominates with 2023 cruise critic editors' picks awards, december 5, 2023 viking announces 10 additional river ships in europe, november 30, 2023 viking marks float out of newest ocean ship, november 28, 2023 viking returns to antarctica for third season, november 14, 2023 viking announces new ship for the mekong river, november 2, 2023 viking earns top honors with six new awards, including u.s. news & world report's ranking as best luxury line, october 3, 2023 condé nast traveler readers name viking the #1 river, ocean and expedition line, september 12, 2023 viking announces additional nile river sailings through 2026, august 19, 2023 viking’s newest nile river ship named in aswan by acclaimed architect and designer richard riveire, july 11, 2023 viking named “world's best” ocean, river, and expedition lines by readers of travel + leisure, june 30, 2023 viking named #1 river and ocean line in luxury travel advisor’s 2023 awards of excellence, june 6, 2023 viking’s newest ocean ship named by metropolitan opera chairman ann ziff, june 1, 2023 viking announces additional sailings in egypt, may 25, 2023 viking announces new expedition voyages in the arctic, may 23, 2023 viking announces new treasures of the rhine itinerary, may 3, 2023 viking doubles capacity for second season in north america's great lakes region, april 26, 2023 viking takes delivery of newest ocean ship, april 18, 2023 food & wine names viking #1 in first-ever global tastemakers awards, april 11, 2023 viking marks float out of newest egypt ship, march 28, 2023 viking dominates cruise critic’s 2023 cruisers’ choice awards, march 21, 2023 viking launches new travel advisor training program, march 16, 2023 viking announces new river voyage for 2024: “paris & d-day 80 th anniversary”, february 15, 2023 viking expedition team publishes first scientific paper from inaugural antarctic season, february 1, 2023 viking announces additional seine river ship for 2025, january 12, 2023 viking announces new 2024-2025 world cruise itineraries, january 10, 2023 viking's newest ocean ship named in los angeles by nasa astronaut & aquanaut nicole stott, sign up to receive updates from viking.

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Meet the 81-year-old CEO who built a $10.4 billion luxury cruise line tailored just for baby boomers: ‘They’re the richest group we have around’

A veteran cruise attendee at just 24 years old, Julia Wilcox is used to her inbox flooding with promotional emails from cruise lines courting loyal customers. But Wilcox, who vlogs her cruise experiences on TikTok , said one cruise line takes a more idiosyncratic approach to their marketing: Two or three times a month, she’ll get thick and glossy paper envelopes in the mail from Viking Cruises, the luxury cruise line which with she took a 10-day trip in January 2023. It’s the only cruise company that sends her paper mail—and it does so persistently.

“I get so much paper mail from Viking. I’m like, this is insane,” she told Fortune . “You could send me on a free cruise for the amount of paper and things that you send me.”

While anomalous in its marketing strategy, the logic behind Viking’s insistence on sending snail mail makes more sense after Wilcox, a Gen Z TikToker, admitted she’s not the company’s target audience. In fact, she was four decades younger than the cruise guests’ median age of 60 or 70. That’s just how Viking wants it.

“They’re the richest group we have around,” Viking CEO Torstein Hagen said in a May 1 CNBC Squawk on the Street interview . “They have the money; they have the time.” 

Hagen, who at 81 surpasses his baby boomer target audience, has tailored the cruise to the tastes of the older demographic that holds 70% of the country’s disposable income . There are no kids under 18 allowed, and no casinos aboard. Instead, Viking’s line of 92 vessels—traveling to all seven continents and employing a staff of 10,000—offers walking tours of European cities and cheese tastings.

“It’s a quite serene environment for people up in their ages,” Hagen said, “and for curious people who want to go to destinations, not [who want] to go on waterslides and the like.”

Hagen’s strategy has certainly worked thus far. Viking, with a $10.4 billion valuation , raised $1.5 billion in its initial public offering on May 1, the highest of any company this year. Per an SEC filing from last month, Viking experienced 14.4% growth from 2015 to 2023, the biggest leap of any luxury river or ocean cruise during that period.

“We have a very, very clear focus, and that is reflected in all our customer ratings, the rewards we get, and so forth,” Hagen told CNBC. “It doesn’t make us as large as the others, but it certainly makes us more attractive to the consumer.” 

Viking did not respond to Fortune ‘s request for comment.

The precision and analytical approach Hagen brings to the company reflects his initial pursuit of physics from the Norwegian Institute of Technology before he came to the U.S. and got his MBA at Harvard. Originally from outside of Oslo, the Norwegian developed his business intuition through failure before success. As CEO of cruise line Royal Viking in the 1980s, Hagen arranged for a $240 million management buyout that failed when a competitor made a surprise purchase of the company. He was soon ousted from the role .

Hagen, who operates the company alongside daughter Karine Hagen, founded Viking in 1997 at 54. He considered it a humble venture composed of  “two guys with two mobile phones and four river ships,” according to the company prospectus . From its maiden voyage, Viking’s goal was, in Hagen’s words , to be a thinking person’s cruise, not a drinking person’s cruise.

Viking has benefited from opportune timing for the cruise industry, namely its recovery from pandemic lockdowns that had wealthy vacationers itching for indulgent respites. Patrick Scholes, managing director of lodging and leisure equity research at Truist Securities, is bullish on the industry’s future because of that high demand.

“People want a vacation,” he told Fortune . “They’re looking for something different that they hadn’t done for the first two, three years of COVID, which certainly was going on a cruise ship.”

Cruises developed a reputation during the pandemic, as their closed quarters, conducive to contagious disease, sometimes resulted in boats docking early . Even Viking took a hit after 100 passengers on a June 2023 cruise battled norovirus. Companies sweetened deals to win back customers, offering discounts and promises of private beaches. While restaurants and hotel resorts were slow to recover from the pandemic because of labor shortages , cruise ships’ presence on foreign waters meant not having to abide by U.S. wages and employing ample staff of mostly foreign workers. During Wilcox’s Viking cruise, she marveled at the consistent and frequent turndown and cleaning services.

“In that value proposition is the high, consistent level of staffing and service on a cruise ship,” Scholes said. “You’ve been to a restaurant, you’ve been to a hotel—staffing is a problem, is a challenge after COVID. And cruise lines have not had that problem.”

Bob Levinstein, CEO of travel agency CruiseCompete, told Fortune Viking especially lives up to its value promise, mastering food, service, excursions, and communication into a reliable product.

“They just really have it nailed down,” he said.

More growth for the company is on the way. Having weathered the pandemic, Viking has 24 ships on order , an option for another dozen, and ambitious plans to expand its Chinese customer base to 150,000 passengers by 2025. Viking’s resilience in a tough time for the industry made the decision to go public a no-brainer for Hagen.

“The private equity firms, at some stage, have to create liquidity from their investments, and they’ve been in now for eight years—so it was as good a time as any,” Hagen told Fortune last month. “During the pandemic, it was not easy, and I think now coming out of that and having good results, that was the natural thing to do.”

But tides turn, and the economic waters buoying the cruise business are no exception. As cruise companies accommodate growing demand by commissioning more ships, the promotional packages and companies’ pricing power will ebb, Scholes predicted.

“This is just economic capitalism,” he said. “Come 2029, we’re going to see a lot of new ships, and that’s going to be a lot of cabins to fill. It’ll be difficult to raise prices.”

There’s a reason for Viking to stay level-headed through the industry’s maturation, Levinstein argued. The company’s $1.5 billion IPO was well timed, he said, but it likely won’t make waves for Viking’s future. It’s likely just a way for ownership to stay liquid and pad their wallets.

“That’s only about four of the ocean ships—maybe a little less if prices have gone up since they made their last deal,” he said. “But it’s not game-changing money.”

The cruise’s humble but established amenities aren’t foolproof, either. “The food definitely was a miss,” Wilcox said of her time aboard a Viking, resulting in the “worst” room service hot dog she’d “ever had.” She heard from other cruisers that the specialty menus the cruise promised to change nightly, but the food items offered have been the same for a decade.

The slip-up in Viking’s reputation of rock-solid amenities may be a strike against the “cookie-cutter” model Hagen touts as a reason for the cruise line’s success, but the CEO remains clear-eyed on the company’s philosophy of streamlined, steadfast service.

“In my belief, the moment you try to do everything for everybody, you know what happens?” he said. “You do nothing well.” 

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