Some cruise strains attempt to be all issues to all folks. Viking is not one among them.
Since its founding in 1997, the upscale cruise model has carved out a distinct segment catering to a sure kind of considerate, inquisitive, usually older traveler trying to discover the world and study a factor or two alongside the best way.
Most Viking clients are of their retirement years — or shortly approaching retirement — they usually’re desirous to lastly see all of the locations they did not have time to go to whereas elevating children and establishing careers of their youthful years.
For this subset of vacationers, Viking gives a variety of each ocean and river cruise itineraries which have a heavy give attention to the locations visited. These aren’t cruises the place it is all in regards to the ship.
Viking voyages carry numerous prolonged stays in ports the place passengers get extra time to discover historic websites and expertise the native tradition than is typical on cruises. In contrast to most strains, Viking additionally gives included-in-the-fare excursions in each port, permitting each passenger on board to get a guided expertise throughout stops with out having to pay further. (On the whole, Viking voyages are extremely inclusive, in line with its “no nickel-and-diming” philosophy.)
On board, Viking’s programming revolves round what the road calls “cultural enrichment” — lectures by consultants on subjects associated to the locations its ships go to, in addition to cultural and culinary choices that usually have a neighborhood tie-in.
The onboard expertise additionally is understood for sophisticated leisure.
What Viking ships do not supply is numerous onboard amusements geared toward households and youthful vacationers. The truth is, the road does not even enable youngsters underneath the age of 18 on its ships. It is one of many solely main cruise manufacturers on this planet with such a rule.
Viking ships additionally do not cater to the celebration crowd. If it is a floating celebration you are on the lookout for in a trip, this is not the road for you.
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As Viking founder Torstein Hagen likes to say, a Viking cruise is the “considering individual’s cruise, not the ingesting individual’s cruise.”
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3 issues TPG loves about Viking
- Its focus is on locations and enrichment
- The elegant, Scandinavian-influenced design of its ships
- Its “no nickel-and-diming” philosophy
What we may do with out
- The shortage of health facilities on Viking river ships
The Viking fleet
Viking has extra ships than every other main cruise model on this planet, greater than 90 in all. It additionally has each ocean ships and river ships — one thing that’s uncommon amongst main strains. Regardless of this, it has one of many easiest-to-understand fleets.
That is as a result of most of Viking’s ocean vessels are constructed to the identical primary design. In case you’ve seen one, you’ve got seen all of them. Ditto for almost all of the road’s river vessels.
Viking at present operates 14 ocean ships — 12 of that are primarily the identical. The exceptions are two Viking ocean vessels particularly designed for expedition cruising — a sort of cruising that entails touring to distant, hard-to-reach locations on hardy vessels that carry their very own touchdown craft.
The 12 ocean ships which might be primarily the identical — Viking Vesta, Viking Vela, Viking Saturn, Viking Neptune, Viking Mars, Viking Venus, Viking Jupiter, Viking Orion, Viking Sky, Zhao Shang Yi Dun, Viking Sea and Viking Star — started rolling out in 2015. Except Viking Vesta and Viking Vela, every has the capability for 930 passengers. Viking Vesta and Viking Vela (the most recent ocean ships within the line’s fleet) are barely greater, with a capability for 998 passengers. However they’ve the identical primary design.
Ten extra ocean ships of the larger dimension are scheduled to debut between 2026 and 2031, and Viking has choices with a shipyard to order 4 extra of the ships for supply in 2032 and 2033.
At 47,800 to 54,300 tons, these ocean ships are lower than a fourth the dimensions of the large megaships being constructed by the likes of Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises, in line with Viking’s give attention to intimate, upscale voyages. Massive floating resorts, they don’t seem to be.
Be aware that one of many 12 ocean ships on this sequence, Zhao Shang Yi Dun, has been completely transferred to a three way partnership with a Chinese language firm that largely gives cruises for the China market. When it debuted in 2017, it initially catered to the North American market and was known as Viking Solar.
Viking’s two expedition ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, are considerably smaller than the above vessels, as is typical for expedition ships, and carry 378 passengers at most occupancy.
Then there are the river ships. By the top of this yr, Viking may have 91 river ships in its fleet — an astounding quantity that’s the results of blistering development over the previous decade. (As just lately as 2012, the road operated simply 29 river ships.)
As well as, six extra Viking river ships are scheduled to debut in 2026, with one other eight on order for 2027 and 4 extra on the best way for 2028. The corporate additionally has choices with shipbuilders so as to add 4 extra river ships in 2029 and one other 4 in 2030.
As famous above, virtually all of Viking’s river ships are of the identical primary design and are generally known as the Longships — a reference to the historic vessels utilized by Vikings within the Center Ages.
Most Viking Longships are 443 toes lengthy, the right size to suit into the locks on lots of Europe’s rivers. Viking has additionally constructed barely shorter variations of the Longships measuring 262 toes, 361 toes or 410 toes in size particularly to sail on rivers the place lock sizes or different navigational elements require a smaller vessel. The 410-foot-long variations of the vessels, for example, had been particularly constructed to have the ability to sail into the guts of Paris on the Seine River.
Whereas most Viking river ships are Longships, there are just a few exceptions within the Viking river fleet. Viking operates a number of smaller, purpose-built vessels on the Nile River in Egypt and the Mekong River in Southeast Asia. It additionally has a number of older river vessels that predate the Longships, which till just lately operated in Russia and Ukraine. (For now, river cruise itineraries in each international locations are on maintain as a result of Ukraine warfare.)
Viking additionally just lately started sailings on the Mississippi River with a brand new ship particularly designed for the river and its tributaries.
Associated: The three kinds of Viking ships, defined
Locations and itineraries
Viking has one of the numerous arrays of itineraries of any cruise line, largely as a result of the truth that it operates each ocean cruises and river cruises.
Viking has a very massive footprint relating to European river itineraries, with a variety of sailings on almost each European river of any notice.
You may discover Viking river ships working on the Rhine, Major and Danube in Central Europe; the Seine, Rhone, Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde in France; the Douro in Portugal; and the Moselle and Elbe in Germany.
Till 2022, Viking additionally operated cruises on the Volga in Russia and the Dnieper in Ukraine. (As famous above, sailings on the latter two rivers are on maintain as a result of warfare in Ukraine and will not resume for a few years.)
Viking additionally operates river journeys on the Nile in Egypt and the Mekong River in Southeast Asia, and it just lately started journeys on the Mississippi River.
The road’s ocean ships might be present in almost each ocean and sea all over the world, from North America to Europe and Asia.
Viking’s ocean ships have a significant presence in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, which the road considers its house turf. (The corporate was based by a Norwegian household.) It is also an enormous participant within the Mediterranean. You may discover Viking’s ocean ships in different key cruise locations as properly, reminiscent of Alaska, the Caribbean and Panama Canal, Canada and New England, South America, Asia, and Australia.
As well as, since 2022, the road has operated seasonally in Antarctica and within the Arctic in addition to the Nice Lakes — a vacation spot that solely a handful of cruise operators go to — with voyages on its two comparatively new expedition ships.
You may discover every thing from eight-day cruises within the Mediterranean to 138-day around-the-world journeys among the many line’s voyages.
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Who sails Viking
Most Viking passengers are North Individuals who’re both retired or approaching retirement. The corporate’s core market is individuals who vary in age from 55 to 75 years, though it does draw some passengers who’re youthful or older.
On the whole, it is an informed crowd, with many passengers coming from skilled backgrounds or a lifetime of working their very own companies. They’re usually individuals who have spent years centered on work and increase financial savings for retirement, they usually’re lastly prepared to start out having fun with the fruits of their labor by spending a few of the financial savings on journey to locations they’ve lengthy postpone visiting.
They’re additionally individuals who can afford a comparatively high-end trip expertise. Whereas Viking does not market itself as a luxurious line, some would name it that. Viking vessels are filled with luxurious touches, with the pricing to match (see extra on what Viking journeys value on the backside of this story).
On the whole, you will discover numerous {couples} on Viking ships and a few solo vacationers. You may additionally discover the occasional multigenerational group — a retired couple touring with their working-age grownup youngsters, for example.
Nevertheless, what you will not discover are households with younger children. As famous above, Viking does not enable passengers underneath the age of 18 on its ships — a key differentiator for the model as in comparison with different cruise strains.
Cabins and suites
Is a balcony one thing you’ll be able to’t stay with out when staying in a cabin on a cruise ship? Viking could possibly be your line.
Viking is likely one of the solely cruise manufacturers on this planet that gives a balcony with each cabin on each ocean ship it operates — even the least costly, smallest cabins. That is one thing that even essentially the most upscale of Viking’s ocean cruise rivals — together with Oceania Cruises, Azamara, Seabourn, Silversea Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises — cannot say.
Viking’s ocean ships additionally supply a lot of suites, lots of that are fairly spacious. Even the smallest cabins on Viking’s ocean ships are massive by cruise ship requirements at 270 sq. toes, and the most important suites measure almost 1,500 sq. toes.
In case you’re on the lookout for an enormous, open room on an ocean cruise (and are keen to pay for it), Viking gives you loads of choices.
Associated: The final word information to Viking cabins and suites
Viking additionally gives plenty of balcony cabins and suites on its river ships, one thing that is not at all times the case within the river cruise enterprise, the place area on vessels is at a premium. However not like its ocean ships, Viking’s river ships aren’t all-balcony-cabin vessels.
Designwise, Viking cabins and suites throughout all classes are trendy and stylish in an understated form of approach, with Scandinavian-influenced furnishings and decor that tie to the Norwegian heritage of the corporate’s founder.
You may discover beds topped with crisp, white duvets and Scandinavian throws, comfy modern sofas and chairs in impartial tones, and light-wood desks and aspect tables that mix to supply a residential really feel in bed room areas. Soothing, minimalist colours — suppose lotions, grays and lighter blues — are the order of the day.
Bogs in Viking cabins are serene, modernist escapes with luxurious travertine-lined partitions, Scandinavian-influenced wood-veneered vanities, shiny white sinks and chrome fixtures.
In line with the high-end nature of the model, Viking cabins and suites have numerous upscale touches, from luxurious bedding that envelops you to heated flooring in loos. However the rooms aren’t overly flashy.
What they’re is eminently practical, with storage in all the precise locations, plenty of shops for charging your gadgets and lighting proper the place you want it. We love the studying lights constructed into the material headboards, that are along with the lamps on bedside tables. You will not have hassle seeing the pages of the Viking Each day exercise publication whereas mendacity in a Viking cabin mattress.
Different little touches in Viking cabins that present a line fascinated about performance as a lot as decor embody the massive and clear lettering on the Freyja toiletries that you will discover in each Viking cabin toilet. The toiletries had been particularly designed with greater and clearer lettering than is frequent for toiletries on cruise ships and at accommodations in order that the road’s older clients would haven’t any hassle differentiating the physique wash from the physique lotion and shampoo.
Eating places and eating
The variety of eating places and different eating choices that you will discover on Viking ships will fluctuate tremendously relying on whether or not you might be crusing on an ocean or a river ship.
All of Viking’s oceangoing ships, that are a lot greater than its river ships, have at the very least 4 and often extra shops serving meals of some kind.
Each one of many line’s 930-passenger and 998-passenger ocean ships has a fundamental restaurant (known as, merely, The Restaurant) with rotating menus that embody dishes that tie to the vacation spot the place the vessel is crusing. There is also an off-the-cuff buffet known as World Cafe on each vessel. You may in all probability eat most of your meals in one among these eateries.
The primary eating places on these ships are notable for his or her partitions of glass that may slide open to create alfresco eating, one thing that’s uncommon within the cruise world.
Every of the 930-passenger and 998-passenger ocean ships additionally has two smaller eating places with specialised delicacies: Manfredi’s, a high-end Italian eatery, and The Chef’s Desk, which gives a five-course tasting menu themed round a selected delicacies that modifications each few days.
There is no further cost for eating within the smaller eating places, however reservations are required. Every passenger is barely allowed to make one to 3 reservations per cruise on the eateries, relying on which class of cabin they’ve booked.
Viking’s greater ocean ships even have poolside grills that serve made-to-order gourmand hamburgers and different grill gadgets. Passengers can seize a snack — with a Norwegian twist — on the forward-facing lounges atop the ships, that are house to a small meals counter known as Mamsen’s. Named after Viking founder Torstein Hagen’s mom (Ragnhild “Mamsen” Hagen), it gives genuine tastes of Norway reminiscent of conventional heart-shaped waffles, specialty truffles and the brown goat cheese that’s discovered across the nation.
Passengers will even discover finger sandwiches, scones and teas within the afternoon on the glass-topped Wintergarden lounge on the high of each vessel.
The road’s smaller expedition ocean ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, supply 4 of the above venues: The Restaurant, World Cafe, Manfredi’s and Mamsen’s.
Viking’s river ships, in contrast, usually supply simply two eateries: a fundamental restaurant the place passengers eat most of their meals and a smaller, informal buffet with indoor and out of doors seating.
Enjoyable truth: The Manfredi’s eating places on Viking ocean ships are named after former Silversea Cruises proprietor Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, a pal of Viking founder Torstein Hagen. Some Silversea ships, in flip, have lounge areas named after Hagen. Lefebvre now owns luxurious line Crystal after shopping for the model out of chapter.
Leisure and actions
Most of the actions on board Viking’s ocean ships revolve round “cultural enrichment,” to make use of a phrase usually utilized by Viking executives. On any given day, you would possibly discover an professional on one of many locations you are visiting lecturing within the theater, or a classical musician performing within the central atrium, generally known as The Dwelling Room. The ships additionally supply some conventional leisure, together with manufacturing reveals with singers and dancers — all with a cultured vibe.
On the road’s river ships, you will additionally discover onboard lectures, often associated to the locations the ships are visiting, in addition to destination-related demonstrations and tastings. (On a Seine River voyage, you may need a tasting of native French cheeses or French wines, for example).
You may additionally discover stay piano music within the evenings in river ship lounges.
Theaters, lounges and reveals
Every of the road’s ocean ships has a theater at its entrance that’s house to manufacturing reveals, film showings (with recent popcorn accessible) and lectures.
In line with Viking’s give attention to cultural immersion, lecturers usually have experience associated to the locations you will be visiting in your crusing. The road additionally attracts a variety of attention-grabbing and achieved folks from all walks of life to function visitor lecturers, together with well-known teachers, diplomats and even astronauts.
Along with the theater, a secondary lounge area on the ships known as Torshavn is house to nightly musical leisure (one evening it may be a small band enjoying slow-dance music; the following evening a guitarist). It is also recognized for an in depth assortment of Armagnacs, with one from virtually yearly of the previous eight a long time. (A enjoyable recreation is to strive the Armagnac out of your start yr. Simply watch out — some years are far dearer than others.)
You may additionally discover musicians, together with pianists and guitar gamers, acting at occasions within the Viking Dwelling Room — a three-deck-high, atriumlike area on the heart of the ship. Crammed with comfy seating areas and residential to a bar, the Viking Dwelling Room serves as a central assembly level for passengers all through the day and evening. It is also house to the ship’s Explorers’ Desk — the equal of a visitor relations space on different ships.
There’s additionally stay music at evening within the Explorers’ Lounge, a two-deck-high commentary lounge and bar space on the very high of the ship. The Explorers’ Lounge is also house to Mamsen’s, the meals counter serving tastes of Norway talked about above.
The pool deck and different venues
The centerpiece of the highest deck of every of Viking’s ocean ships is the principle pool space, which is house to a pool, sizzling tub and rows of lounge chairs, in addition to comfy seating areas.
All the fundamental pool space is roofed with a glass magrodome that may be opened on quick discover on heat and sunny days — or closed if the ship encounters inclement climate.
Simply behind the principle pool space on every of the ocean ships is a stunning, glass-topped lounge with comfy seating known as the Wintergarden that’s house to afternoon tea. A den of serenity, it is one among our favourite locations on these vessels.
A secondary pool space with an infinity pool is in the back of every of the ships.
Different inside areas which might be a part of the ocean ships embody a classy spa with a thermal suite space that’s open to all passengers at no further cost (one thing that’s not frequent on cruise vessels) and a health heart.
Be aware that Viking river ships wouldn’t have health facilities, which is comparatively uncommon for river ships. Viking has lengthy argued that few of its clients use health facilities and the area that may be devoted to 1 is healthier used for different issues. Nevertheless, for those who’re fitness-obsessed, a Viking river ship will not be your best option on your river journey.
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Kids’s program
Viking doesn’t enable youngsters underneath the age of 18 on its vessels and thus has no youngsters’s applications on any of its vessels.
What to know earlier than you go
Required paperwork
Viking operates worldwide itineraries the place a passport is required. Passports should be legitimate for at the very least six months. Be aware that it is crucial that the title in your reservation be precisely as it’s acknowledged in your passport or different official proof of nationality.
Gratuities
Viking provides an computerized service gratuity (which it calls a “lodge and eating cost”) of $17 per individual, per day to ultimate payments. In case you are sad with the service you obtain, you’ll be able to modify this quantity earlier than disembarking on the Explorers’ Desk. (You can too enhance the tip quantity if that’s the case desired.) Additionally, a 15% gratuity is added to payments at bars and for drinks at eating places.
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Wi-Fi
As a part of Viking’s “no nickel-and-diming” philosophy, the road gives free Wi-Fi service to passengers on all its ships all through sailings. Be aware that web service might be sluggish at occasions of heavy use, as is typical on cruise vessels. As well as, so as to guarantee honest utilization for all, the road limits some heavy-bandwidth purposes reminiscent of film streaming, downloads and software program upgrades. For example, you will not be capable of stream Netflix reveals whereas utilizing the free Wi-Fi.
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Carry-on drinks coverage
In contrast to many strains, Viking permits you to carry your individual wine, Champagne, beer and liquor onto ships at embarkation with no limits. The road additionally does not cost a corkage charge.
Smoking coverage
On all ships, smoking (together with digital cigarettes) is barely allowed in designated out of doors areas. It is forbidden in cabins and on cabin balconies.
Laundry
Some Viking ships, together with the entire line’s ocean vessels (together with its two expedition vessels), have self-serve launderettes on cabin decks with washing machines, dryers, irons and ironing boards. The launderettes are stocked with detergent for the washing machines that, not like on many cruise ships with launderettes, don’t include an additional value.
As well as, most Viking vessels supply laundry and urgent companies. Such companies are complimentary for passengers staying in sure classes of cabins. In any other case, charges are akin to what you will pay cleaners at house. Dry cleansing is obtainable on the road’s ocean ships however not on Viking river ships.
Viking’s Mississippi River ship gives self-service launderettes however no send-out laundry and urgent service.
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Electrical shops
The entire line’s vessels have normal North American-style, 110-volt shops in rooms in addition to European-style, 220-volt shops and USB ports in cabins.
Foreign money
The foreign money used on Viking ships is U.S. {dollars}.
Consuming age
You should be 21 to devour alcohol on Viking ships.
Costume code
Through the day, there isn’t a particular costume code, and other people costume casually. If it is a sea day in a warm-weather vacation spot, and also you’re certain for the highest deck, a short-sleeve shirt and shorts are simply wonderful.
Evenings have an official costume code, however it’s not too formal. The road asks passengers to maintain issues “elegant informal” when heading to any of the ship’s eating venues, performances or particular occasions. To Viking, which means a costume, skirt or slacks with a sweater or shirt for ladies, and trousers and a collared shirt for males. A tie and jacket for males are optionally available. Denims should not permitted.
This night costume code just isn’t enforced on the informal World Cafe eateries on Viking ocean ships, the place passengers can go much more informal within the evenings.
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Viking cruise loyalty program
Viking does not have a loyalty program within the conventional sense — one the place passengers earn factors each time they journey with the model and progress by a number of tiers that carry an ever-expanding array of perks. Nevertheless, it does supply just a few primary perks for previous visitors.
When you journey with the model for the primary time, you’ll mechanically be eligible for:
- A credit score of $200 per passenger anytime you e book a Viking voyage inside one yr of your final Viking voyage. In case you reserve inside two years, you obtain a $100 credit score.
- An invite to a past-passengers cocktail celebration when crusing on Viking ships.
- Early phrase by e mail or common mail on new Viking Cruises itineraries and new ships, in addition to particular limited-time gives.
Be aware that the credit talked about above can’t at all times be mixed with promotions the road gives.
Associated: The final word information to Viking’s cruise loyalty program
How a lot does a Viking cruise value?
Viking sailings aren’t cheap. Ten-night “Greek Odyssey” voyages to the Greek islands begin at $3,999 per individual. That works out to roughly $800 per day for a pair sharing a room. A number of the line’s extra unique sailings, reminiscent of its expedition journeys to Antarctica, value much more. Fourteen-night Antarctica journeys begin at $13,995 per individual — about $2,000 per day for a pair.
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Nonetheless, as is typical for cruise strains on the excessive finish, Viking features a lot in its base value. Along with a room on board and all meals, the fares embody beer, wine and tender drinks with lunch and dinner; specialty coffees, teas and bottled water across the clock; shipboard Wi-Fi; and (maybe most notably) a shore tour in each port. The latter is one thing comparatively few strains roll into their base fares, and is a big worth. Shore excursions within the cruise world might be costly.
Viking additionally consists of entry to the thermal areas of its spa in its base fares. Such entry virtually at all times comes with an additional cost on cruise vessels.
Be aware that Viking does cost further for 2 key issues that many luxurious strains reminiscent of Silversea, Seabourn and Regent don’t: alcoholic drinks at bars and gratuities. That is one cause some cruisers don’t contemplate Viking at fairly the identical degree as these different manufacturers.
Methods to e book
In case you’re positive you recognize what kind of cabin you need, on which ship, on which itinerary — and a few dozen different issues — you’ll be able to head over to viking.com and e book immediately.
That stated, given the complexity of reserving a cruise — there are numerous choices to make in the course of the reserving course of, belief us — we at all times suggest that you just use a seasoned journey agent who makes a speciality of cruises.
A superb journey agent will quiz you about your specific pursuits, journey fashion and preferences, and steer you to the right cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. An agent may also aid you if one thing goes flawed earlier than, throughout or after your voyage.
In case you’re positive that Viking is your line, search for a journey agent who makes a speciality of journeys with the model. You need somebody who is aware of the entire line’s many itineraries intimately and, ideally, has sailed on or at the very least inspected a few of the line’s vessels, too, to know the varied cabin varieties and onboard facilities.
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Whether or not you employ a journey agent or not, be sure that to maximise your bank card spending when paying for the cruise by utilizing a bank card that gives further factors for journey purchases.
Backside line
Viking might be outlined as a lot by what it is not as what it’s. It is not a line for households with younger youngsters. It is not a line that gives megaships topped with each form of amusement recognized to people. And it is not a line for the celebration crowd.
What it is is a line that has centered very particularly on “considering individual’s cruises” that provide a deeper dive into the locations that its ships go to than is typical at many strains. It is all about exploring the world and doing so in consolation.
Planning a cruise? Begin with these tales:
