Some cruise strains attempt to be all issues to all individuals. Viking is not certainly one of them.
Since its founding in 1997, the upscale cruise model has carved out a distinct segment catering to a sure kind of considerate, inquisitive, typically older traveler seeking to discover the world and study a factor or two alongside the way in which.
Most Viking clients are of their retirement years — or shortly approaching retirement — they usually’re wanting 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 deliver a whole lot of 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 additional. (Generally, Viking voyages are extremely inclusive, in step with its “no nickel-and-diming” philosophy.)
On board, Viking’s programming revolves round what the road calls “cultural enrichment” — lectures by specialists 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 thought for stylish leisure.
What Viking ships do not provide is a whole lot of onboard amusements geared toward households and youthful vacationers. In truth, the road does not even permit kids underneath the age of 18 on its ships. It is one of many solely main cruise manufacturers on the planet with such a rule.
Viking ships additionally do not cater to the celebration crowd. If it is a floating celebration you are in search of 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 consuming 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 might do with out
- The dearth of health facilities on Viking river ships
The Viking fleet
Viking has extra ships than some other main cruise model on the planet, greater than 100 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. When you’ve seen one, you’ve got seen all of them. Ditto for almost all of the road’s river vessels.
Viking presently operates 14 ocean ships — 12 of that are basically the identical. The exceptions are two Viking ocean vessels particularly designed for expedition cruising — a kind of cruising that includes touring to distant, hard-to-reach locations on hardy vessels that carry their very own touchdown craft.
The 12 ocean ships which might be basically the identical — Viking Vesta, Viking Vela, Viking Saturn, Viking Neptune, Viking Mars, Viking Venus, Viking Jupiter, Viking Orion, Viking Sky, Viking Diyun, 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 larger, 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 six extra of the ships for supply in 2032, 2033 and 2034.
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 step with Viking’s give attention to intimate, upscale voyages. Huge floating resorts, they don’t seem to be.
Be aware that one of many 12 ocean ships on this collection, Viking Yidun, caters to the Chinese language market and isn’t marketed to North People. 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. As of this spring, Viking has 90 river ships in its fleet — an astounding quantity that’s the results of blistering development over the previous decade. (As lately as 2012, the road operated simply 29 river ships.)
As well as, 24 extra Viking river ships are scheduled to debut between now and 2028, with one other 16 on order for 2029 and past.
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As famous above, nearly all of Viking’s river ships are of the identical primary design and are often called the Longships — a reference to the historic vessels utilized by Vikings within the Center Ages.
Most Viking Longships are 443 ft lengthy, the proper size to suit into the locks on a lot of Europe’s rivers. Viking has additionally constructed barely shorter variations of the Longships measuring 262 ft, 361 ft or 410 ft 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, as an example, had been particularly constructed to have the ability to sail into the center of Paris on the Seine River.
Whereas most Viking river ships are Longships, there are a couple of exceptions within the Viking river fleet. Viking operates several smaller, purpose-built vessels on the Nile River in Egypt and the Mekong River in Southeast Asia, and it quickly will debut its first river ships in India. Viking additionally operates a single, relatively large river vessel on the Mississippi River.
As well as, Viking has a number of older river vessels that till lately operated in Russia and Ukraine. (For now, river cruise itineraries in each nations are on maintain because of the Ukraine struggle.)
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Locations and itineraries
Viking has some 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 giant footprint with regards to European river itineraries, with a variety of sailings on practically each European river of any notice.
You will discover Viking river ships working on the Rhine, Primary 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 because of the struggle in Ukraine and will not resume for a few years.)
Viking additionally operates river journeys on the Nile in Egypt, the Mekong River in Southeast Asia and the Mississippi River, and it has lately begun promoting its first river journeys in India (these journeys will debut in late 2027).
The road’s ocean ships will be present in practically each ocean and sea around the globe, from North America to Europe and Asia.
Viking’s ocean ships have a serious presence in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, which the road considers its residence turf. (The corporate was based by a Norwegian household.) It is also a giant participant within the Mediterranean. You will discover Viking’s ocean ships in different key cruise locations as nicely, equivalent to 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 will discover every part from seven-night cruises within the Mediterranean to 169-night around-the-world journeys among the many line’s voyages.
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Who sails Viking
Most Viking passengers are North People 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.
Generally, it is an informed crowd, with many passengers coming from skilled backgrounds or a lifetime of operating their very own companies. They’re usually individuals who have spent years targeted on work and build up 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 delay 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 stuffed with luxurious touches, with the pricing to match (see extra on what Viking journeys price on the backside of this story).
Generally, you will discover a whole lot of {couples} on Viking ships and a few solo vacationers. You will additionally discover the occasional multigenerational group — a retired couple touring with their working-age grownup kids, as an example.
Nonetheless, what you will not discover are households with younger children. As famous above, Viking does not permit passengers underneath the age of 18 on its ships — a key differentiator for the model as in comparison with different cruise strains.
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Cabins and suites
Is a balcony one thing you possibly can’t dwell with out when staying in a cabin on a cruise ship? Viking might be your line.
Viking is without doubt one of the solely cruise manufacturers on the planet that provides 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 provide a lot of suites, a lot of that are fairly spacious. Even the smallest cabins on Viking’s ocean ships are giant by cruise ship requirements at 270 sq. ft, and the most important suites measure practically 1,500 sq. ft.
When you’re in search of a giant, open room on an ocean cruise (and are prepared to pay for it), Viking gives you loads of choices.
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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 fashionable and chic in an understated form of approach, with Scandinavian-influenced furnishings and decor that tie to the Norwegian heritage of the corporate’s founder.
You will discover beds topped with crisp, white duvets and Scandinavian throws, snug modern sofas and chairs in impartial tones, and light-wood desks and facet 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 step with the high-end nature of the model, Viking cabins and suites have a whole lot of 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 suitable 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 e-newsletter whereas mendacity in a Viking cabin mattress.
Different little touches in Viking cabins that present a line serious about performance as a lot as decor embrace the massive and clear lettering on the Freyja toiletries that you’re going to discover in each Viking cabin lavatory. The toiletries had been particularly designed with larger and clearer lettering than is widespread for toiletries on cruise ships and at motels 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’re going to discover on Viking ships will differ enormously relying on whether or not you’re crusing on an ocean or a river ship.
All of Viking’s oceangoing ships, that are a lot larger than its river ships, have not less than 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 primary restaurant (known as, merely, The Restaurant) with rotating menus that embrace dishes that tie to the vacation spot the place the vessel is crusing. There is also an informal buffet known as World Cafe on each vessel. You will most likely eat most of your meals in certainly one of 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 particular delicacies that adjustments each few days.
There is not any additional cost for eating within the smaller eating places, however reservations are required. Every passenger is just allowed to make one to a few reservations per cruise on the eateries, relying on which class of cabin they’ve booked.
Viking’s larger ocean ships even have poolside grills that serve made-to-order gourmand hamburgers and different grill objects. Passengers can seize a snack — with a Norwegian twist — on the forward-facing lounges atop the ships, that are residence 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 equivalent to conventional heart-shaped waffles, specialty truffles and the brown goat cheese that’s discovered across the nation.
Passengers may also 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, provide 4 of the above venues: The Restaurant, World Cafe, Manfredi’s and Mamsen’s.
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Viking’s river ships, in contrast, usually provide simply two eateries: a primary restaurant the place passengers eat most of their meals and a smaller, informal buffet with indoor and out of doors seating.
Enjoyable reality: The Manfredi’s eating places on Viking ocean ships are named after former Silversea Cruises proprietor Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio, a good friend of Viking founder Torstein Hagen. Some Silversea ships, in flip, have lounge areas named after Hagen. Lefebvre now owns luxury line Crystal after shopping for the model out of chapter.
Leisure and actions
Lots 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 knowledgeable on one of many locations you are visiting lecturing within the theater, or a classical musician performing within the central atrium, often called The Residing Room. The ships additionally provide some conventional leisure, together with manufacturing reveals with singers and dancers — all with an aesthetic 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, as an example).
You will additionally discover dwell 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 residence to manufacturing reveals, film showings (with contemporary popcorn accessible) and lectures.
In step 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 fascinating and achieved individuals from all walks of life to function visitor lecturers, together with well-known lecturers, diplomats and even astronauts.
Along with the theater, a secondary lounge area on the ships known as Torshavn is residence to nightly musical leisure (one night time it could be a small band enjoying slow-dance music; the subsequent night time a guitarist). It is also identified for an intensive assortment of Armagnacs, with one from nearly yearly of the previous eight a long time. (A enjoyable recreation is to strive the Armagnac out of your start 12 months. Simply watch out — some years are far dearer than others.)
You will additionally discover musicians, together with pianists and guitar gamers, acting at instances within the Viking Residing Room — a three-deck-high, atriumlike area on the heart of the ship. Crammed with snug seating areas and residential to a bar, the Viking Residing Room serves as a central assembly level for passengers all through the day and night time. It is also residence to the ship’s Explorers’ Desk — the equal of a visitor relations space on different ships.
There’s additionally dwell music at night time within the Explorers’ Lounge, a two-deck-high remark lounge and bar space on the very high of the ship. The Explorers’ Lounge is also residence 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 residence to a pool, sizzling tub and rows of lounge chairs, in addition to snug seating areas.
The complete primary pool space is roofed with a glass magrodome that may be opened on brief 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 snug seating known as the Wintergarden that’s residence to afternoon tea. A den of serenity, it is certainly one of 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 embrace a trendy spa with a thermal suite space that’s open to all passengers at no additional cost (one thing that’s not widespread on cruise vessels) and a health heart.
Be aware that Viking river ships do not need 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 might be devoted to at least one is healthier used for different issues. Nonetheless, if you happen to’re fitness-obsessed, a Viking river ship might not be the only option in your river journey.
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Kids’s program
Viking doesn’t permit kids underneath the age of 18 on its vessels and thus has no kids’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 not less than six months. Be aware that it will be significant that the title in your reservation be precisely as it’s said in your passport or different official proof of nationality.
Gratuities
Viking provides an automated service gratuity (which it calls a “lodge and eating cost”) of $20 per individual, per day to last payments. In case you are sad with the service you obtain, you possibly can alter this quantity earlier than disembarking on the Explorers’ Desk. (It’s also possible to enhance the tip quantity in that 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, one thing that’s comparatively uncommon within the cruise world. Be aware that as a way to guarantee honest utilization for all, the road limits some heavy-bandwidth purposes equivalent to film streaming, downloads and software program upgrades. As an example, you will not be capable to stream Netflix reveals whereas utilizing the free Wi-Fi, one thing you now can do on most strains that cost for Wi-Fi service.
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Carry-on drinks coverage
In contrast to many strains, Viking lets you deliver your personal 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 just allowed in designated out of doors areas. It is forbidden in cabins and on cabin balconies.
Laundry
Some Viking ships, together with all the 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 price.
As well as, most Viking vessels provide 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 residence. Dry cleansing is out there 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
All the 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}.
Ingesting age
You should be 21 to eat alcohol on Viking ships.
Costume code
In the course of the day, there isn’t any particular costume code, and other people costume casually. If it is a sea day in a warm-weather vacation spot, and also you’re sure for the highest deck, a short-sleeve shirt and shorts are simply high-quality.
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, meaning a costume, skirt or slacks with a sweater or shirt for girls, and trousers and a collared shirt for males. A tie and jacket for males are non-obligatory. Denims usually are not permitted.
This night costume code 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 way of a number of tiers that deliver an ever-expanding array of perks. Nonetheless, it does provide a couple of primary perks for previous friends.
When you journey with the model for the primary time, you’ll robotically be eligible for:
- A credit score of $200 per passenger anytime you guide a Viking voyage inside one 12 months of your final Viking voyage. When 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 electronic 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.
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How a lot does a Viking cruise price?
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 few of the line’s extra unique sailings, equivalent to its expedition journeys to Antarctica, price much more. Twelve-night Antarctica journeys begin at $14,995 per individual — about $2,500 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 embrace 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 major worth. Shore excursions within the cruise world will be costly.
Viking additionally contains entry to the thermal areas of its spa in its base fares. Such entry nearly at all times comes with an additional cost on cruise vessels.
Be aware that Viking does cost additional for 2 key issues that many luxurious strains equivalent to Silversea, Seabourn and Regent don’t: alcoholic drinks at bars and gratuities. That is one cause some cruisers don’t take into account Viking at fairly the identical degree of luxurious as these different manufacturers.
How you can guide
When you’re certain you understand what kind of cabin you need, on which ship, on which itinerary — and a few dozen different issues — you possibly can head over to viking.com and guide immediately.
That mentioned, given the complexity of reserving a cruise — there are a whole lot of selections to make in the course of the reserving course of, belief us — we at all times advocate that you simply use a seasoned travel agent who focuses on cruises.
A very good journey agent will quiz you about your explicit pursuits, journey model and preferences, and steer you to the proper cruise line, ship, itinerary and cabin for you. An agent also can show you how to if something goes wrong earlier than, throughout or after your voyage.
When you’re certain that Viking is your line, search for a journey agent who focuses on journeys with the model. You need somebody who is aware of all the line’s many itineraries intimately and, ideally, has sailed on or not less than inspected a few of the line’s vessels, too, to grasp the assorted cabin varieties and onboard facilities.
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Whether or not you employ a journey agent or not, ensure to maximize your credit card spending when paying for the cruise through the use of a bank card that offers extra points for travel purchases.
Backside line
Viking will be outlined as a lot by what it is not as what it’s. It is not a line for households with younger kids. It is not a line that provides megaships topped with each form of amusement identified to people. And it is not a line for the celebration crowd.
What it is is a line that has targeted 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.
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