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Viking Cruises fleet

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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 Ships by Size, Age and Class (2022)

Viking Cruises has an active fleet of eight ships currently with ten further ships on order ( Viking Polaris , Viking Neptune and Viking Mars due in 2022, Viking Saturn due in 2023 and six further Ocean-class ships which are unnamed at present).

In this guide, we will cover all the different ships in the Viking Cruises fleet and how they compare to each other.

Introduction to Viking Cruises

Viking Cruises is actually one of the subsidiaries of the recently (2020) renamed Viking corporation. The company consists of Viking Ocean Cruises, Viking River Cruises and Viking Expedition Cruises.

Viking Cruises was founded in 1997 by Torstein Hagen (a Norwegian billionaire) in St. Petersburg, Russia with the launch of four Russian river cruise ships offering luxury river cruises in Russia. They are now headquartered in Basel, Switzerland (for operations) but have a marketing team and offices in North America.

It wasn’t until 2013 that the company launched Ocean-going cruise ships and today they have a fleet of six ocean-going ships and two expedition ships (as well as the largest fleet of river ships in the world, totalling 76 ships).

The first ocean-going Viking ship was Viking Star which took its maiden voyage in 2015.

Each of the Viking Ocean Cruises ships is identical in size, capacity and design. Viking Ocean ships have a distinct feature over many other cruise ships – they have no inside cabins, each one instead has a private balcony!

One notable exception to the fleet is Viking Sun , which has actually been renamed Zhao Shang Yi Dun and sails under a Chinese flag exclusively for the Chinese market under a joint partnership between Viking Cruises and China Merchants Shekou Cruises .

Viking Cruises Ships Frequently Asked Questions

Which is viking cruises newest ship.

Viking Octantis is the latest Viking Expedition ship and Viking Venus is the latest Viking Ocean ship.

Which is Viking Cruises biggest ship?

All of the Viking Ocean ships are the same size. But they are all bigger than the Viking Expedition ships.

Which is Viking Cruises smallest ship?

All of the Viking Ocean ships are the same size. However, the Viking Expedition ships are smaller at 30,150 GRT and carry only 378 passengers each.

What is Viking Cruises oldest ship?

Viking Star is the oldest ship in the Viking Ocean Cruises fleet. Her maiden voyage was in 2015.

Who owns Viking Cruises?

Viking Cruises is a privately owned company founded by the Norwegian Billionaire, Torstein Hagen .

Are Viking Cruises ships all the same?

All of the Ocean-class ships are identical. The two Expedition-class ships are also identical to each other.

Are Viking Ocean Cruises and Viking River Cruises the same?

Yes. In 2020 Viking Cruises was renamed to just ‘Viking’ and now have Viking Ocean Cruises, Viking River Cruises and Viking Expedition Cruises as their three main brands.

How many passengers are on a Viking Ocean Cruise?

All Viking Ocean cruise ships have a maximum capacity of 930 passengers.

Did Viking Sky sink?

No. In March 2019 Viking Sky became stranded off the coast of Norway. 460 of the passengers were rescued by helicopter, with the rest of the passengers staying on board until the ship reached Molde safely. No one was injured and the ship was repaired.

What caused the engine failure on Viking Sky?

The ship’s engines suffered an automatic shut down due to the loss of oil pressure. Due to the bad weather, the ship rolled quite significantly (though well within operational limits) and various fixtures and fittings were broken. As a safety precaution, just under half the passengers were evacuated before the ship managed to restart one engine and sail under its own power to the Port of Molde, Norway.

Where is Viking Sun?

Viking Sun was renamed Zhao Shang Yi Dun and sails exclusively in the Chinese market via a joint partnership with China Merchants Shekou Cruises.

Viking Cruises Ships by Size (from largest to smallest)

What does ‘tonnage (grt)’ mean.

GRT (Gross Registered Tonnage) is a term used to calculate the volume inside a ship. It is a measure of cubic capacity and is calculated by the total volume from inside the hull and decks of the ship. 1 GRT = 100 cubic feet of space. In essence, the bigger the GRT – the more ‘space’ the ship has for passengers, cargo, etc.

How are ‘Passengers (Max)’ calculated?

You’ll see multiple numbers for passengers on ships – this is because many ships include extra beds in cabins (such as the sofa/couch can convert to a pull-out bed) – but the majority of cabins usually have 2 people in them. the ‘Max’ number is if every cabin used their additional pull-out bed, etc. This number is unlikely to be reached very frequently.

Viking Cruises Ships by Age (from newest to oldest)

Are all of viking cruises ships new builds.

Yes. All of the Viking Ocean Cruise ships are purpose-built for Viking. The current and future ships are all built by Fincantieri in Maghera, Italy.

Viking Cruises Ships by Class (from newest to oldest)

What is the difference between the ocean-class ships.

There is no physical difference between the Ocean-class ships, they are all the same size, design and capacity. They do differ in various artwork through each ship.

Each of the Viking Ocean ships is rated Ice Class 1C which is the lowest rating for ships – this is about 0.4m of ice in the Baltic regions.

What is the difference between the Ocean-class and the Expedition-class ships?

The Viking Expedition ships are purpose-built expedition ships to sail in Antarctica and the Great Lakes where the ship not only carries fare-paying passengers but also conducts scientific research throughout the voyage too.

The two ships ( Viking Octantis now sailing and Viking Polaris due in late 2022) are both rated Polar Class 6 which allows them to operate through ice in Summer/Autumn and medium first-year ice.

Both ships have a passenger capacity of just 378 passengers and carry numerous extra technical pieces of equipment, including two submarines, a first for a cruise ship.

Final Thoughts

Viking has come a long way since it was founded back in 1997. From redefining River Cruises, they swiftly moved on to redefine Ocean Cruising with their matching ships and child-free policies and now are moving into the smaller, but fast-growing market of expedition cruising.

Whichever ocean ship you choose, you will feel at home with Viking’s nod to all things Norwegian and exploring – you’ll enjoy the same facilities and layout on each ship too, which makes cruising with them a dream – just pick your region and enjoy your voyage!

If you enjoyed this article you may like our other articles that compare  MSC Cruises ,  Royal Caribbean ,  Holland America Line  and Celebrity Cruises ships .

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The 3 types of Viking cruise ships, explained

Viking is unusual among major cruise lines in that it operates both ocean ships and river ships. Despite this, it has one of the easiest-to-understand fleets.

The vast majority of Viking's river ships — at last count, there were 80 — feature the same design. If you've seen one of them, you've seen them all.

Ditto for the line's ocean ships. Nine of Viking's 11 ocean ships are nearly identical. The two exceptions are the recently unveiled Viking ocean vessels specifically designed for expedition cruising — a type of cruising that involves traveling to remote, hard-to-reach places on hardy vessels that carry their own landing craft.

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As a result, the bulk of Viking's vessels falls into one of just three groups; all the ships in each group sport nearly identical designs.

An introduction to Viking cruise ships

Viking has expanded enormously in recent years with the addition of dozens of new river and ocean ships.

Founded in 1997 with four river vessels, the company operated just 29 ships as recently as 2012. Now, there are more than 90 ships in its fleet.

The vast majority of these ships are river ships — the company's sole focus for its first 18 years in business. The company dominates the market for river cruises aimed at North Americans, accounting for about 50% of all such trips.

Starting in 2015, Viking began rolling out ocean cruise ships, too.

In early 2023, as noted above, Viking had 80 river ships in its fleet — almost all of which have the same basic design. The exceptions are a few vessels that Viking operates on rivers in Egypt and Asia (more on these ships below). The line also recently began offering cruises on the Mississippi River and its tributaries using a new type of vessel.

Related: The ultimate guide to Viking ships and itineraries

Viking's ocean ships fall into two distinct groups: a series of 930-passenger traditional ocean ships that began debuting in 2015, and a series of 378-passenger expedition ships that began debuting in 2022.

Unlike most cruise lines, Viking doesn't use the term "classes" to define different sets of ships in its fleet. Instead, it refers to its series of traditional ocean ships as the "Viking ocean ships" and its series of expedition ships as the "Viking expedition ships." We've followed the same breakdown of the line's ocean and river fleet below.

Viking ocean ships

Ships: Viking Saturn (2023), Viking Neptune (2022), Viking Mars (2022), Viking Venus (2021), Viking Jupiter (2019), Viking Orion (2018), Zhao Shang Yi Dun (2017), Viking Sky (2017), Viking Sea (2016) and Viking Star (2015).

Size: 47,800 tons.

For years, Viking only operated river ships, and some cruisers still think of the brand primarily as a river cruise company. However, since 2015, Viking has been rapidly rolling out a series of upscale ocean vessels; these new additions are increasingly dominating the world of higher-end ocean cruising.

As of June 2023, Viking has nine ships sailing the world's oceans, each with a capacity for 930 passengers. That gives Viking 8,370 berths in the upscale ocean cruise market — more than competitors Oceania Cruises and Azamara combined.

The series is far from finished. Six more of the vessels are on order from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri for delivery between 2024 and 2028, and the company also has options with Fincantieri for four more of the ships to debut in 2029 and 2030. Assuming they are all built, Viking's ocean division will soon be bigger than Oceania, Azamara, Seabourn and Silversea Cruises combined.

The first thing to know about the ships in this series is that they all are pretty much identical. When sailing on any one of them, you will be hard-pressed to tell what is different.

They're also quite upscale. While Viking doesn't market itself as a luxury line, some still consider it so. The vessels are full of luxury touches, from sumptuous bedding in cabins to heated floors in cabin bathrooms.

Related: The complete guide to Viking cabins and suites

Each of the ships in this series has a stylish, Scandinavian-influenced design that is a Viking trademark, and the cabins are large by cruise ship standards. Even the smallest cabins on each of the vessels have 270 square feet of space — a generous amount. Many cabins are significantly bigger than that, with 14 two-room suites on each of the vessels ranging in size from 757 to 1,448 square feet. Many of these bigger suites offer sweeping views from wrap-around private balconies.

Each of the ships' interior spaces is built around an elegant, three-deck-high atrium filled with comfortable seating areas that have a living room-like feel. Each also has a bar and guest relations desk. At the top of the ships, you'll find two-deck-high, glass-walled lounges that offer stunning views over the bow. Other interior spaces include a fitness center and a stylish spa with a thermal suite area that is open to all passengers at no extra charge (something that is not common on cruise vessels).

Multiple restaurants on board each of the vessels include Italian eatery Manfredi's (named after former Silversea owner Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, a friend of Viking founder Torstein Hagen) and The Chef's Table. The latter features rotating themed menus.

The centerpiece of the top deck of each of the ships is the main pool area, which features a glass magrodome that can close during inclement weather. The main pool area on each of the ships sits next to a lovely, glass-topped lounge with comfortable seating called the Wintergarden, which is home to afternoon tea. A den of serenity, it's one of our favorite places on these vessels.

A secondary pool area with an infinity pool is at the back of each of the ships.

While all of the ships in this series are essentially identical, you will find small differences on a few of them. Most notably, two of the vessels in the series — Viking Orion and Viking Jupiter — have a small planetarium built into the top level of the two-level lounge at their fronts (known as the Explorers' Lounge). Some of the later ships in the series have slightly larger fitness centers and slightly smaller hair salons.

Note that in addition to the nine Viking ocean ships officially in the Viking fleet, a 10th ship from the same series, Zhao Shang Yi Dun, caters exclusively to the China market as part of a joint venture between Viking and a Chinese company. When it debuted in 2017, the ship originally catered to the North American market and was called Viking Sun.

Viking river ships

Ships: Viking Fjorgyn (2022), Viking Kari (2022), Viking Radgrid (2022), Viking Skaga (2022) and more than 60 other Longships built since 2012, as well as additional river vessels.

Size: 4,000 to 5,000 tons.

River ships originally put Viking on the map, and they're still at the core of the brand.

As noted above, the line has 80 river ships in its fleet. The vast majority of them have the same basic design and are known as Longships — a reference to the historic vessels used by Vikings in the Middle Ages.

Unveiled in 2012 and designed specifically to fit into the locks used across many of Europe's rivers, the Longships broke new ground in river ship design in multiple ways.

For starters, they have a configuration that includes some of the largest suites ever for river ships in Europe. They also have a significant number of cabins with balconies — which is made possible by an innovative cabin area layout that offsets main corridors. (In other words, the corridors don't run down the middle of the ship, creating a wider side with space for balconies and a narrower side with cabins turned sideways to also create room for verandas.)

Related: The ultimate guide to Viking's cruise loyalty program

Other innovations include a squared-off bow that allows for eight more cabins than similarly sized ships operated by competitors. Also, quieter engines allow for more cabins at the rear. An enormous amount of groundbreaking engineering went into redesigning the bow areas of the ships, in particular, to enable extra cabins while still leaving room for needed machinery.

As a result of such innovations, the Viking Longships can carry more passengers than similarly sized ships operated by competitors. This has allowed Viking to offer lower prices than other river cruise lines and still bring in a similar amount of revenue per ship — a fact that has contributed greatly to the company's rapid growth.

Like many river ships, each of the Viking Longships has one main restaurant where most passengers eat their meals as well as one main interior lounge with a bar. There's also a secondary, casual dining area at the front of each vessel with indoor and outdoor seating. (The outdoor portion, called the Aquavit Terrace, also serves as a forward-facing outdoor lounge during off hours.) Unlike many river ships, the vessels have no spas or fitness centers.

As is typical for river ships, the top of every Viking Longship is covered with an expansive lounge area. There's also a walking track and an herb garden — the latter used by the kitchen staff to grow herbs used during the preparation of onboard meals.

Most Viking Longships are 443 feet long — the perfect length to fit into the locks on many of Europe's rivers. Viking also built slightly smaller versions of the Longships, measuring 361 feet or 410 feet in length, specifically to sail on rivers where lock sizes or other navigational factors require smaller vessels. The 410-foot-long versions of the vessels, for instance, were specifically built to sail into the heart of Paris on the Seine River.

Related: Fast-growing Viking unveils four new ships for the Seine

While the Longships come in several different lengths, they are essentially identical in their offerings and decor. The only notable difference is that the smaller versions of the ships have fewer cabins and thus hold fewer people. The 443-foot-long versions of the ship are designed for 190 passengers, for example, whereas the 410-foot-long versions of the vessels hold 168 passengers (since they have 11 fewer cabins).

While most Viking river ships are Longships, there are a few exceptions in the Viking river fleet. Viking operates several smaller, purpose-built vessels on the Nile River in Egypt. It also has several older river vessels that predate the Longships and traditionally have operated on rivers in Russia and Ukraine. (For now, river cruise itineraries in both countries are on hold due to the war in Ukraine.)

Viking also recently began sailings on the Mississippi River with a new ship specifically designed for the river and its tributaries.

As of May 2023, Viking had another 14 river ships either under construction or on order via provisional contracts.

Related: First look at Viking's stylish new Nile River ship

Viking expedition ships

Ships: Viking Polaris (2022) and Viking Octantis (2022).

Size: 30,150 tons.

Designed to hold just 378 passengers, the Viking expedition ships are specifically designed to take travelers to the most off-the-beaten-path parts of the world, including Antarctica and the Arctic.

As of now, Viking operates just two ships in the series, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, both of which debuted in 2022 . No more are currently on order.

As is typical for expedition ships, these are tough vessels with reinforced bows that let them bump through ice in polar regions; the ships also have extra tanks for fuel and food.

Each of these vessels has its own landing craft on board to bring people ashore in remote locations, as well as kayaks and even submarines for exploring. (The latter is the hot new thing for expedition ships — upscale cruise brands Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Seabourn have been adding submarines to expedition ships , too.)

Like other expedition ships, both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris are designed to operate with a large and seasoned "expedition team" that includes biologists, botanists, geologists, glaciologists and ornithologists who lecture regularly.

Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Viking ship

Each of the vessels has several new and unusual features, too. Most notable is The Hangar: an enclosed marina that allows passengers to transfer to a 12-seat excursion craft while still in the protected interior of the ship. It's a first for an expedition cruise ship.

In another first for a polar expedition cruise vessel, every cabin has floor-to-ceiling glass walls that slide partially open from the top to create a balcony-like feel.

Both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris are designed to be upscale. Like all Viking's vessels, they boast elegant Scandinavian designs. The restaurants on both vessels include a version of Viking's signature Italian spot, Manfredi's and the Scandinavian-inspired Mamsen's outlet.

Another feature of both ships that will be familiar to regular Viking customers is a top-of-the-ship, glass-walled Explorers' Lounge offering stunning views of passing scenery.

In case you're curious, Viking Octantis is named after Sigma Octantis, the current "south star" that hovers over the South Pole (also known as Polaris Australis). Polaris is named after the current "north star" that hovers over the North Pole. The names are a nod to the polar regions where these expedition ships will likely spend much of their time.

Bottom line

Viking operates more cruise vessels than any other major cruise company catering to North Americans. This is in part because it's involved in both the ocean cruise and river cruise businesses. Despite its large size, its fleet of vessels is relatively easy to understand. The vast majority of both its ocean ships and river ships are almost identical in their designs.

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The Viking Ocean Fleet

Discover Our Ships

Viking boasts a fleet of small, all-veranda, modern ocean ships. Each sister ship is engineered at a scale that allows direct access into most ports. Classified by Cruise Critic as “small ships,” the fleet features understated elegance and Scandinavian design.

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Ship Videos

Viking Jupiter Float Out

May 10, 2018. The 930-guest Viking Jupiter —the sixth Viking ocean ship—touches water for the first time during its “Float Out” in Ancona, Italy. Join Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen and Norwegian soprano Sissel Kyrkjebø, the ship’s godmother, as they celebrate this major construction milestone.

Viking Jupiter Naming Ceremony

January 15, 2020. Amid a festive celebration that paid tribute to the spirit of exploration, our sixth ocean vessel was officially named in Los Angeles, California. The ship’s godmother, world-renowned Norwegian soprano and crossover singer Sissel, offered a blessing of good fortune and safe sailing for Viking Jupiter —a naval tradition that dates back thousands of years.

Viking Orion Naming Ceremony

June 14, 2018. Amid a spectacular celebration that paid tribute to the spirit of exploration, our fifth ocean vessel was officially named in Livorno, Italy. The ship’s godmother, retired NASA astronaut Dr. Anna Fisher offered a blessing of good fortune and safe sailing for Viking Orion —a naval tradition that dates back thousands of years.

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Viking Venus

Launched in May 2021 from Portsmouth, England, Viking Venus features modern amenities and a contemporary design. The ship can hold 930 passengers and 465 crew members. Amenities include multiple pools and shops, as well as a cinema, a live performance theater, a jazz lounge, a spa, a fitness center and a salon. Plus, you can attend a lecture or discussion with the onboard historian, who helps educate passengers on the cultural aspects of each destination. An onboard cooking school, The Kitchen Table, also allows guests to learn about each destination's unique cuisine. 

Cruisers can enjoy daily updated food options at The Restaurant, diverse cuisine at the World Café, expertly paired tasting menus at The Chef's Table and Italian favorites at Manfredi's Italian Restaurant. There are eight dining venues on board in total, in addition to the ship's cooking school at The Kitchen Table and 24/7 room service.

When it's time to rest, there are six types of accommodations to choose from – all with private verandas. The standard Veranda Staterooms measure 270 square feet and feature plush beds, free Wi-Fi access and flat-screen TVs. Higher-tier rooms come with extras like priority shore excursion reservations, priority spa reservations, in-room coffee and free laundry services. Plus, travelers in these cabins will have more space: Rooms reach up to 1,448 square feet and may include separate living and dining areas.

The Viking Venus sails to popular European destinations like Barcelona , Athens , Bangkok , Istanbul , Rome , London , Sydney and Stockholm .

Viking Saturn

Debuted in May 2023, the adults-only Viking Saturn has the capacity to hold 930 passengers and 465 crew members. Travelers love the ship's clean Scandinavian design and compact size, which allows it to dock in smaller ports that larger cruise ships cannot reach.

On board, travelers have access to a slew of amenities, including a fitness center, a spa, a library, a state-of-the-art theater, a hair salon, an infinity pool and more. A resident historian is also on board to offer lectures and educational programming about upcoming port destinations. When hunger strikes, Viking Saturn offers an array of dining options, from fresh seafood at World Café to afternoon tea service at Wintergarden to traditional Norwegian cuisine at Mamsen's. Or, learn how to prepare regional dishes from your itinerary at the onboard cooking school.

Starting at 270 square feet, standard staterooms come equipped with king-size mattresses (which can be converted into two twin beds), flat-screen TVs, full-size verandas and bathrooms with heated floors. What's more, each accommodation includes 24-hour room service. Travelers who opt to stay in one of the ship's upgraded suites (which reach up to 1,448 square feet) have access to additional perks such as separate living areas and dining rooms, complimentary laundry services and a welcome bottle of Champagne, among other luxuries.

Viking Saturn sails to a variety of destinations in northern Europe (such as Bergen, Norway; London  and Stockholm ) and the Mediterranean (think: Barcelona, Spain ; Rome ; Athens, Greece ; and Istanbul ).

The 930-passenger Viking Sky – which debuted in February 2017 – receives rave reviews from past cruisers for its port-heavy itineraries (fares include one complimentary excursion per port) and luxurious, comfortable staterooms. Cabins offer between 270 and 1,448 square feet of space and include balconies, complimentary Wi-Fi access, flat-screen TVs and bathrooms with heated floors, among other amenities. Those who opt for an upgraded stateroom or suite are treated to additional perks, like priority reservations at the spa and specialty restaurants.

Viking Sky's activities include classes at the fitness center, treatments at the spa and destination-focused lectures. The ship also offers two pools and two whirlpools, including an infinity pool on the stern of the ship. In the evenings, passengers can enjoy live performances in the theater or watch destination-related movies in one of two cinemas.

Guests also have their choice of cuisine, from alfresco dining on the Aquavit Terrace to Manfredi's Italian Restaurant. With 550 crew members on board, the ship maintains a nearly 2-to-1 guest-to-crew ratio.

Viking Sky sails to the Mediterranean, Europe, Central America and more. The ship also offers world voyages.

Viking Mars

Viking's newest ship, the Viking Mars accommodates 930 passengers and, since it's a smaller vessel, it can dock in many ports where some of the larger ocean-faring cruise ships can't reach. The all-veranda accommodations on this ship, which debuted in May 2022, range in size from around 270 square feet to 1,448 square feet. In-room amenities include free Wi-Fi access, flat-screen TVs, safes, minibars filled with drinks and snacks, robes, slippers and 24-hour room service.

Visitors will find a relaxing spa, a hair salon, a yoga area and a well-equipped indoor fitness center (plus an outdoor fitness center) aboard the ship. Those looking to unwind with a book in one hand and a cocktail in the other should snag a cozy spot in The Living Room. Like other Viking ships, the Viking Mars offers educational programming, lectures, cooking classes and more on board.

Cruisers can also enjoy amenities like the main pool and hot tub, the infinity pool, the cinema, the theater, a jazz lounge and various bars. Dining options on this ship include Manfredi's Italian Restaurant, Aquavit Terrace, World Café, The Chef's Table and The Kitchen Table.

Viking Mars receives rave reviews from recent cruisers. The variety of excursions, the delectable onboard dining and the comfortable cabins are a few things previous guests highlighted as superb. However, the staff received mixed reviews: Some experienced attentive and friendly employees, while a few noted they were expecting better service across the board for the price point.

Upcoming itineraries on the Viking Mars include cruises with ports of call in Iceland, Norway, Greece, Italy, Spain, the U.S. and Canada.

Viking Jupiter

Debuted in February 2019, Viking Jupiter is the cruise line's sixth ocean vessel. The ship sleeps up to 930 guests in luxurious staterooms that include everything from large bathrooms to comfortable king-sized beds. As an added bonus, each room is equipped with free Wi-Fi access.

Travelers will have the opportunity to indulge in several onboard activities. They can visit the spa's snow grotto and chill beneath the snowflakes, go for a swim in the infinity pool or let their worries melt away in the hot tub. The Bar and The Living Room offer additional spaces to unwind with a cocktail or mingle with fellow cruisers.

For afternoon tea and light snacks, travelers can stop by Wintergarden, or for a heartier meal, the main dining room, Manfredi's Italian Restaurant or World Café offer scrumptious European delicacies, Chinese fare and everything in between. In the evening, cruisers can catch a live show in The Theater or a destination-themed movie in one of two onboard cinemas.

Recent travelers were wowed by the ship, appreciating its tasteful, minimalist decor. They also found the food delicious and suggested purchasing the upgraded drink package.

Viking Jupiter visits ports in Buenos Aires , Barcelona  and more on both regional and transatlantic cruises.

U.S. News Insider Tip: Viking Jupiter and Viking Orion are the only two ships in the fleet that have a planetarium called the Explorer’s Dome. Refer to the daily program, the Viking Star, to see what shows are available during your voyage. – Gwen Pratesi, Contributor

Launched in April 2016, Viking Sea is the second vessel in Viking's Ocean Cruises fleet. Carrying 930 passengers, the ship's small size is designed to allow direct access to smaller ports around the world.

Viking Sea's staterooms range from 270-square-foot Veranda Staterooms to the 1,448-square-foot Owner's Suite. All accommodations include balconies, flat-screen TVs, king-sized beds, complimentary Wi-Fi access and bathrooms with heated floors. Those who splurge on upgraded staterooms receive extra perks like priority reservations for excursions, spa treatments and specialty restaurants.

The ship's facilities include a fitness center, a Nordic spa (complete with a snow grotto), an outdoor gym and yoga area, a theater and a one-of-a-kind infinity pool on the stern of the ship that gives the illusion of swimming in the ocean.

When you work up an appetite, the Viking Sea offers a variety of dining options to quell your hunger. They range from casual Norwegian cuisine at Mamsen's to alfresco dining on the Aquavit Terrace. Recent passengers report a stellar onboard experience, describing the food as delicious, the ship as comfortable and the service as top-notch.

Viking Sea sails to ports across Alaska, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and the West Indies.

Viking Star

Debuted in 2015, Viking Star was the fleet's first ocean liner. Welcoming up to 930 passengers, the ship features all-veranda staterooms ranging from 270 to 1,448 square feet. The Owner's Suite offers a dining area that can seat six, an ocean view dry sauna and a 12-seat boardroom, among other amenities.

Beyond their rooms, passengers will find a spa, several shops, a theater that hosts live performances and lectures, two cinemas for screening movies and two pools, including a glass-backed infinity pool cantilevered off the stern.

There are eight dining options to choose from, all with no additional charge or fee. For fine dining, there's The Restaurant, Manfredi's Italian Restaurant and The Chef's Table, which touts a multicourse tasting menu with wine pairings. For a more casual atmosphere, passengers can stop at Mamsen's for Norwegian deli-style eats or the Wintergarden for afternoon tea.

Viking Star sails to destinations in Europe, Central America, the Mediterranean and more.

Viking Orion

The 930-passenger Viking Orion set sail in 2018. All staterooms on the Viking Orion are equipped with balconies, flat-screen LCD TVs and minibars. Cabins also feature bathrooms with glass-enclosed showers and heated floors.

When it's time to relax, cruisers can head to the spa for a treatment or – for a unique experience – cool their body temperatures down in the snow grotto (where snowflakes fall) before jumping into the sauna or hot tub to warm up. Recent travelers said this spa experience is not to be missed. 

The ship is also home to a fitness center, a living room that hosts live entertainment, a library, shops, a salon and two movie theaters. The main pool area is expansive, featuring ample lounge seating, a retractable roof and a poolside bar. At night, the ship screens poolside movies under the stars. 

Viking Orion's guests can enjoy meals at several onboard restaurants, including the main restaurant where menus rotate daily. Or, guests can book a private dining room for intimate gatherings. Recent cruisers raved about the service and food quality across the ship. Come nighttime, the ship's theater offers live performances ranging from themed shows to history and art lectures.

Viking Orion sails to Australia and New Zealand, Asia and Alaska.

U.S. News Insider Tip: One of the most relaxing spaces on Viking Orion (and all of Viking’s ocean ships) is the glass-enclosed Wintergarden, which is located next to the pool area. Afternoon tea is served every day, and it’s not to be missed at least one time during your cruise. – Gwen Pratesi, Contributor

Viking Neptune

Viking Neptune sailed its maiden voyage in December 2022. Those familiar with Viking Cruises may notice this ship is not the first Viking Neptune; an earlier vessel from the early 2000s was the first to bear the name. 

The new 930-passenger, 470-crew boat resembles its sister ship Viking Mars with its modern features and contemporary Scandinavian design. Amenities on board include a spa, a fitness center, a jazz lounge and theaters that host destination-focused live entertainment and movies. 

The all-veranda ship allows guests to enjoy ocean views from any room. The standard Veranda Stateroom measures 270 square feet and features a king-size bed, 42-inch flat screen TV and free Wi-Fi access. Travelers looking for more spacious accommodations can opt for a Suite room. These rooms can reach up to 1,448 square feet and may include separate living and dining room spaces. 

Cruisers have eight restaurants to choose from. The Restaurant – the ship's main dining facility – provides regional cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients, while the World Café serves up international dishes. The ship also has a few specialty restaurants included in the fare, such as Manfredi's Italian Restaurant and Mamsen's, a Norwegian specialty cafe. Just keep in mind, these specialty eateries require guests to make reservations. 

Viking Neptune sails to ports throughout Europe , the Mediterranean, Canada and the United States . The ship also offers transatlantic and world cruises.  

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Viking River Cruises boasts the most extensive fleet of river cruises vessels, and we are proud to offer you the best ships in each region where we travel. Viking ships are specially designed to navigate the world’s great rivers and provide convenient daily access to a plethora of destinations and experiences. Enjoy all the comfort and elegance of river cruising: attentive and professional staff, delicious onboard meals and spectacular scenery from every stateroom and public area.

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You’re about to discover the most convenient way to see the world. On a Viking ship, you will sail into the heart of your destination, so you can explore up close and in depth.

Our innovative, award-winning Viking Longships have set the standard in river cruising: our intimate vessels have all the amenities of a fine hotel, providing the ideal opportunity to comfortably be transported each day to and from your next destination—where enriching discoveries are usually just a short walk from your ship.

Throughout our decades of sailing the world’s great rivers, Viking has repeatedly reinvented the European river cruise vessel. By continuously building upon our tradition of innovation, we have set industry standard and delighted our guests. Meander along Europe’s great waterways, gliding past magnificent vistas and pausing to explore riverside ports.

Float along the life-giving Nile River on the new, all-suite Viking Ra , enjoying comfort and style that ancient pharaohs could only have dreamed of, and witness the monuments of ancient civilizations that once flourished on the river’s banks. You also spend time in some of the best hotels in Cairo on each of our Egypt cruisetours.

This new, state-of-the-art vessel was inspired by our award-winning Viking Longships ® and features the clean Scandinavian design for which Viking is known, as well as public spaces that are familiar to our river and ocean cruise guests but have been reimagined for Mississippi River voyages.

Designed to navigate the Mekong River, hosting just 80 guests, Viking Saigon offers understated elegance and has been built to reflect the clean, Scandinavian design principles for which Viking is known. Explore one of the world’s most scenic regions in comfort with outdoor verandas, hotel-style beds and public areas bathed in light, offering panoramic views of your surroundings.

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Sunset Cruises

Montauk sunset cocktail cruise.

Take a scenic cruise to Fort Pond Bay to witness one of the unbelievable sunsets the East End has to offer. Beverages are available for purchase from our on-board bar.

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The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Viking cruise ship

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Fast-growing Viking has one of the most diverse arrays of itineraries of any cruise line.

Not only does the California-based company offer ocean cruises in almost every corner of the world, it also offers river cruises on many of the world’s major rivers.

That’s notably different from most cruise lines. Typically, cruise lines operate either ocean cruises or river cruises but not both. That gives them a smaller range of itineraries.

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Viking has a particularly large footprint when it comes to European river itineraries, with a wide range of sailings on nearly every European river of any note, from the Douro in Portugal to (until recently) the Volga in Russia.

The company also operates river trips on the Nile in Egypt and the Mekong in Southeast Asia, and it just began river trips on the Mississippi River .

There are 80 river ships in Viking’s fleet — an astounding number. None of its main competitors among river lines catering to North Americans, which include Avalon Waterways, Uniworld and AmaWaterways , have anywhere near that number of vessels.

Related: First look at Viking’s stylish new Nile River ship

Among ocean cruise destinations, Viking has a major presence in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, which it considers its home turf. (The company was founded by a Norwegian family.) However, you’ll find Viking’s nine traditional ocean ships everywhere from North America to Asia and Australia.

Last year, the line began cruising to Antarctica with its first expedition ship — a type of vessel built specifically for travel to remote, hard-to-reach places. Viking now has two such vessels.

Among the line’s voyages, there’s everything from eight-day cruises in the Mediterranean to 138-day around-the-world voyages.

Overwhelmed with choices? Here are the five best Viking cruise destinations where the line can truly offer you a memorable vacation.

Scandinavia and Northern Europe

Some of Viking’s most interesting itineraries are around Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea, with many beginning or ending in Norway — the homeland of the company’s founder and chairman, Torstein Hagen.

As Hagen once told me, Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea are what the company considers “Viking country” — a region where it wants to dominate.

During summers, in particular, Viking devotes an unusually large number of its ships to itineraries around Scandinavia, the Baltic Sea and other Northern Europe destinations such as Iceland. Many, notably, use the relatively small but famously scenic Norwegian city of Bergen (population 286,000) as a gateway, something no other line is doing. That allows for unusual variations on the typical Baltic Sea or Norwegian fjords cruise.

The line’s most popular route in the region, “Viking Homelands,” is a two-week-long, one-way trip between Bergen and Stockholm that combines several days of exploring the fjord region of Norway’s west coast with more-typical Baltic cruise destinations such as St. Petersburg, Russia, and Helsinki.

Related: The ultimate guide to Viking ships and itineraries

Note that, in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Viking has pulled the St. Petersburg stop, as well as stops in Finland and Estonia from the Viking Homelands itinerary; the trips instead feature extra stops in Norway and Denmark. It’s unlikely St. Petersburg will return to the itinerary until the war in Ukraine is resolved.

Viking also offers a 14-night itinerary that includes several stops in the northernmost part of the country above the Arctic Circle. Dubbed “Into the Midnight Sun,” the one-way route between Bergen and London is unique because it combines calls in far-north Honningsvag and Tromso, Norway, with visits to Scotland’s remote Shetland Islands and the Orkney Islands. Though part of the United Kingdom, these archipelagos have ties to Norwegian and Viking history.

Itineraries that will take you from Bergen to Iceland or even as far away as France, Portugal and Spain also are available.

Viking’s Scandinavia and Northern Europe trips range widely in length from just seven nights to a whopping 28 nights.

Among the longest sailings that Viking offers that include calls in Northern Europe are one-way, 28-night voyages between Bergen and New York City. The trips include stops in Norway, Iceland, Greenland and Canada.

In Northern Europe, Viking ships mostly sail out of Bergen, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Copenhagen and London as well as Reykjavik.

The Mediterranean

Viking has grown into a major player in Mediterranean sailings, with more than 30 distinct itineraries that include stops in the region.

The trips include voyages focused specifically on the Western Mediterranean or Eastern Mediterranean and some that include stops across both areas.

Typical of the latter is the line’s 14-night “Mediterranean Antiquities” routing, a one-way trip between Athens and Barcelona that stops in Greece, Turkey, Italy, Monaco, France and Spain.

More-focused Mediterranean itineraries include the line’s nine-night “Empires of the Mediterranean” voyages between Venice and Athens, which mostly concentrate on stops along the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea in Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro.

In the Mediterranean, the line’s main hubs are Barcelona; Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) and Venice, Italy; Piraeus (the port for Athens), Greece; and Istanbul.

Related: The complete guide to Viking cabins and suites  

Europe riverways

Viking is, quite simply, the giant of river cruising in Europe — at least among lines that cater to English speakers. The company operates around 70 river ships on a broad swath of the continent’s rivers — far more than any other river line catering to North Americans.

In all, the line accounts for about half of all river cruises taken by North Americans in the region. The next biggest player in Europe river cruises for North Americans, AmaWaterways, is less than half the size.

Among the rivers in Europe where Viking has a major presence are the Rhine, Main 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. Until recently, Viking also offered cruises on the Dnieper River in Ukraine. The voyages have been suspended since Russia invaded the country in early 2022.

On nearly all of the rivers, the line offers multiple itineraries with lengths ranging from seven nights to as many as 22 nights.

Among 10 different itineraries on the Rhine River alone, offerings range from a seven-night “Rhine Getaway” from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, to a 22-night “European Sojourn” from Amsterdam to Bucharest, Romania. The latter adds travel on the Main and Danube rivers to days on the Rhine.

Viking offers some of the most intimate and elegant cruises on the Nile, with three ships including the recently unveiled, 82-passenger Viking Osiris — one of our favorite vessels on the river.

All three of Viking’s Nile ships operate the same seven-night Nile cruise itinerary that Viking pairs with a four-night stay at a hotel in Cairo (three nights before the cruise and one night after) to create an 11-night “Pharaohs and Pyramids” tour of Egypt.

Related: The ultimate guide to Viking’s loyalty program

The cruise portion of the tour includes visits to the historic temples of Luxor, Karnak, Esna, Dendera and Abu Simbel as well as a visit to the iconic Valley of the Kings. The stay in Cairo brings a visit to the pyramids of Giza, the Egyptian Museum and other sites.

Viking Osiris is the first of four sister ships that Viking plans to launch on the Nile by 2025 as it doubles its footprint in Egypt. The vessels offer a clean-lined, Scandinavian-influenced design that mimics the look of Viking’s Europe-based vessels.

Notably, the ship features an entire deck of sprawling suites that rival anything else found on the Nile for luxury and comfort. Each comes with two full-size rooms — a large living room with a residential feel and an adjacent bedroom with a walk-in closet and bathroom. Each suite also has an outdoor balcony with seating for two — something you don’t always see on Nile ships.

Viking is a newcomer to cruises to Antarctica, but the destination is a big growth area for the line. Viking recently added two new, 378-passenger expedition cruise vessels specifically built to travel to the White Continent.

Dubbed Viking Octantis, the first of these vessels began sailings to Antarctica in February 2022. The second ship in the series, Viking Polaris, has just joined its sister in Antarctica this year. Together, the two ships are already making waves in the market for Antarctica cruises, in part because they have several new and unusual features.

Most notable is The Hangar, an enclosed marina that allows passengers to transfer to two of each ship’s exploratory vessels while still in the protected interior of the ship. A first for an expedition ship, it’s something that is significantly improving the experience for passengers heading out on Antarctica exploration.

Related: The 3 types of Viking ships, explained

In another first for polar expedition cruise vessels, every cabin on both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris has floor-to-ceiling glass walls that slide partially open from the top to create a balcony-like feel.

Viking offers several Antarctic itineraries, with the typical trip starting with a night at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, before a flight to Ushuaia, Argentina, to board one of the two expedition ships for an 11-night cruise to Antarctica and back. A longer version of the trip features 13 nights on board one of the ships and extra days in Antarctica.

Viking also offers Antarctica sailings that combine a visit to the White Continent with stops in the Falkland Islands, Uruguay and Brazil.

Viking Octantis, notably, also operated Viking’s first sailings around the Great Lakes this year. In 2023, both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris will spend their summers in the Great Lakes.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
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The Best Cruise Ships in the World: The Gold List 2024

By CNT Editors

Consider Gold List the answer to the question our editors get asked more than any other: What are your favorite places to stay? Our 30th annual iteration of the world’s greatest hotels and cruises captures nearly a year’s worth of work: This collection represents hundreds of hours of researching, scouting, and impassioned debating by our team of editors in seven cities across the globe. But more than that, it reflects our ongoing love affair with the places where we stay, which often become our gateways to entire destinations. Read on to inspire your next cruise.

See the full Gold List here .

Oceania Cruises' Marina is one of 12 ships chosen by our editors for 2024.

Celebrity Beyond Arrow

Cruise ships often get compared to floating hotels or resorts, but here’s one that feels like a floating Vegas show. Applause, please, for the glittering peacock made from Swarovski crystals and the Magic Carpet platform that shimmies up and down the ship, cantilevered over the water for some of the best seats in the house, while in the Martini Bar, a troupe of bartenders juggle shakers to the sound of “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” Beyond is one of the largest ships in Celebrity’s Edge class, and all that space is used to maximize the drama. A whole corridor is filled with a glowing installation of bronze sculptures reflected in infinity mirrors; a favorite anchorage was Eden, a beautiful, biophiliac bubble for hiding away in, watching the ship’s wake through triple-height windows and dawdling in swivel chairs that resemble green carnations. As for the cast, there are some stellar performers: Kelly Hoppen designed most of the interiors; Daniel Boulud’s debut signature restaurant at sea, Le Voyage, has an impeccable, globe-trotting menu alighting on Brazilian moqueca and tamarind prawns. But top of the bill is Captain Kate McCue, the first American woman to captain a cruise ship. A captain hasn’t been this synonymous with their ship since the days of Merrill Stubing; follow her social media for a glimpse into the art of ship navigation. During our short, prelaunch cruise, we had an itinerary that involved looping round and round the Isle of Wight—a short trip, but one that was big on sheer spectacle. Three-night sailings from $300 per person. —Rick Jordan

Delfin II Arrow

The Amazon River has the opacity of chocolate milk and is almost deathlike in its stillness—which is wild when you consider how much life thrives there. It was on a nine-day journey through Peru with Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic that I learned this, as we spent five of those days exploring the jungle by boat. Our chariot: the Delfin II , a Relais & Châteaux vessel with 14 thoughtfully appointed staterooms.

Most days began with a crack-of-dawn skiff ride soundtracked by the squall of jewel-winged, dusky-headed parakeets. The photographers pulled out their football lenses and the birders gasped from behind their binoculars as naturalists pointed out an elegant snowy egret picking its way through a mudbank, a neotropic cormorant spreading its gothy black wings like a vampire, and the somber Jabiru stork, the largest flying bird in South America, standing like a dour English butler on a naked tree limb. Also flagged were capuchin monkeys, giant river otters, flamboyant bromeliads, and—after dark—scores of caimans and capybaras.

We spent one muggy morning in a Kukama village, where indigenous women wove raffia bowls and cooked catfish, and another morning paddling the river—an outing which culminated with a pod of pink river dolphins leaping from the water mere feet from our kayaks. (Even our seen-it-all naturalist, Sandro, clapped like a schoolgirl.)

This deep in the Amazon jungle, there were no other tourists. When we did see signs of human life, they were usually fishermen or park rangers. And because there was no Wi-Fi on the Delfin II and a near total blackout on cell reception, downtime was spent attending lectures on Amazonian ecology, sampling native fruits (how the aptly named ice cream bean hasn’t been pitched on Shark Tank yet, I’ll never know), and buddying up to the ship bar, where I made fast friends of fellow guests. (Expedition cruises always draw a fascinating lot; my cohort included a microbiologist, metaphysical transcendentalist, and one of the earliest Apple employees.)

The highlight of the trip, however, was hiking through the jungle with a local tracker who showed us a brown-throated three-toed sloth, Goliath bird-eating tarantula, junior anaconda, and a century-old strangler fig. When we finally emerged from the bush, we were treated to a spectacular tangerine-and-charcoal sunset punctured by bolts of lighting. It was surreal and intense, just like everything else in this untouched corner of the world. Eight-day sailings from $5,730 per person. —Ashlea Halpern

Ritz-Carlton Evrima Arrow

Ritz-Carlton’s first foray into cruising, the Evrima is a hotel-at-sea experience that might just be the antidote to all the big ship itineraries. Think ultra-small ship luxury (at half the capacity of the Seabourns and Regents) with plenty of scenery options to choose from—the European Mediterranean (routes from Turkey to the Canary Islands) from spring through fall, and the Caribbean (San Juan to St. Barts) in winter—and a younger crowd than most of the luxury cruise market; mostly culture lovers with a dearth of cruising experience who can't wait to get ashore to the Côte d’Azur village restaurants. The 624-foot ship is the first in a fleet of three emerging over the next few years, and it still feels spacious with 149 suites, two pools, a cigar humidor, six bars (the interior Living Room and top-floor Observation Lounge, The Bar, and bars located at the Marina Terrace, the Pool House, and Mistral), a beauty salon and spa deck, water-level marina terrace with water toys, and a fitness center. The 246 staff range from deck crew to your cabin’s personal concierge, all of whom are dubbed the ship’s Ladies and Gentlemen—but titles feel almost superfluous aboard Evrima , where everyone from the tender drivers to dining leads will pause to actually get to know you and recall your name and story (and even your drink order) to make the entire experience feel organic and warm. It’s almost like you’re spending the night in someone’s home, which just so happens to be a 624-foot mega-yacht. And the Evrima itinerary has plenty of free time and overnight ports of call in its sailings, so you can head ashore for a day, or even an entire evening late into the night—gallivanting, dining, and imbibing with the new friends you'll no doubt meet onboard. Seven-night sailings from $5,800 per person. —Shannon McMahon

Oceania Marina Arrow

Is there any Marina passenger who doesn’t wish—even for a second—to confine himself to his stateroom on debarkation day? Perhaps only the smarty pants who booked their next cruise before this one ends. Otherwise, how can an epicurean cruiser (that’s Marina ’s crowd) not pine for another shot at the new wine list starring 80 highly coveted, hard-to-snag labels, including swoon-worthy Super Tuscans? You’ll long for one more brag-worthy chance to sip The Mascot, a label from Harlan family pedigree (think cult fave Harlan Estate); the Polo Grill’s deft sommelier knows exactly which prime steak pairs best. Despite eight compelling complimentary restaurants (Red Ginger’s signature lobster pad thai is still a must-devour), Marina vibes far more than great meals. Work up a sweat storm playing pickleball on deck 16 or braving core conditioning in the gym. Melt into a marine detox wrap (I love the juniper and lemon scent) at Aquamar Spa + Vitality Center, then sink into the spa terrace’s bubbling hot tub. Get down and dirty in the artist loft by painting a Venetian mask and playing Impressionist. In the hands-on culinary center, learn to cure a fish or preserve a lemon. Come May 2024, Marina debuts a splashy redo. Fall in love again with revamped avocado toast—bravo to the taco-spiced shrimp topping—in the new wellness-driven Aquamar kitchen. Where you lie your head hardly matters. An entry 291-square-foot stateroom starring a four-pillow, soft-sheet bed feels mighty spacious and sports Bulgari shampoo. That said, the top-to-bottom penthouse suites’ glam reno is beyond covetable, from the expanded bath to a boatload of enviable perks. Ten-day sailings from $1,999 per person. —Janice Wald Henderson

Trollfjord Arrow

Who better to guide you through Norway’s most remote reaches—including the Svalbard archipelago, the northernmost inhabited islands on the planet—than a Norwegian cruise company that knows the area’s every crag and fjord? Hurtigruten is an Oslo-based line whose ships have traversed these waters since 1893, ferrying freight, mail, and passengers to the communities along the rugged coast. In 2023, to celebrate its 130th anniversary, the company’s flagship, the newly refurbished, 500-passenger MS Trollfjord (named for a fjord in the Vesterålen archipelago) began sailing two hybrids of its original 34-port Norwegian Coastal Express, calling at several of the towns and villages on the original route. From September through April, the North Cape Express (a 13-day, 16-port itinerary) sails from Oslo to the North Cape and then south to Bergen. In the summertime, the Svalbard Express’s eight-day journey begins in Bergen and progresses north, with extended port calls and excursions in seven towns before entering the Arctic Circle and pulling into Longyearbyen, a mining town on Spitsbergen, Svalbard’s main island. On both routes Trollfjord offers its (mostly European) passengers an uncommon way to explore the region, with uniquely Nordic cultural touches to connect them to the country. There’s a pre-boarding spread of Norwegian fare in the ship’s departure lounge, and Trollfjord ’s three restaurants prioritize Scandinavian cuisine (salmon, reindeer, and lingonberries, oh my!) and the food culture of the indigenous Sámi people. The ship’s 277 staterooms and 12 suites (with walk-in closets, corner bathtubs and floor-to-ceiling windows) offer a cozy retreat from the sometimes-harsh weather. And typically Nordic diversions such as aquavit tastings, oceanview saunas and polar plunges leave you in no doubt about where you are and who you’re sailing with. 10-day sailings from $3,082 per person. —Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon

Seven Seas Navigator Arrow

Imagine the most luxurious hotel you’ve ever stayed in. That’s precisely what stepping onboard the Regent Seven Seas Cruises Navigator feels like. And while the opulence and grandeur shine through every square inch of space, it’s worth mentioning that the staff are what make the experience memorable, remembering your name, preferences, likes, and dislikes from the second you step afoot the eight-deck vessel.

The 248 ultraluxe all-suite accommodations feel like your home away from home—despite their capacious interiors—and your personalized steward makes sure of that with thoughtful touches from the moment you check in. Thanks to a revamp in 2019, the ship feels pristine with a new library—complete with a faux fireplace—and sleek state-of-the-art furnishings (including the cruise line’s bespoke mattresses and bed linens) in each of the rooms. However, what makes the Navigator stand out from its counterparts is its intimate size, as it’s the smallest in Regent’s fleet. Everything onboard feels just an arm’s reach away, and you’ll quickly bond with fellow passengers after spending the day together on one of the complimentary shore excursions, such as tours by local guides, cooking classes, and other intimate adventures.

During my Mediterranean voyage, days were spent immersing ourselves in new cities, whereas nights began with a freshly shaken ice-cold martini followed by an exuberant dinner, with a stop in the Seven Seas Lounge for whatever was on tap that night, ranging from cabaret to karaoke. At the end of the journey, I left wanting more and with a suitcase full of clean clothes, thanks to one of the many attentive touches onboard: the included laundry service. 10-night sailings from $3,360 per person. —Rachel Dube

Seabourn Ovation Arrow

“We are not the Rat Pack,” quips Andrew Pedder, the witty Yorkshire-born captain of Seabourn Ovation. He's referring to himself and the other senior officers, for any guests who may have wandered into their impromptu panel session instead of the musical show taking place later that evening. The Q&A—which covers everything from the prettiest ports to the number of Champagne bottles typically consumed during a seven-day voyage—is part of a last-minute program of activities arranged for an unexpected sea day when it’s too windy to dock in the South of France. This is mid-October, on one of the ship’s jaunts around the Mediterranean for the season, and no one seems to mind the change of plan (although when we do explore, all the islands we visit—Menorca, Corsica, Elba—are blissfully tourist-free). It simply means more time for spa treatments, soaks in the outdoor hot tubs, and afternoon tea in the observation bar. Even then, it only feels like there are 60 passengers onboard, rather than 600. The restaurants are excellent, from Sushi, where you can sit at the counter watching the Japanese chefs at work, to poolside Earth & Ocean for Tandoori-style rotisserie chicken and Madras-style white bean cassoulet. Suites are spacious, each one with a balcony. West End–standard entertainment includes a magician and a chart-topping classical singer. But what makes this ultraluxe ship really memorable is the relaxed, on-point service by staff who remember your name and coffee order, or even a familiar face from a sailing five years ago. Seven-day sailings from $2,649 per person. —Emma Love

Silver Endeavour Arrow

Silversea is defined by its far-flung itineraries and exceptional onboard service (think Moët Champagne as you take in an iceberg calving in Antarctica). But the 220-passenger Silver Endeavour, new to the fleet and already a classic, raises every bar. Rooms start at a spacious 356 square feet and have luxury perks like pillow menus and a personalized bar, making them the best in all of Silversea’s array of ships. As far as food goes, premium Ars Italica Osetra caviar is complimentary and around-the-clock, though the Dover sole paired with a label from the rare wine menu at La Dame would have you believing you were in Paris. And the signature Otium spa celebrates pampering as much as it does wellness—don’t skip on the oxygen-boosting Golden Radiance facial. You may find yourself at any given hour glimpsing ice walls through the Drake Passage and remembering that the best part about this ship is the awe-inspiring places it dares to take you. 10-day sailings from $13,150. —Janice Wald Henderson

Scarlet Lady Arrow

Although new to the cruise industry, Virgin Voyages has already begun to set itself apart from its predecessors. When first stepping on the Scarlet Lady, cruisers are met with a rousing, upbeat staff that serve as gurus around the ship and are experts on everything from beauty to juicing. While the Scarlet Lady takes you on a familiar route around the Caribbean, the on-shore excursions available are what make this sail memorable. Take a leap of faith on daring outings such as the Waterfalls of Damajagua in Puerto Plata, where guests make their way down seven of the 27 natural slides and waterfalls. After the exhilarating experience, travelers can sit down with locals and come together over Dominican staples such as pollo guisado, tostones, and mangú. You can always get local delicacies while docked, but while onboard, you must snag a reservation at the Test Kitchen. It’s an experimental dining experience where the menu always evolves. You go in only seeing a small card with ingredients listed for the night’s meal, but everything else is up to the imagination. One might find cucumbers puréed and frozen into ice cream as dessert, or beets formed and prepared like steak. While en route to the next port, the hard reset one does at the Redemption Spa leaves your body feeling anew; it’s impossible to come back from vacation feeling the same as when you departed. On any Virgin Voyages ship, you’ll love the indulgent atmosphere, whether you’re catering to your sweet tooth by narrowing down your favorite gelato of the day, grabbing a drink at one of the five bars that stake claim to having the largest tequila supply on the seven seas, or finally getting that tattoo you’ve been thinking about for ages after visiting the ship’s tattoo parlor, Squid Ink. Seven-day sailings from $2,100 per person. —Paris Wilson

Queen Mary 2 Arrow

Six days sailing from England to New York across the vast Atlantic had the potential to bore me to stupefaction, but it turned out I had nothing to fear. “The ship is the destination,” said an entertainment director for Queen Mary 2 , who oversees a program that makes this cruise liner the undisputed hub of creative and intellectual stimulation on the high seas. Where else can you attend the annual Literature Festival At Sea, meeting top fiction and nonfiction authors like the late PJ O’Rourke, Bernadine Evaristo, and Louis de Bernières? And where else can you visit a planetarium, watch a Royal Shakespeare theater production, or hear guest speakers discuss artwork investments and the history of airport drug mules?

In between spa massages and table tennis rallies, I nourished my mind in the mahogany library before nourishing my body at the Princess Grill and Queens Grill restaurants, scarfing dishes like croquette of suckling pig, paired with excellent vintages and followed by mango panna cotta. On the final stretch of the journey, as dolphins leapt over the horizon and the Statue of Liberty loomed into view, my heart sank a little—New York City awaited, yet I didn’t want to disembark. That’s quite an achievement. Seven-day sailings from $1,389 per person. —Noo Saro-Wiwa

World Navigator Arrow

During my first few hours aboard the Atlas Ocean Voyages World Navigator, I felt a bit like I had inadvertently crashed a family reunion: Seemingly everyone else aboard this Arctic expedition had just sailed to Antarctica on the Navigator six months before, so several crew members and guests spent much of embarkation day hugging and catching up. With a maximum occupancy of 196, it’s already an intimate ship, but the fact that the relatively young brand, which debuted in 2019, could develop such an impressive number of repeat travelers in such a short spell speaks volumes. Many told me they were drawn to Atlas because of its eco-friendly bona fides (the new-build ship makes use of hybrid engines from Rolls-Royce designed to leave minimal impact), but the creature comforts on board certainly help. While the star attraction of such an expedition voyage is what lies beyond the decks—access to remote Antarctic fjords that larger vessels can’t dream of traversing, or spotting polar bears loping along pearly glaciers in the Arctic—I made the most of my time in between Zodiac expeditions. The multi-jet shower in my stateroom was sublime after damp and rigorous treks, the heated massage beds in the only L’Occitane Spa at sea are a dream, and the Arctic summer’s 24 hours of sunshine made the Dome observation deck a prime perch to cozy up with a book at any time of day or night. There was neither internet nor cell phone connectivity during my entire eight-day journey sailing thanks to the remote latitudes (though Atlas guests now have access to full Starlink satellite coverage), which meant this was the longest I’d been offline since the 1990s—and yet somehow, drifting through the surreal landscape in this cosseting bubble, I didn’t miss scrolling or chatting with the outside world one bit. Seven-night sailings from $4,749 per person. —Sarah Khan

Westerdam Arrow

A passenger who is well below senior age dances the robot to classic rock, to R&B, to country music, and to disco hits as talented singers and a live band perform most nights in the Rolling Stone Lounge, on Holland America Line’s Westerdam . His mechanical movements are a source of amusement and encouragement; if he can take over the dance floor, so can we with our own moves. The 1,916-passenger Westerdam is beloved as a traditional cruise ship, with its smaller-than-mega-ship size, deep blue hull, wraparound outdoor promenade deck, and details such as fresh flowers all around, celebrating the 150-year-old cruise line’s Dutch roots. Tradition does not mean staid. There’s rock and roll. There’s a trendy top-of-ship pickleball court.

On an Alaska cruise, my husband and I start our days with a jolt of caffeine via the baristas at Explorations Central, the ship’s cushy, contemporary, forward-facing observation lounge, before heading off on adventures such as joining other passengers in synchronized paddling a large canoe to see the ancient yet diminishing ice of Juneau’s Mendenhall Glacier. Back on the ship, we indulge in excellent burgers, topped with Gouda and applewood-smoked bacon and served in fast-food wrapping from a stand at the covered Lido pool. We enjoy sustainable Alaska seafood—grilled salmon, fennel-crusted halibut, fried cod—in between cocktails made with local gin, served on real glacial ice. From the veranda of our classic aft cabin, mesmerizing views of the ship’s wake, seemingly endless forest, and a distant, blue-tinged glacier clear our brain. We’re ready for more of the dancing man. Seven-day sailings from $379 per person. —Fran Golden

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• Expeditions
• Complimentary Brochures

Viking Polaris

First, we invented modern river cruising. Then, we redefined ocean cruising. Now, experience all the comfort and elegance of our award-winning fleet with an expedition ship built specifically to explore the world’s most remote destinations and allow you to immerse yourself in these regions.

• Only 378 guests
• Length: 665 feet
• Beam: 77 feet
• Class: Polar Class 6
• Year built: 2022

Interactive Deck Plan

Hover and click on the deck plan to explore the ship. 0), attr: { 'href': pdfurl }" class="ignore" target="_blank">see a pdf version of the deck plan..

Viking Expedition Ship 360° Tour

Discover our innovative, purpose-built expedition ships designed to explore the world’s most remote destinations in comfort and immerse you in these majestic, untamed regions.

Stateroom Features

Our purpose-built ships offer a wide variety of staterooms for your selection. From Nordic Balcony staterooms to the abundance of extra perks and amenities in our spacious Explorer Suites, there is no finer way to travel. And whichever stateroom you choose, you will find it beautifully designed in the understated elegance for which Viking is known.

Owner’s Suite (OS)

• Stateroom size: 1,238 sq ft (includes private lounge area)
• Panoramic ocean-view, multi-room suite with private Nordic Balcony
• Separate bedroom suite
• Spacious, well-appointed living room
• Separate dining area that seats 6
• Private library, wine & music collections curated by Chairman Torstein Hagen
• 722 sq ft private garden lounge area with badenstamp
• Boardroom that seats 12 for meetings & catered dinner parties, with oceangoing vapor light fireplace
• Pantry for room service & hosted events
• Priority Embarkation
• 11 AM priority stateroom access
• Expedition activity reservations 67 days prior to departure
• 4 priority reservations at each alternative restaurant 100 days prior to departure
• First priority spa treatment bookings 100 days prior to departure
• King-size Viking Explorer Bed with luxury linens & pillows
• Free Wi-Fi (connection speed may vary)
• 55" OLED flat-screen TV featuring MSNBC, FOX News, National Geographic and more
• Two additional 42" flat-screen interactive LCD TVs with intuitive remote & complimentary Movies on Demand in suite
• 110/220 volt outlets & USB ports
• Large master bathroom with spacious glass-enclosed shower, double-sink vanity, heated floor, anti-fog mirror & hair dryer, plus guest bathroom
• Premium Freyja® toiletries
• Plush robes & slippers
• Direct-dial satellite phone & cell service
• Security safe
• Individual climate control
• Purified water refilled daily
• Welcome bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne
• Mini-bar with alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, water & premium snacks (replenished once daily)
• Traditional Norwegian Marius-weave blanket
• Personal coffee machine with premium coffee & tea selections
• Stateroom steward & twice-daily housekeeping
• 24-hour room service, including service from any restaurant during open hours
• Daily personalized tea or pre-dinner cocktail & canapés on request
• Dinner & guided tour with ship officers (subject to availability)
• Complimentary laundry, pressing & shoe shine services
• Silver Spirits beverage package included
• Floor-to-ceiling drying closet
• Spacious walk-in closet with wooden hangers & drawers
• Under-bed suitcase storage space
• Keepsake Viking expedition jacket (on polar itineraries)
• All Viking excursion gear needed for any relevant excursions

Explorer Suite (ES)

• Stateroom size: 548 sq ft (includes Nordic balcony)
• Ocean-view two-room suite, 80% larger than junior suites, with private Nordic Balcony and private veranda
• Well-appointed living area & dining area that seats 4
• Additional storage and seating features
• Private access to Explorer Suites Garden
• 11 AM Embarkation
• 3 priority reservations at each alternative restaurant 90 days prior to departure
• Priority spa treatment bookings 90 days prior to departure
• King-size Viking Explorer Bed (optional twin-bed configuration) with luxury linens & pillows
• Additional 42" flat-screen interactive LCD TVs in living area
• Large private bathroom with spacious glass-enclosed shower, bathtub, double-sink vanity, heated floor, anti-fog mirror & hair dryer
• Welcome bottle of champagne
• Mini-bar with alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, water & snacks (replenished once daily)
• Spacious drawers & closet with wooden hangers
• View the Explorer Suite (ES) in our 360° Tour

Nordic Junior Suite (NS)

• Stateroom size: 322 sq ft (includes Nordic balcony)
• Ocean-view stateroom with private Nordic Balcony: floor-to-ceiling distortion-free glass at your ship’s edge, for optimal cozy viewing. Or lower the top panoramic glass for a sheltered, al fresco lookout. Plus, additional storage and seating features.
• Wheelchair Accessible (#4024, #4025)
• Expedition activity reservations 57 days prior to departure
• 3 priority reservations at each alternative restaurant 80 days prior to departure
• Priority spa treatment bookings 80 days prior to departure
• Large private bathroom with spacious glass-enclosed shower, double-sink vanity, heated floor, anti-fog mirror & hair dryer
• 24-hour room service
• View the Nordic Junior Suite (NS) in our 360° Tour

Nordic Penthouse (NP)

• Stateroom size: 269 sq ft (includes Nordic balcony)
• Ocean-view stateroom with private Nordic Balcony: floor-to-ceiling distortion-free glass at your ship’s edge, for optimal cozy viewing. Or lower the top panoramic glass for a sheltered, al fresco lookout.
• 1 PM stateroom access
• 2 priority reservations at each alternative restaurant 70 days prior to departure
• Priority spa treatment bookings 70 days prior to departure
• Large private bathroom with spacious glass-enclosed shower, heated floor, anti-fog mirror & hair dryer
• Complimentary pressing & shoe shine services

Deluxe Nordic Balcony (DN)

• Stateroom size: 215 sq ft (includes Nordic balcony)
• 2 PM stateroom access
• Expedition activity reservations 47 days prior to departure
• 1 priority reservation at each alternative restaurant 60 days prior to departure
• Priority spa treatment bookings 60 days prior to departure
• Mini-bar with soft drinks, water & snacks (replenished once daily)

Nordic Balcony (N)

• 3 PM stateroom access
• Mini-bar with soft drinks, water & snacks

Itineraries This Ship Sails

Antarctic Explorer

• PRICE & BUILD

NEW! From the Arctic to Antarctica

Great Lakes Collection

Niagara & the Great Lakes

Undiscovered Great Lakes

Great Lakes Explorer

NEW! Great Lakes Treasures

NEW! Niagara & Great Lakes Treasures

NEW! Into the Northwest Passage

NEW! Canada & Greenland Explorer

NEW! Canada & the Northwest Passage

Canadian Discovery

NEW! Canada & East Coast Explorer

Antarctic Explorer & the Americas

The Americas & Antarctic Explorer

Panama & Scenic South America

NEW! Panama Canal & the Americas

NEW! Chilean Fjords & Scenic Shores

NEW! Argentina & the Chilean Fjords

NEW! Longitudinal World Cruise IV

NEW! Longitudinal World Cruise VII

Ship Highlights

Our new expedition ships feature innovative, light-filled spaces where comfort meets discovery. With more indoor and outdoor viewing areas than other expedition vessels, guests are as close as possible to the most magnificent scenery on earth.

Ship Videos

Our Expedition Vessels

To explore the world’s most remote regions, we have introduced two specifically built, cutting-edge expedition class small ships: Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris .

Expeditions Ship Design

To optimize guest safety and comfort, Chairman Torstein Hagen called upon the expertise and collaboration of Viking teams, including maritime architects, interior designers, and nautical and technical staff. After the traditional steel cutting, the ceremonial keel laying ushered in the next milestone of the ship construction process.

The Aula & Finse Terrace

The world’s most advanced venue for learning at sea, The Aula is a stunning panoramic auditorium. Inspired by the University of Oslo’s famed ceremonial hall where the Nobel Peace Prize was historically awarded, The Aula will offer a dynamic venue for lectures and entertainment, with floor-to-ceiling windows and 270-degree views. Adjacent to The Aula through sliding glass walls is the Finse Terrace, an outdoor lounge area with comfortable couches and warming lava rock “firepits”—perfect for panoramic views of the surroundings. Together the two spaces can be combined to create an unmatched indoor-outdoor al fresco experience for guests to be immersed in nature.

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