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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. 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. On the line's river ships, you'll also find onboard lectures, usually related to the destinations the ships are visiting, as well as destination-related demonstrations and tastings. (On a Seine River voyage, you might have a tasting of local French cheeses or French wines, for instance).
Explore Ship Classes: Start with Our Award-Winning Longships
Other little touches in Viking cabins that show a line thinking about functionality as much as decor include the large and clear lettering on the Freyja toiletries that you'll find in every Viking cabin bathroom. However, unlike nearly every other cruise brand, what you won't find are families with young kids. As noted above, Viking doesn't allow passengers under the age of 18 on its ships — a key differentiator for the brand as compared to other cruise lines. In addition, in early 2022, the line began its first cruises to Antarctica with its first expedition ship, Viking Octantis.
Viking Gersemi Itineraries: 2024 & 2025 Schedule (with Prices) on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
Viking Gersemi Itineraries: 2024 & 2025 Schedule (with Prices) on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Sun, 21 Apr 2024 01:37:14 GMT [source]
Theaters, lounges and shows
Such access almost always comes with an extra charge on cruise vessels. At 47,800 tons, these ocean ships are less than a fourth the size of the giant megaships being built by the likes of Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises, in keeping with Viking's focus on intimate, upscale voyages. If you're sure that Viking is your line, look for a travel agent who specializes in trips with the brand.
Atlantic Ocean Passage
That's something that even the most upscale of Viking's ocean cruise rivals including Oceania Cruises, Azamara, Seabourn, Silversea Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises can't say. Viking currently operates 11 ocean ships, nine of which are nearly identical. Other interior spaces that are part of the ocean ships include 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) and a fitness center. For this subset of travelers, Viking offers a wide range of both ocean and river cruise itineraries that have a heavy focus on the destinations visited. Tour our stylish ships, designed with understated elegance and comfort in mind. Spacious staterooms, indoor and outdoor dining venues and panoramic views enrich your travel experience.
Iberian Explorer
In general, you'll find a lot of couples on Viking ships and some solo travelers. You'll also find the occasional multigenerational group — a retired couple traveling with their working-age adult children, for instance. You'll find everything from eight-day cruises in the Mediterranean to 138-day around-the-world voyages among the line's voyages. Since its founding in 1997, the upscale cruise brand has carved out a niche catering to a certain type of thoughtful, inquisitive, generally older traveler looking to explore the world and learn a thing or two along the way.
What they are is eminently functional, with storage in all the right places, lots of outlets for charging your devices and lighting right where you need it. We love the reading lights built into the fabric headboards, which are in addition to the lamps on bedside tables. You won't have trouble seeing the pages of the Viking Daily activity newsletter while lying in a Viking cabin bed. Most Viking passengers are North Americans who are approaching retirement age or already retired. The company's core market is people who range in age from 55 to 75 years, although it does draw some passengers who are younger or older. Note that there is one more vessel in this same series, called Zhao Shang Yi Dun, that has been permanently transferred to a joint venture that operates for the China market.
When it debuted in 2017, it originally catered to the North American market and was called Viking Sun. As Viking founder Torstein Hagen likes to say, a Viking cruise is the "thinking person's cruise, not the drinking person's cruise." Most Viking customers are approaching their retirement years — or are already there — and they're eager to finally see all the places they didn't have time to visit when raising kids and establishing careers in their younger years. One price covers most everything—port charges, Wi-Fi, meals, lectures, activities and shore excursions—plus hotel accommodations on cruisetours.
Viking's bigger ocean ships also have poolside grills that serve made-to-order gourmet hamburgers and other grill items. Passengers can grab a snack — with a Norwegian twist — at the forward-facing lounges atop the ships, which are home to a small food counter called Mamsen's. What it is is a line that has focused very specifically on "thinking person's cruises" that offer a deeper dive into the destinations that its ships visit than is typical at many lines. Whether you use a travel agent or not, make sure to maximize your credit card spending when paying for the cruise by using a credit card that offers extra points for travel purchases. This could be the Chase Sapphire Reserve, which offers 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on travel and dining (excluding the annual $300 travel credit).
Note that it is important that the name on your reservation be exactly as it is stated on your passport or other official proof of nationality. Bathrooms in Viking cabins are serene, modernist escapes with luxurious travertine-lined walls, Scandinavian-influenced wood-veneered vanities, shiny white sinks and chrome fixtures. If it's a floating celebration you're looking for in a vacation, this isn't the line for you.
In keeping with the high-end nature of the brand, Viking cabins and suites have a lot of upscale touches, from sumptuous bedding that envelops you to heated floors in bathrooms. Designwise, Viking cabins and suites across all categories are modern and elegant in an understated sort of way, with Scandinavian-influenced furnishings and decor that tie to the Norwegian heritage of the company's founder. If you're looking for a big open room on an ocean cruise (and are willing to pay for it), Viking offers you plenty of options. Is a balcony something you can't live without when staying in a cabin on a cruise ship?
They're also people who can afford a relatively high-end vacation experience. While Viking doesn't market itself as a luxury line, some would call it that. Viking vessels are full of luxury touches, with the pricing to match (see more on what Viking trips cost at the bottom of this story). In general, it's an educated crowd, with many passengers coming from professional backgrounds or a life of running their own businesses. 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. You’re about to discover the most convenient way to see the world.
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. Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. That said, given the complexity of booking a cruise — there are a lot of decisions to make during the booking process, trust us — we always recommend that you use a seasoned travel agent who specializes in cruises.
The number of restaurants and other dining options that you'll find on Viking ships will vary greatly depending on whether you are sailing on an ocean or a river ship. Most Viking Longships are 443 feet long, the perfect length to fit into the locks on many of Europe's rivers. Viking has also built slightly shorter versions of the Longships measuring 262 feet, 361 feet or 410 feet in length specifically to sail on rivers where lock sizes or other navigational factors require a smaller vessel. The 410-foot-long versions of the vessels, for instance, were specifically built to be able to sail into the heart of Paris on the Seine River. Viking's two expedition ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, are smaller than the above vessels, as is typical for expedition ships, and carry 378 passengers at maximum occupancy.
There's also live music at night in the Explorers' Lounge, a two-deck-high observation lounge and bar area at the very top of the ship. The Explorers' Lounge also is home to Mamsen's, the food counter serving tastes of Norway mentioned above. Passengers will also find finger sandwiches, scones and teas in the afternoon at the glass-topped Wintergarden lounge at the top of every vessel.
Viking adds an automatic service gratuity (which it calls a "hotel and dining charge") of $17 per person per day to final bills, depending on your cabin category. If you are unhappy with the service you receive, you can adjust this amount before disembarking at the Explorers' Desk. (You can also increase the tip amount if so desired.) Also, a 15% gratuity is added to bills at bars and for drinks at restaurants. The main restaurants on these ships are notable for their walls of glass that can slide open to create al fresco dining, something that is unusual in the cruise world. All of Viking's oceangoing ships, which are much bigger than its river ships, have at least four and usually more outlets serving food of some sort.
In addition, in order to ensure fair usage for all, the line limits some heavy-bandwidth applications, downloads and software upgrades. The centerpiece of the top deck of each of Viking's ocean ships is the main pool area, which is home to a pool, hot tub and rows of lounge chairs, as well as comfortable seating areas. Viking's ocean ships also offer a large number of suites, many of which are quite spacious. Even the smallest cabins on Viking's ocean ships are large by cruise ship standards at 270 square feet, and the largest suites measure nearly 1,500 square feet. 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.
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