Viking Cruises is renowned for its minimalist Nordic style and luxurious experiences. Founded in Norway in 1997, it initially targeted the European river cruise market and rapidly expanded its fleet to become the world's leading river cruise brand. In 2015, Viking launched its first ocean cruise ship, "Viking Star," officially entering the ocean cruise market.

Viking Cruises creates a comfortable and quiet travel experience for guests, focusing on cultural tourism. It arranges lectures, designs in-depth shore excursions, and offers diverse cultural entertainment activities, accepting bookings only from guests aged 18 and over.

Viking Ocean Cruises

Viking currently has 10 ocean cruise ships sailing popular routes in Northern Europe, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Canada, and New England. Itineraries also extend to coastal cities in China, various Asian countries, the Arabian region, and Africa.

Exquisite Staterooms

Viking Cruises offers a refined and luxurious cruise experience. Each ship carries fewer than 1,000 passengers, and all staterooms feature private verandas with spacious living areas. Rooms are equipped with king-size beds, floor-to-ceiling windows, free Wi-Fi, mini-bars, Freyja toiletries, and USB charging ports. Attention to detail is evident in features such as high-pressure showers, anti-fog mirrors, and heated floors.

The cruise fare includes all onboard dining, wine and beer with lunch and dinner, specialty coffee and tea, port taxes and fees, self-service laundry, access to UNESCO World Heritage sites, enriching lectures and local performances, 24-hour room service, and free access to the Nordic Spa and fitness center.

Cultural Travel

Viking Cruises centers its experience on culture, collaborating with cultural and scientific institutions to invite expert lecturers. A resident history team is available for in-depth discussions on historical and cultural knowledge. Additionally, local music and dance performances are arranged, and culturally relevant film series can be viewed in staterooms.

The fare includes one shore excursion at every port of call, led by knowledgeable local guides to provide deep insights into each city's culture. Alternatively, you can follow the ship's chefs to explore local markets or participate in behind-the-scenes tours of museums or theaters.

Onboard restaurants serve specialty dishes blending local flavors according to different itineraries, extending the cultural experience to the dining table. You can also join "The Kitchen Table" cooking classes to learn how to prepare regional specialties.

Leisure Facilities

Compared to other cruise brands, Viking Cruises has fewer entertainment facilities like water slides and casinos, planning instead for more elegant and tranquil relaxation spaces.

◾ The Living Room: A Nordic-style lounge area with a well-stocked library and a quiet atmosphere.
◾ Infinity Pool: Located at the stern, allowing you to swim while admiring the magnificent sea view, adjacent to a relaxing hot tub.
◾ Aquavit Terrace: An open outdoor dining space to enjoy the sea breeze with light meals and drinks.
◾ Explorers’ Lounge: A two-story panoramic lounge at the bow with excellent views, perfect for a drink with friends while gazing at the scenery.
◾ Wintergarden: A comfortable glass-enclosed space by the pool for quiet relaxation or afternoon tea.
◾ Nordic Spa: Fully equipped with saunas, steam rooms, cold and hot pools, and the unique Snow Grotto waiting for you to experience.
◾ The Theater: Accommodating up to 450 guests, hosting mostly musical performances, lectures, and movie screenings.

Viking River Cruises

Viking River Cruises also offers exquisite and luxurious travel experiences. With over 80 river ships, itineraries span major European rivers such as the Rhine, Danube, Seine, and Douro, as well as the Nile in Egypt, the Mississippi in the USA, the Brahmaputra in India, and the Mekong flowing through Cambodia and Vietnam.

The Viking Longships

The classic Viking Longships feature a sleek design specifically for navigating large rivers, ensuring smooth sailing and convenient docking in city centers.

Except for standard staterooms with picture windows, all other rooms feature verandas or French balconies, allowing guests to admire riverbank scenery along the way. Room amenities are similar to ocean cruises, equipped with hotel-style beds, free Wi-Fi, mini-bars, Freyja toiletries, and USB charging ports.

The fare includes all onboard dining, wine and beer with lunch and dinner, specialty coffee and tea, port taxes and fees, access to UNESCO World Heritage sites, enriching lectures, and local performances.

Shore Excursions

Viking River Cruises includes one shore excursion at every port of call, featuring diverse itineraries such as city culture tours, winery visits, and culinary tours. Guests also enjoy privileged access to cultural sites, such as private viewings of rare collections before or after museum hours, or attending folklore performances, ballet, and opera.

Leisure Facilities

Viking River Cruises creates comfortable and warm leisure spaces for every guest to enjoy their vacation freely.

◾ The Lounge: Featuring floor-to-ceiling windows on both sides, enjoy a cocktail in this comfortable space and share new travel discoveries with friends.
◾ Aquavit Terrace: Dine in an outdoor space while admiring European river landscapes along the way.
◾ The Library: Located in a quiet corner of the ship, perfect for picking a book to read.
◾ Sun Deck: Located on the top level, enjoy the sun on lounge chairs with 360-degree views of the magnificent river scenery. There is also an herb garden where chefs pick fresh herbs for cooking.

Viking Expeditions

Viking Polaris and Viking Octantis are built specifically for polar expeditions. Their small size is suitable for navigating remote areas, offering superior maneuverability and stability to penetrate deep into the Arctic and Antarctic, as well as the Great Lakes of North America. Expedition ships accommodate only 378 guests to maintain spacious comfort and high privacy.

Scenic Staterooms

Viking Expedition staterooms focus on the scenic experience, all featuring the unique Nordic Balcony design. Normally a floor-to-ceiling window, the top half lowers to transform the room into an open-air viewing balcony! The ledge is at the perfect height for setting up photography equipment or using binoculars to observe the passing scenery.

The ship provides a Viking Expedition Kit containing all necessary gear for expedition activities. Guests on Arctic/Antarctic itineraries also receive a commemorative expedition jacket.

Shore Expeditions

Viking Expedition ships also offer one shore excursion at every port of call: snowshoeing across white glaciers, kayaking in small coves, or taking Zodiacs for close-up wildlife observation.

Follow experienced experts on Zodiacs, special expedition boats, or small submarines to participate in experiential activities and field surveys through scientific exploration. Guests have the opportunity to assist researchers with sampling, observation, and data recording, allowing travelers to participate in the expedition journey as "citizen scientists."

Featured Facilities

Expedition-type facilities:

◾ The Aula: A panoramic auditorium with a 270-degree view, equipped with a 4K laser projection screen for lectures, documentaries, and movies.
◾ Expedition Central: The consultation hub for the expedition team, offering one-on-one activity advice and knowledge sharing.
◾ Science Lab: Created in partnership with the University of Cambridge and Norwegian environmental research company Akvaplan-niva, welcoming guests to participate in research alongside scientists.

Leisure-type facilities: Similar to ocean ships, featuring The Living Room, outdoor dining at Aquavit Terrace, and the panoramic Explorers’ Lounge, plus unique facilities:

◾ The Library: Curated books by Heywood Hill bookshop in London and the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge University to enrich your expedition journey through reading.
◾ Nordic Spa: Includes sauna, steam room, cold and hot pools, Snow Grotto, and traditional Nordic wooden bathing rituals.
◾ Finse Terrace: An outdoor lounge area with heated seating and lava rock fire pits for admiring magnificent views.