fast development Viking has one of the most diverse arrays of itineraries of any cruise.
The California-based company not only offers cruises almost anywhere in the world, but also offers river cruises on many of the world’s major rivers.
That is significantly different from most cruise lines. Usually, cruise lines operate cruises or river cruises, but not both. That gives them a smaller stroke range.
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Viking has a particularly large footprint when it comes to river cruises in Europe, with a range of trips on almost every river in Europe, from the Douro in Portugal to (until recently) the river. Volga in Russia.
The company also run river cruises on the Nile in Egypt and the Mekong in Southeast Asia, and it just embark on river cruises on the Mississippi River.
There were 80 river ships in the Viking fleet – an astounding number. None of its major competitors among the river routes serving North America, including Avalon Waterways, Uniworld and AmaRoad of Wateranywhere near that number of ships.
Related: First look at Viking’s stylish new Nile ship
Among cruise destinations, Viking has a major presence in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, which they consider to be their home ground. (The company was founded by a Norwegian family.) However, you’ll find nine traditional Viking ocean liners everywhere from North America to Asia and Australia.
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Last year, the line began its journey to Antarctica with its first expedition ship — a type of vessel built specifically to go to remote, hard-to-reach places. Viking currently has two such ships.
Among the line’s trips, there’s everything from eight-day Mediterranean cruises to 138-day round-the-world trips.
Overwhelmed with choices? Here are the five best destinations on the “journey” where the route can really make for a memorable vacation.
Scandinavia and Northern Europe
Some of Viking’s most interesting itineraries are around Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea, with many starting or ending in Norway — the home of the company’s founder and president, Torstein Hagen.
As Hagen once told me, Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea are what the company considers “the land of the Vikings” — an area it wants to dominate.
During the summer, in particular, Viking spends an unusually large number of its ships on voyages around Scandinavia, the Baltic Sea, and other Nordic destinations such as Iceland. It is noteworthy that many people use the relatively small but famously scenic Norwegian city. Bergen (population 286,000) as a gateway, something no other route can do. That allows for unusual variations on a typical Baltic Sea or Norwegian fjord cruise.
The most popular route in the region, the “Viking Homelands”, is a two-week one-way trip between Bergen and Stockholm that combines days of exploring the fjords of Norway’s west coast with tourist destinations. More typical Baltic such as St. Petersburg, Russia and Helsinki.
Related: The ultimate guide to Viking ships and itineraries
Note that, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Viking withdrew the St. Petersburg, as well as stops in Finland and Estonia off the Viking Homeland itinerary; instead, the trips have additional stops in Norway and Denmark. It’s unlikely that 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 as it combines calls in the northernmost regions of Honningsvag and Tromso, Norway, with visits to the remote Shetland Islands of Scotland and the Orkney Islands. Although part of the United Kingdom, these islands have ties to Norwegian and Viking history.
Itineraries that will take you from Bergen to Iceland or even as far as France, Portugal and Spain are also available.
Vikings Scandinavian and Nordic trips vary in length from just seven nights to a whopping 28 nights.
Among the longest trips Viking offers including Nordic calls are one-way, 28-night trips between Bergen and New York City. Trips include stops in Norway, Iceland, Greenland and Canada.
In Northern Europe, Viking ships mainly sailed from Bergen, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Copenhagen and London as well as Reykjavik.
Mediterranean
Viking has grown into a major player in Mediterranean cruises, with more than 30 separate itineraries including stops in the region.
Trips include trips with a particular focus on either the Western Mediterranean or the Eastern Mediterranean, and some include stops across both areas.
Typical of the latter is the 14-night “Mediterranean Antiquities” route, a one-way trip between Athens and Barcelona that stops in Greece, Turkey, Italy, Monaco, France and Spain.
More focused Mediterranean itineraries include the nine-night “Mediterranean Empires” voyages between Venice and Athens, mainly centered on stops along the east side of the Adriatic Sea in Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro.
In the Mediterranean, the main hub of the service is Barcelona; Civitavecchia (port of Rome) and Venice, Italy; Piraeus (port of Athens), Greece; and Istanbul.
Related: The Complete Guide to Viking Cabins and Suites
european river way
Viking is, quite simply, the river cruise giant in Europe—at least among the routes that cater to English speakers. The company operates about 70 riverboats on a wide swath of the continent’s rivers — more than any other river route serving North Americans.
In total, the route accounts for about half of North American river cruises in the region. The next biggest player in European river cruises for North Americans, AmaWaterways, is less than half the size.
Among the rivers in Europe where Vikings had a major presence are the Rhine, Main and Danube in Central Europe; the Seine, Rhone, Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde rivers in France; Douro in Portugal; and Moselle and Elbe in Germany. Until recently, Viking also offered cruises on the Dnieper River in Ukraine. Trips have been suspended since Russia invaded the country in early 2022.
On nearly all rivers, the line offers a variety of itineraries ranging in length from seven nights to 22 nights.
Of the 10 different itineraries on the Rhine alone, services range from a seven-night “Rhein Getaway” from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, to a 22-night “European Stay” from Amsterdam to Bucharest, Romania. The latter adds itineraries on the Main and Danube rivers on days on the Rhine.
the Nile
Viking offers some of the most intimate and elegant cruises on the Nile, with three ships including newly launched, Viking Osiris 82 passengers — one of our favorite ships on the river.
All three Viking Nile ships operated the same seven-night Nile cruise that Viking combined with a four-night stay at a hotel in Cairo (three nights before the voyage and one night after) to created an 11-night “Pharaoh and the Pyramid”. “Egypt tour.
Related: The Ultimate Guide to Viking Loyalty Programs
The itinerary part 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. A stay in Cairo offers visits to the pyramids of Giza, the Egyptian Museum, and other sites.
The Viking Osiris is the first of four sister ships Viking plans to launch on the Nile in 2025 when it doubles its footprint in Egypt. The ships had Scandinavian-influenced designs, mimicking the designs of Viking ships in Europe.
Remarkably, the ship has an entire deck of vast suites that rival anything else found on the Nile in luxury and comfort. Each has two full-size rooms – a large living room that feels like a residential area, and an adjoining bedroom with walk-in closets and bathroom. Each suite also has an outdoor balcony with seating for two — something you don’t always see on Nile ships.
Antarctic
Viking is new to Antarctica excursions, but the destination is a big growth area for the line. Vikings recently added two new expedition cruise ships, 378 passengers specially built to travel to the White Continent.
Dubbed the Viking Octantis, the first of these ships set sail for the South Pole in February 2022. The second ship in the series, Viking Polaris, has just arrived with its sister Antarctica. in this year. Together, the two ships have made waves in the market for Antarctic cruises, in part because they have a number of new and unusual features.
Most notable is The Hangar, a self-contained marina that allows passengers to transfer to two of each ship’s exploration vessels while still inside the protected vessel. A first for an expedition ship, it’s something that is dramatically improving the experience for passengers during the Antarctic expedition.
Related: Explanation of the 3 types of Viking ships
In another first for polar cruise ships, every cabin on both the Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris features floor-to-ceiling glass walls that slide open partially from the top to create a balcony-like feel. .
Viking offers a number of Antarctic itineraries, with a typical trip starting with a night at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, before a flight to Ushuaia, Argentina, to board one of two expedition ships for the journey. 11 nights to Antarctica and back. A longer version of the trip features 13 nights on one of the ships and an extra day in Antarctica.
Viking also offers trips to Antarctica that combine a visit to the White Continent with stops in the Falkland Islands, Uruguay and Brazil.
Notably, Viking Octantis also ran the first Viking voyages around the Great Lakes this year. In 2023, both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris will spend their summers in the Great Lakes.
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