Viking River Cruises Review
Viking River Cruises creates the “thinking person’s cruise” as passengers immerse in each port of call’s food, culture, countryside and customs. While you’ll visit the iconic landmarks on a Viking river cruise, you’ll also get to experience local life with access to places that are otherwise difficult to access. Viking passengers get an insider’s view to world-class museums and cultural performances with ballet, folklore, opera and more. On board, the theme continues with a curated library focusing on the onshore excursions and guest lecturers, local cuisine complete with cooking demonstrations, wine from your destinations, and craft demonstrations from local artisans.
- Named the Best over 35 times by Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler and Cruise Critic
- Menus inspired by local cuisine with a tasting of vintage local wines
- The most extensive fleet of river cruise vessels with 73 ships
- Refunds based on the current exchange rate for advance purchase optional excursions, not the time-of-sale rate
What to Expect on a Viking River Cruises Ship
While each of Viking’s 73 river vessels is unique, all offer spacious staterooms and suites with full-size verandas, French balconies or half-height picture windows, and amenities comparable to those found in top-rated hotels. The ships feature a Culture Curriculum with art and history lectures for ports of call, and local music and entertainment.
Guests on each Viking ship get access to onboard curated libraries, panoramic windows and spacious sun decks. Other features depend on the boat assigned to your river cruise and include:
- Health clubs and massage therapy
- Observation lounges
- Pools and spas
- Putting greens
- Walking tracks
Dining on Viking River Cruises
While Viking River Cruises does not boast any Michelin chefs, the food is plentiful and of excellent quality. Each menu is crafted with the locale in mind, bringing in traditional tastes of the area through main dishes, bread and pastries.
- Breakfast is served buffet style with an extensive selection of eggs, meats, cheeses, fresh fruits and baked goods.
- Order from the lunch menu or choose from the buffet.
- Dinner is a multi-course affair that’s more casual compared to the pomp and circumstance found on ocean liners.
- The lounge is a great place to grab a light breakfast or lunch.
You are free to dine with friends or make new acquaintances since there’s no assigned seating. If you would like to dine alfresco under the sun or stars, you’re welcome to take a plate to the sun deck.
Viking River Cruises Cost and Destinations
Viking River Cruises travels along the rivers of China, Egypt, Europe, Russia, and Southeast Asia throughout the year. Viking’s all-inclusive pricing includes river-view staterooms with luxury linens, port taxes and fees, one complimentary shore excursion at each port of call, visits to UNESCO locations, access to lectures and destination performances.
Viking River Cruises Destinations Per Person Prices |
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Cruise Destination | Countries Visited | Days | Starting Price |
Asia | 1 to 2 | 14 to 19 | $3,499 to $4,999 |
Danube | 3 to 8 | 8 to 23 | $1,899 to $9,198 |
Douro / Portugal | 2 | 10 | $2,799 |
Egypt | 1 | 12 | $5,399 |
Elbe / Germany | 2 | 10 | $2,799 |
France | 1 to 6 | 8 to 15 | $1,999 to $6,498 |
Oberammergau | 3 to 5 | 10 to 12 | $4,599 to $5,199 |
Rhine | 2 to 8 | 8 to 23 | $1,999 to $6,899 |
Russia | 1 | 13 | $5,499 |
Ukraine | 1 to 2 | 11 to 12 | $3,699 to $3,799 |
Christmas Market | 3 to 5 | 8 to 12 | $1,899 to $3,499 |
River & Ocean | 6 | 15 to 22 | $6,498 to $9,198 |
How to Book a Viking River Cruise
Book a vacation with Viking River Cruises by visiting the website or calling the number on the site, or through a travel agent. You can see all available river cruises for the current and following year on Viking’s website with dates, itineraries, available suites and rooms, prices and airfare.
Viking River Cruises Complaints
Viking River Cruises has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau with 49 complaints in the past 12 months. However, the problems were often beyond the company’s control, such as low water levels due to drought conditions. Out of nearly 6,500 reader reviews on CruiseCritics, Viking River Cruises received close to 5,000 5-star ratings. We found Viking River Cruises representatives were quick to answer complaints, resolving many with a priority on customer satisfaction.
Viking River Cruises Q&A
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Do Viking River Cruises bundle with airfare to get to and from the port of call?
Viking partners with 16 airlines to offer round-trip transoceanic air travel, and you can buy tickets from Viking at the same time you purchase your river cruise. Viking River Cruises provides air travel at a discounted rate with free ground transfers. -
Are tips included in a Viking River Cruises travel package?
You can add an optional prepaid gratuity package to your trip using My Viking Journey on the website. The amount from the prepaid tips gets split among onboard staff. Otherwise, the amount you tip at the time of service is at your discretion. -
What shore excursions can I expect on a Viking river cruise?
Viking offers Local Life, Working World and optional Privileged Access experiences on shore, giving you a choice of activities and sightseeing. An onboard Viking Concierge helps passengers customize a trip at their request. -
Are children allowed on Viking River Cruises longboats?
Viking recently changed the minimum age policy to include only passengers who are 18 and older. The majority of passengers on Viking River Cruises are 50 years of age or older. -
Do Viking River Cruises sail during a specific season?
Viking’s river ships cruise to fewer destinations some months, but cruises operate all year round.
Conclusion
River cruising with Viking is an excellent option for travelers who want to experience different cultures. Viking River Cruises’ intimate, inclusive itineraries are specifically designed to help travelers explore and engage with destinations through fascinating on-land excursions and sightseeing with exposure to local customs, folklore and food.