How many boats does Viking River Cruises operate?

It is the largest river fleet we carry, built mainly around the Longship class, on the Rhine, the Danube, the Rhône, the Seine, the Douro, the Elbe, the Nile and the Mekong. The number of cruises currently on offer is shown at the top of this page.

Do all the boats have departures?

Not all of them, all the time. A few boats on the list carry none on our calendar at the moment. That says nothing about what the line sells: it is our inventory, not theirs. Your advisor can look.

What is the Longship class?

A series of river boats that appeared in 2011, built in large numbers, and it is what took the fleet to its present scale. Deck plans are the same from one boat to the next.

Should I choose a particular boat?

On the river, rarely. The Longships are identical to one another: you pick a date and a route. The two busiest on our calendar are Viking Longships Heimdal and Viking Kari, which does not make them the two best.

Why do the itineraries look so alike?

That is the nature of river cruising: the same rivers, the same locks, the same towns. Variety comes from dates and length, not from the route. At sea the same line opens far more distinct tracks with far fewer ships.

Does Viking sail anywhere but Europe's rivers?

Yes. Viking Mississippi carries the American river, ground the Longships never touch.

Can I book several years ahead?

It is the furthest horizon in our whole catalogue. Booking that far ahead gives you the pick of cabins and fixes a price, but it commits money years in advance. Discuss cancellation terms with your advisor before deciding, not after.

Are children allowed aboard?

No. Viking accepts nobody under eighteen, on the rivers as at sea. There is no casino, no children's club and no art auction aboard. It is a house decision, not a ship rule: it has no exceptions.

What is included in the fare?

The line announces one shore excursion per port, Wi-Fi, beer, wine and soft drinks at lunch and dinner, access to the thermal area, the specialty restaurants, self-service laundry and room service around the clock. We report what it announces; we have not checked it departure by departure. Ask your advisor for the written list before booking.

Who is Viking, and since when?

Founded in 1997 by Torstein Hagen, in Saint Petersburg. Operating head office in Basel, commercial head office in Los Angeles. River is the original trade, ocean came in 2015 with Viking Star, and expedition in January 2022 with Viking Octantis.

Is the company listed on the stock market?

Yes. Viking has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 1 May 2024, under the symbol VIK. In practice that means its results are public and checkable: it is a fact about solidity, not a selling point.

Is French-speaking guiding available?

Service is in English on most departures. If French matters to you, say so to your advisor before booking: it is checked departure by departure, not line by line.

Who is this line not for?

Families with children, without exception, since the eighteen-and-over rule allows no arrangement. And anyone looking for the animation of a big ship: no casino, no large-scale show, a deliberately quiet vessel. That is the product, not a shortfall.

Who protects me if my cruise is cancelled?

Your agency, and it alone. Voyages AquaTerra operates under a licence from Quebec's Office de la protection du consommateur, your payments pass through a trust account, and the compensation fund for travel agency clients covers your departure. That holds whichever line you choose.

Viking River Cruises

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Viking River Cruises
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Viking River is the largest river fleet in Europe, and its ships are deliberately identical from one river to the next: same layout, same pale Scandinavian interiors, same shape of day. That standardisation is the argument: you know exactly what you are buying, whichever river you pick. As on the ocean fleet, no traveller under eighteen is accepted, and the programme leans on lectures and guided visits rather than entertainment.