Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are entirely our own, and we have not been compensated in any way for these opinions.
Have you considered taking a river cruise, but then thought that it might be too complicated to arrange, too stuffy, too crowded or maybe just plain boring? Maybe you have taken a cruise on one of the mega cruise ships and it was all too overwhelming? Well river cruising is none of those things and we wanted to take this opportunity to dispel some of the frequently held notions regarding one of the easiest, safest and most luxurious ways to travel, the river cruise! All of our experience in river cruising has been on the Viking River Cruise line. With their wide range of rivers and destinations, you will be able to find an itinerary that is perfect for you. Along with the cruise itself, Viking can also arrange your air travel, pre and post trip extensions, and all transfers, ensuring that your vacation is as fun, easy and stress-free as it can be.
Not convinced yet? Read on to find out the reasons we keep coming back to Viking for our river cruise getaways!
Why You Should Go
1. Small Ships that Don’t Feel Small – Viking has a number of sizes of river-going ships that are all rather similar, however the vast majority of their river ships are Viking Longships. With over 50 Viking Longships sailing the world’s rivers, this cruise line has an extensive fleet, all of them in a modern, Scandinavian design.
Viking has designed these unique ships to provide you with all the amenities you need for luxurious comfort and smooth sailing. In fact, you should think of your Viking ship as a luxury hotel that takes you from destination to destination without having to pack and unpack. You can take a virtual tour of a Longship here to see for yourself.
The Longships only have 95 staterooms, so the number of passengers is limited to less than 200 people. Since there are so few passengers, the ship never seems crowded. You can always find a place to relax and enjoy some solitude. You might sit in the library and browse a book or play a game, or maybe find a quiet seat in the atrium. Our favorite indoor spot is in the lounge area, where full length windows give you a beautiful view of the river and surrounding scenery.
If the weather is good, the sundeck is another perfect option for taking in the sights. Seating is available both in the shade and in full sun. The deck also has a walking track if you would like some exercise. There is even a small green for practicing your putting or having some friendly competition.
Each evening, there is usually some entertainment in the lounge. However, you will not find casinos, theaters, or pools aboard the Longships. Frankly, after busy days of cruising and sightseeing, we didn’t miss any of those activities one bit!
TIP: There are likely conflicting opinions on a relatively recent change that Viking made to limit passengers to those over the age of 18. Therefore, you will not see any children on the ship.
2. Beautiful Staterooms – There are several classes of staterooms aboard the Longships, but they all are perfectly appointed and quite comfortable. Most will have either a French Balcony (the sliding door opens, but there is no actual balcony) or a small, private balcony with two chairs. We have chosen the French Balcony on each trip. We like the fact that the sliding door can be opened if we would like to enjoy the fresh air. However, we usually do not spend that much time in our room, so we did not feel that the outside space was necessary.
The bathrooms are comfortably sized and all have heated floors. The staterooms have plenty of storage space, including enough area under the bed to stash your suitcases. With a small refrigerator and a large TV, we find that we have everything we need in our room.
The cabin stewards take excellent care of everything in your room. They clean twice per day and provide turn down service while you are at dinner. If you have any special requests, they are more than happy to try to accommodate your every need!
3. Everything You Need Onboard – You can leave a lot of things at home when you are on a Viking Cruise. Staterooms are equipped with both 110V and 220V outlets, so you will not need a converter. Excellent shampoo, conditioner, body wash and body lotion are provided. Hair dryers, slippers and robes are also available. Bottled water is provided twice per day in your cabin and every time you leave the ship on an excursion. If you do not want to make coffee or tea in your room, they are available just outside the lounge area 24 hours a day. You can even leave your umbrella at home too, because Viking will make sure you have one if rain is in the forecast. WiFi is available for free throughout the ship, and there are tons of movies and videos available on your cabin’s big screen TV. All of these amenities are provided at no additional cost.
One of the things we appreciate about cruising with Viking is the fact that there are no formal nights. We like traveling light and the fact that we can leave suits and co*cktail dresses at home is a plus. That said, some folks do like to dress up for dinner, so if that is your preference you can certainly do so. However, the dress code for dinner is pretty relaxed in comparison with some other cruise lines.
Although there is not a self-serve laundry on board, laundry service is available for a reasonable fee.
TIP: If you are celebrating a special occasion, like a birthday or wedding anniversary, be sure to let them know. They might surprise you! For example, we celebrated an anniversary on one of our trips and found a lovely bottle of champagne waiting for us when we returned from the day’s excursion.
TIP: If you are celebrating a special occasion, like a birthday or wedding anniversary, be sure to let them know. They might surprise you! For example, we celebrated an anniversary on one of our trips and found a lovely bottle of champagne waiting for us when we returned from the day’s excursion. 
4. Included Excursion in Every Port – A free excursion is provided in every port, and this amenity is one of the key differentiators between Viking and some of the other river cruise lines. These excursions can be anywhere from about 2 hours to more than 4 hours. Passengers are organized into small groups and are provided with headphones and listening devices so that the guide can be heard easily by everyone. The guides are typically local folks who are very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.
Frequently, the ship will dock in the morning and stay in port until sometime after dinner. The included excursion usually takes place in the morning after breakfast. Often, the excursion provides an introduction to the town and the key sites, allowing passengers to get oriented with the layout of the town.
After the excursion passengers have several options. They can return to the ship and relax. They can sign up for an optional excursion from Viking (for a fee) or maybe even arrange a third-party excursion. They can even go off on their own and explore the shops, sites and cafes. We love exploring, so we usually just go off on our own. But be sure to check out the optional excursions, there are some really good ones you won’t want to miss.
5. Dock Close to the City – Since river ships are fairly small and Viking has great portage contracts with the towns along the river, the ships frequently dock within walking distance of the town. Many times, we would return to the ship for lunch, and then venture out again on our own. The proximity to town also makes it convenient if you want to have dinner off the ship, or just go for a stroll.
Tip: Even if the ship is not walking distance to the town, Viking will usually provide a shuttle to take you to and from town.
6. Food and Drink– Although there is no room service on board the Longships, there are a couple of great options for dining.
a. Dining Room – The Dining Room is where you will likely be having most of your meals. The hours for breakfast, lunch and dinner are very generous and you never need a reservation. You can just come in when you are ready and sit where you would like. Open seating provides a great way to meet your fellow passengers and strike up some new friendships.
Breakfast and lunch can be ordered from a menu, but there is also a buffet available at each of these meals. All sorts of hot and cold breakfast items are offered in the morning. Lunch will also include hot meals, as well as salads, sandwiches and of course dessert!
Each evening the 5-course dinner is always ordered from an ever-changing menu. As you travel from town to town and country to country on your Viking adventure, you will also get the chance to experience some of the local cuisine. The dinner menu will usually include some of these local specialties as well as other items, including some vegan selections. For those that may not be too adventurous in their eating habits, steak, chicken and fish are always available.
Another amenity that sets Viking apart is that unlimited beer and wine are included with lunch and dinner. A house red and white wine will be available, along with a selection of beers.
b. Aquavit Terrace – The Aquavit Terrace is an indoor-outdoor area positioned on the front of the ship. The Aquavit is an outstanding spot to relax and take in the views while enjoying your meal or an adult beverage!
7. Onboard Cultural Experiences – Viking’s goal during your trip is to expose you to not only the architecture, history, people and cuisine of the places you are visiting, but to immerse you in other aspects of the local culture as well. Throughout the trip, Viking will invite local performers and artisans onboard. You might see a glass blowing demonstration, young men and women playing instruments or dancing, or maybe even a person telling you about life in the town where they live. We have found these presentations to be extraordinarily entertaining and educational.
