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17 Best Viking Cruises Food Options I Enjoyed On Board

• Cruises and Sailing
• River Cruises
• Types of Travel
• Viking Cruises

Note: The Travel Awaits team regularly updates content to provide the latest, and most accurate information to our readers. The updated content in this article may not reflect the views or opinions of the original author.

I recently took a Viking River Cruise on their Rhine Getaway itinerary cruising down the Rhine River for eight days. It was an incredible journey visiting four countries and experiencing their distinct cuisine along the way. A river cruise is a very different experience from an ocean cruise when it comes to dining. On Viking River cruises, you can dine in the main dining area or at the Aquavit Terrace, which is an indoor-outdoor dining area. Both serve the same menu for each meal. Although it doesn’t have the variety you will find on the ocean ships, I ate very well, from delicious meals in the main dining room to most al fresco dining offered to room service.

Viking does a great job curating experiences that provide excellent opportunities to visit small local businesses and creators both on the ship as well as on their excursions. I am quite the foodie and consider food and wine an important component of travel. Meeting local cheese and winemakers as well as many others filled that need for me.

I was on a press trip for Viking Rivers Cruises on their newest ship, the Egdir . All opinions are my own.

Pro Tip: Each day Viking provides a Viking Daily , a four-page flier with the next day’s schedule as well as historical, cultural, and culinary information about your next destination. The culinary section can give you ideas of what you might want to taste during your visit.

17 Best Viking Cruises Food Options

On board the egdir, 1. breakfast.

Every morning I ate breakfast at the Aquavit Terrace. Our cruise was still on the chilly side, so I often had it all to myself. The view was lovely from the front of the ship, especially if cruising.

I ate the same thing just about every day. I love a European-style breakfast with meats and cheeses and fresh bread and croissants. Noshing on a crispy, buttery croissant and sipping fresh coffee, well it doesn’t get much better than that. You can also order breakfast items off the menu. One day, I just felt like eggs and was able to customize a one-egg omelet. It was just the right size and allowed room for croissants.

On both sides of the ship just outside the lounge are two coffee stations. A high-tech machine dispenses coffee, lattes, cappuccinos, and hot chocolate. A water dispenser offers still or sparkling water. In the morning, find breakfast pastries and, in the afternoon and evening, a variety of cookies which change each day.

Pro Tip: If you like a late-night snack, snag a few favorites to bring back to your room because there is no food available later at night.

2. Salads And Chef’s Selections Of The Day

The Viking River Cruise menus have a section of items that are available each day and then a daily menu. I loved the variety of fresh salads with a new one each day. I really enjoyed these and loved that it was a smaller portion so you could enjoy something else as well. This was a good thing as each day the chef prepared a selection of appetizers and small bites to choose from. Always so fresh and appetizing that I often chose more than one!

3. The Best Brownie Ever

One afternoon on a rare sunny day during our trip, I was able to dine outside on the Aquavit Terrace. The service was excellent, and the brownie dessert served at lunch that day was the best ever. The decadent, dark chocolatey goodness of the brownie was drizzled with a buttery, rich caramel sauce then topped with roasted pecans and served with a side of vanilla ice cream. So memorable.

During My Viking Egdir Excursions

4. black forest cake in the black forest.

What a treat to enjoy traditional Black Forest Cake in the Black Forest. The included excursion was a bus trip that took us to Hofgut Sternen, Germany — the Black Forest Village. From its humble beginnings as a 13th-century medieval horse station, it has evolved into a stop for visitors to the region. The long tradition of craftsmanship in the area is supported by the shops in the Black Forest Village.

Black Forest Cake is a culinary treat that infuses layers of chocolate sponge cake with kirsch , a local cherry brandy, mounds of whipped cream, sour cherries, and chocolate shavings. Enjoy a slice and pick up the recipe during your visit.

Pro Tip: The village can get rather crowded, so while everyone is exploring enjoy your cake first. The restaurant offered a special for Viking cruisers that included a slice of traditional Black Forest Cake and a cup of coffee. I enjoyed having the place to myself, and then I explored the village and even had time to hike a bit.

5. Currywurst At An Imbiss

I love meeting fellow writers during a press trip because they know things. Chris Owen of Chris Cruises is an expert on Viking Cruises, having been on over 30. When docked in Koblenz, he loves to get a Currywurst with pommes frites (fries) at an imbiss (a German fast-food stand) near the ship. Seeing the joy on his face munching on one of his favorite treats, I of course had to try one. Yum! Hard to believe this is fast food.

Flavors Of Alsace Excursion

I took the optional Flavors of Alsace excursion, which involved walking and eating throughout the Grande-Île UNESCO World Heritage Site of Strasbourg in France. This historic area is filled with small shops and eateries with a culinary heritage that is a blend of French and German cuisine. Here are a few of my favorites…

6. Flammenkuchen

I enjoyed this delicious Alsatian traditional flame-cooked dish at the Le Gruber Vinstube, which strives to preserve the authenticity of Alsatian cuisine and the traditional Vinstubes. Flammenkuchen is like a pizza, but the crust is super thin. The traditional savory version has a light delicate crust and is topped with a creamy sauce, bacon lardons, onions, and cheese. A more dramatic presentation was a version with apples that is drizzled with Calvados (a brandy from Normandy) and then lit on fire. A very impressive dessert.

Pro Tip: Check the Viking Daily each day for Live Culinary demonstrations. On our day in Strasbourg, Chef Lulian taught us how to make Flammenkuchen.

7. Wine And Cheese

One of the highlights of this tour was visiting Un Cantalou a Strasbourg . Owner Jeroud introduced our group to wines from the Alsace region perfectly paired with local cheese and charcuterie. He led the paired wine tasting of three regional wines, and it was a great presentation. Informative without being stuffy. Jeroud was so knowledgeable, but his bubbly personality made this such a fun event.

Donatien Maître Éclair was a fabulous stop. Owner Donatien Fehr is a true artist who has taken this humble pastry and elevated it to a whole new level of culinary delight. In addition to sweet pastries, he has created the savory éclair. On my visit, he was offering a ham and asparagus creation that utilized fresh, local asparagus. The crisp éclair shell was filled with flavorful filling and topped with ham and asparagus. It was so tasty. ‘

I also tried a pistachio cream sweet éclair which was divine. One of the things I was amazed about on this tour is that so many businesses focus on one thing and do it very well. Imagine a shop focusing on only eclairs!

9. The Mustard Museum

The Kölner Senfmuseum — or mustard museum — in Cologne, Germany was such an interesting experience. Mustard Miller Harald Löhausn shared how pure milled mustard is made, and we also got to try the different mustards. These mustards are made on-site with no additives from a basic recipe of mustard seeds, vinegar, salt, and spices. The mustard seeds are dry ground and added to the ingredients to ferment for a week then wet ground before aging for two months.

This all-natural mustard will keep for 2 years at room temperature. The mustards are packaged in handcrafted stoneware containers that are just beautiful and make a great souvenir. So how does it taste? Pretty good with a rich flavor not found in grocery store mustards. The best seller is their original from a recipe dating back to 1810.

Pro Tip: Purchase one stoneware urn, which is heavy, and then refill pouches to lessen the weight of your luggage. Also, buy one of the small wooden spoons which must be used to ensure the flavor of the mustard which is affected by metal.

Curated Dinner Excursions

Viking River Cruises offers a variety of dining experiences off the ship. I tried two, and although I tend to avoid the touristy experiences, I found I really enjoyed both of these excursions.

10. Dine In Rüdesheim Am Rhein

Despite getting on the kitschy mini-train that moved us from the ship to the restaurant, this was a fun experience. Rüdesheim is a charming small town and the Drosselgasse, a narrow pedestrian passageway, is just darling. The Rüdesheimer Schloss had a fest hall vibe to it where we enjoyed a farm-to-table meal of favorites from the Rheingau region. We even got to try the local Schnapps.

It was white asparagus season and we hadn’t had the opportunity to try them. The restaurant accommodated my request and I was able to order a plate for our table. The entertainment was fun and most of us joined in for the chicken dance, or the duck dance as it is known in this area.

11. Cologne’s Beer Culture And Dinner

This was such an interesting experience. We started at the Brauhaus zur Malzmühle, which since 1858 has been one of the more popular Brauhaus in Cologne. We enjoyed a multi-course meal with a variety of German favorites before joining our guide to try a few brewhouses. 

Kölsch is a crisp, light beer that is only brewed in Cologne. Unlike other areas of Germany where beer is served up in large steins, Kölsch is served straight from the barrel in special 7-ounce glasses which allows you to finish the beer while it is still cold. Such an interesting experience. Papa Joe’s Biersalon will remind you of the movie Cabaret with its jazzy vibe. It is worth a stop to see this collection of mechanical music machines from player pianos to animatronic musicians. Super fun.

Each Viking River Cruise itinerary will have different experiences, but the dining experience will be the same on each river voyage. I love this consistency of the brand — you know what to expect. Each trip will have a variety of on-ship culinary demonstrations and excursions as well as the delicious food served in the Dining Room and Aquavit Terrace.

Editor’s Take: Best Food On The Viking Egdir

TravelAwaits’ Senior VP, Missy Glassmaker, also enjoyed a week on the ship. Here are her picks for the best eats.

I agree with Peggy’s picks. The dining options were amazing and endless. Here are a few additional dining experiences I loved.

12. Roast Duck Breast

I never pass up duck when offered and this did not disappoint. Served with shiitake mushrooms, butternut squash, and Korean barbecue sauce, it was the perfect dinner choice to kick off our trip.

13. Grilled Lamb Chops

I couldn’t believe I ate this decadent meal for lunch, but I’m so happy I did. It felt like a special meal you would only enjoy on a rare Friday or Saturday night out, but it actually wasn’t too heavy for lunch and was oh-so-delicious.

14. Bitterballen

Viking does an excellent job of incorporating local dishes into the nightly menus. Bitterballen was served while we were sailing through the Netherlands. It’s a breaded beef meatball served with spicy mustard. It was my first time trying it and I’ll definitely be looking for it again on my next visit.

15. Every Croissant

I didn’t keep track of how many croissants I consumed for good reason, but I enjoyed a few each day and one was better than the next, from plain to chocolate, apple, and pecan. Simply delicious!

16. Chocolate Mousse

This was offered a few times at lunch and dinner while sailing. It’s simple but perfect. Enjoy it with the Chianti I recommend below.

I loved the Kolsch in Cologne and the Riesling in Alsace, but the wine on the ship just felt special in part because the staff was so ridiculously amazing, they knew what I would love before I did. My favorites were the Chateau Miraval Cotes de Provence Rose with lunch and the Poggio al Sole Chianti Classico during and after dinner — occasionally paired with chocolate mousse for a lunch treat. The Gentil “Hugel” Alsace was also very good the first evening. 

The Best Dining Venues on Viking Cruises

Popular dishes on Viking cruises include Scandinavian specialties like gravlax and herring, as well as global cuisines such as sushi and pasta. Fine dining experiences offer gourmet meals paired with exquisite wines, ensuring a culinary journey on board in the main dining room and the areas I listed below.

The Chef’s Table

The Chef’s Table offers the perfect pairing of food and wine. The sommeliers and culinary masters at the Chef’s Table pour select vintages and serve thoughtfully prepared dishes during a multicourse tasting. A private dining room provides an opportunity to have an intimate meal.

The Pool Grill

For a relaxed lunch or an afternoon snack, the Pool Grill serves casual fare prepared to order and a small salad bar for lighter meals. Enjoy the poolside atmosphere while sipping the regional cocktails in the Pool Bar.

The World Cafe

Viking ships’ buffet, The World Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.  A sushi bar with a seafood buffet is one of my highlights when it comes to evening offerings.

The Kitchen Table

The Kitchen Table is part shore excursion part cooking experience. It is a unique onboard cooking school with options to shop, cook, and eat with the masters. Witness the culinary expertise of top chefs as they bring local flavors from the market to the table. 

Room Service

Room service is excellent on all Viking cruise ships. The continental breakfast menu is comprehensive and offers a range of hot and cold dishes and coffee. Complimentary room service offers prompt delivery of delicious meals.

Viking really wants you to enjoy your meal. If you don’t like one thing, pick something else. Having trouble deciding? Pick both. I ended up with two desserts at one meal and loved sharing with the table. You’ll order, and eat, more food than you expected, but that’s what the excursions are for, and there’s a walking track on the top of the ship. Enjoy!

Heart set on a river cruise? Read all our Viking content here .

Are Meals Free on Viking Cruise Lines?

All meals on Viking cruise lines are complimentary, including specialty restaurants, a private dining room, room service, and other dining venues. The only dining experience with a fee is The Kitchen Table. 

What Are Specialty Restaurants on Viking Cruise Lines?

Specialty restaurants focus on local flavors and regional cuisine or culinary themes. Whether it’s an intimate chef’s table experience that can be enjoyed in the restaurant a private dining room or a casual al fresco dining option, these specialty venues offer variety and excitement.

Can I Order Room Service on Viking Cruises?

Yes, passengers can order room service on Viking cruise lines at any hour, any day. The complimentary menu includes a pasta dish, burgers, hot dogs, fish, chicken, a cheese plate, and fresh fruit as well as soft drinks, and desserts. 

What’s the Viking’s Pool Grill?

Pool Grill is Viking’s version of a burger bar. Pool Grill has a tasty take on the vegetarian burger, wings, chili dogs, pizza, grilled fish, and french fries. It also includes a small salad bar. Lunch is served daily at the Pool Grill.

Why Is the Viking’s Aquavit Terrace So Special?

Located outside the World Cafe, the Aquavit Terrace is an enchanting place where you can choose to either dine in a restaurant or in your own private dining room. It provides the most al fresco dining experiences of all ships at sea.

She currently lives in the Pacific Northwest. Her work can be found in Northwest Travel & Life Magazine , 253 Lifestyle Magazine , and other regional publications. She is the author of 100 Things to Do in Tacoma Before You Die , Reedy Press, and a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA). The name of her travel blog came about from her friends constantly asking her, "Peggy, Where Should I Go?"

Viking River Cruises Menus and Meals

By: Author Kim

Posted on Published: April 1, 2014  - Last updated: April 7, 2022

Salted Caramel Tarte

What is the food like on board a Viking River Cruise ? It’s a valid concern, but after several sailings, I can say that the food is great! See for yourself, though, in the menus and food photos and videos below as enjoyed on the Viking Heimdal and the Viking Forseti in March 2014.

First, an overview of what to expect. There is only one restaurant on board the Viking River Ships, and only one seating for each meal in the dining room. There is also a more casual buffet on the Aquavit Terrace. The dining room is casual, with large tables seating 6-8 guests. The casual chic color palette is calming with muted tones and pops of color with the bright turquoise blue glassware. There is no assigned seating.

The main dining room

Breakfast is a large buffet served every morning in the main dining room. As you can see in the video, the choices are amazing!

If you don’t see something you’d like on the buffet, order off of the limited breakfast menu in the main dining room.

Viking River Cruises Breakfast menu

Buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup

Alternatively, you can also eat breakfast on the Aquavit Terrace. The small amount of breakfast selections are ideal for a quick, light bite to enjoy in the enclosed glass seating area, or al fresco on the open air patio.

Pastries and goodies

Yogurts and fruit

Meats and cheeses

Fresh local breads.

Coffee, cappuccino, tea and hot chocolate are also available in two snack stations outside of the lounge on the Viking Longships. A small assortment of bakery items are available in the morning, with sweets in the afternoon. Many are specialties of the area in which you are sailing that day.

Related: Compare AmaWaterways’ Buffets and Menus from our recent sailing.

Beverage and Snack station

For lunch, a large buffet with a pasta station and salads can be found in the main dining room, as seen in the video below. A menu offers appetizers and main meals, along with desserts. A lighter lunch is served in the lounge.

Hot dog on Viking River Cruises

Chocolate mousse with bananas

Another Lunch menu

Salmon Quesadilla

Strawberry Tiramisu

Dinner brings with it a bit more flair, without all of the formality. Meal service presents more imaginative dinner options, but it is never too formal or too over the top with pomp and circumstance. There are no formal nights.

Along with the rotating choice of main meals, there are always classics such as Caesar salad, salmon, chicken breast, and steak that are consistently on the menu.

Viking Dinner Menu

Second Page Viking Dinner Menu

Oxtail Rillettes

Lamb chops with honey

Saltimbocca of monkfish

Crème Brulee After Eight

Another Dinner Menu

Beef Wellington

Third Dinner Menu

Filet Mignon Pork of Perigord

Cheese Plate

Appetizers, main meal and desserts are offered, along with a cheese course. Wine pairings are included, and plentiful, throughout meal service.

Wine, beer and soft drinks are included with lunch and dinner – so no nickel and dining there!!

The food is fresh, and locally sourced whenever possible. We watched from our verandah balcony as the Viking Cruises staff members walked off the ship and picked up a local delivery of breads and wines. Their arms were laden with boxes that had bread loaves peaking out or were clinking as the glass wine bottles moved within.

Some optional excursions include accompanying the chef to the local farmer’s market to pick out foods, and the chefs utilize fresh herbs from the sunroof gardens on the Viking Longships.

One night, we especially enjoyed the bread basket at the table. We asked for another basket, but what was brought was not the same thing. They had run out of the original bread selection. There was nothing frozen in the back, no more on hand than they needed.

What if you are celebrating a special occasion? We celebrated a birthday while sailing, and with some advance notice, the chefs were kind enough to create a birthday cheesecake made with mango and tropical fruits. The cake was large enough to serve our entire table of six.

A special birthday cake on a Viking River Cruise.

Torstein Hagen, the owner of Viking Cruises, states that the food will never be considered gourmet, but will always be great, fresh food. I agree!

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Thursday 20th of April 2023

My wife requires a gluten-free meal. What options does Viking River Cruises offer to accommodate her?

Friday 21st of April 2023

Viking actually works really well with allergies or special diets. When we were onboard several menu items were designated as allergy friendly on the standard menu. However, I had some things that I needed to avoid and they were really great at working with me. I would definitely try to contact Viking beforehand saying that you will need a gluten-free menu, and then be sure to talk to someone onboard once you get there so that there are no surprises.

Diane Fournier

Wednesday 16th of November 2022

We are booked for a Mississippi River cruise December 30, 2023, New Orleans to New Orleans. Will the menus reflect the Cajun food of the area. Thanks Diane Fournier

Saturday 19th of November 2022

Hi Diane, We haven't sailed the Mississippi River cruise, but do believe that there will be some Cajun food options. Viking is always good at representing the tastes of the region, so we'd expect there to be some local foods on the menus.

Claudia A Pacchioli

Sunday 7th of November 2021

I am planning on taking the river cruise Frances Finest. At times I am not a early person. 6-8 Morning for breakfast too early...Is there anything for a lighter fare, continental breakfast if breakfast is missed. And...if I decide to be out for lunch at the designated time is there a lighter fare if that would occur.

Basically, is there food available if you do not make the designated time frame for Breakfast, Lunch and possibly dinner?

Thank You... C. Pacchioli

Tuesday 30th of November 2021

Yes, Claudia! There is food available outside of the designated sit down meals. We always found something to eat when we wanted it!

Monday 21st of October 2019

Is the Aquavit Terrace open for an early dinner? We prefer to eat early around 4:30 - 5:00. Can you get a full light dinner at that time? Thanks

Wednesday 30th of October 2019

When we went it was. I can't guarantee on your sailing, though.

Gary Robson

Wednesday 11th of October 2017

Hi there Ive got silver drink package added Love different beers Have t hey got variety german or international beers on board Can you get bottle beer also rather than tap beer Also say a scotch do they give you too shelf gear or local say johnny walker blue Thanks gary

Wednesday 25th of October 2017

I'm not positive on all of the specifics, especially since we haven't sailed within the past year. I wouldn't want to steer you wrong, but we weren't disappointed by the drink packages. :)

Food On Board a Viking River Cruise

Food is the number one thing for Mr B and I when we go on holiday and when we cruise it is no different.

From Viking we were expecting quality, variety and a focus on local dishes. We got this and we both agree the food even exceeded our expectations.

When I am on holiday I always look forward to a leisurely breakfast.

A buffet is available with a very generous selection which included freshly carved smoked salmon, a selection of cheeses and cold meats, yoghurts, fresh pastries, a selection or breads, oatmeal, a range of cereals, fresh fruits and hot options with eggs cooked to order any way you would like, bacon (English and American) and sausages.

Whilst the food on the buffet looked lovely and I was impressed with the variety, I am personally not a fan of buffets so each morning I ordered my breakfast from the menu. I really liked that you had the choice of buffet or ordering from the menu, or you could do both if there were a few things you fancied.

There were nine juices on the menu. My regular choice, cranberry, was not on there, but from the first morning I ordered it there wasn’t so much the blink of an eye and it was brought to me in a matter of just a few minutes. That was how we found all the service with Viking, no matter what request we had nothing was ever an issue or too much trouble.

One morning I ordered an omelette with mushrooms, ham and cheese – the filling was generous and it was really tasty. Fancying something sweet, another morning I opted for the French toast with maple syrup – the sweet soft fluffy toast was very yummy!

There were two breakfast options in particular which I absolutely loved, so much so I ordered them both four times over the course of the holiday! Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon is my favourite breakfast of all time but, sadly, it can be done wrong – overcooked eggs or a poor hollandaise can ruin the dish so easily. Well Viking did my favourite breakfast proud. Every poached egg I had had a silky, glossy running yolk whilst the generous amount of hollandaise was rich with a gentle hint of lemon. Combined with the smoked salmon it was utterly delicious!

There was a reason when I ordered the Eggs Benedict I restrained myself and only ordered one egg rather than two. It was so I still had room for what I liked to call my ‘breakfast dessert’ which for me was the cooked-to-order buttermilk pancakes. You could order plain, blueberry, banana or chocolate. For me the plain with a side of maple syrup was all I needed – they were so unbelievably soft and fluffy, the perfect pancakes!

A continental breakfast was also available every day on the Aquavit terrace, but we chose to enjoy a full breakfast every morning in the restaurant.

Lunch is served in the main restaurant and also on the Aquavit terrace. Whilst we enjoyed a few lunches in the restaurant the weather was very good to us on our sailing so we got to enjoy quite a few alfresco lunches on the Aquavit terrace. Whilst many of our fellow passengers chose to dine on tables in the shade we always opted for a table for two at the front, sitting in the sunshine. We are from the UK after all – we don’t get much nice weather so we have to make the most of it whilst we could!

The lunch menu has ‘always available’ options which as the name suggests are options which you see on the menu every day. These don’t change and were good lunch choices which we thought were great crowd pleasers, such as Nicoise salad, Cheeseburger, Vegetarian burger, Hot dog and for dessert, Chocolate mouse or fresh fruit.

The other side of the lunch menu changed daily. There was usually a soup for starter followed by approximately four choices for main and a choice of two desserts.

As we always enjoyed a generous breakfast and dinner, Mr B and I tried to restrain ourselves at lunch and just ordered one course. One afternoon, Dani, who was part of the wonderful lunch service team, did persuade us to try the curried cauliflower soup as he said it was too good to miss out on. We both had a small bowl and Dani was correct! It was silky smooth, sweet with cauliflower and had a lovely hint of spice – not hot, but well balanced which added a lovely flavour.

There was a different pasta dish on the lunch menu every day and this was usually my go-to choice. I love pasta and all the ones I had were superb, fresh pasta with a well-made sauce. Some of my favourites were the pappardelle al ragu, spaghetti carbonara and the penne all’ arrabbiata. Some of the lunch choices Mr B particularly enjoyed were the chicken tikka masala and baby back ribs with sweet potato fries.

Whilst we always passed on dessert, it was difficult as there were some wonderful sounding and looking desserts such as chocolate chip sundae, floating island, flan Parisien, peach melba and banana split.

Evenings where always the highlight of the day for Mr B and I. A fantastic dinner followed by cocktails at the bar always completed the perfect days we had on our Viking holiday.

We varied our nights between eating in the restaurant and at Aquavit. The same menu was served at both – we just enjoyed the two different locations. What we did really like about the restaurant was sharing tables with other passengers, sharing stories of what we had all been up to and everyone’s highlights of the holiday.

Like the lunch menu there was an ‘always available’ section on the menu which had the option of a Caesar salad to start and main options such as Angus rib eye steak, Poached Norwegian salmon and Roast chicken supreme with Crème brulee, fresh fruit and a cheese plate as the dessert choices.

The daily menu which had different options every dinner time was split into two sections. At the top there was always one starter, main and dessert which was regional to the port you were in.

Below this there were then two additional starters, three mains and two desserts. You didn’t have to have all three courses from one section of the menu – you could mix and match between all the options which Mr B and I did most days.

Every night at dinner there was always a basket of freshly baked bread on the table and there was a different one each night. From cheese-topped bread to olive bread to rye bread, there wasn’t one bread I didn’t like. In fact most nights I had more than one piece – I’m a sucker for freshly baked bread!

We enjoyed many, many mouth-watering dishes. Some of my favourite starters were the Halaszle fisherman’s soup, which was on the regional menu whilst we were in Budapest as it is a traditional Hungarian dish. Another soup I very much enjoyed was the Tom Kha Gai which is a Thai chicken soup made with coconut milk. It was lovely and fragrant with lemongrass.

Mr B and I both really enjoyed the crab cake and one night I also enjoyed the buffalo mozzarella in baked eggplant rolls with tomato sauce. This was actually on the menu as a main course, but I asked if I could have a smaller portion of this as a starter and of course this wasn’t a problem.

Our favourite starter of the holiday, for both of us, was the Goats cheese soufflé. It was so light but packed full the lovely goats cheese flavour. It was served with a tomato sauce with the sweetness of tomatoes balancing well with the sharpness of the goats cheese.

I was really pleased with the variety which was on offer when selecting a main course. I had many lovely seafood dishes, including a delicious seared seabass fillet with a lemon, caper and parsley sauce.

And a perfectly cooked pieced of herb-crusted Ahi tuna cooked medium rare which was served with wilted spinach, potatoes and a sherry shallot vinaigrette.

I’m a big lover of mushrooms and there were two vegetarian main courses I enjoyed which I couldn’t resist ordering – the mushroom and potato strudel served with a cream mushroom sauce. The pastry was lovely and crispy and packed with filling.

On our last night whilst we were eating dinner on the Aquavit terrace I enjoyed the portobello mushroom risotto with parmesan crisp.

Whilst we were in Vienna one of the regional specialities was the Wiener Schnitzel, breaded Viennese veal with warm potato salad. This was very popular – a lot of our fellow passengers were ordering it too. It was wonderfully thin with a light coating of breadcrumbs. I was worried it would be dry but was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t.

Two excellent beef dishes I enjoyed were the beef short rib (which fell apart just using my fork as it was so well cooked) and the outstanding chateaubriand which was accompanied with a bearnaise sauce, gratin potato and glazed vegetables. The chateaubriand was utter perfection, perfectly cooked and oh so tender. It was obviously quite clear how much we enjoyed it as our lovely waiter that night offered Mr B and I another piece and a few moments later reappeared from the kitchen with another portion for us both!

I am one of those people that looks at the dessert menu first before I have even looked at the savoury dishes – it’s safe to say I have a sweet tooth! Viking didn’t let me down with the dessert offerings. Some of the standout desserts for me were the Key lime pie with meringue and caramel sauce, New York cheesecake with berry coulis and the lime cake with white chocolate and raspberry sauce. All were very yummy.

One night I could not decide between two desserts so I asked our lovely server which one he recommended, and he said he would get me both! Of course I did not argue and here is the face of a very happy person who loves desserts and is very happy she was given two . . .

In case you were wondering, the two desserts I couldn’t decide between were carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (a classic and one of my favourite cakes) and Somloi Galuska, a traditional Hungarian trifle (which was also delicious!).

It’s a hard choice, but probably my favourite dessert of the cruise was the ‘Moelleux au chocolat’, aka chocolate fondant. The middle was full of rich molten chocolate which oozed out once I cut into it. Served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream it tasted absolutely divine.

A few nights, when I somehow had room left in my stomach, I also ordered the cheese plate. It does come with accompaniments, such as dried fruit, grapes, nuts etc., but when I ordered mine I asked for it plain – just cheese and some fresh French bread is good enough for me!

As lovers of food Mr B and I were very happy with the food on Viking, especially the focus on local, regional dishes which meant we got to try some dishes we had not heard of before.

Thank you Viking for keeping these two food lovers very happy and full during our wonderful holiday!

Want to know what is included on the Viking Silver Spirits drinks package? Have a read of my below post . . .

Viking Silver Spirits Drinks Package

Want to have a look inside the ship we spent a week on whilst we enjoyed our Danube Waltz river cruise? Have a read of my blog post below . . .

A Danube River Cruise Sailing On Viking Rinda

Read about our 8 day itinerary sailing down the beautiful Danube on my other blog post below . . .

Danube Waltz Itinerary – Viking River Cruise

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Tivoli gardens – copenhagen, virgin atlantic clubhouse heathrow, cruising on celebrity apex, where to eat in martin county, 17 comments.

Ooo this I think is so important in a cruise. Having a variety and changing menus is a fantastic thing and it all looks so good

Wonderful post! Has me getting hungry and very excited about my cruise in April!

This looks amazing!!

Thank you so much for this post–it all looks delicious! My husband and I are going on the same cruise next week (July 29th) and we are pleased to see some of what we have to look forward to!

Thank you for sharing! Getting so excited for our Viking cruise after seeing all these pictures.

Given fears of Covid, I am relieved to learn the same dinner menu is available on the terrace so we can eat outside. Thank you for mentioning that! We will do the Cities of Light in September. Did you have trouble claiming a table outside for breakfast, lunch or dinner?

My husband and I went on the Viking Lyon & Provence cruise in April, and ate outside as much as possible. We found that it helped to arrive on the terrace as soon as tables opened for meals, so we could claim a spot. Wonderful weather and a great itinerary in France!

What a great review this was. My husband and I leave on our Viking Cruise in 4 days and you really made our mouths water. Thank you so much

Brilliant post! We can’t wait for our Danube cruise in September! Thank you. Did you ever try the buffet?

Thank you for your comment Nancy. I didn’t try the buffet but my husband did a few times and everything was prepared fresh and he enjoyed it.

Loved your descriptions. Made my mouth water. Love deserts and beef. Will be on the Christmas cruise 2023 with my daughter. Guessing it will be too cold to eat outside. Used to Arizona weather so 70’s is winter weather

It was very nice reviewing the menus. My husband and I will be on our 1st time viking cruise this month and we are Asians I wonder if there’s some Asian rice included in the menus. It is always a part of our meal to have it at least once a day. We are very excited and in a couple of weeks we’ll be there and my bags are packed and were ready to go. Kindly have that in the cruise. Thank you very much….

I’m afraid I cant recall if there was rice however the best thing to do would be to speak to the Maitre de when you board as if they don’t it may still be something they can do for you. they were very accommodating. Happy sailing!

We just returned from our first Viking Cruise aboard the Viking Star. The food selections were very good and they had white rice on the buffet very often if not every day. Therefore, I’m sure you can order it in any of the dining venues. They also had congee which I had never eaten before. It became one of my favorite breakfast items since I enjoy savory flavors for breakfast.

I read (& drooled) over your comments and photos of the delicious fare that Viking serves. Our first time with Viking I thought I had died and gone to heaven. We leave for our Christmas Market cruise with Viking in FIVE DAYS and I can’t wait!!!

Thank you for your lovely comment! I would love to do a Christmas market cruise with Viking. It will be magical, have the best time!

A wonderfully informative post. We are new to cruising and are considering booking with Viking. The menus on offer look delicious. Thank you for sharing your photos!

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The Complete Guide to a Viking River Cruise

Ever consider a Viking European river cruise? River cruises are very popular choices for people who like traveling to new places in the comfort of a floating hotel. That is, you sleep and eat on the ship and are transported to your destinations along a river. It’s certainly a relaxing way to travel. Plus, Viking offers several excursions each day that the ship is in port. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our Viking River cruise, which transported us comfortably to some amazing European destinations.

This article highlights the European river cruises aboard the Viking Longboats. The sizes of the ships are designed specifically for the rivers they ply (e.g., they need to navigate the sometimes narrow waterways and any locks along the way). Viking ships all sport calming Scandinavian decor and are designed efficiently.  The general experience on all Viking River cruise ships is the same, no matter what ship you’re on. However, the information in this article is from our Grand European Tour cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest aboard the Skirnir and Modi (more on the two ships later).  Once you’ve booked a Viking cruise, take the next steps , like creating an online account with Viking, to ensure a wonderful adventure .

NOTE: This article was completely updated in January 2023 from the original article, written in 2019 . Some procedures and protocols on cruise ships have changed to address public health concerns since the global COVID-19 pandemic. Check with your Viking agent or travel agent (or your MyVikingJourney online portal if you’re already booked on a cruise) to learn the latest protocols aboard the ship, and in the countries you’ll be visiting. Despite some tweaks, this article will prepare you for your Viking River cruise. Enjoy!

What to Expect on a Viking River Cruise

Viking is an industry leader for a variety of reasons, including their choices of fascinating destinations, varied excursion options, attention to detail in designing the private and shared spaces, and a welcoming and hard-working staff.

Viking River Cruise Destinations

You’ll find Viking River cruises throughout Europe, Egypt, and Southeast Asia . There are so many choices of destinations and lengths of the trip. Some people book two cruises back-to-back to extend their vacation. Also, Viking offers options to add a few days in the first or last destination before and after a cruise.

What You’ll Find on Viking

On all river cruises, guests are offered one complimentary shore excursion at every destination . In addition, quite a few “optional” excursions are available at an extra cost. The excursions provide guests with an array of experiences, including peeks into how locals live, how and where they work, and some “privileged access” options just for Viking guests.

Onboard you’ll have port talks to prepare you for each new day along with musical entertainment in the lounge. Plus, you can expect some special cooking and craft demonstrations, wine tastings, and presentations about a destination’s unique features .

Guests are served complimentary soft drinks, beer, or wine during lunch and dinner. There is an extra charge for the Silver Spirits package for guests who want to enjoy premium wines and beer, cocktails, and champagnes.

What You Won’t Find on Viking

There are several things you won’t find on a Viking River cruise, and they are often some of the prime reasons so many people choose Viking .

• No inside staterooms.
• No kids. All guests are 18 years old or more.
• No smoking.
• No casinos.
• No formal nights.
• No charge for Wi-Fi.

Viking River Cruise Ships

Viking Longboats have four decks:

• The Sun Deck has tables and chairs for guests to enjoy the views plus a walking track.
• The Upper Deck has the library, bar, lounge, Aquavit Terrace, coffee and tea station, and internet cafe, along with both of the Explorer Suites, all of the Veranda Suites, and some of the Veranda and French Balcony staterooms.
• The Middle Deck has Guest Services, the restaurant, the Viking shop, and some of the Veranda and French Balcony staterooms. 
• The Lower Deck has the Standard Staterooms.

Stairs connect all the decks; an elevator service the upper and middle decks.

Viking River Cruise Staterooms

All Viking River cruise ship staterooms have:

• river views.
• king-size beds that can be split to make two twin beds.
• private bathrooms that are separate from the living space.
• housekeeping twice a day.
• a telephone, safe, and refrigerator.
• a closet with wooden hangers.
• luggage storage under the beds.
• free Wi-Fi (though connection speeds vary depending upon location).
• a flat-screen TV with infotainment options.
• 110/220-volt outlets and USB ports.

Stateroom Options

The different types of staterooms range in size, available outdoor space, the time for guaranteed stateroom access, and amenities. Also, the ability to book optional excursions varies by the stateroom level . For example, the guests in the Explorer Suites can book optional excursions before guests in the Veranda Suites. This practice continues through all the classes of staterooms, with the standard staterooms getting the last optional booking options. Having said this, there are often opportunities to book optional excursions once you board the ship. This is because some guests may have canceled their planned optional excursions prior to the cruise, so it’s a good practice to check on this and any other concerns once you’re on board. 

Stateroom Categories

• 150 square foot stateroom with picture window (no outdoor space)
• located on the Main Deck (lowest deck)
• 3:00 pm guaranteed stateroom access
• 135 square foot stateroom with French balcony (sliding glass door with no outdoor space)
• located on the Upper Deck and Middle Deck
• 205 square foot room with full-size private veranda
• 275 square foot suite with full-size private veranda
• located on the Upper Deck 
• 12:00 pm guaranteed stateroom access
• mini-bar with wine, beer, and soft drinks that are replenished daily
• complimentary fruit plate daily
• complimentary laundry & shoe shine services
• expansive 445 square foot living space (separate living room and bedroom) with wraparound balcony at the stern of the ship plus a French balcony in the bedroom. 
• complimentary in-room breakfast service
• complimentary Silver Spirits beverage package
• private arrival and departure transfer (from and to the airport)

Stateroom Amenities

The staterooms and bathrooms are efficiently designed to maximize usable space , and there are many things to appreciate in the staterooms.

• A safe with an electronic keypad is provided in each room. You set the code, so it’s a cinch to remember. It easily holds passports and other travel documents, along with jewelry and money. One tip we learned is to put a shoe (just one!) in the safe the day before you check out. Having to look for the shoe on the last day will remind you to open the safe so you don’t forget your valuables.
• Staterooms have 110V and 220V electrical outlets , so you can plug in whichever fits your needs. We took a universal travel adaptor with 4 USB plugs and 4 outlets and used just one outlet for all of our electronics (smartphones, cameras, tablets , and Apple Watch). That saved precious counter space.
• There’s a full-size   hair dryer with a German Schuko 2-pin plug that matches the 2-prong outlet in the bathroom.
• Upon arrival, sturdy wooden hangers were in your closet; if you need more, just ask, and they will be delivered promptly.
• The bathroom awaits you with a complete supply of Freyja toiletries, including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and body lotion, along with a shower cap and vanity set. These supplies are replenished as needed.
• The bathroom has a laundry line in the shower that is handy for hanging hand-washed garments.
• Laundry can be sent out to be done. It is usually returned within 24 hours. You can choose to have your garments washed and ironed or ironed only. For an idea of the costs for cleaning and ironing, pants are 6 Euros, a blouse is 5 Euros, and a polo shirt is 3.5 Euros (at the time of publication). Guests in an Explorer Suite or Veranda Suite receive complimentary laundry services.
• There’s a mini-fridge in the staterooms. The staff will replenish whatever you consume when your room is cleaned.
• A large glass bottle of water i n your guest room (along with glasses) will be replenished as needed. (You will also be offered bottled water as you leave for each excursion.)
• There are two listening devices on lanyards and an earpiece (for your left ear) for each device inside your room. When not in use, keep these devices in the chargers so they are fully charged for excursions.
• All rooms have a color TV with live channels, complimentary movies, and Viking programming . We used the TV for weather updates and a map that always shows the ship’s location; this was very handy as we navigated the rivers in between ports of call. 
• Housekeeping will visit your room in the morning to clean it.
• Housekeeping will revisit your room while you’re at dinner. You’ll notice the Viking Daily on your bed when you return to your room later that evening. This publication outlines the schedule for the next day, with all included and optional excursions as well as suggestions on where to visit and eat during your free time the next day.
• There’s room under the bed to store suitcases after unpacking.

Viking River Cruise Common Areas

In addition to your stateroom, there are several key public areas on the longships including an expansive, relaxing lounge and bar, the Aquavit Terrace at the ship’s bow for al fresco dining and soaking in river views, a dining room, a coffee/tea station, a small library, and an area with two desktop computers for guest use. For more details on the areas designed for guest comfort, read the illustrated guide to the Viking River Cruise ship’s common areas .

Embarkation

Staterooms are guaranteed to be ready at 3:00 pm. (If you are booked in one of the suites, you’ll have access to your stateroom at 12:00.) If you arrive before your guaranteed time of 3:00 pm, you can spend time in the Lounge or leave your luggage on the ship and begin to explore the city on your own. A light buffet is available in the Lounge around midday, so you’ll be able to recharge a bit before the cruise begins — a nice treat if you just got off a long flight.

The Viking Onboard Experience

Naturally, safety is a primary concern of travelers and the crew. There was a mandatory safety drill on our first full day of the river cruise. Life vests were under the beds, but prior to the drill, they were placed on our beds while we were at lunch. Just before the drill, we were all asked to return to our staterooms and don our life vests. After that, we went to an assigned group on the upper deck (groups are determined by what floor the staterooms are on), and we had to give our stateroom number to the staff at the assigned location (for roll call). Once everyone was accounted for, we were able to leave, return our life vests to our stateroom, and resume what we were doing.

Each time you leave the ship, you scan your room key . When you return to the ship, you scan it again . This is one way the crew can account for all guests. Before leaving a dock, there may be announcements asking for guests in certain rooms to let the staff know they are on the ship. (It’s not uncommon for someone to forget to scan their card when returning to the ship.)

Attire on a river cruise is casual. During the day on excursions, travelers dress very comfortably as they leave the ship to explore a destination. However, most guests sport a smart casual look for dinner. Leave your dressier clothes at home; no formal nights are on a Viking River cruise. 

Meals on a Viking River Cruise

Three meals are included each day at the following times:

• Breakfast: 7:00-9:00 am
• Lunch: 12:00-2:00 pm 
• Dinner: 7:00 pm

Soda, beer, and house wine are available at lunch and dinner at no charge.

Travelers who purchase the Silver Spirits beverage package (price varies depending on the length of your cruise) can get whatever alcoholic beverage they want during lunch, dinner, and whenever else the bar is staffed (afternoons and evenings) at no additional charge. The Silver Spirits package is complimentary for guests in an Explorer Suite.

If you have dietary restrictions, let Viking know when you book. You should also alert the Maitre d’ once on board.

The river cruises have open seating, so that means you aren’t assigned any table mates. Each time you enter the dining room, you find a table that you want to sit at. We enjoyed sitting with different people; it gave us a chance to learn about their travel experiences and lives a bit. You never know what you’ll learn or who you’ll meet!

Although lunch is available in the dining room, we favored the Aquavit Terrace (at the front of the ship) for our midday meal. It’s relaxed and has an abundant food buffet with soup, a variety of salads, meats, warm sandwiches (like paninis and Cuban sandwiches), fruit, and dessert. There’s always iced tea — often with different flavors every day. Servers take your drink orders (sodas, beer, wine) and freshen up your glass when it is empty. Just inside is the Lounge where we ate one rainy lunchtime. The Aquavit Terrace is one advantage Viking has over its competition. This is a great venue for enjoying the passing landscape on travel days and relaxed dining every day.

Prior to dinner, the chef usually introduces the options including his/her recommendations. On our cruise, this was done in the Lounge just after the evening port talk by the program director. Dinner begins at 7:00 pm in the dining room. If you choose to eat on the Aquavit Terrace, dinner begins at 7:15 pm with all of the same options as in the dining room.

Menu Options

On one side of the menu are the “classics” or options that are always available. W hen we cruised, the “classics” included Caesar salad as a starter; steak, salmon, and chicken as entrees, and Creme Brûlée, a selection of cheeses, a fruit plate, and ice cream for dessert.

On the other side of the menu are “regional specialties” or options that are focused on our destinations. Examples were creamy potato soup, Wiener Schnitzel, and Sacher cake when in Vienna; while in Budapest, the menu featured Hungarian Farmer Salad, Fogas Karpathy (perch and shrimp in white wine sauce), and Zserbo (a layered walnut and chocolate cake).

Without a doubt, we give Viking chefs top marks for the presentation and flavor of the food they serve. We always enjoyed the variety of food from the local areas we were visiting. After all, we travel to experience new places, new food, and new people, so we like to eat local specialties whenever possible. We were never disappointed with our meal selections. Whichever side of the menu you order from, the meals for the entire table are served at the same time.

Guests & Socializing

Cruising is a social experience as you chat with fellow passengers on excursions, at the social hour before dinner in the Lounge, and at meals.  An easy way to begin a conversation is to ask where people are from, about their past travel experiences, and what excursions interest them the most. We’ve found there are a lot of commonalities as well as interesting folks to meet. 

River cruises are designed for the mature traveler as Viking guests must be 18 years old. Many of the guests are retired, but there were quite a few still working or recently retired. 

Exercising on a River Cruise

There is no fitness center or spa on Viking River cruise ships; the space that could be a fitness center is instead put to use in the common areas and staterooms. (European river cruise ships are limited in size due to the rivers they cruise on, so they have the same overall dimensions. Some companies may take space from common areas to put into spas and fitness centers; others, like Viking, use all that available space for staterooms and common areas.)

To burn off some of the calories ingested by the delicious food onboard, I walked in the morning around the sun deck track. 12.5 laps = 1 mile. Viking asks that guests not walk on the sun deck from 10:00 pm to 7:00 am as a courtesy to those whose cabins are just below the sun deck. Getting my heart rate up while enjoying beautiful scenery passing by while the ship made its way down a river was a win-win.

My husband prefers to jog each morning, and he was able to when we were docked in the early morning before excursions began. Other times, we were still sailing, so he could not. A good idea if you’re a runner is to check with the reception desk to map out when there will be time in the morning to leave the ship for a jog or run before excursions begin.

Excursions on a Viking River Cruise

You can sign up for excursions from your account on MyVikingJourney.com prior to your trip. Sometimes optional excursions sell out, although there are usually some available once you’re on the ship. Please note that Viking requires at least 48 hours’ cancellation notice if you are on the ship and decide not to go on an optional excursion. 

There are three activity levels for excursions :

• Easy means the walking will be on mostly smooth (not cobbled) surfaces, there are few steps, and the tours will be 1.5 hours or less.
• Moderate means the walking could be a little more strenuous or have more stairs or inclines. The total time on these outings could be 1.5 to 3 hours.
• Demanding means extensive walking, hiking, or biking. Walking could be on unpaved or uneven surfaces and may involve many steps or steep inclines. The total time on these outings could be longer than 3 hours.

Prior to Excursions

About 15 minutes before each excursion, there is an announcement to remind guests that it is almost time to leave and to remember the listening devices. These devices are attached to lanyards with earpieces. 

You’ll receive an excursion card with a number and a letter. The number indicates which ship you’re on. (This is handy because you might encounter tour groups from other Viking ships that are docked in the same city at the same time.) The letter indicates which excursion group you’re on. Since there are often different excursions leaving simultaneously , this is an efficient way to find which tour guide to meet as you disembark the ship. The buses and tour guides for your group are each marked: the bus has a placard with the same number and letter to let you know you need to board that bus; the tour guide has a red and white sign on a paddle to indicate that group, as well.

Leaving the Ship

As you leave the ship, you’ll scan your room key to indicate your departure and rescan it upon returning . This is Viking’s way of accounting for guests.

As you leave the ship, you are handed a bottle of water.  To conserve resources, you could easily fill a reusable water bottle from home with water in the rooms. There are also bright red full-size Viking umbrellas to take along on excursions if it’s raining. I learned that I probably should have packed a small collapsable umbrella to stuff in my backpack; that way, I won’t be carrying the big Viking umbrella around after the rain has stopped while we’re still sightseeing.

A Few Important Excursion Notes

It’s important to note that when the ship docks somewhere in the morning and you go on an excursion, you sometimes will be brought back to the ship in a different location — like another city further down the river. This taught me to take pictures when I first see a scenic sight just in case I wouldn’t have the opportunity again.

There is precise timing to docking and excursions. For example, we arrived in Cologne at 9:30 am and our walking tour began at 10:00 am. Viking is very efficient with their timing. Likewise, when the ship is ready to leave, it leaves — as long as all the guests are accounted for. 

Not everyone needs to go on excursions. Some guests preferred to stay in the Lounge and simply relax, read a book, or enjoy the view beyond the big plate glass window or take in the views from the sun deck.

Big City Lesson

One thing we learned is that although some excursions will guide you through a large city, if it is inland a bit, you may be spending a significant amount of time traveling from the ship to the city — and comparatively modest amounts of time actually in the city itself. We learned this the hard way one day, and we realized that we actually prefer exploring the little towns that we dock at more. Our preferred day at a town where we were docked included a morning walking tour (an included excursion) to get the lay of the land. In the afternoon, we followed up on some of the suggestions the local guide from the morning had regarding how to spend the remainder of the day. That worked well as we enjoyed some nice non-touristy lunches and other walks and tours on our own.

Viking Communication

We found the onboard communication to be excellent . This includes the Viking Daily which provides information for each new day and the evening updates by the program director in the Lounge before dinner. There are also daily announcements with information on docking and reminders about impending excursion departures. 

TIP: Take a picture of The Viking Daily each evening before heading to bed. Then it’ll be the first photo on your camera roll before the next day’s activities. Doing so will help you remember months and years later where all your amazing pictures are from!

The crew communicates with each other quite well. For example, once the crew knows that everyone is accounted for after excursions, the ship is sailing within minutes of the anticipated departure (as noted in the Viking Daily ). 

Viking Staff

The Viking onboard staff — from the captain, hotel manager, and program director to the housekeeping and wait staff — were all positive, upbeat folks: smiling, accommodating, and helpful. Also, the onboard staff and the local guides speak English well.

Little Touches by Viking

Viking has perfected hospitality on many levels. Their crew is well-trained and genuinely appears to want to make you happy. There are lots of smiles and offers of help. They also are known for providing little touches that many guests appreciate. Here are some examples from our cruise:

• Viking is happy to celebrate your birthdays and anniversaries while onboard. Many people were serenaded during dinner, and special treats made pleasant surprises. We celebrated a big anniversary on our cruise and were delighted with champagne and a special dessert awaiting us in our room after dinner one night.
• Every once in a while, you may be treated to a little “extra” like a refreshing drink served on the sun deck while sailing one day.
• I borrowed some books from the ship’s library and left them on a table in our room. When I returned, I noticed two Viking bookmarks resting on top of the books. Likewise, a few days later, I had just started reading a different book and placed it on my night table on top of my Kindle. When I returned to the room, I noticed another bookmark was placed on top of it. 

Tipping is the universal way to thank someone for providing excellent service — and you will find excellent service on Viking. You can choose to pre-pay gratuities which we did. Prepaid gratuities came to 18 Euros per guest per day. Viking adds a discretionary service charge (15 Euros per guest per day when we traveled) to your shipboard account if you choose not to prepay the gratuity . The tips cover all onboard staff. We also took along some thank you cards and added some extra cash to give to those we felt went above and beyond during our cruise.

The recommended tipping (for each guest) on excursions is 2 Euros for local guides and 1 Euro for bus drivers.  Needless to say, it’s handy to have small change for tipping.

Onboard Account

Viking keeps track of your expenses during the cruise, including bar items, laundry, phone calls, and purchases from the Viking shop (logo wear and souvenirs). When the cruise ends, you settle your account in cash (U.S. dollars or Euros) or by credit card.

Parallel Parked Ships

Sometimes there’s a lot of river cruise ship traffic in popular cities. This was true in Passau, a city of over 50,000, and especially in heavyweights like Vienna and Budapest. When this happens, the cruise ship parks parallel to another cruise ship. This means that your ship could be the first, second, or third ship docked. Furthermore, this means that you may have to walk through another ship to get to shore or people are walking through your ship to get to and from theirs. The ships are designed for this — to have travelers walk through the common spaces. And our experience was that we were usually parked next to other Viking ships, so we walked through familiar spaces.

Having to dock the ship next to another cruise ship also means that the view from your stateroom could be blocked and your cabin could be a bit dark.  We were docked next to other ships several times on our 15-day cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest. It’s not a deal breaker for us, but it’s something every river cruise guest should be forewarned about. 

Transferring Ships

There are times when river cruise ships have to have guests disembark a ship and then board a sister ship. Sometimes the river water levels may be too low in spots (due to the lack of sufficient rain during summer) or there is another issue (like a broken lock) necessitating the change.

When We Had to Switch Ships

Here’s our story. We were sailing from Amsterdam to Budapest. There was a broken lock near Regensburg, about halfway between the two big cities. Viking had a sister ship sailing the same journey in the opposite direction — from Budapest to Amsterdam — so we switched ships. We got off our ship, the Skirnir, in Nuremberg (one of our scheduled ports) before the damaged lock. The guests on the other ship, the Modi, got off the ship at Regensburg, on the other side of the damaged lock. Essentially, each ship then turned around and went back to the city from which it originated. Suffice it to say that Viking has this all figured out and has contingency plans firmly in place.

Impact on Guests

What it meant for guests was a minor inconvenience. We had to have our luggage packed and placed outside our stateroom door by 7:00 am on the day of the switch. Viking collected the luggage (with different colored tags for the three different floors of the ship) and trucked it to where the Modi, our new ship, was docked. All guests left the ship for excursions (the times of the excursions were modified that day so they would all be timed for the same number of hours). After the excursions, we all met at a restaurant in Nuremberg for lunch, had a little free time, and then were bussed to the new ship in the late afternoon. As we arrived at the ship, we were warmly greeted, and we went to our rooms (which were intentionally left unlocked). Our luggage awaited us, and our new room keys were on the dresser.

Since they are sister ships, they are the same, so the only thing that changed was the crew. The one exception was the program director, who made the move with us. Otherwise, we had a brand new crew. We had grown to like the crew on the Skirnir, but we quickly came to like the new ones as well.

Disembarkation

Viking has guest departures timed to match their future travel plans. Viking assigns different colored luggage tags to guests depending on what their next travel destination is (a post-excursion through Viking, a trip independent of Viking, or a flight home). The tags have the time the luggage must be outside the staterooms as well as the time that guests are expected to depart the ship. (Viking asks that luggage not be placed outside the staterooms when going to bed the previous night due to safety concerns — should there be an emergency, having bags in the narrow corridors would pose a safety risk.) 

On our cruise, some guests had to put their luggage outside their staterooms as early as 2:45 am and leave the ship at 3:30 am to go to the airport. Regardless of their next destinations, all guests had to place their luggage outside their rooms no later than 9:00 am. After that point, guests still on board could use the common areas (Lounge or sun deck) until their transfer to the airport or other destination. That way, Viking could clean the staterooms and ready the ship for the passengers boarding later that day for the next cruise.

Planning Your Viking River Cruise

Once you book a Viking River cruise, take the next steps to ensure an amazing experience . One of those steps is to create an online account with Viking. There you’ll find a countdown to departure, background on each port of call, the entire list of excursions available (some are complimentary; others cost extra) that you can book online, a calendar showing your itinerary for each day, and other helpful information about the cruise. For a complete list of action steps

You will receive your final travel documents and Viking luggage tags within three weeks of your trip. Included is a packet of information specific to your ship (including phone numbers on the ship plus embarkation location information) and an itinerary.

Booking Options

Some travelers prefer to book through Viking itself. We opted to book through our travel agent with whom we could meet face-to-face, ask questions, and learn from her knowledge of cruising and different cruise companies. Plus, some travel agents provide onboard credit to cruising clients. Since we booked through our travel agent, Viking sent her the final travel documents, and she checked them before passing them on to us.

Disclaimer: My husband and I paid for our Viking River cruise ourselves. We did not receive any compensation or discounts from Viking or any other organization. I merely want to share our experience on a river cruise with my readers. 

Related Articles

Viking related articles.

• Viking Ocean Cruises: The Ultimate Guide
• Viking Ocean Cruise Excursions: What You Need to Know
• Viking Cruises: Best Action Steps to Take After Booking a Cruise
• Viking River Cruises: The Complete Guide
• Best Sights to See on a Viking Grand European Tour Cruise
• Viking Antarctica Cruise: A Complete Guide for Adventurers

General Travel Planning Articles

• Best Apps and Websites for Savvy Travelers
• Travel Lightly: Top Ten Tips for Your Next Trip
• Travel Planning Timeline
• Expert Tips for Traveling to Europe for More Fun, Less Stress
• How to Use Google Translate While Traveling

Final Thoughts

We thoroughly enjoyed our Viking River cruise. O n our trip, we met interesting people; visited fascinating places; sampled new foods, wines, and beer; and appreciated Viking’s convenience and gracious hospitality . We can’t say enough about how well-run and maintained the ships are. Although we have some other trips planned (that we organize ourselves, as we often do), we are contemplating which Viking cruise — river or ocean — we will be booking next. 

The Viking Grand European Tour from Amsterdam to Budapest was a great experience that we’ll never forget.

To ensure you remember all the great experiences on your cruise, take lots of pictures and create a photo book of your journey when you return home. You’ll be glad you did!

If you have taken a Viking River cruise and want to share your experiences, please do so in the comment area below. 🙂

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108 thoughts on “the complete guide to a viking river cruise”.

Thank you so much for the wonderful information in this guide! We are leaving in 6 days for the Grand European Adventure from Amsterdam to Budapest. This is our first cruise ever, and you have answered many questions we still had. We appreciate you sharing your time and adventures with us, and I signed up for your “Travel With Lolly” newsletter too! Thanks again!

I’m hoping you’re having a fabulous cruise! That’s a great itinerary.

Things that I learned while stationed in Germany and traveling around the local economy. You need some small change for this. – Public toilets have attendants who maintain them and who expect a gratuity (.20-.50 Euros) for use. This may have increased since my last visit. – Damen = Women, not “The Men” – Herren = Men, not “Her”

Thanks, Rich!

Some cruises include excursions. How expensive are the excursions? Where do you find the choices? Thanks!

Hi Leslie, Viking cruises include an excursion at each destination; these are usually general bus or walking tours of a city. In addition, they offer optional excursions that are more targeted to specific interests like concerts, museums, hiking or biking, and farm or winery tours. The anticipated optional excursions are listed on the Viking website for each cruise. They are also listed on MyVikingJourney.com, a site you can access after you book a Viking cruise, along with prices. Prices vary and usually run from $60-$200.

Thanks for this information. I’ve been on a Viking ocean cruise but am going on my first river cruise in June. I found that it’s easy to book shore excursions on one’s own (through “Tours by Locals”, AirBnB, and other venues) and many cost far less than what Viking charges. For example, going to Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny will cost 4 of us about 1/3 of what Viking is charging. Going to a chocolate making session at Lindt will cost $90 per person — about twice that going w/Viking. I know they have staff to pay, and overhead to finance, and many people will want the easier route of booking a Viking excursion. But for those who have the time to explore options online, and are willing to read through reviews to ascertain the good and bad of each offered tour, I highly recommend a little independent booking.

Thanks for sharing, Carol!

Thank you so much for this super-detailed information. :). I have a couple of follow up questions. I read a number of the comments, but time right now is a premium, so I apologize in advance if I am rehashing any prior q’s.

We are leaving on our Rhine cruise next week and are super excited! 1. Is there much sailing during daylight hours? I fear that all the great sailing will be while we are sleeping. The point of a cruise, for me, is a good bit of time enjoying the water. 2. My husband and I are seasoned travelers. Would you encourage or discourage any bookings at locations through outside vendors? I recall the part of your article that indicates the ship may change position during excursions. I would hate to book an outside excursion and come back to find the ship has gone on to another location. For instance, we would like to take a side morning trip to Heidelberg during the stop at Speyer, but we don’t want to do the 9 hour tour available through Viking. We were thinking we may get a ride to Heidelberg and tour the castle on our own. Viking doesn’t really say anything about outside tours.

Thanks again!

Hi Karen, There may be some sailing during the day, depending on the distance between two ports, but most of it is in the evening and at nighttime. You’ll probably be enjoying some views while sailing during late afternoon and early evening. To get more information about the times the ship is expected to be in port, use the Live Chat feature on the My Viking Journey online site to ask about it. When you know when the ship is in port, you can figure out when it will most likely be sailing and if you have enough time for an outside tour. I’ve found the Live Chat staff to be very helpful; hopefully, you will, too! Have a wonderful cruise!

This is a very informative post and the details are very helpful. We will be doing the river cruise at the end of July (Budapest to Amsterdam) and opted for a post cruise excursion that offers 1-day tour and the next day on our own. With this 1 limited free day, can you please recommend a thing or two to do or visit in Amsterdam? We’re thinking of Anne Frank museum, is it worth it? My husband is a classical music junky and wanted to tour or watch something in Concertgebau. I will appreciate your recommendations.

Hi Joel, Spending time in Amsterdam offers so many options! It comes down to what you like to do. I think the Anne Frank House is worth a visit, as are the musuems. The only issue is getting tickets for a visit just a few weeks away. Perhaps going on TripAdvisor will give you ideas for things you’d enjoy doing. They may have recommendations for special interest tours or other experiences that speak to you!

Hi Lolly – oh my goodness! This is the BEST information. Thank you so much for your thoroughness! We are taking our first river cruise in November 2024 (Rhine Getaway on the Gersemi) and we cannot wait, but we are also grateful that we have so much time to research and prepare. A river cruise has been on my list for quite some time. Thank you again!

I’m glad the article helped you prepare for your upcoming river cruise. I hope you have a wonderful time on the ship, exploring new places, and meeting new people. 🙂

Lolly, No questions, I just wanted to thank you for having such an informative post. You answered all the questions we had after going through the Viking pages. Thanks for what you do.

Thanks for the kind words, Keith! I’m glad you found the article helpful.

When using a visa credit card, will the charge be in dollars or Euros?

Hi Glenn, When using credit cards in Europe, it’s usually best to avoid converting the amount into dollars (because there’s usually a fee for doing so). So accept the transaction amount “without conversion,” as you want to use the local currency option.

Although we’ve done probably 25 or so cruises on the big ships this is our first river cruise. We’ll be on the Grand European from Amsterdam to Budapest in July and we’re beginning to get really excited. Of course, that also means that we were starting to come up with all sorts of questions about the ship & excursions. Happily, your article has answered many of our questions!! I do have one question though – can we get additional Euros through the service desk on the ship or should we make sure we have plenty before we board? Thanks so much!

Hi Jan, I’m glad you found the article helpful! About Euros, Viking’s guest services desk will break Euros into smaller denominations, but they don’t handle currency exchanges. If you’re starting with some Euros, you should be able to easily obtain more from ATMs in Amsterdam (and other ports); the guest services desk should be able to tell you where to find one near the ship. Keep in mind that many shops and restaurants accept credit cards (VISA and MasterCard primarily), so you’ll probably use your Euros mostly for small incidentals and for tipping tour guides and bus drivers when on excursions. Accepting the local conversion rate (not into dollars) is usually advantageous when withdrawing from an ATM. For more tips for traveling to Europe, read Expert Tips for Traveling to Europe for More Fun, Less Stress . Have a wonderful cruise!

How much time (approx) did you have in each port?

Great question, Jessica! Unfortunately, there’s no easy answer. You can ask Viking or your travel agent for specifics for the cruise that interests you. As an example, on my upcoming Viking cruise in the Mediterranean, we arrive in port in the mornings by 8:00 or 9:00 am. Our departure times vary quite a bit from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm.

What a great article! We leave on our trip tomorrow, Antwerp to Amsterdam for ten days. We have never cruised before. This was so helpful. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for your kind words. Have a marvelous time!

Thank you for this very informative article. Looking at the Viking Daily it appears that included tours are in the morning and optional ones are in the afternoon. Is it then possible to do one of each per day?

Hi Barb, Excursion options vary and are often driven by local tour operators and their schedules. There weren’t separate morning and afternoon excursions for an upcoming ocean cruise my husband and I are taking, and that’ll work out just fine. Most days, my husband and I will go on an excursion in the morning and then explore a town independently in the afternoon (and evening, if still in port) — perhaps having a leisurely lunch in a scenic spot, visiting a museum, or going for a hike nearby. I suggest asking about ideas for independent activity once you’re aboard the ship. The Viking Daily gives some general ideas, and I’m sure the Viking staff can help you find things (e.g., museums, restaurants, shops) that specifically interest you. Oftentimes, it’s exploring on our own that makes traveling so enjoyable. Hopefully, it will be the same for you, too. Have a wonderful cruise!

Great article. Thank you for taking the time to post this. One question: in checking in for your flight at the end of the cruise, did you have any issues doing this on board the ship? We might want to change airline seats, which we cannot do before our cruise.

Hi Ron, I’ve not experienced any issues connecting online while on the ship. If you do, I’d suggest going to Guest Services for help. Have a wonderful cruise!

Thanks for your article it was very informative. My husband and I are booked on the Grand European cruise with an extension in Prague at the end of June. We are traveling with 8 other people. Would there be any issue with booking an independent excursion for the days we will be in Prague or in the ports that we will be in overnight? Viking is only offering us a morning excursion the second day in Prague so we are looking to do some exploring on our own.

Hi Anne, booking an independent excursion shouldn’t be a problem. Quite a few cruisers actually do that. Just make sure you are aware of the times the ship will leave the port so you don’t miss its departure. Have a wonderful cruise!

Great post. Very informative. One question though – How can we tell how much bus travel time is involved in each excursion? We are doing the Grand European Tours B-A with extensions in Prague and Amsterdam, and have booked a full schedule. We are doing the Salzburg Highlights but just read it’s a 2 hour bus ride each way. We don’t even know if it is The Sound of Music “heavy”, and that is kindof why we are doing it. There are other excursions that day that we could do. Thank you for your article and your help!

Hi Kathy, Great question! I suggest signing on to My Viking Journey and using the “Live Chat” feature to get your answer. After logging on to My Viking Journey, go to the “Shore Excursions” section and initiate a conversation with a Viking Cruise rep. You should see a red “Live Chat” box along the margin of the screen. You’ll be able to find out about the length of bus trips to/from excursions and other related information. Have a fabulous cruise!

We have quite a bit of Viking on board credits and wanted to purchase optional shore excursions with that credit. But it looks like pre purchasing using on board credit isn’t possible. What are the chances of excursions still being available when we are on board? We are on the Aug Rhine cruise and our 1st river cruise.

Hi Pat, There’s a good chance that some optional excursions will be available once you board the ship — even if they’re listed on MyVikingJourney as being sold out. That’s because some people end up canceling their reservations for optional excursions. Go to the guest service desk and inquire about the excursions you want and if they’re fully booked, ask to be placed on a waitlist. Wishing you good luck and a fantastic cruise!

I am going on a Christmas Market cruise with Viking in 2024. Since it will be winter with colder temps, I am wondering about the indoor lounging space/common areas on the longboats. Is there plenty of space for passengers indoors in the common areas, if the outdoors are too cold or rainy? Do you know if the outdoor areas on the sun deck can be enclosed for added warmth on these cooler weather trips? Thanks for any thoughts!

Hi Jaime, Viking’s European longship has a spacious lounge, the Aquavit Terrace (some of which can be enclosed in bad weather), and seating in the atrium area — all good choices for relaxing inside while not in your stateroom. The sun deck does not have enclosed spaces. Enjoy your cruise!

Does anyone wear jeans at dinner?

Hi Carolyn,

Per Viking: “There are no ‘formal nights’ in the evening; recommended evening dress is ‘elegant casual.’ For ladies, this may include a dress, skirt or slacks with a sweater or blouse; and for gentlemen, trousers and a collared shirt. A tie and jacket are optional.”

However, some guests do wear nice jeans (not torn or ripped) in the evening. It’s relatively easy to dress up a pair of jeans a bit, so the overall look is “elegant casual.” Enjoy your cruise!

GREAT INFO. Scheduled for Grand European in September 2023. Wondering how much american cash we should bring and do we need to get euros prior to arrival (if so how much). You mention that from 5:15-7 there will be drinks & live music or a port talk. If you want wine at that time is there a charge?

What is the availability of restroom facilities in these small towns? Do they charge for use?

Hi Victoria, I’m so glad you found the article helpful! Deciding on cash is a personal choice, of course. My husband and I like to have about 100-200 Euros on us before leaving home. Plus, we always have some dollars with us, too. If you want to obtain Euros before departure, check with your bank or AAA office to see if they can help you. Also, you can get Euros from bank ATMs after you land; there are probably some ATMS near your cruise embarkation site. We’ve never had a problem finding an ATM in Europe, and Viking can surely help direct you to one. Remember to notify your bank of your travel dates and destinations before leaving home! (Another idea is to get Euros at one of the airport currency exchange kiosks, but the exchange rates will probably not be favorable.)

Viking offers complimentary wine, beer, and soft drinks during lunch and dinner. At other times, like when gathered in the lounge before dinner, you’ll charge your wine, beer, or cocktails to your stateroom.

Public restrooms are available in European towns, and many charge a nominal fee (.50-1 Euro). Your best bet is to ask about availability, location, and cost at Guest Services once onboard. Have a wonderful cruise in September!

Thank you for great information and insights! We took our first Viking River cruise in 2018 (Rhine – Amsterdam to Basel) and leave in a month for the Danube (Budapest to Regensburg) with the pre and post cruise stays. You answered my questions about docking locations (though understand they are subject to change) and the Hungarian currency. Hope you have been able to enjoy more Viking cruises since your original one.

We are also thinking of taking an old smart phone and purchasing a SIM card that works in Europe for language translation, directions, and apps to enhance our experience. Our US-based cell phone service does not work outside of the US. Do you have any experience about this?

No, Tamara, I don’t have direct experience replacing SIM cards. My husband and I use a major U.S. cellphone carrier that functions well in Europe. When we travel to Europe, we notify our carrier before departure. It’s been a seamless process for us, and it functions well although we do incur additional international charges.

I’m glad you found the article helpful, Tamara. Our next Viking cruise is coming up soon, and I can’t wait. Enjoy your journey!

Lolly, We are going to cruise Viking July on European sojourn with pre post extensions Bucharest and Amsterdam. This will be first river cruise for us. We are in a veranda A stateroom and doing business class flights as a bucket wish. We are experienced travelers on land but this will be a new experience. My first question is, without using the laundry service on board , do you have suggestions on washing items in your cabin? Is there a retractable clothes line in the shower to accommodate hanging clothes. ? You know is it a venus and mars question. Haha. I am sure i will have more later but your thread is wonderful. Any comments on safety in cities? Using ATMs machines? Thank you for your time. Rosetta

It sounds like you have a wonderful journey coming up this summer, Rosetta! Concerning laundry, yes, there is a retractable clothesline in the shower. I’ve hand washed some things in the sink and hung them up to dry on the line, and it worked fine. My husband and I sent out a few clothes to the Viking laundry, which also worked out well. Concerning safety, you can sign up for STEP (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program), a free program run by the U.S. Department of State. Once enrolled, you enter the dates of your travel and your destinations. They will text you with any security issues you should be aware of while you’re away. (When we were in Europe a few years ago, we received texts of some demonstrations in town and were given their locations and advised to stay away. We weren’t near them then, but it was nice to be notified of them.) If you don’t live in the U.S., I’m sure other governments have similar programs for travelers. And about ATMs, we’ve used them in Europe without any problems. Just make sure you notify your bank before traveling, so they don’t flag your ATM transaction in another country as suspicious! Have fun!

I didn’t read through all the comments, so I hope I’m not being repetitive. We thoroughly enjoyed our Viking river cruise from Prague to Paris last summer. I will add one note that we experienced. River traffic varies and the time to pass through the locks can change based on the number of ships, weather, etc. There were a few days when we arrived at our port later than planned and had much less time to explore the city. It wasn’t a deal breaker, but something you should be aware of. We also like to explore on our own, so there were times when we just joined a tour for a while and then told the guide we were going to branch out on our own. We always made sure we were back to the ship on time! We loved our trip and would recommend it to others.

You make an excellent point, Julia. As much as Viking tries to stick to its anticipated docking times, some things – like other ships waiting in line to go through locks, weather issues, and river levels – are beyond its control. It’s just the nature of this type of travel. And I think remembering that delays can arise on any type of travel (e.g., flights, cruises, trains) helps us all manage our expectations. So glad that you had a great cruise!

As mentioned throughout the comments, thank you so much for such insightful and helpful information! My husband and I are doing the Grand Tour B —> A in early October 2023. I am very intrigued by the Salzberg excursion but see that it is a 2 plus hour bus ride each way. Do you have any experience with that destination? Would an excursion like that feel to rushed to enjoy, or do you know if Salzberg is a “not to be missed” kind of place? Really, just looking for your opinion on longer trips off-ship. Thank you!

Hi Robin, you pose a great question, but it isn’t easy to answer! My husband and I had planned to go on the Salzburg excursion, but when we learned we would be spending so much time on the bus to travel there and back (for a total of 9.5 hours), we decided to spend our time in Passau instead. We didn’t regret our decision. We took the walking tour of Passau, enjoyed a leisurely lunch in town, went on a hike, and strolled around town afterward. We liked exploring on our own after getting the lay of the land from the morning tour guide. Having said that, I know that Salzburg is lovely and many people enjoy that excursion. Frankly, I don’t think you can go wrong either way, but they’re two very different experiences. Enjoy your cruise! It’s a great one!

Do you have to go on the planned excursion or can you go off and explore on your own?

Hi Daisy, you have the choice of going on the included or an optional excursion — or exploring on your own. Once you’re on the ship, you’ll learn the times that the ship will be docked in a city, so you can plan your day. For a walking tour (directly from the ship), some passengers go on the tour to learn about the destination and then spend the rest of the day shopping, enjoying a meal, or just wandering around. In addition, some people research other (non-Viking) tour options in advance of their cruise and book a personal or small-group tour to suit their specific interests on their own. Have fun whatever you decide to do!

Just found your site–lots of great info! We’re doing the Rhine Getaway, Amsterdam to Basel in early Oct, but haven’t actually booked yet! We love most of the optional excursions versus the included excursions but about how much do the optional ones cost? Are they like $20 per person or more like $200? For instance, how much is the “Top of Cologne” in Cologne Germany and is it worth it? I like the idea of a smaller group so that is a plus. Thank you!!

Hi Stephanie, Thanks for your kind words. As you know, Viking offers an included excursion in each port. These are typically large-group bus or walking tours of a city that provide a nice overview of a place. The optional excursions have smaller groups and are more focused on cultural, recreational, and even culinary experiences. That’s where you might find biking or hiking options, or as you mentioned, the “Top of Cologne” optional tour. My husband and I took the “Top of Cologne” excursion, and it was one of the best. It was led by an art historian who took us up to the very top of the cathedral (above the ceiling) where the craftspeople worked. Before we descended, we were able to step outside and soak in panoramic views of the city. That was just one of the optional tours we enjoyed and still talk about. There are costs associated with the optional tours and they vary, and I suppose that correlates with the costs Viking incurs. You’ll see all your options on the online My Viking Journey portal when the tours open up prior to your trip. I’ve not taken a Viking optional tour that I didn’t like, but I will say that there are passengers who also book tours independent of Viking due to a keen interest in something and the personal or small-group experience that is available with independent tour guides. Good luck with your planning, and have a great cruise!

So glad I discovered your very informative account of the Viking River Cruise! One question I have is how you handled local currency in Hungary as they do not use the euro. We have extended our cruise to allow two extra days in Budapest, thus giving us four days there. I’m sure we will need some “pocket money” for small purchases. Also, what shore excursions do you recommend while in Budapest?

Hi Pat, I’m so glad you found my article helpful! Regarding local currency in Hungary, you can head to an ATM once you’re there to get the amount of local cash you want. As for shore excursions, my husband and I enjoyed the walking tour (through Viking) that included the funicular up to Castle Hill. Also, we had booked an English-speaking tour of the Hungarian Parliament which ended up being fascinating; if you plan to do this, make sure to make reservations online ahead of your visit. We walked from where the ship was docked to the Parliament building for the tour and enjoyed a stroll back to the ship along the river. On our walk, we passed the Shoes Along the Danube (very moving) and other interesting sights. Some other Viking guests enjoyed their visits to the thermal baths, but we opted to “do our own thing” with the parliament tour and walks to areas recommended by our local tour guide (from the walking tour).

Doing the Grand European Trip for our 50th in May of 2023. Going from A to B with two extra days in Amsterdam and Budapest. 1. We do the red eye and get into Amsterdam early morning. After clearing customs and immigration and getting our luggage, how do we find Viking to take us to our hotel or how does Viking find us? 2. Check-in time for the hotel is 3:00 PM. Does Viking get us into our room early or do we have to check our luggage with the hotel and wait until 3:00 PM? 3. On leaving Amsterdam, check-out time from the hotel is Noon but embarkation is not till 3:00 PM. What does Viking do with our luggage once we check out of the hotel? I don’t want to waste any precious time in Amsterdam because this may be the last time we see it. Thanks.

Sounds like you’ve got a great anniversary trip planned, Gary! A few weeks prior to your departure, Viking will send stickers for you to wear at the airport when you land, so they can identify you as a Viking guest. (You’ll also receive Viking tags for your luggage.) As for the specifics about checking in to hotels and then embarkation timing, I’d suggest you contact Viking directly (or your travel agent if you used one to book the trip). That way, you’ll learn exactly how things will work with getting to and from that specific hotel. I hope you have a wonderful 50th celebration on the Grand European Tour!

Great article. Serious question…..how to get coffee in the morning without getting dressed??? Is room service available or will my husband have the opportunity to ‘fetch’ my coffee?

Hi Catherine, I’m glad the article was helpful. About coffee, there is a coffee and tea station on Viking’s river cruise ships that’s open 24/7 in the main common space. That makes it handy for your husband to fetch your morning cup! It’s also where you’ll find freshly baked goodies throughout the day.🙂 I hope you two have a fabulous time on your cruise!

Hi Lolly, thank you for the great article and this really prepared us for our trip next week. I have a quick question that I wouldn’t seem to find the answer online: We are thinking about renting a car at Koblenz and go to Nurburgring for a few hours and also at Speyer to go to Stuttgart for the day. Is that possible? We found the car rentals and made reservations, but we can’t find any daily schedule of when the ship docks and departs at each port. Just wondering if there is a regular daily schedule and of course we understand the change caused by water level, weather, etc. Thanks again!

Hi Danny, I’m not sure which cruise you’re referring to, but you asked an excellent question about renting a car to make day trips while on the cruise. I think it would be a tight schedule if the ship is docked for just a day. You’d need to factor in picking up and dropping off the rental cars and then driving to and from your planned destinations. 

I’d suggest you talk with the staff once you are aboard to learn of their planned docking times and see what they recommend. That way, you’ll have current information and be able to talk to people “in the know” to see if your plans will work. Even with that information, as you mentioned, dockings could be delayed to traffic on the river or there could be delays going through locks.

I’m sorry I can’t give you a more definitive answer, but so much depends on conditions at the time you board and what the staff recommends. I hope you have a wonderful cruise and that things work out for your planned day trips!

Re renting a car to go to a specific place Viking tours don’t include: Is Uber possible in the cities Viking goes to? I’d much rather take an Uber than rent a car!!! Also, for individualized tours – try Tours by Locals (we’ve had EXCELLENT tours in many, many cities including Europe, India, Malaysia, Thailand…), or AirBnB’s tours.

Hi Carol, Although ride-share companies, like Uber, are in many cities worldwide, they’re not everywhere, so it depends on what cities you’re considering. Some areas also have other popular ride-share companies like Bolt in Europe. It’s best to check availability online — or ask Viking — for the cities you’ll be visiting. As for Tours by Locals, I’ve used them, as well, and was pleased.

We are going on the Grand European tour in October 2022. How can we arrange individual tours or make dinner reservations if we dont know the times or the port arrangements? Do we just work with Viking program director on the day of or the day before?

Hi Kathleen, For individual tours and dinner reservations, I’d let the provider (tour company, restaurant) know what day you’ll be coming into port. They may be familiar enough with Viking’s schedule to easily accommodate you. Once onboard, verify the time you’ll be in port and then fine-tune your tour or dinner plans. Have a great cruise!

We are taking the Grand European cruise, B-A, in late September 2022. The water levels are extremely low right now. Any thoughts on how this might play out for us?

Hi Karen, A few things could happen when river levels are too low for cruise ships. Passengers could disembark and be bussed on an excursion and then afterwards, be bussed to a different location on the river where the water levels are higher. There they may board another ship. For example, sometimes two sister ships sail on the same one-way voyage starting at the same time – just at opposite ends of the itinerary. That way, if they reach a low point in the river, they can have passengers disembark, go on bussed excursions, and afterwards be taken to the sister ship that completes the journey. To accomplish this, passengers pack up the night before the transfer, and while out on excursions, their luggage is transferred to the other ship. When passengers get to the sister ship, their luggage is in their new cabins (which are usually the same cabins they had on the original ship).

Another option, if the river levels are too low overall, would be for passengers to be bussed from destination to destination, staying in hotels, throughout the cruise.

Incidentally, we had to change ships midway through a river cruise because of a broken lock on the river, and Viking handled it professionally and without too much inconvenience.

One thing to keep in mind is that things can change from day to day, week to week – and that includes river levels. Low river levels today might be just fine for cruising in a few days.

I guess the bottom line is to remember that disruptions can happen whenever we travel, so plan to get the most out of each experience and cherish the time that you get to explore new places and meet new people. I hope you have a wonderful time!

Lolly – just finished the Grand European tour a week ago (Budapest-Amsterdam). Was our first Viking cruise, so we used your article as a guide. We could not have chosen any better than the Skirnir and Viking. Everything was as you said – food, service, boat, amenities, all topnotch. (OK, the wifi in the rooms REALLY sucks…but if that’s your #1 problem, you aren’t doing badly). The hotel manager was great – and the program director was a literal Energizer Bunny. Herding 169 tourists onto separate buses all going separate places at separate times…wow, that’s a job! The maitre-d I am convinced is in league with the devil, as she tempted diners again and again with “just try this ONE little pastry”. Our stateroom steward kept the room immaculate. We kept our itinerary full, which might have been an error – trust me, you want to take a breather every few days! Viking then allowed us to purchase a no-expiry date voucher towards another cruise – an amount they matched. So for 200 dollars, we got a 400 value – good for tickets, flights, an excursion, or even the beverage package. We will definitely be using it in the years to come.

Oh, I’m so glad you had a wonderful cruise with amazing service! Haha, I got a kick out of being tempted with just one little pastry! Great service – sounds like Viking! As for keeping the itinerary full, it’s hard not to when you have so many great places to explore, but I agree that scheduling downtime is important, too. I bet you’re planning your next cruise already. I’m looking forward to ours next year!

I was curious about what time you have to be back on the ship at night. We are thinking we would might rather be wandering through the town and trying local cuisine.

Hi Karen, you will have the freedom to wander on your own in the evenings in some locations. Check your cruise itinerary as it will tell you the expected times your ship will be docked at each stop. Once onboard, you’ll be given more specific times, so you’ll be able to fine-tune your plans. Enjoy!

They will let you know on board. They say they will be staying til X o’clock and then leaving. Better be aboard, cuz they won’t wait!

Hi. I wonder if you have any thoughts on us meeting up with friends from Stuttgart. We would either meet in Bamburg or Wurzburg. Is this allowed? Also can you remember if those two cities is where the boat docked. Just thinking of the best options for meeting friends for a short visit. Thank you

Hi Theo, you shouldn’t have any problems meeting up with your friends in either Bamburg or Wurzburg while on the cruise. I’d suggest you reference your online itinerary on Viking’s site before departure to get a rough idea of when you’ll be docked in each city. Follow up with a conversation with the Viking staff when you’re onboard to learn the expected times and exact location of the ship while docked. This should allow you to finalize your plans to disembark and go meet your friends. Enjoy!

WOW, what a complete piece of well written and informative information we have come across. Thanks!! We are heading out on our first river cruise, the Kara from Basel to Amsterdam in late September this year. Trying to guess the weather so we can narrow down what to pack. We’re celebrating our 50th! One of many questions we have is how much currency (and what kind) to bring with us. We saw you comment about change for guides and such and credit cards with no foreign charges. But, what else would we spend money on? We’re planning on a dinner in a town, tour of some beer gardens and lunch in Heidelberg, and just walking around. Your comments are really appreciated.

Congrats on your 50th! Sound like you have a great cruise coming up! As for how much money to bring along, I usually start out with about $300 worth of local currency. That gives my husband and me plenty of money for tipping the local guides and bus drivers as well as Viking staff before we leave. Also, having cash is great for souvenirs, incidentals, snacks, or a quick lunch while exploring a city. By the way, Viking does build in a set amount of gratuities for ship staff (or you can arrange for this on your account before sailing), but you may also want to give a personal cash tip to staff members who are particularly helpful. If you think you might do that, you may want to take along a few blank thank you cards to enclose your extra tips, so you can explain why you valued their service so much. I know other travelers who just get cash out of ATMs while traveling (and I’ve done that, too, of course), but I just like beginning the trip with some local cash. Good luck! Have fun!

Most the times we always take the NCL cruise, but this is the first time on Viking Cruise River The Grand European Tour from Budapest to Amsterdam (for our 22nd anniversary).I’m so glad I found a lot of information from the article that’s very helpful for us for excursions, maybe transferring ships, parallel parked ships and other information. The best description and information about Viking River Cruise, thank you for taking the time to write this information, we’re very appreciate.

Thanks for your kind words, Triana. I hope you have a fabulous anniversary cruise!

Thank you for your informative article! We leave Saturday for Prague followed by the Budapest to Amsterdam Viking river cruise. We have booked all the included excursions, but have held off booking the optional ones as we love to do our own thing when in port, and perhaps covering more “ground” than the optional excursions. Can you tell me which docking/ports might be too far from the cities/towns? Thank you!

Hi Deb, you’re just a few days away from your journey. How exciting! One great thing about Viking is that many times their ships dock right in the towns, so it’s easy to get off and be on your way to make your own discoveries. Of all the stops on the Grand European Tour, these are the cities in which our ship had prime docking spots (making it very easy to go out and explore on our own): Budapest, Vienna, Melk, Passau, Regensburg, Wurzburg, Cologne, and Amsterdam. Keep in mind, though, that things are not 100% the same from cruise to cruise due, in part, to other ship traffic at the time. The best thing to do is to talk with a Viking staff member as soon as you board to find out details for your specific cruise. Good luck! I hope you have a wonderful time!

Thank you for all the information. We are planning to take the Grand European Tour in July of 2023. We are trying to determine if the additional cost for a veranda stateroom is worth the extra expense compared to the french balcony. On average, how much time did you spend on the boat sailing from each port? Do you travel overnight for most of the time or is there day travel as well?

Hi Tanya, Sounds like you have a great cruise coming up! About the stateroom, that really comes down to personal preference. Having the veranda offers you another personal space plus a nice perch (with chairs) from which to view the passing scenery during the time that the ship is sailing in daylight hours. (For my husband and me, having the personal outdoor space was high on our list. We enjoyed relaxing there and enjoying the sights and sounds of being on the ship. We actually enjoyed sitting outside in the dark before bed, too, cruising by small towns.) There’s a mix of traveling overnight (almost all of the time) and during the morning/afternoon/evening (some of the time). If you decide on the stateroom with a french balcony, you will still be able to enjoy some time outside in the common areas while the ship is sailing. I hope you have a wonderful time!

We are scheduled to take the Viking Danube cruise in early June 2022. We chose a French Balcony room. My question is about size of our luggage (or size limitation due room size). I have seem videos of rooms but cannot perceive where we can place our 2 luggages + backpacks and not having to hop over them inside our room. Please hare your opinion with me.

Hi Ricardo, It sounds like you have a great trip ahead! You can store your luggage under the bed(s). Once unpacked, you can put your backpacks in your empty luggage and slide it all under the bed(s) and not think about them until it’s time to leave. Have a great cruise!

First timer on river cruise. Does everyone get back on the bus when the excursion is over or is that the time you make plans for individual sightseeing? Did you use local guides? Did you bring euros or use credit card? Thanks

Hi David, it sounds like you’re gearing up for a great adventure! We went on the Viking excursions (with local guides) and did not book any local guides directly. A few guests scheduled independent sightseeing tours, and it seemed to work out well for them. By the way, the excursions included in the trip are typically large group experiences, while the optional excursions (available at an extra cost) are usually much smaller groups as they are more focused on specific areas of interest. We received great overviews of a place with the large group tours, but what we remember most were the unique experiences that came from the optional experiences. As for money, we used a credit card (with no foreign transaction fees) and Euros (very handy for tipping tour guides and purchasing small incidentals). Have a wonderful cruise!

Thank you for the excellent summary of each important category. It is very helpful to reduce wandering around looking like a tourist while trying to figure out the procedures. 🙂 Any further suggestions about picking up the excursion cards each morning? How early are they available to avoid the rush? Did you see anyone carry on and off luggage? We travel light with one roll aboard and one backpack. Any idea if the Terrace will be open for meals in the chill of November? Is there a restaurant seating option for introverts? 🙂 Thanks again.

I’m glad you found the article helpful, Thomas! Now to your questions. I’d suggest you ask about picking up excursion cards and other details like that once you’re on the ship, as some procedures like this may vary a bit. We travel light, as well, but the ship will take care of delivering your luggage to your room; we just kept our small carry ons (the ones that fit under the airplane seats) with us. The Aquavit Terrace is a great place to have a meal. There’s a section of the Aquavit Terrace at the very front of the ship that’s open to the weather, but there’s also an area (just behind it) that can be enclosed with sliding glass doors, so the area can be enjoyed when the weather isn’t cooperating. And about general seating at meals in the dining room, there’s a choice of large and small tables and there’s no assigned seating, so if you’re one of the early ones at meal time, you’ll have a great chance of finding a setting that suits you best. Have a wonderful cruise, Thomas!

Booked an Amsterdam to Budapest trip in September ’23….our first river cruise (for our 20th). Besides being helpful, your thorough details helped me to envision and imagine, which is my favorite part of planning! The daily planner for Vienna was the best….one of the stranger transitions from Ocean to River cruising is not having your port times right there on the schedule. Thanks for the great details!

I’m so glad you found the article helpful, Rich! I’m with you on how much fun it is to plan trips. Have a wonderful cruise next year!

Thank you for taking the time to write this informative piece. We thoroughly enjoyed a Viking Ocean cruise in 2019 and have been eager to try river cruising. We’ll do the Grand European from B to A in October this year. Your descriptions of the change of ship due to the broken lock and of docking side by side with other ships were reassuring. I will miss the free on board laundromat from ocean cruising though! Your advice about avoiding the far inland tours is wise, I think. We are not interested in spending a lot of time on buses. All the best.

I’m glad you found the article helpful. You mentioned laundry, and although there’s no laundromat on Viking’s European river cruise ships, there is a laundry service that you can use. (Depending on the category of your stateroom, the laundry service may be complimentary.) We sent some clothing to be laundered, and we were happy with that choice. Enjoy your cruise this fall!

Thanks for the great information. We are on a Viking rive4 cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam in April 2023.

What are your thoughts on the Silver Spirits package? I understand drinks are provided with meals but I enjoy a few drinks before dinner.

Good question, John, but it’s not an easy one to answer!

Here are a few things to think about when considering Viking’s Silver Spirits package.

As you probably know, Viking offers nice quality wine, beer, and soft drinks free of charge at lunch and dinner. The Silver Spirits package offers unlimited drinks including cocktails, premium wine, and beer. The Silver Spirits option is offered at a fixed price per guest and spans the entire length of the trip. You either choose it for your cruise, or you don’t – no daily option. (The price of the package varies, but it comes to about $20 or so a day per person.) If sharing a stateroom, both guests must pay for the package.

Paying upfront might offer peace of mind if you like knowing that it’s already paid for and you don’t have to think about an upcoming beverage bill. So it comes down to how much – and what kind of beverages – you’re likely to consume each day. You said you enjoy a few drinks before dinner, and if you add in some premium wine at dinner, the total you spend each day might add up pretty quickly. If you’re interested in figuring out the details, you may want to ask Viking for a bar menu with pricing before making up your mind.

With all that said, my husband and I did opt for the Silver Spirits package. In addition to cocktails, there were some very nice premium wine options aboard Viking, and we had fun trying ones that were new to us. We’ve had no regrets. 🙂

I hope you thoroughly enjoy your Viking cruise next year! Cheers!

Hi, Considering the Silver Spirits package. What are the charges for individual cocktails, apertifs or premium beers/wines by glass? Thanks

Hi Linda, you’re facing a big decision: to go with Silver Spirits or not! As you probably know, the package includes unlimited beverages when the bars are open. That includes any drinks up to $15 like cocktails, aperitifs, and premium wines by the glass. Without the Silver Spirits package, I’d plan on $6-10 for most cocktails, aperitifs, or premium wine by the glass. (Viking offers complimentary house wine and beer at lunch and dinner.) Another consideration, of course, is how often you might order specialty drinks from the bar: at lunch, throughout the day, before and/or after dinner? Some folks elect to get the Silver Spirits package because they enjoy trying new cocktails and/or premium wines while on vacation. Others get the package because they like having their drinks all inclusive without having to think about a bar tab. Hope this info helps you a bit! Have a wonderful cruise!

I agree with a previous comment about this being the most informative, most inclusive article I’ve seen as well. Indeed, very VERY helpful…especially for first time river cruisers. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. Good Job!!

I’m so glad you found the article helpful, Ronnie! Thank you!

I have been on 1 Viking River cruise and 3 (soon to be 4-I hope!) Ocean Cruises. My sister is taking her first river cruise in March and I found this site while trying to find info for her. This is by far THE BEST description and information on Viking River Cruises that I have ever read! Everyone should read this as every question seems to be answered well and clearly!

Thanks so much for the kind words, Laura! It makes me happy when I can help others get more comfortable with and enjoy their travels. Hope your sister finds her Viking river cruise everything she hopes it to be. What a great experience she has ahead of her! 🙂

Interesting information! We’re planning a Viking river cruise May 2022. Trying to navigate changing pandemic restrictions is a challenge I’d rather not have to deal with, but we’ll give it a try.

Thanks, Tom! We do indeed have new travel hiccups and challenges these days. I hope things go smoothly for you and that you have a wonderful time!

My husband and I will be sailing with Viking on a Rhine River cruise (Netherlands to Lucerne) this month and our very first river cruise (during a pandemic). Aside from the new safety protocols Viking has put in place your “Complete Guide to a Viking River cruise” was thoroughly informative, enjoyed the photos and took many notes while reading. Thank you for making me less anxious!

Happy traveling, Lolly!

Oh, I’m so happy you’re able to enjoy traveling safely during the pandemic. Yes, there have been changes to address public health safety, but I’m betting they won’t interfere with your overall enjoyment. And I’m so glad I was able to help you prepare for your cruise. Have fun! Bon voyage!

Thank you! We depart in 9 days on the Grand European tour, and this is the best account I have seen… we’ve done a dozen ocean cruises on several lines, but never a river cruise. My husband had been to a number of these cities on business and wanted me to visit them too, and this makes it sound easy. I liked the posted copy of the daily ‘news’ and we had already decided from our ocean experiences to take the drinks package. We’ve chosen a mix of the included tours and the custom days, avoided any places to which we’ve already travelled and have added in the ‘extensions’ to both ends, hoping to see friends in Amsterdam. Especially your tips on dinner were helpful — I will pack his blazer. And the small umbrellas! Since it will be November, and I’m also afraid of open heights we’ve opted for the French balcony room. The rooms do seem smaller than ocean cruiser rooms: did you stay in your cabin a lot? Thank you so much for this detailed account. Much better idea of what we’re ‘sailing’ into now!

Hi Cynthia, I bet you’re so excited about your upcoming trip! It sounds like you are all set. I just have one clarification about dressing for dinner mentioned in the article you read. Many folks do tend to change from the clothes they wore for daily excursions to something a little dressier for dinner, but I wouldn’t call dinner attire dressy. It would be more like “smart casual” (so no worn jeans and flip-flops, for example). Your husband doesn’t need to pack a blazer if he wouldn’t normally wear one for dinner. (I’m trying to save you room in your luggage!) People are relaxed aboard Viking river cruises (no dressy occasions), and that’s one thing people tend to enjoy about the experience. Have a wonderful time!

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Viking River Cruises Dining

Viking offers extraordinarily well-designed cruises that bring you closer to the cultures of the world. Its intimate, inclusive itineraries are designed to help you explore nuances of your destination: its food, culture, people and customs.

Destination-Focused Dining

Whatever your tastes, Viking River Cruises believes dining is an important part of your journey, both on shore and on board. Viking’s highly trained chefs are passionate about food and committed to providing an enriching culinary experience, whether you’re savoring authentic regional specialties or American classics. Dining areas—from the elegant Restaurant to the Sun Deck and Aquavit Terrace, the al fresco dining area at the bow of the ship—are the ideal setting for hospitable, attentive and personalized service.

What Are The Onboard Dining Times?

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the ship’s restaurant; however, you may opt for breakfast or lunch in the Lounge, or take a plate to the Sun Deck. Room service is not available. While serving times can vary depending upon excursions and cruise schedules, they are generally:

• Breakfast: 7:00 AM–9:30 AM
• Lunch: 12:00 PM–2:00 PM
• Dinner: 7:00 PM

Hot coffee and tea from the coffee station, as well as bottled water in your stateroom, are complimentary throughout your voyage. Soft drinks, wine and beer are complimentary during lunch and dinner service; a charge applies outside these hours. You may bring local wines on board, and the Maître d’ will be happy to serve your wine without any corkage fee.

Every meal has vegetarian options on the menu, and chefs are able to prepare low-salt or gluten-free cuisine. Guests requiring special diets such as diabetic or low-cholesterol meals should have their agent alert Viking Cruises one month prior to departure and then guests should inform the Maître d’ when on board. The chefs will make every effort to accommodate these requests.

All Things Cruise is dedicated to the joy of travel. Specializing in ocean, river, ultra-luxury, small ship and expedition cruises.

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• Global Tastemakers

This Is the Best Cruise for Food, As Voted on by Our Readers

Dining on the high seas has come a long way.

Global Tastemakers is our first-ever reader’s choice awards, celebrating the best culinary destinations in the U.S. and abroad. F&W readers voted based on travel completed within the past three years, on categories including restaurants and bars, cities, hotels, airports, airlines, and cruises. Due to the limitations of pandemic travel, this year’s Global Tastemakers winners reflect a smaller portion of the globe. In many categories, we’re including an editor’s pick to shout out some more culinary destinations in places you can’t miss. See all the winners at foodandwine.com/globaltastemakers .

Plenty of questions come into play when you’re booking a cruise. Where do you want to go? What time of year is best? Is drifting down the Danube River your style, or would you rather roam the icy waters of Antarctica? Are you more comfortable on a large or small ship? But one thing that’s historically been an afterthought rather than a priority, however, is food.  

Courtesy of Viking

Thankfully, dining on the high seas has come a long way since the era of sad buffets, corny “formal night” suppers, and bland continental cuisine. To cater to the boom of people who travel with eating and drinking well in mind, cruise lines, at long last, have fittingly upped their culinary programming.

Charissa Fay

While one strategy rolled out by many lines has been focusing on quantity with a dizzying variety of ho-hum options, that’s never been part of the plan for Viking Cruises , which our readers voted the overall best cruise for food in the world.

Because for the cruise line founded by Norwegian Torstein Hagen in 1997, culinary has always been backed by well-curated, enriching experiences on and off the ship. (Imagine pairing Portuguese ports with traditional cuisine at Graham’s 1890 Lodge, or the singular thrill of catching king crabs in Norway’s spectacular fjords.)

On top of that, Viking’s vessels sport a minimalist, pared-back design, so natural light bathes all the spaces, from the guest cabins to the restaurants, in a warm glow. What’s more, Viking prides itself in upfront, inclusive pricing. Your fare covers everything you look forward to while cruising, even excursions. You won’t find sneaky additional charges for basics like Wi-Fi and wine with meals. Another perk? Viking has three types of ships (river, ocean, and expedition) in its lineup, so you can gracefully traverse the world’s most desirable and delicious destinations.

Whether you’re gliding down the Nile River or navigating the Arctic’s uncharted waters, below are some exceptional experiences you can savor aboard Viking’s river, ocean, and expedition cruises. 

The Best of River Cruises

On Portugal’s River of Gold , visit Lisbon and other historic towns like Coimbra while cruising the Douro River Valley. Witness the time-honored tradition of baking bread in an oven fired by grapevines and wood during an excursion to the charming village of Favaios , or discover the fine art of blending port with an expert-led workshop. Dive even deeper into the country’s storied port tradition by booking Graham’s Port Dinner . The four-hour session at Graham’s 1890 Lodge commences with cellar tours and concludes with a traditional port-paired supper at the acclaimed Vinum Restaurant and Wine Bar.   

During Romantic Danube , soak in breathtaking scenery along the Danube, Europe’s second-longest river, with daily stops in Hungary and Austria. Indulge in the beloved annual Austrian tradition of Heurigen dinners , boisterous affairs celebrating the year’s new wine at an area tavern. Have a sweet tooth? Don’t miss the Gottweig Abbey With Apricot Dumpling Demonstration , where you’ll learn firsthand how Austrian apricot dumplings (Marillenknödel) are made in the Benedictine monastery’s kitchen. 

The Best of Ocean Cruises

With overnight stays in Stockholm, Oslo, and Bergen, Viking Homelands lets you savor the best of Scandinavian food and culture at a leisurely pace. Meet the Thrysøe Family grants you the rare opportunity to visit award-winning Guldbæk Vineyards, one of the world’s most northern vineyards, gain insight into Danish winemaking, and tour their charming home. But it doesn’t get any cozier than the Stavanger Home Visit . You’ll be welcomed into a resident’s home and learn about Norwegian traditions and everyday life over freshly-made waffles and coffee. Available on many ocean voyages, including this one, The Kitchen Table is one of Viking Cruise’s most sought-after gastronomic experiences. After shopping for market-fresh ingredients at your port with the ship’s executive chef and culinary team during the day, you’ll reconvene in the evening for an exclusive, specially-prepared dinner of local dishes. Multiple food tours are also available, like Oslo for Food Lovers by Foot — where you’ll wander Oslo’s buzzy Grünerløkka neighborhood and refuel with snacks along the way.

Explore one of the most stunning parts of the world aboard Into the Midnight Sun . During the summer in the Arctic Circle, the midnight sun doesn’t set — resulting in 24 continuous hours of golden skies. Immerse yourself in activities unique to the area, such as catching king crabs from a deep-sea raft in Sarnesfjorden’s pristine waters with King Crab Safari . Reserve Make Your Own Crai Gin to learn how to distill and bottle your own gin creation under the guidance of one of Kirkjuvagr Orkney Gin’s master distillers. Or meet a farming family in Norway’s Northlands to discover their sustainable way of life, including how they make cheese and raise goats, during Aalan Farm .

The Best of Expedition Cruises

Launched early last year, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris are the latest additions to Viking's world-class fleet. Small but appointed with thoughtful elements like ample indoor and outdoor viewing areas, these expedition vessels can easily reach remote spots traditional cruise ships can't. But perhaps the most surprising elements of the pair are the diverse dining options belying their relatively small size. (Both accommodate just 378 guests.) 

With five enticing options, including 24-hour room service, your palate won't ever fatigue. Among the highlights are Manfredi’s, a posh Italian restaurant serving up bistecca alla Fiorentina, octopus carpaccio, and gnocchi alla romana, and Mamsen’s. Lovingly dedicated to "Mamsen" Ragnhild Hagen, the mother of Viking's founder, the cheerful cafe serves up casual Scandinavian-inspired fare (think waffles, split pea soup, and open-faced sandwiches).

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Viking River Cruises Dining

With a cruise line as luxurious and detail-oriented as Windstar Cruises, you can expect only the best dining experience and cuisine – and Windstar delivers. The food will please, the service will astound and the venues will amaze. From the romantic outdoor dining of the Candles Grill to the rich desserts of Stella Bistro, Windstar’s dining experience is elegant and top-notch. There is no set dining schedule, so you can eat where you want, when you want. Plus, all of the onboard dining venues are included in your fare. And while Windstar may be luxurious, the atmosphere is always elegant-casual so you can forget about the tuxedo and sports coat, and instead enjoy comfortable yacht attire. Featured below are a few of Windstar’s most popular dining options:

Learn More About Viking River Cruise's Beverage Packages

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Viking River Cruise Meals in 30 Mouthwatering Images

Viking does cruising right. Along with amazing guest services and comfort above all else, tours are included as is beer and wine during meal service.  I’ve gushed about my excursion experiences from Kinderdijk to Cologne , and  Passau to Budapest .  After my first trip, I shared exactly what to expect on a Viking River Cruise . What I didn’t stress is just how great the food is on board. As you cruise through the various regions of Europe, Viking presents each region’s delicacies on a plate. This makes the Viking River Cruise meals a part of the experience, one that is made much more enjoyable not to mention delicious.

So with that in mind, I will share my foodie experience down the Danube and along the Rhine.

Table of Contents

Behind the Velvet Curtain

Before we dig into these 30 Viking River Cruise meals, let’s see where the magic happens. If you are lucky enough to take a river cruise with Viking, don’t miss touring the kitchen. I highly recommend this. That way you will see how much is prepared in such a small space and it will make you appreciate the outcome that much more. On my Viking River cruises experience, this opened my eyes and made the meals that much more tasty.

• READ MORE: Viking River Cruises Rhine Review

Viking River Cruise Meals – The Main Course

It is shocking the quality of food put out on these river cruise ships, even more so after touring the kitchen. Although there is always a set menu to pick from, my Viking highlights were the local dishes pulled from the port towns we visited. From spaetzle and pork hocks in Bavaria to a selection of Dutch cheeses outside of Amsterdam, these local touches made all the difference.

My Rhine Getaway Experience and What to Expect on a Viking River Cruise

• READ MORE: Down the Danube with Viking River Cruises

And don’t forget about dessert! I certainly didn’t. Although there is a walking track on the top deck, there is no gym onboard these Viking River Cruise ships. Keep that in mind when ordering dessert with every meal. Cleary, it is easier said than done…

• READ MORE: Cooking Goulash in Budapest

What say you? Thoughts on these  Viking River Cruise meals ? Let’s hear it!

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This is one of the things I love about cruises: the food! I can’t wait to go to Danube later this year and try out the boat’s twist on local cuisines. It’ll be on a kosher cruise though, but I’m sure the food will be great too. I’ve never been let down by a cruise’s food before. But then again, I always did make sure I went on a trustworthy liner. You always get your money’s worth on them.

Beautiful photos! You were correct in describing this as “mouth watering pictures”!

Lots of foodie inspiration here. Love it!

this was a true test to myself control…these shots make me want to forget about my diet!!!

Wow, those pictures are making my mouth water. How juicy, fluffy, delicious the different foods look. Your photography is well done, too.

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• River Cruising

Enough food on Viking river cruises...?

By NavyCruiser , August 15, 2019 in River Cruising

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NavyCruiser

Quick question on quantity of food during & after dinner on Viking.

Unlike our 30+ ocean cruises where we never go hungry during dinner where we can order more than one main entrees, & numerous late night open food venues & 24 hour pizzas.

On our 2 previous river cruises on another line, they only allow one entree at dinner, & limited snacks (sandwiches & finger foods) 10 - 11pm.

So what's Viking's policy...?

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Don't worry about food or getting enough of it.

At each port, especially in Germany you will receive a CARE parcel when you leave the ship:

One can eat as much as one likes at breakfast and lunch. I always order two desserts at dinner, usually the fruit plate or the dessert of the day plus the cheese plate, and although I've never felt the need to order two main courses I'm sure it would be possible. Once the dining room's order taken that's basically the amount of food that's prepared, so ordering one main course then deciding to have another after eating the first would probably be very difficult. Even ordering desserts after the main course as one would normally do in a restaurant is discouraged. Viking serve quite a few more passengers every meal time than on other river cruise lines from a limited kitchen space so there's very little scope to change things once service is under way, especially at dinner.

There are occasionally fast food joints within walking distance of town/city centre berths for anyone who needs a late night snack: once the ship's kitchen has finished dinner service that's it until breakfast starts at 06.00 with coffee and pastries followed by continental breakfast from 06.30.

'The nub of your question is  how much is 'enough'.

For me, three courses plus bread was more than enough at dinner.

People at our table sometimes had two desserts and you can also have a cheese selection after dessert.

If someone wasn't happy with their main course then the waiter offered another. On previous Viking trips some people had two main courses.

But after dinner service the only snacks are cakes or cookies at the coffee stations.

Seems I have a smaller appetite than you 🙂

After dinner it was pretty much cookies (until they ran out).  No 24 hour pizza.  

There are little nibbles at the bar (nuts, pretzels, etc.)

We always feel properly fed on our river cruises - we have never gone hungry. In fact, I sometimes cannot finish the entire dinner - especially dessert (and I love desserts). You can order 2 entrees at dinner if you desire as I have witnessed a person doing just that on a Viking cruise. There is nothing served after dinner - some cookies available but that was all we saw on our last cruise. There was no finger food (sandwiches) served from 10-11 pm - and definitely no 24 hour pizza service.

We are not interested in eating or having food available 24/7 but if that is your desire, I think you would be the happiest on the ocean cruises where food is always available regardless of the hour. 

steverhodes

+4 pounds every trip. Enough food is not the problem. 

sumiandkage

I'm more of a grazer than a big meal person and would describe Viking as having too much at meal time proper and not really anything other than cookies and coffee outside posted meal times.  It would be nice to have a dessert option/ice cream social an hour after the main course so you don't feel so stuffed but absent that I'd tend to eat lightly at breakfast and lunch and then dip into the snack bag I picked up at a local grocery store before embarking if I wanted a nice hunk of Swiss chocolate on the days I skipped dessert at dinner. 

At a good number of ports, you're docked in a place where it's quite easy to walk only a few steps into town for a nip and snack at a nearby pub or bar as long as the ship is in port. 

You won’t gain an ounce.  Dinner options were limited and portions small.  

There will be apples available, cookies snatched up very quickly.  A few evenings a late night dessert or soup was served,

Food on Viking river was  average to mediocre.  Their always available chicken and steak had a freezer to microwave consistency,  

lackcreativity

3 hours ago, sammiedawg said: You won’t gain an ounce.  Dinner options were limited and portions small.   There will be apples available, cookies snatched up very quickly.  A few evenings a late night dessert or soup was served, Food on Viking river was  average to mediocre.  Their always available chicken and steak had a freezer to microwave consistency,  

I realize that opinions regarding food are subjective, but my husband and I do not share your opinion. Nor, do I image, do the majority of the tens of thousands of repeat Viking river cruisers.

In response to the original poster, there is a difference between an ocean and a river cruise in terms of the schedule of food availability. Our river cruise experience tends to be early to bed and early to rise, as excursions often require you to get an early start to the day. After a day of touring and a nice leisurely dinner with new friends, things wrap up early. We never went hungry!  

Thanks for all the above replies.

So it is possible to order 2 main entrees on Viking?

Assuming there'll be no real food (we can't eat cakes nor cookies) between 9pm - 6 am?

Sorry to ask since we're in the process of booking our next Europe river cruise for later in the year for a group of very active health conscious athletic types in their mid 40's to late 50's cruisers.  Some are Very fussy eaters who won't eat bread & desserts, nor cakes & cookies.  They love the high-end ocean cruises, but wanted to try out the river cruising experience.  Some like Viking from their ads, but were concerned about no fitness center onboard, no bikes, & no late night food.  

So maybe Viking is not the right river cruising line for them?

Host Jazzbeau

1 hour ago, NavyCruiser said: Thanks for all the above replies.   So it is possible to order 2 main entrees on Viking? Assuming there'll be no real food (we can't eat cakes nor cookies) between 9pm - 6 am?   Sorry to ask since we're in the process of booking our next Europe river cruise for later in the year for a group of very active health conscious athletic types in their mid 40's to late 50's cruisers.  Some are Very fussy eaters who won't eat bread & desserts, nor cakes & cookies.  They love the high-end ocean cruises, but wanted to try out the river cruising experience.  Some like Viking from their ads, but were concerned about no fitness center onboard, no bikes, & no late night food.   So maybe Viking is not the right river cruising line for them?

If they are fitness focused, there are river cruise lines that would be much better for them.  Research based on active excursions, fleets of bikes on board, etc.  AMAwaterways, Emerald, and Scenic are mentioned in the Berlitz Guide as strong in this area.

TravelerThom

4 hours ago, NavyCruiser said: ...Some like Viking from their ads, but were concerned about no fitness center onboard, no bikes, & no late night food.   So maybe Viking is not the right river cruising line for them?

Selecting any product because one likes their ads is a pretty poor start. I will give you credit for coming to the river cruise board to get a better understanding. 

I don’t there is any river cruise line who caters to “ Very  fussy eaters who won't eat bread & desserts, nor cakes & cookies” and also want 24 hour pizza. It is not just that Viking is not the right river cruising line for them, there is IMO no river cruise line right for them. 

I'm confused. I thought pizza was bread based and also not a choice of 'health conscious athletic types'.

I think @TravelerThom and @dogs4fun suggestion that you'd be happier on an ocean cruise is right.

5 hours ago, NavyCruiser said: Thanks for all the above replies.   So it is possible to order 2 main entrees on Viking? Assuming there'll be no real food (we can't eat cakes nor cookies) between 9pm - 6 am?   Sorry to ask since we're in the process of booking our next Europe river cruise for later in the year for a group of very active health conscious athletic types in their mid 40's to late 50's cruisers.  Some are Very fussy eaters who won't eat bread & desserts, nor cakes & cookies.  They love the high-end ocean cruises, but wanted to try out the river cruising experience.  Some like Viking from their ads, but were concerned about no fitness center onboard, no bikes, & no late night food.   So maybe Viking is not the right river cruising line for them?  

I would say Crystal would be good for fussy eaters. They do have room service 24 hours a day (well, they did when I sailed) though the items are limited such as burgers, sandwiches and some sweets (no pizza). I wasn't thrilled with the vegetables they had and they asked which ones I wanted and they were available for the rest of the cruise. They made other arrangements for people. People were making requests for food 24 hours in advance.

They also have a fitness center and bikes.

We traveled with someone on a low salt diet and Viking was accommodating. They gave him the menu the night before and cooked with low/no salt for him.

Viking does have mini fridges in rooms and there's going to be a point when it's easy to duck into a grocery store near port and pick up healthy snacks. (I actually like exploring foreign grocery stores, so see it as a plus) 

11 hours ago, NavyCruiser said: Thanks for all the above replies.   So it is possible to order 2 main entrees on Viking?  

You seem to have missed your question having been answered further up the thread, but you'll soon be able to ask your waiter in person. Do let us know how you get on. 

Biggest piece of advice: Don’t choose Viking because of the ads. Choose Viking only if it’s the best match for your group. 

I cant imagine anyone going hungry on any cruise line. Besides breakfast and lunch there is also Tea time at 4:00 pm. Plus during visits to the various towns you probably sample the local treats. 

20 hours ago, NavyCruiser said: ...we're in the process of booking our next Europe river cruise for later in the year for a group of very active health conscious athletic types in their mid 40's to late 50's cruisers.  Some are Very fussy eaters who won't eat bread & desserts, nor cakes & cookies.  They love the high-end ocean cruises

Viking offers a good quality and gets many repeat customers , but is certainly would not be considered “high end”. Viking’s total square foot per passenger is smaller than most river cruise lines.  The average age of Viking passengers is higher than most other river cruise lines. Viking’s offerings for athletic endeavors is less than most other lines. All in all doesn’t sound like the best match for the group you describe. 

20 hours ago, NavyCruiser said: Thanks for all the above replies.   So it is possible to order 2 main entrees on Viking? Assuming there'll be no real food (we can't eat cakes nor cookies) between 9pm - 6 am?   Sorry to ask since we're in the process of booking our next Europe river cruise for later in the year for a group of very active health conscious athletic types in their mid 40's to late 50's cruisers.  Some are Very fussy eaters who won't eat bread & desserts, nor cakes & cookies.  They love the high-end ocean cruises, but wanted to try out the river cruising experience.  Some like Viking from their ads, but were concerned about no fitness center onboard, no bikes, & no late night food.   So maybe Viking is not the right river cruising line for them?  

I would add Avalon to the list of lines that cater to active cruisers.  They offer active Rhine and Danube cruises that include things like kayaking, hiking, etc.  Although it wasn't marketed as an 'active' cruise, Avalon had an activities director (i think that was what he was called) on our recent Moselle and Rhine cruise.  Every morning he led a yoga or cardio class in the lounge and most days there was an active excursion option like a vineyard hike or bicycle ride.  Avalon does have an 'evening snack' which we only had once; usually we are too full from dinner.   We found the food to be excellent with healthy options available at each meal.

Clay Clayton

You can order two entrees...or at least our table ordered an extra one to share one night when we were torn over what to order.  

We learned to grab some fruit/snack at breakfast or lunch buffet and store it in the room for any late night needs. 

Our only complaint about lack of food was between lunch and dinner especially in embarkation day. We had been traveling since early morning, boarded about 2 and there was NOTHING (well except for some crumbs where the cookies had been) until dinner. 

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Families will find plenty of options and activities onboard big ships, which have transformed cruising, making the vessels as exciting as the destinations themselves. The Caribbean is always a great option for families, offering lots of sunshine, great beaches and culture. Alaska, famous for its incredible vistas and abundant wildlife, is also a solid family cruise option. Consider cruise brands such as Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises and even Celebrity Cruises and Holland America Line for a great multi-generational voyage.

Or on the smaller side, by comparison, river cruising remains a hot ticket item this year, with exciting routes that send eager guests down the Danube or Rhine rivers in Europe or to lesser-frequented locations, like the Mekong River in Cambodia or Vietnam, or soon the Magdalena River in Colombia. Popular river cruises embark in timeless cities like Amsterdam, Budapest and Lisbon. River cruise lines to consider encompass Viking, AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Emerald Cruises, Tauck, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and Riverside Luxury Cruises, as well as American Cruise Lines for a domestic alternative.

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Celebrity ascent: the best dining, amenities and more on celebrity cruises' newest ship.

Top-notch eateries, adults-only areas and entertainment options stand out.

Celebrity Ascent Review

Megan duBois

Key Takeaways

• There are 32 different dining and drinking venues on board, from Le Voyage by celebrity chef Daniel Boulud to the line's iconic Martini Bar.
• The onboard entertainment is incredible. The "Awaken" show combines popular music with acrobatics and lasers, while Ascent After Dark: Shine the Night invites cruisers to don metallic or sequin outfits for a deck party under the stars. 
• The Solarium adults-only pool area is a relaxing spot with comfortable lounge chairs, a pool and hot tubs; head to Eden for delightful cocktails and optimal sunset views.

You can think of Celebrity Cruises as the more adult cousin of Royal Caribbean International – which makes sense, considering both cruise lines are owned by Royal Caribbean Group. With all of the recent buzz around both brands, I was excited to sail on Celebrity Cruises' newest ship, Celebrity Ascent, in its debut month. I embarked out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in December 2023.

The 17-deck, 141,420-ton ship has 1,646 staterooms and can carry 3,260 guests at double occupancy. At 1,073 feet long and 128 feet wide, the ship has plenty of space for upscale amenities, edgy entertainment and incredible dining venues. The Edge Series ship also has more than 1,400 crew members who hail from 60 different countries around the world.

As an avid cruiser who has taken more than 50 ocean and river voyages on almost a dozen cruise lines, I found Celebrity Ascent lived up to the hype. The ship itself is stunning, and each area has a distinct vibe. I loved the ample amount of food and drink opportunities – there are 32 different venues – and the standout onboard entertainment was like nothing I had seen before on a cruise ship.

Find your perfect cruise

Celebrity Ascent itineraries

Celebrity Ascent sails around the Mediterranean and the Caribbean over the next few years. Summer 2024 brings Ascent to Mediterranean ports of call in Greece, Turkey, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal. The Mediterranean season ends in October 2024, with a 13-night transatlantic sailing departing from Barcelona, Spain.

Late fall and winter sailings depart from Fort Lauderdale. The Caribbean season runs between November 2024 and April 2025. It includes seven- to nine-night voyages calling on ports like Aruba , Bonaire and Curacao ; Bimini, Bahamas ; Labadee, Haiti; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands ; Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic ; and St. Maarten and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In late April 2025, it's back to the Mediterranean for the 2025 season between May and October. Ascent then returns to the Caribbean for sailings in late 2025; destinations include southern Caribbean locales, plus the Panama Canal and Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas, Perfect Day at CocoCay. Similar Caribbean sailings are also on sale for early 2026.

Who should sail on Celebrity Ascent?

Celebrity Ascent, like its Edge Series sister ships, caters to adults traveling together. The overall vibe of the ship is upscale and modern, with plenty of places to grab a drink, enjoy a meal and watch a show. Couples can enjoy an elevated date night in Le Grand Bistro, while the aptly named Sunset Bar – which overlooks the rear of the ship – is the spot to be with a cocktail in hand as the sun sets into the horizon. This bar was easily my favorite spot on board; I spent most afternoons here enjoying a cocktail.

The deck parties, of which Ascent After Dark: Shine the Night is the premier event, are a fun time – but they aren't so loud that guests can hear the bass thumping in the staterooms below. Shows at The Theatre are fully immersive, with incredible technology and great music that had me dancing in my seat.

If you are traveling with children, know that there aren't many places on board for kids to just hang out and be kids. The Camp at Sea kids club is crammed into a small area on Deck 3, away from the main Grand Plaza and The Martini Bar.

Cruises on Ascent can be expensive, but Celebrity often runs deals on sailings. Without any promotions, sailings around the Mediterranean in 2024 and 2025 may run between about $1,000 and $5,600 per person. In comparison, 2024 and 2025 Caribbean voyages may cost between about $2,000 and $4,400 per person before discounts. (Note: Cruise rates can change frequently, based on demand and availability.)

The stateroom

There are over two dozen different stateroom styles on Celebrity Ascent. The smallest (and usually cheapest) rooms are the Inside Staterooms, which offer between 181 and 202 square feet of space. For solo travelers, the Single Inside Staterooms offer the same amenities as a double occupancy room, but with a smaller 103-square-foot layout and no single supplement fee at booking.

Ocean View Staterooms are slightly larger, at 200 to 242 square feet. There are three different room styles; the main difference among them is the size of the window. Options range from small windows in the middle of the wall to large, floor-to-ceiling picture windows.

Ascent's balcony cabins are quite varied, but the majority are Infinite Veranda Staterooms, where the balcony is actually a uniquely designed window that can be opened to let the ocean breeze in. There is a set of glass doors that can be drawn to make this space more private, as well.

Concierge Staterooms allow guests access to a dedicated concierge staff and exclusive onboard events. AquaClass cabins all feature the infinite balcony design, plus unlimited access to the SEA Thermal Suite, complimentary dining at Blu restaurant, fitness classes and a spa concierge.

Celebrity Ascent's suites are all part of The Retreat, the line's ship-within-a-ship concept where cruisers have access to an exclusive restaurant, a sun deck with a pool, a lounge and a dedicated crew. Suites range in size and style, from smaller 319-square-foot studios to massive two-bedroom suites offering more than 2,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor space.

When I sailed on Celebrity Ascent, I stayed in an AquaClass stateroom. The main living space had a king-size bed, which was cozy after long days of exploring the ship and nights spent on the dance floor. I found the cabin's couch a bit uncomfortable, but there was plenty of storage space in the large closet and drawers. Conveniently, the bed was high enough to fit my suitcases under.

Because this was my first time in an Infinite Veranda room, I was interested to see how the balcony actually worked. After pressing a button for the window to roll down, my room instantly filled with humid air – not the sea breeze I was expecting. The air conditioner also turns off when the window is down, so it takes a long time for the room to cool off again. I only opened the window once because of this. For me, the extra veranda space served as more of a sitting area to take in the views than a spot to enjoy the ocean breeze.

My stateroom's bathroom was spacious, with a larger-than-usual standup rain shower. I also loved the eco-friendly bath amenities, which smelled divine. I used the in-room bathrobes and slippers every day of the cruise.

I loved that my AquaClass stateroom came with some amenities that are not included in other Infinite Veranda rooms. There were two yoga mats, two bottles of water that were refreshed daily, a welcome bottle of sparkling wine, an umbrella, binoculars, complimentary shoeshine service and a pillow menu. AquaClass guests also have unlimited access to the spa's thermal suite, complimentary fitness classes and a dedicated spa concierge. I went to the thermal suite daily to enjoy the heated loungers and steam rooms.

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Best amenities on Celebrity Ascent

On Celebrity Ascent, you'll never be bored. Over just a few days, I was able to participate in game shows and dance parties, sit back and enjoy live music, and spend some time by the pool. While I don't gamble, the casino always seemed to be full when I walked by, and someone was always cheering about hitting the jackpot.

For live entertainment, be sure to catch Flash Flair Fusion, the nightly bartending performance at the Martini Bar. Meanwhile, the Theatre hosted three main shows during my sailing: "Residency," "Awaken" and "Bridges." (Based on my experience, "Awaken" is the production to prioritize.)

Additionally, The Club hosts most of the ship's game shows and some smaller live music events. I loved hanging out at this venue; it was never overly packed with people, and the games were pure fun. I even got called up on stage to participate in one of the games and ended up winning a Celebrity Cruises-branded hat.

For some outdoor fun, hit the onboard pickleball court. Or, head to the Rooftop Garden, where float pools face the ocean and plenty of comfy seating awaits. I loved how lush this space felt, thanks to all of the live plants surrounding the seating areas. This is also the spot to catch movies at night.

If you're looking for an even more unique place to hang out, head to The Magic Carpet. This bright orange, glass-encased bar hangs out over the side of the ship and is the perfect spot for an after-dinner drink. The Magic Carpet can move up and down the side of the ship, docking at select decks for a set amount of time. I loved hanging here at night as the ship was pulling out of port to see the islands light up and watch other ships pass by.

When planning out your evenings, keep in mind that it can be a trek to get from one onboard activity to the next – especially when there is very little time between many of the major scheduled events. One night, I started in The Club to watch a game show, then immediately had to get to the Theatre. After the theater performance, I had to walk the entire length of the ship and take the stairs to get to the night show in Eden. Then, after Eden, it was time for the Shine the Night deck party. By the time I got back to my stateroom, I was exhausted.

Best dining venues on Celebrity Ascent

There are 32 different spots for food and drinks on Celebrity Ascent, including four main dining rooms; four casual complimentary eateries; eight specialty restaurants; 14 cafes, lounges and bars; and two exclusive venues.

Included with the base fare are meals at the four main dining rooms, all of which serve the same menus every day, plus a small exclusive menu that's tailored to the theme of each restaurant. (For example, if you're dining in Cyprus, there is a small list of Cyprus-exclusive dishes that highlight Mediterranean cuisine, while the Normandie restaurant serves up French favorites.)

Other restaurants included in the cruise rate are Eden Cafe & Bar, which serves light bites and sweets; Mast Grill, offering burgers and salads; and Oceanview Cafe, a buffet open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For an additional cost, head to specialty dining venues like the stunning Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud, which is great for date night; Le Grand Bistro, a fun take on a classic French Bistro; or Eden Restaurant, which features an entirely plant-based menu.

My favorite specialty dining option – and overall favorite restaurant on the ship – was Raw on 5. It features stunning chilled seafood towers, fresh sashimi and hot dishes like fresh lobster and shrimp wontons. Each dish was prepared beautifully, the service was top-notch and our table next to the window offered great views.

However, one restaurant I would skip is Fine Cut Steakhouse. It is a pretty standard steakhouse, and nothing on the menu really stood out to me. The upscale ambiance was also diminished by music floating in from the nearby Grand Plaza and Martini Bar (think: everything from One Direction to Cher). While both artists are great to hear while sipping a martini in a public space, I don't want to hear them while dining at an expensive restaurant.

Best excursions on Celebrity Ascent

Travelers cruising to the Caribbean should book a beach outing. There are abundant excursion options in St. Maarten and St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands . If you're into local brews, try the Small Group: Brewery & Beach Tour Philipsburg, St. Maarten .

On a past Mediterranean cruise, I explored both Florence and Pisa, Italy, while docked in the Italian city of Livorno. Celebrity offers a similar excursion aboard the Ascent. The day trip includes a scenic drive through the Tuscan countryside; exploring Florence and seeing the Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo; and a trip to Pisa to see the iconic learning tower. In Rome , consider doing an all-day tour where you can see the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain and St. Peter's Square.

Regardless of where your cruise is headed, you may choose to explore ports on your own instead. If that's the case, be sure to give yourself enough time to get back to the ship. I always try to return at least an hour before the scheduled sail away time.

Overall impressions of Celebrity Ascent

When it comes to ships that cater to a mostly adult audience, Celebrity Ascent really has it all. From stunning common areas to incredible dining and entertainment, I was never bored on this ship. What I loved most was the wide range of entertainment, from pop-up music around the ship to full-blown experiences that need to be seen to be believed. The food on the ship is a step above most other major cruise lines, and the number of dining options is great, especially for longer sailings.

While I loved my room's location and amenities as a whole, I found the Infinite Veranda design to be a bit of a waste. When I did use it, my room got hot quickly and took a while to cool back down. I would consider booking a traditional veranda cabin next time, or a stateroom with a large picture window to save some money without sacrificing the ocean views.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Megan duBois has been covering travel, cruising and theme parks for over five years. She has taken more than 50 cruises, has traveled to four continents and more than 25 countries, and has visited a dozen theme parks around the world. Her work appears online and in print in major publications like U.S. News & World Report, Travel + Leisure, The Points Guy, Conde Nast Traveler, Forbes and more.

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The best new cruises in the world: 2024 Hot List

By CNT Editors

It’s inevitable: every spring when we pull together the Hot List, our annual collection of the world’s best new hotels, restaurants, and cruise ships, a staffer remarks that this latest iteration has got to be the best one ever. After a year’s worth of travelling the globe – to stay the night at a converted farmhouse in the middle of an olive grove outside Marrakech or sail aboard a beloved cruise line’s inaugural Antarctic voyage – it’s easy to see why we get attached. But this year’s Hot List, our 28th edition, might really be the best one ever. It’s certainly our most diverse, featuring not only a hotel suite that was once Winston Churchill’s office, but also the world’s largest cruise ship and restaurants from Cape Town to Bali . We were surprised and inspired by this year’s honorees, and we know you will be too. These are the Hot List cruise winners for 2024.

Celebrity Ascent, Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity is a premium big-ship cruise brand, focusing on exquisite dining, cutting-edge amenities, Instagram-worthy public spaces chock-full of bespoke art pieces, and avant-garde onboard entertainment. The ship makes passengers feel, in a word, glamorous. Celebrity Ascent’s sumptuously designed interiors are flooded with natural light and evoke an air of playful sophistication that makes a week on board an escape worth cherishing. Passengers may find themselves longing to return for just one more succulent crab claw at Raw on 5, one more martini poured by bottle-spinning bartenders in the Martini Bar, or one more dazzling, acrobatic stage show, in the days following their farewells to this beautiful ship. From around £574 per person for a seven-night sailing. Scott Laird

Emerald Sakara, Emerald Cruises

Now with two oceangoing vessels joining Emerald’s more established fleet of nine river-dedicated “Star-Ships,” the decade-old cruise line is extending a brand built on unpretentious luxury to more corners of the world. Christened last August , the 100-guest superyacht, Sakara, is a near twin to Azzurra, which in 2022 ushered in a new era for Emerald by taking to the high seas. Sakara, like its sister, delightfully blurs the line between the luxury and ultra-luxury cruise categories, offering attentive service, gourmet cuisine, tasteful decor, and an eclectic slate of activities at a price point friendly to more budgets. The cherry on top with both superyachts is a slew of perks atypical of small-ship sailing, ranging from an impressively comprehensive spa to a marina platform well equipped for more fun in the sun. Despite having so much good stuff, each vessel is remarkably spacious. Getting a sense of being on a private yacht is easy like Sunday morning. Sakara is homeported in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean through at least March 2026; Azzurra, too, in addition to the Middle East, Kenya, and the Seychelles . Emerald’s river operations are based in Europe and Southeast Asia. (Note that a third ship, the Kaia, has just been announced by the cruise line; it debuts in April 2026, and, for all the early birds, it is now open for bookings.) From around £3,112. David Dickstein

Explora I, Explora Journeys

With a showpiece lobby bar, upscale restaurants, and a sultry infinity pool, Explora Journeys' relaxed luxury-resort-at-sea vibe strikes the perfect balance on Explora I. Launched in August 2023, the all-inclusive ship is disarmingly beautiful. A sleek navy blue exterior cocoons 461 suites, all with deep balconies, walk-in closets, and marble bathrooms. There is free-flowing Champagne, 7,500 square feet of wellness space, and 18 drinking and dining venues. From Emporium Marketplace, with its decadent raw bar, to pan-Asian restaurant Sakura, the dining on Explora I is sensational. Marble & Co. Grill is an intimate steakhouse where ageing meats hang in temperature-controlled cabinets. At Anthology, the ship's only supplementary restaurant, guest chefs – such as Claude Le Tohic of San Francisco's O' by Claude Le Tohic – curate sublime tasting menus. There's more: The only Rolex boutique at sea, huge hot tubs, and a shore program that sees some land experiences developed in partnership with revered explorer Mike Horn. From around £564 per person per night. Kerry Spencer

Icon of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International

Aboard the Icon, you can really get lost. The behemoth is just plain big, with a capacity for nearly 8,000 when combining passengers and crew across 20 decks and 250,800 gross tons. Two and a half laps around the ship’s jogging track, a particular highlight onboard, and you’ve run a mile. So one can find themselves in need of a map – forgetting your sunscreen , for example, in your cabin is a bit of a chore depending on how far you’ve made it. But the abundance of things to do is also narcotic, and you feel a bit like a lotus-eater attempting to navigate it all while keeping your head. Amid the relentless entertainment, not to be missed are the top-notch performers present everywhere, from the Olympic-level aquatics show that you can watch from the windows of the speciality seafood restaurant should seating be elusive (it often is) to the cafeteria, where crewmembers dressed as food items sing songs reminding (commanding, actually, which is fabulous) passengers to wash their hands at sinks near the entrance. If you wish to enjoy the largest waterpark at sea, by the way, do what I did not and pack a swimsuit without zippers. From around £1,818 . Charlie Hobbs

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MSC Euribia, MSC Cruises

Looking at a row of cruise ships in port, you'll spot MSC Euribia right away. She's covered bow to stern by an ocean-themed mural by German artist Alex Flämig that bears the hashtag #SaveTheSeas nodding to the MSC's dedication to sustainable cruising: the Italian cruise line aims to be net-zero by 2050. MSC Euribia brings it one step closer to that goal, as it's the fleet's greenest ship yet, operating on liquified natural gas (LNG) and running advanced water and waste treatment systems onboard. But enough with the technical details – this mega-ship is packed with activities and entertainment, with 10 restaurants, 21 bars, five pools, two performance venues, and a bevvy of family-friendly amenities, like an F1 simulator, a waterpark, and a bowling alley. More adult-oriented highlights include the MSC Aurea Spa, with a thermal suite outfitted with thalassotherapy pools, a salt cave, and a snow room, as well as the Helios Wine Maker bar for wine tastings. Itineraries from around £420. Stefanie Waldek

Norwegian Viva, Norwegian Cruise Line

The second entry in Norwegian Cruise Line’s new Prima Class, Viva is like an Irish twin of older sister Prima. There’s the same stateroom count at 1,586, done in pristine and pleasing neutrals, as well as familiarly tricked-out amenities like the zippy 1,400-foot go-kart racing track that undulates over-the-top decks. Importantly, the Ocean Walk, which my colleague Mercedes Bleth adored aboard the Prima, remains. But round two afforded the premier name in large-ship cruising a chance to tweak and perfect, with an influx of seating options both in the ship’s complimentary dining hall as well as on its myriad decks. Across from the signature “zero-waste” Metropolitan Bar, where yummy drinks are whipped up from the ship’s food waste (I particularly enjoy a buttery Croissant Mai-Tai, for which hardening pastries are boiled down into sweetening syrup; the same is done with banana peels) is an interactive piece of digital art 52 feet wide that sees butterflies flit beside passersby. Breezy class all around. From around £791. Charlie Hobbs

Oceania Vista, Oceania Cruises

Vista, Oceania’s first new ship in more than a decade and the first of its Allura Class, debuted with small but mighty upgrades to its previous ships: better stabilisers for a smoother sailing experience; stronger Wi-Fi; lighting and architecture designed to make the ship’s common spaces look and feel roomier; a resort-like pool deck; and balconies in every cabin. The real star of the show, though, is the food and beverage experience – Vista’s culinary program delivers on its promise of top-quality venues you’ll want to make the rounds at. New to the lineup are Ember, a steakhouse with decor straight out of Napa Valley , and Aquamar Kitchen, serving up lighter fare that doesn’t skimp on taste. Celebrate a birthday, an anniversary, or a just-because occasion with the Cellar Masters Wine Luncheon, a five-course meal and wine pairing. And don’t miss the elaborate sea day brunch, where towers of lobster, crab, and caviar await. Of course, the ship is just one destination. This year, Vista is splitting time between the Mediterranean and the Caribbean; next year, it will venture farther into Europe with ports of call like Istanbul , Stockholm, and Klaipeda, Lithuania. Its sister ship, Allura, sets sail in 2025. From around £2,182. Madison Flager

Scenic Eclipse II, Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours

The eagerly awaited Scenic Eclipse II is the new and improved version of Scenic's first expedition vessel, Scenic Eclipse. Dubbed "discovery yachts" for their sleek look and top-tier service, the sisters are nearly identical, with most changes so subtle that most guests might not even notice them, such as the slight enlargement of the steam room in the spa. But a big difference can be found on deck 10, where a plunge pool with jets for simulated lap swimming has taken the place of two hot tubs – and there's a new Sky Bar up here. Otherwise, Scenic Eclipse II has the same beloved amenities of its sister, most notably 10 exceptional dining experiences, from a sushi bar to a French restaurant with an attached Champagne bar; a 5,920-square-foot spa; two helicopters; and a submersible. Capable of sailing all over the world, including the polar regions, Scenic Eclipse II has itineraries for every type of traveller. From around £6,025. Stefanie Waldek

Seabourn Pursuit, Seabourn Cruise Line

Pursuit is a small, “yacht-like” expedition ship with a distinct green exterior whose destinations range from Antarctica to warmer climes like the Kimberley in Australia. The decadent cabins, bigger than some standard hotel rooms, feel spacious and relaxing, complete with all the subtle touches that make you feel immediately at home. You can hang your evening attire in the walk-in closet and dry your wet swimwear – or damp Arctic expedition gear – in the built-in warming compartment; have sunrise breakfasts or sunset cocktails mixed at the in-room wet bar on your private balcony; and sleep in a plush, queen-sized bed. But what truly sets this cruise apart is the attentive and personable staff who quickly learn your name and personal preferences, providing VIP treatment throughout the journey. From around £8,729. Taylor Eisenhauer

Seven Seas Grandeur, Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Ports in the Caribbean, the Greek islands , and the Riviera might be the draw, but the all-inclusive luxury line Regent Seven Seas Cruises produces ships that have travellers looking forward to those days at sea, as its sixth offering, Grandeur, further proves. All of the 372 suites, which start at a roomy 307 square feet, are decorated in calming neutral blues and beige, and feature furnished balconies; most have L'Occitane bubbles for the marble tub. Quiet comfort can also be had in the Serene Spa & Wellness outdoor lounge area, following a massage on a quartz crystal bed that mimics the feel of warm sand. Cravings for a porterhouse or a vegetarian Salisbury steak can be sated by Prime 7, with other venues serving speciality pan-Asian cuisine, French fare, ample buffets, and Italian offerings. Mainstay Compass Rose has been reimagined as a light, airy space where diners breakfast under playfully elegant pillars that resemble crystal trees. Grandeur's whimsy extends to its reception area, where guests can check out Journey in Jewels, the Fabergé egg made specifically for the vessel, where it will remain for the rest of its jewelled ovoid days. The maximum number of 744 guests ensures unhurried service and uncrowded environs as you recover from a sunny day of swimming with Caribbean pigs. From around £3798. Alexandra Sanidad

Silver Nova, Silversea Cruises

A voyage on Silversea’s latest ship, Silver Nova, is one of taste and style. With expansive glass features throughout each of the 11 decks, and an ocean-facing saltwater swimming pool , the ship’s unique asymmetrical design leaves room for adults to run and play (with swank, of course). The Nova’s reimagined culinary experience, SALT (Sea and Land Taste), is the first large-scale, regional restaurant at sea, and acts as an invitation to guests to experience more than an excursion. While initially introduced on Silver Moon, the Nova’s SALT program includes SALT Lab by day: an intimate cooking class with highly acclaimed chefs and regional cuisine recipes inspired by the next destination. With one nightly seating, SALT Chef's Table offers an exclusive and creatively interactive dining experience. It’s all very intimate – as chefs showcase the art of their crafts firsthand, guests peek into a new culture and place before even disembarking. From around £2465. Jessica Chapel

Viking Aton, Viking River Cruises

In the style of all Viking ships, the Rottet Studio – designed Aton is intended for comfortable and thought-provoking exploration – just look to the book-filled shelves in the cabins, curated by London’s Heywood Hill library, and the revolving door of on-board lecturers (on my trip, an English curator spoke about the evolving depictions of Egypt in 1900s popular art). It should be no surprise that in a destination as rich and storied as Egypt ’s Nile, where the Aton is permanently based, the guides set apart what may read as a quintessential itinerary. On the Pharaohs & Pyramids journey, which takes travellers from the Valley of the Kings, where King Tut lies, to the Great Pyramid of Giza and well beyond over 12 days, esteemed Egyptologists oscillate from translating hieroglyphics on temple walls in real-time to shepherding travellers through modern night markets with endless fervour. On this ship it isn’t just what you see but how much you listen – and the team here, predominantly Egyptian, has much to say. These days, travellers crave perspective-altering experiences more than ever; get on the Aton, and you’ll get once-in-a-lifetime access (until that is, your next Aton sailing). From around £4849. Megan Spurrell

Resilient Lady, Virgin Voyages

Stepping onto Resilient Lady feels a bit like heading to summer camp. The massive vessel is like a giant playground for adults, which is why it draws a fun-loving crowd. Theme night parties, a nostalgic arcade room, plenty of board games, and basketball courts are just a few of the seemingly limitless onboard activities. Compared with its sister ships, the newest Virgin Voyages addition includes upgraded onboard entertainment and exciting new ports of call like the Greek Islands, Bali, and Mumbai . Most of the shows on this specific ship are new to the line, such as Persephone, an interactive performance developed in collaboration with famed Brooklyn nightclub House of Yes, and Another Rose, an immersive dinner experience. Dining options are abundant on the ship – 20-plus to be exact – and all of them are included with every passenger ticket. Plus, you can’t miss out on a visit to the several different sauna experiences in the Thermal Suite inside the Redemption Spa. From around £1616 . Rachel Dube

World Voyager, Atlas Ocean Voyages

There are superbly comfortable spaces and floor-to-ceiling windows aplenty on World Voyager, the latest vessel from Atlas Ocean Voyages. On an Antarctica expedition, you might watch turquoise icebergs float by from the sauna or the spa’s relaxation room, with its heated loungers perfectly positioned in front of a wall of glass. Back in your cosy stateroom, Champagne and strawberries await, as do the views from a Juliet or walkout balcony. The look throughout the 100 cabins and public spaces is Scandinavian modern, thanks to blond woods, marble floors, plush carpets in geometric patterns, and curvaceous furniture draped in velvety fabrics. In the elegant dining room, the focus is on international cuisine with a farm-to-table slant – think mushroom risotto and smoked duck with chargrilled vegetables. Meanwhile, the multipage cocktail menu beckons guests to a pair of spacious lounges. Blending yacht-style elegance and boutique-resort intimacy, this is a ship where you can make new friends easily but also retreat to a favourite spot to enjoy high tea in peaceful solitude while awaiting details from the crew on the adventures that lie ahead. From around £1495. Celeste Moure

More winners from Hot List 2024

See all Hot List 2024 winners

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