Tuesday, April 9, 2024

How To See The Best Of Northern Europe On A Scandinavian Cruise

best viking cruise

This Baroque-style museum is home to precious art including iconic works by Klimt such as ‘The Kiss’. Stroll through the palace gardens and into the Upper Belvedere, admiring views of this exquisite city along the way. The Viking 23-day European Sojourn river voyage covers eight countries along the Rhine, Main and Danube. Enjoy a lifetime’s worth of experiences on a single journey through the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania and Bucharest.

Things I Loved About Viking’s Paris & The Heart Of Normandy River Cruise

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. Viking is also known for a relatively simple-to-understand array of subcategories of rooms within its balcony-cabin and suite categories. Unlike some cruise brands such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, which offer as many as 36 different sub-types of cabins, Viking's ocean ships offer just six. Viking is one of the only cruise brands in the world that offers a balcony with every cabin on every ocean ship it operates — even the least expensive, smallest cabins.

Are There Luggage Restrictions On Board Viking Cruise Ships?

After 26 years in Europe, Viking knows the most enjoyable aspects of its popular destinations, from major cities to the countryside. Every itinerary has been honed to explore the most beautiful landscapes, stunning landmarks, and unusual customs and cuisines unique to each port of call. During the day, there is no specific dress code, and people dress casually. If it's a sea day in a warm-weather destination, and you're bound for the top deck, a short-sleeve shirt and shorts are just fine. On all ships, smoking (including electronic cigarettes) is only allowed in designated outdoor areas. In general, it's an educated crowd, with many passengers coming from professional backgrounds or a life of running their own businesses.

Suites on Viking cruise ships

best viking cruise

Nothing is too over the top, and casual clothes are the norm during the day, with a minimal dress code required at night. Many of the activities on board Viking's ocean ships revolve around "cultural enrichment," to use a phrase often used by Viking executives. On any given day, you might find an expert on one of the destinations you're visiting lecturing in the theater, or a classical musician performing in the central atrium, known as The Living Room.

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The spectacular Skradinski Buk falls comprise 17 cataracts and spans 100 metres at its widest point. Wander along a nature trail to discover the park’s restored pre-industrial water mill and a monastery. The Viking 15-day Ancient Adriatic Treasures voyage makes calls in Croatia, Turkey, Greece, Montenegro and Italy including overnight stays in Istanbul, Athens and Venice. At the Belvedere Palace, you can make your own framed mirror with gold stones at a private workshop, channelling Vienna’s renowned artist, Gustav Klimt, who used gold leaf in many of his works.

For most travellers, the aurora borealis is the world’s most sought-after spectacle in the sky. On a clear night, these ethereal lights may appear over Norway as faint wisps of green or dramatically dancing ribbons in multiple colours. In Search of The Northern Lights is Viking’s 13-day ocean voyage in the Arctic, sailing between London (Tilbury) and Bergen via the Norwegian fjords. Multiple departures will operate from January to March 2025, regarded as the best time to see the lights. What it is is a line that has focused very specifically on "thinking person's cruises" that offer a deeper dive into the destinations that its ships visit than is typical at many lines. Whether you use a travel agent or not, make sure to maximize your credit card spending when paying for the cruise by using a credit card that offers extra points for travel purchases.

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From £4,690pp including return train journey from London to Paris; departures throughout 2024. There’s a science lab and a hangar for protected and controlled boarding of expedition watercraft. The Aula, an auditorium inspired by the University of Oslo’s ceremonial hall (and a former venue for the Nobel Peace Prize) is used for daily lectures, briefings, documentaries and films. Norway’s Finse Plateau lends its name to the Finse Terrace, a chilled outdoor lounge area with lava rock ‘firepits’. Forest-scape murals, a lichen ‘rug’ under a staircase, pelt-draped sofas, limestone, Swedish granite, leather and pale woods – birch, white ash and juniper – bring the Scandinavian landscape inside. There are chairs by Danish designer Ole Wanscher and bed throws featuring a traditional weave.

More Viking Sea options

The sailing through the Middle Rhine is an unforgettable experience. The crew shares details of each castle over the ship’s intercom while you are able to just excitedly watch each go by. I feel the top deck is the best place for this, but it can really be enjoyed from anywhere, which is pretty special. TravelAwaits writer Peggy Cleveland and Senior Vice President Missy Glassmaker were hosted on Viking’s new Longship, the Viking Egdir, on the 8-day Rhine Getaway itinerary. This cruise took them to four countries — Switzerland, France, Germany, and the Netherlands — and included six guided tours. Still, even on Viking's river ships, most cabins are balcony cabins.

Layered clothing accommodates the region's variable weather, while specialized gear might be necessary for specific excursions. Aurora borealis in the sky seen from a cruise ship in Arctic Norway. The old city walls of Visby on Gotland island, a popular cruise port. If you’ve ever wanted to dive into the culture of the Vikings or explore what makes people in the Nordic region the so-called happiest on earth, you could do a lot worse than book a Scandinavian cruise. The French-themed buffet was my favorite dinner night on the ship. Even as a foodie, there were many things I was not familiar with on the buffet line and tables.

Note that internet service can be slow at times of heavy use, as is typical on cruise vessels. In addition, in order to ensure fair usage for all, the line limits some heavy-bandwidth applications, downloads and software upgrades. The centerpiece of the top deck of each of Viking's ocean ships is the main pool area, which is home to a pool, hot tub and rows of lounge chairs, as well as comfortable seating areas.

17 Best Viking Cruises Food Options I Enjoyed On Board - TravelAwaits

17 Best Viking Cruises Food Options I Enjoyed On Board.

Posted: Fri, 08 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Each suite also has an outdoor balcony with seating for two — something you don't always see on Nile ships. The cruise portion of the tour includes visits to the historic temples of Luxor, Karnak, Esna, Dendera and Abu Simbel as well as a visit to the iconic Valley of the Kings. The stay in Cairo brings a visit to the pyramids of Giza, the Egyptian Museum and other sites. Until recently, Viking also offered cruises on the Dnieper River in Ukraine.

Viking recently added two new, 378-passenger expedition cruise vessels specifically built to travel to the White Continent. Notably, the ship features an entire deck of sprawling suites that rival anything else found on the Nile for luxury and comfort. Each comes with two full-size rooms — a large living room with a residential feel and an adjacent bedroom with a walk-in closet and bathroom.

Today the adults-only Norwegian-owned line operates ships of varying sizes on rivers, lakes and oceans around the world and owns the largest fleet of river ships in Europe. Nordic-inspired décor and serene, light-filled spaces are a hallmark of Viking ships and have given it one of the strongest brand identities in the business. Typical 10-day cruises start and finish in the Atlantic-facing city of Porto, where famous port wine warehouses line the waterfront. Learning the secrets of port production is a highlight on Viking Douro cruises, as are the lush green landscapes that stretch all the way to the Spanish border.

Viking’s two expedition ships, Polaris and Octantis, sail to Antarctica, South America and on the Great Lakes in the US and Canada. There are 12 Grand Journeys in South America (ranging from 14 to 71 days) and five Longitudinal World Cruises, which include a new 87-day Arctic to Antarctica journey. If you’re looking for something slightly shorter, Grand Voyages combine multiple ocean-cruise itineraries. You could, for example, visit all of Scandinavia’s major ports, linger in Asia (Tokyo to Bangkok – 29 days) or visit Australia and New Zealand (Auckland to Bali – 31 days). When it comes to rivers, Viking offers cruises in Europe, North America, south-east Asia and Egypt with itineraries ranging from eight to 23 days. While it's not what we'd consider a "foodie" experience and doesn't have as much regional focus as you might expect, Viking's river ships have menus that appeal to a wide range of palates.

best viking cruise

In many ways, it's a combination of the best Viking river cruises in Europe as it takes in the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers and Dutch waterways. Viking river cruise ship layouts center on the glass-enclosed Aquavit Terrace. Part dining area, part sunny hangout, the Aquavit Terrace sits at the front of the ship and provides a perfect vantage point for scenic sailing. Another incredible experience in this region is to cruise across the Arctic Circle where sunlight shines 24 hours a day during Norway’s summer. At midnight, locals embrace the everlasting sunset by going to the beach or kayaking under a golden sky. Viking’s 15-day Into the Midnight Sun ocean voyage includes an overnight stay in Bergen and visits to Edinburgh and the Orkney and Shetland islands in Scotland.

Viking offered an included walking tour of Cologne during our stop. However, if you like a smaller group setting, want to work off a few calories from all the delicious food, and of course, enjoy riding a bike, this is the perfect tour for you. This is the best tour I have ever taken and, with my travel history, that is saying a lot. This was the most expensive of the optional excursions I took at over $200, but I felt it was well worth it.

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