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Danube Waltz

Rhine Getaway

Grand European Tour • Free Airfare*

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European River Cruises

Immerse yourself in the Old World as you sail Europe’s most iconic rivers. Discover Danube gems like Vienna and Budapest. See storied Rhine castles. Trace French history along the Seine. From the Main to the Moselle, the Douro to the Dordogne, the Viking experience is unsurpassed.

Danube River Cruises

Winding through ten countries past old-world cultures, emerald-greenhills and vibrant cities, the Danube has witnessed epic histories that have shaped all of Europe.

Rhine River Cruises

Steeped in legend, the scenic Rhine flows through six countries. Fairy-tale castles and soaring fortresses along its banks evoke the spirit of medieval Europe.

Elbe River Cruises

From the Bohemian highlands, the historic Elbe passes the soaring landscapes of Saxony and the baroque splendor of German cultural centers.

Main River Cruises

Forested hills, vibrant meadows and richly historic towns line the Main, a Rhine tributary celebrated for the ornate palaces that dot its tranquil shores.

Douro River Cruises

The Douro River travels along ancient wine estates, passing barcos rabelos laden with casks en route to Porto and Lisbon, defining a sublimely scenic corner of Europe.

Seine River Cruises

The glorious Seine winds through elegant Paris into historic Normandy, passing bucolic villages and scenic landscapes and farm lands that inspired famed Impressionist artists.

Moselle River Cruises

The tranquil Moselle twists through France and Luxembourg before traversing one of Germany’s most picturesque wine-growing regions, lined by steeply terraced vineyards.

Rhône River Cruises

The fabled Rhône, lined with vestiges of a rich Roman past, courses through picturesque Provence, cultivating renowned vineyards and vibrant wild flower fields.

Why Cruise the Rivers of Europe?

Viking takes you to the heart of Europe via its grand waterways, providing you with boundless insight into the continent’s cultural and historic treasures. Immerse yourself in the storybook villages, vibrant cultural centers and picturesque landscapes of The Netherlands, Austria, Germany, France, Hungary and Switzerland, and unlock a whole new world of discovery. Here is a sample of what you will see on one of our European river cruises:

• Visits to Germany’s charming wine-producing villages
• Culinary delights in Lyon, France
• Medieval Prague, “City of a Thousand Spires”
• The elegant boulevards and grand monuments of Paris
• Historic Wittenberg, home to Martin Luther
• Fairytale windmills of The Netherlands
• Wine tastings in the quintas of Portugal’s Douro Valley
• Budapest’s regal Parliament building and Chain Bridge
• Vienna’s inspirational legacy of classical music
• France’s famed wineries in Beaujolais, Bordeaux and beyond

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Press Release

Viking celebrates start of 2024 river season in europe, new winter river voyage extends viking’s sailing season on the danube river.

Los Angeles (March 20, 2024) – Viking® ( www.viking.com ) today is celebrating the start of its 2024 river season in Europe, as the award-winning Viking Longship ® fleet begins sailing itineraries throughout the region. Designed specifically for European waterways, the company’s river fleet of sister ships, which host 190 or fewer guests, sail a variety of itineraries on the Rhine, Main, Danube, Seine, Rhône, Douro, Moselle and Elbe rivers.

“With its rich history, culture and scenic regions that are best explored by river, Europe remains our most popular destination,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “As more curious travelers become familiar with river voyages as a seamless method for exploring, we are pleased to begin a new season on Europe’s iconic waterways.”

Viking has also announced a new opportunity to call on ports along the Danube River during the winter months with the 10-day itinerary, Treasures of the Danube . The new voyage will sail between Budapest and Passau, from December 2024 until early March 2025. Viking guests also have the choice to explore the Rhine River during the winter season, with the 10-day Treasures of the Rhine itinerary, which debuted in December 2023 and sails between Amsterdam and Basel. An ideal time to visit, winter offers guests smaller crowds, easier access to landmarks and opportunities to savor local traditions.

Viking’s River Voyages in Europe:

Sailing March through December, some of Viking’s other popular river itineraries in Europe include:

• Rhine Getaway (8 days; Amsterdam—Basel) – Explore one of Europe’s best-loved rivers. Discover the turreted fortresses, grand cathedrals, historic cities, medieval towns and stunning scenery of the Middle Rhine—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Taste the region’s renowned white wines, the roots of its terraced vineyards reaching back to Roman times. Savor the various culinary traditions of Alsace. With calls in Amsterdam, Cologne and Basel, this journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture.
• Danube Waltz (8 days; Budapest—Passau) – Soak up soothing steam at a Budapest thermal bath. Learn to waltz at a Viennese dance school. Savor Austro-Hungarian cuisine in Vienna and Budapest. Admire the Wachau Valley’s beauty. Explore lesser-known Central European cities like Bratislava and Passau. Witness daily monastic life on an exclusive visit to Göttweig Abbey. This eight-day itinerary reveals the best of these places while cruising leisurely through spectacular scenery.
• Romantic Danube (8 days; Budapest—Regensburg) – Visit Budapest’s Castle District and cross the famous Chain Bridge. Explore Göttweig Abbey, one of Austria’s most revered monastic centers, and make dumplings with Wachau Valley apricots. Visit historic Salzburg. Spend two days in Vienna, and celebrate the city’s musical heritage at a concert featuring works by Mozart and Strauss. With medieval towns, grand cities and stunning scenery, this 8-day journey on the “Blue Danube” is one you are sure to love.
• Paris & the Heart of Normandy (8 days; Paris roundtrip) – Dock in the heart of Paris, admiring views of the Eiffel Tower and a replica of the Statue of Liberty from your ship. Experience history firsthand at the Normandy beaches and delight in Rouen’s Gothic architecture. Explore Giverny and the charming house and gardens where Claude Monet lived and worked, the setting inspiring many of his masterpieces. This voyage celebrates history, art, food and customs in France’s most alluring urban and pastoral settings.
• Lyon & Provence (8 days; Lyon—Avignon) – Tap into your inner van Gogh at an Arles painting class. Discover Roman Provence at Les Arènes d’Arles and the Pont du Gard. Explore the world’s largest Gothic palace at Avignon’s grand Palace of the Popes. Excite your palate in Lyon, capital of French gastronomy. Savor local wines, hunt for truffles and see how chèvre cheese is made. Come witness the beauty that inspired artists like Cézanne and Chagall on this eight-day voyage along the Rhône.
• Christmas on the Rhine (8 days; Basel—Amsterdam) – Immerse yourself in the spirit of Christmas as you journey through storybook villages. Sample tasty yuletide treats and regional delicacies as you browse colorful stalls for handcrafted ornaments and unique gifts. Admire the twinkling lights of Cologne and revel in the merry atmosphere of the Rhine Valley, as storefront displays, wine cellars and markets embrace the holiday season. This 8-day voyage is a joyful celebration of festive cheer.
• Danube Christmas Delights (8 days; Budapest—Passau) – Pass through Europe’s most enchanting countries, stopping to explore cultural capitals and fairy-tale villages. Savor Austro-Hungarian cuisine, admire the Wachau Valley’s beauty and explore Central European cities. Take part in European holiday traditions and experience the region’s renowned Christmas markets. Breathe in the scents of traditional fare and admire the handiwork of local artisans—perfect for bringing home to your family and friends.
• Christmas on the Seine (8 days; Paris roundtrip) – Embrace the holiday season with a taste of Joyeux Noel. Explore Paris, France’s twinkling “City of Light.” Sail through the snow-covered landscapes of Normandy’s countryside and admire the scenes of fairy-tale villages along the way. Enjoy the scented aroma of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts amid a festive backdrop of Christmas markets. Onboard festivities include regional dining specialties, seasonal treats and more to celebrate the holidays.
• Portugal’s River of Gold (10 days; Lisbon—Porto) – Experience the renaissance of Lisbon, newly invigorated with trending galleries and restaurants. Explore two of Iberia’s oldest university towns: Coimbra, Portugal and Salamanca, Spain. Roam the port warehouses of Porto. Enjoy traditional cuisine, wine and fado singing. Cruise the Douro River Valley, the world’s oldest demarcated wine region and a UNESCO Site. Our 10-day cruisetour includes a hotel stay in Lisbon and the added bonus of a visit to Spain.
• Grand European Tour (15 days; Budapest—Amsterdam) – Admire Rhine Valley vistas from a 900-year-old castle. Sample the food and wine of Austria’s Wachau Valley. Learn the Viennese waltz and linger in Budapest’s Café Gerbeaud. Indulge all your senses on this 15-day journey spanning the best of Europe. Our most iconic itinerary traces the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers between the windmill-dotted waterways of Holland and the stunning landscapes of Hungary, with engaging encounters at every bend.

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For more information about Viking, or for images and b-roll, please contact [email protected] .

About Viking

Viking was founded in 1997 and provides destination-focused journeys on rivers, oceans and lakes around the world. Designed for curious travelers with interests in science, history, culture and cuisine, Chairman Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers experiences for The Thinking Person™. Viking has more than 450 awards to its name, including being rated #1 for Rivers, #1 for Oceans and #1 for Expeditions by Condé Nast Traveler in the 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards. Viking is also rated at the top of its categories for rivers, oceans and expeditions by Travel + Leisure . No other travel company has simultaneously received the same honors by both publications. For additional information, contact Viking at 1-800-2-VIKING (1-800-284-5464) or visit www.viking.com . For Viking’s award-winning enrichment channel, visit www.viking.tv .

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Destination-focused journeys on all seven continents 

Discover voyages for curious travelers.

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APRIL SALE:   Discover and book at   up to 60% off!

All Europe Tours from Viking Cruises

Filters applied, 37 viking cruises trips through europe.

• River Cruise
• Christmas & New Year

Grand European Tour Budapest to Amsterdam

Nothing was too much trouble for staff. Excellent organisation and xare of clients.

Rhine Getaway Basel to Amsterdam

• Sightseeing

Romantic Danube Budapest to Regensburg

Danube Waltz Passau to Budapest

Cities of Light Bamberg to Trier

Danube Christmas Delights Budapest to Passau

Rhine Getaway Amsterdam to Basel

Absolutely fabulous - best experience of my life! First time overseas and went with my 90 year old grandpa who also had a “better than five star” experience. The crew were all beautifully lovely people whom you could tell enjoyed being there, and every stop was stunning. Just booked our next cruise for August/September and we can’t wait!

Danube Waltz Budapest to Passau

The cruise from Budapest to Passau was beautiful. We stopped at very interesting places along the way. Viking made the river cruise very enjoyable with great food, very friendly staff and great accommodation.

• Wine tasting

Chateaux, Rivers & Wine

Grand European Tour Amsterdam to Budapest

This was our first Viking cruise and loved the River Cruise as there are less than 200 guests on board. The staff were friendly and very professional, the food was amazing and the Tours each day were special. Met some other guests on board who made it a fun experience - lots of laughs.

Lyon & Provence Lyon to Avignon

• Ocean Cruise

Mediterranean & Adriatic Sojourn Barcelona to Athens (Piraeus)

Holland & Belgium Antwerp to Amsterdam

Passage to Eastern Europe Budapest to Bucharest

Elegant Elbe Wittenberg to Decin

All europe viking cruises tour reviews, destinations.

• France tours (7)
• Germany tours (6)
• Austria tours (2)
• Netherlands tours (2)
• Portugal tours (1)
• Best 3 Weeks Europe Itineraries 2024/2025 (with Reviews)
• 10 Best Luxury River Cruises & Lines 2022
• Hiking in Europe in February
• Hiking in Europe in January
• Hiking in Europe in March
• Hiking in Europe in April
• Hiking in Europe in May
• Hiking in Europe in June
• Hiking in Europe in July
• Hiking in Europe in August
• Hiking in Europe in September
• Hiking in Europe in October
• Hiking in Europe in December

The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Viking cruise ship

Fast-growing Viking has one of the most diverse arrays of itineraries of any cruise line.

Not only does the California-based company offer ocean cruises in almost every corner of the world, it also offers river cruises on many of the world's major rivers.

That's notably different from most cruise lines. Typically, cruise lines operate either ocean cruises or river cruises but not both. That gives them a smaller range of itineraries.

For more cruise guides, tips and news, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Viking has a particularly large footprint when it comes to European river itineraries, with a wide range of sailings on nearly every European river of any note, from the Douro in Portugal to (until recently) the Volga in Russia.

The company also operates river trips on the Nile in Egypt and the Mekong in Southeast Asia, and it just began river trips on the Mississippi River .

There are 80 river ships in Viking's fleet — an astounding number. None of its main competitors among river lines catering to North Americans, which include Avalon Waterways, Uniworld and AmaWaterways , have anywhere near that number of vessels.

Related: First look at Viking's stylish new Nile River ship

Among ocean cruise destinations, Viking has a major presence in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, which it considers its home turf. (The company was founded by a Norwegian family.) However, you'll find Viking's nine traditional ocean ships everywhere from North America to Asia and Australia.

Last year, the line began cruising to Antarctica with its first expedition ship — a type of vessel built specifically for travel to remote, hard-to-reach places. Viking now has two such vessels.

Among the line's voyages, there's everything from eight-day cruises in the Mediterranean to 138-day around-the-world voyages.

Overwhelmed with choices? Here are the five best Viking cruise destinations where the line can truly offer you a memorable vacation.

Scandinavia and Northern Europe

Some of Viking's most interesting itineraries are around Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea, with many beginning or ending in Norway — the homeland of the company's founder and chairman, Torstein Hagen.

As Hagen once told me, Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea are what the company considers "Viking country" — a region where it wants to dominate.

During summers, in particular, Viking devotes an unusually large number of its ships to itineraries around Scandinavia, the Baltic Sea and other Northern Europe destinations such as Iceland. Many, notably, use the relatively small but famously scenic Norwegian city of Bergen (population 286,000) as a gateway, something no other line is doing. That allows for unusual variations on the typical Baltic Sea or Norwegian fjords cruise.

The line's most popular route in the region, "Viking Homelands," is a two-week-long, one-way trip between Bergen and Stockholm that combines several days of exploring the fjord region of Norway's west coast with more-typical Baltic cruise destinations such as St. Petersburg, Russia, and Helsinki.

Related: The ultimate guide to Viking ships and itineraries

Note that, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Viking has pulled the St. Petersburg stop, as well as stops in Finland and Estonia from the Viking Homelands itinerary; the trips instead feature extra stops in Norway and Denmark. It's unlikely St. Petersburg will return to the itinerary until the war in Ukraine is resolved.

Viking also offers a 14-night itinerary that includes several stops in the northernmost part of the country above the Arctic Circle. Dubbed "Into the Midnight Sun," the one-way route between Bergen and London is unique because it combines calls in far-north Honningsvag and Tromso, Norway, with visits to Scotland's remote Shetland Islands and the Orkney Islands. Though part of the United Kingdom, these archipelagos have ties to Norwegian and Viking history.

Itineraries that will take you from Bergen to Iceland or even as far away as France, Portugal and Spain also are available.

Viking's Scandinavia and Northern Europe trips range widely in length from just seven nights to a whopping 28 nights.

Among the longest sailings that Viking offers that include calls in Northern Europe are one-way, 28-night voyages between Bergen and New York City. The trips include stops in Norway, Iceland, Greenland and Canada.

In Northern Europe, Viking ships mostly sail out of Bergen, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Copenhagen and London as well as Reykjavik.

The Mediterranean

Viking has grown into a major player in Mediterranean sailings, with more than 30 distinct itineraries that include stops in the region.

The trips include voyages focused specifically on the Western Mediterranean or Eastern Mediterranean and some that include stops across both areas.

Typical of the latter is the line's 14-night "Mediterranean Antiquities" routing, a one-way trip between Athens and Barcelona that stops in Greece, Turkey, Italy, Monaco, France and Spain.

More-focused Mediterranean itineraries include the line's nine-night "Empires of the Mediterranean" voyages between Venice and Athens, which mostly concentrate on stops along the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea in Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro.

In the Mediterranean, the line's main hubs are Barcelona; Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) and Venice, Italy; Piraeus (the port for Athens), Greece; and Istanbul.

Related: The complete guide to Viking cabins and suites

Europe riverways

Viking is, quite simply, the giant of river cruising in Europe — at least among lines that cater to English speakers. The company operates around 70 river ships on a broad swath of the continent's rivers — far more than any other river line catering to North Americans.

In all, the line accounts for about half of all river cruises taken by North Americans in the region. The next biggest player in Europe river cruises for North Americans, AmaWaterways, is less than half the size.

Among the rivers in Europe where Viking has a major presence are the Rhine, Main and Danube in Central Europe; the Seine, Rhone, Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde in France; the Douro in Portugal; and the Moselle and Elbe in Germany. Until recently, Viking also offered cruises on the Dnieper River in Ukraine. The voyages have been suspended since Russia invaded the country in early 2022.

On nearly all of the rivers, the line offers multiple itineraries with lengths ranging from seven nights to as many as 22 nights.

Among 10 different itineraries on the Rhine River alone, offerings range from a seven-night "Rhine Getaway" from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, to a 22-night "European Sojourn" from Amsterdam to Bucharest, Romania. The latter adds travel on the Main and Danube rivers to days on the Rhine.

Viking offers some of the most intimate and elegant cruises on the Nile, with three ships including the recently unveiled, 82-passenger Viking Osiris — one of our favorite vessels on the river.

All three of Viking's Nile ships operate the same seven-night Nile cruise itinerary that Viking pairs with a four-night stay at a hotel in Cairo (three nights before the cruise and one night after) to create an 11-night "Pharaohs and Pyramids" tour of Egypt.

Related: The ultimate guide to Viking's loyalty program

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.

Viking Osiris is the first of four sister ships that Viking plans to launch on the Nile by 2025 as it doubles its footprint in Egypt. The vessels offer a clean-lined, Scandinavian-influenced design that mimics the look of Viking's Europe-based vessels.

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. Each suite also has an outdoor balcony with seating for two — something you don't always see on Nile ships.

Viking is a newcomer to cruises to Antarctica, but the destination is a big growth area for the line. Viking recently added two new, 378-passenger expedition cruise vessels specifically built to travel to the White Continent.

Dubbed Viking Octantis, the first of these vessels began sailings to Antarctica in February 2022. The second ship in the series, Viking Polaris, has just joined its sister in Antarctica this year. Together, the two ships are already making waves in the market for Antarctica cruises, in part because they have several new and unusual features.

Most notable is The Hangar, an enclosed marina that allows passengers to transfer to two of each ship's exploratory vessels while still in the protected interior of the ship. A first for an expedition ship, it's something that is significantly improving the experience for passengers heading out on Antarctica exploration.

Related: The 3 types of Viking ships, explained

In another first for polar expedition cruise vessels, every cabin on both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris has floor-to-ceiling glass walls that slide partially open from the top to create a balcony-like feel.

Viking offers several Antarctic itineraries, with the typical trip starting with a night at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, before a flight to Ushuaia, Argentina, to board one of the two expedition ships for an 11-night cruise to Antarctica and back. A longer version of the trip features 13 nights on board one of the ships and extra days in Antarctica.

Viking also offers Antarctica sailings that combine a visit to the White Continent with stops in the Falkland Islands, Uruguay and Brazil.

Viking Octantis, notably, also operated Viking's first sailings around the Great Lakes this year. In 2023, both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris will spend their summers in the Great Lakes.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

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Viking River Cruises in Europe: What to Expect

I don’t think I have ever met a traveler that didn’t know the company Viking River Cruises. It is hard to pass a Sunday night without seeing a commercial on the TV or surf the net without seeing an advertisement.

We had the pleasure of traveling with Viking River Cruises on our most recent trip to Europe and chose to sail on Poland, Prague, and the Elegant Elbe itinerary.

For those of you curious about Viking River Cruises and what they have to offer, we want to give you an inside look into what you could expect if you chose to travel on the rivers of Europe with this exceptional company.

Some of the information we provide is applicable to the specific itinerary we were on but no worries, we make sure to let you know that.

Viking River Cruises in Europe-What to Expect

Table of Contents

The Staterooms

First things first, let’s take a look at the rooms that you will be staying in. Viking offers four different room categories on their riverboats starting with the lower deck window only cabins, to upper deck window, to upper deck rooms with a balcony and of course, a pair of luxurious suites.

We stayed in an upper deck balcony room and can tell you the rooms are more comfortable than most hotels you’ll stay at on land.

Our room featured a queen-sized bed, flatscreen tv, nightstands, dresser drawers, a desk, large closet, in-room safe, full-amenity bathroom with toilet, sink and shower and large floor to ceiling sliding glass doors onto a private balcony with table and chairs.

The room stewardess kept our room immaculate and was always swapping out towels, tidying the bed and making sure we had fresh fruit.

The TV featured movies, television channels, all the cruise program information, live onboard camera channels and a series of documentaries about the places we were visiting on the river.

We stayed in a Verandah cabin that had a private balcony deck with sliding glass doors. We found this feature to be fabulous for relaxing on cruising days.

There were also nights we were docked and I was able to capture some beautiful night shots of the city by setting up my tripod on the balcony and not having to worry about it while it was taking long exposures.

With their dedicated cooking staff, I can say without hesitation that we never ate a bad meal on the Viking River Cruise. Breakfast buffets were complete with fresh fruit, yogurt and a variety of toppings.

You could select from breakfast meats and have an omelet cooked to order. If you wanted something fancier, there was always the morning menu that never changed each day but offered things like pancakes, Eggs Benedict and oatmeal.

Lunch offers up two options, lighter fare in one of the lounges that typically consists of soup and salad or a heavier option in the dining room with daily changing menus options. Always on offer in the dining room is a complete salad bar and pasta options made to order.

Dinner is always served in the dining room and the menu changes daily with a variety of options for all tastes and preferences.

It was always our favorite meal of the day as we would sit with new travelers and share stories from both present and past travels.

With the wine flowing and lighthearted company, you’ll be hard-pressed to spend less than 2 hours at dinner.

I think the brightest gem you will find during your trip with Viking River Cruises is not only in the destinations you visit but in the staff. Service is their first name and they are some of the kindest tour staff we have ever met.

They great you happily each morning with a smile on their faces, answer endless streams of questions and go over and above the call of duty to solve any problems you may have.

They make a conscious effort to learn everyone’s name and greet you that way for the duration of your trip. If you have certain preferences, you never have to ask more than once. This makes the trip very personable and special and is a standard a lot of companies could stand to mirror.

Shore Excursions

Viking River Cruises does a nice job of including at least one shore excursion in each city port, however, they also offer several optional tours that can be booked if you are looking for a more in-depth experience on your vacation or want to visit a site that is not included.

The included shore excursions will typically hit the highlights on offer in either the form of a walking or bus tour. They do their best to break up the ship into small groups, so you can expect there to be 3-4 groups of around 20-25 people.

During your time in port, the shore excursions will be run by locally sourced guides that are hired by Viking to run their tours. They know the lay of the land and their cities history very well.

Something to note is that Viking River Cruises puts a strong emphasis on visiting museums and churches. They do not offer many if any- depending on your itinerary, outdoor options for people that are looking for a bit more exercise or a quicker pace.

The Entertainment

Staying true to their mission in culture exposure, their entire program revolves around the countries and cities that you visit during your itinerary.

They arrange cultural performances, dances, skits, and lectures to give you the best feeling for the history of the destination.

When you’re not being entertained in that way, the onboard piano musician and singer fill the lounge rooms with familiar songs for as long as people are willing to stay up in the evening.

What’s Included on the Poland, Prague and Elegant Elbe Itinerary

Viking River Cruises does a good job of making the whole experience complete. There is quite a bit included on the 16-day Poland, Prague and the Elegant Elbe itinerary.

Complimentary WIFI

Yes, there is free WIFI included on the cruise but honestly, it doesn’t work very well. This surprised us as we spent a week road tripping through Germany before our cruise and never had coverage issues. But, it’s available and it is free nonetheless.

14 Guided Tours

You can expect to have an included tour at every port you arrive in. This includes entrance to any sites you visit, walking tours, museums, churches, cultural activities and on this particular itinerary, a visit to Auschwitz is also included. In addition to the 14 included shore excursions, there are some optional tours on offer as well.

All meals on the Ship

15 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 7 dinners; while you are cruising on the Elbe River, all your meals and drinks are included. Your hotels in Berlin, Prague, Krakow , and Warsaw are also included in this itinerary at properties like Hilton, Sofitel, Radisson, and Marriott. You also get complimentary wine, beer, and soda during lunch and dinner.

Coffee & tea during the day

Available all day every day is the coffee station serving a variety of coffee and tea. Keep your eye out for the rolls in the morning and the fresh backed cooking in the afternoon.

Visit 3 Countries

This itinerary starts in Berlin taking you through a lesser-traveled part of Germany as you make your way to the Czech Republic. You then cross the border and spend a few days in Prague before heading onwards to Poland. Visit 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites along the way.

Viking River Cruises in Europe

No matter which itinerary you choose to travel on, you can be assured that your trip will be a wonderful experience with Viking. They really do go out of their way to ensure you have a relaxing and memorable experience in Europe with them.

Looking for more advice on cruising? These travelers never have been on a cruise before and they decided to book back to back cruises totaling 50 days of sailing: What we learned from our first cruise experience – 50 days

More on Europe:

• Best Photo Spots in Berlin
• Best Photo Spots in Copenhagen
• 10 Interesting Day Trips from Prague
• 10 Best Day Trips from Rome Worth Taking
• 10 Best Day Trips from Florence Worth the Trip
• 10 Best Day Trips from Munich Worth Doing
• 12 Best Photo Spots in Berlin Germany
• 16 Fun Things to do in Luxembourg
• 20 Simply Unreal Castles in Germany to Visit
• 21 Spectacular Things to Do in Stockholm
• 30 Germany Photos That Will Spark Your Wanderlust
• 31 Fascinating Things to Do in Copenhagen
• Ultimate Germany Road Trip Guide
• Ireland Guide to Renting a Car
• Adventuring in Europe – Italian Hotspots

We partnered with Viking River Cruises to bring you this trip report. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Travel planning resources, about lina stock.

Lina is an award-winning photographer and writer that has been exploring the world since 2001. She has traveled to 100 countries on all 7 continents. Member: SATW, NATJA, ATTA, ITWA

1 thought on “Viking River Cruises in Europe: What to Expect”

Just returned from our first Viking River Cruise but it definitely will not be our last. We took Paris and the Heart of Normandy the week following the 75th anniversary of D-day celebration so things were quieting back down thankfully. Our ship was the Viking Rolf and the hotel staff is the best I have every experienced in all of my travels. They thought of everything we could need or want before we did. I have many food allergies and the maitre d’, Adrian made certain my restrictions were met without feeling like I missed out on any of the regional dishes. The program director, Ken was knowledgeable, funny and made certain every moment was memorable; beginning with the minute he greeted us at our shuttle from the airport. Go Viking, you will not regret the decision.

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