Copyright Los Angeles Times
Viking, the worldwide cruise line that includes river ships, ocean liners and exploration vessels, recently marked an impressive milestone in the travel world. It all happened aboard the brand-new Viking Honir docked in Basel, Switzerland, as Torstein Hagen, the Viking Chairman and CEO, led the celebration and naming ceremony of nine new river ships, which marked the 100th ship in the company’s ever-growing fleet. “We have grown from four ships to more than 100,” Hagen noted, as his company that began in 1997 actually now has 103 total, and, he adds proudly, “a fleet size no other line has achieved.” Even if you’ve never experienced a Viking cruise, you’re probably familiar with them if you’re a fan of the PBS series “Masterpiece,” as the company has been that award-winning series’ national corporate sponsor for over a decade. With what Hagen calls Viking’s “radically different” approach to cruising, it’s not surprising that PBS is their prime audience. “We really, in so many ways, don’t like the word “cruises,” because we’re so different from the umbrella drinks and all that stuff that goes on [on other cruise lines], we’re not floating amusement parks,” he insisted. “We are a place for people to learn, to really have cultural experiences.” “For the Thinking Person” is the company’s slogan, and they are dedicated to offering experiences that add to your knowledge of history, science, diverse cultures and cuisines. When you board one of those 103 ships run by this multi-billion-dollar publicly traded company, you won’t encounter any children under 18 or any casinos on boar – this cruise line is for adults only, specifically, ones who like fine dining, star gazing and a serene atmosphere. Viking features very similar ships in each class, making choices similar on many of the cruise itineraries. For example, the four newly christened Viking river longships that sail on the Rhine, Main and Danube will be exactly like each other (and many of Viking’s other ships), which take 190 passengers. Other new additions (the Viking Nerthus, Gyda and Tonie) that sail the Seine, Duro and Mekong, have smaller guest configurations. And the Viking Thoth and the Amun are the other newly launched and named vessels that are sailing on the Nile, and are truly small ships, holding only 82 guests. The Viking longship river vessels have smaller cabins, like the Standard Stateroom and the French Balcony Stateroom, which if you’re used to larger, opulent ocean-going vessels, may make you feel like you’ve been shoehorned. So if your budget allows, go for the much larger Viking longship cabin choices, like the Veranda Stateroom, Veranda Suite or Explorer Suite, where you’ll have room to spread out and a balcony to enjoy. Otherwise you’ll find yourself in the common areas, where there are actually chairs to sit on (unlike in those small cabins). As Hagen tells it, the Viking cruising story is now so successful that their 2026 sailings on those 100-plus ships are already about 60% booked, so if the lure of being on a small luxury river ship or a larger (but not huge) ocean liner is on your “must-do” list, it makes sense to plan ahead to get a reservation on this ever-growing cruise line’s most popular routes sooner than later. Also plan to add on one of their experience-packed pre- or post-cruise extensions, which are offered on all but one of Viking’s trips (the Northwest Passage through the Arctic Ocean). From Basel, where the Rhine Gateway cruise begins, we checked out the Alpine backdrops of Lake Lucerne, one of the numerous pre-cruise extensions Viking offers before the ship departs for Amsterdam. That luxurious three-night extension includes a stay at the five-star Mandarin Oriental Palace Hotel on beautiful Lake Lucerne, along with experiences including Swiss chocolate making at artisanal handmade Max Chocolates and a visit to Mt. Stanserhorn via the funicular built in 1893 and then cable car, where expansive views of the Alpine range and 10 lakes will take your breath away. Plus, Lucerne’s old city dates back to the 12th century and is just a lakeside stroll away from the hotel.
