Helping you decide – extended personal reviews of every Viking Cruise I’ve taken
Choosing your next Viking cruise—whether it’s a grand Ocean itinerary or an intimate River sailing—can feel like navigating a sea of endless possibilities. As a dedicated traveler who has packed the photography gear and sailed from the breathtaking Chilean Fjords to the historic temples of the Nile, I’ve done the comprehensive, hands-on research so you don’t have to. I’ve consolidated my extensive collection of in-depth Viking cruise reviews into this one central resource.
Why trust me?
Do a quick Google search about Viking cruises and you will find endless reviews often with relatively little detail and posted by someone who probably didn’t actually pay for their cruise. Another influencer looking for click-bait headlines and filling the page with adverts and sponsored links. Perhaps I’m getting old (ideal Viking customer!), but I prefer to believe someone who paid for their cruise, and is then willing to put the time and effort into creating detailed personal reviews of the cruise itself, plus the included and optional tours that we thought were worth taking in each port. And there are no ads on these pages. Just the facts and impressions as I experienced them over the past 8 years or so.
For my favorite cruise so far – the cruise on the Nile followed by the extension to Jordan and Petra, I’ve even created a pair of eBooks that are free to download so you can read them easily on a tablet or phone.
Here, you will find a short summary of my personal experiences on every Viking itinerary I’ve explored, including the Nile, Mississippi, Alaska, South America and the Mediterranean. Use this page as your ultimate, trusted guide to quickly compare destinations and link directly to my full, highly detailed and photo-filled articles for all the details you need to plan your next worry-free voyage with Viking Cruises.
Why choose Viking Cruises?
There are many cruise lines of all shapes, sizes and costs, so why have we taken so many cruises with Viking? We have cruised with Celebrity about 10 years ago from Australia to New Zealand, and many, many years ago, we took a Carnival cruise with our children.
But starting in 2017 with our first Viking Ocean cruise around the Baltic, we have taken 11 cruises in total. But why? Here are the things that come to mind for me:
- Very relaxing with space to just sit and watch the world go by
- Small ships of about 1000 people that are identical to each other so you never have to learn where things are
- Meals in the restaurant when you want, sharing a table or dining on your own with wine and beer included
- No casinos, no children and no crowded areas
- No pressure to pose for photographs, visit art auctions, charges for different specialty restaurants, spas and internet access
- Included tours in each port
- Interesting educational speakers
- Almost everything is included in your payment for the cruise
They are more expensive than many and I wish they had more of a “frequent cruiser” benefit, but I have never come home thinking that I had paid too much for any cruise I have taken with them.
An unexpected bonus – shipboard credits
Yes, Viking are more expensive than most and I regret to say that it took us many cruises to realize that we were missing a significant saving on the price. Find out how to get extra shipboard credits on your Viking cruise in this article.
Viking River and Ocean Cruises Overview
Click the link on the cruise name to be taken further down the page to the overview of that cruise.
| Viking Cruise | Month | Perfect for | Key Highlights | Overall Impressions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska and the Inside Passage | June 2022 | Nature and landscape lovers and history buffs | Viewing the Hubbard Glacier, exploring Juneau, the historic day in Ketchikan, and the Resurrection Bay Wildlife Cruise. | The cruise offers deep dives into nature and history with amazing mountain scenery. |
| South America and the Chilean Fjords | January 2023 | Adventurers enjoying wild scenery, less visited locations, nature at its best | Getting close to the Amalia Glacier, sailing around Cape Horn, the “Britishness” of the Falkland Islands and the Bluff Cove penguins, and Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay. | Unique destinations, amazing scenery, penguins, history and more! |
| Empires of the Mediterranean | May 2019 | People who enjoy ancient history, beautiful coastal cruising, and unique towns | Exploring the ancient neighborhood of Anafiotika in Athens, the Old Fortress of Corfu, the cruise into the Bay of Kotor, Dubrovnik, Zadar and Novigrad in Croatia and Venice. | Offers a mix of ancient history and stunning coastal scenery and picturesque towns. |
| Iconic Iceland, Greenland and Canada | May 2025 | Perfect to explore those out of the way places that are off the beaten track | Exploring Peggy’s Cove, Greenland’s icy ports, Iceland volcanos, waterfalls, mountains, islands and wildlife. | Itinerary could change depending on the weather, but a magnificent series of ports and excursions |
| Portugal’s River of Gold Cruise (Douro) | August 2019 | Those seeking a calm, relaxed, and peaceful trip in gorgeous countryside | Pinhao and its decorated station, a picnic with estate wines at Quinta das Carvalas vineyard, visiting Salamanca in Spain, and cruising down the narrow gorge near Pinhao. | Calm, relaxed, full of interesting river views and small, intriguing places. |
| America’s Great River – Mississippi | October 2023 | Those interested in American history, Civil War and small river towns | Red Wing with its active art scene, Dubuque with historic Tiffany glass windows, St Louis cityscapes and Hannibal for Mark Twain, Vicksburg Civil War battlefield, Airboat ride in the bayou. | Focuses on historic towns and local culture along the river. |
| Pharaohs and Pyramids Cruise on the Nile | October 2024 | Those seeking an immersive historical and active adventure through ancient civilizations | The Pyramids and the Sphinx, Luxor temple at night, a balloon ride over the Tombs of the Kings at sunrise, magnificent carvings in Qena, and the extension to Petra in Jordan. | Very active with early starts but our favorite cruise with amazing adventures each day. |
Our favorite Viking Ocean cruises
The Alaska and Inside Passage Cruise on the Viking Orion – June 2022 Review
We cruised Alaska aboard the Viking Orion in June 2022, sailing from Seward to Vancouver. This cruise is perfect for nature lovers and history buffs. The key highlights for me were:
- Resurrection Bay Wildlife Cruise while we were still in Seward
- Tour through Keystone Canyon to the Thompson Pass
- The morning spent viewing the Hubbard Glacier
- A packed day exploring Juneau
- The historic (and wet) day in Ketchikan
Overall Impressions
Dramatic scenery, fascinating historical towns, wildlife viewing opportunities and something to do almost every day on the cruise. You don’t need to be athletic – most tours are easy and interesting. In retrospect, I wish I had taken a wider tour of Alaska prior to the cruise – not necessarily with Viking – and also taken a helicopter tour to land on a glacier. We rarely spend much time in the final port as we are ready for home, but I will definitely take a separate trip to Vancouver to explore that city and the surroundings.
Full Review
South America and the Chilean Fjords Cruise on the Viking Jupiter in January 2023
We cruised the South America and Chilean Fjords cruise in January 2023 departing from Santiago in Chile around the Cape Horn to Buenos Aires. Many of the places you visit are working towns without the history that you would find in Europe, say, but it could be a nature and landscape lover’s dream.
The key highlights for me were:
- Amalia Glacier. Even though it was misty, you get so close to this glacier that you cannot help to be amazed at its scale
- Cape Horn. Stormy winds added to the fierceness of this famous passage around the tip
- The “Britishness” of the Falkland Islands and the penguins of Bluff Cove
- Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay
Overall Impressions
I do need to say that the weather was not particularly kind to us and so a lot of the initial cruise down the coast of Chile was in heavy seas and even heavier rain and so the views were less than spectacular, I’m afraid. We were also unable to dock in Ushuaia due to strong winds and spent the day looking at the city from the bay. Something to bear in mind if you choose this cruise.
And, although the views of distant mountain peaks were missing for us, the latter half of the cruise visiting the Falkland Islands, Punta Tombo, Colonia del Sacramento and finally a day in Buenos Aires almost made up for it!
Be aware that there are quite a number of days at sea and the weather around Cape Horn can be brutal!
Full Review
Empires of the Mediterranean Cruise on the Viking Star in May 2019
We travelled on the Empires of the Mediterranean Cruise from Athens to Venice in May 2019 spending an extra few days in Athens prior to the cruise making use of the excellent guides we found on WithLocals. A cruise that visits less well-known locations in Europe that is perfect for history buffs with great scenery thrown in as a bonus!
The key highlights for me were:
- Exploring the ancient neighborhood of Anafiotika under the shadow of the Acropolis in Athens
- Walking through the ancient Old Fortress of Corfu
- The cruise into Kotor and dramatic views from the ancient fortress above the city
- The colorful village of Novigrad near Zadar with panoramic views
- Predjama castle built into the mountains near Koper
Overall Impressions
This was one of my favorite ocean cruises that we coupled with private tours in and around Athens prior to the cruise. There are interesting places to visit on almost every day of the cruise, and the weather is a lot more predictable than you might find in more remote parts of the world. The sail through the fjords towards Kotor was spectacular, clouds starting to break as we got further inland and then the ancient town appearing in the shadow of commanding mountains. Santorini was a disappointment – massively crowded while the cruise ships are in town (including us) and a feeling that you follow the crowds through narrow streets to the next overlook which has been taken over by “influencers”!
However, the rest of the cruise was fantastic – highly recommended and book an extended stay in Venice if you haven’t visited that city before.
Full Review
Iconic Iceland, Greenland and Canada Cruise – May 2025
We travelled on the Iconic Iceland, Greenland and Canada cruise in May 2025 on the Viking Neptune. This cruise covered several bucket list destinations, including multiple stops around Iceland. We have always had a desire to see Iceland and, although a self-drive tour of the entire island is probably the best idea, this seemed to offer some of the same opportunities to see the country.
The key highlights for me were:
- Halifax and Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia
- Greenland and the chance of seeing icebergs
- Five overnight stops around Iceland to give us an opportunity to see its natural beauty
- As it turned out, a chance to visit the Capital of Greenland, Nuuk (not normally on the itinerary!)
Overall Impressions
I guess the top impression is that you are very much at the mercy of the weather in these northern areas of the planet. Ice in various ports required us to miss one stop in Canada and a small port in Greenland, but we did get to visit Nuuk instead, which probably made up for it! Nuuk itself was a perfect spot for a day’s excursion with the port being close enough to the city to allow me to just walk to many places not on the official tour.
Iceland was as expected, dramatic, very changeable in terms of weather with a fantastic final day on the Heimaey island in glorious sunshine before departing for Reykjavik.
Overall, a perfect way to see places that are often off the beaten track.
Full Review
Viking River Cruises
Portugal’s River of Gold Cruise in August 2019 – calm, relaxing, just fantastic!
We visited Portugal for the River of Gold Cruise on the Douro in August 2019. I find Portugal to be a lovely country to visit, quiet, peaceful and interesting and the Douro River from Porto almost mirrors that – calm and relaxed! We did explore Lisbon on our own before the cruise started and then rented a car in Porto to take a leisurely drive back south visiting Guimaraes, Batalha and Sintra on the way back to Lisbon.
The key highlights for me were:
- The slow and very relaxed cruise on the 100 passenger boats specially designed for the Douro
- Pinhao and its beautifully decorated station
- A picnic with estate wines high above the river in the Quinta das Carvalas vineyard
- Salamanca in Spain with its ancient university and cathedrals
- The cruise down the narrow gorge on the river near Pinhao
Overall Impressions
The top impression I was left with was that it was so calm and relaxing, but full of interesting views along the river and small and intriguing places to visit. There is no feeling of being rushed, anywhere, and the small ship makes it much easier to form friendships. You eat well, drink well and see beautiful countryside. If you feel comfortable doing it, I will highly recommend renting a car and visiting some of the fascinating places on the way south to Lisbon, staying in some beautiful boutique hotels.
Full Review
America’s Great River – the Mississippi Cruise in October 2023 – not the best, perhaps
We cruised the full length of the Mississippi River from St Paul in Minnesota to New Orleans in October 2023. This whole section of the country was a bit of a mystery to us, and we thought that a modern cruise boat would be an ideal way to see all the places that we would almost never visit otherwise. It is a very easy, leisurely cruise on a new boat that holds about 360 passengers and is perfect for older travelers who may not enjoy long international flights but still want to experience Viking’s cruises. Miliary buffs will not be disappointed, either.
The key highlights for me were:
- Red Wing, Minnesota – a fantastic little town by the river with a very active art scene
- Dubuque in Iowa seeing some historic Tiffany glass windows in the Methodist Church
- Bike riding in Davenport – hint, don’t take the Viking optional tour!
- Hannibal in Missouri – home of Mark Twain
- Of course, Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee
- Airboat ride in the Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana
Overall Impressions
Let me say that Viking cruise passengers tend to be on the more “senior” side, but this cruise was heavily tilted towards older people (and I’m no spring chicken!). The cruise is also staffed by Americans rather than the international crew on other boats and ships, which made the service different – not necessarily worse, just not the same as on other cruises. Some of the places you visit are very small and struggle sometimes to come up with interesting excursions and also, when we traveled, the river was low which meant that views from the boat as we cruised along were mainly of the banks, not the countryside. All told, I would say this was an OK cruise and interesting, but not great, bearing in mind its cost.
Full Review
Viking Pharaohs and Pyramids Cruise on the Nile plus Jordan extension – the best yet, even with the early morning starts!
One of my absolute favorites taken in October 2024. This cruise covers a swathe of history that we are all vaguely familiar with but shows the full extent of the Ancient Egyptian civilization with its temples, monuments, carvings and tombs as well as the more familiar pyramids near Cairo. With trained and experience Egyptologists with you throughout the entire cruise, you will leave feeling so impressed with what you have seen. We cruised on the original Viking Nile ship – the Antares, with only 60 or so passengers. Just like you imagine the Murder on the Nile stories! The other ships are modern and hold close to 100 passengers. We also did the option extension to Jordan and Petra – equally impressive!
The key highlights for me were:
- Cairo and the Pyramids and the Sphinx
- Luxor temple at night
- Balloon ride over the Tombs of the Kings at sunrise
- Magnificent carvings and paintings in Qena
- Tombs of the Kings
- Simply cruising along the Nile
- Petra in Jordan
- And many more!
Overall Impressions
This is a very active cruise, Jordan in particular. Some days I walked over 10 miles, although that included some optional trails I took. There are many early starts – 4am on some days, but every day is an adventure. There were some slower walkers in our group, and pretty much everyone made it everywhere, including the balloon rides, so don’t be too afraid of what I am describing. I would say this was the best cruise we have taken in terms of pure enjoyment. Other cruises have more dramatic scenery, but this tour around the Egyptian civilization is hard to beat.
Full Review
More to come! I have taken other cruises that are still waiting for their own articles. I will add the details here as they are completed. If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you. And if you want to be the first to see new articles, please subscribe to this website.