Viking Cruises®

Known for:

“Thinking-person’s” cruises — culturally focused itineraries, heavily curated shore excursions and enrichment; leaders in river cruising (Viking River Cruises) and also a popular small-ship ocean product (Viking Ocean) — geared toward adult, enrichment-oriented travelers.

Awards / Recognition (selected):

• Viking frequently tops river cruise reader polls and Cruise Critic/Travel + Leisure river cruise categories (multiple years). Viking’s IPO and business coverage have also been widely reported (2023–2024).

Popularity / Rating:

Market leader in river cruising — often highest-ranked in river cruise categories; Viking Ocean also rates highly in small-ship ocean reader polls.

All-Inclusive?

Viking’s river cruises commonly include shore excursions (included daily excursions are a hallmark on many Viking river and certain ocean itineraries), some meals, and selected onboard services — Viking’s ocean product includes complimentary excursions on many itineraries and some included amenities; it's not a fully all-inclusive luxury line like Regent, but Viking’s pricing is very inclusive by industry standards.

River Cruises?

Yes — Viking is the largest/most-recognized line in river cruising with routes across Europe (Rhine, Danube, Seine, etc.), Asia (Yangtze), Egypt (Nile) and the U.S. (Mississippi).

Ships & Fleet (summary):

Viking operates a very large river fleet (dozens of river ships across regions) plus ocean ships (Viking Star, Viking Sea, Viking Sky, etc.).