Viking Cruises – River versus Ocean

Updated: 1/9/2023

Viking Cruises have become immensely popular in recent years.  Initially, Viking became popular for their extensive fleet of river ships that sail on many of the world’s rivers.  However, only about 7 years ago, Viking began developing their ocean fleet, and now have 9 ships that sail all around the globe.

If you have sailed on either a Viking River or Ocean Cruise or you are considering your first Viking cruise, you may be wondering what to expect from each type of cruise.  In this article we will cover the differences and advantages of each type of cruise. One of the questions that is often posed to us is ‘which one do you like better?’  Actually, we love them both, but they each offer a different experience.   So, read on as we compare and contrast these two outstanding cruising options.

Viking operates several sizes of river ships.  However, most of their fleet is comprised of their larger longships.  So, this article will be using the Viking Longship as the standard of comparison with the ocean ships.

–   Ship Size – Regardless of size, all of Viking’s award-winning ships encompass streamlined, Scandinavian-inspired designs that are both functional and beautiful.  A lot of thought has gone into features that provide magnificent views, serene spaces and luxurious comfort.

• River – Clearly, the Viking Longships are much smaller than their ocean-going cousins.  However, with their 95 staterooms, these ships carry only about 190 passengers.   The ships are designed to make the most of all the space onboard.  So, even though the ships are relatively small, we never felt crowded anywhere on the ship. 

Since there are so few passengers, the river cruise is a bit more of an intimate experience and you will likely get to know many of your fellow passengers quite well by the end of the trip.

• Ocean – The ocean ships are of course much larger than the river ships and have a capacity of about 930 passengers. That may sound like a lot of people, but it is still just a fraction of the passengers on the much larger mega ships of other cruise lines, that commonly carry 2,000 to 4,000 and sometimes more!  Just like the river ships, even at full capacity of 930 passengers, the ship still felt very spacious.

While it is still easy to meet people, there is a higher degree of independence on an ocean cruise.  Since there are so many different options for entertainment, meals and relaxation, you may be interacting with different people all the time.  However, if you prefer having less frequent interactions with other passengers, it is easier to do so on an ocean cruise.

– Ports and Dockage – Though it might not seem important where the ship docks, the location may have an impact on your flexibility, especially when it comes to your free time off the ship.

• River – Since the river ships are small, they are usually able to dock very close to cities and villages. That typically means you can walk on and off the ship at your leisure and be right in town.  We find this to be a significant benefit, because we love having the freedom to walk around on our own and maybe have a lunch or dinner off the ship.   

The one downside that you may encounter is when river ships dock adjacent to one another, as pictured on the right.  Due to limited docking space, at times, there can be as many as 3 ships all docked beside each other, and sometimes they may even be ships belonging to other cruise lines.  This colocation means that in order to embark and disembark your ship, you will have to cross through the other ships.  It also means that if you have a balcony (or even just a window), you could be a few feet from the balcony of the adjacent ship.   That proximity is not really conducive to having that private morning coffee or an afternoon drink on your balcony.

• Ocean – For the much larger ocean ships, ports can be far away from the city center, especially in larger cities like Rome or Athens. Sometimes the drive to points of interest can be 30 minutes or longer.  Viking usually furnishes shuttles buses to take guests to and from the city.  However, that means paying attention to the shuttle schedule and making sure you factor in the driving time when you are planning your time off the ship.

Sometimes ships cannot dock at any port, especially smaller ports.  In these instances, the ship will anchor offshore and a tender is used to shuttle people back and forth to shore.  Again, you will need to factor in the time spent tendering to and from the ship when you are planning your time off the ship.   

On ocean cruises, there are occasions when the winds are too high or the water is simply too rough for the ship to make port or even to anchor and tender passengers to shore.  If either situation occurs, then it may become necessary to completely skip a port, which can be disappointing for passengers.  

– Excursions – Viking focuses not only on providing access to some of world’s most iconic sights, but they also strive to provide guests with experiences that will enhance their knowledge of history and culture. So, in addition to excellent excursions to well-known spots, you can also choose excursions that include unique activities such as interacting with local people, sometimes even visiting them in their own homes. 

• River – One amenity that sets Viking apart from their competitors is that both river and ocean cruises include a free excursion in every port. However, you will still need to make reservations for the included tours so Viking can arrange for the proper number of guides and busses.  In most cases, the included tour leaves at roughly the same time for everyone.  So, there is not a lot of flexibility in the schedule for included tours.

In addition, there will also be optional excursions available for a fee.  Sometimes, these optional excursions may conflict with the included one, so you will need to plan your excursions carefully to make the most of everything that is offered.

In most cases (or at least all of the river cruises we have been on), you will be able to select your excursions as soon as you book your trip.  That means even if your trip is a year in the future, you can select your excursions.  Of course, you can always modify your excursion up to a few days before sailing.  But even once on board, you can visit the reception desk to make changes.

• Ocean – One big difference on ocean cruises is that because of the number of passengers, there are many more included and optional excursion options available.  The included tour is usually offered at varying times throughout the day.  The same is often true for the optional excursions.   So, you might select an included excursion in the morning and an optional excursion in the afternoon.  Regardless, since there are so many choices, you will need to put a little more time into planning your excursions

Another difference is that excursions will not be available for selection until between 60 to 107 days prior to embarkation.  Selection is on a first-come-first-served basis, and timeframes are based on your stateroom category. (We will talk more about that topic later.) Excursions, especially the popular ones and the preferred times, can fill up fast.  Although Viking does guarantee that everyone will be able to schedule the included excursion.  However, there is no such guarantee for the optional ones.  Although Viking will sometimes add additional times for the popular excursions or you can check availability once you are onboard. 

TIP: Be careful when booking your excursions.  They all sound really good and you will be tempted to book all day excursions or multiple excursions on a single day.   Keep in mind that too many full days can be tiring.  So be sure to pace yourself and allow for some free time in your schedule.

– Itineraries – Whether you choose a river or an ocean cruise, you can be assured of having an amazing experience, but there are a few differences.

• River – River cruises are currently offered primarily throughout Europe and a few others are offered in Russia, Ukraine, Vietnam and North America. The length of these cruises tends to range from about 8 days to 15 days.

Since the ships are sailing on winding rivers, the stops tend to be close together and therefore tend to cover a smaller geographic area. Guests will typically visit as mix of some large cities and several smaller ones.  For example, one of Viking’s most popular cruises, The Rhine Getaway, travels the Rhine between Amsterdam and Basel.  Along the way, passengers will visit larger cities such as Amsterdam and Cologne, but also several smaller towns like Rudesheim and Speyer.  In fact, one of the reasons so many people like the river cruises is the opportunity it provides to see some small, very charming towns along the route.

• Ocean – Viking offers cruises all around the world. The duration of these cruises can be anything from a week to several months!  So, there is a very large variety of options from which to choose.

Since ocean-going ships need a larger harbor for docking, ocean cruises tend to stop at larger cities. They also cover much more area than a river cruise.  So, ocean cruises provide a great way to get a ‘taste’ of several countries during your trip.  For example, the very popular Viking Homelands cruise stops in eight countries during the 15-day cruise.

Ocean cruises will commonly have one or more days at sea while traveling between ports.  These days provide a day to recharge and passengers can enjoy the day relaxing and enjoying the onboard amenities such as the spa!

– Staterooms – Staterooms on either type of ship are well planned, making the most of the space provided. More importantly, they are all beautiful, luxurious and comfortable!

• River – The longship staterooms, as you might guess, are typically smaller than the staterooms on the ocean ships. There are five different room types available on longships, and the primary difference between these staterooms are the size and location on the ship.  As with most staterooms on ships, the higher the floor, the higher the price.  However, the primary differentiator is the size of the room, all of the other ‘perks’ are basically the same.

– Standard – These staterooms are 150 square feet and are on the main deck, at the water level. There is no elevator to this floor.  The room has a large window, but it does not open.  It is just a personal preference, but not having a functional window is a nonstarter for us.  However, these rooms are the most economical.  So, if you do not care about having a functional window, then these rooms are a great choice.

– French Balcony – Located on the middle and upper decks, the French balcony rooms are the smallest on the ship at 135 square feet. If you are not familiar with the term, a French balcony is a sliding door that opens to a railing and does not have an actual balcony.  Even though it is smaller, we prefer rooms on the middle deck with a French balcony.  We find that we do not spend that much time in the room on a river cruise anyway, so the small size does not really bother us.   However, we do enjoy opening the door for fresh air when the weather is nice.

– Veranda – These staterooms are 205 square feet. They include a real balcony and are also located on the middle and upper deck. These staterooms are very popular and fill up quickly.

– Veranda Suite – With a separate sitting area from the bedroom, these suites are 275 square feet in size. They have a true balcony adjacent to the sitting area and a French balcony in the bedroom.  There are also a few nice ‘perks’, including free laundry service, a bottle of champagne upon embarkation, and a stocked mini-bar that includes beer and wine.

– Explorer Suites – There are 2 of these rooms at the back of the ship and they each have 445 square feet of space, as well as a wraparound balcony. These rooms include the same perks as the Veranda Suites and they are the only 2 rooms that offer room service at breakfast.

TIP:  The walking track is on the Sun Deck, which is above the staterooms on the upper deck.  Passengers with rooms beneath the Sun Deck sometimes report hearing noise, especially if someone decides to run on the walking track (which they are not supposed to).  We have never had a stateroom on that level, so we cannot confirm if this is really an issue, but it may be something to consider.

• Ocean – The ocean staterooms are much larger and they all have balconies. There are five categories of staterooms spread across several decks.  However, the size of the stateroom is not the only thing to consider, because the ‘perks’ offered on each class of stateroom are considerably different.  These perks include the time frame during which passengers can book excursions, specialty restaurants and spa treatments.   Having an earlier time frame during which to schedule your activities can be significant, especially when it comes to excursions.   Although you are guaranteed to get your included excursion, you may not get that optional excursion you are looking forward to, or you might not get your preferred time slot.

– Veranda – At 270 square feet, these rooms are quite spacious, although they are the smallest cabins on the ship. All cabins in this category are located on Deck 3, the lowest deck for cabins.  Booking this room allows passengers to book excursions 60 days before embarkation and you cannot make advanced reservations for specialty restaurants or spa treatments.  If these issues do not matter to you, then this stateroom is a great choice.

TIP:  Deck 2 has many common areas, including the Star Theatre, Torshavn Lounge and The Restaurant.  Some passengers on Deck 3 have reported they can hear music in their rooms.  We have only stayed on Deck 5, but we can say that we have heard almost no noise from surrounding staterooms or even the hallways. So, selecting a stateroom that is surrounded above, below and around by other staterooms almost guarantees that your room will be totally quiet.    

– Deluxe Veranda – These cabins are the same size and have the same floorplan as the Veranda staterooms, but they are located on higher decks. While the cabins are the same, the ‘perks’ are different.  Booking a Deluxe Veranda allows passengers to book excursions 67 days before embarkation, as well as the ability to book specialty restaurant ( 1 reservation) and spa treatment 60 days before embarkation.

– Penthouse Veranda – These staterooms are 338 square feet and provide a very comfortable amount of room and plenty of storage. When you select a Penthouse Veranda room, you will be able to make reservations for excursions 77 days prior to embarkation and specialty restaurants (2 reservation) 70 days out. Realize that the majority of the staterooms on the ship are Veranda and Deluxe Veranda.  So, since the Penthouse Veranda passengers can select excursions before any of those staterooms, they are almost guaranteed to get their preferred selections.  Also, a ‘welcome’ bottle of champagne is provided upon arrival and the room’s mini bar is stocked with liquor, beer and snacks and it is replenished daily.  For the small price difference, we find that this room makes the most sense for us.

– Penthouse Junior Suite – Located on the upper decks of the ship, these staterooms offer 405 square feet of space with separate sleeping and sitting areas, as well as an expanded bathroom with double sinks. Passengers in these suites can make reservations for excursions 87 days prior to embarkation and specialty restaurants (3 reservations) and the spa 80 days prior to embarkation. In addition to all of the benefits of the Penthouse Veranda rooms, passengers in this room category also receive complimentary laundry service.

– Explorer’s Suites – Located at the front and back of the ship, these large, 2-room staterooms offer sizes from 757 to 1163 square feet. With floor to ceiling windows, these staterooms offer gorgeous views and plenty of room to stretch out and relax.  This room category includes all the amenities of the Junior Suite and can make reservations for excursions 97 days prior to embarkation and specialty restaurants (3 reservations) and the spa 90 days prior to embarkation.

– Owners Suite – Located on Deck 7, this massive, multiroom stateroom is 1,448 square feet in size. This room has not only a separate bedroom and living room, but a dining room, library, a 12-person meeting room, butler’s pantry and an ocean view dry sauna.  If you plan to entertain other passengers during your cruise, this is the stateroom to pick.

– Dining Options – Regardless of whether you sail on a river or an ocean ship, Viking’s food and beverages are stellar. Frequently, menus are destination focused, offering regional specialties and local wines and beers.  However, they also have a reliable menu of standard offerings that will appeal to just about anyone.