November 21, 2025 — Nothing could wipe the smile off Viking founder, chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen’s face last week in Basel, Switzerland — not a sudden mid-ceremony burst of rain or even a premature bottle smash on the hull of the nearly finished Viking Dagur — as the cruise brand he started 28 years ago achieved the major milestone of becoming the first line to amass a 100-ship fleet.
October 29, 2025 — Viking just celebrated a huge milestone: welcoming its 100th ship to its fleet. Travel Weekly managing editor Rebecca Tobin covered the ship-naming extravaganza in Basel, Switzerland, and as she reports, Viking is still committed to growth. It has 35 additional river ships in the works, along with 14 ocean ships. As CEO and chairman Torstein Hagen put it: "I think on the rivers, our rate of growth has defined the demand." I'd say he's right.
October 27, 2025 — "We had a vision that we should establish a serious cruise line for serious people." Viking CEO Tor Hagen on their no-kids cruise policy.
October 22, 2025 — By one measure, at least, Viking now rules the cruise world. The fast-growing cruise brand officially welcomed nine new ships to its fleet on Tuesday during an upbeat naming ceremony in Basel, Switzerland, bringing its total to 103. The addition of the new vessels, all designed for river cruising, puts Viking firmly ahead of cruise giant Carnival Corporation for the title of the cruise company with the most ships.
October 22, 2025 — With a push of a button and a smash of Norwegian aquavit, Viking named its 100th ship. It was one of nine river vessels Viking welcomed into its fleet on Oct. 21, in ceremonies across six countries and three continents. The company now has 100-plus ships across its river, ocean and expedition categories. Viking is known for its big, multi-ship naming ceremonies. In 2014 Viking broke its own Guinness World Record when it christened 16 ships in a 24-hour period -- and then inaugurated two more in Portugal.
October 21, 2025 — Viking Holdings CEO Torstein Hagen joins ‘Mad Money’ host Jim Cramer to discuss the milestone of naming the 100th ship, the growth of their ocean business, the strength of the consumer, and more.
September 16, 2025 — Viking has taken delivery of its newest river ship, the Viking Tonle, which will sail exclusively on Southeast Asia’s Mekong River. “Our guests are thinking people who value learning through travel, and the rich history and traditions of Vietnam and Cambodia make this region especially compelling,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman and CEO of Viking. “We are pleased that the addition of the Viking Tonle to our fleet allows us to welcome even more curious travelers to the Mekong River and the cultural treasures of Southeast Asia.” Built specifically for the Mekong River and the 15-day Magnificent Mekong itinerary, the Viking Tonle joins its sister ship, the Viking Saigon.
September 3, 2025 — Viking executives say the company’s strictness on what its vacations will and will not be helps keep ships full in the face of new competition in the river space and a sea of larger, kid-friendly boats teeming with entertainment and rides. Guests on Viking ships attend lectures about their trip’s destinations from resident historians and listen to classical music. Rather than pool parties and waterslides, a Viking cruiser steps into quieter pools and snow grottos, small glass-enclosed rooms filled with man-made snow. “There are very successful floating entertainment palaces,” said Chief Executive Tor Hagen, referring to other cruise operators. “We are really a place where we take grown-ups to interesting places, where they can continue to educate themselves.”
June 16, 2025 — The 11-day trip, which also included new port stops in the German towns of Karlsruhe and Marktheidenfeld, underscores Viking’s large-scale expansion plans in Europe. In all, the company has planned 10 new ships across the continent for 2025 and 2026, along with several new itineraries designed to take advantage of new port options and maximize time spent at beloved Christmas markets along the Rhine, Main, and Seine rivers, Richard Marnell, Viking’s executive vice president of marketing, told Travel Market Report. Ultimately, Marnell said the expansion is necessary to keep up with demand. “The objective for many of our passengers that we’re seeing is to experience as many Viking-perfected itineraries as possible,” Marnell said, adding travelers — especially last-minute cruisers — are currently being blocked out of sailings because they sell out so quickly.
May 20, 2025 — Everyone onboard the Viking Aton gathers by the windows to marvel at the change of weather: a real Egyptian sandstorm. But as quickly as the dust has accumulated in the air, the sun reemerges and we sail onward. It’s nearing the end of my 11-day Egypt experience, and there’s always something new to see. It’s easy to sit on the deck of the sleek Viking river ship—one of six in the cruise line’s Nile fleet—and observe the passing river and its banks. We pass through villages and larger cities, areas of mountainous desert, and rows of palm trees and tangled reeds.
April 30, 2025 — Viking stands out as a leader in balancing luxury with genuine sustainability. As a frontrunner in the clean maritime travel sector, Viking has set the standard by ensuring all of its ocean liners have minimal environmental impact and expeditions that prioritize preservation.
April 29, 2025 — Too soon to plan your Christmas vacation? Bah humbug. Savvy travelers already have their sights set on the holidays—and in particular, the Seine, where Viking has unveiled a new yuletide itinerary. The eight-day tour ushers revelers from Paris to Normandy for an architecture immersion in Rouen, then back to the City of Light. Guests on the route will also have the chance to experience Viking’s latest vessel, Viking Nerthus, so named for the ancient goddess of fertility and earth.
April 10, 2025 — On my ship, the Scandinavian-inspired lines are spare, the woods blonde, the windows panoramic. Which offers an understated framing for Egypt’s riverscapes of verdant grasses, studded rows of bankside palms, and pale sands stretching to distant ridgelines. The Sobek is a cleansed aesthetic palate from which to step onshore every day for another overwhelming encounter with this distant civilization.
February 17, 2025 — This 10-day trip starts with two days on land in Lisbon for a 3.5-hour food tour complete with tastings of cheese, smoked sausage, and pastel de nata (a Portuguese egg custard pastry). Embarkation takes place on the third day in Porto, where the famous port wine comes from. While there, you’ll have the opportunity to visit W. & J. Graham’s, a family-run winery that’s been operating since 1820, to take part in a port tasting and a traditional Portuguese meal. The Douro Valley the river flows through is filled with wine estates, including Mateus Palace, which you will have the chance to tour extensively before enjoying a tasting.
February 15, 2025 — I set about brainstorming. My first thought was an ocean cruise, something both my parents have enjoyed in the past. But the idea of being aboard a large ship with endless activities, numerous decks to navigate, and thousands of other passengers, felt overwhelming to me. Instead, I suggested a European river cruise, a weeklong itinerary aboard the Viking Forseti that started and ended in Bordeaux, France. We would sail the Dordogne and Garonne rivers, past beautiful vineyards and châteaux. And with only four decks, the 95-cabin vessel would, I hoped, be easy for us all to handle.
February 12, 2025 — Viking, which operates more than 80 river ships with another two dozen on order, is nearly synonymous with the form of travel. The company became a household name to travelers after its sponsorship of the PBS “Masterpiece” show “Downton Abbey” brought river ships into Americans’ living rooms for years.
January 29, 2025 — I'm sitting on the 360-degree promenade deck aboard a Viking river cruise, with a glass of wine and a paperback, taking in the silver maples in the high afternoon sun on a bright August day. The water, blue-green and more beautiful than I had expected, hums with steamboats and pontoons. Staff members flit about, delivering cocktails and greeting guests like old friends. With its plentiful blond woods, the stylish ship has the kind of opulence you'd expect on the world's great waterways, from the Nile to the Seine. But I'm on board the 386-passenger Viking Mississippi, custom-built to traverse America's most famous river. Interest in sailing along it has been on the rise since the pandemic, but Viking is the first major luxury liner to offer a trip.
December 26, 2024 — The trip, which departs St. Louis and ends in St. Paul, Minnesota, is one of several itineraries offered by Viking, which launched the Viking Mississippi in 2022. Other voyages run from New Orleans to Memphis or travel almost the full length of the river between New Orleans and St. Paul. My own journey had a focus on the Upper Mississippi, and as we ping-ponged from both sides of the river — Missouri and Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin — I had the chance to visit working dairy farms and plenty of charming small towns, where mom-and-pop shops still thrive and the American dream is alive and well.
November 23, 2024 — Our cruise was on Viking Sobek, one of six custom built Viking river ships for the Nile River. The ship only has 41 cabins and a maximum capacity of 82 guests. It quickly became my favorite river ship I’ve ever sailed on. After the first day on the Nile River, I realized that this was not a trip of a lifetime, but THE trip of a lifetime.
November 2, 2024 — As the newest cruise line to offer fantastic itineraries on the Upper and Lower Mississippi on its Viking Mississippi vessel, Viking provides a glimpse into life along this fascinating waterway. The brand also features fabulous pre- and post-cruise extensions that allow you to continue your trip in the wonderful places the ship visits.
September 27, 2024 — This 12-day Viking itinerary from New Orleans to Memphis is one of the most popular, if not the most popular, Mississippi River cruise that Viking offers, according to staff. Guests on this itinerary will get to see this region’s most sought-after cities as the boat sails from New Orleans to Memphis, visiting Baton Rouge, Darrow, and more in Louisiana, along with stops in Natchez and Vicksburg in Mississippi. Guests will find majestic rows of moss-covered trees that lead to historic homes and former plantations where guided tours of the properties reveal how the French, native Acolapissa, and West African people intertwined. Other aspects of the cruise include learning about Cajun and Creole culture and indulging in culinary tastings.
September 5, 2024 — Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of Viking Mississippi is that it doesn’t feel much like a river cruise ship at all. With a length of 471 feet, a width of 75 feet, and five passenger decks, the feeling onboard is much more akin to a small oceangoing vessel. It’s only when you’re ashore that you become aware that it is, indeed, a river cruise ship. One of the best advantages to having that big-ship feel is that there’s more space to spread out.
August 31, 2024 — While the American crew gives the Viking Mississippi a unique feel compared to the line's ships in Europe, Viking fans will find that the vessel is exactly what they would expect from the Norwegian brand, from its signature Scandinavian themes and decor to what it calls an intuitive design layout. But this is the Mississippi River, and Viking made sure that some of the interior design choices reflect that. The wall of the main staircase, which extends from the Living Room on Deck 1 all the way to Deck 5, features huge renderings of excerpts from chapters in Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," complete with illustrations. That provided a sense of place for the ship and where it's sailing.
August 22, 2024 — Viking Holdings Chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen joins ‘Mad Money’ host Jim Cramer to talk quarterly results, affordability and pricing, and more.
August 19, 2024 — Placeres also recommends Viking Cruises, which was established by Torstein Hagen in 1997 and operates river, ocean, and expedition cruises across all seven continents. Viking’s Rhine River cruises range from eight to 15 days, and itineraries go beyond the Rhine to include the Main, Moselle, and a voyage that goes across the North Sea to Norway’s fjords.
August 1, 2024 — For a first Viking river cruise in Europe, you can't go wrong with the Danube. The line operates a variety of eight-day segments along the river, allowing you to start or finish in such cities as Amsterdam, Vienna and Budapest. Immersive shore experiences include tours of historic palaces and castles, wine tastings, bike and e-bike city tours, and cooking classes. If ocean cruising appeals to you, first-time cruisers can cruise almost anywhere on the globe with Viking. A good first choice is a Mediterranean cruise that allows you to see such iconic cities as Athens, Rome, Barcelona and Venice.
July 26, 2024 — Intimate access to Egypt’s ancient UNESCO-credited sites enhanced by Egyptologists’ lectures hallmark Viking’s Pharaohs & Pyramids cruise on the Nile River. Looping from Cairo, the epic voyage on Viking’s 82-passenger Viking Osiris, purpose-built for cruising the Nile, flows through the Egypt’s 5000-year history with visits to the Pyramids of Giza, the iconic Sphinx, Karnak’s Valley of the Kings, the temples of Luxor, and the artisans of Aswan. Excursions include visits to the Cairo Citadel and Egyptian Museum, local markets, camel rides, and engaging with local artisans at their crafts.
July 11, 2024 — Viking's 12-day Christmas on the Main & Moselle cruise sails between Paris and Prague in 2024 and 2025. The adults-only sailing affords passengers 18 and older the opportunity to visit four European countries: France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic. In addition to browsing the chic boutiques in Paris and a variety of Christmas markets in Germany, you'll want to explore iconic landmarks like Reims Cathedral in France and the Luxembourg American Cemetery. Don't miss the famed wines produced in the regions, including Champagne, Moselle, riesling, Müller-Thurgau and gewürztraminer. In Cochem, Germany, you'll want to sample white mulled wine and regional delicacies produced from the red vineyard peach.
June 25, 2024 — Whether you cruise with Viking on one of the company’s many 190-passenger river cruise vessels in Europe, on the line’s 930-passenger ocean cruise ships that sail around the world, or on one of its two 378-passenger expedition ships, you’ll be treated to a fine-tuned cruising experience geared strictly to adults. You need to be age 18 and up to get aboard to enjoy the many perks covered in the all-inclusive fares. Those perks consist of shore excursions in every port, free wine and beer, all meals (including numerous restaurant experiences and nightly seafood buffets), engaging lectures hosted by historians and other experts, and Nordic spas complete with hot sauna, steam room, and a chilly snow grotto.
June 22, 2024 — Viking currently has over 60 ships in their fleet that travel all around the world. You can take an iconic Western Mediterranean trip (Barcelona to Rome), a Grand European tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) or a Great Lakes voyage (Toronto to Minnesota). While many of the ships feature pools, restaurants, a library room and theater, most travelers go for the thrilling excursions and even participate in lectures specifically found on the expedition ships (Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris) that are great for the curious scientist or animal lover.
June 18, 2024 — Vilhjalm sets sail after dark to take in dramatic views of the illuminated city skyline. We glide past the Chain Bridge, the Castle Quarter, St. Stephen’s Basilica and the massive gothic-and-renaissance-revival-style Hungarian Parliament. Viking is passionate about what it calls “destination immersion,” and, to that end, they provide one included shore excursion in every port. Most are walking tours, which are a great way to become oriented to a new destination and make it easy to stay in town for further exploration — or coffee and pastries!
May 27, 2024 — How about making your home away from home a floating one? Viking has several sailings on its "Paris and the Heart of Normandy" Seine river cruises that coincide with the Olympics and are not yet sold out. These cruises spend the first two nights in Paris and conclude with one additional night back in the City of Light. The itinerary also involves a stop in Normandy, France, where you can commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
May 1, 2024 — The Viking longships were purpose-built to navigate the Seine river, which means they can dock at exclusive locations that are super convenient to the sights you want to see. For instance, this cruise began in Paris, and we were docked a mere 20-minute walk from the Eiffel Tower. In fact, that’s the first thing I did after boarding the Radgrid, which allowed me to check off my biggest bucket-list item immediately!
April 25, 2024 — The comfortable furnishings and floor-to-ceiling windows make both the Lounge and the Dining Room perfect venues to enjoy drinks and meals and group get-togethers. At the bow of the ship, Viking’s signature Aquavit Terrace is a wonderful glass-covered dining area. In good weather dining extends onto the open deck – not a daily feature in late March in northern France. When the sun did come out, Aquavit came to life. For 360 degree views of the scenery, the entire top deck is also a mini-recreation center with a putting green and a walking track.
April 24, 2024 — In the style of all Viking ships, the Rottet Studio–designed Aton is intended for comfortable and thought-provoking exploration—just look to the book-filled shelves in the cabins, curated by London’s Heywood Hill library.
April 19, 2024 — Also worth noting, in 2025, to mark the end of World War II, Viking is operating a number of “Paris & the Heart of Normandy” cruises, which include five nights at the start in London to coincide with the Victory in Europe Day anniversary. (VE Day, which marked the end of WWII in Europe, was May 8, 1945.) This tour offers a chance to visit the key sites involved in the British war effort, including the Cabinet War Rooms in London and Bletchley Park, where the German Enigma code was deciphered.
April 15, 2024 — Want the total Mississippi experience? You can cruise the entire length of this mighty river as you visit 14 cities in seven U.S. states on Viking's two-week sailing. Available three times a year (in July, September and October), the America's Great River cruise begins in Minnesota (either St. Paul or Red Wing) and concludes in New Orleans, allowing you to experience an intricate tapestry of American history and culture.
April 10, 2024 — Viking has established themselves as a major player in both river and ocean cruising by never veering from high cruise standards. The pride that they take in their immaculate ships and attentive staff is well-justified. Previously, we were thoroughly impressed on a pair of Viking Ocean cruise itineraries , but it had been several years since river cruising on the Volga. This French itinerary proved to be just as memorable as those and shows why Viking enjoys such loyalty from past cruise guests.
April 10, 2024 — I am so glad that my first experience visiting a European country went as wonderfully as it did. I credit Viking’s knowledgeable staff and guides for helping me understand the nuances of French culture and daily life, and I know that should I ever return to France, I will be well prepared to enjoy my trip.
April 1, 2024 — Tulips have been an important part of Dutch society since the 16th century, and this festive season is the perfect time for a Viking river cruise. Aboard a Viking longship, you’ll cruise the waterways of the Low Countries, from the windmills and flower fields of Holland to Belgium’s well-preserved medieval cities.
March 29, 2024 — The 386-guest Viking Mississippi spans five decks, making it one of the largest passenger vessels on the Mississippi. Inaugurated in 2022, the ship features a modern Scandinavian design with an infinity pool and a two-story Explorers’ Lounge observation area similar to its ocean ships. Directly in front of the Explorer’s Lounge is an expanded outdoor seating area known as The Bow. Three restaurants serve both Southern regional cuisine and international favorites.
March 22, 2024 — Viking celebrated the floating out of its newest purpose-built ship for the Nile River, the Viking Hathor, which is expected to debut this August. The float out is a key construction milestone in shipbuilding and is the first time the ship touches water. The 82-guest river ship is being built at the Massara shipyard in Cairo and will now undergo its final stages of construction.
March 20, 2024 — With the arrival of spring comes the return of the busy river cruise high-season in Europe, and Viking’s Longship fleet is celebrating the launch of itineraries on the Rhine, Main, Danube, Seine, and other scenic rivers. From Amsterdam and Avignon to Salzburg and Vienna, river cruisers can crisscross the continent on the Longships, each with capacity for under 200 guests.
March 4, 2024 — On a recent Christmas Market cruise along the Danube with Viking Cruises, my enthusiasm for these hot wines was rekindled. Every city we visited had multiple stands selling variations of local wines, heated, and enhanced with different spices. Each city too had a unique ceramic mug that the wine was served in.
March 1, 2024 — While a degree of consistency from ship to ship is important for branding—and to make Viking’s legion of repeat customers feel at home—the design of each cruiser reflects its unique location. In Aton’s atrium, for instance, four monolithic columns crafted of locally quarried stone relate to monumental Egyptian architecture, in particular the ancient site of Abu Simbel on the bank of Lake Nasser, which is fronted by four statues of Ramses II. The library on the upper deck is replete with themed volumes curated by London bookshop Heywood Hill. (Yes, there are several copies of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile.) Even the structure itself reflects the location, as it was partially dictated by constraints including the Nile’s shallow depth and low bridges.
February 6, 2024 — America’s greatest waterway gets the luxe treatment with this new Viking offering, which debuted in 2022. Start in St. Paul, Minnesota and journey through 10 states until ending in New Orleans, Louisiana.
January 19, 2024 — The doyen of Europe's waterways is the adults-only Viking Cruises, a multifaceted cruise line that also boasts a fleet of ocean and expedition vessels. With 55 Nordic-inspired “Longships” sailing mainland Europe—including the Danube, Rhine, Seine, Rhône and Elbe—plus four ships on Portugal's River Douro, Viking has an itinerary for every type of river cruiser. The cruise line’s soothing Scandinavian aesthetic combines a chic design with spacious accommodations that include river views or private verandas, and sails also include drinks during mealtimes, shore excursions and Wi-Fi.
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