Viking Longship’s are used on their European river itineraries. All the ships sailing on the Danube, Main, and Rhine rivers are identical. The ships on the Elbe, Seine, and Douro are in the same style but designed specifically for each of those rivers to fit the locks, have a shallow draft for low river conditions as well as passing under bridges with low clearances. It also helps whenever ship swaps become necessary due to low-water or high-water conditions or other issues which prevent ships from continuing the planned itinerary.  

Ship Features

Our ship, the Ullur, named for Thor’s stepson the Norse god of the hunt, was built in 2019. The Viking longships are 443 feet long, are staffed with up to 53 crew, and have a capacity for 190 guests. have cabins on 3 decks, plus a sun deck. There are 5 cabin classes – 25 Standard staterooms (150 sq. ft.), 22 French Balcony staterooms (135 sq. ft), 39 Veranda staterooms (205 sq. ft.), 7 Veranda suites (275 sq. ft.), and 2 Explorer suites (445 sq. ft.). There are no “inside” staterooms and all Veranda and higher have a private balcony.

The restaurant and galley, guest services, a very small shop, 19 Veranda staterooms, and 17 French Balcony staterooms are on the Middle Deck. There is an elevator between the Middle Deck and the Upper Deck.

The Upper Deck contains the 2 Explorer suites at the stern, the 7 Veranda suites, 20 Veranda staterooms, 5 French Balcony staterooms, the library and internet station, the lounge/bar, and the Aquavit Terrace (buffet) on the bow for al fresco dining.

The Main Deck (below the Middle Deck) contains crew space and the Standard staterooms which only have a half-height window (those of us short of stature may have difficulty seeing out of it!). However, most people are only in their staterooms to sleep as the public areas are so welcoming and you are off the ship touring most of the day. Access to the Main Deck is via stairs only, there is no elevator.  

The Sun Deck contains an herb garden used by the chef, a walking track, a putting green, and lounge chairs. During the “scenic sailing” portions of the cruise, this is typically where everyone gathers. Viking staff will put out additional chairs and provide blankets in cool weather. When going through locks and under low bridges, the Sun Deck is closed. I don’t think this stretch of the Lower Danube has the low bridges which closed the Sun Deck for several days on our Grand European cruise in 2017.

My pictures won’t do it justice so to see 360-degree views of the Viking Longships, there are excellent videos on the Viking website here.

Staff and Crew

There are 6 main staff aboard:

• Captain – Stefan Ganchev
• Hotel Manager – Dragon Radojcic
• Program Director – Sonya Bakalova
• Executive Housekeeper – Nenad Kalajanovic
• Maître d’ – Silviu Perta
• Executive Chef – Maximino Remojo, Jr.

Additional crew comprise the engineering department, kitchen and bar staff, and housekeepers.

Dining

Dining is primarily in the restaurant on the Middle Deck, but also available on the Aquavit Terrace at the bow of the ship on the Upper Deck. For breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there is an “always available” menu and then a “destination” menu. The destination menu changes daily. You can mix and match items as desired. As I mentioned in a previous note, room service is not provided.

As is often promoted, soft drinks, beer, and wine are included at lunch and dinner. Coffee and tea are available 24/7 at machines near the Lounge. For wine at lunch and dinner, there is a white and a red pre-selected by Viking. There is also the sommelier’s recommendation which can be purchased separately by the glass or bottle, or selecting from the general wine list and paying by the glass or bottle as offered. If you have the “Silver Spirits Beverage Package” (SSBP) – that is merely a way to pre-pay for all beverages, including cocktails. But there is nothing that someone with the SSBP can order that you can’t also order a la carte.

What’s Missing

Mostly due to the smaller size of river ships, you may find many things “missing” that you normally see on ocean cruise ships. Of course, many of Viking’s ads focus on what they are not – no children under 18, no casino, no nickel and diming, and more. All those things are true on Viking River, Expedition, and Ocean ships. Here are a few things that you can find on Viking Ocean, that you won’t find on Viking River.

Self-Service Laundrettes

Unlike the Viking Ocean ships, there is no self-service laundry room on Viking River ships. However, laundry services are included for guests in the suites and can be paid for by all others. <laundry price sheet>

Pool or Hot Tub

No taking a dip to cool off after a long day of touring or as you are cruising along. And no hot tub to soak sore muscles in either.

Spa

No Nordic Spa with its Snow Grotto and saunas, and alas, no massages after a long excursion.  

Fitness Center

I guess the Sun Deck walking track will have count here! The sign says 12 laps make a mile, but I’ve overheard reports of people’s trackers saying it is slightly more than that between 12.75 and 13.5, so who knows? I think GPS trackers may get thrown off by the ship’s movement. The main thing in my opinion is that people are walking and that’s a good thing!

Hair Salon

Sorry, no nail or hair services are available on a river cruise.

Theater Shows

No theater shows. All onboard lectures and entertainment (live music, trivia, etc.) occur in the Lounge. On our cruise, George is the lone piano player and singer. He generally plays during the cocktail hour before the port talk, then again after dinner (around 9pm).

Well, that about covers the basics of the Viking Longship and some differences with ocean ships. We’ve continued to experience the same great Viking service that we’ve come to expect whether on River or Ocean.