One of the many great things about Viking is that their cruises really are an almost all inclusive holiday.

While the cruise fare might be slightly higher than you would find with other lines, an impressive number of services are included in the price. This includes all of your food, drinks with meals, and even your toiletries, so you really don’t need to spend any extra money.

This blog post outlines what is included in the base fare of a Viking cruise, as well as any optional extras that you may want to budget for.

If you’re not sure what to pack for a Viking cruise, then you’re in the right place.

Understanding Viking’s dress codes can be confusing, as they often differ from other mainstream cruise lines, with conflicting information shared by cruisers online.

Fear not! In this blog post I will outline the differences between a Viking river cruise and a Viking ocean cruise, and clarify which types of clothing are needed for each voyage.

Read my full review and learn what to expect from this excursion.

An onboard cooking experience offered by Viking Cruises, the Kitchen Table is available to book on their ocean ships. It’s a great way to liven up a relaxing day at sea, meet some new people, and learn how to cook a delicious three course meal from one of their onboard chefs.

I took part in one of these group cooking classes during a cruise around South East Asia onboard the Viking Venus in 2025, and found it to be a huge amount of fun.

If you’re thinking about booking a Viking cruise, then you’re in the right place.

I’ve sailed with Viking multiple times over the last few years and have absolutely loved each of my experiences. From travelling around South East Asia to sailing down the Seine at Christmas time, I’ve experienced what both their ocean and river ships have to offer.

This blog post will include tips for first time Viking cruisers, including what to expect on embarkation day, what’s included in the cost of your cruise, and how to get the most out of your holiday.

If you’ve booked a cruise that sails from the UK, then you may find yourself embarking at London Tilbury.

Despite its deceptive name, this cruise port is actually located in Essex, in a town slightly to the east of Greater London. This means that your journey will require a bit of forward planning in order to make it as smooth as possible.

Here is my complete guide to all of the guest rooms and suites available onboard the Crystal Symphony.

I love exploring cruise ships, and during my sailing onboard the Crystal Symphony I was delighted to find that staff had opened a number of cabins for guests to view. While all of the room categories are beautiful in their own way, it was really interesting to see how they differ and have a nose around two of the most luxurious accommodation options onboard.

Here is my full guide to food and dining onboard Crystal Cruises.

As one of the world’s leading ultra luxury cruise lines, dining onboard Crystal Cruises is an absolute delight.

With food offered on an all inclusive basis, there is a total of eight restaurants for guests to choose from (if I include the gelato bar!) Both of Crystal’s ships, Serenity and Symphony have identical food offerings, with the same eateries on each ship. The only venue that costs an additional fee is the vintage room, which offers dinner with guided wine pairings.

Here is a full tour and review of my room on Ambassador’s ship Ambience - suite 11147.

I was so excited when I found out that Ambassador had booked me a suite on their lovely ship Ambience.

I sailed in August 2025 on a three day round trip from London Tilbury to Honfleur, travelling with my sister. As it was her first ever cruise, it was lovely to have the extra space and all of the additional treats that come with having a suite.

Here is my full review and tour of Ambassador Cruise Line’s ship Ambience, which entered their service in 2022.

Relaunched in 2022, Ambience is Ambassador Cruise Line’s second ship. I sailed with her in 2025 on a three night return sailing from London Tilbury to Honfleur - a location that I previously visited with Viking Cruises!

Here’s my full ship tour and review of the Crystal Symphony.

Known to be one of the world’s most luxurious cruise lines, Crystal Cruises has had a turbulent history in recent years. Founded in 1988, Crystal traded for more than 30 years before going bankrupt in 2022 due to the collapse of its parent company.

Here’s my full guide to dining onboard a Viking river cruise.

There’s so much to love about Viking River Cruises, and the food is definitely one of them.

I first sailed on a Viking river ship in 2024 for a Christmas cruise along the Seine that began and ended in Paris. There were so many things that I enjoyed about this trip, and the onboard dining was definitely a highlight.

Here’s my full guide to food and dining onboard the Viking Ocean fleet.

Dining onboard a Viking ship is always a luxurious experience.

With several delicious restaurants to choose from each and every day, it can be difficult to choose favourite. I particularly love the variety available in the World Cafe, the Norwegian style waffles in Mamsen’s and the pasta in Manfredi’s!

I couldn’t quite believe my luck when Viking Cruises emailed to ask if I’d like to join them for a two-and-a-half week trip around Southeast Asia. I replied almost immediately - yes please!

We embarked the cruise in Bangkok, after a brief pre-extension at the stunning Shangri-La Bangkok hotel. After spending an additional few days docked in Laem Chabang, we departed for Cambodia, Vietnam, and finally, glittering Hong Kong.

Here’s a full tour of my Deluxe Veranda Stateroom onboard the Viking Venus.

When embarking on a long trip it’s important to have a clean and comfortable base to rise in each morning and return to each night.

That’s exactly what I had on my recent cruise around Southeast Asia, sailing on the lovely Viking Venus, and residing in stateroom 4035. I have fond memories of my time spent in this cabin - although I have to admit, this is the tidiest I kept it during the whole trip.

Here are the essentials that you need to pack for your next river cruise.

If you’re reading this blog post then you’re probably about to set off on a river cruise.

You’ve made a great choice - river cruises are a fantastic way to travel, and the small size of the ships means that you’re able to dock right in the centre of the action.

Welcome to the Viking Skaga - one of Viking Cruises’ noble river ships. She takes her name from an ancient Norse myth, where the Valkyrie Skaga rode into battle and escorted the dead to Valhalla, before preparing them to fight in the epic battle of Ragnarok.

A relatively new ship, the Viking Skaga only entered the fleet in 2020. At just 410 feet and carrying 168 guests and 48 crew, she was built specifically to sail down the Seine in France, although the specific itinerary will vary depending on the time of year. I was fortunate enough to join the ship for her week long Christmas on the Seine cruise, which starts and ends in Paris, calling at Vernon, Caudebec-en-Caux, Rouen, Honflour (via an excursion) and Les Andelys along the way.