Viking Douro
Fodor’s Expert Review
Ship Overview
Insider Take
Overview
Sleek and stylish, Viking Douro is the newest and one of the most innovative ships sailing the Douro River. Built in 2011, the ship accommodates 124 guests in 62 staterooms – three junior suites and 59 French balcony. This floating hotel offers a river view from every stateroom and all public areas, including the panoramic sun deck complete with pool and jacuzzi.Read More
Ship Overview
Offering an exclusive season of Douro River cruises in Portugal, the Viking Douro, launched in 2011, is one of the newest ships to sail in the region. The ship, with 62 staterooms (3 junior suites and 59 regular cabins with Juliet balconies), carries 124 passengers in modern comfort. All cabins have comfortable baths with L’Occitane amenities, and most have plush, hotel-style beds.
In the luxury river cruising niche, Viking is an absolute winner, receiving praise from both the industry and demanding clientele. In 2013, Viking will operate 30 vessels. Nearly half of these were added in the last two years as the new Longship-class of next-generation vessels, inspired by ancient Norse longships and designed with sophisticated elegance by famed Norwegian maritime architects Yran and Storbraaten. All-inclusive fares, superb service, and sleek rooms with exceptional views are showcased. Apart from minor design flaws, river cruising doesn’t get any better than this.
Viking’s two smallest ships are the intimate 124-passenger Fontane and Schumann, both built with the shallow Elbe River in mind. Among Viking’s other ships, capacity ranges between 150 and 160 guests. These include the Danube, Europe, Neptune, Pride, Sky, and Spirit. With capacity for 198 guests, Helvetia and Sun are larger. The first “green” ship, built in 2009—the 189-passenger Legend—features diesel electric hybrid engines. The wow factor is high for newer green vessels Aegir, Embla, Freya, Idun, Njord, and Odin—all launched in 2012.
Cruises in Europe are offered on the Rhine, Main, Danube, Elbe, Saône, Seine, and Rhône rivers, as well as the canals of the Netherlands and Belgium. Viking also has five ships in Russia and Ukraine. Kirov, Pakhomov, Peterhof, and Surkov sail on the Volga, while Lomonosov meanders the Dnieper.