Guides
Viking Longships: the standard river ship deck by deck
At a glance
- What it is: the "Viking Longship," the line's standard river ship design, used across the Rhine, Main and Danube. (checked Oct 20, 2026)
- Size: 190 guests, 53 crew, 443 feet long on the Ve and Vilhjalm. (checked Oct 20, 2026)
- Cabins: 95 outside staterooms in five types, from 135 to 445 square feet.
- Signature spaces: Aquavit Terrace at the bow, Lounge & Bar, restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows, library, Sun Deck with putting green and walking track.
- Included: one shore excursion per port, Wi-Fi, onboard meals, beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. (checked Oct 20, 2026)
- The catch to know: the elevator serves only the Middle and Upper Decks, and the Standard categories (E and F) have no elevator access.
- Best for: adults who want a quiet, port-centered trip with a bed that stays put.
What a Longship is
Viking built a lot of nearly identical river ships, and almost all of them are called Longships. Once you understand one, you understand the fleet. The Ve (2015) and Vilhjalm (2016) are both listed at 190 guests, 53 crew and 443 feet. The Seine-only Radgrid (2020) is a variant: 168 guests, 46 crew, 410 feet, 84 staterooms. (checked Oct 20, 2026)
The five stateroom types
| Type | Letters | Size | Outdoor space |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explorer Suite | ES | 445 sq ft | wraparound balcony plus bedroom French balcony |
| Veranda Suite | AA | 275 sq ft | veranda off sitting room plus French balcony |
| Veranda Stateroom | A, B | 205 sq ft | full-size veranda |
| French Balcony | C, D | 135 sq ft | sliding door, no standing room outside |
| Standard | E, F | 150 sq ft | half-height picture window |
Note the oddity: a Standard cabin is bigger than a French Balcony cabin but has no balcony and no elevator access. Many people miss this.
A sensible way to choose
If you can afford the step up, the Veranda Stateroom is the one most travelers end up happy with: it is the middle of the range, the veranda is real, and the 205 square feet is comfortable for two. If budget is tight, a French Balcony still gives you a floor-to-ceiling sliding door you can open for fresh air while docked. Choose Standard only if you have no mobility concerns and want the lowest fare.
3 free things
- Read the deck plan before choosing a cabin number. Viking's interactive deck plan lives at https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/ships/deckplan.html. Two cabins in the same category can feel very different depending on what is above and beside them. Look at the lounge and the restaurant on the plan, and think about both noise and walking distance.
- Use the included excursion in every port. The fare covers one complimentary shore excursion in every port of call, and some people skip it and pay for a private tour they did not need. Look at the included option first. (checked Oct 20, 2026)
- Sit on the Aquavit Terrace on arrival day. It is an indoor/outdoor space at the bow with retractable glass doors and it costs nothing. It is the best way to see a lock or a bridge approach up close without climbing to the Sun Deck.
Points in one paragraph
You generally cannot transfer card points to Viking directly. The usual plays are paying the cruise with a card that earns well on travel, or using card portal credit where it applies, and using transferable points for your flights. For the flight leg, Chase points transfer 1:1 to United, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic; Amex points transfer 1:1 to Delta, British Airways, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and Virgin Atlantic; Capital One miles transfer 1:1 to Flying Blue and Turkish. Check award space before you pay for a cruise, because the cruise has fixed dates and the flight is the part that can fall through.
Quick answers
Is it a big ship? No. At 190 guests it is closer to a large boutique hotel than to an ocean liner, and you will recognize faces by day two. The compact size is the reason a Longship can tie up in the middle of a town.
Do I get a window or a balcony? Four of the five categories have an outdoor feature of some kind. Only the Standard categories (E and F) have a half-height picture window and no balcony. (checked Oct 20, 2026)
Are drinks included? Beer, wine and soft drinks come with onboard lunch and dinner, and the ship has 24-hour specialty coffees, teas and bottled water. Other drinks cost extra, and Viking sells a Silver Spirits beverage package separately; its page lists the package, but we did not find a price. (checked Oct 20, 2026)
Is there Wi-Fi? Free, with the usual river caveat that speed may vary. Plan to download maps and tickets before you leave the dock.
What about tips? Viking points tippers to its Amenities and Services page and its phone line (1-800-304-9616) rather than printing numbers on the tipping page we opened. As of 2026-10-20 we could not confirm a per-day figure; confirm in your booking or the Viking app before you sail. [Check this on the official page before you book.
Who should skip it? Anyone who needs a kids' program, a casino, or a late-night club scene. Anyone with mobility limits should read the elevator note above before choosing a stateroom category.
One last thing. Look at the Viking app before you sail; it is where dining reservations, the daily program and the gratuity guidance usually live, and it saves a phone call.
Want the rest
The full guide goes deck by deck, then covers cabin picks and cabins to avoid, dining and day-one habits, shows and quiet places, ports, the points playbook, a cost sheet and a packing list.
This is the free lite guide. The full day-by-day guide, with maps, photo stops, rain plans and the points playbook, is part of PerkJolt All-Access.
Good to know before you go
This free guide reflects Viking's pages as of 2026-10-20. Ship details and fares move; confirm on https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/ships/longships/index.html before you pay anything.