
Why a voyage on the water doesn't mean compromising on style
What if there was a ship that was in tune with the type of hotel you like to stay at? Serene and stylishly understated, this hotel on the water would embody that relaxing Scandinavian aesthetic.
Every design detail, from the elegant public spaces to the Aquavit Terraces, would be inspired by nature. Think granite, slate and finely crafted birch and juniper woods, hand-woven textiles, ingenious lichen 'rugs', and traditional Norwegian-knit bed throws. Pelt-draped sofas and cosy fire pits would complete the look.
Service would be subtle and refined (better, possibly, than you're used to on land) though never formal or stuffy. On this light-drenched ship, and with no children on board, you would be assured of a blissful hush, whether watching the horizon, dipping into one of the hundreds of books from the well-curated library, or relaxing with a drink in the Lounge.
The good news is this is not a 'what if ' scenario. Your stylish sanctuary on the water awaits – on board a Viking ocean, river or expedition ship.
A cut above
Viking does holidays on the rivers, lakes and oceans like no other line. When it comes to décor, design and ambience, it is simply being true to its Scandinavian roots. Torstein Hagen, the chairman and chief executive of Viking, brings decades of experience and Norwegian heritage.
Combine the company's heritage with some impressive cultural partnerships and an emphasis on destination enrichment, and it's no wonder that the Viking experience is a cut above. Nothing is showy – you won't find cocktail umbrellas, casinos or chintz on a Viking ship. Announcements are kept to an absolute minimum and there are no formal nights or dinner jackets required.
Think of a place you'd love to visit and chances are Viking sails there. Launched in 1997 with four river ships, Viking now offers journeys on rivers, oceans and lakes around the world and visits all seven continents. In Europe there are river itineraries for every interest and season, whether it's castles, cathedrals, wine, tulip fields, grand waterside cities or snow-draped villages and festive markets.
River ships also sail the Mekong, the Mississippi and the Nile, while ocean ships visit places such as the remote Easter Island, the Panama Canal, the Chilean fjords and Sydney Harbour. Much closer to home you could be weaving through Norway's dreamy Lofoten Islands or sailing down a stunning fjord towards the Unesco-listed Montenegrin port of Kotor.
Ships ahoy
Viking's fleet of innovative river, ocean and expedition ships are purpose-built for both enjoyment and comfort. Two of the latest ships to join the Viking family are Polar Class expedition ships, each carrying a host of state-of-the-art equipment and two submarines.
Viking seeks to elevate the guest experience, which is why it takes its guests to inspiring destinations on all seven continents. Viking offers exclusive, behind-the-scenes access on its excursions and was the first to offer a boutique, Scandi-luxe vibe to the Mississippi.
Viking's inquisitive guests show an appreciation for culture, art and design. They travel to be stirred, to widen their horizons in destinations including Asia and to deepen their knowledge of a place and its inhabitants. Through Viking's signature Privileged Access shore excursion programme guests can choose to take private tours of world-class institutions. Viking's cultural partners include the Munch Museum in Oslo, where guests can see paintings by the Norwegian expressionist Edvard Munch. In fact, one of the largest collections of his works outside of Oslo can be found on board Viking's ocean ships. At the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York guests can access the museum before it opens to enjoy a clear view of its artworks, guided by a museum expert.
Expansive experience
Each Viking journey includes shore excursions and an onboard enrichment programme that provides immersion in the destination through talks from carefully selected guest lecturers on topics including wildlife, architecture, culture, cuisine and natural phenomena, such as the aurora borealis. In certain destinations there may be wine tasting, a culinary class or a music performance.
All of this is included in the ' inclusive value ' fare. Across the whole Viking fleet, the pricing covers everything that guests could possibly need – all meals on board, wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi, a shore excursion in most ports, onboard gratuities and flights. And on ocean and expedition ships, guests can enjoy access to alternative restaurants and spa and fitness centres. So, there is no need to worry about any hidden surprises mysteriously finding their way onto your bill.
The only problem that you'll ever face when you're on a Viking ship – if you can even call it a problem – is that you may get too settled, feel too at home, and not want to get off. And that would be a shame, because this hotel is going places.
Start exploring Viking's incredible range of river, ocean and expedition voyages, on ships designed for discovery.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Cruise passengers issued stern warning over 'disrespectful' balcony trend: 'Just don't do it'
Carnival Cruise Line has issued a warning to passengers taking part in an unsafe balcony trend on its cruise ships. An image of a couple relaxing on a mattress on their cruise ship balcony recently went viral. The pair appeared to have dragged their bedding out on to the balcony so they could read their books outside. In another incident, Sarah Goodwin filmed herself dragging her mattress out to the balcony and told other cruisers they would 'not regret it'. But other passengers were less than impressed by Goodwin's behaviour with one person saying in a cruise group: 'That is a big no no. I find it incredibly disrespectful.' Another person added: 'You will [regret it] when your mattress is covered in salt and moist from the humid air and I bet the cruise company don't like that much either for those reasons.' And now Carnival Cruise Line's ambassador John Heald has explained what the brand really thinks of mattress balconies. In a social media post the ambassador warned: 'That is not allowed for safety reasons, cleanliness reasons, for all sorts of reasons. 'You cannot take your mattress and put it on your balcony. Don't do it. Just don't.' John also addressed a few other passenger queries about cruise ship balconies. The ambassador said that some guests had written to him to complain about other passengers sleeping with their balcony door open. The complaining guests had argued that it was 'selfish' as it stopped the air conditioning running in other cabins. But John said that's simply a rumour and sleeping with an open balcony door won't affect the air conditioning. 'Some people have said that passengers who leave the balcony door of their cabin open that it is selfish because it turns the air conditioning off for other cabins in that area,' said John. 'That is not true. Regardless of those who say it is, I have confirmed with the highest level, the chief engineers on the ships, and they confirm it only turns off the air conditioning in your cabin and does not affect those around you.' However, the ambassador did warn guests to be careful of a few things if they want to sleep with the balcony door open. Cruise balcony doors are liable to slam due to the wind out at sea. John urged passengers to 'watch their hands' when they operate the door and also asked passengers not to let the door slam as it may disturb their neighbours. The ambassador asked passengers to 'please be gracious and think of others' and advised them to keep an object in the door opening to prevent in slamming. Cruise balcony doors are liable to slam due to the wind out at sea. John urged passengers to 'watch their hands' when they operate the door and also asked passengers not to let the door slam as it may disturb their neighbours (stock image) Carnival Cruise Line also recently clarified a rule about a banned item on its cruise ships. Paper or cardboard fans aren't allowed to be used on any of the line's indoor dancefloors. Guests can still bring electronically operated personal fans as long as they comply with size requirements. Booking a cruise soon? Veteran guests have revealed exactly how to choose the perfect cabin for your trip.


Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I visited Europe's largest wilderness - where it's illegal to go outside without a weapon and seal is on the menu
Improbable, measureless and beautifully sinister, Svalbard is a natural film set - it's no wonder parts of Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning were filmed here. The size of Ireland, the Norwegian archipelago is the largest wilderness in Europe - just 400 miles from the North Pole. Most of it is rock and ice and only one island, Spitsbergen, is inhabited, home to 2,600 souls in five tiny settlements. I'm here for a week - joining a snowmobile expedition. Here's how it went... Ultra cold at base camp Svalbard never thaws and is frozen to a depth of more than 330ft (100m). At the heart of this icy world is Longyearbyen, a former coal mining town. In spring the temperature hovers at about -15C. This is the world's most northerly town, featuring the most northerly library, pub, schools and a handful of 'Scandi cool' hotels. Seal features on menus. Snowmobiles are sold at the Co-op. Reindeer patrol the tundras. It's illegal to leave Longyearbyen without weapons. 'Polar bears can appear anywhere,' warns our guide, Elise, who carries a rifle. The previous week a group was stalked (luckily, without incident). Typically they're 7ft-plus and can weigh more than 100 stone (630kg). There are more than 3,000 in Svalbard. You can spot stuffed bears all over town: in the airport, pub and even the church. Out on the ice there are six in our group, each with a snowmobile. For eight hours we ride up frozen rivers, through ice fields and on to glaciers, the temperature dropping to -27C. We're wearing polar suits and the handlebars are heated. For sustenance we have freeze-dried curry. The size of Ireland, the Norwegian archipelago is the largest wilderness in Europe - just 400 miles from the North Pole After Longyearbyen we see no one else. It's an unforgettable ride, with mountains as white as clouds below a cobalt-blue sky. Cliffs arise in the distance looking like stacks of iced pink coins. On one occasion, at Horbyebreen, we enter a natural tunnel beneath the glacier. The silence is enormous. After 84 miles we reach the improbably stylish Nordenskiold Lodge, with leather armchairs, panoramic windows and even a sauna. Here we're looked after by a proper Arctic couple: Trond, a former trapper, and his partner, Ragna, who served up a superb reindeer stew. Plumbing is tricky in the tundra, so men have to pee outside. Doing so involves taking an armed guard (Trond) who keeps an eye out for polar bears with his .44 Magnum. Eight miles away is the Russian mining town of Pyramiden. Under the 1920 Svalbard Treaty, Moscow is permitted to extract coal, and the town is a relic of Soviet times. Due to sanctions, we don't visit, but we do skirt the sea-ice around the town. It's a gloomy place of scabby tower blocks and rusting cranes that during its heyday (1975-85) was home to 900 miners. Now only 20 remain - plus a statue of Vladimir Lenin. On our final day we walk across a frozen bay to the bottom of Nordenskiold Glacier. Here great columns of ice sheer off and collapse with a boom. From afar the glacier wall looks like a torrent of smashed up skyscrapers. But close up it's more like a rampart made of turquoise marble. In the evening, Ragna drops chunks of this prehistoric ice in our whiskies. On Spitsbergen there are more huskies than humans. Before snowmobiles, dogs were the only way to travel. On our return I try what's known as mushing, any sport powered by dogs. With names like Ravioli, Stinky and Twix, they're strong, affectionate and eager to please. Compared with zipping in a snowmobile it's slow going. Not everyone survives Svalbard. Some missions prove truly impossible. The North Pole Museum in Longyearbyen is like a gallery of mishaps. It's all here: an aviator's maroon suit, bits of Roald Amundsen's plane and the doomed Italia airship. The city museum also has a 'catastrophe section'. One exhibit concerns the rifle of trapper Georg Nilsen, who vanished in 1921. His skeleton was discovered in 1965, crunched up by polar bears... his rifle jammed. John Gimlette is the author of The Gardens Of Mars: Madagascar, An Island Story, published by Head of Zeus.


Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Veteran cruisers reveal how to choose the best cabin on a ship - including the room to avoid seasickness
With summer cruise season in full swing, thousands of holidaymakers are setting sail to explore exciting new destinations far and wide. But while the onboard experience is packed with roaring entertainment, mouthwatering dining options and tranquil ocean views, seasoned cruisers are warning that where you sleep can make - or break - your trip. Veteran passengers have taken to Reddit 's popular r/Cruise forum to share their top tips on how to choose the best cabin onboard, with many offering valuable insights for first-time cruisers. One inquisitive traveller sparked the discussion in March by asking for 'general rules' on booking the ideal cabin. They wrote: 'I know choosing middle of the ship is best to alleviate motion sickness. 'What about deck level? how do you decide? in addition, Does lower deck also help with motion sickness? There are so many options... it requires a lot of research just to end up choosing one.' Over 30 Redditors chimed in with practical tips and personal preferences, as well as a few cautionary tales. The majority of respondents advised booking a cabin midship and on a lower deck. One person wrote, 'Midship is best for avoiding unnecessary walking,' while another said, 'Lower and middle ship is better for seasickness as it is less likely to rock significantly. However, they warned: 'Close to the elevator and/or stairs is convenient... but potentially noisy with foot traffic.' A third experienced cruiser agreed, writing: 'Midship if possible. I want to be close to elevators but not close enough to where I'll hear foot traffic from the lobby. Get a room above and below other rooms for peace and quiet.' Meanwhile, some Redditors were divided on whether to splurge for a view or opt for a budget-friendly yet darker cabin. One person advised: 'You might also want to think about an ocean view cabin. You might not realise how important natural light is until you need/want it. Also, some ocean view cabins on some ships have portholes you can open for some fresh air.' Others disagreed, as one person wrote: 'I prefer inside cabins bc less $ (I'm there to sleep and shower only), and it's dark and quiet to sleep in the mornings.' Meanwhile, one cruiser urged: 'Do not take a cabin near the bow of the ship. If the ship drops anchor early in the morning - depending on the ship - it can be quite noisy.' Another warned: 'Be cognizant [aware] of cabins directly below discos or buffets. The noise can get rough. 'If you are booking a balcony and thinking of an obstructed view, do a google search on the ship and type of cabin. Some obstructed views are simply looking out over a life-raft, others are truly obstructed as to make your balcony pointless.' Some Redditors emphasised that even the most carefully chosen cabin can surprise you, as one shared: 'Try to book a cabin with passenger decks above and below but you never know. 'We've avoided booking cabins that had elevators near them. Didn't matter. We received a guaranteed cabin under the lido deck, the WORST possible location! Didn't matter. 'The cabin was under the pizza spot which was closed from 10 PM to 10 AM. Great location.'