Viking Mississippi river cruise ship review: Viking’s first Big Muddy vessel

Overview of Viking Mississippi river cruises

Viking Mississippi started providing U.S.-based river cruises in 2022. On board, you’ll be able to anticipate snug cabins and a stage of service that, frankly, blew me away. Meals choices are considerably restricted, as there are solely two locations to dine, however the dishes themselves ranged from usually spectacular to standout.

As is the case with most river cruises, sailings with Viking aren’t low-cost, with fares ranging from a number of thousand {dollars} per particular person. Nevertheless, the road features a lot in its fares, from Wi-Fi to beer and wine with lunch and dinner, in addition to one free tour in every port.

Past the almost seamless crossover from onboard expertise to shore excursions, Viking has additionally discovered a technique to combine optionally available precruise and postcruise stays into the passenger journey. Should you’re like most of Viking Mississippi’s passengers, whenever you ebook a voyage, you are not simply getting a crusing. You are additionally in for 2 enjoyable days precruise and postcruise in your embarkation and disembarkation port cities.

By tacking on additional time (for a further price), cruisers can discover their beginning and ending cities in additional depth. Though vacationers can choose to skip the earlier than and after add-ons, hardly anybody does.

For instance, my 12-day America’s Heartland itinerary started with a two-night precruise keep in St. Louis earlier than a switch to Alton, Illinois, the place I boarded the vessel for the journey north. After Alton, the itinerary had me visiting Hannibal, Missouri; Burlington, Iowa; Quad Cities, Iowa; Dubuque, Iowa; La Crosse, Wisconsin; and Pink Wing, Minnesota, earlier than transferring to St. Paul, Minnesota, for a two-night postcruise keep.

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What I discovered was a pleasant journey that was each enjoyable and slow-paced but, in some way, extra rigorous than many ocean cruises on which I’ve sailed. In any case, there are not any “sea” days on the river, so downtime could be scarce.

It is value noting that U.S. river cruise passengers skew a bit older than they do on ocean sailings and river voyages in different international locations. That is much more true on Viking Mississippi as a result of Viking ships do not enable anybody youthful than 18 years of age to sail. The vast majority of passengers on my cruise have been of their 70s, and so they have been a mixture of each avid world vacationers and individuals who want to trip domestically.

What I liked about Viking Mississippi

Sensible, elegant design

Should you’re hoping for a traditional paddlewheel boat, be warned: That is not what you will get with Viking Mississippi. However what the ship lacks in turn-of-the-Twentieth-century aesthetics it greater than makes up for with its timeless, stylish decor and considerate, snug design.

Reasonably than the over-the-top decadence that was widespread within the late 1800s and early 1900s, Viking Mississippi employs understated, impartial designs and hues which can be an indicator of the Viking model. The ship’s decor options mild woods; white or tan upholstery, bedding and lighting fixtures; and blue or orange carpet or pillow accents so as to add some coloration.

Take, for instance, The Residing Room — a gathering area with loads of comfortable sofas and chairs with gentle pillows. It serves as a serene but centrally positioned area for passengers to hearken to music, play board video games or learn. (If you have not introduced books of your individual, there is a well-stocked library that is bigger than many of the ones you will discover on oceangoing vessels.)

The Residing Room additionally hosts day by day briefings given by the cruise director with regard to the subsequent day’s schedule.

In the meantime, the two-deck Explorers’ Lounge presents a presentation area with seating and a podium (used for trivia and destination-focused lectures) on its higher stage and lounge area with seating and Paps Bar on the decrease stage, full with out of doors entry to The Bow, a spot for alfresco eating and nice views. In these areas, passengers are prone to recognize massive glass home windows and a constellation design paying homage to Norse ties to astronomy.

Different nods to Scandinavian tradition embody divider slats in The Restaurant, the ship’s predominant eating room, made to resemble the oars from Viking ships of yore. In The Residing Room, ornamental wood ceiling parts are supposed to be guitar frets that, when performed, flip into Norse music, and the close by library is stocked with titles related to Norwegian tradition. Scandinavian artwork adorns hallways and lounges, and in a nook of Deck 1, midship, stands a pair of Norwegian folks costumes.

Nevertheless, the heavy concentrate on Norse design does not blur the truth that the ship sails on the Mississippi. Simply look to the vessel’s stairwells for proof. What you will discover are big maps of the river, together with excerpts from the pages of Mark Twain’s famed novels about legendary characters Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

Along with the ornamental parts that add to cruiser consolation on Viking Mississippi, structural and mechanical concerns embody a redesigned bow form and energy-efficient propulsion system, each of which reduce down on vibrations throughout river sailings.

Wonderful service

What I did not love about Viking Mississippi

Waits and lag occasions

Though many of the cruise expertise was terrific and transitions from shore to ship and again have been largely seamless, I skilled some lengthy wait occasions value noting.

Throughout check-in, which takes place on the ship, the road snaked from the desk on board the vessel across the visitor providers desk, out the door, alongside the deck and onto the shore. It was comparable after I checked in at each the precruise and postcruise inns. I waited about 20 to half-hour every time.

It is a minor niggle, however given how upscale the remainder of the expertise felt, lengthy strains appeared incongruous. I additionally surprise what would have occurred if passengers needed to stand outdoors in inclement climate. It looks like the check-in points might be simply resolved by higher staggering passenger arrival occasions or through the use of smaller automobiles for transportation as an alternative of constitution buses.

Moreover, I needed to wait a very long time between after I checked in and when cabins have been accessible. I boarded the ship slightly after 11 a.m.; at check-in, I used to be informed my room would not be prepared till round 4 p.m. That is a very long time for passengers who wish to nap, clean up or unpack their baggage earlier than dinner.

At my postcruise resort, I used to be fortunate sufficient to snag a room that was prepared instantly, however a buddy who was additionally on the journey wasn’t so fortunate. She needed to wait a few hours for entry to hers and ended up storing a few of her belongings in my room. (Regardless that the ship’s crew transported our massive luggage to the resort for us, many passengers nonetheless introduced carry-ons with them.) Seven hours after I arrived on the resort, my bigger suitcase nonetheless hadn’t arrived at my room. I referred to as the entrance desk and was informed I might should go downstairs to ask somebody on the Viking desk. They took me to a again room the place a number of the baggage was nonetheless ready, and I grabbed it and took it as much as my room myself.

Lastly, I usually skilled an inexplicable lag in timing between meal programs in The Restaurant. The waitstaff was conscious of it and apologized a number of occasions. Nevertheless, the meals supply points hadn’t improved by the top of my crusing.

Congestion

Seemingly associated to the problems of lengthy wait occasions and features was congestion. Passengers confused the visitor providers desk with the check-in desk, which led to queues in odd locations. Nightly completely happy hour hors d’oeuvres have been arrange within the foyer as an alternative of within the close by Explorers’ Lounge, which might have been a greater spot. The consequence was a crowded gangway space.

The Residing Room lounge space, the place the cruise director gave nightly briefings, did not have sufficient area for everybody. A few of the briefings turned standing-room-only occasions. The addition of even a dozen extra chairs would go an extended technique to make the talks extra snug for the various passengers with mobility considerations who couldn’t stand for your entire briefing.

Viking Mississippi cabins and suites

Viking’s ships — each river and ocean — function a balcony in each cabin, which units the road other than its competitors by way of lodging. On Viking Mississippi, some rooms have French balconies with home windows that open however with none out of doors area for sitting. They nonetheless supply passengers entry to recent air.

A step up from the French balcony-style cabins (301 sq. ft) are normal balcony cabins, referred to as Penthouse Verandas (336 sq. ft) and Deluxe Verandas (268 sq. ft). A majority of these rooms have full balconies. There are additionally three forms of true two-room suites — Penthouse Junior Suites (400 sq. ft), Terrace Suites (425 sq. ft) and Explorer Suites (657 to 1,024 sq. ft) — that are uncommon within the river cruise sector.

No matter the kind of balcony passengers have, they’re going to wish to train warning in the summertime months on the Mississippi when mayflies and different creepy crawlies — which love the ship’s brilliant white exterior — are rampant. If you wish to sit outdoors at night time, flip off your inside cabin lights or shut the curtain whenever you’re on the market in order not to attract them to the sunshine.

Beginning with the Penthouse Veranda class, passengers obtain further perks like complimentary shoeshines, laundry service and minibar alcohol. Explorer Suites, which have essentially the most facilities, are the one cabin class to incorporate a beverage bundle in its fares. These are additionally the one cabins which have entry to room service eating, which is free.

All lodging include a king-size mattress that may be transformed to 2 twins, in addition to luxurious linens. I slept higher on Viking Mississippi than I had in a very long time.

Moreover, rooms are outfitted with safes, hair dryers, telephones, QuietVox audio system with earpieces for passengers to tackle excursions, lint brushes, life jackets, espresso makers, robes and slippers, minifridges with free soda and snacks refilled as wanted, filtered water replenished day by day, umbrellas, binoculars and particular person local weather controls.

Every cabin’s 42-inch TV is provided with complimentary on-demand motion pictures, ship info, music channels and extra.

All lodging obtain twice-daily room cleansing. All rooms are outfitted with doorbells, which is a pleasant contact so room stewards can ring earlier than they arrive in to tidy up.

I used to be booked in a Deluxe Veranda, which supplied the above facilities, in addition to a desk/self-importance with a chair and a big mirror, two small bedside tables with essentially the most shallow drawers I’ve ever seen, two studying lamps on both aspect of the mattress, a dresser constructed into the wall with drawers for garments, a espresso desk and two plush sitting chairs as an alternative of a settee.

Total, the room had nice storage capability. I did not even use half of the drawers. I didn’t take care of the closet design, although, which is the sort the place you’ll be able to solely entry one aspect at a time through doorways that slide from left to proper, slightly than opening outward. Inside, the closets had room for hanging each brief and lengthy objects, plus shelving and drawers.

Whereas my cabin possessed ample lighting and loads of each 110-volt North American and USB/USB-C shops, it wasn’t very soundproof. I additionally would have preferred some further hooks for hanging objects to dry. The one two accessible have been on the again of the toilet door.

I actually preferred the toilet setup in my cabin. It was spacious, with a large self-importance and an enclosed bathe with nice water stress. Freyja merchandise that scent beautiful are in each cabin and embody shampoo, conditioner, lotion and bathe gel. My toilet additionally had a bathe cap and a conceit package. Deliver any toiletries you want; lots of the small cities the ship visits haven’t got shops the place you should purchase even fundamental requirements with out entry to a automotive.

I used to be initially irritated to see that the shelving on both aspect of the toilet self-importance did not maintain a lot, however that was solely till I found two massive drawers for storing toiletries. I preferred that they stored my stuff tidy and out of sight. The mattress has loads of room beneath to retailer baggage.

Basically, river cruises aren’t ideally suited for passengers who use wheelchairs, and Viking states that wheelchairs introduced on board can not exceed 22 inches in width. Nevertheless, 9 of Viking Mississippi’s 193 cabins — together with eight French Balcony cabins and one Explorer Suite — are accessible. Configurations fluctuate. Elevators, most corridors and public areas are additionally wheelchair accessible. Name the road for extra particulars: 1-855-884-5464.

Viking Mississippi eating places and bars

With simply 5 decks, Viking Mississippi is simply too small to supply an abundance of meals choices on board. Which means those that exist must be fairly nice — and on this ship, they’re.

Eating places and meals

Cruisers can select to dine at no cost for breakfast, lunch and dinner at both the informal River Cafe buffet on Deck 5 or at The Restaurant, the primary waiter-served eating room on Deck 1. Each are brilliant, ethereal and welcoming with loads of seating. The latter is a bit dressier for dinner and does not enable shorts, denims, sleeveless shirts for males or baseball caps. Passengers don’t want reservations to dine at both place.

Hours for mealtimes are restricted, with hours for breakfast and lunch various based mostly on the day’s schedule.

Typically, the River Cafe can be open from 6 or 6:30 a.m. for continental breakfast, which runs for 3 1/2 hours. Common scorching breakfast — which normally consists of eggs, bacon, hash browns and different dishes — begins a half-hour later.

Lunch usually begins between 11 and 11:30 a.m. within the River Cafe and lasts about three hours. Dinner is all the time from 5:30 to eight:30 p.m. Throughout each meals, you’ll be able to look forward to finding a wide range of self-serve objects, equivalent to salad substances, sushi, rooster, fish, greens, meat and cheese slices. A dessert counter sweetens your meal with cake, pie, cookies and ice cream. (No matter you do, do not miss the home made coconut ice cream. Including a scoop of chocolate will make it style like a Mounds bar.)

Feeling like a burger, scorching canine or some pulled pork? You will not wish to miss The Grill, an open-air counter that is a part of the Aquavit Terrace, the River Cafe’s out of doors seating space. Place your order, and seize a desk to take pleasure in your meal alfresco.

On the River Cafe, Viking Mississippi used to have an outpost for Mamsen’s, a counter discovered on Viking’s ocean ships that serves up dishes with a Norwegian aptitude, equivalent to pea soup and waffles with brown cheese. Though it is nonetheless listed on a number of the onboard signage, I used to be unhappy to study it was eliminated to make more room for extra seating.

The service contained in the River Cafe was pleasant and attentive. Waitstaff stopped by all tables to take drink orders, and so they have been fast to clear away soiled dishes. That wasn’t the case on the Aquavit Terrace. One morning, as I walked round on the lookout for an outside place to take a seat for breakfast, I observed a number of tables with soiled dishes. I ended up sitting at a grimy desk however in a clear spot the place the place setting hadn’t but been used.

By way of meals high quality, The Restaurant was my favourite of the eating venues. It opens at 7 a.m. every morning and serves breakfast for 90 minutes to 2 hours, relying on the day’s schedule. The meals weren’t excessively prolonged, however on a couple of event, I needed to look forward to an inexplicably very long time between programs.

In The Restaurant, the left aspect of the menu options objects that change day by day, whereas the suitable aspect presents always-available alternatives, equivalent to shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, salmon, New York strip steak, rooster and creme brulee. I preferred the Indian chickpea curry that was served one night time, in addition to the crab beignets they whipped up as an appetizer on one other. For breakfast, you’ll be able to’t go improper with one of many freshly made omelets.

Meals could be arduous to search out throughout off-hours, however snacks can be found between meals. Each afternoon from about 3 to five p.m., scrumptious pizza is offered within the River Cafe. From 4:30 to five:30 p.m. day by day, the eating workers put out predinner appetizers close to the doorway to the Explorers’ Lounge. Choices would possibly embody fruit, finger sandwiches and bruschetta. Cookies can be found between mealtimes within the River Cafe close to the espresso machines.

Room service eating is simply accessible for passengers booked in Explorer Suites.

Should you choose to ebook precruise and postcruise land stays in your crusing, know that the one meal included within the worth is breakfast, which is usually a Sterno-style setup of eggs, sausage and cubed potatoes. You will be answerable for discovering and paying in your personal lunch and dinner throughout these extensions.

Bars

Paps is a bar within the heart of the primary flooring of the Explorers’ Lounge. It is an awesome place for socializing or for postdinner drinks, and the bartenders are implausible.

The one different bar on board is the River Cafe bar, which is extra of a spot to seize a drink throughout a meal than a gathering place. It feels crowded and hectic throughout peak eating occasions.

No bar exists in The Residing Room, however bar menus are on the tables, and the crew will cease by to take your order.

Each bars supply almost equivalent menus. The one distinction is that every venue has its personal small collection of domestically impressed cocktails combined in with the usual choices. Home wines and beer are free with meals. Different wines and cocktails as much as $14 are free with a Silver Spirits beverage bundle.

Viking Mississippi leisure

As a result of its measurement, Viking Mississippi’s leisure and actions are restricted. The main focus is on reside leisure, in addition to demonstrations and lectures that target enrichment, usually tying into the areas the ship is visiting.

Actions

On my crusing, the day by day schedule included actions like trivia, a drink demonstration the place passengers discovered in regards to the historical past of the mint julep cocktail, whiskey tastings and lectures by a resident vacation spot professional who talked about matters like bald eagles and the Nice American Steamboat Race. They have been properly researched and delivered and infrequently drew small crowds to the Explorers’ Lounge.

The vessel has no spa, salon, health heart or on line casino, however there’s a strolling/jogging observe across the outer deck. Six laps equal 1 mile. There’s additionally a beautiful pool that faces out over the ship’s wake, aft on Deck 5. Honest warning: Though the deck plans consult with it as a “plunge pool,” it is solely about 3 ft deep, so do not plan on leaping in. A built-in bench permits passengers to take a seat and soak as they take within the views.

A small Viking logowear reward nook close to the visitor providers desk supplies alternatives for onboard buying. It sells primarily Helly Hansen-branded cold-weather gear like sweaters, jackets and backpacks. Purchases are charged to passengers’ onboard accounts. Every particular person should hyperlink a bank card to their account to cowl their onboard invoice.

Exhibits

Viking Mississippi doesn’t have a theater. As an alternative, performances — which start within the night and run till later within the night time, following dinner — happen in the midst of The Residing Room. On my voyage, home band The Trio placed on nightly exhibits, and native performers got here on board in numerous ports to sing jazz and ragtime and to play classical harp.

Though the performances have been usually properly attended, they not often felt crowded. The situation of the setup was awkward, although, as a result of it is unattainable to stroll from one finish of the ship to the opposite on Deck 1 with out passing by way of The Residing Room. Which means you are strolling in entrance of anybody watching the exhibits.

Viking Mississippi itineraries and pricing

Viking Mississippi was constructed particularly for voyages alongside the Mississippi River, and that is the one place the ship sails. When reserving, cruisers can select from a collection of greater than 10 totally different itineraries that cowl each the Higher and Decrease Mississippi, in addition to combos of the 2.

Sailings begin at $3,499 per particular person for an eight-day Mississippi Delta Explorer itinerary that gives six free excursions and sails from New Orleans to Memphis. Fares begin from $19,999 per particular person for a 22-day, 16-tour Grand Mississippi Voyage that mixes the Higher and Decrease Mississippi and sails from New Orleans to St. Paul.

Whatever the particular itinerary you choose, you will go to historic U.S. landmarks and tiny cities that home a number of the nation’s most iconic manufacturers. You will additionally sail by way of a number of of the river’s locks that the ship should clear as a way to make its manner.

Pricing consists of free Wi-Fi, beer and wine with meals, not less than one tour in every port and transfers from the airport to the resort in the event you’re flying within the day your crusing departs. You’ll be able to add a precruise or postcruise land extension for an additional price. The value consists of transfers, resort lodging and free breakfast every morning.

You will pay additional for gratuities, cocktails (until you’ve gotten the Silver Spirits bundle), flights, further excursions and lunch and dinner throughout any land-based stays you add on.

My itinerary included eight days on Viking Mississippi, two days precruise in St. Louis and two days postcruise in St. Paul. The transitions from the land-based tour to the cruise and vice versa want a bit of labor, notably with waits to test in and baggage supply occasions.

What to know earlier than you go

Required paperwork

As a result of Viking Mississippi travels solely alongside U.S. waterways, a passport is not required. Passengers are capable of sail with a sound government-issued photograph ID like a driver’s license (no start certificates is important).

Along with identification, you will have to test in on-line previous to your crusing and print out your boarding move. You may as well preregister a bank card for any onboard purchases. Should you’re unable to take action earlier than you embark, you can arrange your account when you’re on the vessel.

Viking will ship you every other obligatory journey paperwork through normal mail, together with each printed baggage tags and leather-based baggage tags that you need to connect to your luggage to allow them to simply be dropped at you.

Gratuities

Passengers who don’t prepay gratuities will see a cost of $20 added to their onboard accounts every day. Shore tour workers and people who oversee precruise and postcruise land tour extensions should not included within the day by day or pay as you go gratuity quantities. For these folks, Viking recommends $2 per particular person, per tour or switch for bus drivers and $5 per particular person, per tour for guides.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is offered to all passengers on board free of charge. On my Higher Mississippi crusing, it was quick, dependable and free from connectivity issues.

As a result of your voyage can be fully within the U.S., it’s also possible to use your common mobile information plan as common with out having to fret about switching your telephone to airplane mode whenever you’re on the ship. Word, nonetheless, that some locations are distant and won’t have constant cell service.

Carry-on drinks coverage

Passengers are allowed to deliver each alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks on board in no matter portions they need. The drinks could also be consumed in any space of the ship with no corkage price.

Smoking coverage

Smoking isn’t allowed on Viking Mississippi, besides in a chosen out of doors space on Deck 1, aft. Smoking of any form can be not allowed in cabins or on cabin balconies.

Laundry

Viking Mississippi has three complimentary self-service launderettes, discovered on decks 2, 3 and 4, midship. Every has two washers, two dryers, free cleaning soap packets and an ironing board.

Passengers also can select to ship clothes out for laundry and urgent for a per-item price. Gadgets picked up earlier than 9 a.m. are returned by 7 p.m. the next day. Similar-day service (picked up by 9 a.m. and returned by 7 p.m. that night) is offered for a 50% surcharge.

Electrical shops

If there’s one factor Viking Mississippi’s cabins have loads of, it is locations to plug in. My normal balcony cabin had 12 110-volt North American shops — two within the toilet, two by either side of the mattress, two in an alcove within the entryway by the Nespresso machine and 4 on the desk/self-importance. Two of the 12 are taken up by the Nespresso machine and the QuietVox containers.

There have been additionally 4 USB and 4 USB-C ports — one on either side of the mattress and two within the base of the lamp on the self-importance.

I could not discover any 220-volt European-style shops in my cabin; in the event you’re touring from overseas (aside from Canada), deliver adapters and converters.

Foreign money

The foreign money used on board is the greenback. All onboard purchases, equivalent to alcohol, shore excursions and merchandise from the ship’s store, are accomplished electronically.

Ingesting age

As a result of it sails inside the U.S., Viking Mississippi’s consuming age is 21. Passengers who’ve reached that age obtain complimentary beer, wine and gentle drinks with lunch and dinner. Cocktails could be bought a la carte, or passengers can choose to purchase a Silver Spirits bundle that covers all however essentially the most top-shelf liquors.

Juice, espresso, tea, scorching chocolate and water can be found free of charge across the clock. Room stewards refill in-cabin water carafes as wanted.

Gown code

The gown code throughout the day is informal however not sloppy. Passengers ought to plan to decorate comfortably, notably if they are going on shore excursions that may contain strolling. Advised apparel consists of shorts or slacks with T-shirts or collared shirts and durable, snug strolling footwear.

At night time, passengers can put on no matter they wish to the River Cafe buffet. To eat in The Restaurant, cruisers are requested to chorus from carrying shorts, denims, clothes with holes, cutoff sleeves and baseball caps. Some girls would possibly want to put on skirts or clothes, however you will discover most passengers carrying slacks with collared or button-down shirts.

Backside line

The Viking Mississippi expertise supplies a beautiful mixture of the Americana that springs from the sleepy cities alongside the Mississippi and the onboard class of a Europe river cruise. The vessel is fashionable and properly appointed, providing luxurious comforts as passengers sail alongside the nation’s second-longest river.

Should you’re on the lookout for a technique to test a couple of of the Midwestern states off your “been there” checklist, this can be a implausible technique to do it with out having to take a highway journey or plan the logistics your self. The ship supplies a terrific alternative to discover smaller, less-traveled locations, the place time usually appears to cease.

Swirl that along with wonderful service, meals that is a reduce above what you’d discover on most oceangoing ships and comfy, upscale lodging, lounges and bars, and you have the makings of a soothing, academic journey.

Need to study extra about Viking and Mississippi river cruises? We have got you coated with these tales.