Viking Hemming

Viking Hemming on the Douro

The Douro is one of Europe’s most scenic river corridors — terraced vineyards climbing steeply from the water, medieval hilltop villages and wine estates that have shaped this corner of Portugal for centuries. Viking Hemming was built to fit this river perfectly: at 106 guests she is an intimate ship, and her 33-strong crew means the service ratio is generous. She departs from Porto, Portugal’s second city, whose azulejo-tiled facades and waterfront wine lodges set the tone for everything that follows upstream. All sailings currently on sale are 7-night round-trips returning to Porto, so guests see Porto twice — enough time to explore it properly at both ends of the journey. You can browse all Portugal river cruises we sell, or go straight to the cabins and deck plans to choose your grade.

On board Viking Hemming

She is a compact ship, and Viking has used the space deliberately. The Aquavit Terrace® is the social heart of the ship at mealtimes — an al fresco dining area where breakfast and lunch are served with the river passing on every side. All dining here is included in your fare. The Lounge runs the full width of the ship with floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the Douro’s valley as you move through it; order a drink at the bar and watch the landscape change. Beverages in the Lounge are charged individually unless a package is included in your booking.

The Sun Deck gives 360-degree views and doubles as the site of the Walking Track — a simple way to stay active without leaving the ship. Access to the Sun Deck is briefly restricted during canal passages and when passing under low bridges, as is standard on river ships. A small Herb Garden on board supplies the culinary team with fresh ingredients daily, and guests are welcome to visit it at any time. For quieter moments, the Library holds a curated collection of books and provides a calm reading space away from the main decks.

Cabins on Viking Hemming

Fifty-three cabins are arranged across eight grades, grouped into three families: outside staterooms, balcony staterooms and suites. Outside staterooms share a river-view half-height picture window that fills the cabin with natural light, twice-daily housekeeping from a personal steward, and generous under-bed suitcase storage with a roomy wardrobe. Balcony grades step up to a private veranda with binoculars provided for river-watching, complimentary laundry and shoe-shine, and a separate sitting room with an extra flat-screen TV — roughly twice the living space of an outside stateroom. The four suite grades range from French-balcony layouts — where glass doors open directly to the river air — to full private verandas with the same attentive twice-daily service throughout. Full dimensions, deck positions and every grade in between are on the Viking Hemming cabins and deck plans page.

What your fare includes

Viking River Cruises operates a single bundled fare structure called the Viking River Fare. It is not a bare-bones ticket: included in every sailing is a complimentary shore excursion at every port, full onboard dining with regional specialities, beer, wine and soft drinks at lunch and dinner, round-the-clock coffees, teas and bottled water, free Wi-Fi throughout the ship, and UNESCO site visits. For a river ship where nearly every waking hour involves either a port or a meal, this is a meaningful inclusion — it means the main costs are settled before you board.

Booking Viking Hemming with Cruise1st

Because Viking Hemming sails from Porto, Australian guests will be flying to Portugal to join her — the cruise sits naturally in the middle of a wider trip. Cruise1st puts the flights, the hotel either side and the transfers on the same booking as the cruise itself, so there is one itinerary, one point of contact and one booking to manage. Our Cruise1st Packages are designed exactly for this: a complete door-to-door holiday rather than a cruise you assemble around. Our Australian cruise experts are on the phone seven days a week to help you match the cabin grade and fare to your plans, and every booking is backed by our Best Price Guarantee. You can also read more about the line on the Viking River Cruises page.

The Viking River Cruises fleet

Viking operates 30 ships currently on sale through Cruise1st, spread across the rivers and seas of Europe and beyond. Below is the fleet organised by the waterway each ship sails.

Rhine River, Europe
Viking Gefjon, Viking Rota, Viking Gersemi, Viking Hervor, Viking Annar, Viking Honir, Viking Dagur, Viking Haki, Viking Sigrun, Viking Sigyn, Viking Herja, Viking Egdir, Viking Hild, Viking Hlin

Danube River, Europe
Viking Eldir, Viking Vali, Viking Lif, Viking Vidar, Viking Aegir, Viking Gullveig, Viking Baldur, Viking Embla

Moselle River, Europe
Viking Idi, Viking Alsvin

Maas
Viking Mimir

United States
Viking Mississippi

Transatlantic
Viking Vela, Viking Astrea, Viking Lyra

Western Mediterranean
Viking Libra

Viking also operates ocean ships; you can explore the broader Viking Cruises fleet including vessels such as Viking Orion and Viking Neptune.

Practical questions about sailing on Viking Hemming

Does Viking Hemming have a lift?

The ship facts provided to us do not confirm a lift on Viking Hemming. If mobility between decks is important to your plans, our team can check the current vessel layout before you book — call our Australian cruise specialists seven days a week.

Is Wi-Fi included on board?

Yes. Free Wi-Fi is included as part of the Viking River Fare on every sailing, so there is no charge for staying connected during the cruise.

What happens to the itinerary if river levels are unusually high or low?

The Douro is a managed river with a series of locks and dams, which makes it less vulnerable to water-level disruption than some other European rivers. That said, Viking River Cruises reserves the right to adjust itineraries when conditions require it — your Cruise1st booking team can explain what coverage applies if the route needs to change.

How far in advance should Australians book a Douro sailing?

There is currently one sailing on sale for Viking Hemming departing after November 2026, priced from A$8,895pp*. Douro sailings book out earlier than many European river routes because the season is relatively short and the fleet on this river is small. Booking early also gives the best choice of cabin grade. Call Cruise1st seven days a week or start by browsing all Portugal cruises to see the full departure calendar.