Viking Kara

Sailing the Rhine on Viking Kara

The Rhine is Viking Kara’s river, and every sailing currently on sale runs the same classic corridor between the Dutch coast and the Swiss border — seven nights, one way, calling at a string of cities and wine towns that have drawn travellers for centuries. It is a route with real variety: flat Dutch waterways and windmill-dotted polders give way to the tight bends of the Rhine Gorge, then the cathedral towns of the German middle Rhine, and finally the Alsatian capital before the river broadens into Switzerland.

The westbound programme runs from Amsterdam to Basel, departing in November 2026, and typically calls at Kinderdijk, Dordrecht, Cologne, Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Speyer, Strasbourg and Breisach along the way. Fares start from A$4,595pp*. The eastbound programme runs the same corridor in reverse — Basel to Amsterdam — with departures in March and December 2027, calling at Breisach, Strasbourg, Speyer, Mannheim, Rüdesheim, Koblenz, Cologne and Kinderdijk, from A$5,195pp*. Both are one-way sailings, so the cruise is a natural centrepiece of a longer Europe trip; Cruise1st books the flights from Australia, the hotel nights in Amsterdam or Basel either side, and all the transfers as one joined-up holiday. Sailings from Amsterdam are also listed on our Amsterdam cruises page, where you can browse the full range.

The routes above account for most of Viking Kara’s programme, with one further departure running a longer itinerary not covered here.

Aboard Viking Kara

At 135 metres and carrying 190 guests with a crew of 53, Viking Kara has the intimate scale that makes a river ship feel genuinely different from an ocean cruise — crew outnumber guests at a ratio that shows in the service. She was built in 2014 and is operated by Viking River Cruises.

The ship’s social heart is the Lounge, a bright, panoramic space where floor-to-ceiling windows frame the passing river scenery and guests gather over drinks to compare notes on the day’s ports. For dining, the Aquavit Terrace® extends the experience outdoors — al fresco breakfast and lunch on the open deck, with the Rhine sliding past at eye level. The Sun Deck on the top of the ship gives 360-degree views and doubles as a walking and running track, with the caveat that it closes during canal passages and low-bridge crossings for safety. A quieter corner of the ship holds the Library, stocked with a curated collection for those who want to retreat with a book between ports. Rounding things out is the Herb Garden — a small working garden on board, whose fresh herbs feed directly into the kitchen’s regional dishes.

Cabins on Viking Kara

Across 95 cabins, Viking Kara offers eight grades spread across three families. Outside staterooms come in two grades, each with a picture window that keeps the river in view throughout the day. Balcony staterooms also run to two grades. Suites — four grades in all — range from French-balcony options, where full-height doors open to bring in fresh river air without a stepped-out veranda, to suites with a full private veranda for sitting outside as the landscape changes. The Viking Kara cabins and deck plans page has every grade in detail and the full layout of the ship.

What the Viking River Fare includes

Viking River Cruises prices its Rhine sailings under a single structural tariff called the Viking River Fare. It is not a bare-bones fare: included are a complimentary shore excursion at every port, full onboard dining with regional specialities prepared from the ship’s own herb garden, and beer, wine and soft drinks served at lunch and dinner — plus coffees, teas and bottled water around the clock. Wi-Fi and UNESCO site visits are covered too. Beverages ordered at the bar outside meal service carry an individual charge unless a drinks package has been added. Everything else in the fare is bundled, so there is little to pay on board that you have not already chosen.

Viking River Cruises’ Rhine fleet

Viking Kara is one of fourteen Viking River Cruises ships currently sailing the Rhine. By sailings currently on sale, the busiest Rhine ships with their own pages are listed below — useful if you are comparing dates or departure ports:

• 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

Viking also operates ships on the Danube, the Moselle, the Mississippi and beyond. The full Viking River Cruises fleet and its itinerary range are on the Viking River Cruises page.

Why book Viking Kara with Cruise1st

Cruise1st backs every booking with its Best Price Guarantee — if you find the same sailing cheaper, the brand will match it. Because Viking Kara sails between the Netherlands and Switzerland, Australian guests need flights and usually a hotel night at each end: our team, available as Australian cruise experts, seven days a week, puts the whole thing together as a Cruise1st Package — flights, pre- and post-cruise hotels, transfers and the cruise itself on a single booking. That means one point of contact and one invoice, however many moving parts the trip has.

Questions about sailing the Rhine on Viking Kara

How long are the sailings, and in which direction does the ship run?

All current sailings are seven nights, one way. The ship runs Amsterdam to Basel in November 2026 and Basel to Amsterdam in March and December 2027. Both directions cover broadly the same Rhine corridor, with minor differences in which ports are called in which order.

Is Wi-Fi included, or is it an extra cost?

Wi-Fi is included in the Viking River Fare at no extra charge, as are shore excursions at every port, all onboard dining and drinks at meal times. The main thing that carries an individual charge is bar beverages ordered outside of lunch and dinner service.

Can I book just the river cruise, or do I need a full package?

The cruise itself is the bookable unit, but because it starts in Amsterdam or Basel — cities most Australian travellers will fly into — Cruise1st will readily add the return flights, overnight hotels and airport or port transfers to make it a complete holiday on one booking. You choose how much of the trip we put together.

Does the Sun Deck stay open the whole voyage?

For most of the cruise, yes — the Sun Deck is open for relaxing, walking and running. It closes temporarily during canal passages and when the ship passes beneath low bridges, for the safety of guests on deck, then reopens once clear.

What is the Viking River Fare, and how does it differ from a fully all-inclusive fare?

The Viking River Fare is Viking’s standard Rhine tariff and it covers more than most river cruise base fares — shore excursions, all meals, beer, wine and soft drinks at lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi and UNESCO visits are all in. What it does not automatically include is bar drinks outside of meals, which are charged individually unless you add a drinks package. It sits between a room-and-meals fare and a fully unlimited all-inclusive, covering the things most guests use every day.