Viking Kvasir

Aboard Viking Kvasir

Viking Kvasir follows the design philosophy that made Viking River Cruises the dominant name in European river cruising: clean Scandinavian interiors, an emphasis on natural light, and a programme of included experiences that removes most of the guesswork from daily planning. She was launched in 2014, carries 190 guests and 53 crew, and measures 135 metres — a scale that lets her reach smaller river towns that larger vessels cannot enter.

The heart of daily life aboard is the Lounge, where floor-to-ceiling windows frame the passing riverbank. Drinks from the bar carry an individual charge unless a package has been booked, but the room itself is open to everyone and fills naturally at the end of each port day as guests compare notes on what they found ashore. The Aquavit Terrace® offers al fresco breakfast and lunch directly above the waterline — one of the most agreeable places on any river ship to watch a medieval town slide past while eating. Both venues are included in the cruise fare.

On deck, the Sun Deck gives a 360-degree view of the river valley and doubles as a walking track for anyone wanting fresh air and light exercise between ports. Access is restricted during canal passages and under low bridges, which is a practical fact of river life rather than a limitation of the ship. A small Herb Garden on board supplies the kitchen with fresh herbs for the regional dishes served each day — an unpretentious detail that ties the cooking to the landscape. The Library rounds things out for quieter moments, with a curated collection available to all guests.

Cabins on Viking Kvasir

Across 95 cabins and eight grades, Viking Kvasir offers outside staterooms, balcony staterooms and suites — a full range from practical to spacious. Outside cabins feature half-height picture windows that bring in the river scenery without the complexity of a veranda. Balcony grades step up to French balconies or full verandas that open the room to the breeze. The suite categories vary across both lower and mid decks, so there is some choice over position and feel. Full details of every grade, what each includes and how the decks are laid out are on the Viking Kvasir cabins and deck plans page.

The Viking River Fare — what is included

Every sailing on Viking Kvasir is priced under the Viking River Fare. This bundles a complimentary shore excursion at every port of call, full onboard dining with regional specialities, and beer, wine and soft drinks served at lunch and dinner — along with round-the-clock coffees, teas and bottled water. Wi-Fi and UNESCO site visits are also covered. It is a genuinely comprehensive tariff that means most of what a guest spends each day has already been paid before they board. Cruise1st will explain exactly what the fare covers for each specific sailing and help match the right cabin grade to the budget.

Where Viking Kvasir sails

Viking Kvasir’s current programme spans three river systems across Western Europe. She sails the Maas, the Rhine and the Main, with one-way itineraries of between seven and ten nights. Departures leave from Amsterdam, Antwerp, Nuremberg and Basel, finishing at a different port from the one they started — the natural shape of a river journey that moves with the current rather than doubling back.

All five sailings currently on sale are individual departures rather than repeating programmes, which means dates and routing vary. Sailings from Amsterdam range across the Maas and Rhine; the Main itinerary departs from Nuremberg; and the Rhine programme includes a Basel departure. Because these ports are spread across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland, Cruise1st packages the flights, hotel nights either side and all transfers into a single booking — browse cruises from Amsterdam, explore sailings from Antwerp, or see the full Maas river cruise programme for context on what each waterway offers.

Booking Viking Kvasir with Cruise1st

Cruise1st holds a Best Price Guarantee across its Viking River Cruises programme — if the same sailing is found at a lower price, we match it. Because every Viking Kvasir departure embarks in Europe, most Australian guests will want flights and at least one hotel night at each end of the cruise. Our Cruise1st Packages bring flights, hotels and transfers together with the cruise fare on one booking, so there is a single contact point if any part of the journey changes. Australian cruise experts are available seven days a week to build the itinerary around whatever the guest wants — a few days in Amsterdam before boarding, a night in Basel afterwards, or anything in between. For more on the line itself, the Viking River Cruises page covers the full fleet and what sailing with them is like.

Viking River Cruises — the fleet

Viking River Cruises currently has 30 ships on sale through Cruise1st, spread across the rivers of Europe and beyond. They are grouped below by the waterway each sails.

The ships that sail the 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

The ships that sail the Danube River, Europe
Viking Eldir, Viking Vali, Viking Lif, Viking Vidar, Viking Aegir, Viking Gullveig, Viking Baldur, Viking Embla

The ships that sail the Moselle River, Europe
Viking Idi, Viking Alsvin

The ships that sail the Maas
Viking Mimir

The ships that sail the United States
Viking Mississippi

The ships that sail the Transatlantic
Viking Vela, Viking Astrea, Viking Lyra

The ships that sail the Western Mediterranean
Viking Libra

Questions about sailing on Viking Kvasir

How many guests does Viking Kvasir carry, and will it feel crowded?

Viking Kvasir carries 190 guests and 53 crew across 95 cabins — a ratio of roughly one crew member to every 3.5 guests. That is a relatively attentive ratio for a river ship, and the size of the vessel means public spaces never need to absorb a crowd. Shore excursions are included in the fare and organised by the ship, so the groups that go ashore are drawn from that same 190-guest pool rather than from a much larger ocean ship complement.

Is Wi-Fi included, and how reliable is it on the river?

Wi-Fi is included in the Viking River Fare at no extra charge. River Wi-Fi quality varies with the signal coverage along each waterway — in town and city stretches it tends to be strong, and in more remote rural sections it can drop. Viking builds the expectation of reasonable connectivity into the included fare rather than selling it as a premium add-on.

What happens to the Sun Deck when the ship passes under a low bridge?

Access to the Sun Deck is restricted during canal passages and whenever the ship passes under a low bridge — this is a standard safety measure on European river vessels and is noted in Viking’s own description of the space. The restrictions are temporary and the deck reopens once the passage is clear. It is worth knowing in advance so it does not come as a surprise mid-cruise.

Can Cruise1st book the flights and hotels around the cruise as well?

Yes — because every Viking Kvasir sailing departs from a European port, the cruise naturally sits inside a wider trip from Australia. Cruise1st puts the international flights, any hotel nights in Amsterdam, Antwerp, Nuremberg or Basel, and all airport and port transfers onto the same booking as the cruise. That is what a Cruise1st Package covers, and Australian cruise specialists are available seven days a week to put it together.