Viking Mississippi

Sailing the Mississippi on Viking Mississippi

Launched in 2022 and built expressly for the Mississippi, Viking Mississippi is the only ship in the Viking River Cruises fleet dedicated to the American river. At 137 metres and carrying up to 386 guests, she was purpose-designed for a waterway that demands a different hull from Europe’s narrower rivers — wider, sturdier and fitted with the same clean Scandinavian interior that runs through every Viking vessel. Her godmother is Dionne Chouest Austin, a name tied to the maritime heritage of the Gulf South.

The experience aboard is shaped by the Viking River Fare, the line’s standard tariff that bundles a remarkable amount into the base price. Every port of call comes with a complimentary shore excursion. All onboard dining is included, with regional specialities prepared using herbs grown in the ship’s own Herb Garden. Beer, wine and soft drinks are poured with every lunch and dinner, and coffee, tea and bottled water are available around the clock. Wi-Fi is included, as are UNESCO site visits and guided tours at cultural stops along the river. It is a full-service way to travel, and there is very little to pay once aboard.

Spaces and life on board

Viking Mississippi keeps the same uncluttered philosophy that the line applies across its fleet. The Aquavit Terrace® is the social heart of the ship — an al fresco dining space where breakfast and lunch are served with the river rolling past. It is included in every fare. The Lounge offers floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows and a full bar; drinks are charged individually unless a package has been added, and it is a natural place to settle in after a day ashore.

The Sun Deck at the top of the ship gives 360-degree views of the river and its banks, and the Walking Track circles it at no extra cost — a simple way to stay active between ports. Note that the Sun Deck closes during canal passages and under low bridges for safety. The Library provides a quiet reading corner with a curated book collection, and the Herb Garden — an unusual feature on any river ship — supplies the kitchen with fresh herbs throughout the voyage.

Cabins on Viking Mississippi

Viking Mississippi carries 13 cabin grades across two families: five balcony grades and eight suite grades. Balcony staterooms include options with a private wraparound veranda and full living room, as well as river-view cabins with floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening onto a full-size veranda. Suite grades add perks such as 24-hour room service, an earlier 1 PM stateroom access on embarkation day, complimentary pressing and shoe-shine services, and larger verandas with full-size seating. All grades have direct river views from private outdoor space. The full breakdown of grades, layouts and deck plans is on the Viking Mississippi cabins and deck plans page.

Where Viking Mississippi sails

Viking Mississippi sails exclusively on the Mississippi River and its tributaries, with most programmes beginning or ending in New Orleans. The routes cover a remarkable span of American history and landscape, threading through the Deep South, the Delta, the Ohio Valley and up into the Upper Mississippi.

The longest programme is a 21-night one-way voyage from New Orleans all the way to St. Paul, Minnesota, running in July — a full transit of the river that calls at St. Louis, Memphis, St Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Greenville, Paducah and Cape Girardeau along the way. For those who want a substantial but shorter journey, 14-night sailings run from New Orleans to St. Louis or Louisville, Kentucky in June and early July, calling at Memphis, Natchez, Vicksburg, Greenville and Paducah. Seven-night one-way programmes depart Memphis in February and June, heading south to New Orleans or north to Louisville, with stops at Greenville, Vicksburg, Natchez, St Francisville, Baton Rouge, Paducah, Henderson and Owensboro.

Sailings range from 7 to 21 nights, and the great majority are one-way journeys that link two distinct river cities — a natural fit for building a wider American road trip around the cruise. Beyond the three main route groups described above, there are a further eight one-off departures in the current programme covering additional combinations of ports and durations.

Because every sailing departs from American cities the reader will need to fly to, the cruise is the middle of a longer trip — Cruise1st puts the flights, hotels either side and the transfers on the same booking, shaped to what each traveller actually wants.

Who travels on Viking Mississippi

Viking Mississippi draws two distinct kinds of traveller. Those after a long, immersive river voyage find the 21-night New Orleans to St. Paul sailing hard to match anywhere in river cruising — it is one of the most ambitious itineraries on the Mississippi. And for anyone drawn to river cruising as a way of travelling — waking up in a new town, stepping ashore into local life, returning to a comfortable ship each evening — this is the form at its purest, on one of North America’s most storied waterways.

The Viking River Cruises fleet

Viking River Cruises operates 30 ships on sale through Cruise1st, spread across several of the world’s great river systems. Viking Mississippi is the only Viking vessel sailing the United States. The fleet’s other groups sail distinct waterways:

• 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
• Transatlantic: Viking Vela, Viking Astrea, Viking Lyra
• Western Mediterranean: Viking Libra
• Maas: Viking Mimir

See the full Viking River Cruises page for the complete fleet and what sailing with the line is like, or browse Viking Cruises for the wider group.

Why book Viking Mississippi with Cruise1st

Cruise1st’s Australian cruise experts are available seven days a week to help match the right sailing, the right cabin grade and the right fare inclusions to your trip. Because every Viking Mississippi departure is in the United States, most Australian travellers will want flights and accommodation on either side of the cruise — our Cruise1st Packages put the flights, hotels and transfers on the same booking as the cruise, so the whole holiday is in one place. Every booking is covered by our Best Price Guarantee.

Questions about sailing the Mississippi on Viking

What does the Viking River Fare actually include?

The Viking River Fare is Viking’s standard tariff and it covers a great deal: a complimentary shore excursion at every port of call, all onboard meals with regional dishes, beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, plus coffee, tea and bottled water throughout the day and night. Wi-Fi, UNESCO site visits and guided cultural tours are also included. The main additional cost is drinks ordered outside mealtimes at the bar in the Lounge.

How long are the sailings, and are they one-way or round-trip?

Almost all current sailings are one-way, connecting two different river cities — which means you embark in one place and disembark in another. Durations run from 7 nights up to 21 nights, with the longest voyages making a full transit from New Orleans to St. Paul. That one-way shape makes Viking Mississippi an excellent centrepiece for a broader American itinerary, with days in New Orleans, Memphis or another river city added before or after.

Can Cruise1st arrange the flights and hotels around the cruise?

Yes — this is exactly what Cruise1st Packages are for. Because Viking Mississippi sails entirely in the United States, Australian guests will need to fly in and out. Cruise1st books the international flights, any hotels you want on either side of the cruise, and the transfers between airport, hotel and ship, all as one holiday. Call our Australian cruise experts seven days a week to put it together.

Is the Sun Deck always open?

The Sun Deck is open for most of the voyage, but access is restricted during canal passages and when passing under low bridges — a practical feature of river cruising on a waterway with fixed infrastructure. The Walking Track on the same deck is similarly affected at those moments. Both reopen as soon as conditions allow.

When do the different itineraries run?

The seven-night programmes from Memphis run in February and June. The 14-night voyages from New Orleans operate in June and July. The full 21-night New Orleans to St. Paul sailing departs in July, with departures currently available in July 2027 and July 2028. Beyond these main groups there are a number of further one-off departures covering other port combinations and durations throughout the programme window.