Is Viking Ocean Cruises All-Inclusive? What’s Included vs. Extra Costs

Planning a cruise vacation but wondering what’s included on Viking Ocean Cruises? While Viking Ocean Cruises isn’t technically all-inclusive like some resort brands or more luxury cruise lines, it comes remarkably close to offering one of the most comprehensive cruise packages available. From your elegantly appointed stateroom and multiple dining venues to complimentary shore excursions in every port, beer and wine at meals, and access to the thermal suite, Viking includes far more in its base fare than most mainstream cruise lines. Understanding exactly what’s covered (and what costs extra) can help you determine if a Viking cruise is the right fit for you.

What’s Included on Viking Ocean Cruises: Complete 2025 Guide

For one set fare, a cruise vacation enables travelers to see multiple destinations while enjoying most of the onboard amenities. This is one of the many reasons why cruising is such a popular vacation choice. Although, what is included in each cruise line’s standard price can fluctuate. When comparing Viking vs. other mainstream cruise lines, guests will notice more inclusions. Without the constant nickel-and-diming once onboard, Viking allows guests to focus on the destinations instead of the final bill.

Key Takeaway: Viking Ocean Cruises includes more in their base fare than most cruise lines, with the main additional costs being premium alcohol, extra excursions, spa treatments, and daily gratuities. While some guests may get sticker shock with the upfront pricing, there’s significant value in the cruise line’s nearly all-inclusive pricing. If you’re considering a Viking river cruise or expedition cruise rather than an ocean cruise, the inclusions will be similar but with more limited amenities given the smaller ship sizes.

Viking ocean cruise inclusions:

• Accommodations
• Food and Dining
• Alternative Restaurants
• Most Drinks
• Onboard Activities
• Nightly Entertainment
• Shore Excursions
• WiFi
• Thermal Suite
• Room Service
• Self-Service Laundry

Accommodations

Your cruise fare covers the cost of your stateroom for the duration of the trip. Included with your accommodations, you will have a friendly room attendant who will make up your room twice a day (a definite bonus now that most cruise lines have cut back to only once daily service).

All staterooms come complete with a veranda, a Viking Explorer bed with luxury linens, and a large flat-screen LCD TV with movies on demand. The spacious bathrooms feature premium Freyja toiletries including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion as well as heated floors and a glass-door shower. An in-room safe, mini bar, hair dryer, umbrella, and bathrobes are also available in each cabin.

Food and Dining

Viking provides a variety of complimentary dining options onboard their ocean cruise ships. The Restaurant offers your traditional main dining room experience with a menu that changes daily. The menu features some regional specialties along with some always-available dishes.

The World Cafe is Viking’s version of a cruise ship buffet with traditional offerings as well as upscale options like sushi, a seafood bar, carving stations, and a made-to-order grill. The Aquavit Terrace offers al fresco dining.

Other unique complimentary food venues include the Wintergarden which offers afternoon tea and snacks daily and Mamsen’s, a casual gourmet deli with Norwegian-inspired light fare and amazing waffles for breakfast. There’s also the pool grill serving up fresh burgers, hot dogs, and fries.

Alternative Restaurants

On Viking Ocean Cruises, there is no up-charge for specialty dining. These alternative restaurants provide further options beyond the main dining room for an upscale sit-down meal at no extra charge. These restaurants are more intimate so do require reservations.

The very popular Manfredi’s Italian restaurant serves up Tuscan-inspired dishes in a warm and inviting atmosphere. This menu remains the same for the duration of the cruise, featuring items like fresh-made pasta, Viking Bistecca, osso buco, chicken parm, and more.

The Chef’s Table features a 5-course tasting menu with influence from various regions of the world along with a wine pairing. The wine pairing is included too, with a more premium pairing option available for those with the Silver Spirits beverage package. The Chef’s Table menu changes every few days, so be sure to inquire about the rotation once onboard the ship.

Drinks

Viking Ocean Cruises offers more inclusive drink options than most contemporary cruise lines. Onboard these cruise ships, you can enjoy 24-hour complimentary specialty coffees, teas, and filtered water. There are water stations in the buffet, along with carafes in all staterooms. Guests are able to grab bottled water when going ashore as well.

Other drink inclusions are beer, wine, and soft drinks at lunch and dinner. However, if you prefer cocktails or premium spirits, you will need to purchase a beverage package, or pay a la carte. Though, Viking’s Silver Spirits drink package, as well as their alcoholic drinks, are very reasonably priced when compared to other mainstream cruise lines.

Further, guests are allowed to bring alcoholic beverages onboard with them at embarkation or at ports of call. Alcohol can be consumed in the guest’s stateroom or in public spaces, including the restaurants, with no corkage fees.

Onboard Activities

Viking Ocean Cruises values its focus on destinations rather than onboard amenities. Still, even though Viking doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of modern cruise ships like waterslides or racetracks, there are still plenty of activities to occupy your time.

From the heated main pool and the aft-located infinity pool, to a gym, enrichment lectures, trivia sessions, port talks, and even a planetarium on select ships, there is something for everyone to enjoy between ports of call. There are also self-led tabletop games, behind-the-scenes tours, art tours, and more. Of note, there is no pickleball court on Viking ships (but there is a small outdoor sports area with a putting green and lawn bowling).

Additionally, Viking ocean ships feature a book exchange and several quiet nooks for reading, relaxing, and enjoying the vistas.

Nightly Entertainment

Again, Viking doesn’t offer your high-tech stage productions or Broadway shows that other mainstream cruise lines feature, but there is still nightly entertainment to be enjoyed on its ships. There is live music around the ship, dancing, main theater shows from the Viking singers and dancers, movies on the pool deck, traditional “headliner” acts, local musical and cultural performances, and late night entertainment in Torshavn. These acts may include comedians, vocalists, or musicians. We recently enjoyed an incredibly talented local violinist during our overnight stay in Bergen, Norway.

Shore Excursions

One of the distinct differences between other ocean cruise lines and Viking is the inclusion of one complimentary shore excursion in every port of call. Yes, you read that correctly! Viking Ocean Cruises offers a tour in each port for free. These tours are usually walking tours or “panoramic” bus tours to explore the history and culture of the port of call. They usually last around 2-3 hours, so there’s still plenty of time to explore on your own. While these excursions are included, you still need to make reservations to secure your spot.

If you want to explore beyond this complimentary tour, Viking offers other shore excursion options that are available to purchase. If you wish to forego the excursions from Viking completely, the cruise line typically provides free shuttle service into town. Or, you can secure tours ahead of time with third-party vendors like Shore Excursions Group.

WiFi

Basic WiFi is part of your cruise fare on all Viking Ocean cruise ships. The internet can be accessed from your personal devices in your cabin as well as all public areas. This WiFi is sufficient for checking emails and social media, but may not be fast enough for streaming purposes. Keep in mind that internet connectivity and speed will vary depending on location. Also, be sure to keep your device in airplane mode so you do not incur cellular charges while at sea.

Thermal Suite

While many cruise lines charge for access to the exclusive thermal suite, it is included on Viking Ocean Cruises. All cruisers have complimentary access to this Nordic-inspired area that promotes holistic wellness. Amenities include a therapy pool, heated loungers, a sauna, steam room, cold plunge, and a snow grotto. This is the perfect spot to relax on a sea day or after returning from a long day of exploration ashore.

Of note, while most amenities are centrally located, the sauna and cold plunge can be found in the respective men’s and women’s changing rooms.

Room Service

Another big perk of Viking Ocean cruises is the included room service. Even though many cruise lines have begun charging for room service, Viking still offers 24-hour room service at no additional cost on its ocean ships.

If you want to enjoy breakfast in bed or a private dinner for two on your balcony one evening, you can! Guests can choose contintenal items or hot breakfast items like omelets, eggs, bacon, and sausage, pancakes, or smoked Norwegian salmon. For lunch and dinner, guests can enjoy select salads, soups, steak and fries, chicken tenders, sandwiches and burgers, pasta, and desserts.

Laundry

As many Viking Ocean Cruises’ itineraries tend to be longer than the typical 7-day cruise, these ocean ships offer self-service laundry facilities to help keep your packing to a minimum. Laundry detergent is available, so no need to pack that either.

There are also irons available for use at each of these facilities. If you need to get out the wrinkles from that dress or pair of khakis, you can do so on your Viking cruise for no additional cost. Of course, bringing your own iron or steamer is still prohibited.

These self-service laundry rooms are located on most passenger decks. Though, they are small so you may want to plan to wash clothes at off-times.

What’s NOT Included on Viking Ocean Cruises

While there’s a lot covered in the Viking cruise cost, some things are still additional fees. The big add-ons include cocktails, spa services, and gratuities. This is where Viking falls short of the truly inclusive pricing models of luxury and ultra-luxury cruise lines.

Viking extra costs:

• Cocktails and Premium Alcohol
• Optional Shore Excursions
• Spa Treatments
• Gratuities
• Laundry Services
• Fitness Classes
• Shopping
• Culinary Experiences

Cocktails and Premium Alcohol

If you would like to enjoy alcoholic beverages beyond the included beer and wine at lunch and dinner, you will have to pay extra for these drinks. The Viking drink prices are between $8 and $15 depending on your preferences.

Additionally, Viking Ocean Cruises offers a drink package, called the Silver Spirits Beverage Package. The Silver Spirits Beverage Package allows guests to enjoy unlimited beverages in all dining venues and bars throughout the day for the duration of the cruise. It includes any drink up to $18 and is very reasonably priced at $27 per person, per day. Both guests in a stateroom must purchase the package for the full length of the cruise.

Optional Shore Excursions

As mentioned previously, Viking does offer one included shore excursion at each port of call. These shore excursions tend to be a walking or bus tour to view highlights of the area. If you want to dive deeper into the places you are visiting, there are also other authentic experiences offered for additional costs. Perhaps you’d like to take a food and wine tour or have exclusive access to a museum. These shore excursions are available for booking online prior to your cruise. The tour options and prices will vary depending on the destination.

Spa Treatments

Yes, you can access the spa and thermal suite on Viking Ocean Cruises as part of your cruise fare, but spa treatments will cost you extra money. If you would like to pamper yourself a bit while on vacation, you can book services like facials, massages, hair services, and manicures/pedicures for additional costs. These spa experiences can also be booked online pre-cruise using the My Viking Journey site (for most stateroom categories).

Gratuities

It’s important to know that Viking automatically adds a daily service charge of $17 USD per guest, per day to your shipboard account. These charges will appear on your final invoice at the end of your cruise (or you can pre-pay them prior to setting sail).

These gratuities go towards all the hardworking staff including your stateroom attendant, dining staff, and other behind-the-scenes crew. Of course, you are always welcomed to tip above and beyond this amount to any staff members who provide exceptional service during your cruise. You may also want to bring extra cash for tipping on shore excursions and tours.

Laundry Services

While the self-service laundry facilities on Viking ocean ships are complimentary, additional send-away laundry services cost extra. There’s a per item charge for washing and pressing, ranging from around $1 for socks to $8.50 for a suit.

Fitness Classes

While the use of the fitness center is completely free, Viking does offer select up-charge classes. These can include yoga classes for $10 or personal training sessions. Guests should inquire about these offerings at the Spa desk once onboard the ship.

Shopping

This is pretty obvious but any shopping you do onboard the ship or while ashore will incur additional charges. If you want to purchase some Viking logo gear, a traditional Norwegian sweater, jewelry, or any sundries, you should plan accordingly (unless, of course, you have some onboard credit to spend).

Culinary Experiences

Finally, Viking does offer some premium experiences that go above and beyond the typical cruise inclusions. While very few experiences do cost extra on Viking ocean ships, two examples that have upcharges are the Kitchen Table and Beverage Tastings.

Viking Ocean Cruises: What’s Included vs. Additional Cost

INCLUDED IN YOUR FARE	ADDITIONAL COST
All staterooms with veranda	Beverage package
Main dining room & buffet	Cocktails & premium spirits
Specialty restaurants (Manfredi’s, Chef’s Table)	Extra shore excursions beyond the free one
One shore excursion per port	Spa treatments (massages, facials, manicures)
Beer & wine at lunch/dinner	Some fitness classes
24-hour room service	Gratuities ($17/person/day)
Basic WiFi throughout ship	Select premium experiences
Thermal suite & spa access	Shopping
Self-service laundry facilities
Pools & gym
Nightly entertainment
Specialty coffee, tea & bottled water
Luxury amenities & toiletries

Frequently Asked Questions About Viking Ocean Cruises

Are Viking Ocean Cruises really all-inclusive?

Viking Ocean Cruises includes more than most cruise lines but isn’t technically all-inclusive. Your fare covers dining, one shore excursion per port, basic WiFi, and most amenities. You’ll pay extra for premium alcohol, additional excursions, spa treatments, and gratuities.

What is the dress code on Viking Ocean Cruises?

Viking has a smart casual dress code with no formal nights. The dress code is “elegant casual” in the evenings. It’s recommended that ladies wear dresses, skirts, or slacks with sweaters or blouses and men wear trousers and a collared shirt. Ties and jackets are optional.

Are Viking cruises only for older people?

While Viking generally attracts a more mature demographic (minimum age 18 to sail), passengers range from their 40s to 80s. The focus of Viking cruises is on cultural enrichment and destination immersion, which tends to weed out younger cruisers looking for a lively vibe.

How much should I budget for extras on a Viking cruise?

Plan for $50-100 per person, per day for extras like premium drinks, additional excursions, spa treatments, and shopping.

Do I need to make reservations for specialty restaurants?

Reservations are recommended for Manfredi’s and Chef’s Table, especially on sea days. You can make reservations online before your cruise (most stateroom categories) or once onboard the ship.

Are Viking Ocean Cruises worth the higher price?

Many travelers find Viking offers excellent value when you factor in included specialty dining, shore excursions, and premium amenities that cost extra on other cruise lines. Ultimately though, determining whether the cruise is “worth it” comes down to what you value most in a vacation.

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