Next year, Viking will introduce several new ocean and river itineraries, including winter season sailings in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.

Six ships will sail in the Mediterranean, while the Viking Libra will sail 20 days from Barcelona to Tromsø in Northern Norway via London (Tilbury) for a Northern Lights cruise which is repeated aboard the Viking Astrea in 2028.

A 13-day segment from London is also offered.

Viking notably does not refer to its late fall through spring program as winter cruises but instead calls it the quiet season.

Claiming it puts destinations and guest experiences first, the quiet season in the Mediterranean offers the ideal conditions for just that, according to Viking.

The company stated that during this time of the year there are fewer crowds, which allows for more immersive experiences, easier access to iconic landmarks and more authentic, easygoing interaction with locals.

Combined with milder weather, it creates a more comfortable and enriching way to explore.

When Viking’s first ship launched service in 2015, she introduced the quiet season during her inaugural year.

It has since become a cornerstone of the brand’s offerings.

The new Viking Mira and Libra, entering service this year and the Lyra in 2027, will all spend their inaugural seasons in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

Europe-Focused

Viking’s deployment is intentionally concentrated in Europe, according to a spokesperson, who said the majority of the ocean and river ships are based there, calling Europe Viking’s home.

More than 70 percent of Viking’s ocean capacity is based in Europe, according to the 2026 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.

Other winter deployments include four ships in the Caribbean for a short season, while other ships sail in South America, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

The Viking Sky will sail the company’s 2026-27 world cruise which will journey 170 days from Port Everglades to Stockholm, visiting 41 countries with 82 guided tours and overnight stays in 18 cities.

In addition are Viking’s expedition ships that are deployed seasonally in Antarctica, the Arctic and the Great Lakes.

A highlight of the 2027 Antarctica deployment will be an opportunity to cross the 66°33′ line of latitude, the Antarctic Circle.

For its river vessels, Viking will introduce new Longships in Europe and on the Nile River in 2027, as well as its first river voyages in India with the Viking Brahmaputra to be followed by a second ship in 2028.

The company is the largest operator of river vessels in the world.

Staying Fresh

Keeping itineraries fresh means looking beyond the iconic gateways, according to Viking.

This means the cruise line is continually seeking out lesser-visited ports and designs routes that invite deeper immersion, alongside extended voyages that allow guests to experience Europe in one seamless journey.

The smaller ships give Viking access to ports that are often out of reach for larger vessels such as Valletta; Eidfjord and Lofoten in Norway; Kotor, Montenegro; Cagliari, Sardinia and Salerno, Italy; the Shetland Islands; and Bordeaux.

Viking claims to always have done things differently.

For 29 years it has designed what it calls travel experiences for the “thinking person” who is interested in science, history, culture and cuisine.

The objective has always been to immerse guests in the culture of a destination and offer a range of experiences from food and wine to art and history both onboard and ashore.

These are described as Local Life, which could mean accompanying the ship’s chef to a local market; Working World, such as a fishing trip with local fishermen; and Privileged Access for exclusive visits, for example, to museums not easily accessible to the public, such as Highclere Castle’s private collection of Egyptian artifacts.

Ocean itineraries for 2027 will also feature more extended voyages, according to Viking, ranging from 15 to 36 days.

For guests wanting to spend even more time exploring, pre- and post-land extensions are also offered.

Sailing 14 ocean-going ships today, Viking has 18 more on order, including six options, to be delivered from 2026 to 2034.

The river operation, which spans 21 waterways worldwide, counts 89 vessels today with 37 more to be delivered from 2026 to 2032.