Viking River Cruises
Viking Astrild
- Cruises
- 4
- From
- $3,499
Ship comparison
Viking Astrild vs Viking Sobek
Viking River Cruises
Viking Sobek
- Cruises
- 0
- From
- —
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Viking Astrild is an intimate Viking River Cruises ship carrying 98 passengers, in service since 2015. Viking Sobek is an intimate Viking River Cruises ship carrying 82 passengers, in service since 2025. Viking Sobek has no Bliss scores yet, so the verdict rests on the figures we do hold.
Choose Viking Sobek if you want more crew per passenger or a newer ship: it has a crew member for every 1.9 passengers (vs 3.5) and its maiden voyage was in 2025 (vs 2015).
Viking Astrild does not lead by a clear margin on any measure we track, so pick it for its itinerary or its dates.
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Viking Astrild | Viking Sobek | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Viking River Cruises | Viking River Cruises |
| Ship size | Intimate | Intimate |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2015 | 2025 (better) |
| Gross tonnage | 4,000 | 3,600 |
| Passengers | 98 | 82 |
| Crew | 28 | 43 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 3.5 | 1.9 (better) |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 40.8 | 43.9 (better) |
| Decks | 3 | 5 |
| Length | 361 ft | — |
| Beam | 36 ft | — |
| Speed | 17 mph | 23 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 9 / 10 | — |
| Cruises on sale | 4 | — |
| Upcoming sailings | 111 | — |
| Cruise lengths | 9 nights | — |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $3,499 | — |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday.
Viking Sobek has no Bliss scores yet.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Viking River Cruises
Viking Astrild
Designed to sail the shallow Elbe River between Prague and Berlin, the 98-passenger Viking Astrild has been dubbed a "baby Longship" because it's about half the size of the standard 190-passenger Viking Longships.
Highlights
- Aquavit Terrace for al fresco dining
- Observation Lounge features floor-to-ceiling windows for great river views
- All staterooms are outside with a river view
- Complimentary wi-fi
Sailing now
4 cruises on sale, from $3,499.
Viking River Cruises
Viking Sobek
The 82-passenger Viking Sobek is due to launch in October 2025 as one of the most upscale ships in Egypt.
Questions
Viking Astrild or Viking Sobek?
Which is bigger, Viking Astrild or Viking Sobek?
Viking Astrild is bigger at 4,000 gross tons, against 3,600 gross tons for Viking Sobek. Viking Astrild carries 98 passengers and Viking Sobek carries 82.
Which ship is newer, Viking Astrild or Viking Sobek?
Viking Sobek is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2025 against 2015 for Viking Astrild.
Which has more space per passenger?
Viking Sobek, with 43.9 gross tons per passenger against 40.8 on Viking Astrild. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Viking Sobek, with one crew member for every 1.9 passengers against one for every 3.5 on Viking Astrild.
Still deciding?
Tell us what matters and we will match the sailing
Send your dates, budget and who is travelling, and our partner travel agency will come back to you about Viking Astrild, Viking Sobek or a ship that suits you better.