Name: Viking Gymir
Brand: Viking River Cruises
Availability: InStock

At a glance

Viking Gymir is an intimate-size cruise ship operated by Viking River Cruises, in service since 2022. It carries 190 guests and 50 crew (3.8 guests per crew member) at 3,140 gross tons. It ties with 54 other ships as the 2nd largest of 73 Viking River Cruises ships by guest capacity. On Cruiseable's Bliss scale it scores highest for cultural and romantic (8/10) and lowest for family friendly and party (2/10). It has 6 cruises on sale, with lead fares from $2,499 to $5,499.

Builder's plate

Specs

Guests: 190
Crew: 50
Gross tons: 3,140
Decks: 4
Length: 436 ft
Beam: 35 ft
Maiden voyage: 2022
Space ratio: 3.8; Gross tons per guest
Guests per crew: 3.8
Speed (mph): 17

Bliss scores

What Viking Gymir is best at

Ten dimensions scored by our editors on a 10-point scale. The Cruiseable app ranks every cruise against the mix you care about.

Active 7.0
Adventure and nature 6.0
Cultural 8.0
Dining 3.0
Entertainment 5.0
Family friendly 2.0
Party 2.0
Romantic 8.0
Spa and fitness 5.0
Staterooms 6.0

Our review

Viking Gymir: Sailings through historic river towns

The 190-passenger Viking Gymir, one of the newest Longships from Viking River Cruises, debuted in early 2022 with sailings along the Rhine River.

Some of the innovative spaces on this Viking Longship include the indoor-outdoor Aquavit Terrace at the bow of the ship, an expansive Sun Deck and interiors that represent spacious public spaces, lots of natural light and light blonde wood accents, all lending an understated elegance.

Viking Gymir is a "green ship" because of energy-efficient hybrid engines, solar panels and an organic herb garden. Longships transport guests in comfortable, understated elegance, with hotel-style beds and amenities like 40-inch flat-panel TVs and in-room refrigerators.

Since entering the river cruise market, Viking River Cruises has received numerous awards for its itineraries, innovative ship designs and onboard programming. River cruising is all about a slower pace and taking time to enjoy sailing through the scenery while enriching your time in distinct destinations around the globe. If you are looking for destination-focused river cruises, then sailing on Viking Gymir is an ideal option.

For a millennial's take on river cruising, see Don Bucolo's writeup about his first river cruise experience: 5 reasons why millennials will love river cruising.

Who will like sailing on Viking Gymir

The ship caters to an active group of travelers in the 55 to 75 age range who want to explore the art, culture and history of the region.

Where Viking Gymir sails

Viking Gymir sails two main itineraries:

Grand European Tour, a 14-night cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam (or the reverse), with stops in Vienna and Melk, Austria; Passau, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Werheim, Wurzburg and Regensburg, Germany; and the picturesque Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Tulips & Windmills, a 9-night round-trip from Amsterdam that voyages through scenic and historic river towns in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Read the full review

What’s included

Your base fare on Viking Gymir includes Internet (Wi-Fi), included excursions, ground transfers, live evening entertainment, daily lectures, food and wine tastings, 24-hour coffee/tea and replenished daily bottled water. Lunch and dinner are served with complimentary beer, wine and soft drinks. Most passengers take the daily shore excursions included in the cruise price, though you're free to book an independent tour.

The historic city center of Bamberg, Germany, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tamcgath / Creative Commons BY SA 3.0

River cruising: It's about destination immersion

River cruising is about the destination probably more so than the ship. The ports of call shadow the onboard amenities; however, Viking helps guests learn about the local culture, history and highlights of the places that they visit. On Viking Gymir you'll find locally sourced ingredients in meals at lunch and dinner as well as local entertainers sharing their music, dancing and stories.

Viking Gymir includes daily tours as part of your cruise fare, which makes the hassle of figuring out logistics less challenging. Most tours are completed around lunch and then you are free to do what you choose until the ship leaves port. You'll be given a nightly briefing in the evening before dinner to get updates on the next day’s call to discuss the upcoming day’s activities, tours and logistics. Plan to attend the session to discover highlights of the upcoming town's history, art, food, music and architecture.

Dining

Viking Gymir dining options include the main dining room and Aquavit Terrace with indoor and outdoor options at the ship's bow. Our travel writer Don Bucolo writes: "While the number of dining venues is more limited on a smaller ship, the menus feature locally sourced ingredients with chef specialties unique to the region. You'll also want to snag some of the line’s signature cookies and scones that are available at the onboard café. Dinner is a social matter. With no assigned seating, you're able to mix and mingle with other cruisers. This is a great time to meet new friends and to hear about their adventures of the day."

Upper Belvedere Palace in Vienna, Austria. Kurt Bauschardt / Creative Commons BY-SA

Entertainment & activities

River cruising is very mellow. You won't find any large production shows or comedy clubs. What you will enjoy is some light piano music played by the house musician and local entertainers who are brought onto the ship to sing, dance or tell stories from the local perspective. After dinner, cruise passengers can hang out in the lounge and have an after-dinner drink, or they can walk back into town if the ship is not leaving port until later in the evening.

You'll want to spend some time in the Observation Lounge, which features floor-to-ceiling glass doors for panoramic views. Activities and features on board include:

Sun Deck with 360-degree views & shaded sitting area; organic herb garden & solar panels; putting green & walking track
Viking Lounge & Bar with floor-to-ceiling glass doors
Library & onboard shop
Elevator from Middle to Upper Deck only; no elevator access for categories E & F
Free Wi-Fi (connection speed may vary)
Laundry service
40-inch flat-screen TV with infotainment system featuring Movies On Demand, plus CNBC, CNN, National Geographic & more

Cabins

Viking Gymir sports the new Viking river cruise ship design that allows larger accommodations without the need to shrink public areas. The ship has 95 cabins in these categories:

Two Explorer Suites at 445 square feet featuring 270-degree scenery views and private wraparound balconies.
Seven Veranda Suites at 275 square feet with two separate rooms: a living room (with step-out balcony) and bedroom (with French balcony).
39 river-view Veranda Staterooms at 205 square feet with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door opening to a full-size veranda.
25 Standard Staterooms with non-opening windows in eight grades
22 river-view French Balcony Staterooms with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door to create a French balcony

Fun facts

Viking Longships are 443 feet long and 39 feet wide because those are the maximum dimensions possible for river ships navigating the locks on some of Europe's waterways. If the ship was even two inches longer or wider, it wouldn't fit in some locks.
Viking names its ships after ancient Norse characters. In Norse mythology, Gymir is “the protector” or the “the engulfer.”
Viking Gymir has a more eco-friendly propulsion system than many other river cruise ships, consisting of a hybrid combination of electric and diesel engine power.

Your take

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For pricing, itinerary information and to reserve your spot on Viking Gymir, contact a Cruiseable travel consultant by email or by calling 1-877-322-3773.

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