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Viking River Cruises

Viking Helgrim

Intimate ship

Launched in 2019 and built especially for Portugal’s Douro River, Viking Osfrid continues Viking River Cruises' tradition of destination-centric river cruises with an emphasis on cuisine and culture.

  • 106guests
  • 4,000gross tons
  • 0cruises now

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The Douro River as it winds through a picturesque stretch of irrigated farmland in Pinhão, Portugal.

At a glance

Viking Helgrim is an intimate-size cruise ship operated by Viking River Cruises, in service since 2019. It carries 106 guests and 36 crew (2.9 guests per crew member) at 4,000 gross tons. It ties with 3 other ships as the 61st largest of 73 Viking River Cruises ships by guest capacity. It is rated 4.5 out of 5 by Cruiseable.

Builder's plate

Specs

Cruiseable
4.5 / 5
Guests
106
Crew
36
Gross tons
4,000
Decks
4
Length
262 ft
Beam
37 ft
Maiden voyage
2019
Space ratio
2.9
Gross tons per guest
Guests per crew
2.9
Speed (mph)
17

Bliss scores

What Viking Helgrim is best at

We have not scored this ship yet. Until we do, its cruises rank neutrally in the app's Bliss search.

Our review

Viking Helgrim: Explore Portugal's Douro River on a small ship

Launched in 2019 and built especially for Portugal’s Douro River, Viking Helgrim continues Viking River Cruises' tradition of destination-centric river cruises with an emphasis on cuisine and culture.

Smaller than Viking Longships, with 106 passengers rather than 190, Viking Helgrim features state-of-the-art engineering, deluxe accommodations and Viking’s signature Scandinavian decor.

Portugal's Douro River is known for its scenic valleys and irrigated fields, and it's a prime wine-growing region. Since entering the river cruise market, Viking River Cruises has received numerous awards for its itineraries and innovative ship designs and onboard programming.

Viking Helgrim has three identical sister ships, Viking Hemming, Viking Osfrid and Viking Torgil.

Who will like sailing on Viking Helgrim

If you have an interest in exploring the idyllic Douro River Valley, then sailing on Viking Helgrim will make an ideal vacation, especially with the onboard educational activities available. With only 106 guests, this is also a good choice for travelers who prefer intimate sailings to voyages on larger, crowded vessels.

Where Viking Helgrim sails

Viking Helgrim sails Portugal’s “River of Gold” itinerary from the capital of Lisbon to the Porto district. Explore Lisbon, then see unspoiled vistas, stop at ports of call largely unchanged for centuries and sample the local cuisine and port wines on your Douro River cruise. Viking seems to be offering only a limited number of sailings on this ship, so contact a Cruiseable travel advisor for more detailed info.

 

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Ship highlights 

Facilities on Viking Helgrim include a Panoramic Lounge with a dance floor on the upper deck at the front of the vessel, a sun deck with pool, mini-golf and other deck games, laundry service, library with two computers and free Wi-Fi. Helgrim also has a small pool, which is not available on Viking Longships.

Excursions & destination immersion

Viking helps guests learn about the local culture, history and highlights of the places that they visit. Viking Helgrim includes daily tours with the cruise fare, which makes the hassle of figuring out logistics less challenging. Most tours are finished around lunchtime 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 Helgrim has one restaurant. The atmosphere is casual yet elegant. When Helgrim is not scheduled to leave port until later in the evening, treat yourself to a night on the town and sample cuisine at a nearby restaurant (at your own expense, but a nice way to experience the local culture.)

For breakfast, there is an ample buffet with a lot of variety. You can choose from a selection of pastries, cereals, breakfast meats, egg dishes, fresh fruit and selected cheeses. At lunch, select from the soup and sandwich bar, or from a choice of entrées and dessert. And for dinner, expect a five-course menu with regional specialties.   

The Jerónimos Monastery or Hieronymites Monastery in Lisbon, Portugal.
The Jerónimos Monastery or Hieronymites Monastery in Lisbon, Portugal. Dom Crossley / Creative Commons BY

Entertainment & activities

River cruising is very mellow. There are not 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, people 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.

To complement your onshore excursions, take part in immersive learning and enhancement activities both on board and ashore. Programming can include cooking classes, lectures about significant historical events, or traditional performances of folk music and dance. Don't miss the onboard opportunities to discover local tastes such as sampling local cheeses, coffees, liqueurs, beers and other delicacies (Christmas cookies and Gluwein, for example, during a Christmas Markets cruise).

Staterooms

All staterooms include hotel-style beds and a 40-inch, flat-panel television with an infotainment system. There are riverview, balcony and suite categories to select from. The highest category is a Category AA Veranda Suite, which has two full rooms with a veranda located off the living room and a French balcony in the bedroom.

Your take

Have you cruised on Viking Helgrim? What was it like? We'd love to hear about your own experience.

Interested in a cruise on this ship?

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

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On board highlights

Photos

Inside and out

Destinations 1

  • A Douro River bridge near terraced hillsides in Portugal.
    A Douro River bridge near terraced hillsides in Portugal.

More photos 2

  • The Douro River as it winds through a picturesque stretch of irrigated farmland in Pinhão, Portugal.
    The Douro River as it winds through a picturesque stretch of irrigated farmland in Pinhão, Portugal.
  • Pass through the vineyard-rich Douro Valley on your Viking Cruises exploration of Portugal.
    Pass through the vineyard-rich Douro Valley on your Viking Cruises exploration of Portugal.

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