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  • Viking-Longship-Aquavit-Terrace-interior-2 - Indulge in good company and scenic views during meals in the Aquavit Terrace restaurant aboard your Viking River cruise.
  • Viking-Longship-Aquavit-dining-in-Budapest - Have lunch on the deck of your Viking Longship while taking in the impressive architecture of the Parliament building in Budapest and other storied cities along the Danube.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Longships-Aquavit-Terrace-inside - Enjoy casual dining in Aquavit Terrace while taking in the majestic scenery of Europe as you sail aboard your Viking Longship.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Longships-Aquavit-Terrace-setting - Dine inside or on deck in the tastefully appointed Aquavit Terrace while taking in passing landscapes during your cruise of Europe's waterways aboard your Viking Longship.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Longships-Aquavit-Terrace-aerial - Enjoy al fresco dining while taking in the passing show in the Aquavit Terrace aboard your Viking River cruise.
  • Viking-Longship-Restaurant-2 - Dine with friends and drink in the breathtaking views of Europe's waterways as you cruise aboard a Viking Longship.
  • Viking-Longship-Restaurant - Look for attentive service from the wait staff during your journey through Europe aboard a Viking Cruises river ship.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Longships-Explorer-Suite-1 - Relax in the comfort of an Explorer Suite aboard your Viking Longship river cruise and wake up each day with a new European port of call to explore.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Longships-Explorer-Suite - Relax in the comfort of an Explorer Suite aboard your Viking Longship river cruise and wake up each day with a new European venue awaiting.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Longship-Explorer-Suite2 - Inside the Explorer Suite of your Viking Longship as you sail in comfort down Europe's storied waterways.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Europe-Deluxe-Cabin-1 - Relax in a Deluxe Cabin aboard your Viking Longship river cruise and wake up each day with a new European destination awaiting.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Longship-Veranda-Stateroom - Open up your stateroom to a private balcony with uninterrupted views of your travels aboard your Viking River cruise of Europe.
  • Viking-Longship-Veranda-Suite-lounge - Kick back with a glass of wine and Hollywood movie in the comfort of your own suite aboard your Viking Longship during your voyage along Europe's waterways.
  • Viking-Longship-Veranda-Suite-2 - Capture and share precious moments during your European travels aboard a Viking Longship.
  • Viking-Longship-Stateroom-ES0 - Spend  quality time with your partner in the private lounge  of your stateroom during your Viking River cruise through Europe's waterways.
  • Viking-Longship-Atrium - Guests will gather in the spacious atrium before heading off on a daylong shore excursion during a typical Viking Cruises itinerary.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Longships-foyer - The contemporary foyer of Viking's fleet of European Longships.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Longships-Herb-Garden - You can practice your putting skills amid the lush herbs on the top deck of your Viking Longship.
  • Viking-Longship-Skybar - Unwind after a day of sightseeing and meet interesting new people in the Sky Bar of your Viking River Cruises ship.
  • Viking-Longship-main-lounge - Mingle with like-minded guests in the casual atmosphere of the main lounge of your Viking Longship as you explore Europe's rivers.
  • Viking-Longship-lounge - Meet new people and relax with a cocktail in the lounge of your Viking Longship during your European vacation.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Longship-Rhine - Sail along the Rhine River and explore scenic, historic sites during a Viking River cruise in Europe.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Longships-Aquavit-Terrace-setting - Dine inside or on deck in the tastefully appointed Aquavit Terrace while taking in passing landscapes during your cruise of Europe's waterways aboard your Viking Longship.
  • Viking-Longship-Budapest - Stop in the picturesque city of Budapest, Hungary, during a romantic  voyage of cultural immersion down the Danube aboard a Viking river ship.
  • Viking-Longship-Atrium - Guests will gather in the spacious atrium before heading off on a daylong shore excursion during a typical Viking Cruises itinerary.
  • Viking-Longship-Veranda-Suite-2 - Capture and share precious moments during your European travels aboard a Viking Longship.
  • Viking-Longship-Aquavit-dining-in-Budapest - Have lunch on the deck of your Viking Longship while taking in the impressive architecture of the Parliament building in Budapest and other storied cities along the Danube.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Europe-Reception - Each new port call means another tour included in the price of a Viking River Cruise.  Passengers gather in the longship’s reception area for the tour, or they may hang out 
in the Internet/Library area upstairs to take advantage of the good port-side Internet  connection (WiFi is free).
  • Viking-Longship-Skybar - Unwind after a day of sightseeing and meet interesting new people in the Sky Bar of your Viking River Cruises ship.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Aquavit-Dining-Terrace-on-deck - Any seat in the Aquavit Terrace offers a front-row seat to spectacular views along Europe's waterways on your Viking River Cruise.
  • Viking-River-Cruises-Longship-Rhine-2 - You'll have an unforgettable vacation discovering Europe's scenic waterways and historic villages during your cruise on a Viking Longship.
  • Viking-Embla-Passau-Germany - A Viking ship sails through Passau, Germany.
  • Viking-Embla-restaurant - The restaurant on the Viking Embla.
  • Germany-Bamberg-Little-Venice - Klein-Venedig (Little Venice) is a colony of fishermen's houses on the River Regnitz in Bamberg, Germany.
  • Germany-Bamberg-abbey - Michaelsberg Abbey in Bamberg, Germany.
  • Germany-Bamberg-cathedral - A close-up of the entrance to Bamberg Cathedral in Germany.
  • Germany-Cologne-spires - Cologne's two large churches are visible from the Rhine River.
  • Germany-Cologne-city - The city of Cologne, Germany. See it during a river cruise on the Rhine.
  • Germany-Frankfurt-Main - Frankfurt, Germany, is located on the Main River and served by several cruise lines.
  • Germany-Frankfurt-Opera-House - Alte Oper (Old Opera), a concert hall and former opera house in Frankfurt, Germany, was destroyed by bombs in 1944. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1981.
  • Germany-Frankfurt-Zeil - Frankfurt's main shopping street Zeil features unusual architecture.
  • Germany-Frankfurt-St-Catherine - Hauptwache & St. Catherine's church in Frankfurt, Germany.
  • Germany-Hamburg-sunset - Sunset over Hamburg, Germany.
  • Germany-Hamburg-Rathaus - The Rathaus, or city hall, of Hamburg, Germany.
  • Germany-Kiel-City-Hall - City Hall in Kiel, Germany.
  • Viking-Freya-Cologne - Viking Freya cruises the Rhine past Cologne and under the Hohenzollern Bridge.
  • Viking-Freya-Cologne2 - Viking Freya cruises down the Rhine past Cologne Cathedral.
  • Viking-Freya-Frankfurt-bridge - Stroll across the The Iron Bridge (Eiserner Steg) in Frankfurt, which is over 100 years old.
  • Viking-Freya-Bamberg-cobblestones - The historic city center of Bamberg, Germany, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
  • Viking-Freya-Bamberg-bridge - Old City Hall in Bamberg, Germany, is located on the river Regnitz near its confluence with the River Main.
  • Viking-Frankfurt-night - At night, the skyline of Frankfurt, Germany, is a beautiful blend of old and new.
  • Viking-Freya-Nuremberg-Christmas1 - Take time to browse at the Nuremberg Christmas Market; this stall sells prune men, a traditional Nuremberg gift.
  • Viking-Freya-Nuremberg-Christmas2 - Nuremberg is well known for its Christmas Market, with Christmas decorations and local delicacies.
  • Viking-Freya-Nuremberg - Take a tour of one of the many sights of Hamburg, the Heilig-Geist-Spital on the Pegnitz River.
  • Viking-Freya-Nuremberg2 - The Sinwell Tower in Nuremberg, Germany, was built in the late 13th century to help protect its castle complex.

Viking Embla: Charming visits to ports from Budapest to Vienna

Snapshot

The 190-passenger Viking Embla sails along the Rhine River Gorge, exploring a scenic, historic region made for river cruising.  As with other Viking Longships, guests can personalize their trip by choosing from a variety of stateroom classes, onboard entertainment options and ship locations for enjoying the passing scenery, all the while enriching your time on some of Europe's most remarkable waterways. 

Since entering the river cruise market, Viking River Cruises has received numerous awards for its itineraries and innovative ship designs and onboard programming. Some of the innovative spaces on Viking Embla 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. Viking Embla is a "green" ship because of energy-efficient hybrid engines, solar panels and an organic herb garden.

Longships can transport guests in comfortable, understated elegance, with hotel-style beds and amenities like 26-inch flat-panel TVs and in-room refrigerators.

Who will like sailing on Viking Embla

If you have an interest in exploring art, culture or history, then sailing on Viking Embla will make an ideal vacation, especially with the onboard educational activities available.

Where Viking Embla sails

Viking Embla sails the 7-night "Danube Waltz" itinerary starting in Budapest with stops in Vienna, Passau and other charming river towns and ending in Munich, Germany — and the reverse as well. 

Ratings & awards

Cruiseable           
Berlitz           
Conde Nast           
Cruise Critic           
  • Best River Cruise Ship, Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards (2014)

About Ratings & awards

Cruises on this ship

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. Don't be surprised to see local dishes on the menu or local entertainers sharing their music, dancing and stories.

Viking Embla includes daily tours with the cruise fare, which makes the hassle of figuring out logistics less challenging. Most tours are done 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.

Viking Embla sails the Rhine River.
Courtesy of Viking CruisesViking Embla sails the Rhine River.

Dining

Viking Embla has one restaurant called, fittingly, The Restaurant. The atmosphere is casual yet elegant. Dinner is at a set time, and you are welcome to sit with whomever you wish. When Embla 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).

This from the cruise line’s website about their dining options on board: “For breakfast, 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. Wherever you sail, you will find enhancements reflecting the itinerary — it is all part of experiencing the local culture."

Don’t miss: Al fresco dining aboard Viking Embla. One of the unique features on Viking Embla is the Aquavit Terrace, which is an outdoor space for you to watch the river while enjoying a coffee, cocktail, pint or al fresco dining. The Aquavit Terrace is equipped with grills for outdoor cooking.

Staterooms

There are 95 outside staterooms on Viking Embla (two Explorer Suites, seven Veranda Suites, 39 Veranda Staterooms, 22 French Balcony Staterooms and 25 Standard Staterooms). The top category on a Viking Longship is an Explorer Suite. These spacious cabins measure 445 square feet and offer 270-degree views from a wraparound veranda.

Overall cabins are average size for a river boat, but there is plenty of closet space and extra storage available under the bed. The bathroom has a pocket door, which is a nice feature because that design saves space.

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.

To complement your onshore excursions, take part in immersive learning and enhancement activities both on board and ashore. Classes in cooking specialties such as apple strudel and Alsatian flammkuchen; traditional performances of folk music and dance or waltzes by Strauss; and tastings of local cheeses, coffees, liqueurs and other delicacies are some examples of in-depth experiences that are included as an essential part of discovering more about the places through which you cruise.

Fun facts

  • Viking Longships are 443 feet long and 38 feet wide because those are the maximum dimensions possible for river ships navigating the locks on some of Europe's waterways. If they were even two inches longer or wider, they wouldn't fit in some locks. 
  • Viking names its ships after Norse mythology. As Wikipedia tells us: "Embla, a female, was one of the first two humans created by the gods in Norse mythology."

Your take

Have you cruised on Viking Embla? 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 Embla, contact a Cruiseable travel consultant by email or by calling 1-877-322-3773.

SEE ALL VIKING EMBLA SAILINGS

Cruiseable team
The Cruiseable editorial team consists of award-winning travel writers, cruise bloggers and journalists.

Top highlights on this ship

  • What: Viking Embla
  • Where: Rhine River

  • What: Viking Embla
  • Where: Budapest

  • What: Atrium
  • Where: Viking Embla
  • Sun deck with 360-degree views and shaded sitting area; organic herb garden and solar panels; putting green, chess and walking track
  • Free shipwide wireless Internet service
  • Balcony cabins have floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors
  • Ecologically friendly hybrid engines producing less vibrations for a smoother ride

Top dining options on board

The Restaurant

  • Style: Varied
  • No additional costs
  • Open: Breakfast, lunch & dinner

Aquavit Terrace

  • Style: Varied
  • No additional costs
  • Open: Al fresco dining

Fast facts

190 Passengers [?]
50 Crew
4 Decks
2012 Maiden voyage
5,000 Tonnage [?]
443 Length in feet
37 Width in feet (max beam)
17 speed (mph) [?]

Overheard

“This stylish vessel is excellent for a well-organized cruise, boasting extremely spacious suites. The food is tasty and there’s a variety of dishes – unfussy, simple fare rather than fancy cuisine.”

Berlitz: River Cruising in Europe

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