Viking Var
Viking Var: Explore the romantic Danube on a Longship
Snapshot
The 190-passenger Viking Var offers travelers an idyllic weeklong getaway on the storied Danube River, calling on world-class cities Vienna and Budapest as well as small, charming riverside towns in Austria’s Wachau Valley and farther afield.
Some of the innovative spaces on Viking Var 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 Var is a "green" ship because of her energy-efficient hybrid engines, solar panels and an organic herb garden on board.
Longships transport guests in comfortable, understated elegance, with hotel-style beds and amenities like 26-inch flat-panel TVs and in-room refrigerators. Viking River Cruises, the big kahuna of the river cruise market, has received numerous awards for its itineraries, innovative ship designs and onboard programming.
Who will like sailing on Viking Var
If you have an interest in exploring art, culture or history, then sailing on Viking Var will make an ideal vacation, especially with the onboard educational activities available.
Where Viking Var sails
Viking Var sails the following itinerary:
- Romantic Danube is a seven-night journey along the Blue Danube. Explore both sides of Budapest, experience Vienna’s imperial architecture and culture, and tour riverside towns in Austria’s Wachau Valley. Explore a baroque abbey and stroll cobbled streets lined with half-timbered houses. The cruise starts in Budapest and has stops in Vienna, Passau and other port cities before ending in Regensburg, Germany — and offers the reverse itinerary, too.
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 Var 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.
Dining
Viking Var 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 Var 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 Var. One of the unique features on Viking Var 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.
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.
Staterooms
There are 95 outside staterooms on Viking Var (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.
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: "In Norse mythology, Vár or Vór (Old Norse, meaning either ‘pledge’ or ‘beloved’) is a goddess associated with oaths and agreements."
Your take
Have you cruised on Viking Var? What was it like? We'd love to hear about your own experience.
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Interested in a cruise on this ship?
Interested in a cruise on Viking Var? Contact a Cruiseable travel consultant at 1-877-322-3773, or by email, to get additional information and to find the best rates and value for your vacation dollar.
Top highlights on this ship
- 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 glass doors
- Aquavit Terrace at the bow of the ship is great place to watch the river roll by
- Ecologically friendly hybrid engines producing less vibrations for a smoother ride
- Restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows for panoramic views
- Observation lounge and bar with floor-to-ceiling glass doors
- Library corner and onboard boutique
Top dining options on board
Fast facts
Overheard
“This stylish vessel is a good choice for a well-organized cruise with double-sized suites and spacious cabins. The tastefully decorated restaurant and ‘Aquavit Terrace’ offer good, unfussy food.”
