Picking a stateroom on a river cruise can be a bit confusing. What is a French Balcony? What is the difference between the letters in each category? Is a Veranda necessary? These questions are probably some of the ones rumbling around in your head. Keep reading and hopefully, the following information will help you understand the difference between the suites and staterooms on Viking River Cruise ships.
Explorer Suite
Explorer suites are one of the earliest rooms to book up because there are only two per boat. This room is the ultimate in space and luxury. This suite is located at the back of the upper deck of staterooms and has two full-size rooms. The wrap-around balcony provides amazing views of the countryside. The Explorer Suite features:
- Suite size: 445 sq ft
- River-view suite with private wraparound balcony offering 270-degree views off the spacious, separate sitting room & floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door, known as a French balcony, in the sleeping quarters
- Two 40″ flat-screen Sony TVs
- Large private bathroom with spacious glass-enclosed shower, heated bathroom floor & anti-fog mirror
- Early check-in (available from 12 PM)
- Complimentary Silver Spirits beverage package, Viking Air Plus services, laundry service, room service (during breakfast) & shoe shine service
- Private airport transfers in Europe
- Welcome champagne; mini-bar with wine, beer & soft drinks (replenished daily); daily fruit plate
- Binoculars, coffee brewer & Marius-weave blanket
Veranda Suites
Each ship has 7 Veranda Suites. These suites are also located on the Upper Deck of staterooms. The full-size verandas are a wonderful place to sit out and watch the world sail by in your own quiet retreat. These suites also have two full-size rooms. Some of the features of the Veranda Suite are:
- Suite size: 275 sq ft
- River-view suite with full-size veranda off the spacious, separate sitting room & floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door, known as a French balcony, in the sleeping quarters
- Hotel-style bed 79 in x 63 in (with optional twin-bed configuration); luxury linens & pillows
- Two 40″ flat-screen Sony TVs
- Large private bathroom with spacious glass-enclosed shower, heated bathroom floor & anti-fog mirror
- Early check-in (available from 12 PM)
- Complimentary Viking Air Plus, laundry & shoe shine services
- Welcome champagne; mini-bar with wine, beer & soft drinks (replenished daily); daily fruit plate
- Binoculars
Veranda Stateroom
The Veranda staterooms have the largest availability. Veranda staterooms are divided between the Upper Deck and the Middle Deck, both on the same side of the ship. Category A staterooms are on the Upper Deck and category B are on the Middle Deck. The lower deck staterooms are a little less expensive but have the same layout and amenities. Veranda suites are perfect for guests who prefer to sit on their own deck and not the common areas as much. Some Veranda stateroom features:
- Stateroom size: 205 sq ft
- River-view stateroom with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door opening to a full-size veranda
French Balcony Staterooms
The French Balcony staterooms are a lovely choice of stateroom. This stateroom has a wonderful floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door that you can open to bring in a nice breeze. You can sit and enjoy the view from the bed. What a wonderful way to wake up in the morning! These staterooms are a nice middle ground between the standard stateroom and a veranda.
There are a few French Balcony staterooms on the Upper deck toward the back of the boat. Most of the French Balconies are on the Middle deck. Category C are the staterooms on the Upper deck and category D are on the Middle deck and are a little less expensive. Rooms in both categories have the same layout and amenities. Some other French Balcony stateroom features are:
- Stateroom size: 135 sq ft
- River-view stateroom with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door to create a French balcony
Standard Stateroom
The Standard staterooms are located on the Main deck (the lowest level) and are at water level. These rooms have a nice big picture window (but it doesn’t open) to view outside. This is the most economical option and perfect for guests who plan to be out enjoying the ports and the ship during the day. The difference between the categories is the location. The layout and the amenities are the same for E and F. Category E is more midship and category F is a tad further back. Some features of a Standard stateroom are:
- Stateroom size: 150 sq ft
- River-view stateroom with half-height picture window
Amenities all staterooms and suites have in common
- Hotel-style bed 79 in x 63 in (with optional twin-bed configuration); luxury linens & pillows
- Free Wi-Fi (connection speed may vary)
- 40″ flat-screen Sony TV with infotainment system featuring Movies On Demand, plus CNBC, CNN, FOX, National Geographic & more
- 110/220 volt outlets & USB ports
- Telephone, safe, refrigerator, hairdryer & individual climate control
- Private bathroom with spacious glass-enclosed shower, heated bathroom floor & anti-fog mirror
- Premium Freyja® toiletries; plush robes & slippers available upon request
- Bottled water replenished daily
- Stateroom steward & twice-daily housekeeping
- Space under bed for storing suitcases
- Roomy wardrobe with wooden hangers
These deck plans apply to Viking’s 50+ fleet of Longships. The decor will slightly differ from ship to ship but they are all quite similar. Also, as you can see each ship has a limited number of cabins–95 total. So, if there is a specific cabin you want to book then you will want to book early. Generally, French Balcony staterooms book up quickly. If you happen to be ready to book a stateroom on a river cruise please contact me. I would love to help!
Have questions about Suites and Staterooms aboard Viking River Cruise Ships? Let me know in the comments below.
Happy travels to you…until we meet again!
Other links you might be interested in:
- Viking–The Thinking Person’s River Cruise
- Amawaterways vs. Viking
- Is a River Cruise Right For My Family
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