Viking vs. Avalon: Which One Is Right for You?
Everyone asks me the same question: Viking or Avalon?
I’ve sailed both. Here’s what I’ve actually learned, comparing the two lines from the ground up — interiors, inclusions, and the operational differences that don’t show up in a brochure.
Viking: Scandinavian Precision, Consistent Fleet
- Scandinavian design — light woods, clean lines
- Nearly identical ship layouts across the fleet
- Beer and wine included at lunch and dinner; anything beyond that — cocktails, premium wine — comes from the paid Silver Spirits Package, roughly $25/day per person
- One included walking tour in each port; additional excursions are available for purchase
- Longships carry roughly 190 guests, noticeably more than Avalon on a comparably sized vessel, which changes the feel onboard
- Adults-only: everyone sailing must be 18 or older
Avalon: Individual Character, Built for Space
- Individual décor and personality on each ship
- Bicycles onboard, plus a fitness room and a Wellness Host who leads morning stretches, yoga, and the hiking and biking excursions
- Most shore excursions included through the Avalon Choice program — often a walking tour plus a hike/bike or cultural option, in the same port, at no extra charge
- A daily Happy Hour with complimentary cocktails before dinner — Avalon’s answer to AmaWaterways’ Sip ‘n Sail, just under its own name rather than a separate branded hour
- Panoramic “Open-Air Balcony” windows that open wide enough to feel like a private balcony
- Lower guest counts on comparably sized ships, typically 128 to 166 passengers versus roughly 190 on a Viking Longship
- Welcomes children age 8 and up, travelling with a parent, guardian, or responsible adult
[Link to: River cruising specialty page]
Why Passenger Count Actually Matters
Put a Viking Longship and an Avalon ship of the same length, width, and draft side by side, and Viking is simply carrying more people in the same footprint, sometimes 40 or more additional guests. That has to come from somewhere. It typically means smaller cabins, tighter elbow room in the lounge and dining areas at peak times, and no room left over for the bikes, fitness room, or whirlpool Avalon builds in. That space goes to extra cabins instead.
It also affects the kitchen. Both lines are working with a similarly sized galley, but Viking’s is feeding roughly 40 more people out of it. That’s part of why Viking’s dining leans toward a large buffet with a set menu, rather than the more individualized, flexible service Avalon offers with fewer guests to cook for.
A Few More Practical Differences Worth Knowing Before You Book
Table size: Viking’s main restaurant seats guests at shared tables of 6, 8, or occasionally 10 to 12, with true tables for two hard to come by. It’s built for mixing and mingling. Avalon’s Panorama Dining Room is open seating too, but with Flex Dining, you can choose your table and time rather than a single fixed seating, and two-tops turn up more often than on Viking.
Solo travellers: Avalon offers reduced or waived single supplements on select cabins. Viking rarely discounts theirs, so solo sailors typically pay full double-occupancy rate.
Payment timing: Avalon’s final payment is usually due about 90 days before sailing. Viking asks for final payment much further out, often a year or more in advance.
The Bottom Line
The castles are the same. The rivers are the same. The difference is the experience you have along the way — how many people you’re sharing that deck space with, and even how far ahead you’re committing your money.
This is exactly why I spend so much time sailing these ships myself: comparing them cabin by cabin, galley to guest count, so I can match clients to the line that’s actually the right fit, not just the one with the prettiest brochure. Twenty years spent modelling risk and outcomes for a living taught me that the details people overlook are usually the ones that matter most.
[Link to: Beginner’s Guide to River Cruising]
If you’re weighing Viking against Avalon, or trying to figure out which river cruise line suits your travel style, I’d welcome the chance to help you sort through it.
[Link to: Lush Life Travel consultation booking]
#AskSheila #ReturnOnLife #RiverCruise #VikingCruises #AvalonWaterways
Sheila Gallant-Halloran Founder, Lush Life Travel Virtuoso Cruise Icon — Three Consecutive Years (2024, 2025, 2026), Top 1% of Cruise Advisors Worldwide River & Expedition Cruise Specialist sheila@lushlife.ca | www.lushlife.ca