Viking Gyda

Viking Gyda at a glance

Viking Gyda entered service in 2025, one of the most recently built ships sailing under Viking River Cruises. Built for an intimate experience, she carries 106 guests and 33 crew across 53 cabins. The combination of a modest guest count and a well-stocked roster of included venues means space never feels contested. Currently, sailings depart from Porto, Portugal, making her ideal for travellers wanting to explore the Douro Valley region.

• Home waters: Portugal (Douro)
• Operated by: Viking River Cruises
• Notable: infinity pool described as one of the first of its kind at sea; theatre that converts into two HD cinemas

Dining on Viking Gyda

Viking Gyda offers eight distinct dining venues, ranging from a fully included main restaurant to speciality experiences that carry a separate charge.

The Restaurant is the main dining room, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a menu built around regional specialities and classic dishes — included in your cruise fare. For lighter meals or outdoor eating, the World Café runs open kitchens with live cooking and international options, and connects directly to the Aquavit Terrace®, where you sit directly above the water with the passing landscape as your backdrop. The Pool Grill on Deck 7 serves casual, freshly prepared poolside food, also included.

For something more leisurely, the Wintergarden lays out a complimentary afternoon tea with finger sandwiches, scones, pastries and live classical music beside the main pool. Mamsen's®, set within the Explorers' Lounge on Deck 7, serves Norwegian specialities at no extra cost across breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Three venues carry charges. Manfredi's Italian Restaurant® recreates a trattoria atmosphere with authentic Italian cooking and an optional private dining room — à la carte and cover charges apply. The Chef's Table offers a multi-course tasting menu with sommelier-paired wines, requiring a reservation and à la carte pricing. The Kitchen Table on Deck 1 Aft is an interactive culinary experience built around regional ingredients and hands-on cooking; confirm with your booking whether this is included or charged separately for your specific sailing.

Bars and lounges

Viking Gyda has five social spaces for drinks and conversation, all free to enter, though beverages are charged separately unless covered by a beverage package.

The Living Room sits at the heart of the ship, with generous seating, a calm atmosphere and live classical music from the Viking Resident Musicians. The adjacent Bar — known as the Clinker Bar — draws on the design language of ancient Nordic longships for its decor, creating an atmospheric spot for drinks in the atrium. Torshavn® takes its cues from the Hollywood jazz-lounge era, with live music and cocktails in an intimate setting. The two-storey panoramic windows of the Explorers' Lounge frame the ocean and passing shorelines, and the open Atrium serves as a central meeting point for casual drinks and conversation.

Pools, wellness and activities

Viking Gyda carries two pools and a full wellness suite. The Main Pool with Retractable Roof is heated and open year-round regardless of weather; in the evenings, films are screened on a large poolside screen. The Infinity Pool — described as one of the first of its kind at sea — features floor-to-ceiling windows that create the sensation of swimming within the destination itself, alongside a hot tub and a teak surround.

The Nordic Spa is complimentary to access, with individual treatments and classes charged separately. Within it, or adjacent, a full Fitness Centre provides treadmills, elliptical machines, exercise bikes and open space for yoga and pilates — equipment use is free, though some guided classes carry a charge. The Hair Salon offers cuts, styling and the Royal Nordic Hair Ritual, with services charged separately. On deck, the Sports Deck provides a running track, boccie, mini golf and shuffleboard; guided yoga sessions on deck carry a separate charge.

The Theater seats up to 450 and programmes lectures, films and TED Talks on a large screen; the space can be divided into two HD cinemas. Entry is included in your fare.

Cabins and suites on Viking Gyda

Viking Gyda offers three cabin grades across 53 cabins, all sleeping two guests. Full deck plans and cabin-by-cabin detail are on the Viking Gyda cabins and deck plans page.

The entry-level Outside Stateroom E (14.4 m²) has a half-height picture window framing river views — a practical, more economical choice for guests who plan to spend most of their time on deck or ashore. The Veranda Stateroom A (17.2 m²) steps up to a full-size private veranda, letting you step outside and into the river air whenever you wish — something the French-balcony staterooms elsewhere in the fleet cannot offer. The Veranda Suite AA (28.1 m²) is the ship's most spacious grade, with a separate sitting room and an additional television — significantly more room than the standard staterooms, making it the natural choice for guests who want a genuine living space on a longer itinerary.

Where Viking Gyda sails

In 2026, Viking Gyda sails in Portugal, departing from Porto along the Douro. Voyages run to seven nights. As all sailings require flying to Portugal, this works particularly well as the centrepiece of a longer trip — which is exactly where CruiseAway's DreamAway Packages come in, bundling your flights, hotel stays either side and transfers into a single booking. Current sailings from A$8,695pp* are available for departures from September 2026 onwards.

Why book Viking Gyda with CruiseAway

CruiseAway's Best Price Guarantee means you won't find the same fare cheaper elsewhere through us — it is the brand's own named promise, stated site-wide. Our cruise experts know Viking Gyda's cabin grades and fare inclusions in detail, and can advise whether the Outside Stateroom, Veranda Stateroom or Veranda Suite is the right fit for how you plan to use the ship. Because every sailing to Portugal involves flying, we recommend considering a DreamAway Package — flights, hotel nights in Porto and transfers, all on one booking so nothing is left to chase separately.

Other Viking ships to consider

If you're weighing up your options within the fleet, CruiseAway also lists Viking Sea, Viking Star and Viking Sky as ocean ships, and the river ships Viking Astrild, Viking Forseti and Viking Ullur. Each is a different ship in the same Viking fleet — your CruiseAway cruise expert can talk through the routes and sailings available on each one.

Common questions about Viking Gyda

When was Viking Gyda built?

Viking Gyda was launched in 2025, making her one of the most recently built ships currently sailing under Viking River Cruises. She carries 106 guests across 53 cabins.

Is dining included in the fare on Viking Gyda?

The main dining venues — The Restaurant, World Café, Aquavit Terrace, Pool Grill, Wintergarden and Mamsen's — are included in your cruise fare. The speciality venues Manfredi's Italian Restaurant, The Chef's Table and The Kitchen Table carry separate charges or à la carte pricing, so it's worth confirming what's covered when you book.

Which cabin grade should I book on Viking Gyda?

That depends on how you plan to use the ship. If you're ashore for most of the day and want value, the Outside Stateroom E at 14.4 m² is sensible. If being able to step outside onto your own veranda matters, the Veranda Stateroom A (17.2 m²) gives you a full private veranda. For those who want a separate sitting space to relax in, the Veranda Suite AA at 28.1 m² is the ship's most spacious grade. The cabins and deck plans page shows exact positions on board.

Do I need to fly to join Viking Gyda?

Yes — all current sailings depart from Porto, Portugal, so flights are required from Australia. CruiseAway can package your flights, hotel stays before and after the cruise, and airport transfers into a single DreamAway Package, so the whole trip sits on one booking.

How many guests does Viking Gyda carry?

Viking Gyda carries 106 guests, served by a crew of 33. The low guest-to-crew ratio means service is attentive and the ship rarely feels crowded, even when all venues are busy at the same time.