Viking Mars

Life aboard Viking Mars

Viking Mars carries 930 guests across a ship 227 metres in length, and the design philosophy is consistent throughout: understated Scandinavian interiors, a strong emphasis on destination immersion, and a range of venues that feel genuinely distinct from one another rather than variations on a theme.

The heart of the ship is The Living Room, a generous social space where Viking’s Resident Musicians play live classical music throughout the day — entry is free, and it sets the tone for a ship that leans into culture rather than spectacle. Nearby, the Atrium and the Clinker Bar (designed to evoke ancient Nordic longships) offer further spots to settle in with a cocktail and conversation.

For something livelier, Torshavn® brings the atmosphere of a golden-age jazz lounge, with live music and premium spirits. The two-storey panoramic windows of the Explorers’ Lounge frame the ocean as you sail, and Mamsen’s® — located within it — serves Norwegian specialities from breakfast through to dinner at no extra charge, honouring the Hagen family matriarch and the line’s Nordic roots.

The Theater seats up to 450 and runs lectures, TED Talks, films and documentaries — it can also split into two HD cinemas depending on the programme, all included in the fare. The Sports Deck offers a running track, boccie, mini golf and shuffleboard under open skies.

Dining on Viking Mars

The main dining room, simply called The Restaurant, wraps around floor-to-ceiling ocean views and serves regional specialities and classics included in the fare. For more casual meals, the World Café runs open kitchens with live cooking and international dishes — including premium sushi and seafood — with indoor seating or the option to step outside to the Aquavit Terrace®, which Viking describes as offering more outdoor dining space than any other ship. The Pool Grill keeps things relaxed poolside, with freshly prepared dishes and a salad bar, also included.

The Wintergarden does something specific and rather civilised: complimentary afternoon tea with finger sandwiches, scones, pastries and international teas, accompanied by the onboard musician, beside the main pool.

For special occasions, Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant® serves authentic Italian cuisine in a trattoria atmosphere with a private dining room option (cover charges apply). The Chef’s Table offers a multi-course tasting menu with sommelier-paired wines, available by reservation. The Kitchen Table takes a more hands-on approach — an interactive culinary experience built around local ingredients and regional cooking techniques.

The pools and spa

Viking Mars has two pools: the Main Pool with Retractable Roof, which allows year-round swimming whatever the weather and doubles as an outdoor cinema in the evenings, and the Infinity Pool — one of the first of its kind at sea — with floor-to-ceiling windows that make it feel as though you are bathing inside your destination.

Wellness travellers will find The Nordic Spa genuinely well appointed: access is complimentary, with a sauna, snow grotto and fitness facilities included, and individual treatments charged separately. The Fitness Center covers treadmills, ellipticals, bikes and free-weight space, with use included in the fare. The Hair Salon offers a full menu of services including the Royal Nordic Hair Ritual, charged separately.

Cabins and suites on Viking Mars

Viking Mars offers 18 cabin grades across two families: seven balcony grades and eleven suite grades, covering a wide range of space and inclusions. Balcony cabins include ocean views with a private veranda, a personal coffee machine, complimentary laundry and pressing, and priority restaurant reservations from 80 days ahead. Suite guests add a premium in-suite coffee machine with daily purified water, early embarkation from 11am, stateroom access from 2pm, and priority shore excursion reservations opening 137 days ahead. Full details of every grade and the deck plans are on the Viking Mars cabins and deck plans page.

Where Viking Mars sails

Viking Mars runs a genuinely broad programme — the Mediterranean is her main theatre, but she also sails the Norwegian coast, the Panama Canal route, the St Lawrence River and transatlantic crossings. Almost all sailings are one-way, so many can be combined into longer journeys.

The busiest programme is the Mediterranean, with sailings from Barcelona, Rome (Civitavecchia) and Venice. Western Mediterranean departures from Barcelona run 14 nights, typically calling at Valencia, Granada, the Strait of Gibraltar, Lisbon, La Coruña, Dublin and Liverpool before finishing in Reykjavík or Venice — a programme that runs in spring (March and May). Browse Mediterranean cruises in 2027 or 2028 to see the full range. The 12-night Mediterranean sailing from Barcelona calls at Marseille, Livorno, Rome, Naples, Corfu, Dubrovnik and Split on its way to Venice or Chioggia.

Eastern Mediterranean sailings leave from Piraeus (Athens) — seven-night itineraries calling at Heraklion, Rhodes, Kuşadası, Çanakkale and Istanbul run in April and May, while nine-night sailings via Santorini, Corfu, Kotor, Dubrovnik and Zadar run in March and April. Greek Island cruises from Athens lists the current options. Rome (Civitavecchia) also features as an embarkation point for seven-night Western Mediterranean runs finishing in Venice or Barcelona.

The Norway programme departs Bergen in June and August, running 12 or 14 nights and calling at Geiranger Fjord, the Lofoten Islands, Tromsø, Honningsvåg, Longyearbyen and Flam before finishing in Reykjavík or Tilbury (London). It is a seasonal programme — two departure months only. Norway cruises has everything we sail there.

The Central America route leaves Fort Lauderdale on 10-night sailings in November and December, threading through Cozumel, Belize City, Colón, the Panama Canal and Mahogany Bay before finishing in Fuerte Amador. These run in late 2026 and late 2027.

In October, Viking Mars turns to the St Lawrence River and Canadian east coast, with 14-night sailings departing Montreal and calling at the Saguenay Fjord, Charlottetown, St John, Eastport, Portland and Newport before finishing in Fort Lauderdale. That programme runs in October 2027 and 2028. Full details on transpacific and long-voyage sailings are on the destination page.

All these sailings fly to their embarkation ports — CruiseAway puts the flights, hotels and transfers on the same booking as the cruise, so it travels as one joined-up holiday. Our DreamAway Packages are built exactly for trips like these.

The Viking Ocean Cruises fleet

Viking Mars sails for Viking Ocean Cruises, which currently has 16 ships on sale. The fleet divides into three groups of sister ships — vessels built to the same hull — and Viking Mars belongs to the largest of them.

Sister ships to Viking Mars (same hull): Viking Sky, Viking Saturn, Viking Jupiter, Viking Neptune, Viking Sea, Viking Star, Viking Orion, and Viking Venus.

A second group of sister ships: Viking Mira, Viking Vela, Viking Libra, Viking Astrea, and Viking Lyra.

A third group of sister ships (expedition vessels): Viking Polaris and Viking Octantis.

The line also operates river ships — visit the Viking river cruises page for that part of the fleet.

Wellness on Viking Mars

The ship’s spa, fitness and salon facilities make it a natural choice for travellers who want wellness to be a genuine part of the holiday, not an afterthought. The Nordic Spa, Fitness Center and Hair Salon are all aboard, with spa access complimentary and treatments charged separately. The Sports Deck adds outdoor options — running, boccie, mini golf and shuffleboard — and yoga and guided classes are available at an additional cost.

Alternatives to Viking Mars

If you are drawn to the Mediterranean itineraries but want to compare lines, three ships sail much of the same ground — Italy, Croatia, Spain and Greece — from the same kinds of ports.

Seven Seas Voyager (Regent Seven Seas Cruises) leaves the same ports and calls at nearly 90% of the same countries as Viking Mars. It is a straight alternative if you want to compare a different premium line across the same waters.

Silver Ray (Silversea) overlaps on Italy, Croatia, Spain and Greece, departing from the same kind of Mediterranean ports, covering around 80% of the same countries.

EXPLORA I (Explora Journeys) also sails Italy, Croatia, Spain and Greece from the same port types, with around 84% country overlap — a third option worth comparing across this region.

Questions about booking Viking Mars with CruiseAway

Does the cruise fare include shore excursions?

Viking’s standard fare — the Viking River Fare — bundles a complimentary shore excursion at every port, full onboard dining with regional specialities, and beer, wine and soft drinks at lunch and dinner, plus round-the-clock coffees, teas and bottled water. It also covers free Wi-Fi and UNESCO site visits. Speciality dining venues and spa treatments carry additional charges, as do premium beverages beyond the included selection.

How do I get to the embarkation ports?

All Viking Mars sailings currently depart from ports in Spain, Italy, Greece, the United States, Norway, Iceland and Canada — so almost every sailing involves a flight. CruiseAway puts the flights, the hotels either side and the transfers on the same booking as the cruise, so it travels as one complete holiday rather than a series of separate arrangements. Our cruise experts can shape the package to what you need — speak to them or explore our DreamAway Packages.

What cabin grade should I book on Viking Mars?

Viking Mars has 18 grades across balcony and suite categories, with meaningful differences in space, early embarkation, and priority booking windows for excursions and dining. The cabins and deck plans page lays out every grade so you can compare them directly — it is the right place to make that decision rather than a summary here.

How long are the sailings?

Current sailings run from 7 nights up to 28 nights, with a median of 14 nights. Most are one-way, which means they can often be linked into a longer voyage — the Mediterranean, Norway and transatlantic programmes all offer natural combinations. CruiseAway’s cruise experts can help you identify where the joins work.

Where can I see all Viking Mars sailings from Barcelona?

Barcelona is Viking Mars’s busiest departure port. The full list of available departures is on the cruises from Barcelona in 2027 and 2028 pages, both filtered to show exactly what is on sale. For a broader look at ocean cruises to Europe from Australia, that page covers the full picture including other ships and lines.