Viking Var

Sailing the Danube on Viking Var

Viking Var was built in 2013 and sails exclusively on the Danube, the river that connects the imperial capitals and medieval towns of central Europe in a single continuous waterway. At 135 metres she carries 190 guests, served by a crew of 53 — a ratio that keeps the experience personal and unhurried. Her godmother is Geraldine Norman, and she is operated throughout by Viking River Cruises, the line that pioneered the European river cruise format.

All sailings are one-way journeys, so the ship is always moving: guests wake each morning in a different town or alongside a different stretch of riverbank rather than returning to a home port. The five sailings currently on sale run between Budapest and either Regensburg or Passau, covering a Danube arc that takes in some of the most rewarding river scenery on the continent.

The Danube she covers

The core programme is a seven-night one-way voyage departing Budapest and travelling upstream through Bratislava, Vienna, Krems and the Wachau Valley before finishing in Regensburg or Passau. Most sailings on this route also call at Linz, threading together the full upper-Danube sequence in a single week. These seven-night departures run seasonally, with dates available in November 2026 and April 2027, and start from A$4,595pp*.

Beyond the two grouped routes, there are three further individual sailings — including longer combinations reaching up to 17 nights and ending as far as Basel on the Rhine — that extend the journey well beyond the Danube itself. These give travellers who want a more expansive itinerary the option to follow the river system from Budapest all the way into Switzerland.

Because every departure leaves from Budapest, Regensburg or Passau — cities the reader will almost certainly fly to — the cruise is naturally the centrepiece of a longer trip. CruiseAway puts the flights, the hotel either side and the transfers on one booking with the cruise, so nothing is left to piece together separately.

On board Viking Var

Viking Var’s public spaces are few and well-considered — a deliberate choice on a river ship where the landscape outside is the main attraction.

The Aquavit Terrace® is the ship’s signature open-air dining space, where breakfast and lunch are served with the passing riverbank as a backdrop. It is included in every cruise. Up top, the Sun Deck gives 360-degree views and carries a walking track for anyone who wants to stay active between ports — though it closes during canal transits and low-bridge passages for safety. The Lounge runs floor-to-ceiling windows along its full length and serves as the social hub of the ship, with a bar where drinks can be ordered individually or covered by a package. For quieter moments, the Library holds a curated book collection available to all guests, and the Herb Garden — a small but charming green corner on board — grows the fresh herbs the culinary team uses daily in the regional dishes served at mealtimes.

Cabins on Viking Var

Across 95 cabins there are eight grades in total, spread across three families. The two outside stateroom grades offer a river-view picture window at a half-height — a direct sightline to the water without a balcony. The two balcony grades step up to private outdoor access. The four suite grades cover the full range from a French balcony — an open-door river connection at a lower price point than a full veranda — through to a full-size private veranda with continuous indoor-outdoor flow; some grades are available on both Deck 2 and Deck 3, giving a choice between quieter lower-deck access and mid-ship convenience. Every grade and the ship’s deck plans are laid out on the Viking Var cabins and deck plans page.

What the Viking River Fare includes

Viking River Cruises operates a single, clearly bundled fare tier called the Viking River Fare. It covers a complimentary shore excursion at every port of call, full onboard dining with regional specialities, and beer, wine and soft drinks served at lunch and dinner — plus coffees, teas and bottled water around the clock. Wi-Fi and UNESCO site visits are also included. This means that for most guests, the main on-board extras are drinks ordered outside mealtimes at the Lounge bar. The fare structure is the same across all sailings, so there is no need to compare tiers or add-on packages to get a complete experience.

Planning a Danube holiday with CruiseAway

CruiseAway’s cruise experts can match the right cabin grade and sailing date to what suits you, and because Viking Var departs from cities in Hungary and Germany that most Australian travellers will fly to, we build the whole holiday as one booking: flights, pre- or post-cruise hotels in Budapest or along the way, transfers to and from the ship, and the cruise itself. That is what our DreamAway Packages are built to do, and CruiseAway’s Best Price Guarantee applies across the board.

The Viking River Cruises fleet on the Danube

Viking Var is one of ten Viking River Cruises ships currently sailing the Danube River, Europe. The others with their own pages are Viking Eldir, Viking Vali, Viking Rota, Viking Lif, Viking Vidar, Viking Honir, Viking Gullveig, Viking Embla, Viking Aegir and Viking Baldur.

Viking also runs a large fleet on the Rhine River, Europe, including Viking Idi, Viking Alsvin, Viking Gefjon, Viking Gersemi, Viking Hervor, Viking Annar, Viking Dagur, Viking Sigrun, Viking Haki, Viking Hlin, Viking Hild, Viking Sigyn, Viking Herja, Viking Mimir and Viking Egdir. For ocean voyages, Viking Star, Viking Sea and Viking Sky are among the ocean ships the line operates. The full Viking River Cruises fleet and what it’s like to sail with them is on the line’s own page.

Questions about sailing the Danube on Viking Var

Is Wi-Fi included on Viking Var?

Yes. Wi-Fi is covered by the Viking River Fare on every sailing, with no additional charge. That applies throughout the ship, so you are connected from cabin or lounge alike.

How long are the voyages, and are they one-way or round-trip?

All five current sailings are one-way itineraries. The majority run for seven nights, travelling upstream from Budapest towards Regensburg or Passau. The longer individual sailings run up to 17 nights and can reach as far as Basel. Because the ship travels in one direction, guests experience new scenery every day rather than retracing the route.

Does the Sun Deck stay open the whole time?

The Sun Deck is open for most of the voyage, but access is restricted during canal passages and when passing under low bridges — a practical safety measure on a working river. At other times it is freely accessible to all guests and carries the ship’s walking track.

What shore time do guests get at each port?

The Viking River Fare includes a complimentary guided shore excursion at every port of call, so there is a structured programme available without any extra booking or cost. Guests can join the included excursion or use the port time independently — the ship’s schedule is designed around meaningful time ashore at each stop rather than passing through quickly.

What is the best way to book Viking Var from Australia?

Because Viking Var departs from Budapest, Regensburg or Passau, most Australian travellers will need flights and at least one hotel night at either end. CruiseAway’s cruise experts put the flights, the hotels and the transfers together with the cruise on a single booking — a DreamAway Package — so there is nothing left to arrange separately. Call or book online, and the team will match the cabin grade and travel arrangements to what suits you best.