Viking (formerly Viking Cruises) is a cruise line providing river, ocean, and expedition cruises. Its operating headquarters are in Basel, Switzerland,Adam H. Graham, "The Rising Tide: How Viking Changed Cruising", Departures, 21 November 2016. and its marketing headquarters are in Los Angeles, California.Fran Golden, "Perfect Examples", Porthole Cruise Magazine, 21 August 2017.
The company has three divisions, Viking River Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises, and Viking Expeditions, offering cruises along the rivers and oceans of North and South America, the Caribbean, Antarctica, Great Lakes, Europe, Russia, Egypt, China, and Southeast Asia.
History
Development The company was established by Torstein Hagen in St. Petersburg, Russia as Viking River Cruises in 1997. Hagen had become involved in cruising as a McKinsey and Company consultant who helped the Holland America Line survive the 1973 oil crisis, then was CEO of the Royal Viking Line from 1980 to 1984, made money in the Russian private equity markets, then bought a controlling stake in a Dutch shipping company that failed in the mid-1990s, leaving him almost bankrupt. In 1997, Hagen helped some Russian oligarchs buy a shipping company, and in exchange, they sold him four river cruise ships cheaply, which became the founding fleet of Viking River Cruises.
1997–2010: Rapid expansion In 2000, Viking purchased KD River Cruises of Europe, which brought Viking's fleet total to 26, making it the largest river cruising fleet in the world.Allan E. Jordan, "Viking Cruises goes from upstart to leader in 20 years", Cruise Business Review, February 2017, pp. 36-39. The company revamped the ships, aiming for its target demographic of older travelers. The lack of frills, like gyms and pools, and the fleet's standardization also maximized the number of people the ships could accommodate and consequently, Viking's profit. The same year, the company partnered with sales agents in the UK and the US, and opened its own sales office in California; led by Rudi Schreiner, who opened Viking's U.S. headquarters and served as president of its U.S. operation before co-founding AmaWaterways in 2002. It hired its first marketing firm the next year, focusing on English language speakers over 55, especially Americans. The company expanded into China in 2004 with Yangtze River cruises. By 2007, it was operating 23 ships in Europe, Russia, and China. In 2009, Viking started to use ships with hybrid diesel-electric engines that the company claims use an estimated 20% less fuel than conventional engines."A Viking Ship to Launch with a Green Accent," The Avid Cruiser, 29 May 2009.
2011–2019: Growth and modernization In 2011, the company planned a new phase of growth, started sponsoring PBS's Masterpiece Theatre, and made plans to add 40 ships of a new "longship" design to its fleet over a five-year period.Elaine Glusac, "Interest in European River Cruises Soars," New York Times, 29 June 2012. The longship design maximized passenger capacity by squaring the bow and rearranging hallways.Tom Stieghorst, "Viking Cruises' Torstein Hagen," Travel Weekly, 25 October 2016."Viking Longship Series, Viking River Cruises," Ship-Technology.com, March 2011. It christened 10 ships in one day in 2013, and the 16 ships it christened over two days in 2014 made the Guinness Book of World Records."Six new river ships in a day? Rapid Viking expansion continues," USA Today, 1 March 2016.Gene Sloan, "Viking River Cruises to add seven new ships in 2019," USA Today, 26 October 2017. By 2013, the company had spent around $400 million in marketing through direct mailing, television, the web, and trade marketing. In May 2013, the company modified its name from Viking River Cruises to Viking Cruises as it announced the launch of Viking Ocean Cruises, a division of small, oceangoing vessels."Viking Cruises Will Begin Ocean Cruises on Viking Star in 2015," Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2013.
In October 2017, Viking Cruises revealed it was working on a project to develop the world's first cruise ship powered by liquid hydrogen. Once developed, the ship would measure approximately long and accommodate 900 passengers and 500 crew members. The ship would share a similar design to the company's existing oceangoing vessels.
By 2018, Viking Cruises had reached $3 billion in revenue and carried 440,000 passengers annually, employing more than 8,000 employees. That year, Viking Cruises announced it was working on its debut in the North American river cruising market after first suggesting the possibility in 2013. The company targeted a possible 2021 debut on the Mississippi River, for a projection of six vessels along the river by 2027. The vessels, built and chartered by Edison Chouest, would be designed five stories tall and accommodate around 400 passengers, at $90 million to $100 million each. Cruises would travel between New Orleans and Memphis, and between St. Louis and Saint Paul.
2020–present: Rebranding and new ventures In January 2020, the company shortened its name to Viking, citing the brand's added emphasis on destination-oriented enrichment and experiences. That same year, Viking also announced the launch of Viking Expeditions with a planned January 2022 debut. It would become the expeditions arm of the brand and operate small-ship trips to exotic destinations. It also finalized its river cruising business' expansion plans into the United States with the announcement of the first vessel's debut in August 2022 on the Mississippi River.
In May 2024, Viking Holdings Ltd completed an initial public offering (IPO) on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol , pricing shares at $24 and raising approximately $1.54 billion from the sale of 64.04 million shares by the company and existing investors.
In May 2026, the company announced that Leah Talactac, President and Chief Financial Officer, has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer. Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO, has been appointed as Executive Chairman and will continue to serve as Chairman of Viking’s Board of Directors.
River cruises
Viking River Cruises offers cruising along the rivers of Europe, Russia, Southeast Asia and Egypt,Rosemary McClure, "Viking plans to add 10 new river and ocean-going cruise ships," Los Angeles Times, 31 October 2017. with plans to expand into the United States of America along the Mississippi River in 2022. Viking's European ships have an average capacity of 190 passengers; its Russian ships' capacity averages just over 200.Veronica Stoddart, "6 River Cruises to Take in 2017," Conde Nast Traveler, 31 March 2017. As of December 31, 2025, Viking reported a fleet of 103 vessels across its river, ocean and expedition operations.
Fleet