Warriors of Wisdom

Centuries ago, amid the rugged landscapes of Norway, the Viking age was born. And as it flourished, exploration became a Norwegian tradition. Today, just like the original Vikings, we are true innovators when it comes to exploring the world.

Viking was founded in 1997 by Norwegian, Torstein Hagen, with the purchase of four river ships in Russia. Today, Viking remains a family-owned cruise line, while at the same time becoming the world’s leading – and largest – small-ship operator, offering scenic cruising on state-of-the-art vessels on the world’s rivers, oceans and lakes, with expedition cruising launching in 2022.

Built for discovery and comfort, over 70 purpose built Viking ships now explore the far corners of the globe across all seven continents. Everywhere they go, they carry a little bit of our Nordic heritage with them, including the most extensive Norwegian art collection at sea, and the largest private collection of Edvard Munch works outside of Oslo. Designed for discerning travellers with interests in science, history, culture and cuisine, a voyage with Viking is destination focused and culturally enriching – it’s why Torstein Hagen says Viking offers ‘The Thinking Person’s Cruise’, in contrast to mainstream cruise lines.