- Viking are launching new Zeppelin airship excursions.
- The river line will be pairing the flights on Rhine River itineraries.
- The flights join culinary and cultural shore excursions
Viking River Cruises has announced a new range of airship flights with Zeppelin scenic flights as part of a new range of European river voyage shore excursions in Germany. The air excursions will be a first for the river cruise line as they aim to increase small group experiences and expand land extension options across Europe.
The Zeppelin scenic flights are part of European river voyage shore excursions that will provide guests on select Rhine River itineraries with aerial views of Cologne and the Ruhr Valley, alongside traditional shore excursions that are popular for culinary and cultural itineraries.
The shore excursions are now available for bookings on these select itineraries. Torstein Hagen, executive chairman of Viking says “Europe remains a favourite destination for our guests – particularly those interested in experiencing a river voyage for the first time.
“As we continue to expand our offerings in Europe, we are pleased to introduce new experiences that allow our guests to engage with their destination in the Viking way – through local food, culture and traditions, or even from the air in a Zeppelin.”
New flights, new offerings
This year will herald in a range of new excursions for Viking River Cruises, with a goal to expand offerings for guests never seen before. The aerial excursions will specifically highlight the Rhine, Danube, Seine and Elbe river itineraries.
Taking off from the The Essen/Mülheim Airport the ‘Zeppelin Flight Over the Ruhr Valley‘ (where airships were first conceived in 1893 by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin), the flight then rises to 1000 feet cruising altitude. From this height, guests will experience views of the lush forests, Lake Baldeney and the Zeche Zollverein UNESCO World Heritage Site, known as the “Eiffel Tower of the Ruhr.”
Alternatively, the ‘Zeppelin Flight Over Cologne‘ departs from Bonn-Hangelar Airfield, ascending again to 1,000 feet cruising altitude. From here, passengers can view Cologne’s Trade Fair complex, Lanxess arena, Hohenzollern Bridge and the UNESCO-listed Cologne Cathedral, as well as modern landmarks including the Musical Dome and Mediapark.
New Culinary Experiences
In addition to the new scenic flights, new dining-focused excursions have been added to Viking’s itineraries and include several new dinners. The ‘Dinner at Nikolaihof Winery‘ in Austria’s Wachau Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site features one of Austria’s oldest wineries and explores the biodynamic process, ending with a selection of seasonal dishes from locally sourced ingredients.
The ‘Dürnstein on Foot & Local Dinner‘ combines a guided walking tour through the 12th-century town’s historic streets with dinner at Alte Klosterkeller, a former monastery cellar serving regional dishes with local wine.
‘Sights & Flavours of Belgrade‘ includes visits to Kalenić Market, Belgrade’s largest open-air market, followed by a cooking class preparing traditional Serbian dishes.
‘Red Stone Castle & Wine Tasting‘ explores Slovakian wine country with visits to the preserved 16th-century fortress and local winery tastings of specialty white wines.
As well as these consistent offerings, new seasonal offerings will include ‘Sights and Tastes of Rouen‘ during Christmas season, featuring Rouen Cathedral and local boulangeries, available on the ‘Christmastime in Paris & Normandy‘ itinerary. And the ‘Flavours of Berlin‘, dinner will be available on the ‘Christmas Along the Elbe‘ itinerary, and includes visits to Lindner fine foods shop, EAT Berlin and Curry 61 for currywurst.
Small group experiences on the rise
The increasing demand for small group travel has prompted Viking to launch a new range of experiences in 2026, offering more intimate access to iconic landmarks. These include ‘Small Group Experience: The Palace of Versailles‘ and ‘Small Group Experience: Schönbrunn Palace’ guided visits, ‘Small Group Experience: Český Krumlov on Foot‘ and ‘Small Group Experience: Medieval Village of Colmar‘ walking tours, and ‘Small Group Experience: Picturesque Bratislava‘ exploration of the historic old town.
More Land Extensions
It’s not just the increase of small group intimate experiences, there’s also a demand for more fully guided land extensions. Viking is meeting this demand with a new offering of fully guided land extensions beginning this year and in 2027 that can be added before or after river voyages, offering deeper immersion in Italy, France, Croatia, Slovenia, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The 2026 ‘St. Moritz, Lombardy & Alpine Train‘ extension features the Bernina Express UNESCO World Heritage Site route through the Alps and Northern Italy, including Chur’s old town, St. Moritz alpine views and Milan exploration.
‘Croatia & Slovenia‘ combines Ljubljana city exploration, Lake Bled visits and Zagreb’s medieval old town with the Festetics Palace in Keszthely.
‘Best of Belgium‘ covers Brussels’ UNESCO-listed attractions, medieval Bruges and Antwerp’s diamond district across three cities.
‘Best of Holland‘ includes Delft’s Royal Dutch Delftware Manufactory, Gouda’s historic sites with stroopwafel workshop, The Hague landmarks and visits to Mauritshuis Museum and Rijksmuseum.
The 2027 ‘Turin & Barolo‘ extension explores Italy’s first capital, Alba gateway to the Langhe Wine Region UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Chambéry, historic seat of the Dukes of Savoy.
‘Seville & Cordoba‘ uncovers southern Spain’s Moorish and Roman heritage, including Seville’s cathedral, royal Alcázar palace and Córdoba’s Mosque-Cathedral UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Back by popular demand
One final offering that Viking is re-introducing to their itoineraries is the Oberammergau passion play, due to return in 2030. Guests in Bavaria in 2030 will be able to book the ‘Oberammergau Passion Play 2030‘ programme and is accepting sign-ups for guests interested in learning more once departures officially open for booking. Viking has hosted guests for this event since 2010, allowing the company to plan years ahead and integrate the Passion Play into designed itineraries.
