Planning Your Trip>Information & Forms

Enjoy the Convenience of E-Check

Enjoy the convenience of paying for your trip by e-check (also known as EFT or electronic funds transfer). As you may already know, paying by e-check is as easy and secure as providing a credit card number.

• You may use e-check to pay for your Viking cruise or cruisetour, and for airfare 

• Every dollar paid for cruise, air, taxes, fees or surcharges can be paid by e-check, including regular-priced itineraries and airfare, any special offers or Viking Air Plus services

• There is no fee for this service

• If you pay by e-check, you can receive other special offers. Ask for details at time of booking

Please note: E-checks must be drawn against a US bank account; e-checks from money market accounts are not permitted.

Travel Protection Plan

Even after planning and booking a vacation with Viking, an emergency or illness may cause you to cancel or delay your trip. We certainly hope this does not happen, but if it should, please make sure you are protected. We now offer the Viking Travel Protection Plan for all departures. Our program provides the most comprehensive coverage available, and gives you peace of mind knowing that whatever may arise—even a pre-existing medical condition—you retain 100% of your travel value. In addition to trip cancellation, interruption or delay, the policy supplements your own medical coverage if you become sick or injured while traveling and makes sure you and your travel companions get home. Coverage also includes worldwide assistance services to help you find a doctor or replace a lost prescription, eyeglasses, etc. We have done the comparison shopping and this plan is a terrific value. For specific plan coverage details, please review policy conditions and limitations by clicking here.

The Viking Explorer Society

If you have traveled with Viking River Cruises before, you know that a journey with us is a rich experience indeed. But now Viking travel has become even more rewarding! Once you take a Viking vacation, you are automatically enrolled in the Viking Explorer Society. Membership in the Viking Explorer Society means you are part of a community of sophisticated travelers—people who like to expand their world view through river cruising. Travelers like you. Here are some of the benefits:

Exclusive Invitations

Each year, Viking offers just a few unique, invitation-only events—like our 2008 Chairman’s Cruise through Russia with noted author and Russia expert Marshall Goldman of Harvard University. As a member of the Viking Explorer Society, you will be on the invitation list for these exclusive once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.

Viking Voyages

You will receive a complimentary subscription to Viking Voyages, our quarterly newsletter containing feature articles about destinations worldwide, travel tips, recipes from our gourmet kitchens, photos from recent Viking travelers, and more. You may even want to share a story yourself!

Travel Credit on Your Next Trip

Perhaps best of all, Viking would like to encourage you to join us again by offering substantial travel credits on your next journey. If you book another vacation with either Viking River Cruises or Viking Tours within one calendar year, your credit is $200 per person. If you travel with Viking within two calendar years, your credit is $100 per person. Since these are per-person discounts, couples save twice as much.

The Inside Scoop

Be among the first to be informed about new Viking itineraries and new ships—so you always have first choice of destinations and departure dates. You will also receive news about special limited-time offers by email and/or regular mail, according to your preferences.

Viking Travel Gifts

When you reserve your next journey with either Viking River Cruises or Viking Tours, we will demonstrate our appreciation with a complimentary Viking Explorer Society gift. These unique, high-quality items are designed to be useful during your upcoming Viking trip and in years to come.

Keeping Up to Date

Society members receive our annual Viking Calendar. This beautiful large-format wall calendar is filled with striking photographs of Viking destinations, interesting articles about places you may visit, holiday information and plenty of room to write important dates—like your next Viking departure.

Refer a friend—and save

Travel is one of life’s great treasures—and sharing the experience with friends and family increases its value in so many ways. Now that you know about the joys of sailing along the world’s great rivers, you might want to let your friends in on your discovery. Recommend Viking River Cruises to a friend or family member and you can both save money with our Refer-A-Friend program. A few pointers to keep in mind:

• Once your friend purchases a Viking vacation, you receive a $100 travel credit. That is $100 per friend, so if a couple travels, you receive $200 in travel credit.
• You receive a $100 credit for each of your first four successful referrals. Then, you earn $150 per referral thereafter. And, each friend receives $50 shipboard credit.
• There is no limit to the number of credits you may earn, and they are valid for three years from the date of issue.
• Your travel credits can be combined with Early Booking Discounts but cannot be combined with group discounts. They may not be applicable on certain special offers.
• Once you have reserved and paid for a trip in full, you are eligible for the Refer-A-Friend credit even if you have not traveled yet. So why not invite friends and family to travel with you? You enjoy a wonderful travel experience with someone special and receive travel credits for your next Viking journey at the same time.

Please call 1-800-304-9616 for additional program details.

Please note: Program applies if you have previously traveled with Viking or if you currently have a reservation and have already paid in full. The friends you refer must not have traveled with Viking before. Program is not applicable to tour operators, wholesalers, partial charter, charter, third-party resellers or GSA. Travel agents cannot receive both commission and referral credits. Travel credits have no cash value.

Travel Documentation

Please remember to obtain all required travel documents prior to departure and check your documentation carefully to avoid incurring costs associated with delays, losses or obtaining documents while traveling. When traveling abroad, your passport must be valid for at least 6 months following your visit. Guests are advised to check with their travel agent or the U.S. Consulate Service to determine which documents they must obtain. If incorrect documents are obtained, guests will be unable to participate in particular shore excursions and may be denied boarding and/or entry into certain countries.

Visas

If you are traveling with us to a location that requires a visa (China or Russia), please fill out your kit and return it to the visa company to ensure you have your documentation in time to travel. (Review the timing required for this on the kit instructions.) Visa kits from an independent third party are provided upon request as a service to guests selecting Russia or China destinations. Should you decide to obtain your Russian visa directly instead of using the kit, you will need to contact Viking River Cruises first for an Invitation Letter. You may also download visa kits online here.

Note: Due to airline security measures, your passport name must match your airline ticket name or you may be denied boarding. Viking River Cruises accepts no responsibility for obtaining required visas nor for advising guests of visa or other immigration requirements.

Invoice & Distribution of Tickets

Documents will be issued approximately 3 weeks prior to departure. All early document requests will be charged a $25 early processing fee.

Silver Spirits Premium Beverage Package

Your meals are always accompanied by hot tea, iced tea or coffee, while cocktails, wine, beer, coffee drinks and soda are available on a per-drink basis. We also proudly offer a Silver Spirits premium beverage package, which covers wine, beer, espresso drinks, soft drinks, juices and mineral water for the entire duration of your cruise, plus two daily cocktails and a bottle of champagne. Start your day with a fragrant cappuccino, savor a fine regional wine with dinner, celebrate with champagne—all for one package price. Ask about Silver Spirits when making your reservation, see the Program Director during your journey or download the form here.

Dietary Needs

Guests requiring special diets such as vegetarian, low salt, diabetic or low cholesterol meals must alert Viking River Cruises one month prior to departure and inform the Maitre d’ when on board. The chefs will make reasonable efforts to accommodate these requests.

Celebrating Special Occasions On Board

Should you be planning to celebrate a special occasion (birthday, anniversary) on board, please alert us at least one month prior to departure.

Ordering Gifts for Travelers

You can order a gift for delivery on board by downloading and faxing our Gift Order Form. Please note, orders and full payment must be received no later than 14 days prior to sail date.  To download this form, click on the link below:

Gift Order Form

Passenger Information Form

Once you have booked your trip, the first thing you need to do is complete a passenger information form, or PIF, for each passenger in your party. We use this information to create all your travel documents, airline reservations and so forth, and to make sure you receive the information and documents you need in a timely manner. You may download and print a PDF version of the form here, or click this link to fill out the form online:

Passenger Information Form

Transfers

Roundtrip airport-to-ship transfers are only included when air is purchased with a tour package. Transfers are only valid on tour departure and arrival dates. If you should choose to make your own air arrangements, transfers may be purchased through Viking River Cruises for an additional cost, or you may make your own transfer arrangements.