Viking's first Mississippi river ship is getting closer to its June debut.
The 386-guest Viking Mississippi touched water for the first time on March 7 at Edison Chouest Offshore's LaShip yard in Houma, Louisiana.
The ship will cruise the Upper and Lower Mississippi. There will be ports of call in seven states: Louisiana (Baton Rouge, Darrow, New Orleans and St. Francisville); Mississippi (Natchez and Vicksburg); Tennessee (Memphis); Missouri (Hannibal, St. Louis); Iowa (Burlington, Dubuque and Davenport); Wisconsin (La Crosse); and Minnesota (Red Wing, St. Paul).
All of the Viking Mississippi’s 193 cabins will be outside staterooms on a five-deck ship purpose-built for the Mississippi River. Guests will be able to choose from seven stateroom categories that range from 284 to 1,024 square feet.
All rooms will have a veranda or French balcony. Every room also will have king-size beds, large flat-screen TVs, glass-enclosed showers and a heated bathroom floor. Every suite will have a wraparound veranda off the sitting room.
Familiar features that regular Viking guests can expect include an Explorer’s Lounge near the bow of the ship, the Bow outdoor seating area with riverside views, an Aquavit Terrace for outdoor dining and the River Café, which offers indoor and outdoor dining.
Enrichment activities onboard and onshore include musical performances from New Orleans jazz to Delta blues to Wisconsin polka. Guest lecturers will discus the region’s art, architecture, history and culture.
Shore activities will include visits to a working farm in Quad Cities, guided kayaking trips in the Louisiana bayou, and an immersive experience that dives into Cajun culture at the Rural Life Museum of Louisiana State University.