The Viking Mississippi has plied the Mighty Mississippi for three years, offering a serene, upscale experience marked by friendly American staff, thoughtfully curated cultural excursions and elevated comfort.
Highlights
- Warm service, quiet vibe and loyal repeat passengers
- Strong connection to local culture through food, music and onshore experiences
- Comfortable cabins and delicious food
The writer was hosted.
First Impressions
The soothing Scandinavian design, the enthusiastic welcomes and warm smiles of the staff and the view of the Mississippi shoreline from my stateroom balcony told me that I was in for a different cruise experience; the week I spent aboard the Viking Mississippi confirmed that impression.
The clientele skews older and they are die-hard Viking fans. I only met one couple who were first-time Viking cruisers. Everyone else had been on at least three Viking cruises previously.
I cruised the Mississippi Delta Explorer itinerary from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Memphis, Tennessee, in mid-December. Thanks to an unseasonable cold snap, the days were chilly and I wasn’t able to spend much time on my stateroom balcony. I settled for watching the river flow by from the warmth of the first-floor common area called the Living Room.
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What I Loved
- The friendly, efficient staff, all of whom are American. We chatted like friends about our families, our hometowns and our travels.
- The laid-back vibe. Short morning excursions allow for plenty of time to sit and watch the Mighty Mississippi flow past.
- The way Viking weaves in local culture. That includes thoughtfully curated onshore experiences, Viking experts, guest lecturers and nightly entertainment.
- The solicitous service everywhere, from the golf cart drivers who shuttle less mobile passengers up the steep shoreline to the waiters who share their recommendations for where to get the best lobster on lobster night. (It’s the Grill on Deck 5, where the lobster tails are perfectly blackened and mouth-wateringly good.)
What Could be Improved
- Cruise ships are generally very focused on preventing the spread of disease. So I was surprised to find the whole hand-washing thing to be a little lax aboard the Viking Mississippi. I’m used to ships where one of the restaurant staff stands guard outside every restaurant reminding passengers “no washy, no yummies.” There were enough Viking passengers coughing and sneezing to make me voluntarily spend a few extra seconds at the hand-washing station before each meal. I have been home four days now and I’m not sick!
- I could feel the ship’s vibrations. Perhaps that is because the Mississippi water level was quite low when I sailed in mid-December.
The Ship
This is not Mark Twain’s creaky paddlewheel boat. It’s a sleek, purpose-built 5-deck ship that accommodates 386 passengers.
There is no spa, casino, fitness center or gaudy chandelier. But there is a well-stocked and thoughtfully-curated library, outdoor walking track, heated plunge pool and free washers and dryers, complete with laundry detergent.
The design melds the Scandinavian luxury of the cruise line’s ocean ships and European river ships with regional Mississippi River influences.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Spend some time looking at the design touches. You can’t miss the story of Huckleberry Finn’s adventures written on the walls of the forward stairwell. Other design features are much more subtle reflections of the region. There’s the ceiling in the Living Room that is clearly modeled on the fret of a guitar, the canoe-shaped lighting in the dining room and the space dividers made from paddles.
Staterooms
My cabin ticked all the boxes for a comfortable stay:
- Comfy bed
- Soft sheets
- Plush robe and slippers
- Plenty of drawers for clothes
- Full-length mirror
- Balcony
- Mini-fridge stocked with sodas. When my terrific cabin steward, Mickey, found out that I would only drink the Diet Coke, she promptly brought more “because I don’t want you to run out.”
There’s only one thing I would change about the stateroom design: move the bed a little farther away from the closet. It was a tight squeeze to get to the right side of the closet where my dresses were hanging.
The big screen TV offered a variety of stations from broadcast outlets such as CBS and PBS, cable channels and movie channels, along with ship information such as daily briefings and room charges. I tuned in one morning to catch the news and found the picture was sometimes glitchy. I’m not a big TV watcher, so that’s not something that would put a damper on my vacation. When I mentioned it in passing during a conversation with one of the ship’s crew, he took a note and I have no doubt that someone investigated and fixed the problem before the next passenger settled in.
SheBuysTravel Tip: The power outlets in the stateroom are US-friendly 110/220 volts because the vast majority of Viking Mississippi’s passengers are American. If you are one of the few international travelers, remember to pack a power adapter.
Bathroom
The bathroom layout was large enough to accommodate guests with walkers. The vanity had ample counter space and two large drawers so I could put away my toiletries when I didn’t need them. The shower is large for a cruise ship,
My favorite feature of the bathroom? Heated floors! While I doubt it would be of much use during a Louisiana summer, it was priceless on an unseasonably chilly December cruise.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Viking supplies upscale Freyja shampoo, conditioner, lotion and shower gel. The ship’s front desk staff keeps a stock of toothpaste and shaving supplies that they hand out for free to needy passengers If you need anything else, bring it with you! The towns along the Mississippi are small and struggling. Don’t expect to be able to summon an Uber to take you to a local Walgreens.
Cuisine
Viking does a remarkable job of incorporating the tastes and sounds of the Deep South and the Mississippi Delta. The menu offerings change with the destination — French Creole as the ship leaves New Orleans, barbecue as it makes its way to Memphis.
We dined on sumptuous soft-shelled crab, a phenomenal mushroom and brie soup, trout almondine and dessert. So. Many. Desserts. And every one worth the calories! Don’t ever skip dessert.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Eat ALL the things! While I am hardly a picky eater, I am discerning. Aboard the Viking Mississippi, I did not put one thing in my mouth that wasn’t sheer perfection. Try everything. If you don’t like it, the wonderful waiters will bring you something else. You won’t go hungry.
Culture
Country, jazz and the blues are all huge parts of the culture of the South.
By far, my favorite excursion happened in the tiny town of Greenville, Mississippi. There, Viking has curated a locally-sourced lunch (fried catfish! hot tamales! biscuits! mac and cheese!) and a concert by the songwriter and recording artist Steve Azar, a Greenville native. The performance was bookended by an education in Mississippi Delta history and culture.
On board the ship, local entertainers offered songs, stories and history of the music that was born and raised in the South and the performers who made it famous.
My favorite: Memphis Jones. Equal parts musician, comedian and music historian, he had the crowd up and dancing to his renditions of songs by Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and other rock and blues superstars. And, when he told the audience that he didn’t understand why they weren’t wearing their plush Viking robes and slippers, they took him to heart and wore their robes to the next show!
What’s Included in Viking’s All-Inclusive Price
It’s no secret that a Viking voyage is a pricey ticket. But unlike many cruise lines, you won’t feel nickel-and-dimed during your time on board. That’s because Viking’s price is all-inclusive. It covers the cabin, all meals, beer and wine at lunch and dinner and one excursion in each port. Some of the cruise deals include airfare and pre- and post-cruise stays.
There are upsells available — a variety of port excursions and a drinks package — but you can have a perfectly fine vacation without those add-ons.
Other Viking Mississippi Cruises
Viking sails several Mississippi River itineraries from New Orleans on the southern end to St. Paul, Minnesota on the northern end. From spring through fall, the ship sails north from St. Louis, Missouri. The southern Mississippi cruises happen from fall to spring, when the heat, humidity and bugs of a Louisiana summer have eased.
While Viking did not confirm anything, I heard persistent rumors that a second Viking ship will be plying the Mississippi soon.
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