Viking River Cruises starts Mississippi River cruises in the USA in August 2022 with a currently under construction riverboat (to be chartered) - Viking Mississippi. Vessel's max passenger capacity is 386 (193 cabins) and has 5 decks (4 with staterooms).
Viking Mississippi cruise ship is the first of all 6 (planned) boats built and registered in the USA (flag-state). The vessels will be also all American crewed. Viking Mississippi boat cruises on Mississippi River with departures from homeports NOLA-New Orleans, Memphis TN, St Louis MO, and Minneapolis-Saint Paul MN. The shipbuilder (and shipowner) is ECO Shipyards - a fully-owned subsidiary of Edison Chouest Offshore (1960-founded as "Edison Chouest Boat Rentals" marine corporation). The ship will be operated under charter by Viking River Cruises USA.
Each of the Viking's USA riverboats is a large-sized vessel (building cost ~USD 90-100 million per unit), each with all-balcony staterooms, Lido Deck with an aft-located Sundeck with infinity pool, bow ramp (for passenger landings).
The Viking Mississippi riverboat represents a new design inland passenger vessel that is totally different from all currently available on the US market cruise ships. The boat is traditionally large-sized but with a 90% glass-enclosed superstructure. All staterooms and public venues are with floor-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows.
Signature venues on Viking Mississippi include the trademarked and available on all Viking cruise ships (Longships and ocean liners) Explorer's Lounge (2-deck Bar Lounge) with Bow Terrace (outdoor seating), The Living Room (indoor Lounge with Library), The Restaurant (Dining Room) with Galley (Kitchen), River Cafe (indoor-outdoor Lido restaurant and bar lounge), Aquavit Terrace (indoor-outdoor lounge with BBQ area), Sun Terrace (outdoor lounge with sundeck and swimming pool / Infinity Plunge Pool).
Viking River Cruises USA starts operations with MS Viking Mississippi in August 2022. Currently, the company offers 4 itineraries. The Viking Mississippi itinerary program offers to visit seven US states - Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.