MS Carmen

The 2001-built MS Carmen cruise ship (fka Viking Europe) was fully refurbished in 2016. The riverboat cruises on Rhine and Danube rivers, with departures from Amsterdam Holland, Nuremberg Germany, Budapest Hungary, Vienna Austria and Bucharest Romania (embarkation in Giurgiu).

The ship is owned by the German corporation Premicon AG (via the subsidiary Premicon Rhein Donau Flussschiffahrts GmbH) and operated under charter by the companies Transocean Kreuzfahrten (Germany, SijFa Cruises (Holland) and Saga Cruises (UK). Its SijFa fleetmates are MS Rigoletto and MS Verdi.

The last drydock refurbishment was in 2017, during which the ship was completely renovated and renamed. With the same design are the sisterships Viking Neptune (now Verdi), Viking Pride (now Bijou du Rhone) and Viking Spirit (now Seine Comtesse).

As Viking Europe, the riverboat was the 3rd in a series of four Viking Cruises ships deployed in France. Itineraries were on Rhone and Saone (departures from Lyon) and on Seine (out of Paris City). The ship's CMV fleetmates were Bellejour (fka Johann Strauss) and Belvedere (fka Avalon Poetry).

Viking cruise deals were inclusive of Internet (Wi-Fi), all shore excursions and land transfers, live evening entertainment, daily lecturers, food and wine tastings, 24-hour coffee/tea, and replenished daily bottled water. To/from riverboat transfers and airport meet-and-greet services were included in cruise fares only when airfares were purchased through the cruise company.

In 2021, the vessel (ENI number 4800250) changed its flag state/registry from Malta (MMSI 229736000) to the Netherlands (MMSI 244092220).

Cabins

MS Carmen has a total of 75 staterooms (12 Standard and 63 Deluxe), all of which are outside. All Upper Deck cabins are with French balconies - floor-ceiling sliding glass doors opening to a balconette (false balcony). Middle Deck cabins (deck 2 midship-aft) are semi-French Balcony - with sliding windows.

Main Deck cabins (deck 2 forward) are with non-opening panoramic window. Lower Deck cabins are sized 11 m2 (120 ft2) and have two smaller, square-shaped Porthole windows (non-opening) located near the ceiling. Most cabins are sized 14 m2 (150 ft2), excepting the two Junior Suites (midship Middle Deck), each sized 18 m2 (195 ft2).

All MS Carmen cabins offer as standard amenities double bed (convertible to twins), bedside tables with lamps, under-bed storage space (for suitcases), armchair, mirrored vanity table (writing desk) with chair, drawers, phone, mini-bar fridge, wardrobe with hangers, electronic safe box (in the closet), flat HDTV, individually controlled air-conditioning, en-suite bathroom (WC, glass-door shower, single-sink vanity, under-sink shelve, mirrored cabinets, hairdryer, towels, bath products, bathrobes /slippers upon request), free Wi-Fi Internet (shipwide coverage), bottled water (supplied daily).

Door access and power/lighting is via cards.

Shipboard facilities

The Carmen ship features a fore-located indoor Lounge and Bar (with panoramic floor-ceiling windows), an aft Restaurant (with 2 walls covered with large panoramic windows), Boutique Shop (gifts and souvenirs), Library, Card Room, spacious lobby with Reception Desk, Sun Deck with shaded seating (retractable awnings), sunbathing area (with loungers and deckchairs) transparent glass shields (for wind protection).

The ship has one elevator (lift connecting all cabin decks). There is no elevator access to Sun Deck (accessible only via aft stairs). Passengers with disabilities are served by a hydraulic chairlift linking decks Upper and Sun. Sun Deck aft is a designated smoking area.

River cruise itineraries

MS Carmen cruises on Rhine and Danube rivers. The operated itineraries are themed as follows:

• 9-day / 8-night "Medieval Experience on Rhine and Main" - from Amsterdam to Nuremberg, visits ports Amsterdam, Cologne, Rudesheim, Mainz, Frankfurt, Wertheim, Wurzburg, Bamberg, to Nuremberg.
• 9-day / 8-night "Danube Delta" - from Budapest to Bucharest, visits ports Budapest, Mohacs, Villany, Belgrade, Vidin, Sfantu Gheorghe, Danube Delta, Cernavoda, to Giurgiu (disembarkation, bus transfer to Bucharest).
• 8-day / 7-night "Romantic and Attractive Danube" - from Nuremberg to Budapest, visits ports Nuremberg, Regensburg, Linz, Grein, Melk, Durnstein, Vienna, Bratislava, to Budapest.
• 11-day / 10-night "Danube Capitals" from Vienna to Bucharest, visits 5 capital cities and 7 different countries - Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Pecs, Vukovar, Novi Sad, Belgrade, Vidin, to Giurgiu (disembarkation, bus transfer to Bucharest).

Note: You can see the CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.