Viking Saigon

The 2021-built/2022-inaugurated RV Viking Saigon ship cruises on Mekong River (in Vietnam and Cambodia) departing from homeports Saigon Vietnam and Kampong Cham Cambodia (bus travel to Siem Reap, flight to Hanoi).

Viking Saigon is a modern-designed and handcrafted vessel designed to safely navigate the Lower Mekong River. Viking Saigon's fleetmate deployed in the Cambodia-Vietnam region is the 2002-built Viking Mekong (brand name for the chartered from Pandaw Cruises riverboat "Mekong Pandaw").

Viking Saigon's sistership/same-designed fleetmate is Viking Tonle (2025).

The newbuild riverboat Viking Saigon has max passenger capacity 80 (plus 35 staff-crew). It offers magnificent riverside views from every stateroom due to the large windows and plenty of open-deck space. The atmosphere onboard is extraordinarily friendly, with exceptional service provided by a professionally trained English-speaking crew.

The vessel's builder was Hai Minh Shipyard (Saigon Shipyards Co Ltd) in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Viking Saigon's inaugural cruise was initially scheduled for August 30, 2021 (15-day "Magnificent Mekong" itinerary), but due to the COVID crisis was postponed by a year.

Decks and Cabins

Viking Saigon staterooms (a total of 40) are all outside (French Balcony) cabins, each fitted with floor-ceiling windows slide-opening to a railing (false balcony). Staterooms are in 4 grades and located on 3 decks (out of 4). The lowest deck (Deck 0) is crew-only, housing all staff-crew cabins (midship), machinery (wastewater plant, engines, propulsion, air-conditioning) and storage areas (freshwater, ballast tanks).

All staterooms feature modern furniture (Scandinavian interior design), hotel-style beds (with headboards, premium bedding sets, underbed storage for suitcases, optional twin-bed configuration), bedside cabinets (with wall-mounted reading lamps), seating area (coffee tables with armchairs), mirrored dressing table (with armchair), two wardrobes (with hangers and drawers), electronic safe box (in the closet), HDTV (infotainment system, Internet, satellite reception, English-language programming), IDD phone (international direct dialing), minibar/refrigerator, tea/coffee maker, bottled water (complimentary replenished daily), en-suite bathroom (with WC-toilet, washbasin, anti-fog mirror, glass shower, hairdryer, premium brand bath products / plush bathrobes and slippers are provided complimentary upon request), power outlets (110-220V), USB charging ports, individually-controlled air conditioning, twice-daily housekeeping service.

The ship has 2x Explorer Suites (category ES) located forward (at the bow) on Upper Deck. Each suite is sized 735 ft2 (68 m2, including the terrace) and features a large step-out balcony (full veranda with live plants and premium garden furniture - 2x sunbeds, 2x armchairs, 2x low tables), separate lounge room (HDTV, 3-seater sofa, 2x armchairs, low table, vanity table with chair, direct access to the veranda), separate bedroom (twin beds convertible to a double Queen-size bed, HDTV, 3x wardrobes) and large bathroom (separate WC, double-sink vanity, glass-enclosed shower with whirlpool bathtub).

All the rest cabins are equally-sized (305 ft2 / 28 m2) and also with French balconies. However, the Viking Saigon ship has 12x Veranda Staterooms (category A) which, additionally to the French Balcony, also have a small Step-Out Balcony. Veranda Staterooms are located forward on deck 3-Upper. The rest are standard French Balcony Staterooms (categories B and C) which are located forward on decks 1-Main and 2-Middle.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

Viking Saigon riverboat's facilities are all with floor-ceiling windows and include Mekong Restaurant (full-capacity Dining Room with adjacent Galley/ship kitchen and storage rooms), Viking Lounge & Bar (indoor, with a small outside seating/stern views), wellness complex (Spa and Fitness / Massage Rooms, Gym), Library, Coffee Station (24-hour, complimentary), Lobby Hall (Reception), Shop (traditional hand-made gifts and souvenirs).

The Wheelhouse (Navigation Bridge) is located forward on Deck 2 and is not passenger-accessible. On Sun Deck (Deck 3) are located the Spa and Fitness facilities (indoor), the Shop and the sundeck area (aft) with Sky Bar (open-air bar), swimming pool (Infinity Pool) and roof-covered seating area with premium garden furniture (4-seat tables and padded sun loungers).

One Elevator (midship-located passenger Lift) and a Grand Staircase (indoor) interconnect all decks and are part of the 3-deck-high Atrium (open-floor designed area).

Viking Saigon cruise deals are inclusive of Internet (Wi-Fi with shipwide coverage), all Vietnam and Cambodia tours/excursions, flight and coach transfers, live evening entertainment, daily expert lectures, food tastings, 24-hour coffee/tea, replenished daily bottled water. Also complimentary are the concierge room service and the onboard laundry and tailor services. Medical service (onboard doctor on call) costs extra.

Viking Saigon cruise prices are per person and based on double occupancy. These are only indicative cruise rates which might be different when you book your Viking River Cruises Asia deals, influenced by travel agency promotions, special offers and discounts, group travel booking or last-minute deals rates. On some cruisetours, the company offers roundtrip USA airfare discount deals (on select cabins or itineraries/departure dates).

Viking Cruises Mekong River Itineraries (MAGNIFICENT MEKONG)

On Mekong River, Viking Cruises ships Viking Mekong (2002-bult) and Viking Saigon (2021-newbuild) operate the MAGNIFICENT MEKONG cruisetour itinerary between Hanoi (Vietnam's capital city) and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam's largest city).

"MAGNIFICENT MEKONG" are 15-days river cruises leaving from Vietnam (Hanoi to Saigon, or the reverse from Saigon to Hanoi), visiting 2 countries (Vietnam and Cambodia) and inclusive of 16 (complimentary) land tours (shore excursions included in the cruise fares).

Viking Cruises' MAGNIFICENT MEKONG deals are inclusive of 2-night Hanoi luxury hotel package, museums visits, scenic electric car ride), flight transfer from Vietnam to Cambodia (Hanoi to Siem Reap, 3-night hotel package), bus travel from Siem Reap to Angkor Wat (temples, Angkor Thom, local craft workshops visits, bus travel through the countryside and boarding the Viking riverboat in Kampong Cham Cambodia.

Follows Twin Holy Mountains excursion, Kampong Cham (orphanage visit, coach ride to Udon Monastery, Phnom Penh (1-night hotel package, cyclo touring, Killing Fields excursion /Khmer Rouge detention center, Choeung Ek site), crossing the Cambodia-Vietnam border (Tan Chau overnight dock, rickshaw/trishaw bike ride, small boat ride to Vinh Hoa Island (aka Evergreen Island), tendering to Sa Dec (boarding sampan boat for Mekong Delta scenic cruising, Cai Be floating market), disembarkation in My Tho (river port to Ho Chi Minh City /aka Saigon), bus transfer to Saigon (2-night luxury hotel package).

Prices start from GBP 4650 pp (~USD 5950 / ~EUR 5100), with discounted airfare from USD 1200 pp (when Viking Saigon is booked through Viking).

Next is the Viking Cruises Mekong itinerary map.

Optional is the 3-night Bangkok Thailand hotel package. Departures from Saigon include two 2-night hotel packages (Saigon and Hanoi) or 2-night Halong Bay Vietnam hotel package.

Note: You can see 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.