Looking to sail on a European river cruise and not sure which line is best? Here at rivercruisecomparison.com we've brought you a head-to-head matchup of Viking vs Avalon for you to review. So which line gets your knock out vote? Let us know in the comments below!
Round 1: Pricing & Booking Policies
For most cruises, Avalon and Viking’s fares will come in similar. Avalon tends to offer sales that range from a reduced cruise fare, free cabin upgrades, prepaid gratuities, and airfare promotions. Viking’s sales tend to focus more on reduced deposits or airfare promotions.
Neither line is all-inclusive. Viking offers free beer and wine at lunch and dinner, with drinks outside of these windows coming at a price. Avalon also includes free beer and wine at lunch and dinner, but provides an extra one-hour pre-dinner window where guests can choose from a drink menu of select complimentary mixed drinks, wines, and beers.
Both Avalon and Viking do not include gratuities of any type in their cruise fare, so they will come out of pocket to the traveler. Though Avalon tends to offer more promotions throughout the year that could get you pre-paid gratuities included at no extra charge.
Deposits for both lines are non-refundable. Viking and Avalon typically require a $500 deposit per cabin. The deadline for making final payment for Avalon is 90 days prior to your sail date, while with Viking it is required much further out – typically at least a year or more prior to your sail date.
Traveling solo? If so, Viking rarely offers any sort of reduced solo supplement so you should expect to pay 100% single supplement on any of their cabins. Avalon offers solo travelers with options that reduce the supplement to as little as 0% (at least a few cabins per sailing have no single supplement – typically the entry level cabins on the bottom deck). They also have promotions throughout the year that might expand the number of cabins available, and even extend it into higher priced cabins.
Looking to travel with kids under 18? If so, Avalon allows children 8 years and older onboard. Those under the age of 18 must be accompanied by, and share a cabin with, a parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult over the age of 21. Viking requires all travelers to be 18 years or older.
Both cruise lines offer discounts for returning guests.
Verdict for this round of Viking vs Avalon:
For most, the edge for this round likely goes to Avalon – especially if you are traveling solo or with children, like the extra hour of free drinks, and don’t want to make final payment a year or more in advance of the sailing.
Round 2: Cabins & Onboard Amenities
If design aesthetic is important to you, then there are differences to consider with both cruise lines. Viking presents a clean, light-filled Scandinavian-style interior with wood accents. Avalon presents a clean, contemporary interior with a neutral color palette, stylish lighting, and artistic accents. Both Viking and Avalon design their ships so that the same layout and design aesthetic is common across each of their respective European fleets.
Cabin sizes offered by each line can vary quite a bit, but the most common cabins on each line are very similar in square footage – 205 square feet for Viking and 200 square feet for Avalon.
Avalon cabins on the middle and top deck offer bed placement that faces you towards the balcony, while Viking has the standard bed placement with the balcony on the side.
All of Avalon’s ships have elevator access to the lowest deck for cabins, while none of Vikings’ do. Neither Viking or Avalon offer connecting rooms.
Onboard amenities are more basic with Viking than they are with Avalon. Both have free Wi-Fi, though Avalon offers a personal hotspot that works through their headset system – a welcome enhancement that provides free Wi-Fi when onshore, and improved connection when in your cabin. Avalon also has onboard bicycles, a fitness room, and a whirlpool (or pool on the Alegria) – none of which can be found onboard a Viking ship.
Avalon offers a Wellness Program on each of its ships, where a Wellness Host will lead morning and afternoon yoga, stretches, etc. The host will also lead any hiking and biking excursions. Viking does not offer this.
Verdict for this round of Viking vs Avalon:
The edge in this round goes to Avalon due to having personal hotspots, additional onboard amenities, elevator access to all floors, and a Wellness Program.
Round 3: Excursions
Viking offers one free excursion per port – typically a city walking tour or panoramic bus tour. They do offer other options, but these will come with an extra person charge. Avalon will offer a similar walking tour, but in many ports of call will also provide one or two other options for you to consider at no extra charge (especially if you are on one of their ‘Active and Discovery’ sailings). The additional options will likely include a hike or bike option & a more culturally immersive option such as a visit to a local landmark, museum, or concert. Avalon will also have at least a few additional options that come with an extra per person charge.
Verdict for this round of Viking vs Avalon:
Avalon wins this round because at least in some ports they have more than one included option for you to choose from.
Round 4: Dining Experience
Food is probably one of the most talked about comparisons when selecting a river cruise. The problem with this is that dining experiences are subjective, and mostly dependent on the execution by onboard staff (both front and back of the house). For every traveler that says they absolutely loved their food on either of these lines, you’ll find another who complains about the experience. So, comparisons are really about an overall impression on the consistency of service across each cruise line’s fleet.
Both Viking and Avalon offer buffet-style dining for breakfast and lunch, as well as some limited full-service ordering during both meals. Dinners on both lines are multi-course affairs with at least two or three options to choose from for each course. Special diet requests can be accommodated on either cruise line. Both lines market themselves as offering locally sourced ingredients, with dishes inspired by the places visited during the cruise. Avalon provides continental breakfast, lunch, and dinner through room service, while Viking does not offer any type of room service at all.
What do critics and travelers say? In 2024, Viking came in at number 8 on Food & Wine's Global Tastemakers list (the only other river cruise line to make the list was AmaWaterways at number 10).
Verdict for this round of Viking vs Avalon:
Viking gets the winning decision for this round, with the chances of enjoying a quality fine dining experience much greater than on Avalon. But Avalon could win the round if you value having room service available during your cruise.
The Verdict: Who Wins this Head-to-Head Matchup?
Winning 3 of the 4 rounds, the clear winner for this head-to-head matchup goes to...Avalon!
Want to learn more about river cruising? Visit us at rivercruisecomparison.com where you can review our comparisons of the best river cruise lines that sail throughout Europe, learn more about the European rivers you can sail on, and browse our special offers to save a little money on your next sailing. And don't forget to take our one-of-a-kind quiz that will match you to the cruise line best suited to you and your preferences!