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 Uniworld 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, Viking’s fares will come in lower than Uniworld. Uniworld does offer limited time sales throughout the year that can drop their pricing to be competitive with Viking (and maybe even lower). Viking’s sales tend to focus more on reduced deposits or airfare promotions.
But comparing these two lines solely on their cruise fare rates is deceptive. Uniworld pricing is all-inclusive, while Viking’s is not. Viking provides wine and alcohol with lunch and dinner, with drinks outside of these two windows coming at a price. For Uniworld, it is included so you can drink at any time with no added cost. Uniworld’s pricing also includes gratuities for staff onboard the ship, as well as for tours and drivers. Viking fares do not include gratuities of any type, so they will all come out of pocket to the traveler.
Deposits for both lines are non-refundable. Viking typically requires $500 down, though they often run a $25 per person deposit special. Uniworld typically requires 15% deposit. The deadline for making final payment varies drastically, with Uniworld requiring full payment at 120 days prior to your sail date. With Viking, full payment 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. Uniworld offers a reduced 50% single supplement on their intro cabins, with periodic sales dropping the supplement altogether.
Looking to travel with kids under 18? If so, Uniworld is your knockout winner because 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 Uniworld:
Choose Viking if you value a more a la cart form of pricing, don’t plan to drink much outside of meal times, aren’t traveling solo or with kids under 18, and are okay with paying the full cruise amount well in advance of your sailing.
Choose Uniworld if you value a more all-inclusive pricing structure, plan to drink more than a few times outside of meal times, traveling solo and don’t want to pay double, have kids under 18 traveling with you, and don’t want to tie up your money by having to pay the full cruise amount more than a year in advance of your sailing.
Round 2: Cabins & Onboard Amenities
If design aesthetic is important to you, then we have polar opposites when comparing Viking to Uniworld. Viking presents a clean, light-filled Scandinavian-style interior with wood accents. Viking’s ships are designed uniformly, so you can expect the same look and feel across their fleet. Uniworld presents an often over-the-top traditional interior design inspired by the destination each ship sails - with antiques, custom fabrics, and original works of art – making each of their ships uniquely different from each other.
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 196 square feet for Uniworld. None of Viking’s ships have elevator access to the lowest deck for cabins, while many (not all) of Uniworld’s have elevator access to all cabin floors. Viking also does not offer any connecting rooms, while Uniworld does have at least a few ships where you’ll be able to find connecting rooms.
Onboard amenities are more basic with Viking than they are with Uniworld. Both have free Wi-Fi, but Viking lacks onboard bicycles (though they can arrange to have them available in port), a fitness room, a pool/hot tub/jacuzzi, and spa/massage services. Uniworld, for the most part, offers all of these amenities, though it can vary by ship.
Verdict for this round of Viking vs Uniworld:
Choose Viking if their clean, minimalist décor is appealing to you and onboard amenities mentioned above have little or no importance.
Choose Uniworld if their unique décor is appealing to you and if at least some of the onboard amenities mentioned above are important. Also choose Uniworld if you are interested in booking their intro level cabins found on the bottom deck, and you require elevator access (though this is dependent on the specific ship).
Round 3: Excursions
Both Viking and Uniworld offer at least one free excursion in each port of call. But not all excursions are equal, with a distinct difference between these two cruise lines. Viking’s free excursions will likely be a city walking tour. They do offer other options, but these will come with an extra per person charge. Uniworld will offer a similar walking tour, but in many ports of call will also provide one or two extra excursions for you to consider at no extra charge. The extra options might include such things as a local bike ride, a visit to a museum, a concert, or other culturally immersive experiences. In addition to the free options, Uniworld does offer a few “Masterpiece Collection” options for an added per person charge.
Verdict for this round of Viking vs Uniworld:
The easy winner for this round is Uniworld.
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 Uniworld offer buffet-style dining for breakfast and lunch, with a few made-to-order options available (typically eggs and omelets). 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. If room service is important to you, consider Uniworld who offers some limited options. Viking does not offer any level of room service.
What do critics and travelers say? Food & Wine's Global Tastemakers list for 2024 has Viking in the number 8 spot (only one other river cruise line made the list - AmaWaterways at number 10). Uniworld has received culinary awards in the past, but those are more than a few years old at this point.
Verdict for this round of Viking vs Uniworld:
Viking edges out Uniworld in a tight match - unless room service is important to you (in which case, choose Uniworld).
The Verdict: Who Wins this Head-to-Head Matchup?
With 3 of the 4 rounds ending in close matches (or personal preference), the winner of this head-to-head matchup is being decided by the lopsided win in round 3 (excursions)...Uniworld!
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!