When it comes to making a splash on Asia’s waterways, Viking has never been a company to dip a toe. This week, the cruise line officially welcomed the Viking Tonle, its latest river vessel designed to glide along the ever-alluring Mekong. With this addition, Viking doubles its capacity on the legendary river, once again proving it has no intention of ceding ground in the high-stakes world of experiential travel.
“Our guests are thinking people who value learning through travel, and the rich history and traditions of Vietnam and Cambodia make this region especially compelling,” said Torstein Hagen, Viking’s Chairman and CEO, with his usual Scandinavian understatement. “We are pleased that the addition of the Viking Tonle to our fleet allows us to welcome even more curious travellers to the Mekong River and the cultural treasures of Southeast Asia.”
A Ship Built for Storytelling
Unlike your average floating hotel, the Viking Tonle is purpose-built for the 15-day Magnificent Mekong itinerary, linking Vietnam’s bustling Ho Chi Minh City with Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh and beyond. She joins her near-identical sister ship, the Viking Saigon, to offer travellers an intimate yet sophisticated way of experiencing the river that has shaped civilisations for millennia.
Carrying just 80 guests across 40 staterooms, the ship is a study in Scandinavian minimalism meeting Asian charm. Expect floor-to-ceiling glass doors, French balconies and verandas that blur the line between cabin and scenery. Three decks host a pool, spa and fitness centre—because yes, someone will always want to cycle after a five-course dinner and an open-air Sky Bar, where a cocktail at sunset feels less like a drink and more like a rite of passage.
A Fleet That Won’t Stop Growing
If Viking’s trajectory seems ambitious, that’s because it is. The company has a committed order book to make most competitors blush: 25 additional river ships set for delivery by 2028 and 10 more ocean-going vessels by 2031. The Viking empire will boast 112 river ships and 23 ocean and expedition ships by then.
It’s a staggering figure, especially in an era when many cruise operators are hedging their bets. Viking, however, thrives on a kind of quiet confidence—adding hardware not for the sake of size, but to better serve a demographic that wants culture with its cocktails, history with its horizon views.
The Mekong: A Destination with Depth
The Mekong isn’t just another river to tick off the list. It’s a living, breathing artery of Southeast Asia—home to floating markets, Buddhist temples, French colonial echoes, and villages where traditions still matter. For travellers weary of cookie-cutter cruises, Viking’s expansion here signals something refreshing: a promise of genuine cultural immersion with all the Scandinavian Polish passengers have come to expect.
While other cruise lines boast about onboard skating rinks or zip-lines, Viking’s offering is much simpler and arguably far richer: a floating classroom where each bend of the river reveals another chapter of history.
Conclusion: Culture Meets Comfort
With the Viking Tonle, Viking is once again playing the long game. It’s a ship that doesn’t just float, it narrates, ensuring guests return with photos and stories. In the increasingly crowded world of river cruising, money can’t buy that kind of distinction.
For more information, visit www.viking.com.
By Sandra Jones
