Viking · All Viking ships · Vela series (998-guest ocean ship)

Viking Vela: ship guide

First of Viking’s 998-guest ocean ships, all-veranda and adults only.

Best for: Couples and solo travelers 18 and over who want a small, all-veranda ship with included excursions, Scandinavian design and Mediterranean, Northern Europe and North Atlantic itineraries. Sails from Barcelona, Rome (Civitavecchia), Athens (Piraeus), Tarragona, Venice, Lisbon, London, Amsterdam, Bergen, Belfast, Reykjavik, New York in 2026 and 2027.

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Viking Vela
Viking Vela
54,300gross tons
998guests at double occupancy
2024entered service
784 ftlong
499staterooms

About Viking Vela

Viking Vela was delivered by Fincantieri in Ancona, Italy, in December 2024 and opened a new series of Viking ocean ships. At roughly 54,300 gross tons, 784 feet long and 101 feet wide, she carries 998 guests in 499 staterooms, a modest step up from the 930-guest ships that came before her. Viking classifies her, like every ship in its ocean fleet, as a small ship, built at a scale that lets her dock in the heart of ports larger ships cannot reach.

Every stateroom has a private veranda, there is no casino, no children under 18 and no inside cabins. The fare includes one shore excursion in every port, all restaurants, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi, the Nordic Spa thermal suite and self-service laundry. Public rooms follow the Scandinavian design Viking is known for: the two-deck Explorers’ Lounge, the Living Room and Library, the Wintergarden, Torshavn and a main pool with a retractable roof.

For 2026 and 2027 Viking Vela sails the Mediterranean through the winter from Barcelona, Rome (Civitavecchia) and Athens (Piraeus), moves to Northern Europe in spring 2027 for sailings between London, Amsterdam, Bergen and Belfast, crosses to Iceland and New York in summer, and returns to the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and Lisbon for the fall. She suits well-traveled couples and solo travelers who want culture, calm and a destination-first itinerary.

  • First ship of Viking’s 998-guest series, delivered December 2024 with 499 all-veranda staterooms
  • Owner’s Suite of 1,448 square feet with its own boardroom, library and ocean-view dry sauna
  • Explorers’ Lounge spanning two decks at the bow with floor-to-ceiling windows and Mamsen’s deli
  • Nordic Spa with sauna, Snow Grotto and thermal suite, with no entry fee
  • Main Pool under a retractable roof plus the Infinity Pool off the Aquavit Terrace
  • One included shore excursion in every port, with Wi-Fi, beer and wine at meals and all restaurants in the fare
  • No casino, no children under 18, no inside staterooms and no formal nights
  • Winter Mediterranean, summer Northern Europe and North Atlantic crossings to New York in 2027

Staterooms and suites

Veranda Stateroom

288 square feet including the private veranda, with a king-size Viking Explorer bed, a heated bathroom floor, free Wi-Fi and 24-hour room service; the entry-level room on a ship with no inside cabins.

Deluxe Veranda Stateroom

Also 288 square feet including veranda, with earlier booking windows for shore excursions and specialty restaurants than the standard Veranda category; a good choice for couples who want the extra priority at a modest step up.

Penthouse Veranda Stateroom

360 square feet including veranda, with a larger sitting area, a stocked mini-bar and earlier access to excursion and dining reservations.

Penthouse Junior Suite

432 square feet including veranda, with a separate sitting area, a larger bathroom with double sinks and a stocked mini-bar; two wheelchair-accessible versions, 6020 and 6021.

Explorer Suite

808 to 1,215 square feet including veranda, with a separate living room, dining area and wraparound verandas on the aft corners; aft suites run 900 to 1,215 square feet and forward suites 808 to 1,208.

Owner’s Suite

A 1,448-square-foot multi-room suite with a private boardroom and vapor-light fireplace, a library, a dining area for six, an ocean-view dry sauna and the Silver Spirits beverage package included.

Viking Vela deck plans

Deck by deck, straight from our booking engine: the plan, the stateroom categories on that deck and the public rooms. Pick a deck.

Deck 9 plan

Deck 9

Sports Deck.

  • Sports DeckHere you will find a walking track; an array of games, bocce ball, golf putting green and shuffleboard.

Plans are the cruise line’s current drawings as supplied to our booking engine. Layouts change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the exact stateroom when you book.

On board Viking Vela

World Cafe
World Cafe
Torshavn
Torshavn
The Wintergarden
The Wintergarden
The Theater
The Theater
The Restaurant
The Restaurant
The Nordic Spa
The Nordic Spa
The Living Room
The Living Room
The Library
The Library
The Kitchen Table
The Kitchen Table
The Chefs Table
The Chefs Table
The Atrium
The Atrium
Sports Deck
Sports Deck

Dining on Viking Vela

The RestaurantIncluded

The main dining room with all-glass walls, regional dishes tied to the itinerary and always-available classics.

World CaféIncluded

Open-kitchen buffet with live cooking stations, a grill, sushi and seafood, and indoor or outdoor seating.

Aquavit TerraceIncluded

Al fresco dining beside the World Café and the Infinity Pool at the stern.

Manfredi’s Italian RestaurantIncluded

Trattoria-style Italian cooking with a private dining room; reservations open by stateroom category.

The Chef’s TableIncluded

A multi-course tasting menu with wine pairings that changes every few days.

Mamsen’sIncluded

Norwegian deli in the Explorers’ Lounge serving waffles, open-faced sandwiches and pea soup from early morning to late night.

WintergardenIncluded

Afternoon tea beside the Main Pool with sandwiches, scones and live classical music.

Pool GrillIncluded

Made-to-order burgers, grilled items and a salad bar by the Main Pool.

Room ServiceIncluded

24-hour in-stateroom dining with signature dishes from the ship’s restaurants.

Entertainment and activities

  • The Theater, seating up to 450 for lectures, evening performances and films, with a pair of cinemas
  • Torshavn, a 1940s Hollywood-style music lounge with live bands and a martini bar
  • Explorers’ Lounge across two decks at the bow with Viking Resident Musicians
  • The Living Room and Library, the ship’s central gathering space with classical performances
  • Nordic Spa with sauna, Snow Grotto and thermal suite, plus a fitness center and salon
  • Main Pool with retractable roof and outdoor movie screen, and the Infinity Pool off the Aquavit Terrace
  • Sports Deck with outdoor gym and yoga area and a wraparound promenade deck
  • Viking Resident Historian and guest lecturers, port talks and the optional Kitchen Table cooking school

Families and who it suits

Viking Vela is for guests 18 and over. There is no kids program, no youth facilities and no casino; the ship is designed for adults who want a quiet, destination-focused voyage.

Best for: Couples and solo travelers 18 and over who want a small, all-veranda ship with included excursions, Scandinavian design and Mediterranean, Northern Europe and North Atlantic itineraries.

Sails from: Barcelona, Rome (Civitavecchia), Athens (Piraeus), Tarragona, Venice, Lisbon, London, Amsterdam, Bergen, Belfast, Reykjavik, New York · Regions: Mediterranean, Northern Europe and British Isles, Iceland and North Atlantic

Viking Vela questions we answer every day

How big is Viking Vela?
Viking Vela is about 54,300 gross tons, 784 feet long and 101 feet wide, with 499 staterooms for 998 guests at double occupancy. That makes her slightly larger than Viking’s original 930-guest ocean ships, though Viking still classifies her as a small ship built to dock where larger vessels cannot.
Is Viking Vela an adults-only ship?
Yes. Viking ocean ships carry no guests under 18, and there is no casino, no kids club and no inside staterooms. The atmosphere is quiet and destination-focused, with lectures, classical music, a spa and a 450-seat theater rather than big production shows.
What is included in the fare on Viking Vela?
Every stateroom has a veranda. The fare includes one shore excursion in each port, all restaurants including Manfredi’s and The Chef’s Table, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi, 24-hour room service, access to the Nordic Spa thermal suite and self-service laundry. Optional excursions, premium drinks and spa treatments are extra.
Which staterooms are the best choice on Viking Vela?
Veranda and Deluxe Veranda rooms are both 288 square feet, so the difference is mainly earlier booking windows for excursions and specialty restaurants. Penthouse Veranda rooms add space at 360 square feet. Aft Explorer Suites have wraparound verandas, and the single Owner’s Suite has a boardroom, library and private sauna.
Where does Viking Vela sail in 2026 and 2027?
She spends winter 2026 to 2027 in the Mediterranean from Barcelona, Rome and Athens, moves to Northern Europe in spring 2027 for voyages between London, Amsterdam, Bergen and Belfast, sails to Iceland and New York in June and July, and returns to the Mediterranean, the Adriatic and Lisbon for fall 2027.
How is Viking Vela different from the older Viking ocean ships?
Vela was the first ship of a new series delivered in December 2024. She is 39 feet longer than Viking Star and her sisters, carries 998 guests instead of 930, and has 499 staterooms that are a few square feet larger in each category. The layout, restaurants and public rooms follow the same Scandinavian design.

Facts checked against Viking: Viking Vela, Viking: What Viking Is Not, Viking: Destination-focused dining, Fincantieri: Viking Vela delivered in Ancona on October 13, 2026. Ship details change with refurbishments; your SmartCruiser advisor confirms the current layout when you book.

Live from the cruise line

Every Viking Vela sailing, priced all-in

Every Viking Vela departure the cruise line is selling, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. SmartCruiser picks at the top are sailings where booking with us gets you something extra. Stack the filters, then sort by lowest price, best value per night or sail date.

Every Viking Vela sailing

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Prices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. Onboard credit shown on a sailing is per stateroom and applies to the lowest category offered unless stated otherwise.