Viking cruise policies
Viking Policies: Deposits, Final Payment, Cancellation, Gratuities, Dress Code and Age Rules
Every booking rule that affects your wallet or your packing list, on one page: what you pay when you book, when the balance is due, what it costs to cancel, the nightly gratuity, what to wear at dinner and the adults-only rule. Figures are Viking's own, for bookings made in the United States and Canada, and apply to Viking's ocean, river and expedition ships alike.
Deposit
Viking sets the deposit and the payment schedule by the offer you book under, and prints both on the invoice. Most offers take a cash deposit per person; Viking's frequent sales cut it to a token amount and bring the final payment date forward instead.
| Cruise length | Deposit |
|---|---|
| Standard offers | A per-person deposit shown on your invoice (historically $500 per person) |
| Reduced-deposit sales, for example $25 per person on departures from March 2027 (May 2027 for cruises over 35 days) | $25 per person, with the balance due earlier |
| World and Grand Voyages | Set per voyage; balance due 180 days before departure |
Good to know
- The deposit covers the cruise fare only; flights booked through Viking are paid separately and are nonrefundable once ticketed.
- Any new booking made directly with Viking can be cancelled within 24 hours for a full refund with no fee (the 24-hour review).
- Outside that window the deposit is subject to the cancellation schedule below: $100 per person is kept until 120 days before departure.
- Viking's Travel Protection Plan, bought by the final payment date, adds an Enhanced Cancellation Waiver that turns any cancellation penalty into a Viking travel voucher.
Final payment
The balance is due on the date your offer sets: a fixed calendar date or 120 days before departure, whichever comes first. Missing it cancels the reservation without notice.
Standard schedule
| Cruise length | Balance due |
|---|---|
| 2026 departures (current offer) | October 31, 2026 or 120 days before departure, whichever is first |
| 2027 departures (current offer) | December 17, 2026 or 120 days before departure, whichever is first |
| 2028 departures (current offer) | June 10, 2027 or 120 days before departure, whichever is first |
| 2029 departures (current offer) | February 17, 2028 or 120 days before departure, whichever is first |
| World and Grand Voyages | 180 days before departure |
Good to know
- These calendar dates come with Viking's reduced-deposit offers and change with each sale; your invoice is the authority and we put that date on our calendar.
- Flights booked through Viking are paid in full when ticketed, separately from the cruise balance.
- Viking accepts credit cards, checks and electronic bank transfers; the final payment can be charged automatically to the card on file.
Cancellation charges
Charges are a flat fee or a percentage of the cruise fare and depend on the day Viking receives your written cancellation. Taxes and port fees are refunded. Date changes, itinerary changes, passenger changes and switching promotional fares count as a cancellation.
Cruises of 35 days or less
Ocean, river and expedition cruises except World and Grand Voyages.
| Cruise length | Days before sailing | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Any length | Within 24 hours of booking | No charge, full refund |
| Any length | 120 days or more | $100 per person |
| Any length | 90 to 119 days | 20% of the fare |
| Any length | 70 to 89 days | 35% |
| Any length | 50 to 69 days | 50% |
| Any length | 30 to 49 days | 75% |
| Any length | 29 days or fewer | 100%, no refund |
Cruises of more than 35 days, World and Grand Voyages
| Cruise length | Days before sailing | Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Any length | 180 days or more | $1,000 per person |
| Any length | 150 to 179 days | 20% of the fare |
| Any length | 120 to 149 days | 40% |
| Any length | 90 to 119 days | 60% |
| Any length | 60 to 89 days | 80% |
| Any length | 59 days or fewer | 100%, no refund |
Good to know
- Cancellations must be in writing to Viking's U.S. office: tell SmartCruiser and we send it the same day.
- Refunds go back to the original payment method, or to SmartCruiser when we made the payment for you, and we pass them straight on.
- Flights booked through Viking: any change or name change costs at least $350 per ticket plus airline charges, and the air portion of a cancelled air-inclusive package carries its own fee once tickets are issued.
- No refund for leaving the cruise early or for a no-show; optional excursions can be cancelled up to 48 hours ahead for a full refund.
- With Viking's Travel Protection Plan the cancellation penalty comes back as a Viking travel voucher for any reason; without it, trip-cancellation insurance is strongly recommended.
Gratuities
Gratuities are not included in Viking's fare. Viking's recommended rate is $20 per guest per night, which you can prepay in your My Viking Journey account or let Viking add to your shipboard account at the end of the cruise.
| Stateroom | Daily gratuity |
|---|---|
| All staterooms, ocean, river and expedition | $20 per guest, per night (Viking's recommended rate) |
Good to know
- If you do not prepay, the recommended amount is added automatically to your shipboard account and charged to your card with the final invoice; you can change it at Guest Services during the cruise.
- The gratuity is shared among the onboard staff; tips for local guides on excursions are separate and at your discretion.
- Wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, Wi-Fi, specialty dining and one excursion per port are included in Viking's fare, so the gratuity is the main onboard extra.
Dress code
No formal nights on any Viking ship. Days are casual; evenings are elegant casual in every dining venue, performance and special event, with the World Café staying casual after 6 pm.
Daytime
Shorts, slacks or jeans and comfortable walking shoes for excursions. Swimwear, cover-ups, robes and exercise clothes stay in the pool, spa and fitness areas.
Elegant casual (evenings)
A dress, skirt or slacks with a sweater or blouse; trousers and a collared shirt for men. Tie and jacket optional, jeans not permitted. Required in all dining venues, performances and special events.
World Café after 6 pm
Stays casual all evening for anyone who would rather not change.
Dress Your Best nights
| Cruise length | Formal nights |
|---|---|
| Any length | 0 |
House rules
- Jeans are not permitted in the evening outside the World Café.
- Some excursions visit religious sites that require covered shoulders and knees; pack a light layer.
- Viking ships are nonsmoking apart from one designated outdoor area.
Age rules
Viking is adults only on every ship.
Minimum age to sail without a parent or guardian
| Departure | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| Every sailing, every ship | 18 on or before embarkation day |
Stateroom assignment
Every guest must be 18 or older on or before the day of embarkation; Viking keeps no facilities or services for younger guests and makes no exceptions for infants or children sharing with parents.
Infants
| Sailing | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| All sailings | Not carried: adults only |
Drinking age
| Departure or destination | Minimum age |
|---|---|
| Sailings that include a U.S. port | 21 |
| Sailings entirely outside the United States | 18, or the local legal age if higher |
Good to know
- Beer, wine and soft drinks are included with lunch and dinner on every ship; the Silver Spirits package adds premium drinks.
- Viking ships have no casino.
- Guests must be fit to travel and able to manage the ship and excursions independently; Viking recommends travel protection on every booking.
How SmartCruiser handles the fine print for you
- We put your invoice's final payment date on our calendar and remind you before it; Viking's dates move with each sale and a missed one cancels the booking without notice.
- Before final payment we watch for Viking's next offer and move your booking to it when Viking allows, so you never overpay for the same cabin.
- Viking takes cancellations in writing only, so we handle cancellations, date changes and stateroom moves with Viking directly and tell you the exact charge before you decide.
- Prepaid gratuities, the Silver Spirits package, flights and Viking's Travel Protection Plan go on your invoice if you want them, and your Viking Explorer Society status goes on the reservation.
- Call 1-800-444-1560 and a Viking specialist prices every ship and date side by side with taxes and fees included.
Last verified October 13, 2026 against Viking's own pages: Booking and Sale Terms and Conditions (October 8, 2026), Passenger Ticket Contract, U.S. ports, Viking Ocean FAQ (deposit, final payment, gratuities, dress code, age). These deposit, payment and cancellation terms are the ones Viking publishes for bookings made in the United States and Canada (Booking and Sale Terms updated October 8, 2026 and the U.S. Passenger Ticket Contract). Viking's World and Grand Voyages and sailings sold in other countries have their own conditions. Policies change; the cruise line's ticket contract and the terms on your booking confirmation govern.
Questions
Viking policy FAQ
How much is the deposit on a Viking cruise?
When is final payment due?
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Can children sail on Viking?
What is the drinking age on a Viking ship?
Ask a Viking specialist
Deposits, deadlines, cancellations and what to pack: one call and it is handled, with SmartCruiser's bonus onboard credit on your booking.