Viking's venture into India sparks excitement

Viking will add India itineraries to its river cruise portfolio in late 2027, a move many travel advisors applauded, saying the subcontinent has the potential to be the next big river cruise destination.

The brand will launch the 15-day Wonders of India itinerary in December 2027, which includes a land tour and an eight-day Brahmaputra River cruise on a new ship, the 80-passenger Viking Brahmaputra. Already, most departure dates for the ship's first year of service are sold out. 

Viking won't be the first to operate river cruises on the Brahmaputra. Brands including Antara Cruises, based in New Delhi, have operated sailings there and recently added itineraries in India, signaling a growing appetite for travelers to experience the country through its waterways. Viking's roundtrip itinerary from Delhi will include the Taj Mahal, Jaipur and Kaziranga National Park. 

In revealing the itinerary, Viking chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen said its ocean cruise guests had already shown enthusiasm for Indian ports and that the river cruises would offer a more in-depth experience. 

Angela Hughes

Angela Hughes, CEO of Trips & Ships Luxury Travel, said she wasn't surprised by Viking's expansion, saying she believes India is the "next emerging destination for river cruises." 

"It's not a new concept for India, but it's a new concept for the American market," she said.

Hughes said her company sells India land tours and had been hoping a river player would enter the market. Her clients who visit India are typically well-traveled and in pursuit of visiting bucket-list -- or what she calls "life-list" -- destinations. 

The 40-cabin Viking Brahmaputra will feature the brand's hallmark Scandinavian design rather than reflecting design inspired by India. But that's not a negative, Hughes said. 

"Viking has built their brand on consistency," she said. "Whether you're on the Danube, Mekong, Nile, you know what it's going to feel like." 

Becky Walters

That reliability and brand familiarity will boost client confidence in exploring a new destination, said Becky Walters, the top Viking seller for Vincent Vacations in Oklahoma City. 

"I have so many clients that have done all of the rivers -- they've done a lot of the ocean, they've done a lot of Viking -- and are just looking for something different," she said. "It's a safe bet to get to a place they wouldn't have visited otherwise."

She said her clients are already asking about Viking's India itinerary.

Jillian Everhart

As the largest river cruise company, Viking's launch could persuade other lines to follow suit and bring more Americans to India, especially those who wouldn't have considered it before, said Jillian Everhart of Ever Ready Travel in Michigan, who sells India. 

That was echoed by Ann Morin of Your Dream Vacation in Florida. Viking makes up about half of her river sales, and she said the brand's India launch gives advisors like her more opportunity to sell the country to clients who might be apprehensive. "I love India," she said. "I try to get people to get out of their comfort zone and go to Asia and see places they normally wouldn't go to." 

AmaWaterways has for several years been considering an India launch, chairman Rudi Schreiner said in June. And both Avalon Waterways and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises currently charter ships on the Ganges River from Antara. 

"I feel like Viking's entry into India is signaling market validation," Hughes said. "I think what's going to happen is brands are going to wait to see how Viking does and sit and watch and follow quickly right after."

Viking's expansion won't be without challenges, said Viji Krishna, managing director for the India subcontinent for Rothschild Safaris. 

The Brahmaputra, which runs 1,900 miles through China, India and Bangladesh, is a "moody" river, Krishna said. She previously lived along the Brahmaputra and said it is "ever-changing" and can be difficult to navigate, even for experienced operators. 

A rendering of accommodations on the Viking Brahmaputra. Photo Credit: Viking

She said Viking will have to manage operations during droughts and floods, both of which affect the Brahmaputra. India's other major river, the Ganges, known for being sacred in the Hindu religion, is "easier water," Krishna said. Viking did not respond to requests for comment on its India launch.

Still, Krishna is excited by the sailing, which features remote destinations on the river, and said it will be easy for Viking to entice its loyal customers to visit India.

"It's a beautiful itinerary once you get on the Brahmaputra and go to those villages," she said. "You are sampling and seeing India through the eyes of the locals. It's a very enticing itinerary."