When Viking Osiris debuted in August 2022, it immediately became the premier ship for Nile River cruises.
The 82-passenger, five-deck riverboat includes most of the trademark touches that regular Viking cruisers will find onboard the European river ships and the fleet of ocean vessels. But these are mixed with fairly subtle nods to Egyptian style, culture and history.
The result is an elegant and comfortable voyage in one of the most interesting and exotic places in the world.
Cruise Addicts was onboard for the ship’s inaugural sailing in conjunction with the naming ceremony. As the ship sailed from Luxor to Quena to Esna and back to Luxor, we found six great features that cruisers will enjoy when cruising on Viking Osiris.
Program Directors on Viking Osiris are Knowledgeable
Viking’s expert guides for Nile River cruises are more than tour guides. They are Egyptologists with a passion and deep knowledge of Ancient Egyptian history and culture.
The ship’s program directors facilitate the voyage from the time they meet up with you in Cairo. Viking’s 12-day “Pharaohs and Pyramids” itinerary begins with a couple full days in Egypt’s capital, where you visit famous sites like the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx, as well as the Egyptian Museum, while staying at a luxury hotel.
The guides lead small groups, and you are assigned to a guide for the entire voyage. We had marvelous directors, Hanan and Salah, who showed us the way and gave us insight along with funny tales about the temples, gods and rituals.
Hanan was the guide for our group, and she was completely attentive to our needs, making sure we drank plenty of water (temps were above 105 every day on our trip) and got all of our questions answered. Her enthusiasm for the sites we visited, like Luxor and Karnak Temples and the Valley of the Kings, was incredible.
“It’s my passion; Ancient Egypt and dogs are my passion,” Hanan said after leaving some water for a stray dog at Karnak Temple. “And maybe humans, third.”
The guides also give enrichment talks in The Lounge on the ship and offer a clear outline of the next day’s plans.
The Shore Excursions on Viking Osiris Visit Highlights
The incredible places you visit are the highlight of any Nile River cruise. That’s why you come all the way to this magical place, after all.
The Viking itinerary in Egypt gives you a lot of time in Cairo to see museums, pyramids, the Sphinx and even ride camel. These are all bucket-list-type experiences in Egypt are all available in your program.
The journey also features stop a in Luxor to go to the Valley of the Kings and ride in hot-air balloons at sunrise. These are premium excursions with an added cost, but we highly recommend them. You get to see the ornate tombs of pharaohs, including that of the famed King Tut.
You have plenty of temple time, with visits to the second-largest temple in the world, Karnak (ranks behind just Angor Wat in Cambodia) and Luxor Temple while in Luxor.
At Quena, you can see the well-preserved Dendera Temple. In Esna, it’s the Ancient Temple of Esna and time to explore the village and haggle with the vendors for souvenirs like a scarf or carving. When you stop at Aswan, you can go to Abu Simbel to marvel over the Great Temple of Ramses II. Or, choose to go for a ride in a traditional felucca wooden sailing boat.
Dining Options
Viking Osiris offers two dining venues: The Restaurant and Aquavit Terrace. They each offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, with breakfasts and lunches a hybrid experience with a menu of selections alongside a buffet area with a range of choices. Dinners are standard plated meals with a full menu.
At Aquavit Terrace, the experience is more casual and you have the option eat inside or outdoors. The food was a nice mix of familiar American favorites, like a steak or cheeseburgers, pastas and salads, as well as some popular Nordic-inspired fish dishes seen on Viking’s ships elsewhere around the world.
But cruisers will really enjoy trying regional Egyptian dishes that are offered. Pita breads and yogurt dips, tahini, baba ganoush and hummus were frequently on the menu, and you will also see traditional items like rack of lamb, beef kofte and many sweets made with dates or figs.
Viking Osiris Cabins are Large and Comfortable
Viking Osiris cabins are quite spacious for a river cruise ship, especially for one that cruises in Egypt on the Nile. The ship features 41 well-appointed staterooms,
I stayed in a Veranda Suite located on Deck 3, and this cabin offered a separate, large living area with a balcony, a large bedroom with a walk-in closet and French balcony and a dual-sink bathroom with a large walk-in shower.
Check out a video tour of our cabin on Viking Osiris.
There are six Veranda Suites measuring 409 square feet. Viking Osiris also features 21 Veranda Staterooms (239 square feet), 12 Deluxe Staterooms (232 square feet, located on Deck 1 and with a window only) and two Explorer Suites (525 square feet).
The Explorer Suites are located at the front of Deck 3 under the bridge, with views to the front and side of the ship, as well as a nice-sized private terrace right outside at the front. All cabin categories feature spacious rooms with mini-fridges and walk-in showers.
There really is not a bad room on the ship.
Windows Everywhere Enhance the Views from Viking Osiris
It’s a joy to sail along and watch life along the Nile from your balcony, the top Sun Deck, the pool at Aquavit Terrace (yes, a pool!) or through the large glass windows of The Restaurant, The Lounge or the Atrium.
The ship is a wide build at 92 feet (this is why the cabins are so spacious), with tons of windows around the Atrium that runs through the middle of the ship from Deck 2 to Deck 4.
On the Sun Deck, you’ll find rocking chairs positioned at the rail and cushioned couches and chairs under a large canopy to offer shade from the intense sun. Sunrises and sunsets are fantastic here! The deck is also trimmed with planters displaying green grassy reeds. Area carpets complete the look of a beautiful backyard patio.
The small, narrow infinity-style pool at the very aft of the ship is an ideal place for a dip after a long day walking through the heat to see the sites.
What’s Included on Viking Osiris
The Viking cruise program in Egypt for its Nile cruises features a range of inclusions to make your voyage relatively hassle-free. This includes airport transfers (when air travel is bought through Viking), relatively strong Wi-Fi, all meals, at least one shore excursion in each port, soft drinks, beer and wine at lunch and dinner, coffees, teas and bottled water (water is provided in your cabin, too), port taxes and fees. We also have a full deck-by-deck tour of Viking Osiris to help get familiar with this exciting new cruise ship in Egypt.
