Cruise line comparison
Viking vs Azamara: which should you choose?
Viking and Azamara both sell destination-first cruising on mid-size ships, but they include different things. Choose Viking for newer, all-veranda ships, a guided excursion in every port, an adults-only crowd, no casino and lectures that give each stop context. Choose Azamara for smaller, more intimate ships of about 700 guests, house drinks and gratuities included all day, late nights and overnights in port, and an AzAmazing Evening on most voyages. Viking is more structured; Azamara is more spontaneous.
- Viking
- Azamara
Photo: Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Our verdict
Viking is the more structured, enrichment-heavy experience: newer ships, a veranda for everyone and a guided tour in every port, ideal if you like to be oriented and informed. Azamara is looser and more social, trading the included excursions for included drinks, gratuities and more hours ashore, including evenings. If you’re visiting a region for the first time, Viking’s tours make it easy. If you know how to explore on your own and want time to linger, Azamara gives you the clock.
Ask either line what it’s about and you’ll hear the same answer: the places, not the ship. Both schedule overnights in big cities, both keep onboard entertainment low-key, and both attract experienced travelers who’d rather explore a market than sit by a pool. Viking and Azamara are natural rivals, yet they deliver that promise in very different ways.
Viking leans on structure and enrichment. Its near-identical ships of about 930 guests were built from 2015 onward, every stateroom has a veranda, and the fare includes one guided tour per port plus port talks from a resident historian. Azamara leans on time and atmosphere. Its four ships, Azamara Journey, Quest, Pursuit and Onward, carry about 700 guests, were built around the turn of the century and have been extensively refurbished; itineraries are built around longer stays, so you can have dinner ashore or catch a concert before sailing.
Viking vs Azamara: head to head
| Feature | Viking | Azamara |
|---|---|---|
| Vibe | Calm, cerebral and Scandinavian; a floating library with excellent coffee. | Relaxed, convivial and a little clubby; country-club casual with a sociable bar scene. |
| Typical guest | Retired and semi-retired travelers who enjoy history and culture; adults only. | Well-traveled couples in their 50s to 70s, often American or British; children rare. |
| Ships and size | About 930 guests per ship; identical layouts fleetwide. | About 700 guests per ship; cozier public rooms and quicker embarkation. |
| What’s included | A guided tour in each port, onboard Wi-Fi, mealtime beer and wine, every restaurant and the Nordic spa’s thermal area. | Gratuities, select spirits, wines and beers all day, soft drinks, specialty coffee and an AzAmazing Evening on most voyages. |
| Time in port | Overnights in major cities on many routes, with conventional port hours elsewhere. | Late departures and overnights are central to nearly every itinerary, and night touring is a specialty. |
| Dining | The Restaurant, World Café, Manfredi’s and The Chef’s Table, all included. | Discoveries Restaurant and Windows Café included; Prime C steakhouse and Aqualina carry a cover charge. |
| Evenings | Lectures, classical musicians and quiet lounges; no casino. | Cabaret, live music, a small casino and nights ashore when the ship stays late. |
| Cabins | Every stateroom has a veranda; Penthouse Junior and Explorer Suites add space. | Inside, oceanview and veranda cabins, plus Club Continent, Club Ocean and Owner’s suites; standard cabins are on the snug side. |
| Itineraries | Northern Europe and the Baltic, Mediterranean classics, Asia, round-the-world sailings and polar expeditions. | Country-intensive voyages around Japan, Greece, Italy, Norway and more, plus the Mediterranean, South America and Africa. |
| Dress code | Elegant casual; no formal nights. | Country-club casual every night, with no formal evenings. |
| Price positioning | Upper premium; the included tour in each port adds real value for first-time visitors. | Upper premium; included drinks and gratuities tip the value for social drinkers. |
| Loyalty | Viking Explorer Society, with perks for returning guests. | Le Club Voyage, with tiers earned by nights sailed. |
Which should you choose?
Choose Viking if…
- You want a guided walking or coach tour in every port without paying extra.
- You want a veranda in every cabin and newer ships that are identical across the fleet.
- You like the idea of a ship with no children, no casino and lights-down-early evenings.
- You enjoy lectures and want a resident historian to explain what you’re seeing.
Choose Azamara if…
- You want wine, beer and cocktails from the house list plus gratuities covered from breakfast to bedtime.
- You want to stay late or overnight in port to have dinner ashore or see a city after dark.
- You prefer a smaller ship of about 700 guests where the bar staff learns your name.
- You want a country-intensive voyage that circles Japan, Greece or Norway in depth.
The fleets by the numbers
| Measure | Viking | Azamara |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean ships in our guide | 11 | 4 |
| Average ship age | 7 years | 26 years |
| Average ship size | 46,000 GT | 30,000 GT |
| Newest ship | Viking Mars | Azamara Pursuit |
| Largest ship | Viking Orion | Azamara Onward |
Calculated from the ocean ships in our guide, with build years and tonnage from Wikidata.
Viking vs Azamara: FAQs
Is Viking or Azamara better?
Viking is better for structure and enrichment, Azamara for time in port and included drinks. Viking includes a guided excursion in every port and is adults-only. Azamara includes house drinks and gratuities and builds itineraries around late nights and overnights.
Does Azamara include shore excursions?
No. Azamara includes select drinks, gratuities and an AzAmazing Evening event on most voyages, but shore excursions are extra. Viking, by contrast, includes one guided excursion per port.
Is Azamara adults-only like Viking?
No. Azamara accepts children, but it has no kids’ program and very few families sail. Viking is strictly 18 and over on its ocean and river ships.
Which line spends more time in port, Viking or Azamara?
Azamara, generally. Late departures and overnights are central to its itineraries, so you can explore after dark. Viking also schedules overnights in major cities on many routes but keeps more conventional port hours overall.
Read the full reviews
Updated November 2026 by the BookMyDreamCruise editorial team. How we research and fact-check.
Sources: Viking official site, Azamara official site.