How to Become a Viking Cruises Travel Agent and Build a Premium Cruise Business
For travel advisors who want to move beyond mass-market vacations and build a more sophisticated client base, Viking is one of the most important cruise brands to understand.
Viking operates across river, ocean and expedition cruising, with a strongly destination-focused approach built around culture, history, enrichment and time ashore. The company serves adult travelers and intentionally differentiates itself from traditional mainstream cruising with no children under 18, no casinos, and a greater emphasis on the destination than on high-energy onboard attractions. Viking
For BNT Travel Group advisors, Viking represents an opportunity to work with clients who are often looking for deeper travel experiences, longer itineraries and a more premium style of cruising. BNT lists both Viking Ocean Cruises and Viking River Cruises among its preferred cruise suppliers. BNT Travel Group
How a Viking Cruises Travel Agent Can Build a Premium Cruise Business
Not every cruise client wants waterslides, casinos, mega-ships or nonstop entertainment.
Some travelers care much more about:
History and culture
Smaller ships
Destination immersion
Guided sightseeing
Food and wine
Educational programming
UNESCO World Heritage sites
Longer stays in port
A quieter onboard environment
That is the customer Viking is built around.
Viking describes its experience as destination-focused, with itineraries designed to prioritize exploration rather than onboard consumption. Its ships are also deliberately smaller than the largest mainstream vessels, allowing access to ports that larger ships may not be able to reach. Viking
For a travel advisor, that makes Viking easier to position once you understand the right client.
You are not simply selling a cruise.
You are selling a style of travel.
Who Is the Ideal Viking Client?
Viking is especially well suited to travelers who are curious, experienced and interested in learning about the places they visit.
Potential Viking clients may include:
Couples traveling without children
Retired or semi-retired travelers
Affluent travelers
History and culture enthusiasts
River-cruise clients
Repeat European travelers
Food and wine travelers
Travelers who prefer smaller ships
Clients who value included amenities
Travelers moving up from premium mainstream cruising
A strong travel advisor learns to recognize these signals.
If a client says:
“I want to see Europe, not spend the whole trip on the ship.”
“I don't need casinos or nightlife.”
“I want something sophisticated but not overly formal.”
“I would love guided sightseeing and cultural experiences.”
Viking may deserve serious consideration.
Viking River Cruises: An Important Niche for Travel Advisors
River cruising is one of Viking's most recognizable products.
Instead of sailing primarily between large coastal ports, river cruises travel through inland waterways and bring travelers directly into historic cities, towns and cultural regions.
This creates a fundamentally different type of cruise vacation.
Clients can wake up close to the center of a European city, spend the day exploring, return to the ship, and continue to the next destination.
River cruising can appeal especially to travelers interested in destinations such as:
Rhine River
Danube River
Seine River
Rhône River
Douro River
Main River
Moselle River
Nile River
For advisors looking to develop a specialty, river cruising can be especially valuable because clients often need more guidance than they would for a standard Caribbean cruise.
They may need help choosing the right river, itinerary, season, cabin category, pre-cruise extension and post-cruise experience.
That creates room for an advisor to demonstrate expertise.
Viking Ocean Cruises
Viking Ocean Cruises extends the same destination-oriented philosophy into ocean cruising.
Its ocean ships are considerably smaller than the largest mainstream cruise vessels, and Viking emphasizes cultural exploration, lectures, destination performances and time ashore rather than high-volume entertainment attractions. Viking
Viking Ocean itineraries include destinations across Europe, the Mediterranean, Scandinavia, Alaska, Asia, the Caribbean and other regions.
For the right client, this can provide a middle ground between river cruising and traditional large-ship cruising.
Travelers still enjoy an ocean vessel with a full range of accommodations and dining, but the overall experience remains centered on the places they are visiting.
Viking Expedition Cruises
Viking also operates expedition cruises.
These voyages are designed for travelers who want more remote and exploratory itineraries, including destinations such as polar regions, the Great Lakes, South America and other less conventional cruise environments.
Viking expedition itineraries include specialized exploration equipment such as Zodiacs and kayaks on applicable sailings, along with expedition-focused programming. Viking Cruises
For advisors, expedition cruising can become another premium specialty.
These trips are often more complex, more expensive and more dependent on proper client qualification.
That makes professional guidance especially valuable.
What Is Included With Viking Cruises?
One of Viking's strongest selling points is its relatively inclusive pricing model.
Depending on itinerary and product, Viking's published inclusions can include:
One complimentary shore excursion in each port
Wi-Fi
Onboard meals
Beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
Specialty coffee, tea and bottled water
Port taxes and fees
Enrichment lectures
Destination performances
Alternative dining without an additional restaurant charge
Access to spa and fitness facilities on applicable ocean products
24-hour room service on ocean itineraries
Exact inclusions vary by itinerary and product, so advisors should always verify the current terms before quoting a client. Viking Cruises
This inclusive approach can be particularly useful when comparing Viking with cruise products that appear less expensive initially but require additional spending onboard.
Viking Is Adults-Only
Viking is designed for adult travelers.
The company does not allow guests under 18, which creates a noticeably different onboard atmosphere from that of family-oriented cruise lines. Viking
This is an important sales point.
Some clients actively seek an adult environment but do not necessarily want the nightlife-driven atmosphere associated with certain other adults-only cruise products.
Viking's version of adults-only cruising is quieter, culturally oriented and focused on exploration.
That gives travel advisors another highly specific product to match to the right traveler.
Why Viking Can Be Valuable for Travel Advisors
Premium cruise products can be important to the economics of a travel business.
Higher-value bookings can potentially generate larger commission dollars than lower-priced travel, even when the percentage rate itself is similar.
For example, the difference between selling a short value cruise and a longer premium river or ocean itinerary can be substantial in total booking value.
That does not mean every client should be moved toward a more expensive product.
The correct strategy is always to sell the right vacation to the right traveler.
But developing expertise in higher-value cruise products gives an advisor access to a broader range of clients and revenue opportunities.
BNT advisors benefit from established supplier relationships and preferred commission structures built through the combined production of the agency network and its Travel Leaders Network affiliation. BNT Travel Group
Selling Viking Is About Understanding the Client
Viking should not be sold primarily on price.
It should be sold on fit.
A strong Viking sales conversation focuses on what the traveler values.
Ask questions such as:
How important are the destinations compared with onboard entertainment?
Do you enjoy guided sightseeing and learning about local history?
Do you prefer a quieter adult environment?
Would you rather sail on a smaller ship than a mega-ship?
How important is having more included in the cruise fare?
Have you already taken mainstream cruises and want something different?
These questions help identify whether Viking aligns with the client's expectations.
Selling River Cruises From Home
Viking can also be particularly attractive to advisors who want to build a work-from-home river cruise business.
A home-based travel advisor can specialize in river cruising while operating independently under a host agency.
The advisor may focus on niches such as:
European river cruises
Rhine cruises
Danube cruises
Christmas market cruises
Wine-focused river cruises
Luxury European vacations
Mature travelers
Anniversary travel
Multigenerational adult travel
Specialization makes marketing easier.
Instead of presenting yourself simply as another travel agent, you become the person clients contact when they are thinking about river cruising.
How to Become a Viking Cruise Travel Advisor
You do not have to start as a Viking expert.
You build expertise.
For a new BNT advisor, a practical path is:
Learn the differences between river, ocean and expedition cruising.
Complete available Viking supplier education.
Study the major Viking itineraries.
Learn how cabins and ship categories differ.
Understand what is included.
Compare Viking with competing cruise products.
Attend supplier webinars.
Follow promotions and itinerary announcements.
Begin discussing Viking with suitable clients.
Continue building knowledge with every quote and booking.
BNT provides advisors with supplier access, training resources and ongoing vendor education. Preferred suppliers also provide product training, booking platforms and marketing resources to BNT agents. BNT Travel Group
BNT Travel Group and Viking Cruises
BNT Travel Group includes Viking Ocean Cruises among its luxury cruise partners and Viking River Cruises among its river cruise suppliers. BNT Travel Group
BNT advisors also have access to Cruise Complete through Travel Leaders Network, a cruise booking and comparison platform that includes both Viking Ocean Cruises and Viking River Cruises among supported cruise suppliers. BNT Travel Group
That means advisors can build Viking into a wider cruise-selling strategy rather than treating it as a stand-alone product.
A client may begin with Royal Caribbean or Celebrity.
Later they may ask about Alaska.
Then Europe.
Then a river cruise.
Then an expedition voyage.
The advisor who continues learning can stay with that client throughout the evolution of their travel preferences.
Build a Premium Client Base, Not Just Individual Bookings
One of the most important lessons for new travel advisors is to think beyond the immediate transaction.
Premium travel clients can become long-term clients.
A successful Viking booking may eventually lead to:
Another Viking cruise
A different river itinerary
An ocean cruise
A pre-cruise hotel
A post-cruise European vacation
Travel insurance
Air arrangements
Private touring
Referrals from friends
Group travel
This is how travel advisors build a book of business.
The goal is not simply to earn a commission from one reservation.
The goal is to become the client's trusted resource for future travel.
Why Learn Viking Early in Your Travel Advisor Career?
New agents often focus almost entirely on mainstream vacations because they appear easier to sell.
There is nothing wrong with that.
But advisors who also learn premium products give themselves more ways to serve clients.
How to qualify clients.
How to explain value rather than price.
How to sell destinations.
How to work with sophisticated travelers.
How to compare inclusions.
How to build expertise in a niche.
Those skills transfer to many other premium and luxury travel products.
Start Building Your Cruise Business With BNT Travel Group
BNT Travel Group has supported independent travel advisors since 2004 and provides access to major cruise lines, river cruise companies, luxury suppliers, training, commission processing and professional support. BNT Travel Group
For advisors who want to build a premium cruise business, Viking is a supplier worth learning.
Study the product.
Understand the client.
Learn the destinations.
Use supplier training.
Develop your expertise.
The more knowledgeable you become, the less you compete simply on price and the more clients begin to rely on your professional advice.
That is where a travel agent begins to become a true travel advisor.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selling Viking Cruises
Can travel agents sell Viking Cruises?Yes. Professional travel advisors affiliated with an approved travel agency or host agency can sell Viking products. BNT Travel Group lists Viking Ocean Cruises and Viking River Cruises among its preferred cruise suppliers. BNT Travel Group
Does Viking offer river cruises? Yes. River cruising is one of Viking's major product categories, alongside ocean and expedition cruising.
Is Viking adults-only? Yes. Viking does not allow guests under 18. Viking
Is Viking considered a luxury cruise line?Viking is commonly positioned in the premium to upscale cruise market, with an inclusive, destination-focused experience. BNT categorizes Viking Ocean Cruises within its luxury cruise supplier section. BNT Travel Group
What is included on a Viking cruise?Depending on the cruise, inclusions can include a shore excursion in each port, Wi-Fi, dining, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, port charges and enrichment programming. Exact inclusions should always be verified for the specific itinerary. Viking Cruises
Can I specialize in Viking and river cruises as a home-based travel advisor?
Yes. River cruising can be developed as a specialty within an independent travel business, particularly for advisors targeting mature, culturally interested and premium travelers.
Does BNT provide access to Viking?
Yes. Viking Ocean Cruises and Viking River Cruises are included among BNT's cruise supplier relationships. BNT Travel Group
Do I need previous cruise experience to join BNT?
No. BNT supports both new and experienced advisors and provides access to training and supplier education.
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