Cooking on a ship creates challenges for sure. But if you’re cooking for nearly 200 people on a Viking River Cruise every day during their “trip of a lifetime” the stakes are even higher.
The Viking River Cruise culinary team that we experienced as we floated down the Danube River from Germany through Austria and finally in Hungary, was no less than miraculous.
So we thought we’d give you a brief glimpse inside the miracles in the Viking Rive Cruise longship galley that kept everyone fed and happy for a week.
Disclosure: Viking River Cruises hosted us for our experience on the Longship Atla. We were not financially compensated for this review, and the opinions expressed here are all our own.
The first thing you’ll want to know is that although the Viking River Cruise longships are more than 400 feet long, the kitchen (galley) is a neat compact area with no room for waste.
Professional equipment is chosen for its ability to handle many tasks, from ovens to boilers to steamers.
The galley crew must operate like a ballet, fully choreographed to provide meals to nearly 200 people at a time, without anything getting cold and meeting the desires of even the most demanding customer.
Often covering meals in both the formal dining room and an informal terrace, the crew must be sure that all bases are covered without delay. Some high-tech help keeps the kitchen humming.
Breakfast consists of not only a marvelous full buffet including hot items but also the opportunity to order anything a la carte, such as your favorite of eggs over medium.
Lunch has several different options from lighter fare to hearty dishes and even some choices that reflect the local cuisine. As we were floating through Germany and Austria, we were of course delighted to see schnitzel among the offerings.
At dinner, there are the dishes of the evening as well as a few special events. And the desserts are delicious.
There is a dinner celebrating the local cuisine that features entertainment reflecting the regional culture.
Also included is the chef’s dinner, which in our case provided Chef Mihai of the Viking River Cruise Longship Atla an opportunity to strut his stuff with beautiful course after course.
Several special events are also orchestrated by the kitchen. We had the opportunity to learn about and taste a yummy apple strudel.
Gingerbread decorating and learning local cookie recipes were also on the menu.
There was even an opportunity to watch our enthusiastic crew make a local delight called Kaiserschmarren that’s like a giant tumble of pancake bits. The fun they had producing these treats made it all the more fun for us.
And, of course, there were opportunities to make friends while tasting the wine and beverages that went with each meal.
The romance of the Danube is undeniable. And it was made all the more memorable for us by the miracles that came out of the Viking River Cruise galley.
Interested in taking your own tasty river cruise check out their website for all the details at vikingrivercruises.com
THE QUICK BITE: The Viking River Cruises culinary team that we experienced as we floated down the Danube River from Germany through Austria and finally in Hungary, was no less than miraculous.
15 Comments
Comprehensive inside look at the food galley on a Viking river boat. I am going on one in less than 2 months and I will try to mirror your experience.
Glad to hear that Priya! You’ll love it. Thanks for stopping by.:D
What a neat experience to look at the behind the scenes into the galley. I have not been on a cruise yet and want to the Viking cruise at some point, you picture make me want to book the trip now!! Yummy food, awesome places to explore while on a floating hotel!
Mmm I’m hungry now. Your photos look delicious. I have strolled along the Danube but have never taken a cruise on it. Putting it on my radar!
Amazing! I’ve always imagined cruises would just throw mass produced food onto a buffet and let everyone go at it, but these are some serious culinary creations! Go Viking River Cruise! Noted that we’ll be taking a cruise with them when we’re next in Europe!
I’m not a big cruiser but so appreciate the glimpse behind the scenes. How the small kitchen crew manages to produce so much for so many is a wonder. Great pictures.
I really don’t know how they do it so well and so consistently. We had a galley tour on the Viking Hemming, a smaller ship that carries about 100 people. I imagine the kitchen was a bit smaller that that on your ship, too. Upstairs, we’re all enjoying fab dishes and the smoothest of service not thinking about the “miracles” going on downstairs. Love your pics, especially of the action in the kitchen.
You will love it Kirsten! Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Katherine! Yes, that was our favorite night too! Pretzels, schnitzel, and all the trimmings.
You’ve convinced me! Who cares about the destinations. I just want to go for the food!
It really is amazing that they can make so much food in that tiny kitchen, and store the food that’s needed for a few days on the ship too. Our favorite meal onboard was the German / Austrian themed dinner with schnitzel!
I especially enjoyed this behind-the-scenes visit to the galley of your Viking cruise. Amazing how so many interesting meals can be made in such a small space!
How great to get a behind the scenes look at the food preparation on a Viking cruise. I once had opportunity to tour the kitchen on a Princess cruise and was impressed with what I saw – all stainless steel like in your photos, but never saw the cooks in action.
What a fascinating experience to be able to go behind the scenes and into the kitchen of a river cruise ship with such a stellar reputation for fine and locally-inspired cuisine. Viking is on my must-try list for 2016!
Where’s your gingerbread house…or did you eat it. I have to say I was most interested in the desserts. The strudel looked great! What a neat experience to be able to go “behind the scenes”.