MS Seine Comtesse

MS Seine Comtesse was built in 2001 in Kinderdijk (Holland) for Viking River Cruises under the name “Viking Spirit.” In 2016, the riverboat was purchased by the Portuguese company Mystic Invest (a family-owned financial holding) and has since been operated under charter by its subsidiary Nicko Tours (a Stuttgart-based cruise tour company). MS Seine Comtesse cruises on the Seine River (Normandy, France) with roundtrip departures from Paris.

During her Viking River Cruises service, Viking Spirit was also deployed on the Seine River, operating roundtrip itineraries from Paris. She was the last in a series of four “old-design” Viking ships in France, alongside sisterships Viking Neptune (now Verdi), Viking Pride (now Bijou du Rhone), and Viking Europe (now Carmen). All launched in 2001, these riverboats introduced modern public areas, larger staterooms, and wraparound Promenade Decks.

This comfortable river cruise ship offers plenty of places for relaxation and quiet enjoyment of the voyage — from the semi-covered Sundeck (top deck) to the fore-located Panorama Bar Lounge, where selected drinks are served free of charge from 9 am until midnight. The ship features buffet breakfasts and 3-course lunches and dinners in the onboard restaurant. Passengers enjoy French cuisine specialties prepared with fresh ingredients daily, and all guests can dine simultaneously in the Panorama Restaurant. Evening entertainment includes live music, quizzes, and trivia games.

In the Atrium Lobby (boarding area) are the Reception Desk (24-hour guest services), the Cruise Director’s Office (tour bookings and itinerary information), the Library (reading corner), and a Shop (gifts and souvenirs). Wi-Fi Internet access is available shipwide.

The ship has a total of 75 staterooms (12 Standard and 63 Deluxe), all outside-facing and well-appointed. All cabins feature large picture windows, satellite TV, individually controlled air conditioning, a hairdryer, an electronic safe (in the closet), and an internal phone (intercom). Twin cabins are fitted either with a sofabed plus a fold-down bed or with a double bed consisting of two single mattresses. Deluxe cabins have twin beds convertible into a double bed.

The France-flagged riverboat Seine Comtesse (ENI 04800380) was previously operated by Viking River Cruises (Viking Flusskreuzfahrten GmbH) under the name “Viking Spirit” (MMSI 211162230, Germany-flagged). The vessel is powered by two Caterpillar marine diesel engines (model C18 ACERT) with a combined power output of 2.3 MW.

The Viking Spirit was christened by Ellen-Karine Hagen, wife of Torstein Hagen (major shareholder, chairman, and CEO of Viking Cruises). The naming ceremony was held at Merwede Shipyard in Hardinxveld-Giessendam, South Holland.

Viking Spirit River Cruise Itineraries

Below is the list of Viking Spirit’s river cruise itineraries, presented as themes, operated during the ship’s Viking River Cruises ownership.

• “PARIS AND THE HEART OF NORMANDY” – 7-day Seine River cruises from Paris (round trip). These itineraries include six complimentary land tours/excursions. “Cruising Only” options are offered as a shorter 5-day Paris round-trip itinerary.
• Day 2 – Half-day Paris bus tour
• Day 3 – Vernon, short coach trip to Giverny (gardens and Claude Monet’s farmhouse)
• Day 4 – Scenic Normandy cruise to Rouen (overnight)
• Day 5 – Full-day Normandy Beaches tour (WWII-themed, including the American Military Cemetery and the D-Day Museum)
• Day 6 – Les Andelys (Château Gaillard castle tour), evening arrival in Conflans (overnight)
• Day 7 – Conflans (optional excursion to Versailles Palace), afternoon Seine cruise to Paris
• Day 8 – Disembarkation; optional 3-night Paris luxury hotel package
• Note: “Cruising Only” options are offered as a 5-day Paris round-trip itinerary.
• “FRANCE’S FINEST” is a combined “Normandy-Burgundy-Provence” itinerary from Paris to Avignon. It includes round-trip Seine cruising from Paris, a motorcoach transfer between Paris and Chalon-sur-Saône, and embarkation on a different Viking ship for Saône and Rhône River cruising to Avignon.

Below is an exemplary itinerary with port dates:

• 6-day from Paris – Nov 07 (Paris, dep), Nov 08 (Vernon), Nov 09 (Rouen), Nov 10 (Normandy Beaches), Nov 11 (Les Andelys), Nov 12 (Conflans-Sainte-Honorine), Nov 13 (Paris)

Note: You can view CruiseMapper’s list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the “itinerary” section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.