Viking Mississippi Cruise Heads to Dubuque This Summer

Netflix's show Vikings just got very real for Dubuquers. Well, sort of.

A massive, 386-passenger cruise-ship, known as the "Viking Mississippi," is set to make ten stops in the Port of Dubuque this summer. An exact date is unknown at this time, but local businesses are already preparing for its arrival.

To accommodate this enormous vessel, Dubuque is constructing a $1.8 million docking bay, which will be located near the Grand Harbor Resort and Water Park.

The ship's arrival is expected to be a massive boon for the local economy and tourism, not to mention a real sight to behold for Dubuque residents.

A bit of background on the Viking Mississippi: it accommodates 386 guests in 193 outside staterooms and has a crew of 148. It's 450 feet in length with a 75-foot beam. Built with the Mississippi River in mind, it's "the first truly modern cruise ship in the region."

The ship's website also has an interactive deck-plan, something I spent way too much time fiddling with this morning. On top of a restaurant and bar, there's a gigantic living-room, an "explorer's lounge" adjacent to the bar, a library, a river café, and more.

The site's interactive deck-plan also allows you to see these lavish settings and get a sense of the ship's character. It's essentially a village on the water.

The Viking Mississippi will make a point to stop at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, located in the port of Dubuque. All passengers on the cruise will receive a ticket to get into the River Museum, prompting even more visitors to the Dubuque-staple amidst what is already gearing up to be a busy summer.

The Viking Mississippi looks unbelievable. You can play around with the deck-plan and see the ship up-close here!