The ship was used by Prince Valdemar of Denmark on a nine-month tour of East Asia in 1899 and 1900, visiting China, Japan, Thailand, and India.

During World War I, it was a station ship in the Danish West Indies from 1915 to 1917, until the islands were sold by Denmark to the United States.

The Esmeralda, completed in 1884, came to affect an entire generation of cruisers: the rigging was removed, and instead made room for a more powerful machinery and a double screw for better maneuverability.

With its top speed of 17.5 knots, the Valkyrien was able to evade most major warships and, in turn, could cope with smaller ships–a true cruiser.

Not until 1915 did the Valkyrien receive powerful, fast-firing cannons, namely two spare guns from the armored ship Peder Skram.

With a crew of 272, the cruiser began its journey to Hong Kong via Plymouth, Algiers, Malta, Port Said, Aden, Colombo, Singapore, Bangkok, Saigon.

The cruiser then visited Fuzhou, Shanghai, Yokohama, Kobe, Nagasaki and then traveled back via Batavia, Piraeus, Gibraltar and Le Havre.

From July 1 to September 30, 1903, the cruiser was again in service at home, initially undertaking individual trips and training and from August 3, it was part of the maneuvering squadron.

The operation took place after the end of the Balkan Wars with ongoing tensions between the states, whereby due to the close relationship of the royal families, Denmark had special relations with Greece.

The cruiser was converted for use and the old, very slow-firing 15 cm guns of the side battery were replaced by modern 75 mm rapid-fire cannons.

When the Danish Navy set up its neutrality watch in World War I from August 1, 1914, the Valkyrien was assigned to the 2nd Squadron on the Great Belt as a residential and training ship.

There was general social unrest among the black population, so Denmark felt compelled to send the cruiser to restore calm and order.

In July the ship was sent to Egypt and Malta to move North Schleswig under the German prisoners of war to return to Denmark.