July 10, 2019 – Many companies on the list operate on major rivers in South Asia and Southeast Asia, and a few are also expanding into China with new ships. “If you want to see China, the Viking cruise is the way to go — great value, service, food, everything,” wrote one respondent, of this year’s fourth place cruise line.
July 8, 2019 – This 12-day Nile tour sails on the Viking Ra, a ship launched in 2018 that was specifically built for the longest river in the world. You won't spend all of your time on the ship; instead, you'll start with three days in Cairo before flying to Luxor to disembark officially. With room for just 52 travelers, this cruise offers an intimate look at Egyptian history—and plenty of face time with the on-board Egyptologists as you stop in Luxor, Edfu, Aswan, and more.
May 23, 2019 – Viking River cruises are an excellent option for retirees who want an intimate journey to smaller ports throughout the world. Guests can choose from itineraries that include exclusive destinations larger cruise ships typically cannot access, such as UNESCO world heritage sites and smaller, riverside towns throughout France, Russia, Austria, Portugal, Germany, Spain, Asia, and Egypt.
May 21, 2019 – Aboard Viking’s new luxury River ship, Viking Osiris, you will see some of the remaining wonders of the world sailing the Nile River. Though the river is beautiful, the real exploration happens when you disembark the ship.
April 15, 2019 – As the sparkling blue waters and red-roofed towns of Croatia drift by, Torstein Hagen makes his way through the minimalist, Scandinavian-style lobby of the Viking Jupiter cruise ship, explaining what makes Viking’s voyages successful. The secret is in what the ships don’t have. There are no casinos, no kids, no umbrella drinks, no formal nights, no waterslides and absolutely no butlers. Hagen has been in the cruise industry long enough to know what he doesn’t like.
April 15, 2019 - Torstein Hagen, the founder and CEO of Viking Cruise Lines, shows no signs of slowing down and has embarked on his biggest endeavor yet: To make a name for himself in ocean cruises.
March 19, 2019 – With christening ceremonies that spanned Germany, Portugal and Switzerland, Viking River Cruises added seven new ships to its continuously growing river fleet. A group of Viking employees, journalists, travel agents and other invited guests gathered pierside Tuesday in Basel, Switzerland, for the event, which saw two ships christened live and an additional five christened in other countries; those namings were simulcast on large screens in Basel.
March 13, 2019 – Virtually identical, the company's 190-passenger Longships possess a contemporary Scandinavian design, emphasizing natural wood, neutral hues, and windows. Enthusiasts praise the alikeness, preferring the same onboard experience wherever they go. With such uniformity, Viking cruises purr along like Bentleys.
March 6, 2019 – Viking has conquered the small to mid-sized cruise ship market. Viking Ocean Cruises, which was established in 2015, racked up 10 first-place awards in the 9th annual Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards on Wednesday. Viking's long-established river cruise line also earned top honors, with Viking Vidar named best for river cruises in a new category.
March 5, 2019 - Viking River Cruises Passage to Eastern Europe itinerary aboard the Embla takes passengers from Bucharest to Budapest (or vice versa), stopping in your less-than-typical, but still completely spectacular, European cities – which is exactly what’s to love about this river cruise.
February 23, 2019 – Paris, Prague, Berlin, London, China, Japan and more are all exciting but different destinations today — perhaps because of the events of 75 years ago. Visiting these places with the added insight of historians and military experts can provide once-in-a-lifetime experiences, as well as memorable vacations. River cruises on Europe’s narrow waterways allow guests to understand the landscape of the countries as they pass, and shore excursions with expert guides bring history to life.
January 6, 2019 - Looking for a relaxing, yet horizon-stretching vacation that gently steers you to enchanting, enriching and entertaining destinations chock full of culture, history and nature? Add to that wish list deluxe accommodations, gourmet cuisine and attentive service by polished staff — plus no-fuss planning and booking. A best bet? River cruising. This growing travel trend is a friendly, easy way to explore the world. An industry leader, Viking River Cruises deftly navigates more than 60 Nordic-style vessels on rivers around the globe — in Europe, Russia, Egypt, Southeast Asia and China — and orchestrates passengers' trips from start to finish, including air flights.
January 5, 2019 – Founded in 1997, Viking River Cruises plies the waterways of Europe, Russia, China, Southeast Asia and Egypt with its fleet of more than 60 vessels. While Viking has also launched an award-winning ocean cruise line, the company built its reputation in river cruising. These all-inclusive cruises feature outside staterooms, Wi-Fi, wine and beer with meals, shore excursions in every port and Viking's signature Culture Curriculum program.
November 30, 2018 - The hardest part about booking a Viking River cruise is narrowing down the itineraries: From Russia to France to Austria to Egypt, each ship is intimate without feeling cramped; each of the Scandinavian-designed longships feels like a floating hotel. You won’t even have to leave your stateroom to get a scenic view of world capitals and foreign lands.
November 28, 2018 – On a recent anniversary trip to the French wine region of Bordeaux, my husband and I opted not to drive, as we usually did, and instead booked an eight-day river cruise on the Viking Forseti. Though we’re not big cruisers, the idea of seeing Bordeaux wine country—a place we’d road-tripped through many times before—via its waterways seemed awfully relaxing and romantic. Plus, not driving meant we could avoid the tricky car rentals and Google Maps mishaps of prior trips and—most importantly—drink more wine.
November 21, 2018 - Some of the most popular river cruise itineraries are those that make port stops at Europe's Christmas markets. Even though the magical season for visiting these markets is quite limited—generally extending from the last week in November through Christmas—the markets draw millions of people from around the globe each year.
October 17, 2018 - Skip the holiday shopping and cruise through Christmas instead! These special sailings bring all the merriment without the holiday stress. Celebrate Old World Christmas and experience the magic of European holiday markets with Viking River Cruises.
October 9, 2018 - River Ship Line #1: Viking River Cruise: Parent company Viking Cruises has expanded feverishly in recent years, with 64 river ships and five ocean ships in its fleet; 51 of those are considered “longships” designed with Scandinavian–style influences just for Viking. Under Viking River Cruises, the company's riverboats explore familiar waters like the Danube and Rhône in Europe, as well as faraway itineraries on the Volga in Russia, and the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar.
September 24, 2018 - I attended Heroes at Highclere as a guest of the event's title sponsor, Viking—which has also sponsored Downton Abbey for all the years the show aired on PBS. It turns out, Viking also has a close relationship with Highclere Castle and the Carnarvon family in real life and, as a result, cruise guests electing a pre- or post-cruise "Oxford and Highclere Castle" extension on select river and ocean journeys are allowed privileged access to Highclere.
September 19, 2018 - Hop aboard Viking River Cruises Danube Waltz itinerary for a leisurely river cruise from Passau, Germany to Budapest, Hungary. You’ll make stops along the Wachu Valley, a UNESCO world heritage site, including Vienna, Austria, while also getting a glimpse into the lesser-known Central European cities, including Krems, Austria, and Bratislava, Slovakia.
August 28, 2018 – For half of Viking’s 15-day “Grand European Tour,” we’re in Germany, eyeing countless hilltop fanciful castles and strolling cobbled lanes of UNESCO heritage-listed cuckoo clock-chirping storybook villages.
August 22, 2018 – Since Viking River Cruises and Portugal both scored top awards at the 2018 World Travel Awards ceremony, it made perfect sense to join Viking for their 10-day “Portugal’s River of Gold” cruise. During my research I learned that the Douro, one of Europe’s most pristine, unspoiled rivers, was named the River of Gold because back in the day the Douro served as the main thoroughfare for transporting Portugal’s culinary riches, which included olives, almonds, grapes and, of course, their famous Port wine.
August 16, 2018 – When I think of Russia I think music, literature, dance; horse-drawn sleds in romantic snowy landscapes; golden-domed churches; opulent palaces of the Romanovs; and borscht (beet soup). During our Viking River Cruise in Russia, we had a chance to experience all that and more.
July 2018 – While traveling north on the Rhine River from Basel, Switzerland, to Amsterdam, The Netherlands, I asked guests on the Viking Ingvi, “Why did you choose a Viking River cruise?” The resounding answer was, “I don’t have to worry about anything, they take care of it all!”
May 16, 2018 – By uniting the river and ocean experiences, Viking is offering passengers a very rich experience of regional culture. The cruises combine a 190-guest Viking Longship river cruise with a cruise on Viking’s fast-growing fleet of nearly identical 930-guest ocean ships. Agents’ main complaint is that the first two itineraries (setting sail in 2018) were already full when they heard about the product.
May 11, 2018 – Christmas markets in Europe on your bucket list? Want to see the best of the best, and as many as you can in a one-week vacation? Well, you’re not alone! That was exactly what we wanted, and we were able to check European Christmas markets off our bucket list this year by taking a Christmas Market cruise with Viking River Cruises down the Danube River!
April 18, 2018 – It was about this time six years ago that I stood on the pier in Amsterdam, on a cold and blustery Dutch day, and watched as Viking Cruises launch its first set of Viking Longship riverboats. The 190-passenger Viking Odin and her three sisters were total game-changers; no one company had ever designed anything like them before, and passengers were immediately taken with their charming, Scandinavian-inspired decor, excellent service, and quality cuisine.
April 11, 2018 – I recently traveled on a delightful, relaxing Viking cruise from Lyon to Avignon. Our ship took us to villages, vineyards, gorges and historic sites along the Rhone River.
March 30, 2018 – When Viking Sun was christened here to great fanfare in March, the big reveal wasn’t so much the influencer Viking has become in small-ship ocean travel but its powerful connection to China. Viking — yes, that Viking — is best known for its river ships in Europe. What you probably didn’t know: This year, Viking is offering 100 sailings on the Rhine and Danube exclusively for Chinese travelers. Mandarin is the official onboard language.
April 3, 2018 – Perhaps the best known of the river cruise companies, Viking promotes their “longships,” which include large suites and inviting verandas for outdoor dining. Guests enjoy Viking’s destination-focused dining while viewing the scenery along the rivers. Viking offers a variety of staterooms and itineraries with a wide range of prices.
March 27, 2018 – Founded in 1997, Viking River Cruises plies the waterways of Europe, Russia, China, Southeast Asia and Egypt with its fleet of more than 60 vessels. While Viking has also launched an award-winning ocean cruise line, the company built its reputation in river cruising. These all-inclusive cruises feature outside staterooms, WiFi, wine and beer with meals, shore excursions in every port and Viking’s signature Culture Curriculum program.
March 12, 2018 – A warning to Oceania, Azamara, Seabourn and all the other lines that are in the business of selling upscale ocean cruises: The Vikings are coming for you. After gobbling up the lion's share of the river cruise market over the past decade, Norwegian-rooted Viking, it is now clear, is aiming to dominate the market for upscale ocean cruises, too.
February 1, 2018 – Viking — a T+L World's Best Winner in 2017 — is constantly coming out with new vessels, like the Viking Hild, which is virtually identical to the 40-plus other longships in Viking's fleet. And that is a very good thing: These are the ships, after all, that sparked America's crush on river cruising, and everything about them continues to feel fresh, vibrant, and impeccably thought out, from the generous number of cabins with balconies to the no-fog mirrors in the cabin bathrooms — a miraculous touch if you happen to be the last person in the shower in the morning.
January 15, 2018 – Take my advice, ocean liner cruise veterans and cruise neophytes alike, if you are searching for a way to see the world and sail through some of the most beautiful scenery (up close!), the way to do it is on a river cruise, and especially on a river cruise with Viking.
