Viking River Cruises – News

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Why Viking

Forbes: Viking Saga: The Tale of Tor Hagen And His Voyage From Ousted CEO To Cancer Survivor To Cruise Ship Billionaire

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.
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Forbes: The Norwegian Billionaire Behind Viking Cruises

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.
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Cruise Critic: Viking River Cruises Christens 7 New Ships

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.
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Condé Nast Traveler: How to Choose the Right European River Cruise for You

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.
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CNN: Cruisers’ choice: Best cruise ships of 2019

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.
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Forbes: From The Amazon To The Nile: Your Guide To River Cruising In 2019

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.
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Travel + Leisure: These Cruises for World War II Buffs Combine Travel With History Lessons

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.
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Forbes: Travel That Moves You: How Award-Winning Viking River Cruises Wows

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.
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USA Today: Best river cruise line? Readers vote Viking River Cruises

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.
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Reader’s Digest: The 13 Best Retirement Cruises for Seniors

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.
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Condé Nast Traveler: Wine Cruises Might Be the Best Way to See Wine Country

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.
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Forbes: The Best Way To Visit Europe's Christmas Markets

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.
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Travel Channel: Christmas at Sea: 10 Fun and Festive Holiday Cruises

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.
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Condé Nast Traveler: The Best Cruise Lines in the World: 2018 Readers' Choice Awards

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.
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Food & Wine: How to Eat Like the Real Countess of the Real Downton Abbey

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.
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Reader’s Digest: 7 of the Most Breathtaking River Cruises Around the World

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.
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OC Register: Bavarian cruise is a trip through German history

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.
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Just Luxe: Viking Gets A Gold Star For Their "River of Gold" Cruise

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.
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The Epoch Times: Russia’s Golden Ring Cities Along the Volga River

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.
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Upscale Living Magazine: Cruising the Rhine with Viking River Cruises

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!”
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TravelAge West: What to Know About Viking's Combination Cruises

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.
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Getting Stamped: Christmas Market Cruising Down The Danube River

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!
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Canada.com: By ocean or river, Viking fleets keep on growing

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.
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Forbes: Surprising Detour Off A Viking Cruise: The French Village That Saved Thousands Of Jews During WW II

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.
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Chicago Tribune: Viking doubles down on ocean cruises, Chinese market

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.
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Travel + Leisure: The Best River Cruises for Exploring Europe This Summer

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.
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USA Today 10 Best: This is the best of cruising for 2018

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.
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USA Today: River cruise giant Viking soon could dominate upscale ocean cruising, too

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.
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Travel + Leisure: The Viking Hild Is One of the Sleekest River Cruise Ships in Europe

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.
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Huffington Post: 6 Reasons to Take a River Cruise in 2018

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.
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