The Viking Experience: Quality, Service & Value
The Viking Fleet: Elegant, Comfortable Ships
A sparkling vessel carries you effortlessly along one of the world's great rivers. See an ancient castle silhouetted against the sunrise; the misty limestone crags of the Three Gorges; or the twinkling lights of Budapest as you arrive just after sunset. Enjoy gourmete dining or relax with a cool drink in the restaurant, lounge or sundeck, surrounded by panoramic views. This is truly the best way to travel!
All-Inclusive Cruising--Another Viking Hallmark
A frequent comment about ocean cruise lines is that so many things are not included. But with Viking, your cruise fare includes just about everything--from meals, enrichment lectures and shore excursions to hotel accommodations on our "cruisetour" itineraries. A Viking vacation is an excellent travel value.
Dining Onboard and Ashore: Classic cuisine is yours onboard our ships, with gourmet specialties from the regions where we sail, as well as Western-style favorites. If your itinerary includes meals ashore, restaurants have been selected to represent local culinary delights.
Shore Excursions: Many of the highlights of a Viking trip are found on our guided tours. You'll be immersed in local culture on an excursion every day, and virtually all of these activities are included.
Performances and Demonstrations: Viking itineraries feature cultural events--such as a Chinese acrobatic performance or a Dutch wooden shoe carving demonstration. Nearly all of these enriching experiences are also included.
Onboard Lectures: Our new Culture Curriculum lectures focus on the history of the regions through which we sail, with topics ranging from the painters of the Seine to the Russian economy. They are another facet of our all-inclusive package.
Hotel Accommodations: Viking "cruisetour" packages include overnight stays in major cities. In Europe, we offer quality hotels in central locations and in China our guests stay at 5-star properties such as Westin, Raffles and others.
Optional Excursions: You can also take advantage of occasional options that do cost a bit extra. If these experiences sound right for you, they are worth every penny. Here are just a few examples: 
- Attend a classical concert in Vienna.
- Take a World War II history tour in Nuremberg.
- Savor a Moselle Valley wine-tasting journey.
- Visit Moscow's State Tretyakov Gallery.
- Enjoy an opera in Odessa, Ukraine.
River cruising is, quite possibly, the best way to travel through many of the world's most fascinating places. Comfortable and convenient, it offers a greater variety of destinations than you could encounter any other way--and lets you get in-depth exposure to the culture and history of each region. Both experienced and first-time travelers have discovered the joys of river cruising, making it the fastest-growing segment of the travel industry.
Hassle-Free Travel: After you board the ship, unpack--just once--in your spacious riverview stateroom. Relax in comfort for the duration of the cruise. No need to worry about maps, traffic congestion, or the many other hassles of traveling by bus or train. A river cruise is a stress-free way to see the best that your destination has to offer.
See the World's Great Cities: Cologne, Vienna, Moscow...because so many big cities and towns developed along the waterways, they were literally made to be accessible by river. Some of these cities are just not available to ocean cruisers, and bus passengers spend precious hours on the highway, checking in and out of hotels. River cruising brings you more of these destinations than you could see any other way.
New Scenery--All Day, Every Day: Enjoy breathtaking scenery from just about anywhere on the ship--in the bar, restaurant, or lounge (all with panoramic views), on the sun deck with fresh air or from the privacy of your stateroom. And, river cruise vessels keep moving, so you'll enjoy new vistas and explore new destinations throughout the day, every day. Our ships often travel at night, so you can wake up in an exciting new place each morning, with no effort on your part.
The Heart of Your Destination: Unlike ocean cruises, rivers provide easy access to city centers. Sail directly to the heart of every destination and dock in the middle of town. Walk right off the ship and join the day's activities. You spend less time getting there--and more time being there.
A More Intimate Experience: Because our ships are designed to accommodate 150 to 300 guests, it is easy to make new friends. Share a drink with the couple you met on the day's tour, or dine with interesting people in the ship's open-seating restaurant. And you can foget about waiting in long lines to embark, debark or have a meal.
Travel Your Way: Enjoy the guided walks, in-depth tours and excursions planned for you in each destination--or sightsee on your own, with time allocated for independent activities.
Smooth Sailing: The flat-bottomed shaped of river cruise ships ensures a safe and smooth ride without any worries about motion sickness. No need to spend days "getting your sea legs"--which means more time to actually enjoy your vacation.
Sail Aboard a Fine Hotel: Viking ships have Scandinavian-influenced interiors designed to be sleek, comfortable and uncluttered in appearance. Furnishings are crafted of fine woods; fabrics and wools, cashmeres, cottons and linens in a neutral palette to provide the best possible backdrop for passing scenery. And the ship's public areas--library, lounges, coffee station--provide everything you may require. Plus, take advantage of complimentary wireless Internet access to stay in touch while you are away.
Spacious Staterooms: You may be pleasantly surprised to learn that Viking staterooms compare favorably with those on ocean cruise ships. Every stateroom is an "outside" stateroom--with a river view through a picture window or French balcony. Most staterooms are deluxe, meaning they hotel-style beds with European linens and duvets. There is plenty of closet space and a place to stow your bags once you've unpacked. All rooms have a private bath with shower, while most also have their own climate control system and telephone. Stateroom TVs offer CNN and other English-language programming.
Best of all, our dedicated, English-speaking hotel staff is always ready to assist with everything from extra towels to information about upcoming destinations and suggestions for your free time.
Classic, Gourmet Cuisine: Dining is a rich part of the cultural fabric of any travel experience--and our chefs invite you on a journey of discovery. We serve fresh, contemporary selections as well as traditional preparations focusing on the regions where the ships are sailing. Dishes are prepared with quality seasonal ingredients and often incorporate local influences. We offer a variety of options to satisfy every palate--from updated favorites to Viking's signature specialties--to suit your every preference.
For breakfast, choose from an array of European breads and pastries, cereals and fresh fruit, or request a hot dish like steel-cut oatmeal or eggs any style. At lunch, order from the menu, enjoy one of the daily specials in the casual setting of the lounge, or take it to the sun deck for an al fresco experience. For dinner, select your five-course meal from a menu of traditional regional specialties and more familiar choices.
The Perfect Beverage at Any Time: Meals are accompanied by hot tea, iced tea or coffee and you will receive complimentary bottle-served wine with dinner. Around the clock, you can have capuccino, coffee or tea, just the way you like it--all included in your cruise fare.
Consistently Excellent Service: Wherever you sail, you enjoy the same standard of service because we manage it all--nautical, technical, catering, sightseeing and guides. We operate all vessels ourselves, with offices throughout Europe and in both Russia and China.
Scenery & Cultural Enrichment: Glorious scenery surrounds your ship as you glide smoothly along one of the world's great rivers. But a Viking cruise or cruisetour is so much more--the perfect combination of shore excursions, lectures, demonstrations and performances, and complete relaxation.
When traveling with Viking, you enjoy at least one shore excursion every day. These guided tours bring you closer to the culture, people, and history of your destinations--and virtually all excursions are included in the cruise fare, providing great value and an incredibly rich, layered experience. In most ports, you also have some leisure time for shopping or whatever suits your fancy. And of course, you can always explore independently if you prefer.
Old World Highlights and Culture Curriculum: Not only will you have facinating experiences ashore, but you will learn even more about your destinations while cruising. Our Old World Highlights program complements your shore excursions with additional enrichment opportunities: language lessons, hands-on classes like our apple strudel workshop or early-morning Tai Chi lesson on the sun deck. And if you feel like digging a little deeper, we offer multimedia talks on the region's history and culture. Learn about the Dutch Masters or French impressionists while traveling through Europe, the fall of Communism in Russia, or China's dynasties as you sail along the Yangtze River.
Expert Program Directors and Enthusiastic Local Guides: Our Program Directors have been selected for their comprehensive knowledge of the regions where we sail and their genuine passion for travel. And our English-speaking local guides are chosen for their in-depth knowledge of each destination.
With our Quietvox tour headphone program, you never miss any of the interesting details on your shore excursions. A lightweight portable receiver worn around the neck and a comfortable earpiece with volume control lets you hear your guide's comments no matter where you are standing.
All-Inclusive Arrangements--A Great Travel Value: Your fare covers meals, shore excursions and cultural enrichment; on "cruisetour" itineraries it also covers hotel accommodations. And when you purchase air travel through Viking, we transfer you to and from the airport, ship and hotels at no additional charge.
Service Guarantee: We are proud of our industry-leading customer satisfaction ratings, with 99.6% of our guests commenting that we have met or exceeded their expectations. We are so confident you will be delighted that we guarantee it.
High Ratings From Those Who Know: We have consistently placed high on competitive rankings like Conde Nast Traveler's Gold List, Readers Choice and Best Small Ships awards; and Travel + Leisure's World's Best. Travel agents have honored us with awards like TravelAge West's "Editor's Choice" and Travel Weekly's #1 River Cruise Line. And Viking is featured in National Geographic's "10 Best of Everything."
