Viking River Cruises

All-inclusive packages - another Viking hallmark

A frequent comment about ocean cruise lines is that so many things are not included. But with Viking, your 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. Youll be immersed in local culture on an excursion every day, and virtually all of these activities are included.

Performances & 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 Moscows State Tretyakov Gallery

Gourmet cuisine to complement your cruise
Dining is a very important highlight of any travel experience, but especially with Viking. Our chefs create a variety of delicious offerings featuring European, Russian and Chinese specialties-adapted for American tastes, with fresh seasonal vegetables and soups prepared throughout your cruise.

Variety to Suit Every Palate
For breakfast, choose from a delectable array of healthful and tasty options including a variety of cereals, European pastries, breakfast meats, fresh fruit and selected cheeses. Or you may prefer a hot dish, like pancakes or an omelet made just the way you like it. At lunch, select from the soup and sandwich bar, or choose an entre and dessert from the days luncheon menu.

For dinner, a five-course gourmet menu awaits with regional specialties like Viennese schnitzel and Barbary duck. On our China cruisetours, enjoy one of celebrity chef Martin Yans Chinese delights, as well as Western-style favorites like roast beef or poached salmon. And if none of these meet your preference, then grilled steak, chicken and Caesar salad are always available as dinner options-all prepared in our state-of-the-art onboard kitchens.

Local Culinary Specialties
If an itinerary has included meals ashore, you will visit restaurants carefully selected by Vikings in-country staff where you can sample regional favorites, like Peking duck in Beijing or a traditional German lunch in Rothenburg. And wherever you sail, youll find enhancements reflecting your itinerary, from Dutch cheese sampling to Russian tea time, French wines and quiches, or a Chinese tea tasting. These culinary delights are a central part of experiencing the regions cultural distinctions.

Casual Dining in Elegant Style
Our restaurants are designed for single-seating meals and you can sit anywhere you like, which is a great way to meet new friends. But dining is always an elegant experience, with crisp tablecloth linens, sparkling china and crystal, contemporary cutlery and special touches like flowers and candles. Not to mention impeccable service!

The Viking experience - scenery, history and cultural enrichment
Phenomenal scenery surrounds your ship as it glides gracefully along one of the worlds great rivers. But the Viking experience is so much more with a perfect combination of shore excursions, lectures, demonstrations and performances, every journey is a cultural adventure.

Immersive Shore Excursions
Imagine wandering the halls of the Hermitage Museum in Russias St. Petersburg, sampling the fine wines of French Burgundy in colorful Beaune, or strolling the courtyards of the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. Perhaps you will pull a print in Mainz, Germany from the exact same type of press that Johannes Gutenberg used when he created the original 42-line printed Bible, or marvel at the incredible dexterity of a Chinese artist crafting fine porcelain wares.

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 experience. In most ports, you will also have some leisure time for shopping or whatever suits your fancy. And of course, if you would prefer not to join the organized shore excursion youre always free to explore as you choose independently.

Never Miss a Word
With our Quietvox tour headphones, there are no worries about missing any of the interesting details on your shore excursions. This popular program provides personal headsets for all travelers. A lightweight portable receiver is easily clipped to your belt or slipped into a pocket, and a comfortable headset with individual volume control allows you to hear your guides comments no matter where you are standing. Individual volume controls make every place on your tour the best seat in the house.

Old World Highlights
Not only will you have an enriching experience ashore, but you also learn about your destinations during each cruise. Our Old World Highlights program is designed to complement Viking shore excursions with additional learning and enhancement: language lessons, hands-on cuckoo clock-making demonstrations, classes in cooking local specialties like our apple strudel workshop, seminars on Russian history and culture, or a Tai Chi lesson from a Chinese master-offered on deck as you cruise through the Yangtze morning mist. These in-depth experiences are included as an essential part of discovering more about the places through which you cruise, and each activity is planned specifically to illuminate each itinerary.

Culture Curriculum
Sometimes you want to dig a little deeper. We offer a series of onboard multimedia talks to shed light on the history and culture of the places you visit. Learn about the Dutch Masters or various painters in Frances Seine region while traveling through Europe, the fall of Communism in Russia, or the importance of Chinas dynasties while sailing along the Yangtze River.

Expert Program Directors
Our Program Directors have been selected for their comprehensive knowledge of the regions where we sail. But, they also have uncanny people skills, tending to the needs of our guests from the first moment through the end of every Viking journey.

Travel Companion Books
We provide each guest with a complimentary Travel Companion book. Each one contains information about the region and destinations, local stories and legends, and a kilometer-by-kilometer guide listing locations and attractions along the river with space for your own notes.

We Manage Everything
Best of all, there is no need to do research or make arrangements in advance. We take care of all the details transportation, reservations, entry fees and more. You return home enriched with wonderful memories.

The Viking fleet - elegant, comfortable ships
Viking operates the largest fleet of our own river cruise vessels, and we are committed to providing you the best ships available. Most of the 21 Viking ships were built since 2000, and the rest have been recently renovated. Our ships are smaller than ocean vessels, so every stateroom has an outside view of the river and passing scenery. And the flat-bottomed shape of these ships ensures a safe and smooth ride with no worries about motion sickness. Viking ships are specially designed to navigate the worlds great rivers and provide convenient access to every destination along the way.

Stunning Jewels in Europe
Our biggest news is the launch of Viking Prestige, sister-ship to the state-of-the-art Viking Legend, which joins our European fleet carrying passengers on the popular Romantic Danube itinerary. Built to debut in 2011, this beautiful state-of-the-art vessel transports 189 guests in deluxe staterooms with either French balconies or picture windows. Also for 2011, Viking Schumann will be completely refurbished to provide the utlimate experience on the Elbe River.

Best River Ships in Russia
We have dramatically upgraded our Russian fleetViking Surkov, Viking Kirov and Viking Pakhomov have deluxe staterooms throughout, including suites and singles, and an expanded restaurant facility. These fully refurbished ships are by far the best river cruise ships in Russia.

State-of-the-Art on the Yangtze
For 2011, Viking is proud to welcome the newest member of the fleetthe fabulous Viking Emerald. The newest and most elegant ship on the Yangtze River, Viking Emerald features a private balcony in every stateroom and the largest suites in river cruising, including 840-square-foot Presidential Suites with two flat-screen TVs, panoramic windows and a wrap-around balcony.

Sail Aboard a Fine Hotel
Our ships have Scandinavian-influenced interiors designed to be sleek, comfortable and uncluttered in appearance. Furnishings are crafted of fine woods; fabrics are wools, cashmeres, cottons and linens in a neutral palette well-suited to river travel. Perhaps the most important surfaces are made of clear glass because you wont want to miss any of the passing scenery. Every ship features an impressive observation lounge with panoramic windows. Restaurants surround diners with large picture windows. Or, you may dispense with glass altogether: the sun deck always provides fantastic 360 views. Many of our ships have spacious atrium-style lobby areas where guests are greeted and assisted during their voyage. Each ship also offers a cozy library stocked with the latest itinerary-specific reading materials. Some have a spa, beauty salon, physician or even a tailor.

Built for the Worlds Great Rivers
Viking ships are dedicated and purpose-built for the rivers they travel. Their size and shape fit perfectly when going through narrow passages or river lock systems, and the wheelhouses of our European ships actually descend to allow passage under bridges. And most Viking ships that navigate the Main- Danube Canal have a promenade deck, allowing passengers the great benefit of being outdoors throughout the 106-mile passage.

The Viking standard of service excellence
Viking River Cruises provides a superior travel experience, from one end of the trip to the other. We operate our own ships and pride ourselves on directly managing all aspects of your vacation, from the onboard cuisine to shore excursion lectures to ground transportation. This strong sense of commitment to excellent service sets us apart from other companies.

Rigorous Staff Training
We have high standards for the English-speaking crews onboard our ships. We personally recruit all of our staff members, from your stateroom steward and waiter, to hotel managers and Program Directors. Proprietary training programs are implemented by our Swiss management team to ensure we always provide the level of service you would find in a fine hotel. All these things make Viking a highly desirable employer, with a strong retention rate among our staff.

Extensive Local Experience
Our senior staff brings deep experience to make sure your trip with Viking measures up. For instance, our management team in China has spent decades helping Americans see the region. And our guides there have an average of 10 to 20 years of experience showing people their country. The head of Viking land operations in Europe is a multilingual European native with nearly 20 years in the business, plus experience as a local guide, tour director, event coordinator and cruise manager. Overall, the Viking team brings you a level of expertise other companies cannot match.

Great Service, Guaranteed
As the only river cruise line to guarantee its award-winning service, we are committed to making your vacation the best ever. Should you be dissatisfied with our service upon first check-in (hotel or onboard ship) including food, personnel or shore excursions, please notify us within 24 hours of the start of your cruisetour. We then have 24 hours to correct the situation. In the unlikely event that a solution is not possible, you may depart as soon as is feasible and 100% of your cruise price will be refunded.

Viking accommodations - a warm welcome
When you are a guest on a Viking ship, your complete satisfaction is of utmost concern. From the moment you check in and find your luggage waiting to the time you disembark, you will feel at home. Comfortable staterooms stocked with amenities, helpful staff and connections with the outside world are just a few of the touches that mean so much when you travel with Viking.

Spacious Staterooms
You may be pleasantly surprised to learn that Viking staterooms compare to those of ocean cruise ships. For one thing, every stateroom is an outside stateroom-with a river view through a picture window. Many windows open on all of our ships, and some are full-sized sliding doors known as French balconies. Most staterooms are deluxe, which means they have hotel-style beds with European linens and duvets. There is plenty of closet space and a place to stow your bags once you have 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-as well as region-specific movies and documentaries.

Little Things That Count
Your Viking stateroom is a home away from home, and we want to make sure it feels that way. You will find quality amenities including robes and slippers, wooden clothes hangers and a vanity set. From the books in our libraries to the music in our lounges, we pay attention to the details.

Free Wireless Internet Access
All Viking ships in Europe and Russia have ship-wide wireless Internet access via newly installed satellite downlinks. Bring a laptop or rent one of our computers to check your email and stay in touch with friends and family. And on our China ship you will find an Internet caf, equipped with computers for usage at a nominal charge.

Deep Cultural Enrichment
With Viking, you explore the places you visit with expert Program Directors who provide background, context and a regional perspective. Demonstrations, lectures and workshops supplement your on-shore exploration. All this adds up to a personalized, in-depth experience wherever you travel with Viking.

All-Inclusive Packages
Your fare covers meals, shore excursions, lectures and cultural performances; it also covers hotel accommodations during city portions of cruisetour itineraries. And when you purchase air travel through Viking, we transfer you to and from the airport, ship and hotels at no additional charge.

Great Travel Value
Due to our close relationships with air carriers, you can get a great deal on airfare with Viking. Of course, the included transfers to ship and hotel save you even more. And enjoy additional savings by reserving early (Early Booking Discount), traveling with us more than once and referring your friends you can even earn free travel by putting together a group.

The World of Viking
Because we travel along the major rivers of Europe, Russia and China, Viking offers the widest possible variety of destinations. Experience world cities like Budapest, Kiev, St. Petersburg and Shanghai, immersing yourself in local culture in the smaller towns along the way.

Satisfaction Guaranteed
Ninety-nine percent of our passengers have rated their overall Viking experience as above or far above 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 Cond Nast Travelers Gold List, Readers Choice and Best Small Ships awards; and Travel + Leisures Worlds Best. Meanwhile, travel agents have honored us with awards including TravelAge Wests Editors Choice and Travel Weeklys #1 River Cruise Line. And Viking is featured in the 2008 edition of National Geographics The 10 Best of Everything.