Viking River Cruises
Encyclopedia
Viking River Cruises is an international company that operates a fleet of 19 river cruising
vessels along the rivers of Europe
, Russia
, Ukraine
and China
. Viking has offices in Germany
, England
, Australia
, Switzerland
, Russia, France
and China as well as additional sales offices in the United States
.
In the mid-1990s the company’s cofounder and chairman, Torstein Hagen
, took a river cruise through Russia and decided to create a river cruising company so that others could enjoy similar experiences. Educated at Norwegian Institute of Technology and Harvard Business School, Mr. Hagen was formerly CEO of Royal Viking Line
, and has also served on the boards of Holland America Line
and Kloster Cruise Ltd. The company’s Board of Directors includes prominent investors and financial leaders with background in the cruising and shipping industries.
The company started with the purchase of four Russian vessels in 1997. Then, in 2000, Viking purchased Europe’s KD River Cruises ("K" for Köln, "D" for Düsseldorf), founded in 1827. KD retained its Rhine Line passenger ferries, scheduled services and day-excursion operations. The takeover included the landing stages (docks), an extremely valuable asset. The combined fleet amounted to 26 river cruise vessels accommodating approximately 4,200 passengers, resulting in Viking becoming the largest fleet of river cruise vessels in the world.
The company expanded into China in April 2004 with Yangtze River
cruises that also include hotel stays in various cities like Beijing
and Shanghai
. The company's latest acquisition, in 2006, was the UK river cruise specialist Travel Renaissance which is now known as Viking River Cruises in the UK.
Viking River Cruises currently operates a fleet of 19 vessels, marketed primarily to North American, British and other European customers as well as in Australia and New Zealand. Most of its ships have been built or renovated since 2000 and have all outside staterooms with picture windows, sliding doors ("French balconies") or full balconies. Other onboard amenities include restaurants, bars, lounges, libraries, sun decks, telephones and private bathrooms; some ships have additional in-room amenities like televisions, safes and refrigerators. According to Viking's detailed marketing materials, all ships are air-conditioned. A few also offer elevators or chair lifts.
Viking owns docks in more European cities than it stops in, ensuring prime docking locations for easy passenger access and the ability to walk directly into town in many ports, while sailing past other ports without stopping.
Viking vacations range from eight to 23 days along Europe’s Rhine, Main, Danube
, Seine
, Saône
, Rhône
, and Elbe
Rivers; Russia’s Volga and Svir
; Ukraine's Dnieper and China’s Yangtze. (The company offers packages in Egypt
and in Vietnam
and Cambodia
, but included Mekong, Nile and Lake Nasser cruises are operated by Viking partners.) Many voyages, including those in China, Egypt, the Mekong region and some in Europe, are "cruisetours," which include both hotel stays and river cruising. All itineraries include at least one shore excursion per day.
Viking River Cruises vacation packages are typically all-inclusive, meaning that the cruise price includes accommodations, onboard meals, most shore excursions and cultural activities. Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks are usually not included but special offers sometimes include wine with onboard dinners. All ships have nonsmoking interiors with a smoking area available on the sun deck. Since the focus is on the river and the ports of call, onboard activities are minimal. Air travel, which includes transfers, can be purchased through Viking, but is not included in cruise prices (except in the UK, where airfare or rail costs are included).
Viking provides English-speaking staff on its ships and fully escorted tours in China. Many of the tours are guided city walks that showcase history, culture, art and architecture of the visited cities.
Ships cruising in Russia
Ships cruising in Ukraine
Ships cruising in China
River cruise
A River cruise is a voyage along inland waterways, often stopping at multiple ports along the way. Since cities and towns often grew up around rivers, river cruise ships frequently dock in the center of cities and towns.- Descriptions :...
vessels along the rivers of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Viking has offices in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Russia, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and China as well as additional sales offices in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Company History
Viking River Cruises, a global corporation based in the United States, was established in 1997 by a Scandinavian and Dutch consortium with the purchase of four Russian ships. The following year, additional ships were purchased and the company continued to cater to European passengers. Viking River Cruises expanded into the American market in 2002, establishing U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles, California. As a result of additional purchases and new builds, today Viking River Cruises operates a fleet of 19 ships with more than 3,300 berths.In the mid-1990s the company’s cofounder and chairman, Torstein Hagen
Torstein Hagen
Torstein Hagen is the Chairman and CEO of Viking River Cruises. Founded in 1997, the company has become the world's leading river cruise line, operating a fleet of 19 deluxe vessels on the waterways of Europe, Russia, Ukraine and China...
, took a river cruise through Russia and decided to create a river cruising company so that others could enjoy similar experiences. Educated at Norwegian Institute of Technology and Harvard Business School, Mr. Hagen was formerly CEO of Royal Viking Line
Royal Viking Line
The Royal Viking Line was an upmarket cruise line that operated from 1972 until 1998. The company was the brain child of Warren Titus and had its headquarters at One Embarcadero Center in San Francisco.- History :...
, and has also served on the boards of Holland America Line
Holland America Line
The Holland America Line is a cruise shipping company. It was founded in 1873 as the Netherlands-America Steamship Company , a shipping and passenger line. Headquartered in Rotterdam and providing service to the Americas, it became known as Holland America Line...
and Kloster Cruise Ltd. The company’s Board of Directors includes prominent investors and financial leaders with background in the cruising and shipping industries.
The company started with the purchase of four Russian vessels in 1997. Then, in 2000, Viking purchased Europe’s KD River Cruises ("K" for Köln, "D" for Düsseldorf), founded in 1827. KD retained its Rhine Line passenger ferries, scheduled services and day-excursion operations. The takeover included the landing stages (docks), an extremely valuable asset. The combined fleet amounted to 26 river cruise vessels accommodating approximately 4,200 passengers, resulting in Viking becoming the largest fleet of river cruise vessels in the world.
The company expanded into China in April 2004 with Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
cruises that also include hotel stays in various cities like Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
and Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. The company's latest acquisition, in 2006, was the UK river cruise specialist Travel Renaissance which is now known as Viking River Cruises in the UK.
Viking River Cruises currently operates a fleet of 19 vessels, marketed primarily to North American, British and other European customers as well as in Australia and New Zealand. Most of its ships have been built or renovated since 2000 and have all outside staterooms with picture windows, sliding doors ("French balconies") or full balconies. Other onboard amenities include restaurants, bars, lounges, libraries, sun decks, telephones and private bathrooms; some ships have additional in-room amenities like televisions, safes and refrigerators. According to Viking's detailed marketing materials, all ships are air-conditioned. A few also offer elevators or chair lifts.
Viking owns docks in more European cities than it stops in, ensuring prime docking locations for easy passenger access and the ability to walk directly into town in many ports, while sailing past other ports without stopping.
River Cruising with Viking
Viking's ships have an average capacity of approximately 175 passengers (in Europe and Russia ships hold an average of about 170 and the China ship holds up to 264). The cruises are marketed as being unique from other tours in that they provide vacationers views and access to areas that they otherwise could only visit by driving on their own or by taking a bus tour. Suggested advantage of the river tour is the chance to see the best of the big cities and villages, in a relaxing, affordable and scenic mode of travel. Travelers unpack just once and enjoy scenic cruising on wide, smooth rivers instead of enduring extensive bus rides or long days at sea without scenery.Viking vacations range from eight to 23 days along Europe’s Rhine, Main, Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
, Saône
Saône
The Saône is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône. Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon....
, Rhône
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
, and Elbe
Elbe
The Elbe is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Krkonoše Mountains of the northwestern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia , then Germany and flowing into the North Sea at Cuxhaven, 110 km northwest of Hamburg...
Rivers; Russia’s Volga and Svir
Svir River
Svir is a river in the north-east of Leningrad Oblast, Russia. It flows from Lake Onega west to Lake Ladoga, thus connecting the two largest lakes of Europe. It is the largest river flowing into Lake Ladoga....
; Ukraine's Dnieper and China’s Yangtze. (The company offers packages in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
and Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, but included Mekong, Nile and Lake Nasser cruises are operated by Viking partners.) Many voyages, including those in China, Egypt, the Mekong region and some in Europe, are "cruisetours," which include both hotel stays and river cruising. All itineraries include at least one shore excursion per day.
Viking River Cruises vacation packages are typically all-inclusive, meaning that the cruise price includes accommodations, onboard meals, most shore excursions and cultural activities. Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks are usually not included but special offers sometimes include wine with onboard dinners. All ships have nonsmoking interiors with a smoking area available on the sun deck. Since the focus is on the river and the ports of call, onboard activities are minimal. Air travel, which includes transfers, can be purchased through Viking, but is not included in cruise prices (except in the UK, where airfare or rail costs are included).
Viking provides English-speaking staff on its ships and fully escorted tours in China. Many of the tours are guided city walks that showcase history, culture, art and architecture of the visited cities.
Current Viking Fleet
Ships cruising in Europe| Ship name | Year built | Last refurbished | Length | Crew | Guests | Staterooms | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viking Prestige | 2011 | -- | 443 feet | 44 | 189 | 97 | |
| Viking Legend | 2009 | -- | 443 feet | 44 | 189 | 97 | |
| Viking Helvetia | 2006 | -- | 433 feet | 44 | 198 | 99 | |
| Viking Sun | 2005 | -- | 433 feet | 44 | 198 | 99 | |
| Viking Europe | 2001 | -- | 375 feet | 40 | 150 | 75 | |
| Viking Neptune | 2001 | -- | 375 feet | 40 | 150 | 75 | |
| Viking Pride | 2001 | -- | 375 feet | 40 | 150 | 75 | |
| Viking Spirit | 2001 | -- | 375 feet | 40 | 150 | 75 | |
| Viking Sky | 1999 | -- | 360 feet | 35 | 150 | 75 | |
| Viking Danube | 1999 | -- | 360 feet | 35 | 150 | 75 | |
| Viking Primadonna | 1998 | -- | 372 feet | 40 | 150 | 75 | |
| Viking Fontane | 1991 | 2010 | 311 feet | 28 | 110 | 55 | |
| Viking Schumann | 1991 | 2011 | 311 feet | 28 | 110 | 60 | |
Ships cruising in Russia
| Ship name | Year built | Last refurbished | Length | Crew | Guests | Staterooms | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viking Pakhomov | 1990 | 2011 | 423 feet | 114 | 210 | 110 | |
| Viking Kirov | 1990 | 2009 | 423 feet | 114 | 210 | 110 | |
| Viking Surkov | 1984 | 2008 | 423 feet | 114 | 210 | 106 | |
| Viking Peterhof | 1990 | 2007 | 423 feet | 114 | 197 | 110 | full refurbishment planned for 2012 |
Ships cruising in Ukraine
| Ship name | Year built | Last refurbished | Length | Crew | Guests | Staterooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viking Lomonosov | 1990 | 2003 | 423 feet | 110 | 202 | 112 |
Ships cruising in China
| Ship name | Year built | Last refurbished | Length | Crew | Guests | Staterooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viking Emerald | 2011 | -- | 361 feet | 138 | 246 | 132 |