Viking River Cruises

Viking River Cruises

Type	Private
Industry	Travel, Tourism
Founded	1997
Headquarters	U.S.: Woodland Hills, California Global: United States
Products	River Cruises
Website	http://www.vikingrivercruises.com

Viking River Cruises is an international company that operates a fleet of 25 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.

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 25 ships with nearly 4,500 berths.

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 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 takeover included the landing stages (docks), an extremely valuable asset—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.

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 25 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 ("verandas"). 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.

River cruise ship design innovations

In 2009 Viking launched Viking Legend, the first of its ships to have hybrid diesel-electric engines. According to the company these engines use an estimated 20% less fuel than conventional engines. Noise-insulated engine rooms reduce noise and vibration and the ship has its own membrane water treatment plant to further reduce environmental impact. Viking's next new vessel, Viking Prestige, launched in 2011, has the same "green" features as Viking Legend. In 2012 Viking introduces six ships in its new Viking Longships class; each of these ships will have the same environmentally friendly design, plus a new patent-pending interior design that creates large two-room suites, full-size rooms with full-size verandas and French balcony staterooms. Three-quarters of the staterooms on each ship feature a veranda, French balcony or both; staterooms near the water line have a window.

River Cruising with Viking

Viking's ships have an average capacity of approximately 180 passengers (in Europe and Russia ships hold an average of about 176 and the China ship holds up to 256). 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, 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 lunches 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

Viking Schumann on the Elbe near Dresden

Viking Helvetia on the Rhine in Cologne

Viking Europe on the Danube near Krems

Ships cruising in Europe

Ship name	Year built	Last refurbished	Length	Crew	Guests	Staterooms	Comment
Viking Aegir	2012	--	443 feet	45	190	95	Launches Fall 2012
Viking Embla	2012	--	443 feet	45	190	95	Launches Fall 2012
Viking Freya	2012	--	443 feet	45	190	95	Launches March 2012
Viking Idun	2012	--	443 feet	45	190	95	Launches March 2012
Viking Njord	2012	--	443 feet	45	190	95	Launches March 2012
Viking Odin	2012	--	443 feet	45	190	95	Launches March 2012
Viking Prestige	2011	--	443 feet	44	189	97	diesel-electric hybrid engines
Viking Legend	2009	--	443 feet	44	189	97	diesel-electric hybrid engines
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 Rurik	1990	2012	423 feet	105	196	98	fully refurbished with suites & veranda staterooms
Viking Ingvar	1990	2011	423 feet	115	210	106
Viking Truvor	1990	2009	423 feet	115	210	106
Viking Helgi	1984	2008	423 feet	115	210	106

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

References

External links

• Viking River Cruises website