This year will be a year of firsts for Viking as the company recently announced the addition of two new itineraries and a variety of new pre- and post-cruise extensions to its river cruise offerings.
Debuting in March 2019, the new 10-day Holland & Belgium itinerary will sail between Amsterdam and Antwerp, allowing guests to explore the inland waterways of the Low Countries and visit new ports of call for Viking: Rotterdam, Maastricht and Nijmegen. Also, in commemoration of World War II and D-Day, Viking will offer a new 11-day cruise-tour—Paris & D-Day 75th Anniversary itinerary—with two special departures that coincide with the June 6, 2019 anniversary. On this historic journey, guests will travel from London to the maritime city of Portsmouth before boarding their ship in Paris and sailing through Normandy, where they will visit D-Day landing sites.
“For more than 20 years, we have led the industry in developing the largest, most comfortable fleet of ships, the most culturally enriching itineraries, and the best value in pricing,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking, in press materials. “We are proud to continue that innovation and leadership as we expand our river cruise offerings for 2019.”
For guests looking to extend their destination-focused travel experience beyond the core cruise itinerary, Viking has added to the slate of pre- and post-cruise extensions for both its new and past river itineraries. These fully escorted offerings include Timeless Istanbul, which can be added to the Kiev to the Black Sea itinerary; Historic Bruges, an extension to the Holland & Belgium sailing; Burgundy’s Vineyards, a potential addition to the Lyon & Provence cruise; and Churchill’s Britain, which can be added to a variety of river itineraries. Several World War II-focused extensions are also available for the Paris & D-Day 75th Anniversary cruise.
Viking is also preparing to launch seven new river ships on European waterways in 2019. The new ships include six Viking Longships, which will sail the company’s most popular itineraries on the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers, plus one additional vessel, inspired by the Longships and designed to sail Portugal’s Douro River.
For more information, visit vikingcruises.com. For more cruise news and industry updates, click here.
