Viking River Cruises

Founded in 1997, the behemoth Viking River Cruises is the most award-winning river cruise line.

Just how award winning is Viking River Cruises? Check this out:

• 7 Viking ships were ranked in top spots on the Condé Nast Traveler 2014 Readers’ Poll
• Viking has been named “Best River Cruise Line” nine times by Travelage West
• Travel + Leisure has named Viking River Cruises “World’s Best River Cruise Lines” ten times
• Cruise Critic awarded Viking Cruises “Best River Cruise Line” for 2013
• Travel Weekly has namdee Viking River Cruises “Best River Cruise Line” eight times

You get the picture.

 

The Viking Longship

Viking River Cruises has been launching their award winning, cutting-edge Viking Longships at a rate that would make Leif Erikson jealous.

In 2014, Viking Cruises christened 16 Longships in 24 hours. Nine were christened in Amsterdam; four in Rostock, Germany; three in Avignon, France. And in case you’re wondering, the christening event set a Guinness World Record for “The Most Ships Inaugurated in One Day by One Company.” Who knew there was such a category?

The longships are glorious. They have an indoor/outdoor terrace for al fresco meals, two-room suites with a veranda and a French balcony, and eco-friendly hybrid engines for a smoother ride.

What can you expect onboard? Let’s look at the Viking Longship Aegir as an example.

• 95 staterooms. All outside.
• Opt for a suite and you get two rooms with a veranda off the living room and a French balcony in the bedroom.
• Staterooms range from 135 sq ft to 445 sq ft.
• Sun deck with 360-degree views.
• Aquavit Terrace, where you can dine al fresco, read a book or get hammered on local alcohol.
• A putting green and walking track.
• Restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows so you don’t miss a bit of the stunning scenery.
• A library.
• Free shipwide wireless Internet service.
• Laundry service.
• A 40″ flat-panel Sony TV in case you get tired of looking at the views.
• Onboard activities and shore excursions in every port.

Check out these photos of the Longships.

Al fresco dining, where three people contemplate how drunk the their dining companion is.

 

On the Aquavit Terrace, make sure you beat that woman to the food. She eats everything.

 

The Atrium Lobby, where the two tramps on the left try to hook up with the guy on the steps.

 

The guy who can’t figure out how to use his camera does not come with stateroom.

 

Explorer Suite, where you can discuss your divorce over a plate of apples.

Where Does Viking River Cruises Sail?

Everywhere.

Europe, Russia, Asia, Egypt.

As of this writing, Viking River Cruises has 18 different European River Cruises on 55 different ships.

Holy dinghies!

You can cruise the Rhine, Main, Danube Rivers, Moselle or Elbe rivers. From Holland’s windmill-studded tulip fields to Germany’s fairytale castles. From Bucharest to Budapest. From Paris, the City of Light to Vienna, the Waltz Capital of the World. From the North Sea to the Black Sea. From Basel, Switzerland, home of the biggest watch show in the world to Amsterdam, Netherlands, home of the famous Red Light District. Aw yeah.

 

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Photos courtesy Viking River Cruises