As Viking® continues to celebrate its 25th anniversary, the company has marked a new milestone—the most successful single month of bookings in its history. From January 1 to 31, 2023, the company also experienced 18 of its all-time top 20 booking days, including the strongest single day in its 25-year history.
“For 25 years we have been committed to developing travel experiences for The Thinking Person. This is what sets us apart,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “We are pleased that our approach to destination-focused voyages continues to resonate with curious travelers, and we look forward to welcoming even more guests on board around the world in in the years to come.”
Viking’s most popular European River Itineraries
With record-breaking sales, Europe remains a popular destination for Viking guests across the company’s award-winning fleet of river and ocean ships, with some itineraries nearly sold out for the 2023 season. Viking’s most popular European river itineraries include:
- Rhine Getaway(8 days; between Basel and Amsterdam) – Explore one of Europe’s best-loved rivers, the Rhine. Discover the turreted fortresses, grand cathedrals, historic cities, medieval towns and spectacular scenery of the Middle Rhine—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Taste the region’s renowned white wines, the roots of its terraced vineyards reaching back to Roman times. Savor the various culinary traditions of Alsace. From Amsterdam and Cologne to Basel, this journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture.
- Romantic Danube(8 days; between Budapest and Regensburg) – Visit Budapest’s Castle District and cross the famous Chain Bridge. Explore Göttweig Abbey, one of Austria’s most revered monastic centers, and make dumplings with Wachau Valley apricots. Visit historic Salzburg. Spend two days in Vienna and celebrate the city’s musical heritage at a concert featuring works by Mozart and Strauss. With medieval towns, grand cities and stunning scenery, this 8-day journey on the “Blue Danube” is one you are sure to love.
- Grand European Tour(15 days; between Budapest and Amsterdam) – Admire Rhine Valley vistas from a 900-year-old castle. Sample the food and wine of Austria’s Wachau Valley. Learn the Viennese waltz and linger in Budapest’s Café Gerbeaud. Indulge all your senses on this 15-day journey spanning the best of Europe. Our most iconic itinerary traces the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers between the windmill-dotted waterways of Holland and the stunning landscapes of Hungary, with engaging encounters at every bend.
- Paris & the Heart of Normandy(8 days; Paris to Rouen to Paris) – Dock in the heart of Paris, admiring views of the Eiffel Tower and a replica of the Statue of Liberty from your ship. Experience history firsthand at the Normandy beaches and delight in Rouen’s Gothic architecture. Explore Giverny and the charming house and gardens where Claude Monet lived and worked, the setting inspiring many of his masterpieces. This voyage celebrates history, art, food and customs in France’s most alluring urban and pastoral settings.
Viking Ocean Itineraries Opened Early
In response to the strong demand, the company has also opened early 2025 sailings dates on select ocean itineraries including:
· Iconic Western Mediterranean (8 days; between Barcelona and Rome) – France’s famed southern coast and Italy’s Renaissance treasures take center stage on this eight-day Mediterranean sojourn. Immerse yourself in Catalonian and Tuscan art, architecture and history during overnights in Barcelona and Tuscany. In the South of France, call on historic Montpellier and picturesque Marseille, and visit Monte Carlo, Monaco’s glamorous city by the sea.
· Empires of the Mediterranean (10 days; between Venice and Athens) –Ten days. Nine magnificent destinations. One epic journey. Sail the Adriatic and Aegean, taking in all the riches of this fabled region. On an exploration bookended by iconic Venice and Athens, discover the ancient ruins of Olympia and the Acropolis. Explore the medieval warrens of Zadar and Dubrovnik, and admire the famed whitewashed villages of Santorini. Delight in the beauty of Corfu and be captivated by Koper, the gateway to picturesque Slovenia.
· Viking Homelands (15 days; between Bergen and Stockholm) –Sail historic waters and discover more of Scandinavia with overnights in Stockholm, Oslo and scenic Bergen. See charming Ålborg and Gdańsk, and visit the grand cities of Berlin and Copenhagen. Witness breathtaking scenery from your ship as she glides through majestic Norwegian fjords in the legendary homelands of the Vikings.
Viking Expeditions Experience Strong Demand
Additionally, with the second season of Viking Expeditions now underway, the company is continuing to experience strong demand for voyages to Antarctica and the Great Lakes.
Viking’s record-breaking sales are the latest milestone as the company has grown in recent years. Since 2020, Viking has welcomed 15 new ships to its fleet—including eight new Viking Longships on the rivers of Europe, new purpose-built vessels on the Mekong, Nile and Mississippi rivers; two new, identical ocean ships; and Polar Class expedition vessels. Viking was also named both the #1 Ocean Line and #1 River Line by both Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler, making it the first line ever to simultaneously earn #1 in its categories from both publications.
Get to know Viking
Viking was founded in 1997 and provides destination-focused journeys on rivers, oceans, and lakes around the world. Designed for experienced travelers with interests in science, history, culture and cuisine, Chairman Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers experiences for The Thinking Person™. Viking has more than 250 awards to its name, including being the first cruise line to ever be named both the #1 Ocean Line and the #1 River Line in a single year in Travel + Leisure’s 2022 “World’s Best” Awards. Viking has also been rated the #1 River Line and #1 Ocean Line by Condé Nast Traveler in the publication’s 2022 and 2021 Readers’ Choice Awards. For additional information, contact Viking at 1-800-2-VIKING (1-800-284-5464) or visit www.viking.com. For Viking’s award-winning enrichment channel, visit www.viking.tv.
