Viking River Cruises

Viking River Cruises ships sail through some of the most interesting cities in the world. The company's welcoming service and full fleet of luxury vessels make any trip something to savor. If you're looking for an alternative way to travel, consider river cruises —a choice that offers the chance to travel in style and experience some of the world's best cities.

The company, with offices in Los Angeles, Basel, Switzerland, and other European cities, has been sailing great rivers since getting started in 1997. A consortium of Dutch and Scandinavian interests established the company when they purchased four Russian-made ships. After a successful start of offering European river cruises, Viking expanded to the American market in 2000 when the US headquarters were built in the City of Angels. In the years since, the fleet has grown to nearly 20 world-class ships with some 4,000 berths on the calendar each year.

Even as other forms of travel faced decline in a tough economy, Viking River Cruises (and river cruising as a whole) saw explosive growth. As travelers have become discriminating, river cruising itineraries have met their desires for authentic experiences and comfortable vacations with style. With trips on all the major waterways of Europe, the Nile in Egypt, and the Mekong in Southeast Asia, Viking River ships can go places your average cruise ships cannot.

Since so many cities grew up along inland waterways, river cruising is a natural way to experience the best the cities have to offer. And you'll also have the chance to find charming towns and villages along the way not included on most itineraries when you step aboard a river boat. Along with the Danube River cruises , Viking's ships in Europe ply the Rhone, Main, and Rhine Rivers; the Elbe River in eastern Gernmany; the Saone and Siene Rivers in France; the Dnieper in Ukraine and the Volga in Russia; the Mekoong in Cambodia and Vietnam; the Nile in Egypt; the Douro in Portuagl; and several other smaller rivers.

Every one of the Viking River ships was designed for comfort. These are the giant cruise ships that travel the oceans and visits ports of call in the Caribbean . These ships accommodate around 150 passengers at the most on these vessels built to navigate rivers rather than oceans.

On board, guests of Viking River Cruises enjoy outside staterooms so they can soak in the views the entire trip. The schedule also includes cocktail parties, captain's dinners, and other excellent meals. The itineraries also have shore excursions built right in, and often stays in fine hotels before and/or after the cruise. As you're enjoying the trip, you will meet some amazing people and make some memories you won't soon forget.

On luxury European river cruises , the menus have been specially created to match the culinary inspiration of the local cultures. The culinary programs also specialize in American favorites, so you'll always have something to like whatever your taste. On the Danube River cruises through Vienna, the menu features the traditional schnitzel, while the Netherlands itineraries feature hutspot , a type of beef stew. In Paris, you might dine on specially prepared potatoes with fillet of sol garnished with lemon and lobster foam. The menu will also feature grilled steaks and Caesar salads, no matter which route you're taking. The chefs traveling on board have all trained in Swiss culinary schools; they work in top-notch kitchens and craft their menus around seasonal produce and other local tastes.

Along the way, you'll enjoy top-notch service from the English-speaking staff. Through a series of shore excursions and interactive programs, passengers learn more about the culture of the places they're visiting, allowing you to experience a place like never before.