2017 was a particularly successful year for Viking, which celebrated 20 years of exploring inspiring destinations around the globe. Viking also launched its fourth ocean ship, Viking Sun. It was also an exceptional year for awards. The British Travel Awards recognised the cruise line for Best Luxury Ocean Cruise Line, Best Midsize Ships Ocean Cruise Line and Best River Cruise Line for the 9th year running. 

Viking River Cruises boasts the most extensive fleet of river cruise vessels, which won three River Cruise Awards at the Cruise Critic's editor's picks award – for Best Enrichment, Best for First Timers, and Best Shore Excursions. By 2019, it will operate a fleet of 69 river vessels. 

Highlights of the Viking River Cruise programme for 2019:

Portugal's River of Gold itinerary takes guests on a 10-day journey experiencing the renaissance of Lisbon, a city that is newly invigorated with trending galleries and restaurants enabling you to enjoy traditional cuisine, wine and fado singing. Passengers will then explore Iberia's oldest university towns, Coimbra in Portugal and Salamanc in Spain, while also encompassing the Douro River Valley, the world's oldest demarcated wine region and a UNESCO site.

Including 8 guided tours. Departing March to December 2019, prices start from £1,345 per person

Elegant Elbe is a 10-day cruise from Berlin to Prague, discovering Berlin's modern chic, Potsdam's rococo whimsy and Prague's Gothic exuberance. Walk in Martin Luther's footsteps in Wittenberg, birthplace of the Protestant Reformation, admire delicate Meissen porcelain, view Saxon Switzerland's monoliths, and celebrate Dresden, a phoenix risen from the ashes of war. See the Elbe Biosphere Reserve as one of Europe's most unspoiled rivers awaits you.

Including 8 guided tours. Departing March to November 2019, prices start from £2,095 per person

Rhine Getaway allows passengers to overlook the Rhine from Germany's best-preserved medieval castle. Discover the various culinary traditions of Alsace, explore the Black Forest and visit a local workshop to see a cuckoo clock-making demonstration. Turreted fortresses, grand cathedrals, historic cities, medieval towns and spectacular scenery of the Middle Rhine—little wonder that the Rhine is one of Europe's best-loved rivers. From Amsterdam and Cologne to Basel, this 8-day journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture. 

Including 6 guided tours. Departing March to December 2019, prices start from £1,195 per person

Romantic Danube begins in Budapest where you can visit the Castle District and cross the famous Chain Bridge. Explore Gottweig Abbet, one of Austria's most revered monastic centers and make dumplings with Wachan Valley apricots. See Europe's largest pipe organ in Passau or travel to Salzberg. Celebrate Vienna'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. Including 6 guided tours. Departing April to December 2019. Prices start from £1,095 per person

Passage to Eastern Europe allows its passengers to see Bucharest's 3000- room Palace of Parliament. You can make banitsa bread with a home cook in Vidin and explore Belgrade's Ottoman and European treasures, including a 6th century Kalemegdan Fortress. View the Danube's towering Iron Gate or visit a Croatian family's Osijek home and witness Hungary's daredevil Puszta horsemen. Once hidden behind the Iron Curtain, the eastern Danube still has secrets to reveal on Viking's 11-day cruise tour from Bucharest to Budapest.

Including 7-guided tours. Departing March to November 2019. Prices start from £1,845 per person

Grand European Tour lets you 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 of your senses on this 15- day journey spanning the best of Europe. Viking's 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.

Including 12 guided tours. Departing April to November 2019. Prices start from £2,845 per person

Chateaux, Rivers & Wine discovers the ports, vineyards, farms and forests of Aquitaine, once Europe's richest kingdom. See Bordeaux's fountains and cellars, hunt for truffles in Périgord and then taste them in a home-cooked meal. Create your own personal blend of Cognac at the Camus distillery and savour France's finest oysters fresh from the bay at Arcachon. Sip Saint-Émilion, Médoc and Sauternes in their own terroir on an 8-day cruise through Bordeaux—a region synonymous with fine wine and even finer living.

Including 7 guided tours. Departing March to November 2019. Prices start from £1,295 per person

Waterways of the Tsars allows you to see the swirling onion domes and stout towers of Moscow's Red Square. Share stories at the kitchen table of an Uglich family, savour Russian caviar with your bilini pancakes and soak up the steam in a traditional banya in riverside Mandrogy village. Envision Peter the Great luxuriating in the massive Peterhof Palace, then see how multiple families shared living space at a Soviet-era kommunalka. From Moscow to St. Petersburg, this 13-day voyage reveals the real Russia as never before. 

Including 10 guided tours. Departing May to October 2019. Prices start from £2,795 per person

Pharaohs & Pyramidsuncovers the ancient secrets of Egypt long buried in desert sands while experiencing the welcoming culture of today. See the pyramids from astride a majestic camel, wander among 140 soaring pillars in the Karnak Temple, and explore Dendera, one of Egypt's best-preserved and less-frequented temples. Feel the Nile breeze on your cheeks as you skim its waters by a traditional felucca and delight in the fragrances of Aswan's spice market. Join Viking's expert Egyptologists on a 12-day Nile cruise tour into the heart of Egypt. 

Including 11 guided tours. Departing January to December 2019. Prices start from £5,295 per person

Imperial Jewels of China encompasses Walks along the Great Wall and through Beijing's old hutong neighborhoods. Contrast the stylised sculpted beasts guarding the Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs with the lifelike statues of Xian's Terra Cotta Army. Cruise between the bamboo groves and limestone pinnacles of the Yangtze's Goddess Stream. This 14-day cruise tour is the perfect introduction to China, showcasing its most important cultural centres and the mighty Yangtze.

Including 11 guided tours. Departing March to November 2019. Prices start from £2,795 per person

Magnificent Mekong visits theKhmer temple complex of Angkor Wat while allowing passengers to shop Old Hanoi's markets. Behold the haunting beauty of Ta Prohm, where jungle vines embrace ancient ruins and explore Phnom Penh, Cambodia by cyclo rickshaw. Discover silk towns, fishing villages, monasteries and floating markets. With hotel stays in Hanoi, Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) bracketing your 8-day Mekong cruise, this 15-day cruise tour reveals the beauty and grace of a land we have only just begun to know.

Including 14 guided tours.Departing January to December 2019. Prices start from £3,535 per person

Kiev to the Black Sea cruises the Dnieper River to the Black Sea, an ancient and splendid trade route lined with rich cultural treasures, onion-domed churches and rural folkways that recall the days of Vikings, Tatars and Cossacks. Visit Kiev's Cave Monasteries, marvel at the riding skill of Cossack horsemen and trace the footsteps of history at Odessa's Potemkin Steps.

Including 11 guided tours. Departing May to September 2019. Prices from £2,895 per person

The Viking Longships are designed to navigate the world's greatest rivers with the upmost comfort and elegance. The State-of-the-art Viking Longships offer guests unprecedented levels of comfort, including full verandas and the largest suites on the rivers of Europe. Passengers are able to enjoy all the comfort and elegance of river cruising including attentive and professional staff, delicious on-board meals and spectacular scenery from every stateroom and public area. 

About Viking:

Viking offers culturally enriching, destination-focused river and ocean cruises for travellers curious about the world, its rich culture and varied history. Viking takes its guests on curated, elegant voyages to some of the most iconic rivers in Europe and the Far East, allowing a unique window on inspiring destinations and rewarding experiences. Featuring onboard cultural enrichment and included shore excursions, Viking's journeys are competitively priced for genuine value. 

Since its 1997 inception the company has grown to become the world's leading operator with a fleet of 65 vessels and in 2015 Viking debuted its maiden season of ocean cruising. In 2016 Viking Ocean Cruises launched the Viking Sea, and in 2017, it launched its third ocean ship, the Viking Sky. Viking Ocean Cruises also took delivery of a fourth ship, Viking Sun in 2017 and its fifth ship, Viking Orion, will set sail in 2018. A sixth ship, Viking Jupiter will begin sailing in 2019, marking Viking as the largest small ship ocean cruise line. The sophisticated state-of-the-art Viking Ocean Ships can host 930 guests on itineraries that start from the brand's homeland in Scandinavia and the Baltic through to the Western and Eastern Mediterranean.

Viking consistently wins customer-voted and industry-recommended awards. In 2017, The British Travel Awards recognised the cruise line for Best Luxury Ocean Cruise Line, Best Midsize Ships Ocean Cruise Line and Best River Cruise Line for the 9th year running. Viking also won three River Cruise Awards at the Cruise Critic's editor's picks award – for Best Enrichment, Best for First Timers, and Best Shore Excursions. By 2019, it will operate a fleet of 69 river vessels. 

Viking is now Good Housekeeping Institute accredited for its food and drink offering.

For additional information on Viking's River and Ocean offering, contact Viking on 0208 780 7995 or visit the company at www.vikingcruises.co.uk. Follow Viking River Cruises on Facebook www.facebook.com/VikingRiverCruisesUK and Twitter www.twitter.com/vikingriveruk

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