London (February 15, 2017) – Last year saw Viking Cruises win a record-breaking number of awards and this year is shaping up to be just as successful, as Viking Ocean Cruises® scoops eight first place awards at the UK Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards 2017. These awards are particularly prized as they are based exclusively on reviews from previous guests and reflect true customer satisfaction. Viking has doubled the number awards this year, winning in eight categories including Best Overall, Best for Value and Best for Service, recognising excellence across the board.

Viking is especially pleased to win in the Best for Value category, which shows how much guests appreciate the unbeatable value for money offered by Viking Ocean Cruises, with prices including flights, transfers, Wi-Fi, food and drink and shore excursions in every port of call. The effort Viking puts into creating culturally enriching itineraries was also noted with a win in the Best for Entertainment category.

Viking Ocean Cruises award wins: Cruisers Choice Awards 2017

“While we are always happy to be recognised by awards, the Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards are particularly special as they are entirely based on reviews posted by our previous guests on the Cruise Critic UK website.  We are very proud to have doubled the number of awards we have won this year, especially given Viking Star, which won the Best Overall award, was only launched in 2016, while Viking Sea, which won awards for Best Cabins, Best Entertainment and Best Fitness and Recreation, has not yet been sailing for a full year” says Wendy Atkin-Smith, MD at Viking Cruises UK.

The Viking Difference

Designed for discerning travellers, Viking offers guests “the thinking person's cruise” as an alternative to mainstream cruises. The Viking Difference is providing guests with extraordinarily well-designed cruises that bring them closer to the cultures of the world. Itineraries are designed for maximum time in port, often with late evenings or overnights, so guests can experience local culture at night or evening performances. Ports include both cosmopolitan cities and “collector ports,” appealing to those with an interest in history, art, music, and cuisine. And only The Viking Way brings guests itineraries that feature Local Life, Working World and Privileged Access experiences.

While onboard, guests enjoy informative talks from local experts and carefully selected lecturers in The Theater. Dining options onboard Viking's ships elevate food as a cultural experience – the World Café features global cuisine with live cooking and open kitchens; Mamsen's features Norwegian deli-style fare, according to the recipes of Hagen's mother, Ragnhild, otherwise known as “Mamsen;” The Chef's Table celebrate cuisines from around the world with multi-course tasting menus and wine pairings; and Manfredi's Italian Restaurant embraces authentic Tuscan and Roman cuisine. With the Kitchen Table experience, guests have an immersive opportunity to shop, cook and eat with the Executive Chef.

Viking Cruises:

Viking Cruises offers culturally-enriching, destination-focused river and ocean cruises for travellers curious about the world, its rich culture and varied history. Viking Cruises takes its guests on curated, elegant voyages to some of the most iconic rivers ns 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. Having christened its second ocean ship, the Viking Sea, in May Viking Cruises will build a further 4 ships by 2020 bringing their Ocean fleet to a total of 6 ships. 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 Cruises consistently wins customer-voted and industry-recommended awards, with 2016 being a record breaking year for the company. This includes holding onto 'Best River Cruise Line' at the British Travel Awards for the eighth year in a row, as well as being awarded the same accolade by the Times and Sunday Times Travel. In addition, Viking Ocean Cruises was rated the #1 ocean cruise line in Travel + Leisure's 2016 “World's Best” Awards, and 2017 continues this award-winning streak following eight award wins at the UK Cruise Critic 2017 Cruisers' Choice Awards.

For additional information on Viking's River and Ocean offering, contact Viking Cruises 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.