30 Jul 2021
London, 30 July 2021: Following the restart of Viking's ocean operations in May 2021 with sailings in England for British guests, the award-winning river and ocean cruise line is now offering UK travellers the opportunity to explore the world once again this summer. Viking's collection of Welcome Back voyages for fully vaccinated guests includes destinations as diverse as Iceland, Malta and Bermuda. Viking's European river voyages are also available to UK guests throughout the summer on select itineraries.
To celebrate the return of international cruises this summer, Viking has released a special limited time offer for solo travellers – with no single supplement on all the ocean and river voyages which are part of Viking's Welcome Back collection throughout August and September 2021*.
International voyages available for UK travellers this summer include:
The 8-day Bermuda Escape voyages on Viking Orion are available for UK guests on multiple sailings roundtrip from the capital Hamilton, known for its distinctive blend of British and American culture, starting from 13 August 2021. The itinerary includes two days at the Royal Naval Dockyard, renowned for its rich maritime history and now a lively port which is home to artists, artisans and the Bermuda National Museum. Fares start from £2,190 per person including flights.
Iceland, British Isles & Iberia which sails between Reykjavík and Barcelona with ports of call including Dublin, Lisbon and Granada. Guests on this 15-day itinerary departing on 4 and 14 September 2021 will witness the changing scenery and climate as their voyage unfolds - from the black volcanic terrain of Iceland, the temperate rolling green hills of Ireland, to the sunny and inviting warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea along Spain's southern coast. Fares start from £2,990 per person including flights.
Following in the footsteps of intrepid explorer Leif Eriksson, Viking's 8-day Iceland's Natural Beauty itinerary is available from 3 August through until September 2021. Guests will observe diverse wildlife and discover coastal towns along Iceland's majestic shores, enjoying its unparalleled natural beauty as they witness cascading waterfalls amid pristine fjord landscapes. Fares start from £2,390 per person including flights.
Sailing roundtrip from the Maltese capital city of Valletta - a cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site - Viking's Welcome Back voyages in Malta include the 11-day Malta & the Adriatic Jewels, the 11-day Malta & Greek Isles Discovery and the 21-day Malta, the Adriatic & Greece itineraries. Fares start from £2,790 including flights but special offers are available on selected sailings – call 0800 298 97 00 for more information.
Wendy Atkin-Smith, Managing Director of Viking UK said: 'It is a really exciting time for us all in the UK as international travel is beginning to open up again. By keeping our ships in warm lay-up, Viking was able to restart more quickly than most cruise lines so British guests have been travelling on our domestic voyages since May. We have all enjoyed getting to know our own shores in the UK more over the past few months but at this point we are all looking forward to spreading our wings and expanding our horizons even further. We believe there is no better – or safer – way to see the world than on a cruise so we are looking forward to welcoming our UK guests to Iceland, Malta and Bermuda this summer.'
Those who sail Welcome Back voyages will also experience Viking's industry-leading health and safety programme. Grounded in scientific research, the Viking Health & Safety Programme was developed in partnership with an international team of medical advisors, including Raquel C. Bono, M.D., Viking's Chief Health Officer. Dr Bono is a board-certified trauma surgeon and retired Vice Admiral of the United States Navy Medical Corps—and most recently led Washington State's medical and healthcare systems response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilising a full-scale laboratory installed on every Viking ocean ship—and a strong network of dedicated shoreside labs for Viking river ships in Europe—all guests and crew will receive frequent quick and easy non-invasive saliva PCR tests. The easy access to robust PCR testing also simplifies guests' travel experience with a final COVID-19 test taken onboard that satisfies the requirement for pre-flight testing. New air purification technology has also been installed on all Viking ships, which have always featured independent air handling units for all guest staterooms. And additional health checks, sanitisation and physical distancing measures will provide further protection for Viking guests and crew at all points of the journey. A complete overview of the Viking Health & Safety Programme can be found at: www.viking.com/health-safety.
Viking has maintained its position as one of the UK's leading cruise lines over the past year. Viking was awarded the 'Best Boutique Cruise Line' and 'Best River Cruise Operator' in the 2020 Times and Sunday Times Travel Awards and was also named 'Best River Cruise Line' by Condé Nast Traveller in the publication's 2020 Readers' Choice Awards. Based on public votes the cruise line was awarded the 'Best Luxury River Cruise Line Award' at the 2020 Silver Travel Awards and Viking's new digital platform, Viking.TV, also won the 'Silver-i Breakthrough Award for Innovation'. Viking UK, a Which? recommended river and ocean cruise provider, was shortlisted for the 2020 Which? Consumer Champion Awards. Viking was also named Best River Cruise Holiday Company at the 2020 British Travel Awards, one of the largest and most influential polls of consumer opinion in the UK.
Limited space is still available on 2021 summer and early autumn sailings. For guests wishing to stay closer to home this summer, Viking is also offering 8-day UK voyages departing on 7, 14 and 21 August sailing roundtrip from Portsmouth.
Viking guests can now choose to book their voyages online 365 days a year, 24 hours a day via www.viking.com. Alternatively, for more information or to make a booking by telephone guests are invited to call 0800 298 97 00.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
Media contacts:
Viking UK Press Office: ukpressoffice@viking.com
Bryony Gammon: bryony.gammon@viking.com
Carmen Walker: carmen.walker@viking.com
Telephone: +44 208 780 7945
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, Africa and the Far East, allowing a unique window on inspiring destinations and rewarding experiences. Viking revolutionised river cruising with the introduction of its state of the art Viking Longships which, since their introduction in 2012, now make up 80 percent of its river fleet.
In 2015 Viking debuted its maiden season of ocean cruising and in April 2021 Viking took delivery of its seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus, making it the largest small ship ocean cruise line. The sophisticated state-of-the-art Viking ocean ships can accommodate 930 guests on itineraries all across the world.
Viking will expand its destination-focused travel experiences with the launch of new expedition voyages. Viking Expeditions will begin sailing in January 2022 with its first vessel, Viking Octantis, embarking on voyages to Antarctica and North America's Great Lakes. A second expedition vessel, Viking Polaris, will debut in August 2022, sailing to Antarctica and the Arctic. Viking's custom-built vessel, Viking Mississippi, will debut in August 2022 and will sail voyages on the Lower and Upper Mississippi, between New Orleans and St. Paul.
Join Viking online at:
https://www.facebook.com/VikingCruisesUK/
https://twitter.com/VikingCruises
