Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking River Cruises takes great pride in the recognition he receives as a result of the quality of his cruise itineraries. 2008 was no exception as the readers of the leading travel magazine Travel & Leisure, once again said Viking River Cruises was one of the “Top 10 Small-Ship Cruise Lines” in the periodical’s 13th annual “World’s Best” awards for a fourth time, and was voted best among dedicated river cruise lines.

The annual “World’s Best” survey allows readers to recognize their favorite travel providers in categories like hotels, airlines, etc., including cruise lines; the “small ships” category is for vessels which carry fewer than 400 passengers. The poll is limited to readers that are not travel industry professionals, and ratings are based on subscribers’ actual recent experiences with the travel vendors being considered. “We believe the readers of Travel + Leisure are sophisticated travelers who know what they want,” continued Hagen, “and they know who can best provide it.”

The world’s largest river cruise line, Viking River Cruises provides its passengers with in depth, culturally rich travel experiences along the world’s great rivers. The company has a 99.8% satisfaction rating for having met, exceeded or far exceeded the expectations of its guests in 2007. “Our passengers have high expectations of us,” said Hagen, “and we work very hard every year to meet and surpass those expectations. Our appearance on the Travel + Leisure World’s Best list means we are doing just that—which inspires us to work even harder to satisfy and delight our guests.”

Viking River Cruises 2009 River Cruise Atlas
Viking has announced its 2009 lineup of cruises and cruisetours, which includes 19 itineraries, ranging from eight to 23 days in length, in Europe, China, Russia and Ukraine. Viking’s ships sail along the Rhine, Moselle, Rhône, Saône, Seine, Main, Danube and Elbe Rivers in Europe, the Neva, Svir and Volga in Russia, the Dnieper in Ukraine and the Yangtze in China. Operating the world’s largest fleet of 21 river cruising vessels, Viking offers elegant, spacious accommodations, gourmet cuisine, excellent service by English-speaking staff and local guides, and superior value for passengers’ travel dollars.

For 2009, the company has announced the launch of its new ship, Viking Legend, which will join the rest of the fleet on the company’s popular Grand European Tour itinerary. In Russia, the company launched its fully renovated Viking Surkov in May of this year; next year, Viking Kirov will also be fully renovated, making these ships the very best river cruise ships in Russia. Viking also offers a number of exciting new land extension programs for 2009, including a tour of four Baltic capitals, a sojourn on the idyllic Channel Islands, a pilgrimage to Nice and other legendary destinations along the French Riviera, and 3 fascinating nights in Istanbul. There are also new guest amenities, like free wireless internet service on all Europe ships and expanded in-depth itinerary-specific cultural enrichment experiences.

About Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises, the world’s largest river cruise company, offers quality service, gourmet cuisine and comfortable scenic cruising along the majestic rivers of Europe, Russia and China. The company has been honored multiple times as the top river cruise line on Condé Nast Traveler’s “Gold List” and Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best” Awards. Travel agents have also recognized Viking River Cruises in 2006 and 2007 as “Best Riverboat Cruise Line” by Travel Weekly, “Best River Cruise Line” by Recommend and Travel Agent magazines, and in 2006, 2007 and 2008 as “Best Overall Cruise Line for River Cruising” by TravelAge West. Since its 1997 inception, the company has grown to a fleet of 21 vessels, and provides unique, deluxe vacations to experienced travelers with an interest in geography, culture and history. For additional information, contact me at 1-888-579-8706 toll-free or visit my website at www.AVCTravel.com/GreggEppleman