“We are honored to be recognized as one of the “Top 10 Small Ship Cruise Lines” by Condé Nast Traveler readers,” said Torstein Hagen, Founding Chairman, Viking River Cruises. “As the world’s leading river cruise line, we own and manage all aspects of our passenger’s experience, from our reservations department to our ships to our onboard Swiss hotel management, giving our passengers an excellent travel experience. Our listing in the top 10 Small Ships, along with the high numbers of passengers who return to us year after year for another cruise, confirms our leadership in the industry.”

The Readers’ Choice Awards results appear in the November issue of Condé Nast Traveler, and are also available online. In 2006, more than 283,657 subscribers were provided with the questionnaire to vote on cities, islands, hotels, resorts, safari camps, cruise lines, airlines, and car rental agencies that they had visited or traveled within recently. Addition information about the methodology is available on Condé Nast Traveler’s website.

For 2007 vacations, river cruisers can choose from 17 different Viking River Cruises itineraries that travel along the majestic rivers of Europe, Russia and China. Additional details about China itineraries are featured in the 2007 China Expeditions brochure, and Europe and Russia itineraries are detailed in the 2007 European & Russian River Cruise Journeys brochure; both are available from Cruise Planners by calling toll-free 1-888-286-9827.

Travelers can save 0 on 2007 Vacations Through Early Booking Discounts

Viking River Cruises offers a 3-tiered Early Booking Discount, available by asking for “EBD Offer.” When passengers book and pay for a cruise in full by:

• July 31, 2006:              They save 0 per person (0 savings per cabin maximum)
• October 18, 2006:          Save 0 per person (0 per cabin maximum)
• December 18, 2006:       Save 0 per person (0 per cabin maximum)

2007 European Offerings and New Escorted Extensions

Viking River Cruises offers 14 different itineraries in 2007 ranging from 7 to 14 nights along the Rhine, Main, Danube, Seine, Saône, Rhône, and Elbe Rivers, plus Russia’s Waterways of the Czars and Ukraine’s Dnieper River. Various itineraries highlight Amsterdam, Vienna, Paris, Budapest, Berlin, Prague and much more plus quaint smaller European towns and villages along the rivers, and all feature included tours with English-speaking guides, non-smoking shipboard environments, gourmet food, and an English-speaking crew. In addition, passengers can take advantage of NEW escorted extensions in Amsterdam, Budapest, Prague, Vienna, Krakow, Paris, and Helsinki accompanied by English-speaking guides.

China Cruisetours Introduce Travelers to Beijing, Shanghai, and the Yangtze’s Famed Gorges

Viking Century Sun and Viking Century Sky, 5-star sister ships each carrying 306 passengers, are the newest and most deluxe ships on the Yangtze. Viking River Cruises offers 3 different China cruisetour itineraries, each including a Yangtze River cruise plus overnight 5-star hotel stays in Beijing, Xian (home of the Terra Cotta Warriors) and cosmopolitan Shanghai.

China cruisetour offerings for 2007 are: 

•   Imperial Jewels of China (9 or 10 nights): 5-star hotel stays for 3 nights in Beijing (including tours of the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Summer Palace, and Tiananmen Square); 1 night in Xian plus Terra Cotta Warriors visit; 2 nights in Shanghai, plus a 3- or 4-night luxury Yangtze River cruise featuring the Three Gorges, Lesser Three Gorges, and Yangtze Dam. 
•   China’s Cultural Delights (15 nights): Features all the above plus a 9-night luxury Yangtze River cruise from Chongqing to Nanjing highlighting the above Gorges and Yangtze Dam plus tours to sacred Buddhist mountain temple Mt. Jiu Hua; the gardens of Suzhou; Jingdezhen, birthplace of Chinese porcelain; and China’s ancient capital, Nanjing.
• Roof of the World (13 nights): Features all the tours and highlights of Imperial Jewels plus 3 nights in Lhasa, Tibet, including visits with English-speaking guides to Portola Palace, Sera Monastery, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Market.

Travelers can add to China cruisetours a 4-night Shopper’s Paradise extension with 5-star accommodations for 3 nights in Hong Kong and 1 night along the Li River in Guilin plus all tours.

2007 Brochures for Europe and China Available Now

Travelers can save $900 on 2007 Vacations Through Early Booking Discounts

Viking River Cruises offers a 3-tiered Early Booking Discount, available by asking for “EBD Offer.” When passengers book and pay for a cruise in full by:

• July 31, 2006:              They save $450 per person ($900 savings per cabin maximum)
• October 18, 2006:          Save $350 per person ($700 per cabin maximum)
• December 18, 2006:       Save $250 per person ($500 per cabin maximum)

2007 European Offerings and New Escorted Extensions

Viking River Cruises offers 14 different itineraries in 2007 ranging from 7 to 14 nights along the Rhine, Main, Danube, Seine, Saône, Rhône, and Elbe Rivers, plus Russia’s Waterways of the Czars and Ukraine’s Dnieper River. Various itineraries highlight Amsterdam, Vienna, Paris, Budapest, Berlin, Prague and much more plus quaint smaller European towns and villages along the rivers, and all feature included tours with English-speaking guides, non-smoking shipboard environments, gourmet food, and an English-speaking crew. In addition, passengers can take advantage of NEW escorted extensions in Amsterdam, Budapest, Prague, Vienna, Krakow, Paris, and Helsinki accompanied by English-speaking guides.

China Cruisetours Introduce Travelers to Beijing, Shanghai, and the Yangtze’s Famed Gorges

Viking Century Sun and Viking Century Sky, 5-star sister ships each carrying 306 passengers, are the newest and most deluxe ships on the Yangtze. Viking River Cruises offers 3 different China cruisetour itineraries, each including a Yangtze River cruise plus overnight 5-star hotel stays in Beijing, Xian (home of the Terra Cotta Warriors) and cosmopolitan Shanghai.

China cruisetour offerings for 2007 are: 

•   Imperial Jewels of China (9 or 10 nights): 5-star hotel stays for 3 nights in Beijing (including tours of the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Summer Palace, and Tiananmen Square); 1 night in Xian plus Terra Cotta Warriors visit; 2 nights in Shanghai, plus a 3- or 4-night luxury Yangtze River cruise featuring the Three Gorges, Lesser Three Gorges, and Yangtze Dam. 
•   China’s Cultural Delights (15 nights): Features all the above plus a 9-night luxury Yangtze River cruise from Chongqing to Nanjing highlighting the above Gorges and Yangtze Dam plus tours to sacred Buddhist mountain temple Mt. Jiu Hua; the gardens of Suzhou; Jingdezhen, birthplace of Chinese porcelain; and China’s ancient capital, Nanjing.
• Roof of the World (13 nights): Features all the tours and highlights of Imperial Jewels plus 3 nights in Lhasa, Tibet, including visits with English-speaking guides to Portola Palace, Sera Monastery, Jokhang Temple and Barkhor Market.

Travelers can add to China cruisetours a 4-night Shopper’s Paradise extension with 5-star accommodations for 3 nights in Hong Kong and 1 night along the Li River in Guilin plus all tours.

2007 Brochures for Europe and China Available Now