Viking has announced it will restart its European river cruises in July 2021, with itineraries in Portugal, France, and along the Rhine. Offered exclusively to vaccinated customers as part of Viking’s Welcome Back collection, the first five European river cruises available now in July are among the company’s most popular: Rhine Getaway (8 days; Amsterdam to Basel), Portugal’s River of Gold (10 days; Lisbon to Porto), Paris & the Heart of Normandy (8 days; Paris round trip), Lyon & Provence (8 days; Avignon to Lyon), and France’s Finest, a 15-day voyage combining the northern and southern itineraries into a single experience. This announcement comes on the heels of the European Union’s agreement today to reopen its borders to vaccinated Americans and other travelers.
“The response to our first Welcome Back ocean voyages has been overwhelmingly positive. It’s clear that many people are eager to get back out into the world, and I would like to thank all of our destination partners for their support as we plan our return to service,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “We were delighted to welcome our first passengers back on board in England this week, and we look forward to welcoming travelers back on board some of our European river ships in July.”
Viking's announcement of the resumption of its European river cruise operations follows the launch of its Welcome Back voyages exclusively for vaccinated guests in England, Iceland, Bermuda, and the Mediterranean. Earlier this week, Viking also christened its newest ocean-going ship, the Viking Venus, in England, and the ship is currently on its maiden voyage along the English coast with Chairman Torstein Hagen on board. The company is actively developing additional itineraries in a variety of other destinations, aiming to announce more sailings in 2021 as soon as possible.
Passengers sailing on these new voyages will also experience Viking's industry-leading health and safety program.
