VIKING RIVER CRUISES LAUNCHES NEW LUXURY SHIP ON YANGTZE

AS TOURISM IN CHINA BOOMS, VIKING RIVER CRUISES
LAUNCHES NEW LUXURY SHIP ON YANGTZE


As tourism in China expands dramatically, Viking River Cruises is rising to meet demand with the launch of their third ship in three years. Viking Century Sun will join sister ship Viking Century Sky on the Yangtze River, allowing Viking River Cruises to offer even more cruisetours featuring the most popular Chinese cities of Beijing, Xian (home to the Terra Cotta Warriors) and Shanghai plus the dramatic Three Gorges of the Yangtze River.

Viking River Cruises Chairman Torstein Hagen noted that China will be the #1 tourist destination in just a few years. Hagan said, "We've had such praise and demand for our China cruisetours, with the new Viking Century Sun we can now share this experience with a larger audience. With our unique Swiss hotel management, namely Hotelier Nicolas Solari, and the newest, most luxurious ships on the river, we offer travelers the ability to see all the key attractions while traveling on all-inclusive, fully-escorted tours with Viking's own English-speaking guides. It makes travel to this exotic destination carefree and comfortable."

China's tourism continues to grow. The Asia and Pacific region saw a 50 percent increase in tourism in 2004, with China's growth accounting for roughly half the increase according to January 2005 World Tourism Organization statistics. River Cruising is also a growing trend with a 23 percent increase in bookings from 2003 to 2004, according to the UK and Europe Cruise Information Service.

For 2006, Viking River Cruises offers 4 all-inclusive itineraries in China. These range from 9 to 15 nights; each highlights China's top "must-see" landmarks such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Terra Cotta Warriors, and Shanghai's Bund plus the legendary Three Gorges and Three Gorges Dam on your Yangtze River cruise. All itineraries include 5-star hotel stays, with 3 nights in Beijing, 1 night in Xian, and 2 nights in Shanghai; plus a Yangtze cruise on either the new Viking Century Sun or Viking Century Sky (built 2005 and 2006 respectively) for 3, 4, 7, or 9 nights, depending on selected itinerary. Each program includes: all shore excursions and tours, meals, hotel stays in 5-star properties, intra-Asia flights, and a Viking River Cruises English-speaking escort from airport arrival to departure. An optional 4-night Hong Kong and Guilin extension can be added to any itinerary. Passengers can choose from more than 100 departure dates running March 2006 through November 2006.

Both Viking Century Sun and Viking Century Sky were built in partnership with the Chongqing New Century Cruise Company. With these two new ships, Viking River Cruises continues to provide the only vessels on the Yangtze River with Swiss-managed service and Western food, both of which have proven extremely popular with passengers. Viking River Cruises also maintains offices in Beijing and Chongqing to manage all operations and oversee the company's English-speaking guides.

Like her sister ship, Viking Century Sun features an observation lounge, restaurant, sauna, sun deck, bar, massage room and beauty salon, plus Internet access and two elevators enabling easy access to the ship's five decks. The ship measures 415 ft. in length and 56 ft. in width with a capacity of 300 passengers. All cabins are equipped with a private balcony, telephone, hairdryer, air conditioning, and private bathroom with shower.



About Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises, the world leader in river cruising, offers quality service, gourmet cuisine and comfortable scenic cruising along Europe, Russia and China's majestic rivers. Viking River Cruises brings excellence to travel in China. Our China tours and Yangtze river cruise feature meals designed by Martin Yan, ensuring you culinary delights as you experience Yangtze river cruising. Honored as the top river cruise line on Travel & Leisure's "World's Best" Awards, Viking River Cruises has also appeared on Conde Nast Traveler's "Gold List" in 2004 and 2005. Since its 1997 inception, the company has grown to a fleet of 25 vessels and provides a unique, affordable vacation to experienced travelers with an interest in geography, culture and history. For additional information, contact Viking River Cruises toll-free at 1-877-66VIKING (1-877-668-4546) or visit the company online at vikingrivercruises.com

Viking River Launches Newest China-Based Vessel

Viking River, the Swiss-based river cruise operator with one of the industry's strongest fleets in Europe, continues to expand its outreach in Asia as well with the launch last week of Viking Century Sky -- its second custom-designed new-build for China.

The 306-passenger ship -- with a capacity of nearly twice that of the 168-passenger Viking Century Star, which was introduced last year -- sails three- and four-night Yangtze River itineraries.
This ship features amenities such as feather duvets, telephones, air conditioning and cable TV. and all cabins have river-view balconies. Other features onboard include a gym, beauty salon, massage rooms, Internet center and Western-style galley.

The ship's debut last week was unique, reports Cruise Critic correspondent Susan Jaques, on hand for the festivities:"Colorful lion dancers, musicians and confetti greeted guests as they embarked on the inaugural voyage of Viking River Cruises' newest vessel, the Viking Century Sky. Despite the good luck conferred by the lion, the evening embarkation of some 300 passengers was delayed three hours because flooding on the Yangtze River submerged the gangplanks."Viking River did not allow Mother Nature or a rickety boarding facility to put a damper on the festivities however. The 'sky' was the limit as guests enjoyed champagne, wine and canapes on the balloon-filled Sun Deck while listening to welcome speeches.

The crowd included Chinese government officials, Viking River Cruises Chairman Torstein Hagen and Peng Jian Hu, President of New Century Cruise Company, Viking's partner and ship builder.
"The reception was followed by a gourmet dinner that began with caviar and included bacon-wrapped Chinese black pears with gorgonzola, porcini-duck dumplings and truffles, warm lobster strudel with vanilla saffron sauce, and angus fillet and goose liver. Australian Chardonnay Semillon and French Pinot Noir accompanied the multi-course extravaganza.

"The next morning under clearer skies, Viking Century Sky set sail for three nights, with stops at the dramatic cliff-hugging Shibaozhai Temple and the spectacular Lesser Three Gorges. Maintenance work at the monumental Three Gorges Dam precluded the vessel from going through the lock as planned." Back on land, Viking River president Jeffrey Dash told Cruise Critic that the cruise line is committed to expanding its offerings in China."China is definitely an emerging market," he says, noting that travel surveys show that it will be the largest tourism destination by 2020. "More importantly, as our customers experience more of our European and Russian programs, they have started asking for trips there. And up until recently, the real challenge of the river, the Yangtze experience, is that ships were generally not up to North American standards.""We like being trendsetters," according to Dash. He says that interest is already increasing.

The line in 2004 carried 4,700 passengers; this year he anticipates that U.S. cruisers alone will account for 17,500. Indeed, the cruise line is expanding its commitment – already under construction is Viking Century Sun, an identical twin to Viking Century Sky. Sun will debut next year.At 415 feet long, with six decks and two elevators, the light, contemporary, Scandinavian-style Viking Century Sky is the largest in the company's fleet of 25 river vessels operating in Russia, Europe and China. Itineraries range from three to nine nights, and additional on-land touring programs are available.

Viking Chairman Tor Hagen Congratulate Nicolas Solari and his team

New linked site for Viking

Here you will find the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide to the Yangtze River cruise. It covers all aspects of the cruise experience from onboard cuisine to the Three Gorges landscape to the various ports of call - in detail and with candor.