Viking Ocean Cruises Voted #1 Ocean Cruise Line in 2016 & 2017

I have long stated that Viking Cruises is a disrupter in the world of cruising.  They completely dominate the world of river cruising with more than 50% market share, and with the announcement yesterday of their sixth ocean liner, they are carving out a large slice of the ocean cruise world as well.

There are many reasons Viking Cruises is riding a wave of success, but one of the most fundamental is that they know who they are and who they intend to serve.

Want to know why Viking Ocean Cruise is disrupting the ocean cruise industry?  CLICK HERE.

With only 930 passengers aboard each ship, they are small-ship cruising, and while their ships are certainly luxurious, Chairman Torstein Hagen is loathe to use the world luxury when talking about his brand.

In my eyes, they are the Goldilocks ocean cruise line.  Not 5-star luxury, but greater in luxury than all of the 4-star lines.  I like to think of them as a 4.5-star ocean cruise line.  As there are no butlers onboard, it’s not too luxury, but with its small size, no formal nights, no kids, no casinos, no umbrella drinks, and no servers running around singing Hot, Hot, Hot; many would say that Viking Ocean Cruises is the perfect ocean cruise line.

And their ability to garner their best-of-the-best awards for such a young ocean cruise brand speaks volumes. Torstein Hagen likes to call his brand “the thinking person’s cruise”.

Here are a few articles that we’ve written about Viking Ocean Cruises we think you might enjoy:

• To read about our personal experience sailing with Viking Ocean Cruises, click here.
• To get a good understanding of their staterooms, click here.
• And did you know that Carol and I are one of the top 5 Viking cruise sellers in the world?  No?  CLICK HERE.

Viking’s newest ship, the Viking Sun, was in Los Angeles yesterday surrounded by a lot of hoopla as she is setting out on a world cruise. Here’s a copy of their press release:

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Los Angeles (January 5, 2018) – Viking® (www.vikingcruises.com) today welcomed its fourth and newest ocean ship, Viking Sun® to Los Angeles, also the home of the company’s U.S. headquarters. The ship is currently sailing Viking’s sold-out 141-day World Cruise from Miami to London, and Los Angeles is Viking’s first U.S. West Coast port of call in the company’s 20-year history. Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen today greeted guests on Viking Sun, and during a press conference onboard unveiled a new multi-channel brand advertising campaign titled, “Did You Know?”

“We have always been a travel company that focuses on exploration and cultural immersion,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “In the last two decades we have led the industry in river cruising, and as we become the leading small ship ocean cruise line we have an opportunity to introduce many new travelers to the Viking way of exploration. Our new ‘Did You Know?’ campaign is aimed at inspiring people who may not yet know what makes us so different in the industry, why we are the most award-winning cruise line and how we can provide more included value than any other cruise company.”

Timed with the cruise industry’s “Wave Season” in January, the launch of Viking’s new “Did You Know?” campaign will feature new creative advertisements that will appear across all marketing channels, including TV, print and digital. Aimed at travel agents and the company’s target audience of experienced travelers 55 and older, the campaign highlights Viking’s industry differentiators, including its inclusive value with a shore excursion included in every port, as well as what Viking is not – no formal nights, no kids and no casinos. The campaign will also share Viking’s award-winning history, such as being named the #1 Ocean Cruise Line in Travel + Leisure’s 2016 and 2017 World’s Best Awards and the #1 River Cruise Line in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards.

At the press conference, Hagen also announced that the company’s sixth ship will be named Viking Jupiter®. Scheduled to launch in February 2019, the 930-guest sister ship will sail Viking’s most popular itineraries in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean, as well as two new itineraries in South America – Southern Atlantic Crossing (22 days; Barcelona – Buenos Aires) and South America & the Chilean Fjords (18 days; Buenos Aires – Santiago).

Viking Sun

On December 15, Viking celebrated the kickoff of its inaugural World Cruise onboard Viking Sun in Miami. From Los Angeles, Viking Sun will continue to sail for 120 days, visiting destinations in the South Pacific, Australia and Asia – and will be officially christened in Shanghai on March 8, 2018. When the ship arrives in London on May 5, she will have visited five continents, 35 countries and 64 ports during her first World Cruise. Viking Sun will continue to sail the globe during the 2019 World Cruise, a 128-day itinerary from Miami to London.

Viking’s ocean ships have a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons, have 465 staterooms and host 930 guests. Classified by Cruise Critic® as a “small ship,” the all-veranda Viking Sun is the newest addition to Viking’s award-winning ocean fleet, which also includes Viking Star®, Viking Sea® and Viking Sky®. Viking will welcome two more sister ships in the next two years, including Viking Orion® in summer 2018; with the arrival of Viking Jupiter in 2019, Viking will be the largest small ship ocean cruise line. Four additional ships are also on order for delivery starting in 2021, which will bring Viking’s ocean fleet to 10 ships by 2023.

The Viking Difference

Designed for discerning travelers with interests in science, history, culture and cuisine, Chairman Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers guests “the thinking person’s cruise” as an alternative to mainstream cruises. Ships are small to get guests closer to their destination, with more time in port and more overnights. Onboard, guests find serene Scandinavian spaces, where every room is beautiful and functional, quiet and filled with light. All-veranda ships mean that guests experience every day with a new, expansive vista. With the most al fresco dining at sea, featuring regional cuisines and always-available American classics, Viking’s guests can truly dine in their destination. A focus on cultural enrichment brings immersive experiences onshore and onboard. And only The Viking Way brings guests itineraries that feature Local Life, Working World and Privileged Access experiences.

In addition, Viking Inclusive Value provides a small ship experience at a big ship value and no nickel-and-diming – with every cruise fare including a veranda stateroom, shore excursions in each port of call, all onboard meals, and all port charges and government taxes. Guests also enjoy many complimentary amenities as part of their fare, including: beer and wine with lunch and dinner service; premium dining reservations; Wi-Fi; self-service laundry; access to the Thermal Suite in the LivNordic Spa; and 24-hour room service—an included value of more than $200 per person, per day for an average cruise.

Booking Details

For information about Viking Ocean Cruises’ latest offerings, click here. For information about the best way to book an ocean or river cruise, click here.

To book a fun Viking Ocean Cruise, call Roaming Boomers Travel Services at (480) 550-1235 or use our convenient online information request (click here) and we will reach out to you. 
 
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