World's Top-Rated River Cruise Line Sets New Record with 2011 Awards

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Viking River Cruises, the world's leading river cruise line, has been awarded "Best River Cruise Line" in Cruise Critic's 4th Annual Editors' Picks Awards. Recognized for its expansive itinerary and dramatic bow-to-stern refurbishments, Viking was hand-selected by Cruise Critic's editorial staff.

"Viking River Cruises has always been a well-respected line whose stand-out quality was the range of its itineraries in Europe, Russia, Egypt and China," said Carolyn Spencer Brown, Editor-in-Chief of Cruise Critic, the leading cruise review site and a subsidiary of TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel website. "Couple that with a new emphasis on contemporary ship design and an aggressive revamping of its fleet, and Viking becomes the best in the business."

The 4th annual Cruise Critic's Editors' Picks accolades also marks a milestone in the company's history by winning 16 consumer and trade awards so far in 2011. The awards were bestowed by both domestic and international industry organizations, reconfirming Viking River Cruises position as the world's top-rated river cruise line.

"We are honored and humbled to have received such a tremendous amount of recognition, by not only the travel industry, but also our guests who have chosen to travel the world with Viking River Cruises," said Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen. "This is Viking's second, third, even fifth or sixth consecutive year receiving many of these awards, and we believe these accolades are a testament to our commitment to providing a unique and enriching vacation experience for our guests."

Traveling along the world's greatest rivers in Europe, Russia, Ukraine, China, Southeast Asia and Egypt, Viking River Cruises provides its guests with in-depth, culturally rich travel experiences. With Viking, guests enjoy beautifully crafted interiors, expert tour guides, luxurious ships, fine cuisine and the best in customer service—maintaining more than 99% in positive guest satisfaction ratings.

A selection of some of the most coveted consumer awards Viking has received in 2011 include:

• Conde Nast Traveler – Gold List (Reserve): Ranked by readers of Conde Nast Traveler in the annual 2011 Gold List awards, as well as recognized among "Best River Ships" in the February issue and "Best River Cruise" in the annual Readers' Choice Awards.
• Travel + Leisure – World's Best Awards: Recognized by the readers of Travel + Leisure as one of the "World's Best River Cruises" in its 16th annual World's Best Awards, as well as one of the river cruise lines recognized in the "Top River Cruising for Families" category.
• World Travel Awards: Viking has been voted "Europe's Leading River Cruise Operator" and "North America's Leading River Cruise Operator" by 167,000 travel tourism and hospitality professionals across the globe.
• Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine – Readers' Choice: Readers of Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel magazine have named Viking River Cruises as their "Favorite River Cruise Line" in the magazine's November 2011 issue—thousands of subscribers cast their votes in the Readers' Choice Awards to give Viking this honor.
• British Travel Awards – Best River Cruise Line: Viking has been named "Best River Cruise Line" in the 2011 British Travel Awards—its third consecutive award. Based on votes by tens of thousands of travel consumers, agents and industry professionals, the awards are considered the authority on travel industry performance in the U.K.
• Cruise International Magazine (U.K.) – Readers' Choice: Viking was named River Cruise Line of the Year in the inaugural 2011 Cruise International Awards. Cruise International Magazine, in association with Classic FM, the Spectator, Cruise Today and Discover Cruises, tabulated 180,000 votes cast by cruise passengers to determine the winners.
• Porthole Magazine's – Best River Cruise: Viking received "Best River Cruise" in the 13th Annual Porthole Magazine Readers' Choice Awards.

A selection of some of the most coveted travel industry awards Viking has received in 2011 include:

• Seatrade International Magazine – Cruise Awards: One of the most respected and recognized global maritime organizations awarded Viking in the inaugural River Cruise Innovation category.
• TravelAge West – WAVE Awards: Honored with 2011 Western Agents' Votes of Excellence (WAVE) Awards for "Best Overall Cruise Line for River Cruising" and "Best River Cruise Line for Travel Agent Support."
• Recommend – Readers' Choice: Readers of Recommend have awarded Viking "Best River Cruise Line" in the magazine's annual survey of its readers—for the sixth consecutive year. Also won in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
• Vacation.com – Power of the Preferred Awards:  – Viking was named "Best Specialty Cruise Line."

These prestigious accolades set the stage for Viking River Cruises as the company prepares for its 15th anniversary in 2012 and the continuation of its $250 million fleet development program, which will see the addition of 10 new Viking Longships by 2014 and several complete refurbishments. 2012 will also mark the complete refurbishment of Viking's four Russian ships that set a new standard as the best river cruise ships in Russia and are the only fleet entirely owned and operated by a Western company.

About Viking River Cruises

Viking River Cruises, the world's leading river cruise company, offers scenic cruising along the rivers of Europe, Russia, China, Southeast Asia and Egypt. The company has been honored multiple times as the top river cruise line on Conde Nast Traveler's "Gold List" and Travel + Leisure's "World's Best" Awards as well as recognized as the World's Leading River Cruise Operator at the World Travel Awards and Cruise Critic's Editors' Picks Awards "Best River Cruise Line." Travel agents have also recognized Viking River Cruises as "Best River Cruise Line" by Travel Weekly, "Best River Cruise Line" by Recommend and Travel Agent magazines, Best Cruise Line for Luxury River Cruises at the Luxury Travel Advisor Awards of Excellence and as "Best Overall Cruise Line for River Cruising" and "Best River Cruise Line for Travel Agent Support" by TravelAge West. Since its 1997 inception, the company has grown to a fleet of 25 vessels, and provides unique, deluxe vacations to experienced travelers with an interest in geography, culture and history. With a $250 million investment in a fleet development program, by 2014 Viking will have several refurbishments plus the introduction of ten new Viking Longships starting with six to be introduced in 2012—Viking Aegir, Viking Embla, Viking Freya, Viking Idun, Viking Njord and Viking Odin. For additional information, contact Viking River Cruises at 18776684546 (187766VIKING) toll-free or visit the company online at http://www.vikingrivercruises.com. To join the Viking River Cruises community online, visit http://www.facebook.com/vikingrivercruises.

SOURCE Viking River Cruises

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