Jan 25, 2012 4 min read

Still “Undiscovered” in the U.S., Category is Growing Three Times Faster than Ocean Cruising

(MS) — A recent independent survey asked travelers about their level of knowledge regarding river cruising. While many weren’t familiar with the category, upon receipt of info and images, the overwhelming majority stated they would take a river cruise if they had the chance. Relatively “undiscovered” in the U.S. market, river cruising is the fastest growing segment of the cruise industry, increasing at double-digit rates for the past several years, triple the growth rate of ocean cruising.

The popularity of river cruising versus traditional ocean cruising can directly be attributed to several factors; river cruising emphasizes the destination, allowing guests to reach more cities and attractions than they could access via ocean cruising or bus tours.

Unlike ocean cruises that dock in port cities, sometimes many hours away from key destinations, river cruising allows up-close-and-personal access to cosmopolitan cities and quaint villages, because so many great towns were built by and designed to be accessible to important waterways. Furthermore, river cruising ships are constantly moving so guests enjoy new scenery and vistas every day, whether from their stateroom or other parts of the ship. Because they can travel at night, guests often awaken in an exciting new destination. Lastly, river cruising ships are intimate, accommodating up to a few hundred passengers at most, because they are purpose-built to navigate the rivers they sail. Built with flat bottoms, the ships provide a safe and smooth journey without the motion sickness sometimes experienced with ocean voyages because they travel on relatively shallow rivers with little wave action.

Since entering the North American market in 2000, Viking River Cruises has set the standard for the industry with best-in-class river cruise ships, award-winning service and all-inclusive itineraries offered at a competitive price. Today, the company has grown to a fleet of 19 vessels and provides unique, deluxe vacations along the great rivers of Europe, Russia, Egypt, China and Southeast Asia. Viking has recently continued their path of innovation with the announcement of a $250 million dollar fleet expansion.

The first of the new ships, Viking Emerald, began sailing China’s waterways in March 2011. Soon thereafter, Viking Prestige debuted in June 2011 in Europe, featuring several innovations, such as state-of-the-art hybrid engines, first experienced in 2009 with the launch of Viking Legend, which holds the distinction of being river cruising’s first “green” vessel. Debuting for the 2012 sailing season, Viking Freya, Viking Idun, Viking Njord, Viking Odin, Viking Embla and Viking Aegir will be the first in a range of next-generation vessels comprising Viking River Cruises new class of Viking Longship vessels.

For guests intrigued by river cruising, Viking River Cruises offers the following tips for getting the most out of your vacation:

1. Take advantage of industry-wide early booking promotions. For instance Viking is currently offering 2-FOR-1 cruise fares for 2012 itineraries.

2. Research cruise lines servicing your desired destinations and compare the “all-inclusive” offerings. Viking’s all-inclusive pricing features accommodations, all onboard meals, complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks, daily guided shore excursions and culturally relevant multi-media talks.

3. Look for cruise lines that also offer airfare incentives. Viking’s early booking promotion also includes up to 2-for-1 pricing on roundtrip international airfare for some 2012 itineraries.

Dates, pricing and terms of Viking River Cruises deals, as well as ship and itinerary information, are available on the company’s website at vikingrivercruises.com or toll-free at 1-877-66VIKING