Celebrity is allowing travelers with bookings made by Jan. 31, 2022, to cancel as little as 48 hours before sailing for a full refund. Looks like our September cruise to the Fjords is in the process of being cancelled! In mid-September 2016 was announced that TPG Capital and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board intend to make a joint investment of USD 0,5 billion in Viking Cruises. All the signs are right and so is the timing. Aula Auditorium provides direct access to Finse Terrace, which makes it an indoor-outdoor observation lounge. The link to new sailings doesnt work for me in the UK Does it say which ship ? Viking Ocean's port agent for China is Wallem Ship Agency China. I then e-mailed Tell us at Viking, had a very pleasant conversation and she sd she would e-mail operations. They are environmentally friendly, with a patented interior design creating 2-room suites, numerous French Balcony staterooms, full-size rooms, and verandas. Exceptions to this payment policy apply for cruise tours more than 35 days, including Viking's World & Grand Cruises which require a 20% deposit of the Full Fare at time of booking the cruise tour. These new types marine engines use 20% less fuel than the conventional ones. Like most cruise lines, Viking canceled all of its sailings during the pandemic. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Aft-located (at the stern) indoor-outdoor pool deck lounge (Aquavit Terrace) with 3 infinity pools - positioned side by side and covered by a retractable glass roof. Till the end of 2014, the fleet grew to 52 riverboats. The cruise line announced the return of select itineraries in Portugal, France and . Prices start at US$4,400 per person with discounted airfare. Fosse's cruise and land tour to Eastern Europe became a casualty of COVID-19. Fully refunded (100% in FCC) were also all prepurchased through Viking packages and services. Viking River Cruises - Cancelation of cruises - ComplaintsBoard.com Signature destinations include Beagle Channel (Glacier Alley) and Drake Passage, Cape Horn, Half Moon Island, Deception Island (Whalers Bay), Brown Bluff, Wiencke Island (Damoy Point), Lemaire Channel, Petermann Island, Cuverville Island, Neko Harbor (Antarctic Peninsula). Viking cruise voucher problem: Don't forget to read the fine print! I think you are correct - check this post: Viking Ocean - Combined Cruise Schedule - Page 5 - Viking Ocean - Cruise Critic Community, .Im sharing this bad feeling as our Trade Routes itinerary is no longer available to view or book for 2021 and I am also locked out ofMVJ. The mid-pool has indoor-outdoor swimming experience. Ok as I predicted, all sold out cruises have been dropped from Viking as of this morning. Multiple sailing dates are available in August and September 2023 and 2024. Patience. As ownership, 1/5 (20%) of the company is owned by TPG Capital (US investment company) and CPP Investment Board (CPP=Canada Pension Plan). The 136-day itinerary visits 56 ports in 27 countries, with 11 port city overnights and 3x new for Viking cruise ports (Phillip Island Victoria Australia, Eden NSW Australia, Yangon Burma). Similarly named is the Finland-based cruiseferry company VIKING LINE (1959-founded). But Keyles wasnt ready to accept such an offer. Keyles reminded the representative of the promise she had in writing from the other agent said about working with them on a cash settlement instead of the vouchers. Great service, great listening to concerns, we couldn't be happier. Started August 27, 2021, By If we were changed by several days it would impact all our before and after cruise hotels, that would take a bit of work on our part to change all the dates, especially last minute. The fact that Viking has so many ships on a route means that when they hit low water there is very likely another ship nearby going in the opposite direction. The ship design features several spacious open-deck areas, including Promenade Deck and bow-located Observation Deck (forward on Lounge Deck). Later was added the 21-day "Malta, the Adriatic and Greece". Beer, soft drinks and wine by the glass are included with lunches and dinners. Signature destinations include Central America, Panama Canal transit, USA West Coast, Hawaii, Transpacific crossing to New Zealand and Australia, Asia, Middle East, Suez Canal transit to Europe (Mediterranean) and the UK. Email also stated ", Because we have cancelled itineraries that were not possible to operate given current circumstances, including your sailing, we have redeployed our ocean fleet to the new. Ok as I predicted, all sold out cruises have been dropped from Viking as of this morning. It worked out for us. Last week it showed all Kari sailings booked thru season. Wallem China (part of Wallem Group) has a network of 28 offices across Asia, of which 8 are in China, The shipping agency handles annually over 500 cruise ship calls. The "Malta and Adriatic Jewels" itinerary started with an overnight in Valletta and visited ports in Montenegro (, The "Malta and Greek Isles Discovery" itinerary also started with an overnight in Valletta and visited ports in Greece (, The "Malta and the Western Mediterranean" itinerary started with Valletta overnight and visited ports in Sicily (. Started June 21, 2021, By In mid-July 2020, Viking Ocean announced the company's "Viking World Cruise 2021-2022" planned for MS Viking Star. Poor Customer Service, Refund Policy due to Covid-19 - Review of Viking Viking's Nile River cruisetour is themed "Pharaohs and Pyramids". By 2023, the newbuilds (by Fincantieri Italy) expanded the fleet to 10 liners. Viking Cruises Extends Suspension Until June 2021 He advised us that if we were thinking about rebooking in 2021, we should wait to see if Viking cancelled our 2020 cruise making us eligible for a 125% voucher. (Viking's 2021 world cruise is scheduled to depart December 24.) Anything unspent WILL NOT rollover to your shipboard account. Viking Expeditions ships operate in Arctic-Antarctica, Great Lakes, USA and Canada), Viking Ocean (global). When will Viking make the next cancellation announcement? This is a parallel situation I had a month ago when my Ukraine river cruise was cancelled just days after I paid the balance. Disappointed with Viking Cruises cancellation policy. CC Help Jenn Help requested: Cancelling a Viking Cruise The Queen Elizabeth will operate U.K. cruises for locals this summer. As we watched the COVID pandemic expand and followed the news about the cruise ship outbreaks, we knew we would not be going on our upcoming trip, Claire Keyles said. Their claim was denied and the couple let Viking know. Cabin sizes vary between 21 m2 (Nordic Balcony / French Balcony) and 114 m2 (Owner Suite with 73 m2 Terrace Garden). Your personal data will be processed and information from your device (cookies, unique identifiers, and other device data) may be stored by, accessed by and shared with third party vendors, or used specifically by this site or app. The snow on the floor is kept at sub-freezing temperatures. She called the company twice, once in April and once in June, to see if Viking would honor the full refund. Note: For the itinerary's all call ports see at the ship's Wiki section here. By. In April 2021 was inaugurated the joint venture company "China Merchants Viking Cruises Co Ltd" (operating via the brand "Viking China Coastal Cruise"). That didnt seem fair, Keyles said. The good news is there are a lot excellent choices available to use your 125%. CC Help Jenn Viking cruises add more dates but gloom as St George's misses out On 12/27/2021 at 7:29 PM, SM77 said: We had booked a September 2021 Ukraine river cruise in March 2019 (right as the pandemic started thinking that it would be over by September 2021) that we had paid in full. See below the list of main Viking OCEAN itineraries as themes and ports of call: All voyages include overnight stays in both ports (of departure and final disembarkation). Feels like it is time to brace for another round of cancellations. The KD purchase included an extremely valuable asset - the landing stages, and now Viking Cruises owns docks in more cities in Europe than it stops in. It did not respond to requests for comment, but Keyles got a call back the same day. The onboard cuisine is traditional Chinese (dishes prepared by Szechuan and Cantonese chefs) plus European dishes by Michelin-star chefs. Voyages aboard the Viking Sea are roundtrips from Piraeus-Athens and begin January 2021. Please try again later. " Volos, Greece is a cosmopolitan port city, and the region was once considered the playground of the gods. Viking Neptune's World Cruise itinerary offers overnights (also double overnights) in 11 ports, including Auckland New Zealand, Sydney NSW Australia, Benoa Bali Indonesia, Saigon Vietnam, Singapore, Yangon Burma, Colombo Sri Lanka, Mumbai India, Haifa Israel, Istanbul Turkey and London-Greenwich (before the debarkation). Fingers crossed that it will all work out in the end. Viking's Antarctic cruises are inclusive of 2 domestic charter flights (between Buenos Aires-Ushuaia) and an overnight hotel (in Buenos Aires / pre-cruise). The latest: When cruise lines will reopen in 2021: Travel Weekly Next is the Viking Yangtze River (China) cruise itinerary map that shows all ports locations (along Yangtze River) as well as the domestic flight connections (Beijing-Xian-Chongqing and Shanghai-Wuhan). The engine rooms are noise-insulated and this reduces noise and vibration. The representative promised to get back to Keyles. Ten days later, on March 30, Viking announced the cruise was canceled and 100% cash refunds would be given to customers but only for those who hadnt canceled previously. All excursion programs ashore are organized by Viking River Cruises. Plus two new Med itineraries in the welcome back program (don't know if this is for US pax only or not). In March 2021 were delivered Egdir and Gymir - the last longships on order with Neptun Werft. Yes, you must use the entire voucher on one cruise -- and you must use it before you sail for cruise fare, gratutities, shorex or drinks package. Karin Price Mueller may be reached at KPriceMueller@NJAdvanceMedia.com. That's just what happened, and we are now booked in July 2021 with an upgraded cabin and air fare. Both are privately owned and operated by Viking under a charter. On 7/15 I got an email that said our cruise was going as scheduled. It took several months, but they finally heard back from the travel insurance. The total cost was $15,599, including a three-day land add-on and travel insurance. The company is responsible for vessels berthing (cruise terminal arrangements), logistics, freshwater supply, customs, crew changes, passenger disembarkation/embarkation. For the ex-Malta season, Viking partnered with Lufthansa (Deutsche Lufthansa AG - Germany's largest airline) to offer non-stop Transatlantic flights between New Jersey USA (Newark Liberty Airport) and Malta Airport, exclusively for Viking OCEAN customers. That didn't seem. Unless something changed, the answer is yes - must be used on a single cruise. I just pulled my Viking folder and on 6-25 (a month ago I was rudely dismissed by a Viking rep). MVJ is locked for this specific cruise , and if you try to book the cruise (UK website) the first available Fjords cruise in now April 2022. VIKING OCEAN's 8-month long westbound voyage (officially named "Ultimate World Cruise") included a Transatlantic crossing (RepositionCruises.com) and passing through Suez Canal. If you do not get cash compensation (from the travel insurance), Viking agrees to revisit your case and work out a settlement involving some amount of cash compensation rather than travel vouchers, he wrote. I had to cancel due to ill health and provided over five months notice. Thanks. Posted elsewhere, but we received our official cancellation email this am from Viking for our Oct 4 Trade Routes Bergen to Barcelona. The first river cruises of Viking in the United States had been highly anticipated when they were announced in April 2020. Since we knew with our health concerns and our ages we would likely not take any other cruises, we did not want to risk losing any more money by waiting.. Viking Cruises China's Managing Director is Brendan Tansey. I have a bad feeling.if you do a search for cruises in August only 3 itineraries come up (2 of which are transoceanic). Scenic cruising: Mt Athos: On sea days, passengers will sail past Mt Athos, the "Holy Mountain" (UNESCO Site, the spiritual capital of Orthodox Christianity). Viking.TV targets primarily non-cruising people (those staying home) rather than travelers. These boats are with modified longship design ("baby Longships") with only 2 decks (1/4 lighter) and capacity 98 guests (46 cabins). Just looked at the new Malta and Adriatic sailings. So I will have a look tomorrow. https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/baltic/icelands-natural-beauty/pricing.html. On August 31, 2019, Viking Sun started the 245-day "Viking World Voyage 2019" spanning 6 continents and visiting 51 countries via 111 call ports (including 21 port overnights). Bookings made by September 30, 2020, receive USD 2000 pp in "shore excursion credit" plus USD 1000 pp in OBC (onboard credit). Via this exclusive partnership, on every voyage scientists from the Institute undertake on the ship and also share with the cruisers their expertise. "Viking World Cruise 2019" prices started from USD 90,000 per person (with double occupancy). Passengers can experience the exciting scenery of Meteora, with its medieval monasteries, or explore the religious center of Dion, situated on the foothills of Mt Olympus. While in port, passengers can walk the waterfront promenade with its many restaurants and cafes, or head outside the port city to the remains of the Macedonian kingdom of Alexander the Great. Im going to be nit-picky about this. Disney Cruise Line . In 2017, Viking signed a sponsorship with National Geographic Society for shooting NatGeo's "Genius" (anthology series). Note that for the Rhine and some other itineraries it is intentional that Viking starts with two ships on the same date at the ends of the itinerary to meet in the middle for a ship swap if necessary, it is a "ship pair". In addition, Viking announced 3 new departures (in October, November and December 2021) of the 15-day "Panama Canal and Central America" itinerary roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades, Florida). Northbound Atlantic: "VIKING EMPIRE" (Istanbul-Stockholm), Southbound Atlantic: "PASSAGE THROUGH WESTERN EUROPE" (Bergen-Barcelona), "SCANDINAVIA TO SPAIN" (Stockholm-Barcelona). The brand's enrichment program is based on shipboard events (lectures, entertainment) and shore excursions themed on local history, traditions, nature, food. In Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos) Viking River Cruises charters riverboats from the Pandaw fleet - including the ships Katha Pandaw (as Viking Mandalay), and Orient Pandaw (as Viking Orient). Just like on all Viking riverboats, Viking Ocean deals are inclusive of popular amenities, such as Wi-Fi Internet, alcohol (beer and wine at lunch and dinner), shore excursions (at least one in every port of call along the itinerary), spa usage (thermal pool, sauna, hot tub, Snow Grotto room (snow falling from its ceiling), Gym (fitness center), library (with books reflecting the cruise itineraries), 24-hour room service; absolutely all meals at any of the onboard restaurants; beverages (cappuccinos, espresso drinks), self-service laundry; in-room movies on demand, lectures, airport to cruise port transfers. BOOKING AND SALE TERMS AND CONDITIONS - Viking Cruises 44-day "From the Arctic to Antarctica" (from Tromso to Ushuaia), 19-day "Antarctic and South America Discovery" (from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro), 18-day "South America and Antarctic Discovery" (from Rio de Janeiro to Ushuaia), 15-day and 13-day "Antarctic Adventure" (from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia), 15-day "Atlantic and Equator Sojourn" (from Cork to Rio de Janeiro), 13-day "Arctic Adventure" (roundtrip from Tromso Norway), 13-day "Viking's Northern Isles" (from Tromso to Cork), 13-day "Canadian Discovery"(from NYC New York City to Toronto), 10-day "Caribbean Connections" (from Bridgetown to NYC New York), 8-day "Niagara and the Great Lakes" (from Toronto to Milwaukee), 8-day "Undiscovered Great Lakes" (from Thunder Bay to Milwaukee), 8-day "Great Lakes Explorer" (from Milwaukee to Thunder Bay). Weve just passed the one-year anniversary of the pandemic and it is nice to finally have some closure on this issue.. on 9/4 - but the header of the email said 9/3 on the Eir. The funding helped the company's growth, particularly on the ocean cruising market, and also strengthened its balance sheet as it branched into China (since 2016). Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey is among the world's best-preserved cities of antiquity. Which means that some passengers will change ship and date. Both packages are priced from USD 50000 (EUR 43100 / ~GBP 39300) per person (double occupancy outside cabin rates). You kind of knew it was coming, but that doesn't make it any less disappointing. Cruisetour itineraries range from 7 to 23 days and include as regions the European rivers Rhine, Main, Danube, Saone, Rhone, Seine, Elbe and Douro, also Ukraine's Dnieper, Russia's Volga, China's Yangtze, Burma's Irrawaddy and Cambodia-Vietnam's Mekong. MS Amarco Antares (Nile River, Egypt) is an Amarco-owned hotelship operated by Viking under a charter. The new company's fleet currently includes only Viking Sun (Zhao-Shang-Yi-Dun) but will be expanded by adding China-made newbuilds in the following years. 15-day "America's Great River" from New Orleans to St. Paul on nearly the entire length of the Mississippi River (multiple sailing dates in June, September, and October 2023) prices start at US$11000 per person, with discounted airfare from US$200 per person. . Curiously, in August 2021, Viking OCEAN announced a "double world cruise 2023-2024" with two ships (Neptune and Sky) sailing on an identical itinerary from Florida to the UK. In Strasbourg, passengers take the high-speed TGV train to Paris. We'll try for something in 2022. The inaugural cruise itineraries of both expedition vessels are 13-day polar voyages - one in Antarctica, the other in the European Arctic. The start of this story began in April 2021 when Viking CANCELED my July cruise to Norway and Iceland. Thoughts? In March 2016, Viking OCEAN confirmed the order of three more ocean vessels, which was increased to four in 2017 (December). Each of the swimming pools is at a different temperature. Viking Mississippi cruise itineraries visit seven US states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota) and the riverport cities Baton Rouge, Darrow, New Orleans, St Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Memphis, Hannibal, St Louis, Burlington, Dubuque, Davenport, La Crosse, Red Wing, Minneapolis-St Paul. Viking's 7th ocean ship (Viking Venus) joined the fleet in 2021, with an inaugural season in Northern Europe and Scandinavia. The cruise line offered her future cruise vouchers worth 125 percent of her fare. Viking Cruises' arrival to the Mississippi represents a commitment to tourism and economic development in a lot of communities along the river, with the new sailings expected to bring 5,800+ guests to the region in 2022 and 17,600+ during the first full cruise season in 2023. In August 2020, Viking Cruises opened for sale two new Panama Canal itineraries - 18-day "Panama Canal and Coastal Holiday" (departing December 24, 2021) and 11-day "Classic Panama Canal Passage" (departing November 6 and 16, 2021, and visiting Key West, Cozumel, Belize City, Roatan, San Jose, Colon). A visit to a Nubian village is also included. Aula Auditorium (Deck 2 aft) is a glass-walled auditorium (with tiered seating) hosting lectures, media presentations, itinerary-themed port talks, live entertainment programs. It imposes restrictions on where USA-based ships can navigate and how to be staffed. Viking EXPEDITIONS summer 2023 season includes a new 2-week itinerary in the Great Lakes along with additional offers in North & South America. It includes Zodiacs (military-type rigid inflatable high-speed boats used for landings and coastal cruising), 2-seater sea-kayaks, two RIB boats (12-seats each), two mini-submarines (6-passenger, with revolving seats, spherical windows / 270-degree), Expedition Kit (cold-weather boots, waterproof pants, snowshoes, trekking poles, skis, binoculars). All Viking OCEAN ships offer destination-rich itineraries marked by "small ship cruise" tour and onboard experiences. Prices start at US$11,000 per person with discounted airfare. Risk-Free Guarantee - Viking River Cruises When more than one cruise is booked, deposit and payment policies apply per Cruise Fare. MS Steigenberger Omar El Khayam (Lake Nasser, Egypt) is a Steigenberger-owned ship operated by Viking under a charter. The new channel also livestream sessions with various guests (experts, scientists, celebrities) and allows real-time interaction by submitting comments and questions. In the wake of Austria imposing a country-wide lockdown as part of an effort to break a fourth wave of COVID-19 infections, river cruise lines in Europe have announced changes and cancellations to various itineraries, bringing the final weeks of 2021 to a sour close. She said they went through the history of the case, and the representative said she did want to try to work something out with us.. The company's turnover (gross revenue) from both river and ocean shipping operations for 2015 was about USD 2 billion. Raa Labs (via RaaEdge/digital data processing system) gathers data from Wi-Fi sensors onboard, allowing real-time monitoring. This ensures prime docking locations, easy passenger access and ability to walk into town directly. Debuting in June 2023, the 15-day Great Lakes Collection itinerary is due to sail between Toronto (Ontario Canada) - Duluth MN (Minnesota USA), providing passengers with a complete view of the region and call ports in all 5 Great Lakes. Next are listed all Viking Expeditions cruise itineraries by length and theme. This Arctic-themed facility is part of the ship's thermal suite (within the spa complex). Next official video reviews Viking's Longship cruise experience. All Viking Cruises Longships are named after Norse mythology gods and entities. As of January 2018, Viking Cruises operated a combined fleet of 62 riverboats plus 4 ocean ships. It is one of the sailings that is affected. Viking's Panama Canal cruises are on Viking Star. Cruise Lines International Association/CLIA's projections for 2020 were that the number of Chinese cruisers to Europe will be the same (or larger) in comparison to the Americans. Worldwide, Viking Cruises hires over 2,500 staff and crew. They try to make it better by giving us $250 PP OBC, but after the cancellation of prepaid excursions, we had a pile of OBC and NOTHING to spend it on. Viking Venus is scheduled to depart on July 22, 2023, and visit 10 countries (with 19 guided shore excursions included in the fares). It was to be on the Alruna from Basel to Amst. Viking ships in Russia are with average capacity 200+, the ships in China - up to 246. I just pulled my Viking folder and on 6-25 (a month ago I was rudely dismissed by a Viking rep). A 121-day segment (Viking World Journeys) allows travelers to join the cruise ship in Los Angeles CA, from where the itinerary continues to Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East, Europe (Mediterranean and Atlantic Coastal) ending in London-Greenwich, England UK. Environmental impact is further reduced through the ship's membrane water treatment plant. air is received. I know a lot of this was not their fault and up till now I have been very pleased with how they were handling things, but this is just biting the hands that feed them! For instance, on the Rhine Getaway in December, all Friday and Saturday sailings in both directions are suddenly sold out. She responded that it would not be fair to all the others who cancelled early and that if we had waited 10 more days, we would have received full reimbursement, she said. And it all started in the not-so-distant 1997 with the establishment of the modest Viking River brand founded by a consortium of Scandinavian and Dutch investors, with only 4 second-hand riverboats bought in Russia. It is expected to allow passengers to explore the Aegean Sea's ancient empires of antiquity during the quiet season. QueenofEverything, June 23, 2021 in River Cruising. The itinerary includes 3 new ports of call for the cruise line: Nafplio, Volos and Thessaloniki in Greece, as well as a visit to Ephesus marking Viking's return to Turkey. Viking's main competitors on the US market are American Cruise Lines and American Queen Voyages (fka AQSC). In 2000 Viking acquired Koln-Dusseldorfer (KD River Cruises). The first custom vessel of the company, Viking Mississippi, is scheduled to debut in August 2022 and sail cruises on the Lower and Upper Mississippi River, between Saint Paul Minnesota, and New Orleans Louisiana. Our August 9th British isles Explorer cruise (which was supposed to be on the Venus) has obviously been canceled. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. In late June, Keyles got a call from a Viking representative who said he would be reviewing the case. In the UK, Viking OCEAN ships are homeported in London-Greenwich England. On January 11, Norwegian Cruise Line informed passengers that near-term sailings on additional ships would be canceled, primarily for departures over the next two weeks (details below). Stanley Keyles looks at the Viking River Cruise website. Only says "Additional 2021 Voyages Coming Soon". The voyage starts in the USA (Duluth MN) and ends in Argentina (Ushuaia), also sailing to Antarctica. All the 6 ships will be built and owned by ECO Shipyards (subsidiary of Edison Chouest Offshore - 1960-founded as "Edison Chouest Boat Rentals" marine corporation) and operated under charter by Viking Cruises USA. In China (on Yangtze River), Viking River Cruises operates under charter the large-sized boat Viking Emerald. Cornell Lab's ornithologists are also always present on the ship to interact with the passengers. Nafpilo, Greece is set between the Bay of Argos and breathtaking mountains. Would like to know if Viking is offering 125% FCV. Some vendors may process your personal data on the basis of legitimate interest, which you can object to by managing your options below. No partial refund was given and I lost the total deposit of $1000.I understand that the T&Cs outline the refund policy. Starting operations in 2022 with 1 ship (out of all 6 planned newbuilds), Viking's USA-based river cruise ships will be 5-deck, with all-balcony staterooms, aft-located infinity pool, bow ramp (for passenger landings). My Danube Waltz on 11-22-21 on the Embla is gone and my Viking Journey is locked. The shipbuilding contract was officially signed on July 23, 2018. Viking Expeditions ships are Norway-flagged (registered in Longyearbyen Spitsbergen), smaller-sized (GT 30150 tons, LOA length 203 m, beam/width 24 m) and with reduced passenger capacity (378 each, plus 260 crew/staff) in comparison to Viking Ocean's liners (930 passengers plus 465 crew/staff each). Viking Cruises Cancels All Sailings Until 2021 - Travel 10 more were launched in 2013, and additional 18 launched in 2014 (including 2 smaller ships purpose-built for Douro River in Portugal). In early-April 2019, Viking and China Merchants Group (China's first commercial corporation/1872-founded) unveiled a plan to launch a new cruise line (joint venture company) for the Chinese market.