Viking unveils spectacular Indian river voyage featuring spa, open-air skydeck, with stops at the Taj Mahal, Old Delhi, Jaipur
Viking's first river voyages in India will begin in 2027 aboard Viking Brahmaputra, with stops along the Brahmaputra River.
Viking Brahmaputra will host 80 guests in 40 outside staterooms, said Viking chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen.
'Featuring our signature Scandinavian design for which Viking is known, all staterooms and suites will have floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with a veranda,' he said.
Guests on the three-deck vessel will also enjoy a range of amenities, including a spa and fitness centre and an open-air sky bar on the upper deck.
The ship will sail between Guwahati and Nimati Ghat in the northeastern state of Assam.
In addition to an eight-day river voyage, the itinerary includes a fully guided land program with overnights in Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur, Mr Hagen said.
Travellers will be immersed in India's cultural treasures and may visit as many as 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Guests will explore India's so-called Golden Triangle, a tourist circuit in India that connects the national capital, New Delhi, with Agra and Jaipur.
'While sailing the Brahmaputra River, guests will see Guwahati's temple, encounter the thriving villages along its banks, search for the one-horned rhinos and buffalo of Kaziranga National Park and discover the cultures of Majuli, one of the world's largest river islands,' Mr Hagen said.
'In recent years, our guests have particularly enjoyed visiting Indian ports on our ocean itineraries. We are now delighted to introduce a new way for curious travellers to explore the heart of this phenomenal country, in-depth and in Viking comfort.'
Viking also offers fully guided side excursions to Delhi, Dubai, Kathmandu, Cochin and Mumbai.
It's been a busy month for Hagen with the launch of a new ocean-going ship, the Viking Vesta with 499 staterooms for up to 998 guests.
It will cruise the Western Mediterranean, including stops in Barcelona, Rome, Monaco, and Florence. The ship will also sail in Scandinavia and British Isles waters with likely stops at Stockholm, Bergen, and London.
Viking has also taken possession of a new 'longship' to cruise the French waterways.
The Viking Nerthus to carry 168 guests was built at Meyer's Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock Warnemunde in Germany.
She will join the fleet of state-of-the-art sister ships on the Seine River for the eight-day Paris and the Heart of Normandy cruise and the eight-day Christmastime in Paris and Normandy itinerary.
'France continues to be a destination of great interest for our guests, and with the arrival of our newest ship on the Seine River, we look forward to introducing even more curious travellers to the region's rich history and cultural treasures,' Mr Hagen said.
Torstein Hagen is perhaps the most interesting cruise ship owner of them all.
The 83-year-old Norwegian billionaire (his wealth is said to exceed US$13bn) started Viking Cruises in 1997, aged 54, with four riverboats in Russia.
He was previously the chief executive of the Royal Viking cruise line.
He was forced to step down in 1984 after a failed bid to buy the company. Mr Hagen has big ambitions. His order book is full and he says Viking will deliver 25 additional river ships by 2028 and nine additional ocean ships by 2030.
By then, Viking will have 109 river ships in 2028 and 21 ocean and expedition ships in 2030. TRAVELLERS' TIP
Rostock is the largest city in the German state of Mecklenburg and a tourism magnet.
It is a university and port city known for its beautiful beaches and brick gothic architecture.
Warnemünde is a seaside resort within the Rostock city boundaries.
It sits by the mouth of the Warnow River where it meets the Baltic Sea and has a rich maritime history.
It is a cruise ship port.
Harbour cruises are also offered.
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