KD Line is an 1826-founded, Cologne-based company with a fleet of 14 cruise vessels (including "event ships" and a paddle steamer) deployed in Germany, on the rivers Moselle, Rhine and Main. The company is responsible for vessels berthing (cruise terminal arrangements), logistics, freshwater supply, customs, crew changes, passenger disembarkation/embarkation. 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 8-day cruisetours include roundtrips from New Orleans, as well as one-ways between New Orleans and Memphis TN, and between St Louis MO and Minneapolis-Saint Paul MN. Could be US only, as we have no itineraries listed under Welcome Back. Exploring the World in Comfort | Viking River Cruises Multiple sailing dates are available in December 2022 and pricing starts at US$4,000 per person with discounted airfare. Weird that you read this on the website before getting an email as the update says those affected were notified. 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. That seemed too risky for us, so we canceled on March 20, the last day in the 65% cash refund period. I hope you get an answer from Viking very soon. Aula Auditorium provides direct access to Finse Terrace, which makes it an indoor-outdoor observation lounge. All itineraries have at least one tour or guided shore excursion per day (complimentary / cruise fare-inclusive). Stanley Keyles looks at the Viking River Cruise website. The new ship was scheduled to start operations with a World Cruise 2022-2023. Due to strong demand, Viking Cruises has also announced 2023 dates for 4 existing Great Lakes expeditions: the 8-day Great Lakes Explorer, Undiscovered Great Lakes, Niagara & the Great Lakes itineraries, as well as the 13-day Canadian Discovery. Viking Venus is scheduled to depart on July 22, 2023, and visit 10 countries (with 19 guided shore excursions included in the fares). Journey with the world's #1 river cruise line. Fingers crossed we get to go on this one. In Australia, P&O Australia has suspended sailings until at least March 4, 2021, with Pacific Explorer cancelled until March 4 and Pacific Adventure up until April 30, 2021. I have so far only paid a deposit so will only get a relatively small benefit from the 125% FCC. Viking Ocean Cruises was voted Best Large-Ship Ocean Cruise Line by Travel + Leisure readers in the 2016 World's Best Awards. That didn't seem. 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). Pricing starts at US$4,000 per person with discounted airfare. Company's Net revenues for FY2017 were estimated at about USD 1 billion. (2020-built) longships on Seiner River in France -. 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. Share. (Barcelona to Rome, 7-nights) "Romantic Mediterranean" (visits 4 countries, included 8 land tours), (7-nights) "Mediterranean Getaway" (visits 3 countries, included 6 land tours), (9-nights) "Empires of the Mediterranean" (visits 5 countries, included 7 land tours), (12-nights) "Mediterranean Odyssey" (visits 6 countries, included 10 land tours). By 2027, Viking plans to increase its annual river shipping capacity to 100,000+ passengers (compared to 2018's 50,600) by deploying 6x boats. Viking is also expanding its Mediterranean program by adding 5 new itineraries visiting Istanbul. Got the email from Viking on our Aug 25th, 2021 Paris to Normandy. On March 16, 2022, were joint-christened 8 riverboats - 4x in Paris (Fjorgyn, Kari, Radgrid, Skaga) and 4x in Amsterdam (Egdir, Gersemi, Gymir, Hervor). You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Your booking is currently locked for updates. Viking emailed Mar 2 2020 offering a voucher for the 75% cancellation fee those on cruises in Apr. Some vendors may process your personal data on the basis of legitimate interest, which you can object to by managing your options below. Among the vessels' innovative marine technologies are energy-saving hybrid engines, top-deck solar panels, pollution-minimizing exhaust systems. The longer/71-day itinerary visits 33 ports (10 countries, 3 continents). 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). They would fly to Italy and take an 8-day Viking River Cruise called Italian Sojourn, which would travel around Italys boot from Civitavecchia to Venice. Viking Cruises Cancels All Sailings Until 2021 - Travel CC Help Jenn In 2015, Viking's river fleet expanded to 64 boats, 40 of which longships (capacity 190 passengers) introduced in 2012. Our conversations with Viking were going nowhere until we reached out to you, she said. Viking OCEAN's Panama Canal cruise prices (balcony stateroom) start from USD 8000 per person (18-day itinerary), USD 6550 pp (15-day) and USD 5500 pp (11-day). This technology lowers the vessel's maintenance costs and also the risk of sea pollution. Feels like it is time to brace for another round of cancellations. Will Viking River Cruises Be Cancelled? - River Cruising - Cruise 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. The "10-vessel fleet" news was officially announced in December 2017, when Viking Cruises signed the shipbuilding order for the 2 optional vessels. Help requested: Cancelling a Viking Cruise The onboard cuisine is traditional Chinese (dishes prepared by Szechuan and Cantonese chefs) plus European dishes by Michelin-star chefs. As of 2020, Viking fully owned and operated a fleet of 6 ocean liners plus 76 riverboats (almost all of which are of the patented Longship-Class). Here you can compare all Viking cruise ships (RIVER, OCEAN, EXPEDITIONS) and their itineraries, destinations, and departure dates. This is our 3rd cancellation we originally had a river cruise last spring, then theMediterranean this July, and now August. On September 12, 2023, departs "Longitudinal World Cruise II" (on Viking Polaris). Fleetwide operations were planned to resume on October 1, 2020. 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). Ms White, who had to cancel ten weeks of tours that were previously fully booked, acknowledged that there are land tours - buses that will ride cruise passengers to St George's - but said . Baltic-UK: "BALTIC JEWELS and THE MIDNIGHT SUN" (Stockholm-London) and "INTO THE MIDNIGHT SUN" (Bergen-London). In October 2017, Viking River Cruises announced a shipbuilding order for 7 new riverboats. air is received. American Queen Steamboat Company: Crusing as of mid-March 2021 American Queen Steamboat Company resumed select sailings in the South in mid-March, followed by voyages through the Pacific. This is no way to keep customers happy. We have listed all Viking ships as schedules (itinerary calendars with prices) and current position tracking maps. 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). 10 more were launched in 2013, and additional 18 launched in 2014 (including 2 smaller ships purpose-built for Douro River in Portugal). 8-day "New Orleans and Southern Charm" roundtrip from New Orleans. 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. Travelers looking for an extended experience in the region are able to choose longer versions of the itinerary, such as: In September 2020, Viking introduced a new (2023 itinerary) - the 29-day "Baltic Jewels And The Midnight Sun" from London UK to Stockholm Sweden via Norway, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Russia, Finland, Sweden. 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). Powered by Invision Community. Replacing the biodegradable oils, the water is being directly discharged into the sea. For 2020 were planned the launches and inaugurations of 6 more Longship-Class boats - 4 with smaller capacity (168 pax) and deployed year-round on Seine River in France (Fjorgyn, Kari, Radgrid, Skaga) plus 2 standard (190 pax) and deployed on Rhine River (Gersemi, Hervor). Viking Shores and Fjords - SEPT 2021 - Cruise Critic Community At additional cost are only spa massages, beauty salon services; specialty beer, premium alcohol (wine and spirits), and some shore excursions. These boats are with modified longship design ("baby Longships") with only 2 decks (1/4 lighter) and capacity 98 guests (46 cabins). Starting in 2018, Viking River Cruises is the first non-domestic company licensed to operate cruise ships on the Nile River in Egypt. Scenic cruising: Mt Athos: On sea days, passengers will sail past Mt Athos, the "Holy Mountain" (UNESCO Site, the spiritual capital of Orthodox Christianity). 13 days, one-way from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso-Santiago, 137 days, one-way from Fort Lauderdale to London-Tilbury, 11 days, one-way from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, 12 days, one-way from Bergen to London-Tilbury, 17 days, one-way from Valparaiso-Santiago to Buenos Aires, 7 days, one-way from Barcelona to Civitavecchia-Rome, 14 days, round-trip Panama Canal Central America, 7 days, one-way from Rosedale MS to New Orleans, Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades, Florida), Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA), Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale Florida), Viking River Cruises kicks off stops in Greenville (Mississippi), A new Viking Longship for Seine River cruises joins the fleet in 2025, Fire breaks out on Viking Orion cruise ship docked in Sydney (NSW Australia), Mississippi RIver's largest cruise ship ever debuts in June 2023, Viking Cruises releases 2024-2025 world voyage itineraries, Godmother Nicole Stott names Viking OCEANs newest ship Neptune in Los Angeles USA, Viking Orion ship stranded off the coast of Australia due to fungus outbreak, Townsville (Queensland Australia) welcomes first cruise ship in 2+ years, 1 dead, 4 injured after giant wave breaks glass panels on Viking Polaris ship, Viking Ocean Cruises takes US$1.5 billion in financing on 4 ships, Fred. The brand's enrichment program is based on shipboard events (lectures, entertainment) and shore excursions themed on local history, traditions, nature, food. Other features include the indoor-outdoor "Aquavit Terrace" (designed for outdoor relaxation and also suitable for alfresco dining), large "Explorer Suites" with wraparound balconies (aft / stern location), an organic herb garden and solar panels (on the Sun Deck). Snow Grotto access is complimentary to all passengers. Viking's Canada cruises visit NYC New York, Halifax NS, Gulf of St Lawrence (scenic cruising, Cape Breton National Park), Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island), Magdalen Islands Quebec (scenic cruising), Cap-aux-Meules (Quebec), Sept-Iles Quebec, Saguenay Quebec (zodiac cruising through Saguenay Fjord), Quebec City, Trois-Rivieres Quebec, Montreal Quebec, Seaway Locks (transit to Lake Ontario), Toronto Ontario. 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.. Viking's Nile River cruisetour is themed "Pharaohs and Pyramids". China as flag state allows the ship to visit seaports under China's cabotage rules that regulate the shipping of passengers and/or goods between two Chinese ports. The next day, they got a phone call. I see they are doing all August now, will take a bit to get to November, but this is kind of last minute for you. When will Viking make the next cancellation announcement? But a pattern is there that is certainly deliberate. Viking River Cruises holds 1/2 of North America's market. The VIKING cruise travel brand was officially inaugurated on August 5, 1997. 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. Itineraries include "In Search of the Northern Lights", "Into the Midnight Sun", "British Isles Explorer" and "Viking Homelands". Thoughts? CC Help Jenn QueenofEverything, June 23, 2021 in River Cruising. After Walt Disney Cruise Line (with MS Disney Magic, 1998-launched), Viking became industry's second cruise brand company to launch a purpose-built passenger liner (Viking Star). On both riverboats, all the hotel staff is Mandarin-speaking, all the signage is in Mandarin (from menus to toiletries). Karin Price Mueller may be reached at KPriceMueller@NJAdvanceMedia.com. Bookings opened in 2020 - on March 31 (past customers) and on April 15 (general public). But all was not lost. Viking Venus is scheduled for the August 13-23 cruise. This is CruiseMapper's page for the three Viking Cruises subsidiary companies - the sister-brands Viking RIVER, Viking OCEAN and Viking EXPEDITIONS, their fleets (riverboats, liners, polar ships), cruisetour itineraries, destinations, homeports, cruise tracker. Viking cruises add more dates but gloom as St George's misses out Could all be perfectly benign, may not be. An Early Booking promo (for bookings made for September 30, 2021) offered USD 2000 pp (shore excursions credit), USD 1000 pp (OBC-onboard credit) plus USD 1000 pp OBC (for Viking Explorer Society/loyalty program members). Cornell Lab's ornithologists are also always present on the ship to interact with the passengers. Please try again later. " We both have autoimmune conditions. Everybody please keep reporting. Just phoned Viking UK as still locked out of My Viking Journey and informed that there is nothing to worry about, Cruise is still going ahead on 3rd August and that MVJ page will be accessible in another 48 hours it is just being updated. I called Viking last week and was given a very weak answer that its sold out to moving folks from the Prestige (we were originally booked on Prestige and then in August last year moved to the Embla as Prestige taken out of service). Viking Cruises Reviews | Read Customer Service Reviews of It is fitted with benches and has dark stone walls illuminated by blue light. Today our group of four received emails confirming our Vikingtrip is a go! Repositioning cruises are officially themed as: Viking Baltic itineraries are operated in the summer, themed as "Viking Homelands" (14 nights in length). In 2023, celebrating the company's 25th anniversary, Viking EXPEDITIONS offers "Longitudinal World Cruise I". Viking Cruises Ltd (shipowner) is the parent company of Viking Flusskreuzfahrten AG (Viking River Cruises) as well as of KD Deutsche Rheinschiffahrt GmbH, which is subsidiary of Koln-Dusseldorfer (aka KD Cruises, fka KD Line). Multiple sailing dates are available in November-December 2022; additional sailing dates are available in January and December 2023 and 2024. Century Legend and Century Paragon are the Yangtze River cruise ships in China. Date. My Danube Waltz on 11-22-21 on the Embla is gone and my Viking Journey is locked. Next are listed all Viking Expeditions cruise itineraries by length and theme. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. By These ships also use seawater as a lubricant for their propeller shaft bearings. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Since the focus is on the port cities and river cruising, activities onboard are geared towards enrichment lectures. Viking refusing to refund given COVID risks! - Review of Viking Cruises CC Help Jenn The lounge has floor-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows (providing 270-degree unobstructed views) and an outdoor deck seating (Finse Terrace). 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 65-day itinerary (March 2 through May 5, 2023, on Viking Octantis) visits 29 ports (9 countries, 3 continents) departs from Buenos Aires Argentina, visits the Antarctic Peninsula, continues northward around Cape Horn, along South America's coast (Chile, Peru, Ecuador), passes through Panama Canal, then up to Mexico, Florida USA, NYC New York, Canada (Nova Scotia and Quebec) and via St Lawrence River to Ontario and via Detroit MI, ending in Milwaukee WI. I had to cancel due to ill health and provided over five months notice. Media Center - Press Releases - Viking Cruises 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. Which means that some passengers will change ship and date. In earlier months, the dates change, but always the same day of the week, i.e. Of course, this is the US website. Viking is the only cruise line to have a full PCR testing labratory onboard. Followers 7. 2022-2023 Viking Mississippi itineraries include: In April 2021, Viking announced that the new 2024 sailings of its Mississippi River voyages were open for sale. Viking river cruise itineraries range from 7 to 23 days. For instance, on the Rhine Getaway in December, all Friday and Saturday sailings in both directions are suddenly sold out. My Danube Waltz on 11-22-21 on the Embla is gone and my Viking Journey is locked. 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.. 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. All of these really long ships have the same/hybrid engine powerplant. She called next day and said no operations said it is sailing. The company dedicated two longships, on which the primary onboard language is Mandarin. NOAA scientists are present on all Great Lakes USA voyages to conduct researches (on local weather changes and ecosystems) and present lectures themed on the Great Lakes region. The Viking Ocean brand was introduced in 2015 with Viking Star, which started operations with mostly one-way itineraries in Baltic Sea (Scandinavia, Russia) and Mediterranean Sea. Pax Global Media. Share. 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. China Merchants Group's shipbuilding subsidiaries will design and construct the newbuilds for the new company. . 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). In the period 2011-2015, the company spent USD 600+ million on promotions. The vessel's hull and superstructure are assembled at the shipyard in Tulcea Romania, then towed to VARD Soviknes Shipyard (Alesund Norway) for outfitting. Highlights of the Greek Odyssey itinerary include: The cruise fare includes balcony cabins for all passengers, complimentary shore excursions in all ports, all onboard meals, complimentary wifi, wine and beer with lunch and dinner, access to spa's Thermal Suite, and 24-hour room service. The first river cruises of Viking in the United States had been highly anticipated when they were announced in April 2020. Viking's Arctic cruises visit Tromso Norway, Svalbard Islands Norway, Polar Ice Cap (scenic cruising), Spitsbergen Island (Barentsburg, Smeerenburg, Barentsburg, Alicehamna/Alice Harbour, Hornsund, Nordfjorden, Liefdefjorden), Bjornoya (Bear Island), Barents Sea (cruising). https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/baltic/icelands-natural-beauty/pricing.html. Keyles said she expected it would not be approved because they were not sick at the time of the planned travel. Must be noted, that the 2013-launched Viking Grace (2800-passenger cruiseferry operated by VIKING LINE) was the first-ever passenger ship with a Snow Room. I just paid for a cruise using a voucher. The snow on the floor is kept at sub-freezing temperatures. Viking Neptune itinerary program was announced by VIKING OCEAN in late-December 2020. As you consider your travel plans, we invite you to explore our expandedWelcome Backofferings as an alternative.". https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/welcome-back.html. These new types marine engines use 20% less fuel than the conventional ones. Would like to know if Viking is offering 125% FCV. We hear your concerns and have arranged for a Customer Relations Agent to connect with you directly to discuss available options for your upcoming voyage. Some voyages (few in Europe, Egypt, Southeast Asia, and China) are "cruise tours" marked. 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. Photo: Courtesy of Viking Cruises. I usually praise Viking but I think they should definitely offer a "lift and shift" maintaining the same price for a similar cruise to that which they have cancelled. 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. The infinity pool (resistance swimming pool) on each ocean ship was a "first at sea" facility. (We paid for Air+) I am really unhappy with Viking. We are on the Embla 11-22 which is in the same situation. Viking Cruises' ocean liners made the company world's largest "small ship cruise" brand with a dominant share on the luxury travel market (23,9 % by year 2020). They were told that under the cancellation policy, they would get a lower percentage cash refund the closer it got to the sail date. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Cabin sizes vary between 21 m2 (Nordic Balcony / French Balcony) and 114 m2 (Owner Suite with 73 m2 Terrace Garden). All affected bookings received a 125% refund in FCC (future cruise credit) with rebooking or 100% monetary refund. In April 2021 was inaugurated the joint venture company "China Merchants Viking Cruises Co Ltd" (operating via the brand "Viking China Coastal Cruise"). (Viking's 2021 world cruise is scheduled to depart December 24.) Viking's Panama Canal cruises are on Viking Star. 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. Powered by Invision Community. By. The first longship's 2016 itineraries (starting November 10) are on Rhine River, between homeports Amsterdam and Basel. No idea about other rivers. Viking Ocean's port agent for China is Wallem Ship Agency China. Will Viking River Cruises Be Cancelled? All excursion programs ashore are organized by Viking River Cruises. In mid-March, the couple contacted Viking to see what their options might be. All Viking Cruises Longships are named after Norse mythology gods and entities. The Risk-Free Guarantee allows guests to change their cruise date up until 14 days before their planned departureand Viking will waive any fees. It is good to have several ships running also for flooding, but the idea of meet in the middle is less likely to work. The new, 16-day Canada & the Atlantic Coastline itinerary will expand offerings along the St. Lawrence River and Atlantic coastline, featuring destinations including Quebec City, Charleston SC, Norfolk VA, Trois-Rivieres (Quebec), and more. We are fortunate that we can accept the date change, but it has cost quite a bit more to change hotel ressies - and our TA is still struggling to get thru to their air dept to get us acceptable flights - she has been trying for a week! A visit to a Nubian village is also included. VikingCruises, Community Specialist at Viking Cruises, responded to this review Responded December 1, 2021 Thank you for your review, Anna. Has Viking Cancelled Any 2022 Cruises - CruiseInfoClub.com In late June, Keyles got a call from a Viking representative who said he would be reviewing the case. The final balance is due based on offer at Since August 2018, Viking Cruises (both brands/river and ocean) is an adults-only company that doesn't allow minor passengers (under 18 years of age) on its vessels. The first custom vessel of the company, Viking Mississippi, is scheduled to debut in August 2022 and sail on the Lower and Upper Mississippi River, between New Orleans and Saint Paul. 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. Poor Customer Service, Refund Policy due to Covid-19 - Review of Viking Great service, great listening to concerns, we couldn't be happier. 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! No phone person is going to give you anything but the party line. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. 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). As a result of newbuilds and acquisitions, in 2014 the company had a river fleet of 52 vessels with a total of 9200 berths.