Travel + Leisure readers have again voted Viking to the top of its categories in the 2018 World’s Best Awards, which were announced yesterday by the publication. Viking was named the #1 Ocean Cruise Line for ships carrying 600–2,199 guests and one of the World’s Best River Cruise Lines. In the three years since the launch of Viking’s ocean cruises in 2015, the company has been named a #1 Ocean Cruise Line every consecutive year. Viking has also been voted a World’s Best River Cruise Lines every year since the award’s inception in 2011.
Aerial view of the Viking Sun near the Harbour Bridge, Sydney, Australia.
This milestone comes on the heels of last month’s launch of the company’s fifth ocean ship, Viking Orion, and the announcement of the 245-day Viking Ultimate World Cruise, the longest-ever continuous world cruise itinerary. Travel + Leisure is the largest travel magazine brand in the U.S., and since 1995 its readers have been asked to cast their votes for the World’s Best in cruising with considerations in the following cruise features: cabins/facilities, food, service itineraries/destinations, excursions/activities and value.
“We have been offering ocean cruises for three years, and for all three years we have been voted the world’s #1 ocean cruise line. To receive such a positive reception so quickly and consistently is unprecedented and a great honor,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “From our beginning, we have set out to do things differently. We focus on the destination, providing what we believe to be a better value than any other cruise line. We want to thank our guests and the readers of Travel + Leisure for embracing the Viking way of travel and for again bestowing upon us two awards in a single year.”
This announcement from Travel + Leisure adds to an impressive list of recent accolades for Viking. Earlier this year, the company’s first three 930-guest sister ships, Viking Star, Viking Sea,and Viking Sky dominated the Cruise Critic 8th Annual Cruisers’ Choice Awards, receiving 10 First Place honors. Viking’s fourth ship, Viking Sun, which was still in its first months of service, also debuted on the Awards list. All four ships have also been awarded a top rating of five stars by Cruise Critic.
Quickly-expanding Viking plans to add seven new river vessels to its fleet in 2019, including six award-winning Viking Longships and one additional vessel inspired by the Viking Longships and specifically designed for Portugal’s Douro River. Viking also is targeting February 2019 to welcome its sixth ocean ship, Viking Jupiter.
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