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Viking celebrated on Friday the official restart of its popular river itineraries in France, marking the latest milestone as the company resumes operations in Europe. Guests are now embarking journeys on the Seine and Rhône rivers for the Paris & the Heart of NormandyLyon & Provence and France’s Finest itineraries. Viking’s voyage in Bordeaux, Chateaux, Rivers and Wine, will resume in August.

Along with restarting river operations in France, Viking has launched four new Viking Longships that are purpose-built specifically to navigate the Seine River. Hosting 168 guests in 84 staterooms, Viking KariViking RadgridViking Skaga and Viking Fjorgyn dock at Viking’s exclusive docking location in the centre of Paris, just a short walking distance from the Eiffel Tower.

   “Throughout the last year, we have heard consistently from our guests that France is at the top of their travel list, so we are delighted that our river vessels are once again sailing in this beloved destination,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “My daughter, Karine, and I have just spent time on board our new Longships that dock in the heart of Paris—and I believe our guests will be very pleased with this elegant new way to discover the ‘City of Light.’ Only Viking offers an exclusive docking location just steps away from the Eiffel Tower. We sincerely appreciate the support our destination partners in France and look forward to a successful season.”

Viking restarted the company’s ocean operations in May 2021 with sailings in England for British guests. By keeping ships in warm layup, Viking was able to restart more quickly than most cruise lines.  In June, the company welcomed American guests back on board for new journeys around Bermuda and Iceland. Guests on Viking’s Welcome Back voyages have enjoyed the experience so much that they have provided some of the highest-ever ratings in post-trip surveys—a strong indication that experienced travellers are ready to be exploring the world in comfort once again.

Those who sail Welcome Back voyages experience Viking’s industry-leading health and safety program. Grounded in scientific research, the Viking Health & Safety Program was developed in partnership with an international team of medical advisors, including Raquel C. Bono, M.D., Viking’s Chief Health Officer. Dr. Bono is a board-certified trauma surgeon and retired Vice Admiral of the United States Navy Medical Corps—and most recently led Washington State’s medical and healthcare systems response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a full-scale laboratory installed on every Viking ocean ship—and a strong network of dedicated shoreside labs for Viking river ships in Europe—all guests and crew receive frequent quick and easy non-invasive saliva PCR tests. The easy access to robust PCR testing also simplifies guests’ travel experience with a final COVID-19 test taken onboard that satisfies the requirement for pre-flight testing before arrival into the U.S. New air purification technology has also been installed on all Viking ships, which have always featured independent air handling units for all guest staterooms. And additional health checks, sanitization and physical distancing measures provide further protection for Viking guests and crew at all points of the journey. A complete overview of the Viking Health & Safety Program can be found at: www.viking.com.au/health-safety.