I never really had an inkling to go on an ocean cruise. Over the last 30 years, I watched as ships got bigger and bigger and bigger! Cruises are like floating cities nowadays! With Rock walls to climb and mini-oceans with waves for surf-boarding!

And out on the ocean, there is this vastness of water, water and more water! I guess you are so busy with "activities" on the ship, why do you need a view?!

Then I read about river cruises. Specifically, Viking River Cruises. The world's largest river cruise line, with 23 ships sailing the rivers of Europe, Russia and China. Viking River Cruises provides its passengers with in-depth, culturally rich travel experiences along the world’s great rivers.  The company has been in business for over 150 years so there is a long history that others would be hard pressed to match.

Of course, the first priority is the travelers though so VRC tries to accommodate travelers as much as possible.  The company has a 99.8% satisfaction rating for having met, exceeded or far exceeded the expectations of its guests last year. "Our passengers have high expectations of us, and we work very hard every year to meet and surpass those expectations!"



Due to their smaller size and low draft, river cruise ships can go where ocean cruise ships cannot,
and sometimes to where no other transport is practical: rivers are an excellent way to reach some  attractions, for example in Russia and China.
 
River cruising is an intimate, up-close way to explore your destination. It's a very boutique, hotel-style experience. Viking River Cruises' ships average just 150 passengers, and often dock right in the heart of town, providing "walk off your ship" access into Europe. During river cruises the countryside is usually in view, so they are especially relaxing—and interesting—to those  who prefer land nearby. River cruises usually last from 7 to 15 days, although some can last 3 weeks or longer.

A river cruise provides travelers a unique way to travel. A river cruise represents life in the slow lane, sailing along at a gentle pace, soaking up the scenery, with plentiful opportunities to explore riverside towns and cities en route. It is a supremely calming experience, an antidote to the pressures of life in a fast-paced world, in surroundings that are comfortable without being fussy or pretentious, with good food and enjoyable company.

A river cruise is very different from an ocean cruise. For a start, you are in almost constant sight
of land and stops are far more frequent than they are at sea. The vessels are like small, friendly, floating inns, whereas  ocean-going ships tend to be bigger, flashier, busier and livelier, the crew practised in the art of moving up to 4,000 people  from one port to another and getting them on and off the ship. In contrast, when your river cruise vessel docks you simply  walk up the gangway and into the town or city—in many cases the dock is located right at the heart of things.

The bottom line is a Viking River Cruise can give you an intimate view  and atmosphere  as well as comfort which spacious staterooms and breathtaking views! Whether you are cruising Berlin to Prague, Switzerland to Belgium, Austria, Germany and even Shanghai or Beijing, THIS IS THE WAY TO TRAVEL AND SEE THE WORLD! 

Call your travel agent or request more information directly from Viking River Cruises at 1-800-304-9616.