Viking Debuts New Ship In Southeast Asia Specially Designed To Sail The Mekong River - TravelAwaits

2022-08-19 20:20:12 By : Ms. catherine dong

Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler. We want to inspire you to explore new destinations, discover new experiences, and savor the journey.

The inaugural season for the newest Viking river ship is underway in southeast Asia. The 15-day itinerary takes guests between Kampong Cham, Cambodia and Mỹ Tho, Vietnam. The Viking Saigon is an 80-guest ship purpose-built for the Mekong River.

“The fascinating cultures of Vietnam and Cambodia have always made this region a favorite destination among our guests,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “We are also pleased to welcome back to Southeast Asia our first guests since early 2020. With arrival of the Viking Saigon, we look forward to introducing even more curious travelers to this iconic waterway in the coming years.”

During the 15-day trip, guests will explore the cultural treasures of Vietnam and Cambodia with 16 guided tours. There are hotel stays in Ho Chi Minh City, Siem Reap, and Hanoi, bracketing an 8-day Mekong River voyage.

Your trip begins with a flight into Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon. You’ll have a 2-night stay to enjoy Vietnam’s largest city. Included is a tour where you’ll see sights like Grand City Hall, the old Opera House, Reunification Palace, and Ben Thành Market.

The first stop will be a visit to the village of Cái Bè, where you will see local workers producing rice noodles, coconut candy, and a host of other handmade products. 

Other stops include Phnom Penh by cyclo rickshaw, discovering the ancient ruins of Ta Prohm, and the Khmer temple complex of Angkor Wat. You’ll explore the Old Quarter of Hanoi and attend a performance by Apsara dancers and taste fresh ingredients from markets and local restaurants. During the river voyage, you can discover silk towns, fishing towns, monasteries, and floating markets.

The new Viking Saigon hosts 80 guests in 40 outside staterooms, all of which have hotel-style beds and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with a veranda or French balcony. There are two Explorer Suites with two full-size rooms with a veranda off the bedroom and a spacious bathroom with a separate bathtub and glass-enclosed shower.

Guests can enjoy a spa and fitness center, infinity pool, and open-air sky bar on the upper deck. There is a restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows giving you a panoramic view while you enjoy a meal. An upper deck pool also offers 360-degree views. There is also a library and an onboard shop.

The 2022-2023 season is now underway. Regular sailing dates are available through March 2023. The 2023-2024 season begins in July 2023.

Viking is offering special savings on select river and ocean voyages, with a limited-time $25 deposit as part of the company’s 25th Anniversary Sale.

Visit VikingCruises.com or call toll-free at 1-855-8-VIKING.

Viking was founded in 1997 and provides destination-focused journeys on rivers, oceans, and lakes around the world. Designed for curious travelers with interests in science, history, culture, and cuisine, these cruises take passengers to Europe, Russia, Asia, Ukraine, Egypt, and the Mississippi. 

To discover more about travel in Asia, check out: 

Allison loves learning about new people and places and always jumps at the chance to take a trip. Whether it's visiting a town in her area or traveling across the country, she's up to explore!

She has traveled outside the U.S. several times including trips to London, Switzerland, and a cruise through the Western Caribbean. Her favorite travel memory is visiting Sundsvall, Sweden, her great grandfather's birthplace. Growing up, she spent a lot of time with him, so it was special to see where he was born. It looked very similar to the town where she grew up in New York. Within the U.S., she continues to check states off the list, most recently making a trip to Alaska for her honeymoon.

Allison spent almost 20 years of her career as a TV news anchor. She’s covered everything from political conventions to Super Bowl LV to hurricanes and, most recently, the pandemic. She is a two-time Emmy award-winning journalist. She's been recognized for her work nationally and regionally by organizations including the Associated Press, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists.