Viking Dominates Cruise Critic’s 2023 Awards: “Best Overall Line” and “Best River Line”
Viking has enjoyed a historic year in 2023, notching its highest level of bookings ever in January. This week the cruise line was the recipient of prestigious honors from the respected online cruise resource, Cruise Critic.
iking earned six First Place awards in the 11th Annual Cruisers’ Choice Awards given by Cruise Critic. Viking earned First Place recognition for each of its three cruise categories: river, ocean and expedition offerings.
Viking also earned the top award for Best River Line for the second consecutive year. Additionally, Viking’s ocean and expedition cruises earned the highest two placements in almost every eligible category including Best Overall Line (Small Ship Category).
Viking’s ocean voyages were named the Best for First-Timers, and, in its debut year, Viking’s expedition voyages claimed First Place in the Best Dining category.
Cruise Critic Is The Authoritative Voice In The Industry
Cruise Critic is the world’s leading online cruise community and cruise review site. The site has more than 650,000 cruise reviews, on nearly 700 cruise ships across the globe. The Cruisers’ Choice Awards identify the world’s most popular cruises, based solely on reviews posted to the Cruise Critic website in the last 12 months.
Viking’s Prestigious Awards
Torstein Hagen is the Chairman of Viking and he stated: “We are honored to be recognized with top placements for our entire fleet by the Cruise Critic community, which represents some of the most experienced voices in the travel industry.”
ˆFor more than 25 years, we have welcomed guests on destination-focused voyages around the world, and it is a delight to see how well our approach resonates with such knowledgeable travelers. I would like to thank our guests, the Cruise Critic community and our entire Viking family, who make these awards possible.”
Torstein Hagen is the Chairman of Viking
In Cruise Critic’s small ship category (vessels carrying 400-1,199 guests) Viking’s ocean and expedition voyages took First and Second Place, respectively, across these categories: Best Overall Line, Best Cabins and Best Value for Money.
Viking’s expedition voyages took First Place in Best Dining, with the company’s ocean voyages following in Second Place.
Viking’s Historic Year Continues
Viking is in the midst of celebrating its 25th anniversary. In January 2023, the company had its most successful single month of bookings and in the last three years Viking has added 16 new vessels to its fleet. These include eight new Viking Longships on the rivers of Europe, new purpose-built vessels on the Mekong, Nile and Mississippi rivers, three new, identical ocean ships, and Polar Class expedition vessels.
Viking made history by being named both the #1 Ocean Line and #1 River Line by both Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler, making it the first line ever to earn #1 in its categories from both publications.
Guests Love Viking Cruises
Here are some of the rave reviews given in the 11th Annual Cruisers’ Choice Awards by Cruise Critic members and past Viking guests.
Of Viking’s ocean voyages one satisfied guest commented: “We may be getting spoiled with Viking’s consistently outstanding ships, crews, food & accommodations, but that is why we keep going back to Viking,” while another poster commented: “The food on board is OUTSTANDING and is like eating at a 5-star dining restaurant at each meal.”
One Cruise Critic Member said of Viking’s river line: “Everything about this cruise and all the ports were so unforgettable … The local food dishes were well represented in all meals prepared onboard. All details were very well planned. The service was impeccable, the crew was absolutely lovely.”
Another Cruise Critic Member said this about Viking’s expedition voyages: “On the far edge of the world, you still have an incredible variety of sumptuous food, wonderful places to relax, a large and absolutely first-rate library with books of all sorts, and a captain and crew who are clearly at the top of their game. Our best vacation ever.”
Another poster raved about the dining on Viking’s expedition voyages saying, “Food was over the top great for every meal. Prepared to order in the grill and the special sit-down restaurants, and the buffets offered wonderful variety morning, noon and night.”
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