Viking Announces New Partnership With Upcoming Downton Abbey Film

If you are an avid traveler and also a huge fan of the Downton Abbey series there’s an exciting new opportunity for you. Viking River Cruises, which has often been named as the premier cruise line in the travel industry, is partnering up with the upcoming Downton Abbey film to allow travelers to experience expanded privileged access to Highclere Castle. Here’s what you need to know.

Step Inside The Historical Drama

Viking Cruises has partnered with Focus Features, Universal Pictures and Carnival Films for the release of the new full-length film Downton Abbey, which will hit theaters later this year. Beginning in 2021, Viking will add a new pre and post-cruise extension called Great Homes, Gardens & Gin. This experience will allow fans and guests to get a taste of the English way of life while also giving Downton Abbey fans an opportunity to step inside the historical drama, which followed the lives of the Crawley family and their servants in the family’s Edwardian country house. The British series first debuted in the UK back in September of 2010 and in the U.S. in January of 2011 and depicted how some of the great events in history had an effect on the lives of the Crawler family and on the British social hierarchy.

Extension Available On Viking’s Rhine Getaway

The new five-day extension will be available on Viking’s Rhine Getaway river cruise itinerary and British Isles Explorer ocean cruise itinerary. The program includes Viking’s Privileged Access® tour of Highclere Castle, as well as a visit to Broughton Castle, home to the influential Fiennes family, whose members include the renowned British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes and actors Ralph Fiennes and Joseph Fiennes.

“Many of our guests were introduced to both Viking and Highclere Castle while watching the Downton Abbey series. For this reason, we are linked in the minds of many Downton Abbey fans,” said Karine Hagen, Executive Vice President of Viking, in a new statement to the press. “Partnering for the release of the new film is a natural extension of our close relationship with Highclere Castle and our close personal friendship with the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon – with whom we proudly created Viking’s highest-rated cruise extension.”

Excursions Will Include

Privileged Access excursions will include experiences such visiting St. Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum “behind closed doors;” a private cooking class in a Tuscan castle; three different extensions that visit Highclere Castle, the filming location of Downton Abbey; and an exclusive dinner in the Churchill War Rooms in London.

One of the reasons why so many avid and seasonal travelers pick Viking time and time again is because they love the cruise line for their clean, sophisticated and Scandinavian-inspired décor. Plus, they give their guests a real opportunity to experience a cultural immersion trip, which is something that you don’t often get from a cruise line.

Even though there are always available American classics on board, guests can also dine at each one of their destinations. If that weren’t enough, there’s also a true focus on cultural immersion experiences both onboard and onshore as well. There are Viking Chef-hosted trips to local farmers markets, tea at home with local residents and visits with local families and schoolchildren to give you a one-of-a-kind and unforgettable cruise.

Enter for a chance to win a Viking cruise for 2 & visit Highclere Castle, the set of @DowntonAbbey: https://t.co/M3o7ttuatx

(Open to US residents only. No purchase necessary.) pic.twitter.com/14OGy1gFG1

— Viking (@VikingCruises) September 10, 2019

Your Chance To Win A Trip To Highclere Castle

Viking is offering U.S. residents a chance to win a trip to Highclere Castle, with the grand prize including roundtrip international Business Class air for two, an 8-day Paris & the Heart of Normandy river cruise and the 3-night land extension program visiting Oxford and Highclere Castle. For more information and to enter by October 31, 2019 visit: https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/special-offers/highclere-castle-sweepstakes-river-hp.html

It’s also been noted that from now through September 30, 2019, U.S. residents can take advantage of special savings on cruise fares, and up to free air on select 2019, 2020 and 2021 ocean and river itineraries.

Share your thoughts in the Comments section below, on our Facebook Page,  Follow Our Twitter Account or Head Over To Our Pinterest Page!