2-FOR-1 CRUISE plus UP TO 2-FOR-1 AIR Save an additional $300 per couple on Viking Longships Expires July 31, 2014 2014 Holiday Sailings in Europe CHRISTMAS & THANKSGIVING THE WORLD’S LEADING RIVER CRUISE LINE...BY FAR® Dear Traveler, C ONTENTS Europe is a wonderful place to visit all year long, but there is something distinctly special about exploring its many wonders during the holiday season INTRODUCTI ON on a river cruise. At this time of year, you will find fewer crowds to fully Viking Online 2 experience its extraordinary sites. The Magic of a European Christmas 4 Let Viking® take you through the heart of Europe; from its grandest cities Thanksgiving Journeys 6 to its charming villages. Visit stunning palaces and cathedrals and tour world- Celebrate the Season 8 renowned museums. Stroll through festive and colorful Christmas markets and Excursions & Choice 10 enjoy comprehensive shore excursions that make each destination come alive. Viking Longships 12 See it all in style and comfort while gliding aboard our award-winning fleet Viking Inclusive Cruising 14 featuring the innovative Viking Longships®. These state-of-the-art vessels—voted 2014 EUROPEAN “Best River Cruise Ships” by Condé Nast Traveler—represent a quantum leap HOLI DAY ITINERARIES in design and engineering and feature the most spacious staterooms on the rivers. Rhine Getaway / 8 Days 16 In the spirit of the season, we are pleased to offer our Special Savings Discount: Amsterdam to Basel 2-FOR-1 cruise and up to 2-FOR-1 air on select itineraries booked by Romantic Danube / 8 Days 20 July 31, 2014. Plus, reserve your cruise aboard a Viking Longship and save Budapest to Nuremberg an additional $300 per couple. Our Viking Inclusive Cruising includes Danube Waltz / 8 Days 24 accommodations, meals, tours, complimentary beverages during meals, free Passau to Budapest Wi-Fi and much more. So, call your Travel Agent or Viking at 1-877-668-4546 Grand European Tour / 15 Days 28 Amsterdam to Budapest to make your reservation today. Heart of Germany / 7 Days 32 On behalf of everyone at Viking, we look forward to welcoming you aboard. Frankfurt to Nuremberg Sincerely yours, Portraits of Southern France / 8 Days 36 Chalon to Avignon Châteaux, Rivers & Wine / 8 Days 38 Bordeaux – Saint Émilion – Bordeaux Torstein Hagen Chairman P ROGRAMS & DETAI LS Deck Plans 40 Viking Travel Protection 45 2-FOR-1 CRUISE plus UP TO 2-FOR-1 AIR Save an additional $300 per couple on Viking Longships Expires July 31, 2014 Cover: Rathaus, Vienna This page: Explore the Christmas market in Nuremberg 1 “ In the heart of Europe you will nd a delightful Watch our holiday videos: surprise—colorful Christmas markets all waiting to vrc.com/holidays be explored…I rst discovered Europe’s Christmas Join Karine on an insider’s video tour through Europe’s Christmas markets, with my mother; we were looking for something as she shares age-old gingerbread traditions, teaches you to make handcrafted dierent than the traditional winter break and I have wreaths and introduces you to the warm treat of glühwein. Come explore been coming back ever since.” Europe’s winter wonderland and see why no one can share Europe’s Christmas markets with you like Viking can. – , Vice President of Viking GINGERBREAD HOUSE DEMO GREAT GIFTS FROM THE DANUBE Watch as Karine and chef Joanna build Karine offers personal insight into some a traditional gingerbread house from of the Danube region’s most coveted gifts scratch. From dough to baking, building and tasty treats —from gourmet chocolates and decorating, you will share in the fun and beeswax candles to Vienna’s famous as a fully decorated house comes to life. Sachertorte from Hotel Sacher. ADVENT WREATH HOW-TO HOT WINE RECIPE Making traditional advent wreaths is fun Karine offers a wonderful recipe for and easy with step-by-step instructions. glühwein, a warm wintertime libation. Watch as a local wreathmaker uses The aroma of the hot, mulled wine—with three key components — a straw ring, cinnamon, cloves and other spices—fills steel wire and pine needles — to create the air and warms you from the inside out. a seasonal masterpiece. Experience the spirit and romance of the holidays with visits to a number of Europe’s traditional Christmas markets; visit us online at vrc.com/holidays. 3 CELEBRATE THE SEASON WITH CHRISTMAS MARKETS CRUISES Rhine Getaway Nov 29 Dec 6, 7, 13, 14 See pages 16-19 Romantic Danube Nov 27, 28, 29, 30 Dec 6, 7, 13, 14 See pages 20-23 Danube Waltz Nov 29, 30 Dec 6, 13, 20 See pages 24-27 The beauty of winter in Germany e magic of a European Christmas FLOAT INTO A FEAST FOR THE SENSES THE FESTIVE SEASON With their ancient history and dramatic Winter is a magical time of year in Europe, with fairy-tale, snow-topped castles A river cruise through Europe — with visits architectural backdrops, the romantic and mountains, and a wonderful festive spirit everywhere. In Europe’s Christmas to its colorful Christmas markets — is the towns of Europe put on a magical most atmospheric way to enjoy the holiday markets the air is lled with the scents of gingerbread and warm, spicy glühwein, show at Christmas time. The central spirit. Let your deluxe river cruise ship squares and cobbled streets are filled and the tunes of traditional carols can be heard around every corner. What better take you from one alluring city to another, with stalls emanating lovely scents, sounds way to experience Christmas traditions than in the lands where they originated? enjoying the sights and sounds of a and tastes. In this fairy-tale setting, feast traditional Christmas. Shop for local crafts, on hot potatoes and chestnuts, grilled from handmade Christmas decorations and sausages and an array of traditional baked “ Suffice to say, a river cruise is hands-down the perfect way to nutcrackers to scented candles, woolen treats — and of course glühwein (mulled experience many Christmas Markets during a single European clothing and homemade gingerbread. wine) to warm your spirits. vacation, and Viking Cruises offers a premium way to get there.” – ; Popular Cruising 4 vikingrivercruises.com See your Travel Agent or call Viking River Cruises at 1-877-668-4546 5 Join us on a delightful anksgiving journey ere are few greater pleasures than ne food. Indeed, much of the joy of travel is the discovery of new and exciting cuisine. On a Viking cruise, you can look forward to a variety of regional foods that give you a true avor of each inspiring place you visit, all beautifully prepared and presented by our highly trained chefs. As with every aspect of a Viking journey, the choice is yours. A CELEBRATION dinner, with a menu that incorporates OF FINE FOOD traditional influences as well as Succulent turkey with caramelized contemporary cuisine. vegetables grown in Germany. Clementines poached in red wine from SOMETHING DELICIOUS TO PAMPER EVERY PALATE Austria’s Wachau Valley. Pumpkin pie Lighter choices, vegetarian dishes— made with pumpkins grown in northern our chefs work with nutritionists to France. And with your freshly caught provide a selection of balanced options. salmon? Hand-picked dill from the And, because some days you feel like organic herb garden aboard a Viking a simple supper, a perfectly grilled Longship. Our chefs use fresh, locally steak, chicken breast, grilled salmon sourced ingredients to create authentic VIKING C RUI S E S and Caesar salad is always an option. dishes that are bursting with flavor. TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY DINNER AND TO DRINK? CASUAL DINING Freshly brewed coffee in the lounge, IN ELEGANT STYLE FIRST COURSE MAIN COURSE DESSERTS as you gaze at the river’s early morning Greet the morning with a sumptuous Butternut Roast Turkey Green Beans Classic breakfast buffet in the dining room or mist. Iced tea on the Sun Deck, as you Squash Soup classic country Pumpkin Pie Pan-Seared pass villages shaped by time. A bottle Jack Daniels cream gravy whipped cream enjoy a croissant and cappuccino as Salmon you watch the river come to life. Lunch of fine local wine served with lunch or Kansas Steak Herb Stuffing creamed spinach Caramel Apple dinner—enjoy it all—it is all covered in Soup napoleon & black presents a selection of inspiring dishes. Candied Sweet garlic The artistry in the kitchen culminates your cruise fare. Shrimp Cocktail Yams horseradish Roasted Fall in a masterpiece of a multi-course cocktail sauce Old-Fashioned Vegetable Wrap Mashed Potatoes caraway slaw 6 vikingrivercruises.com See chefs prepare seasonal treats at vrc.com/holidays See your Travel Agent or call Viking River Cruises at 1-877-668-4546 7 CELEBRATE THE SEASON WITH THANKSGIVING CRUISES Rhine Getaway Nov 7, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 22, 23 See pages 16-19 Romantic Danube Nov 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23 See pages 20-23 Danube Waltz Nov 2, 9, 11, 16, 18, 22, 23 See pages 24-27 Grand European Tour Nov 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 11, 15, 24 See pages 28-31 Heart of Germany Nov 12, 18, 19, 24, 25 See pages 32-35 Portraits of Southern France Nov 9, 15, 16 See pages 36-37 Ch aˆ t e a u x , Rivers & Wine Nov 15, 22 See pages 38-39 Bask in the splendor of fall colors Celebrate the season with Viking FALL IN LOVE WITH EUROPE... DISCOVER LOCAL TRADITIONS IN THE FALL Throughout your cruise, you will discover We invite you to join us in November What more relaxing or rewarding way to explore Europe than from the river? a number of special days celebrated by when you can treat yourself, leave the locals.