Destination-Focused Enrichment on Viking Cruises

Cooking with a Countess, Venice, Italy , Sail & Swim the French Riviera, Toulon, France and A Normandy Countryside Cheese & Brandy Tasting – About the Destination-Focused Enrichment on Viking Cruises

Leveraging extensive feedback and input from Viking River Cruises passengers, Viking Ocean Cruises was developed with experienced travelers in mind. Itineraries are designed for maximum time in port, often with late evenings or overnights, so guests can experience local culture at night or evening performances. Ports include both cosmopolitan cities and “collector ports,” appealing to those with an interest in history, art, music, and cuisine.

While onboard, guests will enjoy informative talks from local experts and carefully selected lecturers in The Theater. Dining options onboard Viking Star elevate food as a cultural experience – the World Café features global cuisine with live cooking and open kitchens; Mamsen’s features Norwegian deli-style fare, according to the recipes of Hagen’s mother, Ragnhild, otherwise known as “Mamsen;” and Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant embraces authentic Tuscan and Roman cuisine. In the Kitchen Table, the high-tech space offers cooking classes featuring a wide range of regionally inspired dishes and culinary techniques; at night it transforms into an interactive dinner experience with fellow guests and Viking’s esteemed chefs.

While every cruise fare includes a guided excursion in each port, Viking’s optional excursion program was designed to provide guests with enriching privileged-access experiences that go beyond the iconic and expected. Highlighted examples include:

Private Visit to Hagia Sophia by Night, Istanbul, Turkey – On this special excursion, guests visit the magnificent Hagia Sophia for a private tour free of crowds. After departing the ship with a guide, guests enjoy a drive over the Galata Bridge into the heart of Old Istanbul to walk the hallowed halls of Hagia Sophia and view its priceless treasures. After the visit, guests enjoy refreshments in the courtyard of the nearby Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamami, a charming Turkish bathhouse.

Cooking with a Countess, Venice, Italy – Countessa Lelia Passi welcomes Viking guests to her home, which has been in her family for hundreds of years. In the magnificent surroundings of this lavish palace, the countess and her teaching staff share with guests the secrets of Italian cooking.

Sail & Swim the French Riviera, Toulon, France – Guests have the opportunity to try their hand at sailing a luxury sailboat on the Bay of Toulon. Weather permitting, the yacht will anchor in one of many small coves, where guests can relax with a drink or snack, or perhaps a swim in the warm waters of the Mediterranean.

A Normandy Countryside Cheese & Brandy Tasting – In the village of Pont L’Évêque, savor a special Norman lunch amidst the Calvados barrels of Les Tonneaux du Père Magloire restaurant. After your meal, you will visit the cellars to learn how apples are transformed into the “eau de vie,” the water of life—Normandy’s favorite brandy.

Kayak a Fjord – Guests have an opportunity to paddle among the tranquility Norway’s mighty fjords, on an active and exciting excursion.

At Home in Haugesund, Haugesund, Norway – Visit a traditional home for tea. Your hosts, a local garden designer and architect, welcome you into their wooden house that dates to 1884. You visit and enjoy tea steeped from herbs in their garden.

To find out more about the information in this post, please contact Tiffany Neidhardt at tiffany@cruises-n-more.com and please let us know of your interest. Our phone numbers are 800-839-9384 (toll-free USA/Canada) or +1-407-771-4454; 0-808-189-1292 (toll-free U.K.); 800-076-002 (toll-free Australia). Thank you for choosing Cruises-N-More. We look forward to serving you.