LOS ANGELES (April 9, 2010) – Viking River Cruises, the world’s leading river cruise line, today announced that Viking Fontane has undergone full bow-to-stern refurbishments, which have been completed in time to start the 2010 season. The ship has been updated to have the Viking signature look and feel of elegant Scandinavian design, similar to its most recent launch, Viking Legend.
“We feel that 2010 is the perfect time to roll out our fleetwide update program in Europe, and it made sense to start with Viking Fontane, an intimate ship sailing one of our more popular itineraries,” comments Richard Marnell, Viking’s senior vice president of marketing. “As with the recent rollout of refurbishments to our Russia ships, the modifications are not just soft renovations like carpets and drapes. We have invested in the ship with changes throughout and upgraded furniture to provide more comfort and category choices for our guests.”
While all public areas of Viking Fontane, including the restaurant, bar and lounge, have been refurbished, the most substantial changes have been made to the stateroom accommodations including:
• Deluxe Staterooms – Eight deluxe staterooms (category AX) have been created on the Upper Deck; each measures 180 square feet and has hotel-style beds. These staterooms are larger than the standard staterooms and more in line with staterooms on Viking’s other European vessels. It will also provide guests with an upgraded option for their accommodations.
• Upgraded Beds – Beds in the standard staterooms (categories A, B, C and D) have been renovated to include standard-size single beds. These beds are larger and more comfortable than the previous Pullman-style beds.
For 2010, Viking Fontane is hosting guests on the 12-day Cities of Light itinerary, which features an 8-day cruise along the scenic Moselle, Rhine and Main Rivers plus two nights each in Paris and Prague. The itinerary includes multiple German ports including Trier, Cochem, Koblenz, Rüdesheim, Miltenberg, Würzburg, Bamberg and Nuremberg, plus cultural highlights such as a castle tour, wine tasting and a glassblowing demonstration. Travelers who prefer a shorter trip can opt for the 8-day cruise-only itinerary, Vineyards & Vistas.
About Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises, the world’s largest river cruise company, offers scenic cruising along the rivers of Europe, Russia, Ukranie and China. The company has been honoured multiple times as the top river cruise line on Condé Nast Traveler’s “Gold List” and Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best” Awards as well as recognized as the World’s Leading River Cruise Operator at the World Travel Awards. Travel agents have also recognized Viking River Cruises as “Best River Cruise Line” by Travel Weekly, “Best River Cruise Line” by Recommend and Travel Agent magazines, Best Cruise Line for Luxury River Cruises at the Luxury Travel Advisor Awards of Excellence and as “Best Overall Cruise Line for River Cruising” and “Best River Cruise Line for Travel Agent Support” by TravelAge West. Since its 1997 inception, the company has grown to a fleet of 18 vessels, and provides unique, deluxe holidays to experienced travelers with an interest in geography, culture and history.