For Immediate Release

Record-breaking christening of 10 Viking River Cruise Longships is incredibly captivating

10 reasons this christening in Amsterdam was extraordinary

PRINCETON, N.J. (April 12, 2013) – For those who love to cruise, the new and beautiful ships that emerge each year are a treat – an opportunity to see what wondrous new features and amenities the cruise lines are offering. For each of these ships, there is a christening ceremony. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to experience the christening festivities first-hand?

Being on the “A List” for these events is a feat in itself. Because the agents at Crown Cruise Vacations are proven experts in the Viking River Cruise world, they had the privilege of being invited to this Viking River’s most recent christening day. This lovely ceremony in Amsterdam debuted the Longships™ – Viking Aegir, Viking Atla, Viking Bragi, Viking Embla, Viking Forseti, Viking Jarl, Viking Rinda, Viking Skadi, Viking Tor and Viking Var. This record breaking ceremony christened four ships in person, and another six by satellite (they remain in the Neptun shipyard in Rostock, German) – the most ever by one line in a single event.

Following is a list of the 10 most extraordinary moments from the christening:

1. The red carpet – Incredible. How many times do most of us get to experience the feeling of walking on a red carpet. A red carpet is traditionally used to mark the route taken by heads of state on ceremonial and formal occasions, and has in recent decades been extended to use by VIPs and celebrities at formal events.

2. The impressive music – Beautiful and synchronized to water. Cascading water spelled out the names of the ships.

3. The vision of the ships – Just amazing! There were a total of 6 ships in Amsterdam, docked three deep on either side of the floating ceremony platform. Those ships present included Viking Aegir, Viking Bragi, Viking Embla and the Viking Skadi. The Viking Odin and Viking Freya were christened before beginning their respective sailings. (The Viking Var, Viking Tor, Viking Forsetti, Viking Rinda, Viking Jarl and Viking Atla were christened in the Neptun shipyard in Rostock, Germany.) Have the waters of Amsterdam ever before seen such a beautiful site?

4. The floating vessels, fountains and flowers – The Viking River ships were beautifully decorated in red and white garlands, festooned with balloons and flags, and had large television screens mounted to the front two ships for a viewing of the absent ships. There was a floating platform in the center, where the Godmothers, line executives and members of the crew (among others) stood. Attendees were on the adjacent pier for the one hour ceremony.

5. “Viking Drummers” – High-spirited men, dressed like Vikings, were part of the pre-christening entertainment, along with violinists.

6. The Godmothers – We enjoyed remarks by each godmother. To find out more about these ladies, please click here.

7. Rubbing elbows with the famous – There were many well known and respected attendees. One special note of interest for us: Lady Fiona Carnarvon, Godmother of Viking Skadi, and her husband manage affairs at Highclere Castle, featured in the television series Downton Abbey.

8. The atmosphere – The party after the christening was held in the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam, and it had been transformed beyond recognition with a ballroom using fabric and crystal chandeliers.

9. The champagne was flowing – Dressed in white and carrying silver trays, waiters delivered Veuve Clicquot luxury champagne to guests. Founded in 1772 by Philippe Clicquot-Muiron, Veuve Clicquot played an important role in establishing champagne as a favored drink of haute bourgeoisie and nobility throughout Europe.

10. Guiness World Records™ – The christening was a record-breaking achievement. The previous record of “The Most Ships Inaugurated in One Day by One Company’”(two) was obliterated at the event. The new record was certified by a Guiness World Records™ adjudicator.

Upon receiving the award, Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises commented, “Our guests are explorers, just like the ancient Vikings of our Norse heritage, which is why we deliver authentic and enriching travel experiences like no other cruise line.”

This new record probably won’t stand for long. In 2014, the company plans to christen 12 new Longships.

The celebration concluded with an onboard dinner and maiden voyage cruise around the Amsterdam harbor. It was an amazing privilege to be included and event not soon forgotten.

Crown Cruise Vacation highly recommends Viking River Cruises. If you’re dreaming of a river cruise vacation, we love the Christmas markets cruises. They are a wonderful way to experience all river cruising has to offer. For Christmas market cruises, please see the links below or contact us for other options.

Viking River Cruises, Viking Forseti
8 Nights, Departing November 30, 2013
Ports of Call: Basel, Switzerland | Breisach, Germany | Strasbourg, Alsace, France | Mannheim, Germany | Braubach, Germany | Cologne, Germany | Kinderdijk, Netherlands | Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Viking River Cruises, Viking Jarl
8 nights, departing December 13, 2013
Ports of Call: Amsterdam, The Netherlands | Kinderdijk, Netherlands | Cologne, Germany | Koblenz, Germany | Mannheim, Germany | Strasbourg, Alsace, France | Breisach, Germany | Basel, Switzerland

Viking River now has 56 ships, with plans for many more. One more concept of note: on May 16, 2013, they will be revealing what Crown Cruise anticipates will the biggest cruise story of year… Perhaps they will begin building actual cruise ships.

For more information on the incredible features and accommodations on the Viking River ships, please contact the sophisticated cruise specialists at Crown Cruise Vacations. They can assist with the ordinary and the extraordinary. To work with Crown Cruise Vacations President Ross Spalding or a Crown Cruise Vacations cruise specialist for your next vacation, please call toll-free (USA/Canada) 877-283-1114, direct-dial 1+609-945-9801, or visit Crown Cruise Vacations at http://www.crowncruisevacations.com.

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About Crown Cruise Vacations:

Sophisticated cruise specialists at Crown Cruise Vacations assist with the ordinary and the extraordinary, with travel designed to delight clients as they take dream vacations. Great value and unparalleled service are the cornerstones of Crown Cruise Vacations.

Crown Cruise Vacations was named North America’s Leading Cruise Travel Agent 2011 by the prestigious World Travel Awards, which acknowledges excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry. Crown Cruise Vacations is the preferred provider of PTV at Sea cruises, which enrich, inspire and entertain with informative programming presented by some of public broadcasting’s most acclaimed personalities.

Based in Princeton, New Jersey, Crown Cruise Vacations specialists are comprised of a unique team of experienced, accredited travel agents and managers with an average of more than 12 years selling leisure travel. For more information, please visit us at http://www.crowncruisevacations.com/.

Crown Cruise Vacations
103 Main St, Suite 300
Princeton, NJ 08540
877-283-1114 toll-free USA/Canada
+1-609-945-9801 direct dial

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