Viking River Cruises, on the heels of building 12 Viking Longships over the 2012-2013 period, now says it has placed an order for two additional 190-passenger Longships in 2013. This brings the number of new ships launching next year to eight and a total of 14 new Viking Longships over a two-year period. The two newest ships, Viking Jarl and Viking Atla, will offer cruises on eight-day Rhine Getaway sailings from Amsterdam to Basel. Each of the new Viking Longships will be 443 feet long and will feature 95 staterooms per ship.

"As the fastest-growing segment of travel, river cruising is inspiring more vacation plans than ever before," said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking River Cruises. "We are very pleased by the response we have seen to our new Viking Longships, and we are continuing our expansion to meet that demand."

Viking Longships feature a number of innovative design and technology features, such as two Explorer Suites at 445 square feet, each featuring a separate living room, bedroom and private wraparound veranda, offering 270-degree views; seven two-room Veranda Suites with a full-size veranda in the living room and a French balcony in the bedroom; thirty-nine Veranda Staterooms with full-size verandas; and 22 French Balcony Staterooms. New premium in-cabin amenities include heated bathroom floors and mirrors, Sony HD TVs and premium bath products.

The ships also have an indoor-outdoor Aquavit Terrace, an onboard lounge that features retractable floor-to-ceiling glass doors allowing guests to enjoy the scenery and dine al fresco. The ships also have sustainability upgrades, such as solar panels, an onboard organic herb garden and energy-efficient hybrid engines that reduce vibrations for a remarkably smooth ride. Most of Viking’s new Longships said on its most popular European itineraries, including the 10-day Tulips & Windmills, eight-day Romantic Danube, 15-day Grand European Tour and eight-day Danube Waltz.