Travel Suppliers
- Supplier Info
Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises, 5700 Canoga Ave., Suite 200, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. 800.707.8697 (main toll-free number), 877.668.4546 (travel agent reservations), 888.505.7984 (group sales), http://www.vikingrivercruises.com
Viking River Cruises’ target market is experienced, affluent travelers, ages 55 and older, who are seeking cultural enrichment and who have an interest in geography, history and exploration.
Stress the up-close-and-personal nature of the cruises, underscoring to clients that they will be sailing into the heart of every destination on small, deluxe ships made expressly for river cruising. Also highlight the line’s award-winning personal service, which achieves guest-satisfaction rates of over 99%.
Viking River Cruises, the world’s leading river cruise company, boasts a 175-year heritage and a level of expertise second to none. Viking River Cruises has consistently placed high on such competitive rankings as Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List, Reader’s Choice and Best Small Ships awards; and Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best. With inspiring, beautifully crafted itineraries—in Europe, Russia, China, Egypt and Southeast Asia—expert tour guides, luxurious ships, fine cuisine, excellent service and remarkable value, Viking River Cruises sails right into the heart of every destination.
Viking owns and operates the world’s newest and largest fleet of deluxe vessels built specifically for river travel. Each ship features spacious all river-view staterooms, hotel-style beds and luxurious suites. Viking’s all-inclusive packages include all onboard meals, lectures, activities, shore excursions and port charges. Guests enjoy gourmet cuisine in a relaxed, open-seating dining room. All 2012 itineraries will also feature complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks onboard with lunch and dinner. Viking balances guided tours—with expert English-speaking guides who provide historical background, context and regional perspective—with plenty of leisure time.
Viking’s fares start at $1,156 per person for aEuropean river-view cruise. Itineraries range from eight to 23 days. In 2012, Viking will be sailing 18 ships (each with 190 guests or fewer) in Western Europe; five ships (with approximately 200 guests each) in Russia and Ukraine; one ship (with approximately 256 guests) in China; one ship (with approximately 66 guests) in Southeast Asia; and three ships (with approximately 130 guests each) in Egypt.
An average Viking travel agent commission is more than $1,200 per booking. Agents can earn commission on every aspect of a client’s booking—from cruise and air to port charges, taxes, fees, travel protection plans and more—with no exceptions. Viking also offers many other commissionable up-sell items, such as air upgrades, beverage packages, gift orders and more.
To help support travel agent partners, Viking provides such sales support resources as knowledgeable Directors of Business Development; a travel agent website portal with sales tools, agent incentives and online booking; the ability to customize your own Viking website with your agency logo and contact information on every page; the ability to order brochures, letterhead, postcards and more online; downloadable, customizable offer flyers and ads to support your marketing efforts; access to beautiful high-resolution graphics; and a new email marketing tool with a variety of Viking email templates featuring your contact information. In addition, Viking River Cruises offers the exclusive Platinum Circle program for the top sales agents in the United States and Canada, which includes a variety of special promotions and rewards, including the Platinum Circle Cruise.
For more information on Viking’s agent programs—including travel agent training—visit the company’s bookable website portal for travel agents, www.vikingrivercruises.com/agents, or call 888.307.6966.
