NEW YORK CITY – Viking has quickly established itself as a leader in ocean cruising. A gorgeous new ship will put an added shine to the brand. A naming ceremony for the Viking Saturn was held on the Hudson River in New York City on Tuesday, June 6, and I was on hand for the occasion. New York Metropolitan Opera chair Ann Ziff, the ship’s godmother, christened the Saturn by using a steel sword from the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Verdi’s Il Trovatore and slashing at a red ribbon, which sent a bottle of Aquavit crashing against the white hull. Read more
river cruises
Toronto Pearson to Limit Flights This Spring + Summer; China Tourism Rebound and Scenic Cruises 2024
Toronto Pearson Airport officials say they’ll begin capping the number of passengers who can fly to the U.S. or come into the country from Europe. In a statement sent to me today by email, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) said it has “taken decisive measures designed to flatten peak-hour schedules for the March Break and the upcoming summer season” by controlling the number of passengers who go through the airport each hour. “These include hard limits on the number of commercial flights that can arrive or depart in any given hour along with limits on business/general aviation flights. In Read more
Acclaimed Canadian musician, actor and author, Jann Arden, is again partnering with Scenic for an unforgettable sailing on Portugal’s Douro River. The eight-day Delightful Douro sailing, Arden’s third river cruise with Scenic, is aboard the intimate 96-guest Scenic Azure. This truly all-inclusive cruise sails roundtrip out of World Heritage city of Porto, departing on October 30, 2023, and takes guests on an exploration of many of Portugal’s best sites – from the Baroque village of Lamego to the terraced vineyards and charming towns just beyond the banks of the country’s lifeline – the Douro. Pricing for the sailing starts at Read more
Viking today is celebrating today the company’s 25th anniversary and its leadership in travel. To commemorate the anniversary, Viking has released a new video message from Chairman Torstein Hagen as he reflects on the company’s key milestones since its founding on August 5, 1997. The new video can be viewed here on Viking’s website, as well as here on Viking’s award-winning enrichment channel, Viking.TV. All this week, Viking.TV daily programming has centered on Norwegian culture and history as a tribute to the Hagen family’s Norwegian heritage. “I am proud of all that we have accomplished in these 25 years. First, Read more
It’s probably fair to say that no single city in the world has taken a bigger hit from COVID-19 than New York. But this is one of the greatest cities on the planet (and toughest), and they’ve laid out a plan to pull themselves out of it with a newly-unveiled group called The Coalition for NYC Hospitality & Tourism Recovery. I also have news about the re-instatement of flights around the world by Emirates, American Airlines, Korean Air, Qatar Airways and others. I also have an update on how Los Cabos, Mexico plans to open for tourism on June 1. Read more
