Viking signals that the restart to river cruising in Europe is at hand
Pencil in July for a comeback of river cruising in Europe.
That was the word Wednesday from Viking, the biggest seller of river cruises to North Americans.
The California-based company said it would restart operations in July in Portugal, France and along the Rhine River, which cuts through several countries in the central part of Europe.
Viking said the trips only would be open for fully vaccinated travelers -- the same policy the company has announced for initial "welcome back" ocean cruises it will operate out of the U.K. starting Saturday. The company has been selling those trips for more than a month.
Viking is a significant player in both ocean cruises and river cruises.
"The response to our initial Welcome Back ocean voyages has been overwhelmingly positive," Viking founder and chairman Torstein Hagen said in a statement accompanying Wednesday's river cruise announcement. "It is clear that many people are eager to get back out into the world."
Up until this week, Viking hadn't operated a single ocean cruise or river cruise departure since March of 2020, when cruising around the world shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Viking was the first major cruise line to halt departures worldwide.
In addition to restarting ocean sailings out of the U.K. this week, Viking already plans to restart a handful of "welcome back" ocean voyages out of Bermuda and Iceland in June and July as well as some Mediterranean sailings out of Malta starting in July.
The line's newly announced plans for a restart of river cruising in Europe only will bring back some of its river ships in the region.
Viking on Wednesday said its initial comeback in Europe would focus on five itineraries that are among its most popular, including its classic seven-night "Rhine Getaway" routing on the Rhine River between Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Basel, Switzerland.
The four other itineraries that Viking initially is restarting are its:
- Nine-night "Portugal's River of Gold" trips on the Douro River in Portugal that include a seven-night cruise on the river and a hotel stay in Lisbon.
- Seven-night "Paris and the Heart of Normandy" sailings on France's Seine River.
- Seven-night "Lyon and Provence' sailings on France's Rhone River.
- 15-night France trips that combine the Seine and Rhone river voyages.
Viking's announcement comes in the wake of the European Union agreeing Wednesday to reopen its borders to vaccinated Americans and other travelers. Cruise industry executives have said such a move was a prerequisite for river cruising for Americans restarting in Europe.
As part of its announcement, Viking said it was actively working on additional "welcome back" itineraries in other destinations that would be announced, "as soon as possible."
Viking said it planned to operate the newly announced river cruise trips with new health protocols that include frequent saliva-based COVID-19 PCR tests for passengers. The line has said it might test passengers every day in some cases.
Viking's new plan to restart river cruises in July is a watershed moment for the comeback of river cruising across the globe. The company is by far the biggest river cruise operator in the world catering to North Americans. It operates more than 60 river cruise vessels in Europe, Asia and Africa, and it accounts for around half of all river cruises taken by North Americans.
Other major river cruise operators with a global footprint such as AmaWaterways and Avalon Waterways mostly have canceled sailings through the end of June but have said little yet about definitive plans for a July restart.
Two small cruise lines that offer river cruises in U.S. waters -- American Cruise Lines and American Queen Steamboat Company -- already have restarted some operations on U.S. rivers such as the Mississippi River and the Columbia River.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.