Viking River Cruises Successfully Transports Passengers from Cairo via Charter Plane to Frankfurt

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following travel warnings issued by the U.S. State Department, Viking River Cruises moved swiftly to transport passengers who were in Cairo to Frankfurt, Germany. All 91 guests are now safely in a Frankfurt hotel and will travel home to the United States tomorrow.

“Best River Cruise Line for Travel Agent Support”

“It was a lifelong dream for me to travel to Egypt,” said 80-year-old Betty Stein of Lafayette Hill, PA, and a Viking River Cruises guest. “While I didn’t get to see the Pyramids, I did get the opportunity to experience history in the making. The Egyptians were great, Viking was great and our Program Director was a doll. When we took off out of Cairo, we all broke out in a round of applause and we did it again when we landed in Frankfurt because we were happy to be safe.”

“Passenger safety is our #1 concern,” stated Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking River Cruises. “Understanding the challenges on the ground, we chartered an Airbus 320 and transported 91 guests out of Cairo who had been in Egypt the previous 2-10 days. They flew to Frankfurt where their safe arrival was happily met by our staff. We have arranged for them all to return home to the U.S. tomorrow, weather permitting.”

Amidst the unrest in the region, the world’s leading river cruise line announced they have cancelled their Egypt itineraries for all departures through February 28, 2011, and is working to rebook those scheduled to visit the destination.

Guest reaction to the company’s response has been positive as evidenced by the outpouring of support on the Viking River Cruises Facebook page.

Guests needing additional information can contact Viking River Cruises directly at 1-877-668-4546 (press option #2) or [e-mail]. Up to date announcements are also available at www.VikingRiverCruises.com and on the Viking River Cruises Facebook page.

ABOUT THE COMPANY: Viking River Cruises, the world’s leading river cruise company, offers scenic cruising along the rivers of Europe, Russia, China, Southeast Asia and Egypt. The company has been honored multiple times as the top river cruise line on Condé Nast Traveler’s “Gold List” and Travel + Leisure’s “World’s Best” Awards as well as recognized as the World’s Leading River Cruise Operator at the World Travel Awards. Travel agents have also recognized Viking River Cruises as “Best River Cruise Line” by Travel Weekly, “Best River Cruise Line” by Recommend and Travel Agent magazines, Best Cruise Line for Luxury River Cruises at the Luxury Travel Advisor Awards of Excellence and as “Best Overall Cruise Line for River Cruising” and “Best River Cruise Line for Travel Agent Support” by TravelAge West. Since its 1997 inception, the company has grown to a fleet of 18 vessels, and provides unique, deluxe vacations to experienced travelers with an interest in geography, culture and history. With a $250 million investment in a fleet development program, by 2013 Viking will have several refurbishments plus the introduction of eight new ships beginning with Europe’s Viking Prestige in 2011. For additional information, contact Viking River Cruises at 1-877-668-4546 (1-877-66VIKING) toll-free or visit the company online at http://www.vikingrivercruises.com.