Viking River Cruises announced that its newest river ship, Viking Saigon, had begun her inaugural season in Southeast Asia.
The 80-passenger ship is purpose-built for the Mekong River, and sails between Kampong Cham (Cambodia) and My Tho (Vietnam) as part of Viking’s 15-day Magnificent Mekong itinerary.
With the 2022-2023 cruise season underway, regular sailing dates are offered through March 2023. The 2023-2024 cruise season begins in July, next year.
Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking said the fascinating cultures of Vietnam and Cambodia had always made the region a favorite destination among their guests.
“We are also pleased to welcome back to Southeast Asia our first guests since early 2020. With arrival of the Viking Saigon, we look forward to introducing even more curious travelers to this iconic waterway in the coming years.”
Purpose-built for the Mekong, the new Viking Saigon accommodates 80 passengers in 40 outside staterooms. Featuring a clean Scandinavian design for which the line is popular, all staterooms feature hotel-style beds and floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with a Veranda/French Balcony. Passengers on the 3-deck ship also enjoy an Infinity Pool, a Spa & Fitness Center, and an open-air Sky Bar on the Upper Deck.
On the 15-day Magnificent Mekong journey, guests can explore the cultural treasures of Cambodia and Vietnam with a total of 16 guided tours. Hotel stays in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Hanoi, and Siem Reap (Angkor Wat), bracket an 8-day Mekong River cruise, during which passengers can enjoy exploring Hanoi's Old Quarter and attend a performance by Apsara dancers, taste the fresh ingredients from local restaurants and bustling markets, wander the Khmer temple complex of Angkor Wat and visit Ta Prohm, where vines embrace ancient ruins. On the itinerary's river voyage portion, passengers can discover fishing villages, silk towns, floating markets, and monasteries.