For 2013, Viking River Cruises is featuring three new itineraries in Europe and one more in China. Viking's European itineraries include the 23-day European Sojourn travels between Amsterdam and Bucharest, and the 22-day “Grand Rivers of Europe” itinerary, travels from Basel to Budapest while combining “Rhine Getaway” itinerary from Basel to Amsterdam with the “Grand European Tour” from Amsterdam to Budapest. The new China itinerary, the "China Explorer," is an 18-day voyage on the Yangtze River that visits six UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
These additional itineraries come on the heels of Vikings' addition of Portugal and Spain to its 2013 itineraries. Viking's expansion has been highlighted by its ordering two additional longships in 2013. Viking will have launched 14 ships in two years, including the seven launching in 2012 and eight more being delivered in 2013, highlighting the exponential growth the cruise industry is experiencing.
Swan Hellenic announced five itineraries on the Rhine and Rhone rivers in 2013, a major destination for the river cruise company. Swan Hellenic is offering an eight-day Danube cruise that sails through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, as well as an eight-day Rhone river cruise sailing from Lyon to Châlon-sur-Sâone before cruising to the Mediterranean. Swan Hellenic also recently completed renovations on the MV Minerva, which received 32 new balconies and multiple expansions.