Viking River Cruises Offers Moms the Vacation of a Lifetime

April 5 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate Mothers across the nation this year, Viking River Cruises is offering special Trans-Pacific roundtrip airfare to China, starting at just $99 in conjunction with any 12- or 16-night China Cruisetour booking.

"Viking River Cruises always tries to offer the most unique travel experiences with excellent value for the money," says Jeff Dash, President of Viking River Cruises. "With this special, limited-time only deal of a $99 airfare, we hope to reward Moms and pamper them on one of our China Cruisetours."

Passengers fly to Beijing, where they overnight for one or several nights, depending on itinerary, then fly to Chongqing to board Viking River Cruises newest ship, Viking Century Star, setting sail to experience the Yangtze River and all its offerings. This special Trans-Pacific airfare rate is available on June through August 2004 departure dates, on either of the following 12 or 16-night itineraries:

• Imperial Treasures of China: 12-night stay includes seven-night Yangtze River cruise, three nights in five-star Beijing hotel, and one night each in five-star Shanghai and Xian hotels. Passengers will be able to experience: Tiananmen Square/Forbidden City/Summer Palace/Beijing Zoo/Great Wall/Ming Tombs/Peking Opera; Tang Dynasty show; Terra Cotta Army; Chongqing by Night; Lotus Cave; Shibaozhai Temple; Lesser Three Gorges sampan; Three Gorges Dam, and more!



• In the Footsteps of Marco Polo: 16-night stay features seven-night Yangtze River cruise, three nights in five-star Beijing and Shanghai hotels, two nights in deluxe Suzhou hotel, and one-night in a five-star Xian hotel. Experiences will include: Bund/Old Shanghai/ Museum/Children's Palace; Suzhou Grand Canal/Wangshi Garden/Silk Factory/Zhouzheng Garden/Embroidery Institute; Chinese music performance; Three Gorges Dam; Lesser Three Gorges sampan; Shibaozhai Temple; Lotus Cave; Tang Dynasty Show; Chongqing by Night; Terra Cotta Army; Great Wall/Ming Tombs/Peking Opera/Tiananmen Square/Forbidden City/Summer Palace/Beijing Zoo, and much more.

In addition to experiencing some of China's best-kept secrets, Viking Century Star guests will be treated to some of the best in Chinese cuisine with Chinese menus designed by world-famous chef, Martin Yan, of Yan Can Cook. Yan was contracted by Viking River Cruises to ensure the highest quality Chinese food was available to passengers onboard, in keeping with the line's quality reputation. In addition to the Chinese meals, passengers will also be able to enjoy the same quality European gourmet meals that are standard onboard the company's European itineraries.

The brand-new Viking Century Star provides spacious, all outside cabins with private balconies for 186 passengers. Each cabin is equipped with a phone, color television, private bathroom and shower, hotel-style beds and air conditioning. The ship also includes a restaurant, observation lounge and bar, coffee bar, gym, sauna, business center, sun deck, and shops. A doctor and beauty salon are also available onboard.

Viking River Cruises is offering $99 roundtrip airfare to China with purchase of a 12- or 16-night China Cruisetour, for passengers flying from Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. Passengers flying from Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Newark, Orlando, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, St. Louis, Tampa and Washington fly for $199, while passengers from Philadelphia, Phoenix and Pittsburgh fly for $299 per person. The China Cruisetour with special air rate is subject to availability and must be booked prior to May 31, 2004. Passengers must pay in full at time of booking to secure this price. Travelers can obtain this special by referencing offer code "26River."

For additional information, contact Viking River Cruises toll-free at 1-877-66VIKING (1-877-668-4546) or visit the company online at vikingrivercruises.com.

Source: Viking River Cruises