Viking is launching three new cruise and land tours in China this year, just as the country is making it easier for American travelers to visit. The cruise company announced it will launch a series of 10- to 20-day trips with stops built in for some of China’s most popular cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.
The three new cruise and land tours will operate from September to November on the Viking Yi Dun, which was formerly the Viking Sun, and will be Viking’s first ship dedicated to the foreign market. (The Viking Yi Dun ship features 465 staterooms with the ability to welcome 930 guests, and is complete with a Nordic spa, several restaurants, an outdoor gym and yoga area, and an infinity pool.)
“Our guests are curious travelers who are interested in experiences that broaden their mind — and China, with one of the richest cultures in the world, has been inspiring travelers for centuries,” Torstein Hagen, the chairman of Viking Cruises, said in a statement obtained by Travel + Leisure. “For more than 15 years, our Yangtze River voyages were among our highest-rated itineraries. We brought guests to China’s Yangtze River, to Beijing, to the Great Wall, to the Terra Cotta Warriors and to many other iconic places in this captivating nation … Now, we are delighted to offer such encounters once again with new voyages to a destination that never ceases to capture the imagination.”
In addition to major cities, the new tours will feature a domestic sailing along China’s coast as well as visits to sites like Gulangyu Island in Xiamen, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the chance to meet a Tibetan family at their home.
The new voyages come after China simplified the visa process for American travelers, no longer requiring travelers from the United States to submit proof of a round-trip air ticket, proof of a hotel reservation, proof of their itinerary, or an invitation letter to apply for a tourist visa. Travelers from the U.S. are still required to obtain a visa to visit China, but may stay visa-free for as long as six days if they are transiting through the country, according to the government.
To celebrate the new voyages, Viking is offering free international airfare and $25 deposits on all-inclusive river, ocean, and expedition voyages, including the new China itineraries. To take advantage, travelers must book by Jan. 31. Learn more at vikingcruises.com.