Viking® (www.viking.com) has been voted Best Cruise Line by Food & Wine readers in the publication’s inaugural Global Tastemakers Awards, which were announced today. According to Food & Wine, Viking topped the Cruise Line category for the inventive culinary programs across its river, ocean and expedition voyages.
For 45 years, Food & Wine has celebrated the global epicurean experience; for its first-ever Global Tastemakers Awards, the publication is recognizing the best culinary experiences around the world, chosen by its readers. In addition to cruise lines, other categories include top restaurants, airlines, hotels, bars and more. Viking will be featured in the July issue of Food & Wine magazine, which will be on newsstands in June; the full results of the awards can be found at www.foodandwine.com/global-tastemakers.
“Discovering a destination through its culinary traditions is central to the Viking experience, and we are pleased that our approach to dining has resonated with so many curious travelers,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “I would like to thank our guests and readers of Food & Wine for recognizing us, as well as our culinary team members who make awards like this possible.”
Dining on a Viking ship, guests find the ideal setting for impeccable service and casual elegance. In addition to always-available classics, menus on board feature dishes inspired by the destination—with regional beer and wine included at lunch and dinner. On Viking’s ocean and expedition ships, guests have multiple dining options, from Mamsen’s Norwegian Deli and the open kitchens of the World Café to Manfredi’s Italian trattoria and the multicourse tasting menus of the Chef’s Table. On Viking’s European river vessels, guests may choose between the main dining room, The Restaurant, and the revolutionary indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace. And on the new Viking Mississippi, the innovative River Café, features American classics and locally inspired specialties. Across its fleet, Viking offers the most al fresco dining on any waterway, so guests always have the option to enjoy a meal or a glass of wine while completely surrounded by the scenery.
The announcement from Food & Wine is the most recent milestone as Viking continues to celebrate its 25th anniversary. In March 2023, Viking dominated Cruise Critic’s Cruisers’ Choice Awards, receiving top honors in six categories including “Best Overall Line,” “Best River Line,” and “Best Dining” for its ocean and expedition voyages. In January 2023, the company had its most successful single month of bookings following recent years of strong growth. Since 2020, Viking has welcomed 16 new ships to its fleet—including eight new Viking Longships on the rivers of Europe; new, purpose-built vessels on the Mekong, Nile and Mississippi rivers; three new, identical ocean ships; and two Polar Class expedition vessels. Viking has also been named both the #1 Ocean Line and #1 River Line by both Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler, making it the first line ever to simultaneously earn #1 in its categories from both publications.
