AAA Traveler - Fall 2021 (ACG) - 19

With an increased interest among Americans in making
travel discoveries closer to home, Viking's recent expansion
into U.S. and Canadian waters is a logical next step for the
company, which over the years has steadily expanded its river
and ocean cruise itineraries around the world. According to
Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen, the company " invented the
concept of modern river cruising " beginning with its first
cruises back in the 1990s on the rivers of Russia and Europe.
" Since then, many people have come to appreciate the unique
experience that comes with river cruising - but currently there
are very few options to do so on American rivers, " Hagen says.
" Our guests are curious travelers and they continue to tell us
that the Mississippi is the river they most want to sail with us. "
He adds, " No other waterway has played such an important role
in America's history, commerce and culture. "
 Imaginative Itineraries 
Viking's Mississippi cruises trace the Father of Waters from New Orleans to St. Paul, Minnesota, with itineraries reflecting the
panoply of historic sites, culture and wildlife found along its storied banks. Also part of Viking's North American expansion, a
new series of expedition voyages explores the communities and ecosystems of the Great Lakes and Eastern Canada.
Viking's options for experiencing the Mississippi
are nearly as varied as the great river itself.
Passengers can follow nearly its entire course on a 15-day cruise
from New Orleans to St. Paul or choose among eight-day
segments from St. Louis to St. Paul, New Orleans to Memphis or
take a deep dive into Cajun and Creole culture on a roundtrip to
and from New Orleans. A special holiday cruise from Memphis to
New Orleans in December 2022 comes with opportunities to
sample regional treats and enjoy Graceland and historic mansions
in Baton Rouge and Natchez decked out for the season.
Along the way there are ample ways to experience the rich
ecosystems of the Mississippi, navigating through cypressshaded
bayous by kayak while keeping an eye out for
kingfishers and great blue herons. Or, hundreds of miles to the
north, observing the magnificent bald and golden eagles at the
National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minn.
The ways to gain insight on the Mississippi's pivotal role in
America's history are no less varied, whether it's during a
ranger-led tour of the Civil War battlefields of Vicksburg, Miss.,
or on a stroll through Laura Plantation to learn how the lives of
French, Native Americans and West African people entwined at
this Louisiana Creole estate. Evocative experiences await in
Memphis where the National Civil Rights Museum gives visitors
a haunting view into the room at the Lorraine Motel where
Martin Luther King, Jr. stayed just before his assassination.
Experiences await also in the humble clapboard structures of
Hannibal, Mo., where Mark Twain drew inspiration for his
iconic characters, and in Iowa's Quad Cities where the John
Deere Pavilion celebrates the heritage of heartland agriculture,
there's an opportunity to visit a modern family-owned farm.
Photos left to right: Nashville, Tennessee; Vicksburg, Mississippi;
Christmas decorations, shrimp bo boy sandwich and New
Orleans entertainers in New Orleans, Louisiana.
TRAVELER FALL 2021
19

AAA Traveler - Fall 2021 (ACG)

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AAA Traveler - Fall 2021 (ACG)