This cruise company just banned children
Vikings River Cruises has just announced it will no longer permit people under the age of 18 on board their cruises.
The cruise company, based in Basel, Switzerland, has changed its river cruise policy to be the same as its Viking Ocean Cruises line, which has had an adults-only policy since 2015.
The cruise line’s age policy is now “one of the strictest in the industry”, according to Orlando Weekly.
Viking’s new terms and conditions page stipulates that for all new trips booked on both lines after August 1, 2018, passengers must be 18 or over.
This does not apply to cruises booked on behalf of people under the age of 18 through to 2019.
The rule change does not come as a huge surprise considering Viking River Cruises’ minimum passenger age was 12 years old.
Viking senior vice president of marketing Richard Marnell said the new rule makes sense as the cruise line’s travel experience is for the over-50s market.
“Viking has always offered experiences that are designed for travellers who are 50 and older, with interests in history, art, culture and exploration. It’s what we’re known for,” Mr Marnell said.
“Previously, we had allowed a degree of flexibility in the minimum age for travel, but increasingly our guests have told us how much they appreciate an environment where they can travel without children.
“In addition to marketing what Viking is, we believe our guests also appreciate knowing what Viking is not,” he said.