Explore More - 2019

History ON BOARD It is

History ON BOARD It is wonderful to tour a destination, to read the guidebooks and visit the museums, but to truly immerse yourself in the history of a place, a little expert knowledge can go a long way Our focus on cultural enhancement has taken a step deeper into the history books with our Viking Resident Historian program designed to provide an enhanced level of enrichment for all our guests on board our ocean cruises via lectures, small-group seminars and history-themed dinner discussions. “Our guests are explorers—they are curious travelers who want to learn,” explains Karine Hagen, Sr. Vice President of Viking, who leads Viking enrichment efforts. “Having a fundamental understanding of iconic historical events in the destinations our guests visit helps bring a deeper understanding of the present—and perhaps also a better perspective on the future.” The Viking Resident Historian lectures are exclusively produced under the tutelage of Dr. Charles Doherty, Chief Viking Resident Historian. Dr. Doherty, PhD, has lectured in more than 60 countries for National Geographic, the Smithsonian and the American Museum of Natural History. Dr. Doherty received his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and attended the Courtauld Institute in London as a Fulbright Scholar. The Viking Resident Historians® provide guests with a framework for understanding the major chapters in world history and they conduct OUR GUESTS ARE EXPLORERS, THEY ARE CURIOUS TRAVELERS WHO WANT TO LEARN Facing page, clockwise from top left: A mosaic of Jesus from the Chora Museum, Istanbul; Viking Resident Historian Dr. Charles Doherty; Peterhof Palace, Russia; a detail from the Elgin Marbles; a guest lecturer enthralls his audience Below: The Colosseum, Rome seminar-style roundtables —smaller, more intimate forums for discussion with guests, where the Viking Resident Historian examines in-depth subjects related to their own area of specialization as well as the particular areas of interest of the guests. Ensuring guests achieve the optimum knowledge they wish to receive when on their cruise, the Viking Resident Historians provide a history course as a refresher, which is then supplemented by onboard guest lecturers who contribute their particular expertise (art, architecture, music, etc.) of the region. The responsibilities of Viking Resident Historians extend well beyond just lectures during each cruise itinerary, however, and include presenting iconic lectures (examples in Europe and Scandinavia include “The Roman Empire”; “The Vikings”; “The Hanseatic League”; and “Imperial Russia”); leading focused discussions (such as “The Elgin Marbles”; “Women of Exploration & Discovery”; and “Venetian Naval Power”); and they are available for guest questions and interactions outside lectures and “office hours” throughout the itinerary. The launch of the Viking Resident Historian program is just the latest of several recent additions to the onboard cultural offerings which sets Viking apart as The Thinking Person’s Cruise®—giving travelers immersive experiences on board and on shore, and Privileged Access experiences through exclusive partnerships. 114 VIKING.COM EXPLORE MORE 2019

ITINERARY EXPLORE MORE 2019 | VIKING.COM 115