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Hi, Traveler –

Due to a technical glitch, the newsletter that comes out the first Saturday of the month wasn't sent.

So here it is, with the specials for April - Enjoy!

In This Issue:

April and Beyond Events & Webinars
A Harbour Walk, the Ship I Sailed on, and a Story Worth Sharing!
A First for Viking: The Future Sets Sail

April Specials
Update on UK and European Union Visas
Links to Past Newsletters
The Last Laugh

April and Beyond Events & Webinars

The first part of this month Carol is traveling so you will see Krista, Nina and Darlene at some of our community vendor fairs. We love supporting your communities through our sponsorships, and we hope that you will stop by and visit our Viking table!

Webinar: Wednesday, April 8th at 7pm

Viking Rivers Itinerary: America’s Great River

Registration Link: America’s Great River

April 11th, Saturday — Cresswind at Twin Lakes, Hoschton, Georgia

Spring Vendor Fair 10-1pm

April 11th, Saturday — Village at Deaton Creek, Gainesville, GA

Spring Vendor Fair 9am-1pm

Webinar: Thursday, April 23rd at 2pm

Viking Oceans Itinerary: Iconic Iceland, Greenland and Canada

Registration Link: Iconic Iceland, Greenland and Canada

April 24, Friday — DW Sun City Peachtree – Griffin, Georgia

Spring Vendor Fair 1pm-4pm

A Harbour Walk, the Ship I Sailed on, and a Story Worth Sharing!

Viking Orion Docked in Sydney Harbour

For those of you who may not know me as well, I’m Cherise, and I support the IGT team from Sydney. (You can read my last post about Sydney Harbour and whale watching HERE)

Recently, I found out that the Viking Orion was docked right here in Sydney Harbour. This is the very same ship I had just spent 23 days sailing on with my family, all the way from Vancouver to Japan. So naturally, I grabbed my camera and headed down to the harbour to see her again.

Viking Orion from Circular Quay Train Station

There is something special about seeing a ship you have lived on, now sitting in your home city. It felt like spotting an old friend in a crowd. The Orion was nestled right between the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, exactly where so many of you will stand when you begin or end your own journey here.

From my usual spots around the harbour, I get a front-row seat to what I like to call the rhythm of Sydney. Ferries coming and going, cruise ships gliding in, and on a lucky day, even whales passing through. It never gets old.

As I was walking along the harbour, I noticed a couple wearing Viking Explorer Society shirts. That is always a giveaway. So of course, I stopped them.

That is how I met Barry and Laura.

Barry & Laura about to board their Komodo & Australian Coast Voyage!

We got to chatting right along the water, and instantly they started sharing their stories of Viking—one of my favorite things about the Viking community! Everyone is eager to share their seafaring stories, and I am always eager to hear them!!!

This was their eighth Viking journey, and they were about to board the Orion. Their next trip after this one is Scandinavia, where they will be meeting family, which will make their journey even more special.

We naturally got to chatting, and one of my favorite parts of our conversation was hearing about their Grand European Tour during Covid. Laura ended up contracting Covid mid-journey and had to stay in Cologne for ten days near a hospital while they recovered. Not exactly part of the itinerary.

But here is where it gets interesting: because they had travel insurance, what could have been an incredibly stressful and expensive situation turned into something manageable.

Their extended stay, care, and adjustments ended up costing them only about $2000 out of pocket! They were so matter-of-fact about it, so proud of how well it all worked out.

And the best part is, they got to go back and complete the trip again after Covid, and have been traveling with Viking ever since. How fun it was to chat with them before they started their voyage!

If your itinerary brings you to Sydney, a couple of personal notes from someone who calls

Cherise with a parrot and lorikeet, with the

Viking Orion behind her.

this place home: Walk everywhere if you can!

Circular Quay station is often called one of the most beautiful train stations in the world, and it is easy to see why.

Stroll from Circular Quay toward the Opera House

The pirate ship you can actually ride on!

If you have the time, head out to Bondi Beach, a place I called home when I first moved here! Even just sitting by the water and watching the surfers is worth it. And yes, always pack a swimsuit. You never quite know when the ocean will call your name here!

Sydney has a way of pulling you in. It is relaxed, it is vibrant, and it is always alive with something happening just around the corner. It is a city that invites you to slow down while still giving you everything to explore, so be sure to book those pre-and-post extensions before they are sold out!

Seeing the Orion here reminded me just how connected all of this is. The ships, the journeys, the people you meet along the way. One day you are sailing across the world, and the next you are standing in your home city watching someone else begin their adventure. (And sometimes, if you are lucky, you get to meet them before they even step on board!)

If you want to see a closer look at this itinerary: Australia & New Zealand

Or the itinerary Barry & Laura are currently on: Komodo and the Australian Coast

A First for Viking: The Future Sets Sail

Viking has officially reached an exciting milestone with the float out of the Viking Libra, the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship capable of operating with zero emissions!

Set to debut in November 2026, the Viking Libra will sail in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe, continuing Viking’s commitment to thoughtful design and environmentally responsible travel. With the same ship experience, 499 staterooms, and space for 998 guests instead of 930, she will feel familiar to those who love Viking while introducing a new level of innovation behind the scenes, just 39 feet longer!

What makes this so exciting is what it represents for the future of cruising: this technology will allow access to more environmentally sensitive destinations while reducing impact!

It’s always fun to see what’s ahead, and this is one we’ll be watching closely.

April 2026 Special Offers

Select 2026 River Cruises

Up to *Free Airfare, Reduced Cruise fare, Free Category Upgrades + Free Beverage Package valid until April 5th

*Free Air from Mainland US Gateways on select sailings. Not all sailings have free air.

Capitals of Eastern Europe (17 days, Vienna to Bucharest)

Starts at $4,999; Jul: 5, 19; Aug: 2, 16

Chateaux, Rivers & Wine (8 days, Bordeaux to Saint-Emilion to Bordeaux)

Starts at $2,799; May: 3 & 24; Jul: 5; Aug: 2, 9, 16, 23

Cities of Light (12 days, Prague to Paris)

Starts at $3,499; May: 8; Jun: 19 & 26; Jul: 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; Aug: 7, 21, 28

The Elegant Elbe (10 days, Prague to Berlin)

Starts at $3,499; May: 2, 7, 27; Jun: 1, 6, 11, 21, 26; Jul: 1, 6

Grand European Tour (15 days, Amsterdam to Budapest)

Starts at $3,999; May: 6, 8, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 23; Jun: 4, 5, 6, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 28, 30; Jul: 3, 4, 8, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 26, 28, 30, 31; Aug: 5, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 19

London, Paris & D-Day (12 Days, London to Paris)

Starts at $4,499; Jun: 30; Jul: 7, 14, 21, 28; Aug: 4, 11, 25

Lyon & Provence (8 days, Avignon to Lyon)

Starts at $2,799; May: 1, 6; Jul: 1, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 29, 31; Aug: 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 28, 30

Paris & the Heart of Normandy (8 days, round-trip Paris)

Starts at $3,299; May: 1, 3, 8, 15; Jul: 3, 4, 5, 8; Aug: 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

Passage to Eastern Europe (11 days, Bucharest to Budapest)

Starts at $3,299; Aug: 5, 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26, 29

Portugal’s River of Gold (10 days, Lisbon to Porto)

Starts at $3,799; Jun: 26, 29, 30; Jul: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 31; Aug: 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10

Rhine & Main Explorer (11 Days, Nuremberg to Basel)

Starts at $3,299; May: 1; Jun: 30; Jul: 10, 20, 30; Aug: 9, 19, 29

The Big Easy to the Gateway City (15 Days; New Orleans, LA, to St. Louis, MO)

Starts at $6,299; July 2026

Up to *Free Airfare + Category Upgrades + Silver Spirits Beverage Package Valid until April 6th

Danube Waltz (8 days, Passau to Budapest)

Starts at $2,499; Jul & Aug

Romantic Danube (8 days, Budapest to Regensburg)

Starts at $2,499; Jul & Aug

Paris to the Swiss Alps (12 days, Paris to Zurich)

Starts at $3,299; Jul-Oct

2026 – 2029 River/Ocean/Expedition/Mississippi

Free Silver Spirits Beverage Package or Free Gratuities offer expires April 30th

Select 2026 Ocean Cruises
Up to *FREE International Airfare, FREE Stateroom Upgrade & SBC starts at $250 per couple Valid until April 13th

Ancient Mediterranean Treasures (8 Days, Istanbul to Athens)

Starts at $2,799; Jun: 23, 30; Aug: 11, 18, 25

British Isles Explorer (15 Days London to Bergen)

Starts at $6,999; Aug: 12, 18, 26, 31; Sep: 1, 9, 12, 14, 15

Iceland & Norway's Arctic Explorer (15 Days, Bergen to Reykjavik)

Starts at $6,999: Jul: 18; Aug: 17

Iconic Western Mediterranean (8 days, Rome-Barcelona)

Starts at $2,999; May: 9, 13, 19, 26; Jun: 1, 2, 5; Jul: 21, 28; Sep: 8, 15, 23, 26

Into the Midnight Sun (15 Days, Bergen to London)

Starts at $6,499: Jun: 17; Jul: 22

Italian Sojourn (8 days, Rome to Venice)

Starts at $3,499’; Jul: 7, 14, 28; Aug: 4; Sep: 1, 8, 22, 30

Mediterranean Odyssey (13 days, Barcelona to Venice)

Starts at $5,999; Jun: 20; Aug: 1, 31

Venice, the Adriatic & Greece (8 Days, Venice to Athens)

Starts at $3,499; Jul: 7; Aug: 11, 25

More Days, More Discoveries Sale on 2027 - 2028 sailings

Up to *FREE International Airfare*, $1,000 SBC

From Iberia to the Northern Lights (20 Days, Barcelona to Tromso)

Starts at $7,998; Jan 3, 2028

Grand Mediterranean Explorer (36 Days, Lisbon to Istanbul)

Starts at $21,895; Mar 10, 2027; Mar 2028: 2, 9

Iberia, the Mediterranean, & Aegean (29 Days, Lisbon to Istanbul)

Starts at $11,596; Jan 13, 2027: 13; Feb 10, 2027; Dec 8, 2027; Jan 25, 2028

Mediterranean & Atlantic Crossing (21 Days, Rome to San Juan)

Starts at $7,298; Mar 6, 2027

Mediterranean Explorer (30 Days, Athens to Lisbon)

Starts at $14,996; Feb 19, 2027; Mar 17&19 2027; Feb 22, 2028; Mar 9, 19, 21, 2028

Mediterranean's Iconic Shores (29 Days, Barcelona to Istanbul)

Starts at $15,296; Feb 25, 2027; Mar 10 & 25, 2027; Mar 2, 7, 16, 2028

Up to *Free Air & Free Stateroom Upgrades (Veranda-Deluxe Veranda)

Viking World Cruise 2026-2027 (142 Days, Ft. Lauderdale to London)

Starts at $59,995; Dec: 22, 2026

Viking World Discoveries (125 Days; Los Angeles, CA, to London)

Starts at $54,995; Jan: 8, 2027

Viking World Voyage III (170 days, Ft. Lauderdale to Stockholm)

Starts at $74,995; Dec: 22, 2026

Viking World Voyage IV (153 Days; Los Angeles, CA, to Stockholm)

Starts at $69,995; Jan: 8, 2027

These offers are only available as capacity allows, and can be withdrawn at any time, so act fast!

This pricing is based on promotional codes that we will add and will not be reflected on the website.

Call us at 770-421-9627 or email Carol@ImagineGoingThere.com to secure your spot on these incredible itineraries!

April Update on EES for European Countries

The new EES (Entry/Exit System) which collects biometric data at borders, including fingerprints and photographs, is due to be fully rolled out by April 10th, according to recent announcements. This is different from ETIAS that is due to roll out in the fall of 2026, approximately 6 months after the EES rollout is successfully completed.

This new European Union automated IT system that registers non-EU nationals for short stays in the Schengen Area, started rolling out October of 2025 and is replacing traditional passport stamping with the collection of biometric data like fingerprints and facial images.

If you would like more information about the EES you can visit this link. For EES, travelers do not need to do anything advance. When non-EU nationals cross an external EU border, they will use self-service kiosks to scan their passport, provide a facial image, and give fingerprints.

However, with this rollout, countries in the Schengen Area have been noticing longer lines and as a result, some are working to embrace the EU’s new Travel to Europe mobile app. Sweden is one of the countries embracing the new app which allows users to add passport date and an image of their face 72 hours before they arrive at or leave border control.

Portugal is also using the new mobile app, although currently travelers can only fill out the entry questionnaire in the app, not yet the passport data or photo. Before you travel, visit the Travel to Europe webpage to see what countries are participating. (Please note that ETIAS that is expected to be implemented in the fall of 2026 will require submission and approval prior to travel.)

PLEASE NOTE IF YOU ARE TRAVELING TO THE UK*

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UK’s new ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) is up and running!!!!

You must submit if disembarking in the UK.

The United Kingdom officially launched their ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) application process for United States citizens. If you are traveling to the UK you will need to be sure to apply and obtain this authorization prior to your departure. (Shortly after introducing ETA, they made the change that you will not need an ETA if you are only going through the airport “in-transit” and not going through customs.)

Starting April 8th, this application costs £20 and is done online or on your phone. The website states it could take up to three days to process, so don’t wait until the last minute! Click here for more information and to apply.

Carol recently did it over her phone using this QR code.

It was a clear and fairly easy process as long as you read the prompts closely.

CAUTION: If you type in “ETA” to a Google search there are many websites that appear to be “official”. However, you will end up paying too much if you use a website other than the UK government website. You should look for the “.gov.uk” address to make sure you have the correct information.

Links to Past Newsletters

The Last Laugh

About Imagine Going There Travel

Carol is a Viking Master Cruise Expert and Group Travel Specialist, and she loves getting people together to enjoy the intimacy and hospitality unique to small ship cruising.

Consequently, our clients benefit from the “inside information” we have as a result of the great relationships we have developed over the years. They don't have to call an 800-number hoping to get a knowledgeable professional to answer their questions, and are also on the “first-to-know” list for specials and bonuses, all while receiving the signature TLC we put into every trip.

Vacations are the highlight reels of the year, and each one needs to be truly memorable.

Great Vacations Matter, Because Great Memories Matter Most

P.S. Whether you have questions about your upcoming cruise, or you have a Future Cruise Voucher you're trying to put to the best use, feel free to contact me at 770-421-9627 or email Carol@ImagineGoingThere.com. I'll be happy to answer all of your questions and give you the best advice for your Viking dollars.

P.S.S. If you've booked direct with Viking in the last 60 days, call 770-421-9627 to get an additional $200 shipboard credit to your reservation!