Viking River Cruises has enjoyed a wonderful relationship with public broadcasting, sponsoring  Emmy® Award-winning  Downton Abbey and Sherlock.  Recently adding Grantchester, a detective drama set in a 1950s to the Viking-sponsored lineup, yet another new offering, The Great British Baking Show received Viking sponsorship this week.  This one too should resonate with Viking’s experienced travelers who share an interest in geography, culture and history.

“We have enjoyed an incredibly successful partnership with MASTERPIECE and PBS over the last four years largely because our audiences value the same types of enriching entertainment and life experiences,” said Richard Marnell, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Viking Cruises.

Already a hit series in the U.K., The Great British Baking Show follows the trials and tribulations of passionate amateur bakers whose goal is to be named the U.K.’s best. Each week, the bakers tackle a different skill, the difficulty of which increases as the competition unfolds.  Of special interest to Viking, leading cookbook writer Mary Berry (Mary Berry’s Baking Bible), Godmother of the new Viking Longship Alsvin serves as a judge on the program, along with a number of other personalities.

“Our guests are often interested in the intrinsic connection between food and travel, which makes The Great British Baking Show a particularly good fit for our brand. Of course we are also proud to support Mary Berry, godmother to our new Viking Longship Alsvin.”

In search for the country’s best amateur baker, the competitors’ skills are tested on cakes, breads, pastries and desserts, crowning a winner after 10 weeks of competition.

Similar to its MASTERPIECE sponsorship, Viking commercials will bookend each episode of The Great British Baking Show, airing on Sundays at 8 p.m. in January and February.  Indirectly highlighting their culinary efforts, Viking will connect food and travel in a unique way with their latest PBS sponsorship, leveraging recipes and other content from the show across its marketing channels.

 

In March 2014, Viking set a world record for christening 18 vessels across four countries in five days – each of which was “named” by a prominent ceremonial godmother. Because enriching culinary experiences are at the heart of every experience Viking offers its guests, Mary Berry (photo above, right) was selected as godmother of Viking Alsvin. “After spending some time onboard Viking Alsvin, I can see why people are so taken with river cruising. As someone who is fascinated by travel, culture and food destinations you certainly get a sense of the Viking spirit on board,” Berry said at the christening.

River cruising continues to be the fastest-growing segment of travel, in no small part due to the efforts of Viking River Cruises.  In March we will again bring live coverage as the company launches more new river vessels and introduces two new itineraries (see As The Viking Empire Expands, So Do Choices) celebrating springtime on the Rhine River. That event will see the number of Viking Longships pass 60,  just before fearless Vikings launch the company’s first ocean ship,  930-passenger Viking Star®.

Learn More
For more information, visit www.vikingcruises.com , your Travel Agent or  Viking Cruises toll-free at 1-877-66VIKING.  To join the Viking Cruises community online, visit www.facebook.com/vikingcruises, www.facebook.com/VikingOceanCruises and www.facebook.com/vikingrivercruises.

See More of Viking Oceans