The most recognisable location in Viking Cruises' advertising is Highclere Castle in Hampshire, the Victorian Gothic estate that doubles as Downton Abbey in the period television drama and feature film series. Viking's 2017 commercial 'Get Closer to Your Destinations' featured Highclere Castle as a centrepiece, and the cruise line has built a formal partnership with the property since 2014. River cruise destinations including Cologne on the Rhine and Budapest on the Danube also appear in Viking's broader advertising.
Highclere Castle sits in the Hampshire countryside and is the private home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon. Its Victorian Gothic architecture made it the obvious choice for ITV's Downton Abbey, and Viking has leaned into that association ever since the two parties formed their partnership in 2014. As Viking's own website puts it: "Journey to Highclere Castle, the filming location of Downton Abbey, with Viking."
The 30-second 'Downton: Highclere' TV commercial is a good example of how Viking uses the castle: sweeping exterior shots, the grandeur of the state rooms, and the sense that guests are stepping inside a living piece of British history rather than simply looking at it from a coach window.
Yes, and that is the point. Viking offers what it calls Privileged Access experiences at Highclere, available as extension packages added to eligible UK and Ireland itineraries. The idea is that guests get access to the estate in a way that goes beyond a standard public open day, hosted by the Carnarvon family's team on the ground.
The partnership has run continuously since 2014, which makes it one of the longer-standing arrangements of its kind in UK cruise marketing.
Viking's river cruise commercials regularly feature European waterway cities. Cologne, with its twin-spired cathedral on the Rhine, and Budapest on the Danube appear in promotional material as representative stops on Viking's most popular itineraries. These locations serve a practical purpose in advertising: they are immediately recognisable to British viewers and signal the cultural depth Viking positions itself around.
For UK and Ireland itinerary enquiries that include the Highclere Castle extension, Viking Cruises Canada lists a contact number of 1-800-510-5461, though UK customers should book through vikingcruises.co.uk directly.
## Quotations > Journey to Highclere Castle- the filming location of Downton Abbey- with Viking. > — Viking Cruises (official website) (https://www.vikingcruises.co.uk/mlp/highclere.html) ## Frequently asked questions ### can you visit Highclere Castle with Viking Cruises Yes, Viking Cruises offers Privileged Access experiences at Highclere Castle in Hampshire as part of extension packages added to eligible UK and Ireland itineraries. The partnership between Viking and Highclere Castle has been in place since 2014, allowing guests to visit the Victorian Gothic estate that serves as the filming location for Downton Abbey. ### where is Highclere Castle located Highclere Castle is located in Hampshire, England. The Victorian Gothic-style property is the private home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon and is famous as the filming location for the period television drama and feature film series Downton Abbey. ### how long is the Viking Highclere Castle commercial The Viking 'Downton: Highclere' TV commercial is 30 seconds long. It features sweeping exterior shots and the grandeur of the castle's state rooms to showcase the Privileged Access experience available to Viking guests. ### what river cruise destinations does Viking advertise Viking advertises river cruise destinations including Cologne on the Rhine and Budapest on the Danube in their commercials. These European river destinations are featured alongside Highclere Castle in Viking's broader advertising campaigns. ### when did Viking start offering Highclere Castle experiences Viking began its partnership with Highclere Castle in 2014, offering exclusive Privileged Access experiences to Viking guests visiting the Downton Abbey filming location. This formal partnership has allowed the cruise line to market the castle as a key destination highlight since 2017. ## Sources 1. [Get Closer to Your Destinations (2017) | Viking River Cruises - All - Videos | Viking Cruises](https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/video/all/get-closer-to-your-destinations-2017/play.html) (www.vikingrivercruises.com) 2. [Highclere Castle, Filming Location of Downton Abbey | Viking](https://www.vikingcruises.co.uk/mlp/highclere.html) (www.vikingcruises.co.uk) 3. [Highclere Castle, Filming Location of Downton Abbey | Viking](https://www.vikingcruisescanada.com/mlp/highclere.html) (www.vikingcruisescanada.com) 4. [What are the locales in the PBS Viking commercial?](https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/what-are-the-locales-in-the-pbs-viking-commercial.1233390/) (forums.stevehoffman.tv) 5. [Viking Cruises TV Spot, 'Downton: Highclere' - iSpot](https://www.ispot.tv/ad/BSUV/viking-cruises-downton-highclere) (www.ispot.tv)