OFFICIAL RULES
Viking Q3 2025 Paris River Voyage & Highclere Castle Sweepstakes
In anticipation of the highly awaited third Downton Abbey film
NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT, OR ACCEPTANCE OF A PRODUCT OFFER WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
BY ENTERING OR OTHERWISE PARTICIPATING IN THIS PROMOTION, YOU AGREE TO THESE OFFICIAL RULES, WHICH ARE A CONTRACT, SO PLEASE READ THEM CAREFULLY BEFORE ENTERING. THIS CONTRACT REQUIRES YOU TO INDEMNIFY AND TO RELEASE ALL CLAIMS AGAINST THE PROMOTION ENTITIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) AND META PLATFORMS, INC. BY ENTERING THIS PROMOTION, YOU ARE AGREEING TO MANDATORY, BINDING ARBITRATION WITH NO CLASS RELIEF, AND TO A LIMITATION OF YOUR RIGHTS AND REMEDIES, INCLUDING ANY DAMAGES THAT YOU MAY RECOVER.
The Viking Q3 2025 Paris River Voyage & Highclere Castle Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes” or “Promotion”) is sponsored by Viking River Cruises, Inc. (the “Sponsor”, also referred to as “Viking River Cruises”, "we" or "us") and administered by Marden-Kane, Inc. (the “Administrator”). For the purposes of this Promotion, the “Promotion Entities” is composed of the Sponsor and the Administrator, together with their affiliates and related companies, including without limitation their parent, sister and subsidiary companies, retailers, franchisees, advertising and promotion agencies, suppliers of material and services related to the Sweepstakes, and any other corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship or other legal entity directly involved in the Sweepstakes and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, and other representatives.
1. Eligibility: Open only to persons twenty-one (21) years of age or older who are permanent legal residents of the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia or Canada, or are United States or Canadian citizens with a permanent United States or Canadian address and currently residing on an overseas United States or Canadian military installation (collectively an “Entrant”) (excluding the Province of Quebec, Puerto Rico, and all other U.S. territories and possessions) and those who are physically located therein. This Promotion is void outside the United States and Canada and wherever else prohibited by law. Employees and directors of the Promotion Entities, their respective parents, affiliated and subsidiary companies, advertising and promotional agencies, along with the immediate family members (spouse, mother, father, sister, brother, daughter or son, regardless of where they live) and members of the households of such employees and directors (whether or not related) are not eligible to participate in the Promotion. By entering, you agree to these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor, which are final and binding in all respects. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements described in these Official Rules.
2. Promotion Entry Period: Promotion begins on July 1, 2025 at 12:00 A.M. Pacific Time (“PT”) and ends on September 30, 2025 at 11:59 P.M. PT (the “Promotion Entry Period”). Eligible entries must be submitted by the end of the Promotion Entry Period, as further detailed below. Sponsor’s computer is the official timekeeper for this Promotion.
3. How to Enter: An individual meeting the eligibility criteria detailed in Rule #1 above, may enter the Promotion via only one (1) of the following No Purchase Necessary entry methods (the “Entry”):
A) Online Entry. Complete the following steps:
- Access one of the Viking River Cruises Sweepstakes landing pages*:
- United States: viking.com/downton
- Canada (excluding Quebec): vc-ca.com/downton
- Complete the Sweepstakes entry form (including the following as requested: email, first name, last name, phone, complete address, city, state/province, zip/postal code and country) to receive one (1) Entry into the Sweepstakes.
- Accept the terms, conditions and Official Sweepstakes Rules.
- Submit your entry form.
B) Mail-in BRC Entry. Recipients of Viking River Cruises Mail with a Sweepstakes Business Reply Card (“BRC”), including the reference to the Q3 2025 Sweeps must print their full name, full address, email address and phone number in the space provided and return the BRC (no postage necessary) to the address provided (do not insert into an envelope). The BRC must be received by October 10, 2025. BRC Entries become the property of the Sponsor and requests for status of same will not be acknowledged or returned.
C) Webinar Entry Method. During the Promotion Entry Period, recipients of a Viking River Cruises Webinar email invitation who complete the registration entry form to attend the free webinar, will receive one (1) Entry into the Sweepstakes.
D) Facebook/Instagram (“Meta”) Entry. During the Promotion Entry Period, Meta users may click on a Viking River Cruises Facebook or Instagram ad and follow the provided instructions to complete and submit the entry form, which includes your full name, address, city, state, zip code and email address to receive one (1) Entry into the Sweepstakes.
There is a limit of only one (1) Entry per person, using only one (1) email address throughout the Promotion Entry Period, regardless of entry method. All other Entries received from any persons or email address in excess of the stated limitation will be void and Entrant may be disqualified.
*Normal internet access, phone, and usage charges imposed by your online or phone service carrier may apply. If you are entering via a mobile device and using your wireless carrier’s network, standard data charges from your wireless carrier may apply.
By submitting an Entry, you confirm that you have read, understand and agree to abide by these Official Sweepstakes Rules. Your Entry must adhere to the eligibility criteria listed above or your Entry will be void and ineligible for entry into the Sweepstakes. Upon receipt and eligibility verification of your Entry, you will be entered into the Sweepstakes. No responsibility is assumed for lost, late, incomplete, stolen, misdirected, or illegible Entries; any technical error, or unauthorized human intervention, or the incorrect or inaccurate capture of entry or other information, or the failure to capture any such information. Entrants who submit an Entry with incomplete or incorrect information will be disqualified.
4. Random Drawing/Odds of Winning: A random drawing to select one (1) potential winner (the “Potential Winner”) will be conducted on or about November 7, 2025, from among all eligible Entries received. The random drawing will be conducted by the Administrator, an independent judging organization whose decisions are final and binding on all matters relating to this Promotion. Odds of winning the prize will depend solely on the number of eligible online and mail-in Entries received. This is a randomized drawing that is not intended to and should not influence any decisions or actions for the benefit of the Sponsor. The Promotion is in compliance with all applicable anti-corruption laws and regulations.
5. Winner Notification: The Potential Winner will be contacted by email and/or phone by the Administrator and will be required to complete and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, Release of Liability, Prize Acceptance Form, and where lawful, a Publicity Release, a Travel Release for the winner and their companion and may also be required to complete tax documentation as required by law within the jurisdiction in which Potential Winner resides (collectively the “Prize Claim Documents”). All completed Prize Claim Documents must be returned within five (5) days (including Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays) of attempted delivery of same. If a Potential Winner cannot be contacted or if he/she fails to sign and return required Prize Claim Documents or respond to a notification within the time specified, or return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable, or in the event a Potential Winner is deemed ineligible, fails to comply with the Official Rules, or is unable to claim the prize as specified, the Potential Winner will be disqualified and an alternate Potential Winner will be selected from all remaining eligible Entries. Prize award is contingent on eligibility verification and Potential Winner completing and returning all required Prize Claim Documents. If Sponsor or Administrator acting on Sponsor’s behalf, is unable to determine and verify a Potential Winner after repeated alternate drawings, or if they fail to receive a sufficient number of Entries to correspond to the number of prize(s) available to be awarded, Sponsor reserves the right to not award any or all of the prize(s) offered.
Additional Rules Related to Residents of CANADA: If a Potential Winner is a Canadian resident (excluding the Province of Quebec), by law, he/she must correctly answer, within a designated time period, a mathematical skill-testing question without the benefit of any calculating devices or any other help before the prize will be awarded. If the Potential Winner cannot correctly answer the question within the given time limit, that person’s Entry will be disqualified, and no compensation will be given. An alternate Potential Winner will be randomly selected from all remaining eligible Entries. If a Canadian resident is confirmed as the grand prize winner, he/she may be required to complete a W-8BEN Tax Form.
6. Grand Prize: One (1) confirmed winner (the “Grand Prize Winner”) with one (1) companion (the “Companion”) will win an 8-Day Paris & the Heart of Normandy Voyage for two (2) inclusive of roundtrip airfare (business), Oxford & Highclere extension, and $250 per person Shipboard credit. Estimated value of $29,292 USD ($42,892 CAD). Based on 2025/2026 Sailing Veranda A, double occupancy (collectively the “Grand Prize” or “Prize”).
7. Grand Prize Terms and Conditions: Grand Prize IS AWARDED “AS IS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED.
Cruises are available on a space-available basis only. Available cruises may change at any time, subject to the Sponsor’s discretion. You must make reservations no more than 120 days prior to departure date. Viking River Cruises reserves the right to choose the air carrier, routing and city airport from each gateway city for passengers booking air through Viking River Cruises. Viking River Cruises may utilize contracted fares and contracted inventory as outlined by each specific air carrier; therefore, all flights and routings may not be available. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and/or negative COVID-19 test may be required to board the cruise, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, as further described below. Other travel restrictions may apply. Prize to be fulfilled as a certificate.
Airline tickets will not be refundable or redeemable for cash or credit at any time. Tickets may not be sold to a third party. Grand Prize or any of the above listed components may not be sold, traded, transferred, refunded, substituted, commissioned or redeemed for cash value. Cruise must be completed within the Viking River Cruises 2025 or 2026 season as published on their website based on availability. Go to Viking.com for sailing dates (dates not guaranteed). Promotion Entities will not be responsible for any cancellations, delays, diversions or substitution or any act or omissions whatsoever by the air carriers or other transportation companies or any other persons providing any of these services and accommodations necessitated by same.
Promotion Entities will not be liable for any loss or damage to baggage or other property of Grand Prize Winner or travel Companion. The Grand Prize Winner understands and agrees that the Sponsor has the right, at their sole discretion, to disqualify and remove the Grand Prize Winner or their travel Companion from any activity at any time without compensation if the Grand Prize Winner or their Companions’ behavior at any point is uncooperative, disruptive, or may or does cause damage to person, property, or the reputation of Promotion Entities or otherwise violates the policies of the Sponsor, and in such a case, the Grand Prize Winner will still be solely responsible for all federal, state, and local taxes, of all applicable jurisdictions and any other expenses related to their Prize.
Actual costs of Grand Prize package components will depend on point of departure, dates of travel and any airfare fluctuations and any difference in value will not be provided to the Grand Prize Winner. Airline carrier and agent to be selected by the Sponsor in its sole discretion. Grand Prize Winner and Companion must travel together on the same itinerary, and ground transportation and accommodations must be taken by Grand Prize Winner and Companion together. Once travel dates have been booked, no extension or substitution of trip dates is permitted, except at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Once travel has been confirmed, any cancellation or change fees or restructuring of the trip are the sole responsibility of the Grand Prize Winner. Additional costs including, but not limited to, seat assignments, baggage fees, or other airline-travel related expenses are determined by selected airline and will be the sole responsibility of the Grand Prize Winner and Companion.
Grand Prize Winner and Companion are solely responsible for providing all necessary identification documents and will be responsible for obtaining all necessary travel documents (i.e., valid passport, visa, etc.) and any fees or expenses associated therewith. Failure to provide such documents may result in trip cancellation upon airport/cruise check-in. Grand Prize trip conditions stated herein are not all-inclusive and may be subject to additional conditions, which may be stated in the Release and/or Grand Prize Winner’s travel documents.
Promotion Entities are not responsible for lost or stolen tickets, itineraries, or identification, or any other documents or property belonging to Grand Prize Winner or Companion during the trip. Grand Prize Winner is solely responsible for all provincial (Canada winner only), federal, state and local taxes of any applicable jurisdiction and any other costs, incidentals, and any other expenses associated with Grand Prize acceptance and use not specifically mentioned as being provided, including, but not limited to, unspecified ground transportation and/or luggage handling between Grand Prize Winners home and airport, and items not included as part of the winning Grand Prize package. The following are the sole responsibility of the Grand Prize Winner and their Companion’s: travel insurance; laundry service; beverages, unspecified meals; local and long-distance telephone calls; merchandise and souvenirs; incidental expenses; additional tips and gratuities; and all other costs and expenses not otherwise mentioned herein. The Grand Prize Winner assumes all responsibility for any injury or damage caused, or claimed to be caused, by participating in this Sweepstakes or use or redemption of the prize that may be sustained by Grand Prize Winner or Companion. Prizes are not transferable. Sponsor reserves the right to provide (where legal) a substitute prize of approximately equal or greater value if the advertised prize becomes unavailable.
By accepting the Grand Prize package, the Grand Prize Winner and their travel Companion shall release the Promotion Entities from all liability and responsibility for payment of the Prize.
All parts of the Grand Prize are subject to availability, and subject to change or cancellation without written notice or warning. Should an act of God, hurricane, war, fire, riot, earthquake, act of public enemies, actions of governmental authorities, epidemics, pandemics and the spread of infectious diseases, including without limitation COVID-19 (as defined by the World Health Organization and any of the strains, variants or mutations thereof), and any related governmental or judicial actions, including but not limited to travel restrictions, taken in connection with, or as a response to, any such event, or any other event beyond the reasonable control of a party, whether or not existing, known, foreseen or foreseeable at the time this Promotion occurs, render the redemption or fulfillment of all or a portion of a Prize delayed, hindered, adversely affected, impracticable, or impossible, Sponsor in their sole and absolute discretion, [reserve/reserves] the right to evaluate, make modifications to, and restructure the redemption and fulfillment processes and timelines for the Grand Prize, or portion thereof, that Sponsor are responsible for, which may include, but is not limited to, providing additional time for redemption and/or fulfillment. Sponsor may modify and/or restructure Grand Prize or portions thereof to comply with government orders or guidelines and Sponsor’s health and safety requirements. In addition, Grand Prize Winner and their Companion should be aware of and comply with government guidelines regarding travel restrictions and mandatory quarantines before traveling. Should the Grand Prize, or a portion thereof, become unavailable Promotion Entities shall make reasonable efforts to provide the winner with substitute experiences and/or items of a similar nature and value for that portion of the Prize that is unavailable. If no substitute prize is reasonably available then the remaining components, if any, of the Prize shall constitute full satisfaction of Promotion Entities prize obligation to the Grand Prize Winner, and no other or additional compensation will be awarded.
Grand Prize fulfillment and related activities will take place on a date and time designated by Sponsor and only when and in a manner that it is safe to do so, as determined in Sponsor’s sole discretion in consultation with appropriate health and safety experts. Grand Prize Winner and their Companion must follow all instructions given by representatives of Promotion Entities at all times.
In connection with any visit to any location associated with the Grand Prize, please be advised that Promotion Entities policies, CDC guidelines, and the recommendations of health officials must be followed. Please note that any public location where people are present provides an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19, and Promotion Entities cannot guarantee that any person will not be exposed during a visit.
If required, Grand Prize Winner and their Companion must cooperate with Promotion Entities inquiries related to public health matters and follow Promotion Entities related rules and processes, including, but not limited to, disclosures or processes recommended or required by public health authorities to protect the health and safety of winner, Companion, and others. Grand Prize Winner and Companion may be subject to health screenings (which may include, but are not limited to, temperature checks, symptom screening, lab testing, and/or other medical exams) to be conducted by Sponsor, or their designee(s) prior to or during the fulfillment of the Grand Prize and related activities. Failure to fully comply with Promotion Entities or requirements may result in forfeiture of the Grand Prize or portions thereof, as determined by the Sponsor.
During a period starting approximately four (4) weeks before participation in activities related to Grand Prize and ending approximately four (4) weeks after participation in the last of such activities (such period(s) subject to change based on medical guidance, and/or policy guidance), Grand Prize Winner and their Companion may be required to inform Sponsor, upon Sponsor’s request, about matters relating to communicable illnesses and safe fulfillment of Grand Prize and related activities, including, without limitation: (a) medical symptoms; (b) travel history; (c) recent contact with others who have displayed symptoms of or have otherwise been confirmed to have a communicable illness; and (d) active public health orders issued by a civil authority or any similar public health mandate (e.g., order to quarantine, order to stay at home, order to disclose communicable illness) to which Grand Prize Winner and their Companion are subject.
7. General Conditions: If Prize notification or Prize is returned as non-deliverable, or if the Grand Prize Winner is found to be ineligible or not in compliance with these Official Rules, disqualification will result, and an alternate winner will be selected. By accepting Prize, where permitted by law, Grand Prize Winner grants to Sponsor and those acting pursuant to Sponsor’s authority (and agrees to confirm that grant in writing) the right to use and publish his/her name, portrait, picture, voice and likeness for advertising, trade and promotional purposes without additional consideration, worldwide and on the World Wide Web, without notification, review or approval. Entrants, by participating, release and agree to hold harmless Viking River Cruises, Focus Features LLC (“Focus”), Meta Platforms, Inc., and their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiary companies, advertising and promotion agencies and their respective directors, officers, employees, representatives and agents from any and all liability for any injuries, loss or damage of any kind to person, including death, and property, arising in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, use or misuse of the prize, participation in any Sweepstakes-related activity, or participation in this Sweepstakes. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Sweepstakes; to be acting in violation of the Official Rules; or to be acting in a non-sportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person.
8. Privacy & Personal Information: The Promotion Entities and their authorized agents will collect, use, and disclose the personal information you provide when you enter the Promotion for the purposes of administering the Promotion and Prize fulfillment. Your privacy is important to us. Viking River Cruises does not sell or share personal information collected with any other companies for the purposes of marketing or solicitation in accordance with Sponsor’s privacy policy, available at https://www.vikingcruises.com/privacy-policy/index.html and to Administrator’s privacy policy, available at https://www.mardenkane.com/privacy-policy.cfm (collectively, the “Privacy Policies”). Personal information you provide in your Entry will be used for the purpose of administering the Promotion and will not be re-used, sold or shared for marketing purposes unless Entrant agrees to receive further information on Sponsor’s products and promotions. Entries become the property of Viking River Cruises. Entrants who opt-in for Viking River Cruises special offers will receive email announcements and special offers from Viking River Cruises but will always have the opportunity to opt out of marketing emails. By participating in the Promotion, Entrants hereby acknowledge that they have read the Privacy Policies.
9. Binding Arbitration; Class Action Waiver; Choice of Law: THIS SECTION AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS. PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY. Except where prohibited by law, entrants and Sponsor agree that any and all disputes, claims or causes of action arising out of or connected with this Sweepstakes, or any prize awarded, or the determination of the winner, shall be resolved on an individual basis, without resort to any form of class, consolidated, private attorney general, or representative action. ENTRANTS AND SPONSOR AGREE TO WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO BRING OR TO PARTICIPATE IN SUCH AN ACTION, IN ARBITRATION OR IN COURT, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW. NOTWITHSTANDING THE FOREGOING, ENTRANTS AND THE SPONSOR RETAIN THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A CLASS-WIDE SETTLEMENT, IF APPLICABLE. Except where prohibited by law, entrants and Sponsor agree to waive their rights to litigate their claim in court or to have a jury trial to resolve any disputes, claims or causes of action arising out of or connected with this Sweepstakes, or any prize awarded, or the determination of the winner. Instead, all such claims will be resolved exclusively by binding arbitration pursuant to the rules of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) then in effect, available at www.adr.org/Rules (the “AAA Rules”). Discovery and appeal rights may be limited in arbitration. The AAA Rules will govern the payment of arbitration costs unless applicable law requires a different allocation of costs in order for this arbitration provision to be enforceable. If an Entrant is unable to pay their share of the arbitration costs, Sponsor will consider a request to reimburse such costs so long as the Entrant’s claim is not held by an arbitrator to be frivolous or brought for an improper purpose. The arbitrator’s decision shall be final and binding. The arbitrator shall have the power to award, and the parties may seek, any type of legal or equitable relief that would be available under applicable law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, under no circumstances will an Entrant or Sponsor be permitted to obtain awards for, and the parties hereby waive, all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, and consequential damages, and any other damages other than for direct damages actually incurred. Either party may bring its claim in its local small claims court, if permitted by that small claims court rules and if within such court’s jurisdiction. YOU KNOWINGLY ACCEPT THE BINDING ARBITRATION PROVISION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER BY AGREEING TO ENTER INTO THIS SWEEPSTAKES AND RECEIVING THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A CHANCE AT WINNING A PRIZE. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of Entrant and/or Sponsor and/or Viking River Cruises in connection with the Sweepstakes, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of California, without regard for conflicts of law doctrine, and all proceedings shall take place in Los Angeles, CA. In no event shall any party be entitled to seek injunctive or any other equitable relief.
10. Severability: If any term or provision of these Official Rules is found under the law to be invalid or unenforceable, then such specific term or provision shall be of no force and effect and shall be severed, and the remainder of these Official Rules shall continue in full force and effect.
11. Winner’s List and Official Rules: To request the winner’s list, available after December 1, 2025 and before December 31, 2025, send an email with the subject line “Viking Q3 2025 Paris River Voyage & Highclere Castle Sweepstakes” to: winnerslist@mkpromosource.com. For a copy of these Official Rules, please access: viking.com/sweepstakes.
SPONSOR: Viking River Cruises, Inc., 5700 Canoga Avenue, Suite 200, Woodland Hills, CA 91367.
ADMINISTRATOR: Marden-Kane, Inc., 575 Underhill Blvd, Suite 222, Syosset, NY 11791.
This Promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Meta Platforms, Inc. or YouTube.
©2025. Marden-Kane, Inc. All rights reserved. These Official Rules may not be copied, edited, or used for any other purpose, commercial or otherwise, without the express written consent of Marden-Kane, Inc.
All questions, comments or complaints regarding this Promotion should be directed to the Sponsor.
Focus, its affiliates and subsidiaries are not a sponsor or administrator of this Sweepstakes. Participants are providing information to Sponsor and not to Focus.
Motion Picture Artwork © 2019, Focus Features LLC. Title © 2025, Focus Features LLC.
