Johan Schuitemaker has been part of the Viking family for almost 20 years. As a Senior Shore Excursion Product Manager, he is responsible for developing excursions alongside the waterways of Russia, Ukraine and more. Originally from the Netherlands, he studied linguistics with a specialization in German and French languages and literatures at Leiden University. After obtaining his MA in 1985, Johan spent a few years trotting the globe stewarding passengers for British Airways and Lufthansa. Eventually his extensive travels led him to Russia whereupon he embraced a new career as a river ship program director. Johan was quickly promoted to corporate the following year, and in 1997 he was transferred to Switzerland to manage land operations in Russia and Ukraine for Leisure Cruises. In 2001, Johan joined our Land Operations team at the Viking headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, where he continues to apply his expansive knowledge of these regions to cultivate enriching experiences for our guests.