Exciting news from Viking Ocean Cruises
Second Ship for Viking Ocean Cruises Continues Legacy of Destination-Focused Travel
Viking Ocean Cruises® announced its second ship, Viking Sea, has embarked on her maiden voyage from Istanbul to Venice, officially doubling the size of the company’s fleet and continuing its vision for destination-focused cruises. From Venice, Viking Sea will sail through the Mediterranean and into the Atlantic on her way to be officially christened on May 5 on London’s Thames River in Greenwich. Following the christening, Viking Sea will spend her maiden season sailing itineraries in Scandinavia and the Baltic, as well as the Western and Eastern Mediterranean.
“Too often in recent years the most talked about ships have been the biggest ships. It is our view that some cruise lines have focused too much on building bigger ships and not enough on helping guests connect with the destination,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. “We have created ocean cruises that put the destination at the center of the experience, with smaller ships that are smarter in design. As our second ship sets sail with her first guests we look forward to introducing more travellers to the unique way that Viking does ocean cruising – a style of cruising that was inspired by our experience and success on the rivers.”
Ships Designed for Destination Cruising
Light-filled with modern Scandinavian décor, Viking Sea, like her sister ships, was designed by experienced nautical architects and engineers, including the same interior design team responsible for the award-winning fleet of Viking Longships®. Throughout the ship, details were incorporated to pay homage to Nordic heritage and to help guests immerse themselves in local surroundings. A glass-backed infinity pool cantilevered off the stern offers unobstructed views; indoor-outdoor spaces offer more options for al fresco dining than any other vessel in its class; huge windows and skylights blur the lines between inside and out; and a wrap-around promenade deck nods to a bygone era of classic ocean liners.
Official Christening
Today in London the company officially welcomed its second ship, Viking Sea, to its fleet during a celebration on the Thames River in Greenwich.
“Today is a proud day for our Viking family. London is one of my favourite cities, and Greenwich is a significant port for Viking. We look forward to bringing more guests here this spring and in future years,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. “Our ships are built for exploration; they are vessels that help our guests spend more time immersed in and surrounded by their destination. With the arrival of our second ship – and with four more sister ships on the way – we are focused on introducing travellers to the Viking way of destination-centred cruising, a unique style that was inspired by our success on the rivers.”
Grand Meeting
Viking Ocean Cruises® also announced that its two ocean ships had their first port meeting in Santorini on Thursday, 30 March. The company’s first ship, Viking Star was recently sailing from Istanbul to Venice on Viking’s popular Empires of the Mediterranean itinerary. Viking took delivery two weeks ago of its second ship, Viking Sea, and she has been sailing in the opposite direction toward Istanbul, where her first guests boarded on April 3. From Istanbul, Viking Sea will make her way through the Mediterranean and into the Atlantic on the way to be officially christened on May 5 on London’s Thames River in Greenwich. Following the christening, Viking Sea will spend the summer with Viking Star, sailing itineraries in Scandinavia and the Baltic. The two 930-passenger sister ships are virtually identical and last week shared docking space in Santorini while guests enjoyed shore excursions on the island.
“It is hard to believe that less than one year ago, we were just setting sail with our first ship, and now we have two sister ships together,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. “It is a proud day, and I am already looking forward to next year when we will have three ships to cross paths.” 
Classified by Cruise Critic as “small ships,” Viking Sea and Viking Star each have a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons, boast 465 cabins and accommodate 930 passengers. Viking Sea is the second of six ocean cruise ships on order. The third ship, Viking Sky, will be delivered in early 2017; the three remaining yet-to-be-named ships will be delivered in late 2017, 2018 and 2020, respectively.
For all details please go to: www.vikingcruises.com.au/oceans
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