Cruise News: Viking Announces Expansion to 16 Ocean Ships by 2027
Cruise News: Viking Announces Expansion to 16 Ocean Ships by 2027
Cruise News: Viking Announces Expansion to 16 Ocean Ships by 2027
Viking to Expand Fleet to 16 Ships by 2027 After Entering Agreement with Fincantieri for 6 Additional Ocean Ships
March 7, 2018 – News from Seatrade Cruise Global
WAVEJourney was attending Seatrade Cruise Global convention in Fort Lauderdale, Florida when the latest news broke from Viking. The world’s newest cruise line (that currently has a fleet of four new ocean ships – the first delivered in 2015), made the announcement yesterday that they made an agreement with Fincantieri to deliver another six newbuild ocean ships by 2027. Read all the details below.
March 6, 2018 – Viking® today announced a new agreement with Fincantieri that could see the delivery of six additional ocean ships by 2027. The new understanding expands Viking’s partnership with Fincantieri, raising the company’s total ocean ship order and options to 16 – the highest-ever for a shipyard from a single owner. The agreement for the six additional ships, which will be delivered in 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027, is subject to specific conditions.
“When we launched our first ocean ship in 2015, we set out to reinvent ocean cruising. We focus on the destination, and we do not cram our ships with gimmicks and waterslides. Our understated, elegant, award-winning ships are designed to simply enable our guests to better explore their destination,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “In our first two years of operation, we have been named the #1 Ocean Cruise Line, and this new order speaks to the positive response we have received from our guests and the industry. As we continue to expand our brand, we look forward to bringing guests to more destinations around the world and introducing them to the Viking way of exploration.”
This announcement comes just prior to the naming of Viking’s fourth ocean ship, Viking Sun®, on March 8 in Shanghai. The ship is currently sailing Viking’s sold-out 141-day World Cruise from Miami to London, and its stop in Shanghai will mark the first time one of Viking’s ocean ships has called in China. Viking Sun will also be the first-ever cruise ship to be named in Shanghai.
Classified by Cruise Critic® as “small ships,” Viking’s all-veranda ocean ships have a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons, have 465 staterooms and host 930 guests. Viking Sun is the newest addition to Viking’s award-winning ocean fleet, which also includes Viking Star®, Viking Sea® and Viking Sky®. Viking will welcome two more sister ships in the next two years, including Viking Orion® in June 2018. With the arrival of Viking Jupiter® in 2019, Viking will be the largest small ship ocean cruise line. Ten additional ships are now on order for delivery starting in 2021, which will bring Viking’s ocean fleet to 16 ships by 2027.
About Viking
Viking was founded in 1997 with the purchase of four ships in Russia and is now the leader in river and small ship ocean cruising. Designed for discerning travelers with interests in science, history, culture and cuisine, Chairman Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers guests “the thinking person’s cruise” as an alternative to mainstream cruises. In its first two years of operation, Viking has been rated the #1 ocean cruise line in Travel + Leisure’s 2016 and 2017 “World’s Best” Awards. Viking currently operates a fleet of 63 vessels, offering scenic cruising on rivers and oceans around the world. By 2027 the company will operate 16 930-guest ocean cruise ships. In addition to the Travel + Leisure honors, Viking has also been honored multiple times on Condé Nast Traveler’s “Gold List” as well as recognized by Cruise Critic as “Best Overall” Small-Mid size ship in the 2018 Cruisers’ Choice Awards, “Best River Cruise Line” and “Best River Itineraries,” with the entire Viking Longships® fleet being named “Best New River Ships” in the website’s Editors’ Picks Awards. For additional information, contact Viking at 1-855-8-VIKING (1-855-884-5464) or visit www.vikingcruises.com.
