Viking: the river fleet expands with eight new ships
Viking welcomed eight new river ships into its award-winning fleet during a celebration in Paris.
Of the eight new Viking longships, four ships, the Viking Fjorgyn, the Viking Kari, the Viking Radgrid and the Viking Skaga, were built specifically to sail along the Seine and take guests to the heart of Paris with an exclusive docking location at Port de Grenelle, a few steps from the Eiffel Tower. The other four ships, the Viking Egdir, the Viking Gersemi, the Viking Gymir and the Viking Hervor, will sail the famous Viking routes on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers.
Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises
The event comes as Viking continues to celebrate its 25th anniversary and a year of major events, in fact in January 2022, the company launched Viking Expeditions and its first polar-class ship, the Viking Octantis. By the end of the year, Viking will also have welcomed a second expedition ship, as well as two new ocean-going vessels, new purpose-built ships for the Nile and Mekong Rivers, and new voyages on the Mississippi River.
“As we celebrate 25 years of sailing the world’s iconic waterways, it is always an exciting day when we welcome new ships to our fleet and offer more opportunities for curious travelers to explore the world in comfort,” he said. Torstein Hagen, president of Viking. “Today we are particularly pleased to honor eight talented and established individuals as godmothers of our new river vessels and look forward to another season of European river travel.”
Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises
In keeping with the maritime tradition dating back thousands of years, Viking has invited eight distinguished cultural partners and members of the company’s extended family to serve as ceremonial godmothers of the new ships. The naming event was carried out by connecting the new ships via satellite through two European cities: Paris and Amsterdam, and in keeping with another maritime tradition, a bottle of Gammel Opland brandy was broken in the bow of each new ship.
Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises
Viking River Cruises
Building on Viking‘s offering in Paris and the four new ships sailing along the Seine, the company also announced a new post-voyage extension entitled Paris: A Culinary Experience, which will explore the cuisine of the French capital. Available starting in 2023 for guests sailing on the 8-day “Paris and the Heart of Normandy” itinerary, the new extension allows guests to immerse themselves in the culinary history of Paris and sample the gastronomic delights the city has to offer.
In addition, Viking has announced a new itinerary, the 8 days of “Christmas on the Seine”, departing from Paris, which will be available during the holiday season starting in 2022. Guests will cruise through the snow-capped Normandy countryside enjoying the festive Christmas markets. Christmas and special themed parties on board.
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