By
Rebecca Gibson |
Fincantieri floated both Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Vista and Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Sea out of their respective building docks on 25 June.
Carnival Vista was launched at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone yard by Heidi Heald and Kye Heald, the wife and daughter of Carnival Corporation’s brand ambassador John Heald.
The ceremony was also attended by Benoit Clement, vice president of Newbuilds and Refurbishment at Carnival Cruise Line; Gabriele Cocco, senior executive vice president of Fincantieri’s Merchant Ships Business Unit; and Attilio Dapelo, director of the Monfalcone shipyard. During the ceremony, a silver coin was welded to the final deck of the ship to bring good luck to the vessel.
Carnival Vista, which is the largest ship Fincantieri has ever built for Carnival, will now be fitted with her interiors before she is delivered in spring 2016.
Meanwhile, Viking Sea was floated out from her building dock at Fincantieri’s Ancona yard.
“The day that a new ship first touches water is always a special day, and today is indeed a proud one for our Viking family,” said Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking Cruises. “Having just celebrated the launch of our first ocean cruise ship, we are pleased at the positive reviews she is receiving from our guests and travel industry partners.”
Viking Sea has been designed as a sister to Viking’s first ocean ship Viking Star, which was christened on 17 May. The ship will be named by Karine Hagen, the line's senior vice president of product, and daughter of Torstein Hagen, in early 2016.
"Viking Sea is a magnificent ship, and I am very honored to be her godmother,” Hagen said. “It has been a great pleasure to meet so many of the Fincantieri Ancona shipyard staff today, and share the pride in their work.”
Fincantieri will now begin the interior outfitting stage to ensure that the 47,800gt Viking Sea is ready for her spring 2016 delivery. The yard has already started work on the third of Viking’s ocean ships Viking Sky, which will be delivered from the Ancona yard in early 2017.