Viking's third ocean ship will sail in the Med, Scandinavia, Americas and the Caribbean in 2017
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Viking Ocean Cruises’ third ship, Viking Sky, embarked on her maiden voyage from Rome’s Civitavecchia port on 28 February.
Sister ship to Viking star and Viking Sea, the new vessel is headed for Barcelona, Spain, where she will begin sailing a series of Mediterranean itineraries before offering Scandinavian and Baltic cruises this summer. This autumn, Viking Sky will cross the Atlantic to sail voyages in the Americas and the Caribbean.
Every cruise fare includes a guided excursion in each port and guests can also enjoy optional shore excursions in various destinations. Highlights included a King Crab Safari in Honningsvåg, Norway; a private cooking lesson from Michelin-starred Master Chef of France, Monsieur Bérard in Provence; privileged access to The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia; and a tour of Kvivik village, the site of a 10th-century Viking settlement.
“As we officially welcome our third ship to the fleet, it is a proud moment for the entire Viking family,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking Cruises. “We started in the cruise business 20 years ago, and our philosophy is still the same – we do not try to be everything to everyone. We are a destination-oriented small ship cruise line, and as we prepare to introduce a fourth ocean ship by the end of 2017, we look forward to introducing even more guests to ‘The Viking Way’ of exploration.”
Like her sister ships, the 47,800gt Viking Sky accommodates 930 passengers in 465 cabins and offers Scandinavian-inspired interiors and various onboard highlights.
Viking’s fourth ship, Viking Sun, will be delivered in November and will spend her maiden season sailing the company’s first-ever World Cruise. Viking Spirit will join the fleet in 2018 and will sail itineraries in Australia, Asia and Alaska. A sixth, yet-to-be-named ship will be delivered in 2019.