By
Laura Hyde |
Massara shipyard has floated out Viking's new 82-guest Viking Sobek in Cairo, Egypt, ahead of its scheduled debut in late 2024.
Viking and the shipyard marked the construction milestone with a traditional float out ceremony on 14 May. Viking Sobek will now be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for the final stage of construction.
As an identical sister ship to Viking Osiris, Viking Aton and Viking Hathor (which debuts this summer), Viking Sobek features several elements familiar to Viking guests, such as a square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace. By the end of 2024 Viking will have six ships sailing the River Nile.
Built specifically to navigate the Nile, Viking Sobek will sail the cruise line’s 12-day ‘Pharaohs & Pyramids’ itinerary, which will enable guests to visit sites such as the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Sakkara, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, or the Grand Egyptian Museum during a three-night hotel stay in Cairo. Guests then fly to Luxor, where they will visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before boarding the vessel for an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile River. The itinerary ends with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in the city.
“Egypt has always captivated curious travellers with its rich culture and history, and it continues to be a destination of interest for our guests,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman and CEO of Viking. “We believe the Viking Sobek and her sister ships are by far the most elegant vessels on the Nile, and we look forward to welcoming even more guests to explore this fantastic region.”