by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 2:52 PM ET, Thu January 27, 2022
Viking has announced that its newest Nile River ship, the Viking Osiris, has marked a key construction milestone on January 26, touching water for the first time as it was "floated out" at the Massara shipyard in Cairo, Egypt.
"Floating out" is a term used to mark one of the last key construction milestones in shipbuilding. After a ship is floated out, it is then in its final stage of construction. The Viking Osiris will be moved to a different dock to finalize its interior.
The ship will join the Viking Ra this year, while Osiris' sister ship, the Viking Aton, will debut in the Nile next year due to popular demand for Egyptian river cruises.
The 82-guest ship will debut in August 2022, sailing the river cruise line's 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, visiting Cairo, the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Sakkara, the temples of Luxor and Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and more.
This year is a great time to debut the new ship, as Egypt marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb as well as the opening of the new Grand Egyptian Museum.
"Our guests are curious explorers, and just as the iconic explorers before them, they choose Egypt as a destination because of its unparalleled access to history and antiquities. This rings as true today as it did a century ago and is what we continue to hear from the guests who are currently sailing with us on the Nile, as well as the many we have hosted in the last year," said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking.
"We are proud to be the only western company to build, own and operate ships on the Nile-and we will always maintain our commitment to creating meaningful experiences that are focused on the destination. Particularly during this milestone year for Egypt, we look forward to welcoming guests on board Viking Osiris and introducing them to the country's many cultural treasures."
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