On its first-ever world voyage, Viking Cruises just made its inaugural call on Los Angeles. For a company that started as a river line based in the California city, the event marks a full circle for what has become a very successful ocean line as well.
During a day tour of the line's newest Viking Sun, Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking, also announced the next name for its ocean ships.
In 2019, Viking Jupiter will embark on a pair of fresh South America itineraries. The 22-day Southern Atlantic Crossing will head from Barcelona to Buenos Aires twice a year stopping in Morocco, Senegal, Brazil and Uruguay along the way. The 18-day South America & the Chilean Fjords one will visit Uruguay, the Falkland Islands and Chile around Cape Horn from Buenos Aires to Santiago six times a year. The new routes are on sale now.
The ship will be the sixth sister-ship following the Viking Star, Viking Sea, Viking Sky, Viking Sun and upcoming Viking Orion launching in June 2018. By the time Jupiter is introduced in February 2019, Viking will be the largest small ship cruise line.
Remarkably, four more yet-to-be-named sisters are set to follow in January 2021, February 2022, September 2022 and April 2023-making for a total fleet of ten-and apparently, the company does not intend to stop there.
It's no secret Viking was pursuing hydrogen as a possible fuel source for future ships. While we originally suspected that might be a new form of propulsion for one of the currently scheduled ships, Hagen has now indicated that any alternative form of propulsion will potentially be implemented for ship number 11 and beyond.
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While zero-emission hydrogen is clearly preferred, he said methanol and LNG are being considered as well. A final decision on which direction future vessels take is expected in the next year or so.
Either way, several additional ships are likely on their way. A photo of Hagen with Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, shows the two holding up their hands-each with every finger extended, in celebration of the first 10 options ordered. Between the two of them, twenty fingers can be counted in total, which may foreshadow many more.
The message is clear no matter how it all plays out: Viking Cruises is now a major ocean operator.
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"We have always been a travel company that focuses on exploration and cultural immersion," added Hagen, in a press release.
"In the last two decades we have led the industry in river cruising, and as we become the leading small ship ocean cruise line we have an opportunity to introduce many new travelers to the Viking way of exploration. Our new 'Did You Know?' campaign is aimed at inspiring people who may not yet know what makes us so different in the industry, why we are the most award-winning cruise line and how we can provide more included value than any other cruise company."
While all the ocean ships are advertised as identical-and they nearly are-there are a few small differences. The Sky was modified a bit from the Star and Sea mostly with a larger fitness center and smaller salon, plus a few retail and sports deck reconfigurations, and the Sun carries those over. Upon very close inspection, the newest ship has also newly added table tennis to the latter and retooled the Cruise Consultant desk a tad.
Specifically for the world cruise, there's one of six aging casks of "Linje" Aquavit on display in The Viking Living Room atrium as well as special merchandise available to buy in the gift shop. A cool new "Nordic Style" coffee table book further showcases the ships' signature Scandinavian decor.
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