by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 1:10 PM ET, Wed December 6, 2023
Buoyed by strong demand for European river cruises, Viking is adding another 10 ships to its fleet, the company announced today.
Construction of the new vessels is underway at the Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock, Germany, where all of the company’s Viking Longships have been built. The shipbuilder will deliver five of the new ships in 2025 and the other five in 2026.
“Ever since we started Viking 26 years ago, our mission has been to help our guests explore the world in comfort,” says Torstein Hagen, Viking’s chairman. “We focus on the destination, and we build elegant, innovative ships. We look forward to welcoming these new Longships to our European fleet and introducing the Viking Way of exploration to even more guests in the coming years.”
The new vessels will feature Viking’s signature Scandinavian design aesthetic—with a few sustainability upgrades. They’ll be equipped with solar panels and a hybrid propulsion system that can run on batteries; they’ll also be able to run on shore power while in port so they can use less fuel.
The ships will help Viking increase capacity on its most popular European itineraries: Eight will sail the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers, while two will sail the Seine. (Viking unveiled plans for one of the new Seine ships earlier this year.) Once construction is complete, they'll join Viking’s existing fleet of 80 river ships, which can accommodate between 80 and 190 passengers.
Viking is expanding its footprint in both the river and ocean cruise markets. Last month, the company’s newest ocean ship, the Viking Vela, moved into its final phase of construction. The 998-passenger ship is expected to launch in December 2024 and will offer itineraries in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
The Viking Tonle. (Photo Credit: Viking Cruises Media)
On the river front, Viking recently announced it will be adding a new ship, the Viking Tonle, to its fleet on the Mekong River in 2025. This summer, the cruise line also added a new vessel, the Viking Aton, to its purpose-built fleet on Egypt’s Nile River. Two additional Nile River ships are also currently under construction.
Viking also offers expedition cruises and recently started its third season in Antarctica. The cruise line also unveiled a new 87-day trip from the Arctic to Antarctica.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
