Viking Ocean Cruises Takes Delivery of New Viking Sky Ship

On Thursday, Viking Ocean Cruises announced the company had taken the delivery of its newest ship, the Viking Sky.

The Viking Sky becomes the third ship in the Viking Ocean Cruises fleet, and the delivery ceremony took place at Fincantieri's shipyard in Ancona, Italy. The ship’s maiden voyage will begin Feb. 25, departing from Rome's port at Civitavecchia and sailing through the Mediterranean.

Following sailings in the Western and Eastern Mediterranean, the Viking Sky will make its way to Norway for the official christening on June 22 in Tromso. From there, it will continue her maiden season in Scandinavia and the Baltic, before eventually heading over to the Americas and the Caribbean.

“In the past two years, we have been encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive response our first two ocean ships have generated among our guests and travel industry partners,” Chairman of Viking Cruises Torstein Hagen said in a statement. “Today we mark an important milestone in welcoming the third ship to our fleet.”

“By the end of 2017 – our 20th year in business – we will also welcome our fourth ship, doubling our fleet in less than a year,” Hagen continued. “With our fast-growing fleet and innovative design, we look forward to introducing even more experienced travelers to The Viking Way of destination-focused itineraries in the years to come.”

The new all-veranda Viking Sky is a sister ship to the Viking Star and Viking Sea, which launched in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Each of the ships boasts a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons, is equipped with 465 staterooms and accommodate 930 guests.

Viking Ocean Cruises also announced that its next ship, the Viking Sun, will spend her maiden season sailing the company's first-ever World Cruise. The voyage will last 141 days and reach five continents, 35 countries and 66 ports.

In 2018, the company’s fifth ship, the Viking Spirit, will join the Viking Ocean Cruises fleet and sail itineraries in Australia, Asia and Alaska. A yet-to-be-named sixth ship is expected to be delivered in 2019.

For more information on the new Viking Sky and its scheduled itineraries, check out the official website of Viking Ocean Cruises.

Follow @Donald_Wood