The Last Frontier: Viking’s fleet is heading to Alaska
Viking Ocean Cruises will be sailing to Alaska by 2019, its chairman announced today.
Viking Spirit, launching next year, will do the 11-day trip between Vancouver and Seward with eight ports of call including Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau and Skagway.
Twelve other itineraries – including Australia and Asia – were also unveiled by Torstein Hagen, who said that by 2019 Viking Ocean will have the largest small ship fleet with six vessels.
Many of the new routes will be sailed by Viking Spirit, which is also travelling to India, Thailand, China, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Stops will include Mumbai, Bangkok, Beijing, Bali, Sydney, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
Mr Hagen said: ‘Viking will mark major milestones in 2017. We celebrate our 20th anniversary, we will welcome two new longships on the rivers in Europe and we will double our ocean fleet to four sister ships by the end of the year.
‘Our destination-focused ocean itineraries are built on the same successful principles as our river itineraries – we offer our guests more time in port, enriching cultural experiences and the best-designed ships at sea. Starting later this year, our guests will have even more choices to explore around the world in “the Viking way”.’
Viking’s ocean-going ships have a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons and carry 930 passengers. This year, Viking Sky and Sun will join Star and Sea. After Viking Spirit launches in 2018 a sixth, as yet unnamed, ship will be delivered in 2019.
Fares include a veranda stateroom, shore excursions in every port and free wifi.