Viking ocean fleet grows

VIKING Ocean Cruises has inked a memorandum of agreement with Fincantieri for the construction of two additional cruise ships, with an option for another two.

The newbuilds will join the fleet in 2021 and 2022 and follow the design of the six ships already ordered or in operation.

Under the agreement, the Viking Ocean fleet would expand to eight vessels and potentially up to ten, if the option for two more newbuilds is enacted.

By 2019, when Viking Ocean Cruises’ yet-to-be-named sixth ship is delivered, Viking will be the largest small ship ocean cruise line.

Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking Cruises, said the additional newbuilds “are needed to meet the demand we are experiencing”.

“Our guests and the industry have spoken, and they love the ocean ships that we have built with Fincantieri,” he said.

Viking Ocean has grown rapidly since the delivery of its first ship, Viking Star in 2015, which was quickly followed by Viking Sea in 2016 and Viking Sky in 2017.

A fourth vessel, Viking Sun will join late this year and a fifth, Viking Spirit in 2018.

The two newbuilds, in line with the entire fleet, will offer all-veranda rooms and accommodate 930 guests in 465 cabins.

The agreement will be effective subject to financing and other customary closing conditions.