Ship to make most of North American visit
After Canada, Viking Star sets sail for U.S. and Caribbean
Viking Ocean Cruises is bringing its fabulous new Viking Star to North America for the first time next year, offering exciting new itineraries as the popular river cruise line continues to expand an oceangoing cruise product inaugurated earlier this year.
Beginning in September 2016, the all-veranda, 930-guest Viking Star will sail a unique transatlantic voyage from Bergen, Norway, to Montreal — a 15-day journey that will mark the first time Viking Star, which was christened in May, has sailed to North America.
The westbound transatlantic journey will offer calls on the Shetland Islands, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland and Newfoundland.
The journey will end with numerous calls in Quebec, including visits to Saguenay Fjord, Quebec City and Montreal.
“We have always had a vision to reinvent ocean cruising — to bring destinations back to the forefront of the itinerary and to build ships that are designed to help our guests better explore their destinations,” said Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking Cruises.
“We launched our ocean cruises in Europe earlier this year and just as the Viking explorers before us, we are now looking across the Atlantic for new discoveries.
“Our new itineraries in North America and the Caribbean will offer travellers experiences that broaden their horizons both on and off the ship.”
Viking Star will also set sail for the eastern seaboard of the U.S. and the Caribbean.
On Oct. 2, 2016, Viking Star sails on a 13-day Canada-New England journey from Montreal to New York City, featuring port calls in Quebec City, Halifax, an overnight stay in Boston and even scenic cruising of Massachusetts’ rarely-visited Cape Cod Canal.
After that, it’s off to the Caribbean. Viking Star will sail for 15 days to the West Indies, arriving in San Juan, Puerto Rico, after calling on Newport, R.I.; Baltimore, Md.; Norfolk, Va.; Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale), Fla.; the Turks and Caicos; Antigua; and St. Thomas, USVI.
The bulk of Viking Star’s Caribbean itineraries will operate round trip from San Juan.
At 11 days in length, they offer far more opportunities than most weeklong voyages leaving from the Florida coast to visit off-the-beaten-path Caribbean locales.
These West Indies Explorer journeys will depart between October 2016 and February 2017, and will feature calls on Tortola; Antigua; Barbados; Guadeloupe; St. Kitts; St. Maarten; and St. Thomas.
Viking Star’s Caribbean season ends Feb. 25, 2017, with an exciting eastbound transatlantic journey from San Juan to Barcelona, Spain.
At 18 days in length, this crossing includes six full days at sea — plenty of time to enjoy unique features like Viking Star’s relaxing Wintergarden, with its Nordic-inspired decor and stunning list of teas and cocktails.
She arrives in Europe in March after calls on St. Maarten; Madeira; Morocco and Spain.
If you’re a fan of Viking’s European river cruises, expect Viking Star to bring that same elegance and inclusiveness to the Caribbean next year.
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