Viking Cruises Announces Exciting Launch of Seventh Ocean Ship

Further reinforcing its reputation as the largest small-ship ocean cruise line, Viking Cruises has announced the launch of its seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus, in early 2021.

The new 930-guest sister ship will spend her maiden season sailing some of the cruise line’s most popular itineraries in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, including British Isles Explorer, In Search of the Northern Lights, Viking Homelands and Into the Midnight Sun.

In keeping with the company’s uniform Scandi aesthetic, Viking Venus will be identical in appearance to the line’s six existing ocean ships.

“The spirit of exploration is at the heart of everything we do. We have always drawn inspiration from the original Viking explorers, who were the first to use the stars and constellations for long-distance navigation,” said Viking’s chairman Torstein Hagen.

“Many elements on board our ships honour those Viking explorers, and we are proud to host our guests on itineraries that sail some of those historic trading routes.

“I am pleased to announce that Viking Venus will join our fleet in 2021, allowing us the ability to introduce even more travellers to the Viking way of exploration.”

With demand for Viking ocean cruises from the UK being astronomically high, passengers looking to sail on Viking Venus’ maiden season should book as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

Along with the launch of its latest ship, the cruise line has also announced that it will be expanding its highly in-demand Mediterranean sailings with five new itineraries that include stops in Istanbul, marking the company’s return to the iconic city.

The eight-day Ancient Mediterranean Treasures will sail between Athens and Istanbul, with overnight stays in both cities.

Guests looking to enjoy a longer holiday can choose extended versions of the itinerary, including the 15-day Ancient Adriatic Treasures, which sails between Venice and Istanbul or the 29-day Mediterranean’s Iconic Shores, which also sails between Barcelona and Istanbul and includes stops in Montenegro and Croatia, among others.

Commencing April 2021 and sailing on Viking Cruises’ award-winning 930-guest all-veranda Viking Sky, passengers embarking on the new Ancient Mediterranean Treasures itinerary or its longer combination cruise options will witness the origin of civilisation while sailing the Aegean Sea.

Highlights of the new itinerary include an overnight stay in Istanbul so guests can explore this iconic city; a visit to Troy where guests can explore the well-preserved ruins of this ancient city and famous setting of the Trojan War; and a stopover in Athens, home to iconic sites such as the Hellenic Parliament, the Panathenaic Stadium and the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

For more information, visit vikingcruises.co.uk.