Viking Cruises announced the initiation of its new onboard Viking Resident Historian program. Launching on Viking Star, Viking Sea and Viking Sky this month, a faculty of historians will provide an enhanced level of enrichment for guests onboard all of Viking’s ocean cruise ships.
In addition to history and culture lessons on the destinations, the Viking Resident Historians will also:
- Present itinerary iconic lectures (examples in Europe and Scandinavia include: The Roman Empire; The Ottoman Empire; The Hanseatic League; Imperial Russia)
- Conduct roundtable discussions (examples include: The Elgin Marbles; Women Explorers; Venetian Naval Power)
- Host history-themed dinner discussions onboard
- Hold daily “office hours” for one-on-one time with guests
- Be available for guest questions and interactions outside lectures and office hours throughout the itinerary
The Viking Resident Historian lectures are led by Dr. Charles Doherty, Chief Viking Resident Historian, and will be presented in The Theater. Dr. Doherty has lectured in over 60 countries for The National Geographic Society, the Smithsonian and the American Museum of Natural History. He received his doctorate from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and attended the Courtauld Institute in London as a Fulbright Scholar.
The first three Viking Resident Historians that will be featured onboard Viking’s three ocean cruise ships this spring are:
- Dr. Mark Callaghan holds a Ph.D. in History from the University of London, an M.A. in Art History from Oxford University and a B.A. in Art History from the University of Manchester. Dr. Callaghan is a specialist in 20th century European art and culture and will lecture on Viking Sky on sailings of Empires of the Mediterranean this spring.
- Lt. Colonel Tony Coutts-Britton is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst and served with the British Army in Europe and Asia – and later with NATO in the Partnership for Peace program. Lt. Col. Coutts-Britton lectures on the social and political aspects of European military history aboard Viking Sea on sailings of Empires of the Mediterranean this spring.
- Dr. Fenella Bazin holds a Ph.D. from the University of Liverpool, is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music and is a Research Fellow at the University of Liverpool’s Center for Manx Studies. Dr. Bazin is a specialist in the Age of the Vikings and modern Norway and will serve as the Viking Resident Historian on Viking Star on sailings of Empires of the Mediterranean this spring.
Other onboard cultural offerings on Viking Ocean Cruises include:
- Munch Moments – In partnership with Oslo’s Munch Museum; designed to celebrate the life and artwork of Norway’s most famous artist, Edvard Munch, with daily “Munch Moments,” staged in the ship’s Atrium.
- The Metropolitan Opera – Viking and Metropolitan Opera bring Puccini’s love story “La Bohème” to guests. As part of the Metropolitan Opera’s groundbreaking “The Met: Live in HD” series, this Viking Privileged Access experience takes guests behind-the-scenes to meet cast and crew members.
- Viking Art Guide – The Viking Art Guide is a new mobile app, which is a walking tour of Viking’s ocean ships and the extensive collection of Nordic art onboard.
A new video on the Resident Historian program can be found on the Viking website.
Cfare includes a veranda stateroom, shore excursions in each port of call, all onboard meals, all port charges and government taxes, beer and wine with lunch and dinner service, Wi-Fi, access to the Thermal Suite in the LivNordic Spa.