Viking Marks Float-Out of Newest Ocean Ship

Viking's newest ocean ship—the 930-guest Viking Neptune—“floated out,” marking a significant construction milestone and the first time the ship touched water. Set to debut in November 2022, Viking Neptune will spend its inaugural season sailing itineraries in the Mediterranean before embarking on the "2023-2024 Viking World Cruise" from Fort Lauderdale to London, spanning 138 days, 28 countries and 57 ports—with overnight stays in 11 cities.

“We are marking several milestones in 2022, including our 25th anniversary and the 10th year since starting our ocean project," Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking, said in a press statement. "With the arrival of the Viking Neptune and her identical sister ship, the Viking Mars, this year—along with the debut of our two new expedition ships and new river ships—we are proud to firmly establish Viking as the leading small ship travel company."

The traditional float-out ceremony took place at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard and is significant because it denotes a ship moving into its final stage of construction. The float-out of Viking Neptune began when a member of the Viking team cut a cord that signaled water to begin flowing into the ship’s building dock. Following a two-day process that will set Viking Neptune afloat, the ship will be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out.

Viking’s ocean ships have a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons, with 465 staterooms that can host 930 guests. Viking Neptune will join the company’s fleet of identical sister ships, which includes Viking Star, Viking Sea, Viking Sky, Viking Orion, Viking Jupiter and Viking Venus. Viking Mars will be delivered in May 2022; while Viking Saturn will be delivered in early 2023.

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