This begins Viking Cruises' first Americas itineraries.
'To sail past Ellis Island and into New York for the first time is a proud moment for our entire Viking family. With the same spirit as the Vikings who originally sailed their longships across the Atlantic, arriving in North America signifies a new era of possibilities for our company and our guests,' Viking chairman Torstein Hagen said.
'As our fleet continues to grow, we will look for new ways to bring our unique destination-focused approach to more regions of the world,' he continued. 'There are no kids on board, and there are no umbrella drinks. Instead, our Caribbean itineraries are inspired by iconic 18th-century navigation routes and were developed to highlight the rich history and culture of the region.'
Viking Star is due to sail Friday for San Juan, Puerto Rico, which will serve as its homeport for the winter season. From San Juan, the ship will sail the 11-day 'West Indies Explorer' itinerary, which calls at ports in the British Virgin Islands, Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, Guadeloupe, St. Kitts, St. Martin and the US Virgin Islands.
There are no sea days in the program, which Viking said will give passengers the opportunity to learn about the destinations from local experts, historians and lecturers on board, as well as through a variety of shore excursions, including optional visits to museums, gardens and historic sites.
Viking Star is scheduled to return to Europe in February 2017, via a trans-Atlantic sailing from San Juan to Barcelona.
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