Fifth ocean newbuild in three years
'Today we celebrate the delivery of our fifth ocean ship, just three years after launching our ocean business,' Viking chairman Torstein Hagen said. The expansion of the fleet allows Viking to branch into new destinations like Asia and Alaska, he added.
Viking Orion's interiors were designed by London-based SMC Design and Los Angeles-based Rottet Studios. Features include all-veranda staterooms, an infinity pool and a Scandinavian spa with a sauna and snow grotto.
Anna Fisher, American chemist, emergency room physician and retired NASA astronaut, will serve as the godmother during the Livorno festivities. The ship’s name was inspired by the prominent constellation and Fisher’s work on NASA’s Orion exploration vehicle project.
Viking's first ship to cruise in Alaska
Viking Orion will spend its maiden season sailing the Mediterranean, before journeying to Australia, Asia and Alaska, where the ship will become Viking's first to call on the northernmost US state.
The next Viking newbuild is set for delivery in spring 2019. Viking Jupiter was floated out just a few weeks ago at Ancona. Ten additional ships are planned, which could bring Viking's ocean fleet to 16 by 2027.
Fincantieri has built 84 cruise ships since 1990, 61 of them since 2002, while another 43 are currently being designed or built in the group’s yards.
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