Viking marked its 25-year milestone with a historic meeting of three ship classes in Amsterdam on 30 September 2022 with the Viking Mani river ship, the Viking Mars ocean ship and the new expedition ship, the Viking Polaris, sailing in a special convoy to IJmuiden, Netherlands.
During the Amsterdam event, Viking named Viking Polaris and her identical sister ship, Viking Octantis, currently sailing her inaugural season in the Great Lakes.
Both ships will spend the Southern Hemisphere summer in Antarctica before travelling north to the Great Lakes for the spring and summer seasons in the Northern Hemisphere.
Renowned explorers Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft, respective ceremonial godmothers of Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, offered a blessing of good fortune and safe sailing for the new ships with Ms Arnesen offering her blessing remotely via video to the Viking Octantis in the Great Lakes.
“It is an honour to be the godmother of the new Viking Octantis. I have spent significant time in Antarctica and recently had the privilege to return on one of the ship’s first voyages. The region is a special destination for scientists and adventurers and sailing with Viking is the perfect way to get there,” Ms Arnesen said.
Ms Bancroft added: “Growing up in the Minnesota region, the Great Lakes is where I spent my early years becoming an explorer. I am proud to be the godmother of an expedition vessel like the Viking Polaris that will allow guests to visit, not only the Great Lakes but also Antarctica, two regions that played a pivotal role in my life.”
Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen said the company’s 25th anniversary was a historic occasion to have all ship classes sail together for the first time and name the new expedition vessels.
“I am very proud of what we have accomplished in our first 25 years. And in our view, we are just getting started. Where do we go next? Onwards,” he said.
Viking’s 25th-anniversary celebration occurs during a milestone year where the company also welcomed eight new Viking Longships for Europe rivers and new purpose-built vessels on the Mekong, Nile and Mississippi rivers.
By the end of 2022, two new identical ocean ships will also join Viking’s fleet.
Viking was named the number-one Ocean Line and number-one River Line in Travel + Leisure’s 2022 World’s Best Awards – the first cruise line to top both categories in the same year.
To find out more, visit viking.com
