Viking today announced its newest ocean ship – the 930-guest Viking Neptune – has been “floated out,” marking a major construction milestone and the first time the ship has touched water.
Tridents up for the newest Viking vessel, Viking Neptune!
Set to debut in November 2022, the ship will spend her maiden season sailing itineraries in the Mediterranean before embarking on the company’s 2023-2024 Viking World Cruise, a journey from Fort Lauderdale to London that spans 138 days, 28 countries and 57 ports, with overnight stays in 11 cities.
“It is always a special day when a new ship meets water for the first time, and we look forward to welcoming guests on board the Viking Neptune this Autumn,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking.
“We are marking several milestones in 2022, including our 25th anniversary and the 10th year since starting our ocean project. 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 at approximately 11:00 a.m. local time when a member of the Viking team cut a cord that signalled water to begin flowing into the ship’s building dock.
Following a two-day process that will set Viking Neptune afloat, she will then 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 a 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; Viking Saturn will be delivered in early 2023.
Click here or visit your local travel advisor for more information.