Viking has announced the launch of its seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus, and new ocean offerings for 2021.
Viking Venus will join the fleet in early 2021. The newest 930-guest sister ship will spend her maiden season sailing popular itineraries in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, including British Isles Explorer, In Search of the Northern Lights, Viking Homelands and Into the Midnight Sun.
Torstein Hagen, chairman of the cruise line, said: ?The spirit of exploration is at the heart of everything we do. We have always drawn inspiration from the original Viking explorers, who were the first to use the stars and constellations for long-distance navigation. Many elements onboard our ships honour those Viking explorers, and we are proud to host our guests on itineraries that sail some of those historic trading routes.
?I am pleased to announce that Viking Venus will join our fleet in 2021, allowing us the ability to introduce even more travellers to the Viking way of exploration.?
Wendy Atkin-Smith, managing director of Viking UK, said: ?Viking offers cruises that allow our guests to explore the world, experience destinations and learn about new cultures, all from the comfort of our small, beautifully designed, Scandinavian-inspired ships. Viking Venus will be identical to our six existing ocean ships, allowing our guests to enjoy a familiar ?home away from home? experience wherever they choose to cruise with us. Demand from the UK market for our ocean cruises is very high so we would advise travellers to book as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment ? especially if they would like to sail on Viking Venus in her maiden season.?
The cruise line will expand its offerings in the Mediterranean with five new itineraries that include stops in Istanbul, marking the company?s return to the iconic city. The new eight-day Ancient Mediterranean Treasures will sail between Athens and Istanbul, with overnight stays in both cities. Guests looking for an extended experience in the region can choose a longer versions of the itinerary, including the 15-day Ancient Adriatic Treasures, which sails between Venice and Istanbul; the 15-day Ancient Mediterranean Antiquities, which sails between Rome and Istanbul; the 22-day Iconic Mediterranean Treasures, which sails between Barcelona and Istanbul; or the 29-day Mediterranean?s Iconic Shores, which also sails between Barcelona and Istanbul and includes stops in Montenegro and Croatia.
Beginning in April 2021 and sailing on Viking?s 930-guest all-veranda Viking Sky, guests embarking on the new Ancient Mediterranean Treasures itinerary or its longer combination cruise options will witness the origin of civilisation while cruising the Aegean Sea.
Highlights of the new itinerary include: Istanbul, Troy (?anakkale) and Ephesus (Ku?adasi) in Turkey; and Rhodes, Heraklion, and Athens in Greece.
For more information, go to www.vikingcruises.co.uk or call 0800-298 9700.
