LOS ANGELES, July 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Viking Ocean
Cruises® (www.vikingoceancruises.com) today released a new online
video highlighting the "float out" ceremony of its first ship – the
930-passenger Viking Star – set to debut in early
2015. The traditional ceremony, which took place on
Monday, June 23 at Fincantieri's
Marghera shipyard outside Venice,
Italy, marked a major construction milestone – the first
time the ship touched water – and kicks off the final stage of
outfitting and interior build-out.
Accompanying the new video, Viking also announced that
Trude Drevland, the mayor of
Bergen, Norway, will be godmother
to Viking Star and will officially "name" the ship during a
christening ceremony on May 17, 2015
– Norwegian Constitution Day. "Trude," as she is known throughout
Norway, was on-hand at the
shipyard to assist with the float-out ceremony, helping weld coins
to the ship – a good luck practice that dates back to Roman times –
and cutting a cord to allow water to begin flowing into the ship's
building dock.
"I am so privileged to be godmother to the new Viking
Star," said Drevland. "She will be the soul of Scandinavia,
with some touches of Bergen. I
will love it!"
"For our first ocean ship it was very important to have a
godmother who personifies our company's Scandinavian heritage and
the Viking spirit, so it is an absolute honor to have Trude as
godmother to Viking Star," said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises and a
native of Norway. "Bergen, with its colorful harbor and stunning
scenery, has always been one of my favorite cities, and we are
delighted for our guests to experience it firsthand starting next
spring."
Trude Drevland, Godmother of
Viking Star
Mayor of Bergen – Norway's second largest city – Trude Drevland is one of the city's most
charismatic and recognizable citizens. She is known for her many
civic engagements and support of the arts, having served as a
member of the City Council and as Deputy Mayor from 2007 until she
was elected Mayor in 2011. For five years, she served as General
Secretary of the Norwegian Band Federation, the biggest volunteer
music organization in Norway, and
she was the Leader of Business Development for the Chamber of
Commerce and Industry from 2002 to 2003. Born in Northern Norway, Drevland began her career as
a nurse, eventually rising to various roles in healthcare
administration, before entering public service. Leading up to the
arrival of Viking Star in Bergen, Drevland has also showcased her city
in some of Viking's other online videos, which explore the cultural
treasures of the Baltic region.
Viking Ocean Cruises
With three sister ships now under construction, Viking developed
its ocean cruises by leveraging extensive feedback and input from
Viking River Cruises® passengers,
and with experienced travelers in mind. Itineraries are designed
for maximum time in port, often with late evenings or overnights,
so guests can experience local nightlife or evening performances.
Ports include both cosmopolitan cities and "collector ports," and
appeal to those with an interest in history, art and culture. In
addition, Viking Inclusive Cruising provides unparalleled
value—with every cruise fare including a veranda stateroom, shore
excursions in each port of call, all onboard meals, and all port
charges and government taxes. Guests also enjoy many complimentary
amenities as part of their fare, including: beer and wine with
lunch and dinner service; Wi-Fi; self-service laundry and 24-hour
room service—a value of more than $2,400 per couple for an average cruise.
Viking Star
Classified by Cruise Critic as a "small ship," the 930-passenger
all-veranda Viking Star – as well as its two sister ships
under construction, Viking Sea and Viking Sky – is
engineered at a scale that allows direct access into most ports, so
guests have easy and efficient embarkation and debarkation.
Light-filled and intimate, the ship features understated elegance
and modern Scandinavian design. Highlights include:
- All Veranda Staterooms: Guests can
choose from five stateroom categories, starting from a 270 sq. ft.
veranda stateroom, all with private verandas, king-size beds, large
showers, and LCD TVs.
- Explorer Suites: Viking Star features 14 Explorer Suites, which are
two-room suites ranging from 757 to 1,163 sq. ft. that offer
sweeping views from wrap-around private verandas as well as the
most amenities and privileges of any category onboard.
- Two Pool Choices: In addition to the
Main Pool with a retractable dome permitting any-season swimming,
the ship features a glass-backed infinity pool, cantilevered off
the stern, allowing passengers to swim surrounded by their
destination.
- The Spa: In keeping with Viking's
Nordic heritage, The Spa onboard is designed with the holistic
wellness philosophy of Scandinavia in mind—from the centuries-old
tradition of the sauna to a "snow grotto" where snowflakes gently
descend from the ceiling through chilled air.
- Explorers' Lounge and Wintergarden:
Spaces designed to facilitate mingling and storytelling, the
two-deck Explorers' Lounge at the bow is the perfect spot for
taking in scenery through double-height windows over a glass of
aquavit or pint of local craft beer; and the Wintergarden is a
serene environment in which to relax and enjoy afternoon tea
service complete with a hand-selected teas.
- Dining Choices: Viking Star offers multiple restaurant locations and food
choices—from The Restaurant and the World Cafe, serving a variety
of global cuisines and regional specialties—to intimate dining
experiences at The Chef's Table, Italian Grill and The Kitchen
Table, all serving meals prepared with fresh, local ingredients.
Furthermore, with multiple choices for outdoor seating during
meals, Viking's ocean ships offer more al fresco dining than any
other ships.
- Enriching Entertainment: Connecting
passengers to their destinations through authentic experiences is
central to Viking Cruises, and onboard venues include a dramatic
three-deck atrium where passengers can enjoy musicians playing
regional and classical music; the Star Theater, home of enrichment
lectures from scholars and experts; an onboard cooking school where
guests can learn local specialties; and the Viking Piano Lounge,
where guests can relax, mingle, and exchange stories after a day of
exploring.
- Sustainable Features: Designed with
the environment in mind, Viking Star
features energy-efficient hybrid engines, hydro-dynamically
optimized streamlined hulls and bows for maximum fuel efficiency,
onboard solar panels, and equipment that minimizes exhaust
pollution and meets the strictest environmental regulations.
Booking Details
From now through July 31, 2014,
Viking is offering U.S. residents an Early Booking Discount with
2-for-1 pricing on cruise departures and savings of up to
$2,000 per couple on international
air. Contact a travel agent or call Viking toll free at
1-855-8-VIKING (1-855-884-5464).
Media Assets
For more information, images and b-roll for Viking Ocean
Cruises, contact vikingpr@edelman.com.
About Viking Cruises
Viking Cruises offers destination-centric river and ocean
cruising designed for experienced travelers with an interest in
geography, culture and history. Featuring onboard cultural
enrichment and included shore excursions, Viking's journeys are
competitively priced for genuine value. Debuting its maiden season
of ocean cruising in 2015, the sophisticated state-of-the-art
Viking Star will host 930 guests on itineraries in
Scandinavia and the Baltic; the Western and Eastern Mediterranean;
and the British Isles. Two additional ocean ships, Viking
Sea and Viking Sky, will debut in 2016. As the world's
leading river cruise line, since its 1997 inception the company has
grown to a fleet of 53 river vessels (in 2014) offering scenic
cruising along the rivers of Europe, Russia, Egypt, China,
and Southeast Asia. Viking has
been honored multiple times in Travel + Leisure's "World's
Best" Awards and Conde Nast Traveler's "Gold List" as well
as recognized by the editors of Cruise Critic as "Best River Cruise
Line," with the entire Viking Longships® fleet being named "Best
New River Ships of 2012" in the website's Editors' Picks Awards.
The travel trade has ranked Viking as the "Best River Cruise Line"
by Travel Weekly, Recommend and Travel Agent
magazines, "Best Cruise Line for Luxury River Cruises" at the
Luxury Travel Advisor Awards of Excellence and as "Best
Overall Cruise Line for River Cruising," "Best New River Cruise
Ship" and for the sixth consecutive year, "Best River Cruise Line
for Travel Agent Support" in the 2014 TravelAge West's WAVE
Awards. For additional information, contact Viking Cruises at
1‑855‑8-VIKING (1‑855‑884‑5464) or visit
www.vikingcruises.com. To join the Viking communities online,
visit www.facebook.com/vikingcruises, www.facebook.com/vikingoceans
and www.facebook.com/vikingrivercruises.
Video -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mHftHbySl8&feature=youtu.be
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140710/126215
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140624/120779
SOURCE Viking Cruises