Viking names nine new ships in simultaneous ceremony

Viking has named nine new river ships - including the company’s 100th vessel - during a simultaneous ceremony.

The event included four vessels which will sail on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers.

Three others will operate on the Seine, Douro and Mekong rivers while two will be based on the Nile in Egypt.

The naming ceremony on board Viking Honir in Basel, Switzerland and was connected virtually to the eight other new ships, located across five other countries. 

Viking Nerthus was in Paris; Viking Dagur, Viking Eldir and Viking Annar in Rostock, Germany; Viking Gyda in Porto; Viking Tonle in Mỹ Tho, Vietnam; and Viking Thoth and Viking Amun in Luxor.

Viking chairman and chief executive Torstein Hagen said: “Today we are proud to name our newest river ships and to honor the nine distinguished members of our extended Viking family serving as their godparents. 

“We have always been quite a bit different from others in the travel industry - we like to be contrarian. 

“Over the last 28 years, we have grown from four ships to more than 100 - a fleet size that no other line has achieved - and we have done so because of our innovative approach. 

“First, we modernised river voyages; then we reinvented ocean voyages and perfected the expedition experience. We look forward to continuing our leadership in experiential travel in the years to come.”