Viking Vesta® Makes a Splash: Newest Ocean Ship Completes Float Out Ceremony
Set to Debut in Summer 2025, the Viking Vesta Meets Water for the First Time
(IN SHORT) Viking® announced the successful float out of its newest ocean ship, the Viking Vesta®, at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, marking a crucial construction milestone. This 54,300-ton small ship, featuring 499 staterooms for 998 guests, is scheduled to debut in July 2025 with itineraries in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. The float out ceremony, signifying the ship’s first contact with water, was part of a two-day process that transitions the vessel to the final stages of construction. Viking’s commitment to offering unique travel experiences has earned it top rankings in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards for Oceans, Rivers, and Expeditions.
(PRESS RELEASE) Los Angeles, CA, 2024-Jul-8 — /Travel PR News/ — Viking® (NYSE: VIK) recently celebrated a significant construction milestone with the “float out” of its newest ocean ship, the Viking Vesta®. This event, which marks the first time the ship has touched water, took place at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona. The Viking Vesta, a small ship with a gross tonnage of 54,300 tons and 499 staterooms, is designed to host 998 guests. The ship is set to debut in July 2025, with its inaugural season featuring itineraries in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “It is always a good day when a new ship meets water for the first time.” He highlighted Viking’s decade-long collaboration with Fincantieri, which has produced some of the world’s most elegant small ocean ships. The Viking Vesta will soon be joined by her identical sister ship, the Viking Vela, as Viking continues to offer unique exploration experiences to curious travelers.
The float-out ceremony is a traditional event indicating a ship’s transition to the final construction stage. On July 4, at approximately 11:00 a.m. local time, the Viking team initiated the float out by cutting a cord that allowed water to flow into the ship’s building dock. The process, taking two days to complete, will see the Viking Vesta moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out.
Viking’s focus on creating enriching experiences for The Thinking Person has been well received. In 2023, Viking earned the top spot for Oceans, Rivers, and Expeditions in Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, reflecting the brand’s commitment to excellence in travel.
About Viking
Viking (NYSE: VIK) was founded in 1997 and provides destination-focused journeys on rivers, oceans and lakes around the world. Designed for curious travelers with interests in science, history, culture and cuisine, Chairman Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers experiences for The Thinking Person™. Viking has more than 450 awards to its name, including being rated #1 for Rivers, #1 for Oceans and #1 for Expeditions by Condé Nast Traveler in the 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards. Viking is also rated at the top of its categories for rivers, oceans and expeditions by Travel + Leisure. No other travel company has simultaneously received the same honors by both publications. For additional information, contact Viking at 1-800-2-VIKING (1-800-284-5464) or visit www.viking.com. For Viking’s award-winning enrichment channel, visit www.viking.tv.
Media Contact:
Email: vikingpr@edelman.com
Source: Viking
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