Viking welcomed eight new river vessels to its fleet during a celebration in Paris. Of the eight new Viking Longships, four ships – Viking Fjorgyn, Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid, and Viking Skaga – are specifically designed to sail the Seine River, taking guests to the heart of Paris with an exclusive berth at the Port of Grenelle, just steps from the Eiffel Tower. The four additional ships – Viking Egdir, Viking Gersemi, Viking Gymir, and Viking Hervor – will sail popular itineraries on the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers.
“As we celebrate 25 years of sailing the world’s most iconic waterways, it is always a proud day as we welcome new ships to our fleet and offer more opportunities for curious travelers to explore the world in comfort,” said Torstein Hagen, President of Viking.
Following maritime tradition, Viking invited eight distinguished cultural partners and important members of the company family to serve as ceremonial godmothers of the new ships. The godmothers of honor are:
– Alma Deutscher, godmother of the Viking Gymir – Violinist, pianist, composer, and conductor, who at only 17 years old was hailed as the “new Mozart.”
– Helen Deutscher, godmother of the Viking Egdir – Violinist, pianist, and vocalist. Helen and Alma recently appeared together in an episode of Viking.TV.
– Dr. Janie Deutscher, godmother of the Viking Radgrid – Author, educator, and also an accomplished musician. Mother of Alma and Helen, godmothers of the Viking Gymir and Viking Egdir, respectively.
– Brenda Hunsberger, godmother of the Viking Hervor – Senior Vice President of Travel Services for AAA Club Alliance and an accomplished travel agent.
– Karryn Christopher, Godmother of Viking Gersemi – Executive Vice President of Preferred Partnerships and Marketing at Signature Travel Network, a travel cooperative.
– Ghislaine Wood, Godmother of Viking Fjorgyn – Deputy Director of the Sainsbury Centre at the University of East Anglia.
– Muriel Wilson, Godmother of Viking Skaga – Director of Event Strategy and Sponsorships at Virtuoso, Ltd., a distinguished member of staff at the global agency network for over 40 years.
– Kari Garmann, Godmother of Viking Kari – Former Member of the Norwegian Parliament and Oslo City Council.
The naming ceremony was conducted by connecting the new ships via satellite through two European cities: Paris and Amsterdam. The Viking Fjorgyn, Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid, and Viking Skaga were docked in Paris, at the Port of Grenelle, where they were christened by their godmothers. The other four ships—Viking Egdir, Viking Gersemi, Viking Gymir, and Viking Hervor—were docked in Amsterdam and christened by their godmothers.
Following another maritime tradition, a bottle of Gammel Opland aquavit was broken on the bow of each new ship.
Building on Viking's offering in Paris and the four new Viking Longships sailing the Seine River, the company has announced a new post-trip extension entitled Paris: A Culinary Experience that will explore the cuisine of the French capital, available from 2023.
