Viking will add 10 more Viking Longships to its river fleet in the coming years. To meet strong demand for river travel in Europe, eight of the new vessels will sail popular Viking itineraries on the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers, while two more Viking Longships will join the fleet on the Seine.
The total order also includes a Viking Longship for the Seine River, which was announced in February 2023. Five of the new vessels will be delivered in 2025 and the other five in 2026.
To officially mark the start of construction of the 10 ships, a keel-laying ceremony was held at the Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock, Germany, where all Viking Longships have been built since their debut in 2012.
“Since we founded Viking 26 years ago, our mission has been to help our guests explore the world in comfort. We focus on the destination and build elegant and innovative ships,” said Torstein Hagen, President of Viking. “We look forward to welcoming these new Longships to our European fleet and introducing The Viking Way of exploration to even more guests in the coming years.”.
The award-winning Viking Longships, which make up the vast majority of the company's river fleet, accommodate 190 guests or fewer. Featuring an innovative, patented design, the ships offer a wide variety of cabins, the revolutionary indoor/outdoor Aquavit Deck, and Viking's signature Scandinavian design aesthetic.
The new vessels feature a hybrid propulsion system with batteries and are also equipped with shore power to reduce fuel consumption in port. Onboard solar panels further contribute to the vessels' energy efficiency.
Today's announcement is the latest major milestone for the company. Last month, Viking celebrated the launch of its new ocean-going vessel, the Viking Vela®, which will debut in December 2024, and announced a new vessel for the Mekong River in 2025, the Viking Tonle.
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