In May, Viking Cruises will christen its second oceangoing ship, Viking Sea, in a ceremony set along the River Thames in London, England. It’s a grand city befitting of a truly grand ship – one that is poised to offer guests everything that made Viking’s first ship, Viking Star, so spectacular.
Inside and out, Viking Sea will be more similar than not to her older sister. She’ll still 748 feet long. She still carries just 930 guests. And she still offers all of the things that made Viking Star such an unbridled success.
In fact, the entire ship feels warm and welcoming. Board games like Scrabble line public room tables adjacent to the three story Atrium space known as The Living Room. There’s hardly a public room that doesn’t feature books that are free to enjoy while onboard, on nearly all subjects. Service is friendly and punctual. Drinks are poured properly, with good value for money on the few beverages you’ll actually pay for (Viking offers beer, wine and soft drinks complimentary with lunch and dinner).
While Viking Star sets out across the Atlantic this fall on her maiden crossing and visit to North America (which we’ll be covering as a Live Voyage Report), Viking Sea will spend her inaugural season in both the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Viking’s Med itineraries are well planned and thought-out, but it’s the line’s Northern European itineraries that really excite.
What makes this itinerary so special? The same things that make Viking Sea special: it’s unique, different, and appeals to a segment of the market that is being radically underserved in many cases. As Viking has discovered, there is a certain segment of the population that wants a semi-inclusive cruise vacation that’s not a full-blown luxury line, but which offers a more cerebral cruise experience than most mainstream ships are offering these days.
That experience lends itself well to creative, port-intensive itineraries that are designed to intellectually stimulate as much as they are to delight guests with ports of call that are often passed over.
There’s no reason to suspect that Viking Sea will deliver any less than her older fleetmate did last year. And that’s something worth looking forward to.