Double delivery boosts Viking’s river cruise offerings

Rostock-based shipbuilder Neptun Werft held a handover ceremony in Basel on 11 June for the newbuild luxury river cruise ships, Viking Annar and Viking Fjolvar, for Viking.

With a length of 135 m, Viking Annar belongs to Viking’s Longship series, with a capacity to accommodate 190 passengers in 95 staterooms and 53 crew members. Like its sister vessels, Viking Annar has an elegant Scandinavian design and a square bow that allows the ship to have three full decks and the Aquavit Terrace, an indoor-outdoor viewing area and dining space. The river cruise vessel will begin offering itineraries on the Rhine, Main, and Danube, with the first guests departing from Amsterdam on 22 June.

Like all river cruise ships built by Neptun for Viking, this new ship has hybrid propulsion, consisting of a diesel-electric drive and a battery system. The energy storage system absorbs peak loads, allowing the engine to operate at optimal loads to reduce fuel consumption. Other technical innovations include a compact wastewater treatment system.

Slightly shorter than Viking’s Longships at 125 m, Viking Fjolvar is the last river cruise ship in the Seine series. These ships have the same design elements as the Longships series, but their shorter length allows them to sail on the Seine into the heart of Paris. Viking Fjolvar can accommodate 168 passengers in 84 staterooms and 46 crew members. The ship is scheduled to welcome its first guests starting on 4 July.

These two river cruise ships are part of an ongoing newbuilding programme that will see the Big Board-listed cruise company take delivery of 22 river vessels by 2028, nine ocean ships by 2031, and two expedition ships by 2031. These additional newbuilds will grow Viking’s fleet to 114 river ships by 2028 and 26 ocean and expedition cruise ships by 2031.