Viking Neptune, the newest ocean cruise ship which Fincantieri is building for Viking has been floated out at the shipyard in Ancona. Like its sister ships, the new ship will be placed in the small cruise ship segment. Viking Neptune weighs about 47,800 tons and features 465 cabins with accommodation for 930 passengers.
Viking has celebrated the float out of its newest ocean ship, the 930-guest Viking Neptune, at the Fincantieri shipyard in Ancona, Italy. The ceremony marks a major construction milestone as it is the first time the ship has touched water.
The traditional float out ceremony took is significant because it denotes the ship is moving into its final stage of construction. Following the two-day process that will set Viking Neptune afloat, the ship will then be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out.
“It is always a special day when a new ship meets water for the first time, and we look forward to welcoming guests on board the Viking Neptune this fall. Together with Fincantieri we have built the world’s most elegant vessels, which truly allow our guests to explore the world in comfort,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking.
Set to debut in November 2022, Viking Neptune will spend her maiden season sailing itineraries in the Mediterranean before embarking on the company’s 2023-2024 Viking World Cruise, a journey from Fort Lauderdale to London that spans 138 days, 28 countries and 57 ports, with overnight stays in 11 cities.
A year of milestones
This year Viking is marking several milestones, including its 25th anniversary and the 10th year since starting its ocean project. With the arrival of the Viking Neptune and her identical sister ship, Viking Mars, scheduled to be delivered in May 2022, along with the debut of two new expedition ships and new river ships, Viking is firmly establishing itself as the leading small ship travel company.