18 Mar 2022
London, 17 March 2022: – Viking® (www.viking.com) welcomed eight new river ships to its award-winning fleet during a celebration in Paris. Of the eight new Viking Longships®, four ships – Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid, Viking Skaga and Viking Fjorgyn – are built specifically to navigate the Seine River and bring guests to the heart of Paris with an exclusive docking location at Port de Grenelle, just a short walk from the Eiffel Tower. The four additional ships – Viking Gymir, Viking Egdir, Viking Hervor and Viking Gersemi – will sail Viking's popular itineraries on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers.
The naming of the new river ships comes as Viking continues its milestone 25th anniversary and a year of significant expansion. In January 2022, the company launched Viking Expeditions and its first Polar Class vessel, the Viking Octantis®. By the end of the year, Viking will have also welcomed a second identical expedition ship, as well as two new identical ocean ships and new purpose-built vessels for the Nile, Mekong and Mississippi rivers.
“As we mark 25 years of sailing the iconic waterways of the world, it is always a proud day when we welcome new ships to our fleet and offer more opportunities for curious travelers to explore the world in comfort,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “Today we are especially pleased to honour eight talented and accomplished individuals as godmothers to our newest river ships, and we look forward to the start of another season of European river voyages.”
Viking Naming Ceremony
In keeping with maritime tradition that dates back thousands of years, Viking invited eight distinguished cultural partners and important members of the company's extended family to serve as ceremonial godmothers of the new ships. The honoured godmothers include:
- Alma Deutscher, Godmother of Viking Gymir – A musical phenomenon, Miss Deutscher captivates the classical world with her talents as a violinist, pianist, composer and conductor, and at just 17 years old has been hailed as the “new Mozart.” She recently appeared on an episode of Viking's award-winning enrichment channel, Viking.TV (Anne Diamond Welcomes Back Composer and Musician Alma Deutscher), where she discussed her thoughts on being honoured as a Viking godmother as well as her upcoming concert series which will be exclusive for Viking guests on select river voyages visiting Vienna.
- Helen Deutscher, Godmother of Viking Egdir – A violinist, pianist and vocalist, Helen Deutscher is an accomplished musician who honed her musical and performance skills at the Music Gymnasium in Vienna and as a member of the Vienna State Opera's children's chorus; she has also performed in several productions of her sister Miss Alma Deutscher's opera, Cinderella. Helen and Alma recently appeared together on an episode of Viking.TV (Anne Diamond Interviews Classical Musicians, Alma & Helen Deutscher) where they discussed their remarkable lives and many musical milestones.
- Janie Deutscher, Godmother of Viking Radgrid – An author and educator, Dr. Deutscher is also an accomplished musician and earned an organ scholarship to Oxford University where she later taught medieval literature; in recent years, she has concentrated on homeschooling and supporting the musical ambitions of her two daughters, Alma and Helen, who will also serve as godmothers to Viking Gymir and Viking Egdir, respectfully.
- Brenda Hunsberger, Godmother of Viking Hervor – For more than four decades, Ms. Hunsberger, Senior Vice President of Travel Services with AAA Club Alliance, has worked in the industry as an accomplished travel agent; she believes in the power of travel to transform perspectives and change lives.
- Karryn Christopher, Godmother of Viking Gersemi – Christopher is Executive Vice President of Preferred Partnerships & Marketing for Signature Travel Network, a member-owned travel cooperative established in 1956, where she has led the transformation of the company's sales and marketing division.
- Ghislaine Wood, Godmother of Viking Fjorgyn – As the Deputy Director of the Sainsbury Centre at the University of East Anglia, one of the most important public university art galleries in Great Britain, Ms. Wood oversees the curation of major exhibitions, including the upcoming “Visions of Ancient Egypt,” which is sponsored by Viking; opening in September 2022. Ms. Wood discussed her work at the Sainsbury Centre in a recent episode of Viking.TV (Explore Alaskan Objects at the Sainsbury Centre with Ghislaine Wood), including the origins of their Alaska collection which examines how indigenous Alaskan communities developed technologies and tools to adapt to their environment.
- Muriel Wilson, Godmother of Viking Skaga – As a distinguished staff member of Virtuoso Ltd. for more than 40 years, Ms. Wilson has a passion for travel and leverages her deep knowledge of the industry to develop quality hospitality and travel experiences for Virtuoso's travel advisors and preferred partners as the Director of Event Strategy & Sponsorship.
- Kari Garmann, Godmother of Viking Kari – Former Norwegian political officer known for holding office for the Conservative Party, Ms. Garmann has made valuable contributions to Norway in the areas of government, business and banking throughout her career.
The naming event was executed by connecting the new ships via satellite across two European cities: Paris and Amsterdam. The Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid, Viking Skaga and Viking Fjorgyn were docked in Paris at the Port de Grenelle and were named by their godmothers. The other four ships, Viking Gymir, Viking Egdir, Viking Hervor and Viking Gersemi, were docked in Amsterdam and named “virtually” by their godmothers. In keeping with another maritime tradition, a bottle of Gammel Opland aquavit was broken on the bow of each new ship. Gammel Opland hails from the same county in Norway where Chairman Hagen's mother, Ragnhild – also lovingly known as “Mamsen” – was born and was her favourite brand of aquavit. More information on the history of ship naming ceremonies and the special role that godmothers play can be found in a recent episode of Viking.TV (Explore the Role of a Ship's Godmother, a Revered Nautical Tradition), hosted by Viking Executive Vice President Karine Hagen.
This year Viking will offer guests a Privileged Access® performance led by Alma Deutscher at Vienna's illustrious Wiener Konzerthaus. She will conduct the historic Strauss Capelle orchestra and perform the music of Mozart, the waltzes of Strauss on the violin and her own compositions.
New Offerings on the Seine
Building on Viking's offerings in Paris and the four new Viking Longships sailing the Seine River, the company has announced today a new post-trip extension entitled Paris: A Culinary Experience that will explore the cuisine of the French capital. Available beginning in 2023 for guests sailing on the 8-day Paris & the Heart of Normandy itinerary, the new extension allows guests to immerse themselves in the culinary history of Paris and taste the gastronomic delights the city has to offer. Guests on the 3-night extension will disembark their ship in Paris and explore the city with a culinary guide, visiting the “Belly of Paris” and the Rue Montorgueil, home to the city's first pâtisserie, before checking into their hotel. The following day, guests will visit a Parisian cooking school to attend a croissant baking workshop with a local chef and learn about the pastry's origins, before enjoying an evening wine and cheese tasting with an expert sommelier at a private wine cellar. On the final day, guests journey to the Jacquemart-André Museum for a tour of the 19th century mansion and its private art collection and will attend a special workshop delving into the art of table etiquette. Each day allows ample free time for guests to explore iconic Parisian landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées from their centrally located hotel.
Additionally, Viking has announced a new Christmas sailing, the 8-day Christmas on the Seine, sailing roundtrip from Paris. Available during the festive season beginning in 2022, guests will sail through Normandy's snow-covered countryside while enjoying the festive Christmas markets. Guests can select from holiday-centric shore excursions such as baking homemade gingerbread at the 850-year old Abbaye du Valasse or attending a festive Christmas ornament making workshop in Rouen. Onboard, guests will enjoy special Christmas themed festivities including regional dining specialties, seasonal treats and more.
Booking Details
From now through 31 March 2022, Viking is offering special savings on 2022 river cruises. Save £500 per person when you book by 31 March 2022.
To make a booking or for more information call 0800 458 69 00 or go to www.viking.com
ENDS
Media contacts:
Viking UK Press Office: ukpressoffice@viking.com
Bryony Gammon: bryony.gammon@viking.com
Carys Bedford: carys.bedford@viking.com
Telephone: +44 208 780 7945
About Viking
Viking offers culturally enriching, destination-focused river and ocean cruises for travellers curious about the world, its rich culture and varied history.
Viking takes its guests on curated, elegant voyages to some of the most iconic rivers in Europe, Africa and the Far East, allowing a unique window on inspiring destinations and rewarding experiences. Viking revolutionised river cruising with the introduction of its state-of-the-art Viking Longships which, since their introduction in 2012, now make up 80 percent of its river fleet.
In 2015 Viking debuted its maiden season of ocean cruising and in April 2021 Viking took delivery of its seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus, making it the largest small ship travel company. The sophisticated state-of-the-art Viking ocean ships can accommodate 930 guests on itineraries all across the world.
Viking has expanded its destination-focused travel experiences with the launch of new expedition voyages. Viking Expeditions began sailing in January 2022 with its first vessel, Viking Octantis, embarking on voyages to Antarctica and then North America's Great Lakes. A second expedition vessel, Viking Polaris, will debut in August 2022, sailing to Antarctica and the Arctic. Viking's custom-built vessel, Viking Mississippi, will debut in August 2022 and will sail voyages on the Lower and Upper Mississippi, between New Orleans and St. Paul. For the first time Viking was voted both the Best Ocean Cruise Line and River Cruise Line by Condé Nast Traveller in the publication's 2021 Readers' Choice Awards. Viking was the only cruise line with the top scores in two categories in the same year.
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