Viking has welcomed its newest ocean cruise vessel to the small ship brand’s fleet.
Viking Vela was presented to the cruise line at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, Italy, this week.
At 784 feet, the ship has 499 cabins that can host 998 passengers, which is a slightly larger capacity than its sister vessels that hold 930.
The delivery takes the number of Viking ocean ships to 13, each featuring identical Scandinavian designs and light-filled suites, verandas and public spaces.
Viking said it is working on a project for a partial hybrid propulsion system for future ocean ships, which could help the company to operate at zero-emissions in the Norwegian Fjords and other sensitive environments.
While Viking Vela has a traditional propulsion platform, she is considered hydrogen-ready and can be retrofitted in the future, the cruise line said.
Viking Vela’s inaugural season sailing itineraries will be in the Mediterranean and northern Europe. Fares start from £2,495 per person.
This will be the first of many new ships as Fincantieri and Viking have agreed a deal to build 26.
Read more: The best cruise ships to travel on in your lifetime
Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking, said: “Together with Fincantieri we have built the world’s most elegant small ocean ships.
“With the arrival of our newest vessel, we look forward to introducing even more curious travellers to the Viking way of exploration.”
The brand also continues to expand its river cruise fleet.Mediterranean
Earlier this month, it named two identical 82-guest vessels to sail on the Nile River, Viking Hathor and Viking Sobek.
It means Viking now has 10 vessels just on the Nile River.
Commenting during the naming ceremony in Luxor, Hagen said: “As our award-winning fleet on the Nile continues to grow, we look forward to introducing even more curious travellers to this phenomenal destination.”
