Viking officially named their newest two river cruise ships for the Nile this week. While one of the ships was already in service, Viking Sobek has yet to host an official cruise.
After the naming ceremony, Viking Sobek set sail on a three-day preview cruise for a few members of the media so they can get a preview of these incredible cruises in Egypt offered by Viking.
I am currently on the preview cruise and wanted to give you a first look at the newest ship from Viking. I will have more on the actual cruise itself when I get home from Egypt, so stayed tuned for that.
Viking Sobek is the fourth ship in its class, and there’s four more on order/under construction. After spending a few days on board, it quickly became my favorite river cruise ship I’ve ever sailed on.
If you’ve sailed on a Viking Longship, you’ll be familiar with all of the spaces. However, they have been redesigned and are in different locations.
There is a small wading pool at the aft of the ship, it’s a perfect spot to cool off on a hot day on the Nile River.
The top deck offers plenty of seating and shade for the 82 guests as you cruise up and down the Nile.
The Lounge is one area that will be extremely similar to guests who have sailed on Longships.
The Aquavit Terrace is located in the aft of the ship and offers more seating for casual dining than you’ll find on a Longship.
There are also a few tables outside for those who want al fresco dining.
There is a coffee/cappuccino station near guest services that also has water, tea, and cookies.
The Restaurant has the same look and feel of that on Longships, and there’s enough seating to host everyone on the ship at one time.
One of the things that I enjoy the most about this ship is the abundance of floor to ceiling windows all around it. There’s also several skylights and for even more natural night.
The windows are perfect for viewing Egyptian life as you cruise on the Nile.
The open atrium with skylights opens up the ship. For a ship that only carries 82 passengers, there’s so much space compared to traditional longships.
I am staying in a standard balcony cabin on deck 2. It’s extremely spacious for a river ship and has all the features that Viking is known for. There’s also plenty of power outlets and USB ports.
The bathroom has heated floors and is actually pretty roomy for a cruise ship.
As I said earlier, I will have more on this cruise in Egypt with Viking after I get home. So far, I’ve been blow away by the many sites that we’ve visited and it’s truly a destination unlike any other.
