Viking Cruises continues to grow and the cruise line celebrated the float out of their newest river ship that will debut this summer.
Viking Hathor touched water for the first time as the ship moves to the final stage of construction. The ship will debut this summer and sail Viking’s popular 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary in Egypt.
The ship is currently under construction at the Massara shipyard in Cairo. The vessel has moved to an outfitting dock where the interior of the ship will be completed.
“Egypt is a phenomenal destination, and we are pleased with the continued interest for our Nile River voyages. Our guests are thinking people who are curious about the world—and Egypt, with its cultural treasures and ancient antiquities, remains at the top of the travel list for many of them,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “With the float out of the Viking Hathor, we look forward to welcoming more guests to experience this fantastic region.”
Viking Hathor will carry 82 guests in 41 cabins and is inspired by the cruise line’s award winning ocean and river ships. She will be the third in her class after Viking Osiris and Viking Aton.
The 12 day itinerary starts with a three night hotel stay in Cairo where guests can visit the pyramids and many of the world renowned museums. They then fly to Luxor to visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before boarding the ship for the cruise part of the journey.
The cruise is an eight night roundtrip voyage on the Nile River that features visits to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, and excursions to the Temple of Khnum in Esna, the Dendera Temple complex in Qena, the temples at Abu Simbel and the High Dam in Aswan, and a visit to a colorful Nubian village.
After the cruise, guests fly back to Cairo for one night when the 12 day trip will end.
By 2025, Viking will have six ships sailing on the Nile River.