Viking River Cruises, the world’s leading river cruise line, christened two new Longships (Viking Hild, Viking Herja) in a ceremony in Koblenz, Germany.
Viking River Cruises is celebrating 20 years of river cruising in 2017 and Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises, gave the following statement:
“Two decades ago when we started this company, modern river cruising was still unknown to most travelers. Now 20 years later, we are pleased that most travelers know river cruising, and they know Viking as a household name. The naming of a new ship by a ceremonial godmother is a sacred maritime tradition. We are honored that the godmothers of our two new Longships are also important partners who will help us deliver thoughtful and enriching experiences for Viking guests this year.”
The christening of two new Longships marks another year of impressive growth for Viking. The company launched its third ocean ship, Viking Sky, in February and will add a fourth ocean ship, Viking Sun, in November. By 2019, Viking will have a fleet of six ocean ships and will be the largest small ship ocean cruise line.
Godmother to Viking Hild, Dr. Princess Stephanie Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rosenberg is the CEO of Weingut Fürst Löwenstein, a family-owned and top-rated winery in Lower Franconia. Along with her father-in-law, Prince Alois-Konstantin, Princess Stephanie serves as a steward for Schloss Löwenstein in Kleinheubach, the family’s ancestral home that was built in 1725. Viking Longships on the Main River sail past Schloss Löwenstein, and in conjunction with Prince Alois-Konstantin and Princess Stephanie, Viking created a Privileged Access excursion for guests to tour the estate and winery. Fürst Löwenstein wine is also offered to guests on Viking river and ocean cruises.
Godmother to Viking Herja, Debbie Wiseman MBE is an award-winning British composer and conductor with more than 200 credits including recognizable compositions from both the small and big screen. She is also currently Classic FM Live’s Composer in Residence. To commemorate the company’s 20th anniversary, Viking commissioned Debbie to compose a new signature piece of music, which will be recorded at Abbey Road Studios and will premiere on Classic FM Live at the Royal Albert Hall on April 18, 2017.
Designed for discerning travelers, Viking offers guests “the thinking person’s cruise” as an alternative to mainstream cruises. The Viking Difference is providing guests with extraordinarily well-designed cruises that bring them closer to the cultures of the world.
Itineraries are designed for maximum time in port, often with late evenings or overnights, so guests can experience local culture at night or evening performances. And only The Viking Way brings guests itineraries that feature Local Life, Working World and Privileged Access experiences.
