Demand for Viking’s new river cruise ship on the Nile River is so high that it already sold out its maiden season, months before the vessel is scheduled to debut.
Viking Aton, the cruise line’s newest ship for the Nile River, reached a construction milestone this past week when the vessel floated for the first time. The 82 passenger ship is purpose built for the Nile River and offers a incredibly popular 12 day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary.
Cruises in 2023 on Viking Aton in Egypt are already sold out and many of the ship’s voyages in 2024 are sold out as well. Due to high demand for Viking’s cruises in Egypt, the cruise line opened 2025 voyages for bookings earlier than expected.
“We are pleased with the continued strong interest for our Nile River voyages. Our guests are curious explorers, and Egypt remains a destination of great interest for its many cultural treasures,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “We are proud to be the only western company to build, own and operate ships on the Nile, and with the float out of the Viking Aton, we look forward to welcoming more guests to experience this fantastic region.”
Viking Aton was floated out at the Massara shipyard in Cairo, Egypt. The cruise ship will now move to the final stages of construction and is scheduled to debut in August 2023.
Viking Aton carries just 82 guests in 41 staterooms. The ship will join Viking Osiris and Viking Ra in Egypt. By 2025, the cruise line expects to have a total of six ships sailing on the Nile River, with new ships also being added in 2024 and 2025.
Viking’s Pharaohs & Pyramids Itinerary
During the 12-day, Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, guests begin with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo, where they can visit iconic sites such as the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Sakkara, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, or the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Guests then fly to Luxor, where they visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before boarding a Viking river ship for an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile River, featuring Privileged Access to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamen 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, where guests can experience a traditional elementary school.
Finally, the journey concludes with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in the ancient city.
Guests can also extend their trip with a pre or post cruise extension.
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