By
Alex Smith |
Viking’s newest ship for the Nile River, Viking Aton, has been floated out at the Massara shipyard in Cairo, marking the first time the cruise vessel has touched water.
Viking Aton will now be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out ahead of its debut in August 2023.
"We are pleased with the continued strong interest for our Nile River voyages,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking. “Our guests are curious explorers, and Egypt remains a destination of interest for its cultural treasures. 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 region."
The ship will join the company's fleet of vessels purpose-built for the Nile River and sail Viking's 12-day ‘Pharaohs & Pyramids’ itinerary. Viking Aton is the sister ship of Viking Osiris, hosting 82 guests in 41 staterooms and featuring a square bow and the indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace.
During the ‘Pharaohs & Pyramids’ itinerary, guests begin with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo, where they can visit 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, offering access to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings. Excursions are also available 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 Nubian village, where guests can experience a traditional primary school. Finally, the journey concludes with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in the city.
Viking will have six ships sailing the Nile by 2025 with the addition of two new sister ships, Viking Hathor and Viking Sobek, which are already under construction and will be delivered in 2024 and 2025, respectively.