Viking's fourth ocean ship floats out of dry dock and prepares for late 2017 debut
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Sun is a step nearer to her 2017 launch following her 16 December 2016 float out at Fincantieri’s Ancona yard in Italy.
The float-out ceremony for the line’s fourth ocean ship, which will accommodate 930 passengers, started on 16 December and took two days.
Yi Lou, vice president of China Merchant Bank Financial Leasing (CMBFL), served as Viking Sun’s madrina during the ceremony. First, she welded commemorative coins to the ship and then cut the cord to allow water to begin flowing into the ship’s building dock.
“It is always a proud moment for the entire Viking family when a new ship meets water for the first time,” said Torstein Hagen, Viking Cruises’ chairman. “CMBFL is an important partner, and we wanted to honour our relationship by naming one of their executives as madrina to our newest ship.”
Viking Sun, which is now in an outfitting dock for final construction and interior outfitting, will debut in late 2017 and will be marketed to travellers in the UK, North America, Australia and New Zealand. The ship will begin her maiden season sailing voyages to Cuba and the Caribbean, before embarking on a 141-day World Cruise that spans five continents and takes guests to 66 ports in 35 countries. Viking Sun will also be the first of the line’s ocean ships to visit China.