By
Alice Chambers |
Viking is expanding its operations on Europe’s rivers after christening eight new river ships in Paris on 17 March 2022.
Four of the eight new Viking Longships – Viking Fjorgyn, Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid and Viking Skaga – have been built to navigate the River Seine and will dock at Port de Genelle in Paris, France, so that guests can explore the city.
The four additional ships – Viking Egdir, Viking Gersemi, Viking Gymir and Viking Hervor – will operate on Viking’s itineraries on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers.
The river ships were named as part of a celebration of the cruise line’s 25th anniversary, with the first four ships docked in Paris. Director of the Sainsbury Centre at the University of East Anglia Ghislaine Wood served as godmother of Viking Fjorgyn, while Norwegian political officer Kari Garmann christened Viking Kari, and author and educator Dr Janie Deutscher named Viking Radgrid. Muriel Wilson, staff member of Virtuoso, was godmother of Viking Skaga.
The four additional ships are currently docked in Amsterdam and were named virtually by their godmothers, including musician Helen Deutscher, who christened Viking Egdir and Signature Travel Network's vice president of preferred partnerships and marketing Karryn Christopher, who was godmother of Viking Gersemi. In addition, musician Alma Deutscher named Viking Gymir and travel agent Brenda Hunsberger inaugurated Viking Hervor.
A bottle of Gammel Opland aquavit, a Norwegian brand, was broken on the bow of each ship to honour the cruise line’s heritage. “As we mark 25 years of sailing the iconic waterways of the world, it is always a proud day when we welcome new ships to our fleet and offer more opportunities for curious travellers to explore the world in comfort,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking. “Today we are especially pleased to honour eight talented and accomplished individuals as godmothers to our newest river ships, and we look forward to the start of another season of European river voyages.”
The new vessels have allowed Viking to offer a post-trip extension called ‘Paris: A Culinary Experience’, which will explore Parisian cuisine and be available at the beginning of 2023 for guests sailing the eight-day ‘Paris & the Heart of Normandy’ itinerary. The extension will include visits to renowned restaurants and cafes in Paris, a Parisian cooking school and the Jacquemart-André Museum.
Viking will also operate a new eight-day ‘Christmas on the Seine’ itinerary, a roundtrip from Paris that will visit Normandy and Rouen.