1 5 that we know are successful and have become fundamental parts of our brand. “For example, when I was in Oslo, Norway, for the first time, I went to the Viking Ship Museum. It has three, authentic Viking ships that were buried, recovered and restored. What I noticed was that they made these beautiful curves up the whole of the ship. I took that design and incorporated it into the concept for the Viking Bar, which can be found onboard all of our vessels. Just like those original ships, it features shiplap, with each piece of wood layered over another. While these elements are part of the design of every Viking ship, the exact composition varies depending on the destinations they’ll be visiting. “Our ocean ships tend to visit more urban ports, including capital cities such as Sydney or Rome,” explains Riveire. “So, the exploration of that world is emphasised in our design for those ships. But if you look at our expedition ships, it’s all about celebrating nature. Different aspects of Viking’s identity bubble to the top depending on where the vessels are sailing and what cruising experience we’re offering to guests.” By the end of 2022, Viking will have 80 river ships in its fleet, including Longships in Europe, Nile ships that are slightly different, and Viking Saigon on the Mekong River – all are inspired by elegant, understated Scandinavian design. This year, Viking will also introduce Viking Mississippi, its first river cruise ship in the USA. While inspired by previous ships and Scandinavian design, public spaces have been reimagined for voyages along the Mississippi River. The vessel will be larger than the Viking Longships, with capacity for 386 guests across five decks, including the first-ever wraparound private verandas. The Living Room social area will feature elements of Scandinavian design while the Explorers’ Lounge in the bow of the ship will offer views of the changing landscape as guests travel along the Mississippi. The ship is set to debut in Summer 2022 following delivery by American shipbuilder Edison Chouest Offshore. “Our guests have long wanted to sail the Mississippi River with Viking, and we very much look forward to welcoming them onboard this summer,” said Hagen. “We are grateful to our American partner, Edison Chouest Offshore, who has helped bring to life our vision of exploring the Mississippi in the ‘Viking way.’” Viking continues to expand the fleet of identical ocean ships which began with the debut of Viking Star in 2015. Viking Mars is the latest addition and was delivered by Fincantieri in Ancona, Italy, in May and like its sister ships will host up to 930 guests in 465 staterooms, all of which feature verandas. Lightfilled public spaces include the Atrium, where a screen displays photographs by Alastair Miller or works by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch during ‘Munch Moments’. The Explorers’ Lounge celebrates a different Norwegian explorer onboard each vessel with replicas of their ships and tales of their voyages in a curated library collection, while Torshavn is designed to recall the jazz lounges of 1940s Hollywood and hosts musical performances. Another, Viking Neptune, will be delivered this year, while an additional new ocean vessel is planned for 2023. “Together with Fincantieri we have built the world’s most elegant vessels, which truly allow our guests to explore the world in comfort,” said Hagen. “With the arrival of the Viking Neptune “ With the arrival of Viking Octantis, Viking is now exploring all seven continents” Torstein Hagen, Viking
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