Viking's Ocean Expansion 
16.12.2013
Viking's Ocean Expansion
Dec 16. - Fans of Viking River Cruises may well be intrigued to hear the company has just DOUBLED its prospective ocean cruise fleet, from an initial order of two ships to four by the end of 2017.
Viking claims that demand from river-cruise guests for a similar experience at sea led to the formation of Viking Ocean Cruises, with the first ship, Viking Star, due to set sail in May 2015. A second, sister ship of 47,800 tons (around 10 times the size of their new Longships!) was also ordered, for early 2016, and the first year's voyages were set for Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.
But, just last week, the company placed an order for two more ships of identical specifications with the famous Fincatieri shipyard in Italy, with the two additional vessels scheduled for delivery in mid-2016 and 2017.
Viking chairman Torstein Hagen said: "The interest in and popularity of our current ocean itineraries has been incredible and they are selling at an unprecedented rate. This new order allows us to offer consumers in our other markets the opportunity to explore the world in ways they have never experienced before through our destination-focused itineraries."
Shipyard chief executive Giuseppe Bono added: "Fincantieri has got its fill this year of the newbuild orders offered by the market. This again demonstrates our determination and ability to compete. We hope the next few years will provide more and greater satisfaction that we'll need to pursue with the passion and cultural openness demanded by the competitive environment."
Like with their river voyages, the company promises a highly destination-focused travel experience, with an emphasis on cultural enrichment. On the river side, Viking has already announced plans to introduce 14 more of its award-winning Viking Longships in Europe next year, making it the leading river-cruise operator by the end of 2014.