Viking has named its newest ocean ship, the Viking Vela, with a traditional ceremony in Trieste, Italy, home of Fincantieri, a long-time Viking partner and one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups.
Serving as ceremonial godmother of the Viking Vela was Ivana Elice, Vice President and Project Manager of the Fincantieri Cruise Business Unit, who has overseen the design and engineering of Viking’s ocean ships for 12 years.
“We are proud to welcome the Viking Vela to our growing, award-winning fleet. With Fincantieri as our partner, we believe we have built the world’s most elegant fleet of small ocean ships,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking.
Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking and Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and Managing Director of Fincantieri at the Viking Vela naming ceremony on December 5, 2024 in Trieste, Italy. (Photo Credit: Viking)
Hagen says the choice of Elice as godmother is truly fitting.
“We thank Ivana Elice for being godmother of the Viking Vela. In her role at Fincantieri, she has cared for our ocean ships during their construction just as a godmother would, and we are very appreciative of her contributions as a member of the extended Viking family.”
In keeping with the naming tradition, during the ceremony, Ivana was presented with a historic Viking broad axe by Ann Ziff, the esteemed philanthropist, Chairman of the Metropolitan Opera and godmother of the Viking Saturn.
The same axe was previously used in the naming of the Viking Saturn, which TravelPulse Canada attended in June 2023. After the axe presentation, Elice pressed a button that allowed a bottle of Norwegian aquavit to break on the ship’s hull.
Classified as a small ship, as are all Viking ocean ships, the Viking Vela has a gross tonnage of 54,300 tons, with 499 staterooms that can host 998 guests; the ships feature all veranda staterooms, Scandinavian design, light-filled public spaces and abundant al fresco dining options.
The Viking Vela will spend her inaugural season sailing itineraries during the “quiet season” in the Mediterranean before continuing to Northern Europe.
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