Viking’s newest ocean ship -- the 998-guest Viking Vela -- was “floated out,” marking a major construction milestone and the first time the ship has touched water.
Scheduled to debut in December 2024, the Viking Vela will spend her inaugural season sailing voyages in the Mediterranean and in Northern Europe. Still classified as a small ship, the Viking Vela is slightly larger than the nine previous Viking ocean ships, with a gross tonnage of 54,300 tons and 499 staterooms that can host 998 guests.
Designer Richard Riviere refers to the three-deck atrium on Viking ocean ships as "the living room." (Photo Credit: Bruce Parkinson)
“Together with Fincantieri, we have built the world’s most elegant ocean vessels, and it is always a proud day when our newest ship meets water for the first time,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking.
“Our small, elegant ocean ships are ranked #1 by both Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler. We are different than other lines because of all that we do, but Viking also stands apart for all that we do not do. No children. No casinos. No nickel and diming. We look forward to welcoming the Viking Vela to our award-winning fleet next year and introducing even more curious travelers to the Viking way of exploration.”
Viking's ocean ships have lots of nooks and crannies where guests can "squirrel away with a good book." (Photo Credit: Bruce Parkinson)
The traditional float out ceremony took place at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard and is significant because it denotes a ship moving into its final stage of construction.
The Viking team cut a cord that signaled water to flow into the ship’s building dock. Following a two-day process that will set the Viking Vela afloat, she will then be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out.
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