Kreuzfahrt-News
Viking River Cruises: new ships in Amsterdam
27/03/2012
It should be noted that the guests at the port of Amsterdam could see only two new cruise ships: Viking Odin and Viking Idun. The other two ships - Viking Freya and Viking Njord - now undergo cosmetic improvements. As expected, Viking Freya and Viking Njord and leave the Neptun shipyard in Rostock in the coming days.
The main characters of the presentation ceremony at the port of Amsterdam were godmothers, who were represented by the British actress Joanna Lumley and Harvard physicist Lisa Randall.
Ships presented in Amsterdam will create an entirely new class for the Viking River Cruises - Longship. Each of them is capable to receive up to 190 passengers. The liners will serve cruises on the Danube, Rhine and Main. In particular, Viking Odin will serve a cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest.
To date Viking River Cruises is the leading river cruise operator in Europe. The company's portfolio includes such routes as the Rhine, Danube, Volga and Dnieper. In addition the company also offers cruises on the largest Chinese river Yangtze.
The new class of ships will allow the company to strengthen its position in the market. One of the main advantages of the new ships promises to be the biggest suites among the European river ships, as well as specially designed cabins with balconies. Viking says that the new vessels will be unique among the European river cruise ships, which will offer its guests a new word in luxury - spacious en-suite rooms, which in addition to the bedroom will also have a living room.
In total by 2013 Viking intends to receive 12 Longships, which will be built in the Rostock shipyards. In addition, the company announced its plans to order from Neptun four new ships by 2014.
By the end of this year Viking River Cruises fleet will include 28 ships. The main target tourist group for the Viking will continue to be tourists from the US and Canada.
