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Viking Reaches Milestone Event, Celebrates 25th Anniversary In Amsterdam

Viking Reaches Milestone Event, Celebrates 25th Anniversary In Amsterdam
Viking Venus, Viking Polaris and Viking Longship in Amsterdam for Naming Ceremony, Netherlands.

The last day of September was an auspicious day for the world-renowned cruise company. On September 30, 2022, Viking marked the company’s 25th anniversary with a historic first in Amsterdam. To commemorate the milestone, three classes of Viking ships—a river ship, an ocean ship and the company’s newest expedition vessel, the Viking Polaris®,—came together in Amsterdam and traveled in a special convoy to IJmuiden, Netherlands.

The ships chosen to participate in this groundbreaking celebration with the Viking Polaris were the Viking Longship®, the Viking Mani, and the ocean vessel, the Viking Mars®.

Viking Hits Another Major Milestone

In addition, Viking named the Viking Polaris and her identical sister ship, the Viking Octantis®, which is currently sailing her inaugural season in the Great Lakes, during the event. Both of these ships will spend the Austral summer in Antarctica, then journey to the Great Lakes for a series of spring and summer voyages.

Torstein Hagen is the Chairman of Viking. He announced, “Today is historic for Viking—to celebrate our 25th anniversary, to have all classes of our ships sailing together for the first time, and to name our phenomenal new expedition vessels. We are very grateful to their godmothers, Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft, for honoring us.”

He added, “As renowned explorers who became the first women to ski across Antarctica, they are the perfect choice for ships that are designed for expeditions. I am very proud of what we have accomplished in our first 25 years. And in our view, we are just getting started. Where do we go next? Onwards.”

Viking Reaches Milestone Event, Celebrates 25th Anniversary In Amsterdam

Torstein Hagen is the Chairman of Viking

In keeping with the naming tradition, Arnesen and Bancroft assisted in breaking a bottle of Norwegian aquavit on each of the ship’s hull.

Arnesen said, “It is an honor to be the godmother of the new Viking Octantis. I have spent significant time in Antarctica and recently had the privilege to return on one of the ship’s first voyages. The region is a special destination for scientists and adventurers, and sailing with Viking is the perfect way to get there.”

Bancroft noted, “Growing up in the Minnesota region, the Great Lakes are where I spent my early years becoming an explorer. I am proud to be the godmother of an expedition vessel like the Viking Polaris that will allow guests to visit, not only the Great Lakes, but also Antarctica, two regions that played a pivotal role in my life.”

Viking Reaches Milestone Event, Celebrates 25th Anniversary In Amsterdam

Guests at the remarkable ceremony were treated to performances from violinist Tor Jaran Apold and Sissel Kyrkjebø, one of the world’s leading crossover sopranos and godmother of the Viking Jupiter®.

The historic Amsterdam celebration is the most recent event in what has been a milestone year for the company. In 2022 Viking welcomed eight new Viking Longships on the rivers of Europe, and new purpose-built vessels on the Mekong, Nile and Mississippi, rivers to its fleet. Before the year’s end, two new, identical ocean ships will debut.

In addition, Viking was named the #1 Ocean Line and #1 River Line in Travel + Leisure’s 2022 “World’s Best” Awards, making the company the first cruise line ever to notch both categories in the same year. Viking is also rated #1 for both rivers and oceans by Condé Nast Traveler, which means it is the first cruise line to simultaneously earn #1 in its categories from both publications.

Viking Makes History

The new Polar Class Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris are purpose-built for expeditions, and host 378 guests in 189 staterooms. Highlights include The Aula, a beautiful panoramic auditorium inspired by the University of Oslo’s famed ceremonial hall, and the Finse Terrace, an outdoor lounge with recessed, heated seating and lava rock “firepits.”

They also feature a Science Lab, developed in partnership with the University of Cambridge and Akvaplan-Niva, which supports research activities, and a wide array of dining choices including the casual World Café, Mamsen’s, named for the Hagen family matriarch, and Manfredi’s Italian restaurant.

Be sure to catch up on everything happening with Viking. Come back here often for Viking River and Ocean news and updates.

Photo credit: Viking