New Viking Nile River Ship Aton “Floats Out,” Debuts In August 2023
Viking’s newest ship for the Nile River was “floated out” today, marking a major construction milestone as it is the first time the ship touched water, and signifies that the vessel has moved into its final stage of construction. The new ship is the Viking Aton and the 82-guest vessel makes its debut in August.
When it debuts, the Viking Aton will join the company’s state-of-the-art fleet of ships that are purpose-built for the Nile River, with the itinerary Viking’s bestselling 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids journey. Viking’s Egypt cruises have been extremely popular with guests and the 2023 season is now sold out, with many 2024 sailing dates also sold out. Due to the huge interest and demand, the company has opened 2025 sailing dates sooner than expected.
Viking’s New Nile River Ship Aton
Torstein Hagen is the Chairman of Viking and he stated, “We are pleased with the continued strong interest for our Nile River voyages. Our guests are curious explorers, and Egypt remains a destination of great interest for its many cultural treasures. We are proud to be the only western company to build, own and operate ships on the Nile, and with the float out of the Viking Aton, we look forward to welcoming more guests to experience this fantastic region.”
Viking’s Latest Float Out
The traditional float out ceremony for the Viking Aton took place on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at Massara shipyard in Cairo. The event commenced at approximately 1:00 p.m. local time when Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen and Sayed Farouk, Chairman of The Arab Contractors (Osman Ahmed Osman & Co.), jointly pushed a button that indicated it was time to lower the ship into the water. The vessel will now be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for its final construction and interior build-out.
The Viking Aton & Viking’s Growing Egypt Fleet
The new, state-of-the-art Viking Aton hosts 82 guests in 41 staterooms. Its sleek and inspired design is highlighted with Scandinavian flair, the signature design for which Viking is known. The Viking Aton is the identical sister ship to the Viking Osiris, which was named in 2022 by Viking’s first ceremonial godfather, the 8th Earl of Carnarvon.
The Viking Aton features an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace and a distinctive square bow. The Viking Aton will join the Viking Osiris, and the Viking Ra, which launched in 2018. Demand for Nile cruises is so high that Viking will have six ships sailing the region by 2025. Two new sister ships, the Viking Hathor and the Viking Sobek, are under construction and will be delivered in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
Viking’s Pharaohs & Pyramids Itinerary
The Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary is a 12-day sojourn and begins with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo. While there, guests have the opportunity to visit the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Sakkara, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, or the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Next, guests fly to Luxor, where they are able to tour the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before boarding a Viking river ship for an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile River. While on the Nile, guests have Privileged Access to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings.
Guests can also enjoy excursions to the Temple of Khnum in Esna, the Dendera Temple complex in Qena, the temples at Abu Simbel and the High Dam in Aswan, plus a visit to a vibrant Nubian village. The exciting adventure ends with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in the ancient city.
Viking Guests Enjoy Cairo Sights and Sounds
There are additional options for guests who wish to extend their journey, via Pre and Post Extensions that provide Privileged Access to archives and exhibits. Guests may choose a five-day British Collections of Ancient Egypt extension which begins in London and includes Privileged Access to two museums: the Egyptian Collection at the British Museum and a visit to the home and personal museum of world-renowned architect Sir John Soane, which includes his exquisite collection of Egyptian antiquities, including a 3,000-year-old Egyptian sarcophagus.
Guests will also visit London’s Petrie Museum, which houses priceless artifacts from ancient Egypt and Sudan. In Oxford, guests tour the Ashmolean Museum, home to a varied collection of Egyptian mummies and art, and enjoy a Privileged Access visit to see Howard Carter’s archives, which detail the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Last but not least, Viking guests have further Privileged Access to Highclere Castle to view the Earl’s outstanding collection of Egyptian artifacts.
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Photo credit: Viking