Viking Celebrates Its Fincantieri Partnership with the Naming of The Viking Vela
Viking introduced its newest ocean ship, the Viking Vela, with a traditional ceremony in Trieste, Italy during which the vessel was named. The event also served as a recognition of the company’s longtime partnership with Trieste-based Fincantieri, one of the world’s largest shipbuilding groups.
Trieste is the terminus of the maritime Silk Road and Italy’s most important commercial port. Ivana Elice, Vice President and Project Manager of the Fincantieri Cruise Business Unit, served as ceremonial godmother of the Viking Vela.
Torstein Hagen is the Chairman and CEO of Viking
Torstein Hagen is the Chairman and CEO of Viking and he stated “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.”
“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.”
During the ceremony, Ivana was presented with a historic Viking broad axe by philanthropist Ann Ziff, the Chairman of the Metropolitan Opera and godmother of the Viking Saturn®. This same axe was used in the naming of the Viking Saturn in June 2023.
After the axe presentation, Ivana pressed a button that resulted in a bottle of Norwegian aquavit breaking on the ship’s hull. Guests enjoyed performances by Sissel Kyrkjebø, one of the world’s leading crossover sopranos, and the godmother of the Viking Jupiter®. Also performing was Italian singer Alessandro Safina, who paid tribute to the cultures of Norway and Italy.
Ivana Elice is the Godmother of the Viking Vela
Ivana Elice has played a significant role in naval and mechanical engineering, helping to support the expansion of the Viking ocean fleet for over a decade. In 2012, Ms. Elice was appointed to oversee the build of Viking’s first ocean ship, the Viking Star®, and since then she has served as a valuable support in Viking’s expansion of its fleet.
Ms. Elice came to Fincantieri in 1985 after graduating from the University of Genoa with a master’s degree in naval architecture and mechanical engineering. Her debut role saw her serve as a noise and vibration specialist in Fincantieri’s Naval Vessel Division. Since 1993, she has held several positions within Fincantieri’s Merchant Division in the areas of hydrodynamics, ship construction, production engineering, and more.
The Viking Vela
The Viking Vela is the newest ship in Viking’s award-winning ocean fleet, and it is classified as a small ship. The Viking Vela has a gross tonnage of 54,300 tons, with 499 staterooms that can accommodate up to 998 guests. All of Viking’s ocean vessels feature veranda staterooms, striking Scandinavian design, light-filled public spaces, and abundant dining options.
The Viking Vela will spend her inaugural season sailing itineraries during the “quiet season” in the Mediterranean and then continue on to Northern Europe.
The Viking Vela has been designed with with the ability to be retrofitted to incorporate new technologies. One of these is Viking’s future partial hybrid propulsion system for ocean ships, based on liquid hydrogen and fuel cells. Such a system would allow Viking to operate at zero-emission in the Norwegian Fjords and other sensitive environments.
Viking’s Recent Accolades
The naming of the Viking Vela comes on the heels of a banner year for the cruise company. It was rated #1 for Oceans, #1 for Rivers, and #1 for Expeditions by Condé Nast Traveler’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards. Viking won this ranking for the second consecutive year, marking the only time that a travel company has won these categories in back-to-back years.
Additionally, for the fourth consecutive year U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Cruise Lines list named Viking as the Best Luxury Line, Best Line for Couples, and Best Line in the Mediterranean. Viking’s ocean ships have been rated and “Recommended” as part of the Forbes Travel Guide 2024 Star Awards, and Viking’s river and expedition tours earned seven awards at the 2023 Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards.
Be sure to catch up on everything happening with Viking Travel. Come back here often for Viking Travel news and updates.
Photo credit: Viking