Viking has announced the delivery of its latest Nile River ship, the Viking Hathor. The traditional delivery ceremony took place as the company’s newest ship was presented at Massara shipyard in Cairo, Egypt.
Guests aboard the 82-guest Viking Hathor sail Viking’s popular 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary.
Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking
Torstein Hagen is the Chairman and CEO of Viking and he stated “We are proud to welcome the Viking Hathor to our award-winning river fleet. With its abundance of cultural treasures and ancient antiquities, Egypt has always been a destination of great interest to curious travelers, including our guests.”
He added “We believe our ships are by far the most elegant vessels sailing the Nile River, and we look forward to introducing even more explorers to this fantastic destination in the years to come.”
The Viking Hathor & Viking’s Growing Egypt Fleet
The Viking Hathor is inspired by Viking’s award-winning river and ocean ships and is resplendent in the same Scandinavian design as her identical sister ships the Viking Osiris and the Viking Aton.
Like these sister ships, the Viking Hathor features distinct amenities that Viking guests know and love, including an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace and a plethora of fine dinging choices.
The Viking Ra and the MS Antares are the other ships in the Egypt fleet.
Viking’s Pharaohs & Pyramids Itinerary
Viking’s Pharaohs & Pyramids Itinerary is a 12-day journey that begins with a spectacular three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo where guests can tour the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Sakkara, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, or the Grand Egyptian.
From there guests fly on to Luxor where the Temples of Luxor and Karnak await. Next comes an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile River where guests can view the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings.
Other excursions include the Temple of Khnum in Esna, the Dendera Temple complex in Qena, the temples at Abu Simbel and the High Dam in Aswan, as well as a visit to a vibrant Nubian village. This one-of-a-kind adventure concludes with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in the ancient city.
Viking Cruise Line Honors
In its most recent Readers’ Choice Awards, Condé Nast Traveler named Viking #1 for Rivers, as well as #1 for Oceans and #1 for Expeditions. The Viking Aton was named one of the “Best New Cruises” in Condé Nast Traveler’s “Hot List 2024” and the Viking Osiris was named one of the “Best New Cruises” in the “Hot List 2023” and is on the Forbes’ “Best Luxury Cruises” list.
TIME magazine recognized Giza and Saqqara on its “World’s Greatest Places” 2023 list, specifically mentioning sailing the Nile River with Viking.
The outlet notes that Viking is among the very few cruises that stop in both Giza and the village of Sakkara, where excavation sites, like the mega tombs of animal and human mummies, are active.
Viking also offers Pre and Post Extensions
Guests who wish to extend their journey in Egypt can take advantage of Pre and Post Extensions that provide Privileged Access to archives and exhibits.
Guests on the five-day British Collections of Ancient Egypt start off in London with Privileged Access to two museums: the Egyptian Collection at the British Museum and then a visit to the home and personal museum of world-renowned architect, Sir John Soane.
Soane’s home will be illuminated by candlelight as guests view his exquisite collection of Egyptian antiquities, including a 3,000-year-old Egyptian sarcophagus.
Viking guests also visit London’s Petrie Museum, which has over 80,000 artifacts from ancient Egypt and Sudan, and see the Ashmolean Museum, one of the oldest in the world, in Oxford.
At Oxford University’s Griffith Institute, guests enjoy Privileged Access to Howard Carter’s archives, as well as to Highclere Castle to view the Earl of Carnarvon’s magnificent private collection of Egyptian artifacts, as well as archives and exhibits.
Guests can also book a three-night Pre-Extension in Istanbul to view the “Blue Mosque” and the legendary Hagia Sophia. After concluding the river voyage, Viking guests can extend the journey with a 4-night Post-Extension to Jordan—Petra, Dead Sea & Amman to view Roman antiquities at Jerash, Crusader-era castles at Kerak or Shobak, and experience the lost city of Petra.
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Photo: Viking