Viking Ocean Cruises has launched in Britain with its first ocean cruise to set sail in May 2015.
The company’s new ship, Viking Star, is to undertake a 15-day maiden voyage sailing from Stockholm to Bergen, and call at St Petersburg, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Tallinn, Gdansk, Berlin, Aalborg, Stavanger and Flam.
‘We are thrilled to be launching Viking Ocean Cruises. It’s a great product that has wide-reaching appeal for cruisers and non-cruisers alike and we are certainly anticipating high demand, said Neil Barclay, head of sales at Viking Cruises UK.
‘We recognise how important the trade is to us and as such we remain committed to offering competitive commissions and support in training on our new product,’ he added.
The new ship carries 930-passengers, all in veranda rooms. It has a main pool, an infinity pool, where passengers can swim in a glass-backed pool at the ships stern, a spa, a three-deck atrium and several dining options. It will also feature 14 Explorer Suites, which are two room-suites with wrap-around verandas. The ship has been designed to be environmentally friendly, utilising solar panels for some of its power and with an energy-efficient hull design and engines.
Viking, best known until now for its river cruises, announced the launch of its new ocean-cruise programme in May this year, when it promoted the service to the US market.
Wendy Atkin-Smith, managing director at Viking Cruises UK was quoted by the Telegraph, saying, ‘The reaction from the US has been fantastic and due to the high demand we have announced additional itineraries for 2015 and 2016. Our state-of-the-art Viking Longships have revolutionised the river-cruise experience and we intend to [do the same] with ocean cruising.’
Bookings for the Viking Ocean Cruises itinerary have gone on sale in Britain. Prices start from GBP2,999, and an early booking discount of GBP50 per person applies until December 31.
