Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Viking® has officially welcomed its newest addition to the fleet, the Viking Vela®. The delivery ceremony was held today at Fincantieri’s prestigious shipyard in Ancona, Italy, marking a significant milestone for the luxury cruise line.
As part of Viking’s celebrated fleet of small ships, the Viking Vela features 499 elegantly designed staterooms, offering accommodations for up to 998 guests. The vessel is set to join Viking’s award-winning collection of ocean ships, which are renowned for their intimate and sophisticated cruising experiences.
This new addition will embark on her maiden season, offering guests the chance to explore breathtaking destinations across the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. With its sleek design and superior amenities, Viking Vela promises to provide travelers with unforgettable journeys on the high seas.
The Viking Vela is a testament to Viking’s commitment to delivering world-class cruising experiences while maintaining its signature small-ship feel, ensuring that every voyage is personal, enriching, and exceptional.
“We are proud to welcome the newest sister ship to our award-winning ocean fleet,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking. “Together with Fincantieri we have built the world’s most elegant small ocean ships. With the arrival of our newest vessel, we look forward to introducing even more curious travelers to the Viking way of exploration.”
Viking is taking bold steps towards sustainability with its ongoing project to develop a partial hybrid propulsion system for future ocean ships. This innovative system, which will utilize liquid hydrogen and fuel cells, aims to allow Viking to operate at zero-emission in sensitive environments such as the Norwegian Fjords. While the newly delivered Viking Vela features a traditional propulsion platform, the ship is designed to be hydrogen-ready, with plans for future retrofitting to incorporate this cutting-edge green technology.
The delivery of the Viking Vela marks another milestone in the company’s remarkable success. Recently, Viking earned top honors in the 2024 Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, ranking #1 in Oceans, #1 in Rivers, and #1 in Expeditions for the second consecutive year. This achievement is historic, as it’s the first time a travel company has claimed these three prestigious titles in back-to-back years.
Viking also continues to dominate in the luxury cruise sector. In the 2025 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Cruise Lines rankings, the company was named Best Luxury Line, Best Line for Couples, and Best Line in the Mediterranean for the fourth consecutive year. Furthermore, Viking’s ocean ships have earned the “Recommended” status in the 2024 Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards, which highlights top-tier luxury travel brands. At the 2023 Cruise Critic Editors’ Picks Awards, Viking took home an impressive seven awards, outshining all other cruise lines across luxury, river, and expedition categories.
These accolades solidify Viking’s leadership in the industry, and its commitment to both luxurious travel and environmental sustainability. As the company prepares to pioneer green technology on the seas, its future vessels promise to redefine luxury cruising with a focus on responsible travel.
