Viking Ocean Cruises named new Viking Mars throughout a non-public ceremony in Valletta, Malta. The ship’s ceremonial godmother Girl Fiona Carnarvon, the Countess of Carnarvon, supplied a blessing of fine fortune and protected crusing for the ship—a naval custom that dates again 1000’s of years.
This week the brand new ship will start her maiden season crusing itineraries within the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and Northern Europe, earlier than repositioning on the finish of the yr for voyages round Australia and New Zealand.
“It’s all the time a proud day once we welcome a brand new sister ship to our fleet. The Viking Mars will permit us to supply much more alternatives for curious vacationers to discover the world in consolation,” stated Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “Lots of our friends have been launched to each Viking and Highclere Fort whereas watching Downton Abbey, and over time now we have continued an in depth friendship with the Carnarvon household as they’ve welcomed our friends into their house. We’re very grateful that Girl Carnarvon has honored us by serving as godmother of our latest ocean ship.”
A small naming ceremony of the Viking Mars came about as we speak whereas the ship was docked in Valletta’s Grand Harbour and was attended by associates and enterprise companions of Viking, together with Maltese officers. Girl Carnarvon supplied her blessing for the ship through video from Highclere Fort, and a bottle of Norwegian aquavit was smashed on the ship’s hull. As all Viking ocean ships are registered in Bergen, Norway, the occasion paid tribute to Norwegian Structure Day—Could 17—and featured a efficiency by Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjebø, who’s extensively thought-about one of many world’s high crossover sopranos and can be the godmother of the Viking Jupiter®. Valletta is critical as the placement for the ship’s naming, as Malta was one of many first nations to welcome Viking ships when the corporate restarted operations in 2021.
Girl Carnarvon, the Countess of Carnarvon and Godmother of the Viking Mars
For years Viking has supplied quite a lot of methods for its friends to expertise life at Highclere Fort, which is the house of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon and the historic property greatest referred to as the filming location of Downton Abbey. Viking grew to become a family identify throughout its sponsorship of the celebrated MASTERPIECE sequence by means of the years Downton Abbey aired on PBS. Viking Govt Vice President Karine Hagen labored carefully with the Carnarvon household to develop Privileged Entry® Pre/Put up Extensions that function the property, together with the highly-rated Oxford & Highclere Castle and Great Homes, Gardens & Gin extensions, each of which can be found for friends on choose river and ocean voyages.
Additionally, for friends on the favored Pharaohs & Pyramids Nile River itinerary, Viking presents the five-day British Collections of Ancient Egypt Pre Extension, which provides friends an introduction to Egyptian antiquities in preparation for his or her Nile expertise—and contains retracing the steps of the world’s most well-known Egyptologist, Howard Carter, and his benefactor, the fifth Earl of Carnarvon. Company expertise Privileged Entry to archives and museum displays not usually accessible to the general public, and at Highclere Fort, have the chance to view the Earl’s magnificent non-public assortment of Egyptian artifacts.
Girl Carnarvon has additionally welcomed viewers to Highclere Fort on Viking’s award-winning enrichment channel, Viking.TV (www.viking.tv). In her ongoing sequence, At Home at Highclere, Girl Carnarvon presents digital Privileged Entry to the historic house and its grounds. Previously two years, she has led greater than 20 digital excursions and supplied glimpses of life at her house. Moreover, Girl Carnarvon has served as godmother to a Viking Longship, the Viking Skadi, which sails Viking’s well-liked itineraries on the Rhine, Essential and Danube rivers.
The Viking Mars
Delivered final week at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Anconca, Italy, the Viking Mars is the most recent vessel to affix Viking’s award-winning ocean fleet of an identical sister ships, which additionally contains the Viking Star®, the Viking Sea®, the Viking Sky®, the Viking Orion®, the Viking Jupiter® and the Viking Venus®. Categorized by Cruise Critic as “small ships,” Viking’s ocean vessels have a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons, with 465 staterooms that may host 930 friends; the ships function all veranda staterooms, Scandinavian design, ethereal public areas and ample al fresco eating choices.
