Viking not too long ago celebrated the corporate’s 25th anniversary with a celebration in Amsterdam. To commemorate the milestone three courses of Viking ships met in Amsterdam and sailed in a particular convoy to IJmuiden, Netherlands.
In the course of the Amsterdam occasion, Viking additionally named expedition ships Viking Polaris and Viking Octantis, (at the moment crusing her inaugural season within the Nice Lakes). Each ships will spend the Austral summer time in Antarctica, earlier than touring north to the Nice Lakes for a sequence of voyages throughout spring and summer time.
“At present is historic for Viking—to have a good time our 25th anniversary, to have all courses of our ships crusing collectively for the primary time, and to call our phenomenal new expedition vessels. We’re very grateful to their godmothers, Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft, for honoring us. As famend explorers who grew to become the primary girls to ski throughout Antarctica, they’re the right selection for ships which are designed for expeditions,” stated Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “I’m very happy with what we have now completed in our first 25 years. And in our view, we’re simply getting began. The place can we go subsequent? Onwards.”
Famend explorers and educators Liv Arnesen and Ann Bancroft, the ceremonial godmothers of the Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris, had been in attendance in Amsterdam and provided a blessing of fine fortune and protected crusing for the brand new ships—with Arnesen providing her blessing remotely through video to the Viking Octantis within the Nice Lakes.
In step with the Viking naming custom, Arnesen and Bancroft assisted in breaking a bottle of Norwegian aquavit on every of the ship’s hull. In the course of the ceremony, friends loved performances from Sissel Kyrkjebø, one of many world’s main crossover sopranos and godmother of the Viking Jupiter®, and violinist Tor Jaran Apold. Company on all three Viking ships in Amsterdam had been capable of be part of within the naming ceremony, in addition to witness the historic convoy, from their ships’ respective outside viewing areas.
Viking’s 25th anniversary celebration in Amsterdam is the newest occasion throughout a milestone yr during which the corporate has additionally welcomed to its fleet eight new Viking Longships on the rivers of Europe and new purpose-built vessels on the Mekong, Nile and Mississippi rivers. By the top of 2022, two new, equivalent ocean ships could have additionally joined Viking’s fleet. Earlier this yr, Viking was named the #1 Ocean Line and #1 River Line in Journey + Leisure’s 2022 “World’s Greatest” Awards, during which the corporate grew to become the primary cruise line ever to prime each classes in the identical yr. Viking can also be rated #1 for each rivers and oceans by Condé Nast Traveler, making it the primary cruise line to ever concurrently earn #1 in its classes from each publications. Moreover, Viking has revealed a brand new video concerning the firm’s historical past and a number of the key companions who’ve contributed to its success, which was shared on board all Viking ships in the present day as a part of the 25th anniversary celebration.
Liv Arnesen, Godmother of the Viking Octantis
Liv Arnesen is a local Norwegian, educator, cross-country skier, explorer and lecturer. Arnesen led the primary unsupported girls’s crossing of the Greenland Ice Cap in 1992. The Viking Octantis is known as after Sigma Octantis, the south star; Arnesen was chosen as godmother particularly due to her accomplishment as the primary girl on the planet to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole. Because the godmother of the Viking Octantis, Arnesen will periodically function a member of the Viking Expedition Crew when crusing in Antarctica and past.
“It’s an honor to be the godmother of the brand new Viking Octantis. I’ve spent important time in Antarctica and not too long ago had the privilege to return on one of many ship’s first voyages. The area is a particular vacation spot for scientists and adventurers, and crusing with Viking is the right technique to get there,” stated Liv.
Ann Bancroft, Godmother of the Viking Polaris
Ann Bancroft, an American polar explorer, educator and creator from Minnesota, grew to become the primary girl to efficiently ski to each poles in 1993. Bancroft additionally led the primary American girls’s east to west crossing of Greenland and dogsled 1,000 miles from the Northwest Territories in Canada to the North Pole. The Viking Polaris is known as after Polaris, the north star; Bancroft was chosen as godmother particularly due to her accomplishment as the primary girl to succeed in the North Pole by sled and foot. Along with being the godmother of the Viking Polaris, she is the founding father of the Ann Bancroft Basis to encourage ladies and construct confidence.
“Rising up within the Minnesota area, the Nice Lakes are the place I spent my early years changing into an explorer. I’m proud to be the godmother of an expedition vessel just like the Viking Polaris that can permit friends to go to, not solely the Nice Lakes, but in addition Antarctica, two areas that performed a pivotal function in my life,” stated Ann.
Liv Arnesen & Ann Bancroft Partnership
For greater than 20 years, Arnesen and Bancroft have labored collectively and in 2001, they grew to become the primary girls to ski throughout Antarctica. Collectively they co-founded Bancroft Arnesen Explore / Access Water, an initiative that goals to interact and empower greater than 60 million minds to create a sustainable tomorrow.
Viking Expedition Ships
The brand new Polar Class Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris host 378 friends in 189 staterooms. The vessels are purpose-built for expeditions, at an excellent measurement for security and luxury in distant locations. With extra indoor and outside viewing areas than different expedition vessels, friends are as shut as potential to probably the most magnificent surroundings on earth. Highlights embody:
- The Aula: A surprising panoramic auditorium impressed by the College of Oslo’s famed ceremonial corridor, the previous venue for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. Used for lectures, every day briefings, documentaries and movies, this spectacular venue contains a 4k laser-projected display that retracts to show floor-to-ceiling home windows and 270° views.
- Finse Terrace: An outside lounge space simply above sea stage with recessed, heated seating and lava rock “firepits,” the Finse Terrace was designed to permit friends the comforts of the ship al fresco whereas having fun with the dramatic surroundings. Named after the Finse Plateau in Norway, the place a number of the biggest polar explorers, together with Nansen and Amundsen, did their expedition coaching in preparation for his or her North and South Pole expeditions.
- The Hangar: A state-of-the-art, industry-first in-ship marina offering ease of embarkation and disembarkation of Particular Operations Boats and different tools whereas sheltered from the weather.
- The Bow: An necessary forward-viewing platform. And within the case of inclement climate, The Shelter is a snug, partially enclosed house for friends to heat up with a sizzling drink earlier than going again out into the weather.
- The Science Lab: Developed in partnership with the College of Cambridge and Akvaplan-Niva, The Science Lab, at 380 sq. ft., is designed to help a broad vary of analysis actions and is supplied with moist and dry laboratory amenities. Company have supervised entry to The Science Lab to be taught from and take part in enterprise significant analysis with scientists.
- Expedition Central: The hub for the expedition group to seek the advice of with friends on their expedition actions and share information concerning the locations on a one-on-one foundation, with assistance from 3D printed maps, digital screens, and a state-of-the-art spatial information visualization chart desk.
- Eating Decisions: The Restaurant gives wonderful eating that includes regional delicacies and always-available classics; the informal World Café gives an open kitchen, bakery, grill and premium seafood and sushi decisions, in addition to a variety of worldwide flavors; Mamsen’s, named for the Hagen household matriarch, serves Scandinavian-inspired fare; and Manfredi’s gives the very best of Italian delicacies.
- The Nordic Spa: Following a day of exploration, The Nordic Spa gives friends alternatives to expertise the final word wholesome Nordic traditions, with an indoor heated pool set in opposition to expansive home windows and a badestamp (wood-sided sizzling tub) that’s open to the surface.
- Explorers’ Lounge: Situated excessive on the ship with floor-to-ceiling home windows, the Explorers’ Lounge supplies friends an excellent house to absorb the magnificent surroundings, share discoveries with fellow vacationers or to get pleasure from a drink.
- The Dwelling Room: On the Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris, The Dwelling Room is situated to maximise views of the environment via floor-to-ceiling home windows and a library that informs even the best-read explorers. The Library is curated by acclaimed London bookshop Heywood Hill, as on all Viking vessels, in addition to Cambridge College’s Scott Polar Analysis Institute.
- Nordic Balcony: A primary for polar expedition vessels, all staterooms on board Viking’s expedition ships characteristic a Nordic Balcony, a sunroom that converts into an al fresco viewing platform with an remark shelf at elbow stage to stabilize binoculars or a digital camera. Company can select from six stateroom classes that vary from 222 sq. ft. to 1,223 sq. ft.—all with a Nordic Balcony, in addition to a king-size mattress and huge lavatory with spacious glass-enclosed bathe, heated lavatory ground and anti-fog mirror. Each stateroom can also be outfitted with a singular floor-to-ceiling drying closet that circulates heat air to dry and retailer clothes and expedition gear.
- Expedition Ship Suites: Nordic Junior Suites (322 sq. ft.) and Explorer Suites (580 sq. ft.) on the Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris are just like these on Viking’s fleet of ocean ships, with wooden detailing and facilities that embody extra storage and seating, an expanded lavatory with prolonged bathe and double sinks, welcome champagne, a fully-stocked mini-bar replenished every day, complimentary laundry, precedence restaurant reservations and extra. Explorer Suites characteristic two separate rooms, a Nordic Balcony and a full outside veranda. Moreover, every ship options one Proprietor’s Suite (1,223 sq. ft.) that has three rooms – a front room, a board/eating room and a bed room—in addition to a 792 sq. ft. personal deck with a conventional Norwegian badestamp open to the invigorating open air.
- Enrichment On Board and On Shore: Viking has created the world’s main scientific enrichment setting in an expedition setting. Unique partnerships with the Scott Polar Analysis Institute at Cambridge College, The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—in addition to different prestigious scientific establishments match main researchers and educators with every expedition. Thirty-six specialists accompany every journey as a part of the Viking Expedition Crew, together with an Expedition Chief and help employees, photographer, subject analysis scientists, normal naturalists, mountain guides, kayak guides, submarine pilots and specialists (ornithology, geology, increased predator biology and historical past). On board, friends will get pleasure from every day briefings and world-class lectures about their vacation spot. On shore, they’ll help in fieldwork or work together via experiential actions throughout landings—equivalent to monitoring birds to assist establish migratory patterns; accompanying scientists to gather samples; or taking their cameras ashore alongside knowledgeable photographer to learn the way finest to seize scenic landscapes.
- Environmentally Thoughtful: Viking’s expedition ships have set a brand new normal for accountable journey with an energy-efficient design that exceeds the Power Effectivity Design Index (EEDI) necessities by almost 38%. Along with an built-in bow that creates an extended waterline for the ships, engines with warmth restoration techniques and Azipod® Electrical Propulsion, the Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris have obtained one of many {industry}’s first SILENT-E notations—the highest-level certification for quiet ship propulsion, minimizing underwater noise air pollution.
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