The first ship for Viking Ocean Cruises returned to Bergen, Norway, amid citywide festivities for Norwegian Constitution Day, marking a major milestone for the travel industry’s first wholly new cruise line in ten years.
“We believe the arrival of Viking Star signals a new era in destination-focused cruising, and I could not be more proud that she will call my favorite city in the world ‘home,’” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking Cruises. “This ship was built for exploration and designed with our Scandinavian heritage in mind, and guests will begin experiencing that the moment they step on board.”
The christening of the 930-passenger Viking Star capped a maiden voyage that began April 11 when the ship sailed from İstanbul. During the month-long inaugural itinerary, the vessel visited many ports that will feature on regular schedules across the Mediterranean and Western Europe, including Athens, Santoríni, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Venice, Barcelona, Seville, Gibraltar, Lisbon, Paris and London.
Viking has engineered the ship’s size and layout to maximize time ashore by allowing direct access to most ports. Every stateroom includes a private veranda, and public amenities are designed to showcase the surroundings: a glass-backed infinity pool at the stern offers unobstructed views, while alfresco dining and a wrap-around promenade deck further connect passengers with each destination.
Itineraries are curated for immersive experiences, with a complimentary excursion offered at every port and an onboard cultural enrichment program that includes academic lectures, local speakers and interactive demonstrations. These features are intended to complement longer shore visits and deepen guests’ understanding of the places they visit.
With this debut, Viking Ocean Cruises positions itself as a destination-focused line that emphasizes cultural engagement, thoughtful ship design and easy access to ports. The ship’s combination of intimate scale, private verandas for each stateroom and enrichment programming reflects the company’s focus on exploration and meaningful travel experiences.