NEW YORK CITY – Viking has quickly established itself as a leader in ocean cruising. A gorgeous new ship will put an added shine to the brand.
A naming ceremony for the Viking Saturn was held on the Hudson River in New York City on Tuesday, June 6, and I was on hand for the occasion. New York Metropolitan Opera chair Ann Ziff, the ship’s godmother, christened the Saturn by using a steel sword from the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Verdi’s Il Trovatore and slashing at a red ribbon, which sent a bottle of Aquavit crashing against the white hull.
It’s the tenth ocean ship for Viking, which made a name for itself with river cruising but now is firmly established as one of the top ocean and expedition ship cruising options.
Viking owner Torstein Hagen said there were plenty of skeptics when he announced Viking would move into the ocean cruise space, which they did by launching their first ocean vessel in 2015.
“They said ‘You won’t be able to build them. You won’t be able to finance them. You won’t be able to operate them. You won’t be able to fill them.’”
Viking now has 10 ocean cruise ships, with six more under construction. They’re also building three more river ships and control 27% of the upscale cruise market, Hagen said.
New York Metropolitan Opera chair Ann Ziff christens the new Viking Saturn ocean cruise ship in New York City on June 6, 2023. Photo courtesy Viking.
One great thing for people who want to book a Viking ocean cruise, is that the ten ships are identical. You don’t have to worry that Viking Saturn doesn’t have the Winter Garden that your clients loved on the Viking Star, or that you won’t find the Explorer’s Lounge on Viking Saturn, or their next one coming down the line.
NO CASINOS, NO SCREAMING KIDS
Hagen also pointed out there are many distinctions that set Viking apart from its competitors. There are no casinos and no umbrella drinks. Wi-Fi is free, and there are no inside staterooms. And nobody under 18 on their ships.
“You won’t find 5,000 people and a lot of screaming kids,” Hagen said.
All Viking ocean vessels carry a maximum of 930 guests and have a crew of 465.
The Viking website says sample itineraries include Barcelona to Rome (eight days, five tours, four countries from $2,599 USD and a Viking Homelands trip from Stockholm to Bergen that runs for 15 days and includes 11 tours in six countries from $6,499. There’s also an Iconic Iceland, Greenland and Canada trip that goes for 15 days and includes nine tours and four countries, with prices starting at $6,999.
There are a variety of suites and room styles available on Viking ocean ships. The Owner’s Suite is 1,448 square foot, multi-room palace that includes a separate bedroom suite and a separate dining area that seats six. Perfect for a Hollywood star, or a newly signed member of the Toronto Blue Jays.
At the mid-level, the Penthouse Junior Suite is 405 square feet, including the private veranda. There also are two of these suites that are wheelchair accessible.
The most basic layout, the Veranda Stateroom, still weighs in at a relatively roomy 270-square feet, including a spacious veranda.
A Penthouse Veranda Stateroom on the Viking Saturn cruise ship. JIM BYERS PHOTO
I stayed the night and had a Penthouse Veranda room, an upgrade from the Veranda Stateroom, with 25% more space. The room had a lovely King-size bed, a sofa, a small chair, a good-sized desk, lots of plugs and charging outlets and tons of storage. The bathroom was far larger than those of many hotel rooms I’ve stayed in, and featured a spacious shower and a small ledge for anyone who needs to perch their leg up a bit. The bathroom also had anti-fog mirrors and heated floors.
In his speech to gathered media and friends prior to the naming ceremony, Hagen said Viking has deliberately chosen bath products that are easy to open, and with labels that clearly distinguish shampoo from conditioner, lest anyone surprise themselves in the shower. He also said the TV remote controls are easy to understand, “so you don’t need a teenager to help you.” Which is a good thing, considering kids aren’t allowed.
Viking ocean vessels have three pools, including an outdoor infinity pool and a beautiful plunge pool in the Nordic spa.
LOVELY NORDIC DESIGN
All their ocean ships have similar Nordic design elements, with lots of straight lines and polished, blonde wood. The ships also feature all veranda staterooms.
“The destination is the show,” said Viking design architect Richard Riviere. “It’s not entertainment architecture. There’s no swag drapery.”
The Explorers’ Lounge on the Viking Saturn cruise ship. Photo courtesy Viking.
Food is a big part of any travel experience, and Viking recognizes that with a series of culinary offerings, including al fresco and inside dining at the World Café, a Chef’s Table for interactive experiences, a Kitchen Table restaurant with a changing menu (and changing, digital art on the walls) and a sleek, stylish Italian dining spot called Manfredi’s (named after a cruise industry friend of Hagen.)
Mamsen’s is a small buffet dining option. Riviere’s hint: Try the waffles with brown cheese. “It sounds odd, but it’s delicious.”
Yours truly and a few, select other media types were given a chance to spend the night on the Saturn. If the food we were served was any indication of what passengers will get, Viking passengers are in for a treat. The rack of lamb was sublime, and I had a beautiful Big Apple dessert with apple ganache, which came in the shape of a shiny red apple.
I had a perfect Manhattan in the Explorers’ Lounge after dinner, with the New York skyline rising behind me. With a two-story glass window and glass spiral staircases, not to mention lovely furniture, a cool bar and books all around, Riviere said it might be his favorite room on the ship.
The next morning I grabbed breakfast at the World Café buffet and took it outside to admire the Manhattan skyline. I had creamy, perfect scrambled eggs, flaky croissants, and both North American and English bacon. They had a couple of Chinese items on display, including Shao Mai and congee. The coffee was pretty good but the orange juice was a little watery.
Al fresco dining on the Viking Saturn ocean cruise ship in New York City. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Buffet dinner options in New York City included grilled, marinated flank steak, seared red snapper, creole rice, maple glazed carrots, spinach and ricotta cannelloni, and much more. You’ll also find a generous number of Nordic dishes on board Viking ocean cruise ships.
Hagen’s presentation took place in the Star Theatre, which has swivel chairs and tables like you might find in an old-time nightclub. The pillows feature likenesses of Nordic celebrities, including Ingrid Bergman and Greta Garbo.
The naming of the Viking Saturn came as the company continues to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Since 2020, Viking has welcomed 17 new ships to its fleet—including eight new Viking Longships on the rivers of Europe; new purpose-built vessels on the Mekong, Nile and Mississippi rivers; four new ocean ships; and two Polar Class expedition vessels.
Viking has been named both the #1 Small Ship Ocean Line and #1 River Line by both Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler, making it the first line ever to simultaneously earn #1 in its categories from both publications. In March 2023, the company dominated Cruise Critic’s Cruisers’ Choice Awards, receiving top honors in six categories including “Best Overall Line,” “Best River Line,” and “Best Dining” for its ocean and expedition voyages.
Hagen said he was flat broke at one point of his career, and had to take a picture down from the wall to pay his last debts. He acquired four Russian river ships in 1997 (“we had two guys and two mobile phones”) and built the business into what it is today. He also said he got help a few years back from the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
The “living room” on the Viking Saturn ocean cruise ship. Photo courtesy Viking.
Viking’s river fleet has gone from four in 1997 to 29 in 2012, and now a full 79. They have three river cruise ships in Egypt, and there are three more on the way in the next two years. In Europe, Hagen said Viking commands 51% of the river cruise market.
They have ten ocean ships, with ten more on the way between now and 2030. Unlike other ocean cruise lines, 60% of their ocean business is in Europe, and only 4% in the Caribbean.
Viking also has an expedition ship travelling the Great Lakes this summer, a relatively new frontier for high-end cruising. Stops include Milwaukee, Mackinac Island, Detroit (which is seeing a real renaissance) and Toronto.
Hagen said Viking did a very good job during COVID and that 2022 revenues ($3 billion) were equal to 2019 figures. He also said the company made a profit of $375 million in 2022. That’s down from $769 million in 2019, but he said a couple of Viking’s competitors lost a good deal of money last year.
Some 89% of their capacity for 2023 cruises is already sold out, and that 49% of next year’s capacity is sold. That’s impressive, especially when you consider the depths of the cruise industry during the early days of COVID-19.
