Viking's newest ocean ship, the 930-guest Viking Saturn, was “floated out” this week, marking the first time the ship touched water. Scheduled to debut in April 2023, the Viking Saturn will spend its inaugural season sailing itineraries in the Mediterranean and in Northern Europe.
“It is always a proud day when a new Viking ship meets water for the first time and moves one step closer to joining her sister ships in our fleet,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking, in a press satetement. “Together with Fincantieri, we have built the world’s most elegant ocean vessels—and we look forward to welcoming our first guests on board the Viking Saturn when she is delivered next spring.”
The traditional float out ceremony took place at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard and is significant because it denotes a ship moving into its final stage of construction. The float out of the Viking Saturn began at approximately 11:00 a.m. local time on Thursday, June 23 when the Viking team cut a cord that signaled water to flow into the ship’s building dock. Following a two-day process that will set the Viking Saturn afloat, it will then be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out.
Viking’s ocean vessels have a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons, with 465 staterooms that can host 930 guests. The Viking Saturn will join the fleet of identical sister ships, which includes Viking Star, Viking Sea, Viking Sky, Viking Orion, Viking Jupiter, Viking Venus and Viking Mars. The Viking Neptune will be delivered in late 2022.
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