Viking Neptune is the auspicious identify for Viking’s eighth addition to its ocean-going fleet. Auspicious as a result of the planet Neptune is the eighth planet from the solar and King Neptune presides over the ocean in accordance the traditional Greek Gods. How becoming it was to decide on Nicole Stott to call this new vessel. Ms. Stott is each an astronaut and an aquanaut.
Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, was a banner day for Viking. Viking not solely named its newest ship, it celebrated a rare twenty fifth Anniversary on the identical time.
Aboard Viking Neptune, docked on the Los Angeles Cruise Terminal in San Pedro, Calif., Thorsten Hagen, Viking’s Founder, Chairman and Head Cheerleader, proudly pointed to Viking’s extraordinary achievements. Imagine! In simply 25 years, Viking now has 89 ships crusing beneath its distinctive pink brand. Visiting all 7 continents, this fleet crosses 5 oceans as they make their option to 418 ports in 88 nations. Viking’s Longships navigate 17 of the world’s rivers. Just final 12 months Viking began plying the Mississippi in a game-changing riverboat, aptly referred to as “Viking Mississippi.”
And lastly, Viking entered Expedition Cruising with two similar vessels, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris which can be constructed not just for polar voyage however to sail all 5 Great Lakes in summer time. In simply 25 years, Viking has entertained 3 million visitors with its model of “life-long learning” wrapped up a luxurious cruise expertise. Viking now employs over 10,000 folks from 84 nations. Viking’s wonderful development hasn’t altered Viking’s fame for being one of the best. Viking persistently ranks because the #1 Ocean Cruise line and the #1 River Cruise line amongst readers of each Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler!
Viking Neptune options various firsts.
Viking believes it has perfected the design of its river and ocean-going ships. Scandinavian to the core, these light-filled vessels are beloved by Viking’s devoted passengers—some 50 % of whom are repeat visitors. The idea permits these passengers to really feel proper at house the minute they board any of those sisters. However, there’s one crucial new distinction: Viking Neptune is uniquely geared up with a small hydrogen gasoline system, making it the cruise trade’s first ship to check using hydrogen energy for on board operations. Viking is utilizing the small system as a check to find out how hydrogen gasoline may very well be used at a bigger scale sooner or later. The different first is sort of extraordinary: The brand-new vessel has the excellence of enterprise a 138-day World Cruise as its maiden voyage. An 18-day cruise started December twenty third in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the ship left Los Angeles with Its 465 cabins house to 808 passengers for the voyage.
Nicole Stott, Viking Neptune’s Extraordinary Godmother.
It’s onerous to think about any yet another acceptable. And Los Angeles was a very auspicious to call it. “Today is a proud day for the entire Viking family as we name our newest ocean ship in Los Angeles, the home of Viking’s U.S. office for more than 20 years,” Torstein Hagen reminded us. “Our newest Viking godmother” he continued “ has connections to space and the sea. We are grateful for her many contributions to the scientific community and are proud to have her as part of the Viking family.” Nicole Stott, a veteran NASA astronaut, skilled two spaceflights and 104 days spent residing and dealing in house on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS). She has carried out one house stroll and was the primary particular person to fly the robotic arm to seize the free-flying HTV cargo car, the final crew member to fly to and from their ISS mission on a Space Shuttle, and a member of the ultimate flight crew of Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-133. Nicole Stott can be a veteran NASA aquanaut. She lived and labored on the Aquarius Undersea Habitat for 18 days. But that was hardly the top of Nicole Stott’s accomplishments. Both a author and an artist, Nicole painted the primary watercolor portray in house. She then co-founded the Space for Art Foundation. This group unites a planetary neighborhood of youngsters by means of the awe and marvel of house and the facility of artwork. And she can be a broadcast creator. Nicole Stott’s ebook “Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet–And Our Mission to Protect It” (Seal Press 2021) was a well-received reward to these of us who attended her naming of Viking Neptune.
Weilding a ceremonial broad axe, Nicole Stott christens Viking Neptune.
The conventional blessing of the ship was carried out by Pastor Asmund Offernes of Norwegian’s Seaman’s Church in San Pedro. After the blessing, Sissel Kyrkjebo, handed the ceremonial and historic broad axe Nicole Stott. Sissel Kyrkjebo is without doubt one of the world’s main sopranos and a legend in her native Norway. Poignantly, Sissel had used the identical broad axe in her position as godmother of Viking Jupiter, which was additionally named in Los Angeles in January 2020.
Before finishing her process, Nicole Stott mentioned, “It is an honor and privilege to be the godmother of the new Viking Neptune. As someone who has been blessed to explore space, the ocean, and some of the other worldly places on our planet, I understand the importance of broadening one’s horizons through travel. I am very excited for all those who journey around the world on this elegant vessel,” mentioned Nicole Stott. And then, most appropriately for a World Cruise, Sissel ended the presentation with an exquisite rendition of “What a Wonderful World.”
See Viking’s many cruise choices:
Viking Neptune Cruises (cruisecompete.com)
Viking Ocean (cruisecompete.com)
Viking Expedition Viking Octantis& Viking Polaris
Viking River (& Longships) (cruisecompete.com)