Viking has named its newest ocean ship, the Viking Vesta, with a traditional ceremony in Split, Croatia. *All details correct at time of writing (01 July 2025)
Serving as ceremonial godmother of the Viking Vesta was the Norwegian journalist, Lene Tangevald-Jensen. The Viking Vesta will now continue her inaugural season sailing in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking, said: “As we celebrate 10 years of ocean voyages in 2025, we are pleased to welcome the new Viking Vesta to our award-winning fleet of elegant sister ships.
“We are also very grateful to Lene for serving as godmother. In addition to her personal and professional accomplishments, Lene embodies the values that are very important to me and to Viking – she is kind, honest, hardworking and, of course, curious. I am proud to count her as a friend and a valued member of the extended Viking family.”
In keeping with the naming tradition, during the ceremony, Lene used a Viking broad axe to cut a ribbon that allowed a bottle of Norwegian aquavit to break on the ship’s hull.
Guests also enjoyed performances by Sissel Kyrkjebø, one of the world’s leading crossover sopranos and godmother of the Viking Jupiter, and Norwegian violinist Tor Jaran Apold.
The Viking Vesta
The Viking Vesta is the newest ship in Viking’s award-winning ocean fleet of sister ships. Classified as a small ship, as are all Viking ocean ships, the Viking Vesta has a gross tonnage of 54,300 tons with 499 staterooms that can host 998 guests.
The ship features all veranda staterooms, elegant Scandinavian design, light-filled public spaces and abundant al fresco dining options.
The naming of the Viking Vesta follows a string of recent accolades for the company. Viking was recently named Best River Cruise Operator and Best Luxury Ocean Cruise Operator at the prestigious Times and The Sunday Times Travel Awards 2024.
In the most recent Telegraph Travel Awards we won Best Boutique Ocean Line. Additionally, Cruise Critic UK honoured Viking with eight awards across the Luxury (Ocean), River and Expedition categories 2024 UK Best in Cruise Awards.
Booking Details
To make a booking or for more information, call 0800 458 69 00 or go to www.viking.com
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