Cruise Ships on the River – 'Viking Longship' Christening
River cruise line,Viking River Cruises, names first of four new luxury river cruise boats in Amsterdam
Viking River Cruises christened the first four of its new Viking Longships in Amsterdam, in the presence of appointed celebrity 'Godparents' for all four new ships.
Accommodating 190 passengers, the new Viking Longships are 443 feet (135 meters) long and feature 95 staterooms per ship and are scheduled to sail four of Viking's most popular European itineraries, including the River Danube, and other of European major rivers.
Viking announced it has commissioned six additional Viking Longships for delivery in 2013, bringing the total number of new ships to be launched in two years to 12. With the six additional vessels, Viking will have invested more than $400 million in its fleet development program over three years.
The large new Viking Longships feature the following design:
- Two Explorer Suites, which will be the largest river cruise suites in Europe at 445 square feet, each featuring a separate living room, bedroom and private wraparound veranda, offering 270-degree views.
- Seven two-room Veranda Suites with a full-size veranda in the living room and a French balcony in the bedroom.
- Thirty-nine Veranda Staterooms with full-size verandas.
- Twenty-two French Balcony Staterooms.
- A revolutionary new all-weather indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace, which reinvents the onboard lounge experience by bringing the panoramic outdoor river scenery indoors with retractable floor-to-ceiling glass doors allowing guests to enjoy the scenery and dine al fresco.
- New premium in-cabin amenities that include heated bathroom floors and mirrors, Sony HD TV's and premium bath products.
- Sustainability upgrades, such as solar panels, an onboard organic herb garden and energy-efficient hybrid engines that reduce vibrations for a remarkably smooth ride.