Viking Ocean Cruises Makes Maiden US Call
Viking Ocean Cruises made its first ever call on a U.S. port when Viking Star docked at Cruiseport Boston. Viking Star began her voyage in Montreal, travelled the St. Lawrence River to Quebec City and Saguenay, continued on to Prince Edward Island and Halifax and, following her stop in Boston, will continue on to New York City later in the week. Officials from Massport and Viking marked the occasion with a traditional plaque and key exchange on board Viking Star while docked at the Cruiseport.
“As Cruiseport Boston continues this exciting period of growth, we are thrilled to welcome Viking Ocean Cruises and to offer their passengers the opportunity to explore Boston and the Commonwealth,” said Lisa Wieland, Massport’s Port Director.
Viking Ocean Cruises is one of 21 cruise lines that will call Cruiseport Boston during the 2016 cruise season, which runs from late April through mid-November; with nine ships making their maiden call in Boston this season, including Disney Magic and Anthem of the Seas in addition to Viking Star.
“We have always had a vision to reinvent ocean cruising – to bring destinations back to the forefront of the itinerary and to build ships that are designed to help our guests better explore their destinations,” said Torstein Hagen, founder and chairman of Viking Cruises. “We launched our ocean cruises in Europe last year, and just as the Viking explorers before us, we are now pursuing new discoveries across the Atlantic. Our new itineraries in North America and the Caribbean offer travelers experiences that broaden their horizons both on and off the ship, and as such, we are proud to call on Boston for the first time.”
In 2017, Boston will be visited by Viking Star’s two sister ships Viking Sea, launched in April 2016 and Viking Sky due to be launched in early 2017. Continuing the tradition, these ships will also be overnighting in Boston.
Cruiseport Boston opened in1986 and welcomed 13 cruise ships and a total of 11,723 passengers in its first season. More than 320,000 passengers are expected to come through the port on 114 ship calls this season. Cruise operations at Massport provide over 950 direct jobs and generate nearly $80 million in economic impact each year and $25 million in annual local, state, and federal tax revenue.