Viking Cruises Collaborates with NETSCo for Mississippi River Cruises

Naval architecture and marine engineering firm NETSCo said it is collaborating with Viking Cruises in preparation for the company's new Mississippi River cruises, launching in 2022 from New Orleans to St. Paul.

According to NETSCo, the first phase of the project required vetting the ship design. This included taking into account varying water levels (which can change as much as 50 feet) and determining if the physical size and height of the ship would fit through locks, bridges and other obstacles throughout the entire 2,350 miles down the Mighty Mississippi travel route.

NETSCo’s final analysis resulted in some modifications to the original ship design, the company said.

Viking Mississippi, currently under construction at an Edison Chouest Offshore shipyard in Louisiana, is being custom-built for Mississippi River cruises, offering amenities that make it the first truly modern cruise ship for this region.