LOS ANGELES — Viking Ocean Cruises celebrated the maiden voyage of its third ship, Viking Sky, which sailed from Rome to Barcelona on Feb. 28. Sister ship to Viking Star and Viking Sea, the 930-guest Viking Sky will sail throughout the Western and Eastern Mediterranean before heading to Scandinavia and the Baltics this summer, then will finish out the year in the Americas and the Caribbean.

“As we officially welcome our third ship to the fleet, it is a proud moment for the entire Viking family. We continue to see a positive response from our guests and the industry, which makes us confident in our future growth,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. “We started in the cruise business 20 years ago, and our philosophy is still the same – we do not try to be everything to everyone. We are a destination-oriented small ship cruise line, and as we prepare to introduce a fourth ocean ship by the end of 2017, we look forward to introducing even more guests to The Viking Way of exploration.”

Viking’s fourth ship, Viking Sun, will be delivered in November and will spend her inaugural voyage sailing the company’s first-ever World Cruise. Viking Spirit will join the fleet in 2018 and will sail itineraries in Australia, Asia and Alaska. A sixth yet-to-be-named ship will be delivered in 2019, making Viking the largest small ship cruise line.

Every cruise fare includes a guided excursion in each port, with additional optional excursion programs available. For example:

• ‘The Hermitage Behind Closed Doors’ in St. Petersburg, Russia – Offered on the 15-day ‘Viking Homelands’ itinerary, guests receive a Privileged Access view of the vaults of one of the world’s greatest art collections at the Hermitage Museum.
• ‘Vistas, Vikings & The Village Woodturner’ in Torshavn, Faroe Islands – Available on the 15-day ‘In the Wake of the Vikings’ itinerary, guests can gain insight into daily village life and the rich Viking heritage as they explore the village of Kvivik, site of a 10th-century Viking settlement.
• ‘A Taste of Provence’ in Toulon, France – Guests on the 17-day ‘Catalonia to Greece’ itinerary can enjoy a private cooking lesson at a 19th-century house in the scenic Provençal countryside from Michelin-star rated Master Chef of France, Monsieur Bérard.
• ‘Nazareth & The Sea of Galilee’ in Haifa, Israel – Offered on the 15-day ‘Cities of Antiquity & the Holy Land’ itinerary, guests can choose to visit some of the most important places in the life of Jesus on this excursion through Canaan, Nazareth, Cana, Capernaum and Tabgha.
• ‘King Crab Safari’ in Honningsvåg, Norway – Available on the 15-day ‘Into the Midnight Sun’ itinerary, guests can set off in a deep-sea raft into the waters of Sarnesfjorden to catch their own king crab.
• ‘Evening Concert on the Island of Our Lady of the Rocks’ in Kotor, Montenegro – On the 10-day ‘Empires of the Mediterranean’ itinerary, guests can embark on a boat for the island of Gospa od Škrpjela, or Our Lady of the Rocks, to enjoy an exclusive and intimate guitar recital by two Montenegrin musicians, Darko Nikcevic and Srdjan Bultaovic.

In addition, with ‘Viking Inclusive Value’, every cruise fare includes a veranda stateroom, shore excursions in each port of call, all onboard meals, and all port charges and government taxes. Guests also enjoy many complimentary amenities as part of their fare, including: beer and wine with lunch and dinner service; premium dining reservations; Wi-Fi; self-service laundry; access to the Thermal Suite in the LivNordic Spa; and 24-hour room service—an included value of more than US$200 per person, per day for an average cruise.

More information available at vikingcruises.com.