LOS ANGELES — Viking has named its newest river ship during a special celebration in Aswan, Egypt.
Named Viking Aton, the ship is identical to sister ship Viking Osiris and is inspired by Viking’s award-winning river and ocean ships featuring an elegant Scandinavian design. It will host 82 guests in 41 staterooms and joins Viking’s growing fleet built specifically for the Nile.
The ship was officially blessed by ceremonial godfather Richard Riveire, designer of Viking’s award-winning river, ocean and expedition vessels and founding Principal of interior design firm Rottet Studio, during last week’s naming ceremony, which was presided by Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking.
Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen (left) with Mohamad El Bana (middle), Viking Egyptian Partner and Richard Riveire (right) – Credit Viking
“Today, we are pleased to welcome Viking Aton to our growing fleet. Together with her sister ship, the Viking Osiris, they are the newest and most elegant vessels on the Nile, by far,” said Hagen. “With extraordinarily strong interest in Egypt among our guests, we are proud to bring another state-of-the-art vessel to this region, and we look forward to introducing even more curious travellers to the country’s rich cultural treasures.”
Like Viking Osiris, Viking Aton features a distinctive square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit terrace. It will sail Viking’s 12-day ‘Pharaohs & Pyramids’ itinerary, which begins with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo. Guests will then fly to Luxor where they’ll visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before boarding the Viking Aton for an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile River. Highlights of the cruise include Privileged Access to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, plus excursions to the Temple of Khnum in Esna, the Dendera Temple complex in Qena, the temples at Abu Simbel and the High Dam in Aswan, and a visit to a Nubian village. The journey concludes with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in the ancient city.
The naming of the new Nile River ship in Aswan, Egypt – Credit Viking
Guests looking to extend their journey can book pre- and post-extensions that include exclusive access to archives and exhibits. For example, the five-day British Collections of Ancient Egypt extension begins in London where guests will enjoy Privileged Access to two museums: first, a private, early morning visit to the Egyptian Collection at the British Museum; and second, a visit to the home and personal museum of renowned architect, Sir John Soane, for a candlelit tour of his collection of Egyptian antiquities, including a 3,000-year-old Egyptian sarcophagus. Other highlights of the extension include visits to London’s Petrie Museum and Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum, as well as an exclusive visit to Highclere Castle to view the Earl’s private collection of Egyptian artifacts not normally accessible to the public.
Additional offerings include a new three-night Pre-Extension in Istanbul where guests can visit acclaimed sites such as the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Before their voyage, they can also choose to extend their journey in Jerusalem. And after concluding their river voyage, they can extend their journey with a four-night Post-Extension to Jordan – Petra, Dead Sea & Amman to view Roman antiquities at Jerash, Crusader-era castles at Kerak or Shobak, and explore the lost city of Petra.
For more information go to www.viking.com.
