Viking returning to Istanbul with 2021 departures after delivery of Viking Venus

Viking Cruises has announced that Viking Venus will join its fleet in early 2021, giving the luxury cruise line the added capacity needed to return to Istanbul, with a range of Mediterranean itineraries.

Viking Venus will be the cruise line’s seventh ocean-going cruise ship as it continues one of the most ambitious fleet expansion projects the industry has ever seen. Viking has 12 cruise ships on order between now and 2026.

Ten of the new cruise ships are on order with Fincantieri, representing an investment of at least US $4-billion, while two are being built by VARD. Not much is now about the two VARD-built vessels, but it is widely expected that they will form an ocean-going expedition fleet.

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Viking Venus is due in 2021 and like every other ship in the current Viking fleet she will have capacity for 930 passengers, with at least five different dining venues and a handful of upmarket bars and cafes, as well as at least three pools, in addition to her various other public spaces, such as a spa and gym, theatre and even an on-board cinema.

Viking Venus will spend her maiden season sailing popular itineraries in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, including British Isles Explorer, In Search of the Northern Lights, Viking Homelands and Into the Midnight Sun.

Viking Sky, meanwhile, will offer cruises from Istanbul later in the year. The cruise line has announced four new itineraries (departing May 2^nd, June 27^th, August 22^nd and October 17^th) that include departures from Istanbul, marking the company’s return to the city.

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The new eight-day Ancient Mediterranean Treasures will sail between Athens and Istanbul, with overnight stays in both cities. These itineraries can also be booked as longer voyages ending in Barcelona, Rome or Venice.

“The spirit of exploration is at the heart of everything we do. We have always drawn inspiration from the original Viking explorers, who were the first to use the stars and constellations for long-distance navigation,” says Torstein Hagen, Chairman, Viking.

“Many elements onboard our ships honor those Viking explorers, and we are proud to host our guests on itineraries that sail some of those historic trading routes,” he added.

“I am pleased to announce that Viking Venus will join our fleet in 2021, allowing us the ability to introduce even more travelers to the Viking way of exploration,” said Hagen.