Viking Ocean Cruises resumes operations for first time since pandemic

Viking Ocean Cruises has become the latest cruise line to resume cruises for the first time since the pandemic, with Viking Sea and Viking Venus departing the Maltese capital Valletta this week.

Viking Sea and Viking Venus sailed from the Maltese capital on Friday on the first of a range of new itineraries roundtrip from Valletta, marking the first time Viking has carried passengers since March last year.

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The cruises sailed by the two ships are part of Viking’s ‘Welcome Back’ collection for vaccinated guests. The new voyages include the 11-day Malta & the Adriatic Jewels, the 11-day Malta & Greek Isles Discovery and the 21-day Malta, the Adriatic & Greece itineraries.

Viking has partnered with Lufthansa to offer non-stop charter flights from Newark Liberty International Airport to Malta, making the fly-cruise packages safer and more convenient for US passengers.

“We are delighted to be back in the Mediterranean and to be homeporting in Valletta,” said said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “On behalf of the entire Viking family, we thank the government of Malta for its support and partnership in developing these fantastic new voyages.”

“With its rich history and stunning natural beauty, Malta is truly a gem in the Mediterranean that many American travelers have yet to discover,” he added.

The Maltese government eased rules for the arrival of international travelers in May, and now allows vaccinated Americans with CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Cards to travel tp the country.

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Additionally, the U.S.’s CDC announced it has eased travel recommendations for 110 countries and territories. As part of the new recommendations, the CDC s ranked Malta as ‘Level 1’ or the lowest for risk of COVID-19.

Viking’s Mediterranean voyages beginning in July, 2021 include an 11-night Malta & Adriatic Jewels itinerary visiting Croatia and Montenegro sailing through October, 2021.

There is also the 11-night Malta & Greek Isles Discovery cruise, visiting the Greek Isles from Malta, highlights of the cruise include Rhodes, Athens, Crete and Santorini.

These itineraries can also be combined as a butterfly itinerary of 21 days visiting both regions.