Viking Ocean Cruises has revealed a 2023/24 World Cruise itinerary for two of its ships with port calls in the Middle East.

The World Cruise itinerary is unique because it will be sailed by two Viking cruise ships in parallel, meaning Salalah in Oman and Aqaba in Jordan are set to receive a double port call from the luxury cruise line.

Viking Cruises operates a fleet of identical sister ships.

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Viking’s new 2023-2024 World Cruise will span 138 days, 28 countries and 57 ports, with overnight stays in 11 cities, with two departure dates offered.

Guests can pick either Viking Sky, which will depart on December 20th, 2023, from Ft. Lauderdale, or the new Viking Neptune, which will depart Ft. Lauderdale on December 23rd, 2023.

The two ships will sail the identical itinerary in parallel, crossing the Caribbean to Central America, before transiting the Panama Canal and sailing up the West Coast of North America.

A shorter 121-day Viking World Journeys itinerary is also available, allowing guests to join in Los Angeles and cross the Pacific Ocean to call in Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, before exploring ports of call in Asia and the Middle East.

Aqaba in Jordan is the gateway to Petra.

Ports of call in the region include Salalah in Oman, Aqaba in Jordan and Safaga in Egypt. Aqaba is the gateway to the ancient city of Petra, carved into the rock of a mountain range, while Safaga is the nearest port to Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes, the pharaohs’ capital at the height of their power, during the 16th–11th centuries B.C.

Safaga in Egypt is a gateway to the ancient city of Luxor.

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After calling in Safaga, the ships will transit the Suez Canal and journey through the Mediterranean and Atlantic, concluding the voyage in London.

“We are delighted to once again offer explorers the opportunity to circumnavigate the world in comfort,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking.

“Our previous World Cruises sold out in a matter of weeks, and we are now seeing more interest in these extended voyages than ever before,” he added.

“Like me, our guests are curious people; we view travel as an opportunity to discover, learn and grow. With that Viking spirit of exploration, our seamless World Cruises are possibly the greatest of all adventures.”

Overnight stays in 11 ports, such as Sydney, Haifa, and Istanbul, and double overnights in Auckland, Bali, Ho Chi Minh, Yangon, and Mumbai allow guests to spend more time ashore exploring the destination.