Viking floats out new Nile River cruise ship Viking Hathor ahead of 2024 debut

Viking has celebrated the float out of its newest ship for the Nile River in Egypt, the 82-guest Viking Hathor, marking a major construction milestone as the ship touches water for the first time. 

Set to debut in August 2024, Viking Hathor will join the company’s growing fleet of state-of-the-art ships for the Nile River and will sail Viking’s popular 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary.

The traditional float out ceremony of the Viking Hathor took place at Massara shipyard in Cairo and is significant because it denotes a ship moving into its final stage of construction. 

“Egypt is a phenomenal destination, and we are pleased with the continued interest for our Nile River voyages. Our guests are thinking people who are curious about the world—and Egypt, with its cultural treasures and ancient antiquities, remains at the top of the travel list for many of them,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. 

“With the float out of the Viking Hathor, we look forward to welcoming more guests to experience this fantastic region,” he added.

Viking Hathor will now be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out.

Viking’s Growing Egypt Fleet

Hosting 82 guests in 41 staterooms, the new, state-of-the-art Viking Hathor is inspired by Viking’s elegant Scandinavian design and will be an identical sister ship to Viking Osiris and Viking Aton, with a distinctive square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace. 

Viking will have six ships sailing the Nile by 2025 with the addition of another sister ship, the Viking Sobek, which is already under construction and will be delivered next year. Additional ships in the Egypt fleet currently include Viking Ra and MS Antares.

The Pharaohs & Pyramids Itinerary

During the 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, guests begin with a 3-night stay at a luxury hotel in Cairo, from which they can visit iconic sites such as the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Sakkara, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, or the Grand Egyptian Museum. 

Guests then fly to Luxor, where they visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before boarding a Viking river ship for an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile River, featuring visits to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings.

The itinerary also features 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 colorful Nubian village, where guests can experience a traditional elementary school. After disembarking, guests fly back to Cairo for a final night in the ancient city.