Viking named its latest ocean ship, the Viking Neptune, with a celebration on Sunday in Los Angeles, based on a press launch.
As a part of the occasion, the ship’s ceremonial godmother, Nicole Stott, retired NASA astronaut, aquanaut and artist, provided a blessing of fine fortune and secure crusing for the ship.
The Viking Neptune arrived in Los Angeles early within the morning on January 8 and departed for Honolulu following the naming ceremony. The ship is presently crusing the 2022-2023 Viking World Cruise, an epic voyage from Fort Lauderdale to London that spans 138-days, 28 nations and 57 ports, with in a single day stays in 11 cities.
The corporate stated that the naming of the Viking Neptune additionally comes at a time of document gross sales for Viking, with the launch of Viking’s new twenty fifth Anniversary Sale on January 1 ensuing within the highest variety of bookings in a single week within the firm’s historical past.
“At present is a proud day for the whole Viking household as we identify our latest ocean ship in Los Angeles, the house of Viking’s U.S. workplace for greater than 20 years,” stated Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “The Viking Neptune is a ship named for each the furthest planet in our photo voltaic system and the god of the ocean—and our latest Viking godmother, Nicole Stott, as a NASA astronaut and aquanaut, additionally has connections to area and the ocean. We’re grateful for her many contributions to the scientific neighborhood and are proud to have her as a part of the Viking household.”
“It’s an honor and privilege to be the godmother of the brand new Viking Neptune. As somebody who has been blessed to discover area, the ocean, and a few of the otherworldly locations on our planet, I perceive the significance of broadening one’s horizons by means of journey. I’m very excited for all those that journey all over the world on this elegant vessel,” stated Nicole Stott.
Consistent with the naming custom, through the ceremony Nicole used a historic Viking broad axe to chop a ribbon that allowed a bottle of Norwegian aquavit to interrupt on the ship’s hull. Previous to the ribbon slicing, the axe was offered to Nicole by Sissel Kyrkjebø, one of many world’s main crossover sopranos and godmother of the Viking Jupiter®, who used it when naming her ship in January 2020. Occasion friends additionally loved performances from Sissel and Norwegian violinist Tor Jaran Apold.
