Viking® (www.viking.com) named its latest ocean ship, the Viking Neptune®, with a celebration on Sunday in Los Angeles. As a part of the occasion, the ship’s ceremonial godmother, Nicole Stott, retired NASA astronaut, aquanaut and artist, supplied a blessing of fine fortune and secure crusing for the ship—a maritime custom that dates again 1000’s of years. 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 naming of the Viking Neptune additionally comes at a time of file gross sales for Viking, with the launch of Viking’s new 25th Anniversary Sale on January 1 ensuing within the highest variety of bookings in a single week within the firm’s historical past.
“Right this moment is a proud day for your entire 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 house and the ocean. We’re grateful for her many contributions to the scientific group 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 house, the ocean, and a few of the otherworldly locations on our planet, I perceive the significance of broadening one’s horizons by way of journey. I’m very excited for all those that journey world wide 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 chopping, 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.
Nicole Stott, Godmother of the Viking Neptune
A veteran NASA astronaut, Nicole Stott’s expertise contains two spaceflights and 104 days spent dwelling and dealing in house on the Area Shuttle and the Worldwide Area Station (ISS). She has carried out one house stroll and was the primary particular person to fly the robotic arm to seize the free-flying HTV cargo car, the final crew member to fly to and from their ISS mission on a Area Shuttle, and a member of the ultimate flight crew of Area Shuttle Discovery, STS-133. Nicole can also be a NASA aquanaut who lived and labored on the Aquarius Undersea Habitat for 18 days.
She is the creator of Again to Earth: What Life In Area Taught Me About Our Dwelling Planet – And Our Mission To Shield It. Additionally an artist, Nicole painted the primary watercolor portray in house—and is a co-founder of the Area for Artwork Basis, which unites a planetary group of kids by way of the awe and marvel of house exploration and the therapeutic energy of artwork. By her work, Nicole evokes everybody’s appreciation of our function as crewmates right here on “spaceship” Earth.
The Viking Neptune
The Viking Neptune is the latest ship in Viking’s award-winning ocean fleet of an identical sister ships, which additionally contains the Viking Star®, the Viking Sea®, the Viking Sky®, the Viking Orion®, the Viking Jupiter®, the Viking Venus®, and the Viking Mars®. In April, Viking will even welcome one other new ocean ship, the Viking Saturn®. Categorised by Cruise Critic as “small ships,” Viking’s ocean vessels have a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons, with 465 staterooms that may host 930 friends; the ships function all veranda staterooms, Scandinavian design, light-filled public areas and ample al fresco eating choices.
Though an identical to Viking’s different ocean ships, the Viking Neptune is uniquely geared up with a small hydrogen gas system, making it the cruise business’s first ship to check the usage of hydrogen energy for on board operations. Viking is utilizing the small system as a take a look at to find out how hydrogen gas might be used at a bigger scale in future newbuilds.
Reserving Particulars
From now by way of January 31, 2023, Viking is providing a 25th Anniversary Sale, with a $25 deposit, particular financial savings, and as much as free worldwide airfare on river, ocean and expedition voyages. Name Viking toll free at 1-855-8-VIKING (1-855-884-5464) or contact a journey agent for particulars.
