Viking Orders Two New Ocean Cruise Ships for 2028 and 2029

River, ocean, and expedition cruise line Viking (VIK) will receive its 17th and 18th ships from the Fincantieri shipyard in 2028 and 2029, at an estimated cost of $600 million to $1.2 billion.

According to Maritime Executive, the upcoming ships will be slightly bigger than Viking’s first generation of vessels, Viking Star-class cruise ships. Weighing 54,300 gross tons, the new ships will be patterned after the Viking Vela, which is expected to enter service this December. 

The anticipated cruise vessels will be extended to 784 feet from 745 feet and their beams widened from 94 feet to 101 feet. These modifications will allow the new builds to comply with modern stability regulations and host 68 more passengers, growing their capacities from 930 to 998 guests.

Fincantieri CEO/Managing Director Pierroberto Folgiero told industry publication SeaTrade that the deal with the cruise line “further cements our relationship with Viking and establishes Fincantieri as the partner of choice for shipowners looking to build vessels fit for both current and future energy sources.“

“Together, Fincantieri and Viking are leading the shipping industry on the path to net zero,” Folgiero added.

The two new builds are part of a Viking shipbuilding program that began 12 years ago. Viking has eight vessels in the pipeline—the Viking Vela, which will be completed by the end of 2024; Viking Vesta in 2025; one unnamed ship a year from 2026 to 2027; two more in 2028; and the two newly announced additions.

Viking: One of the Most Valuable Companies on Wall Street

Founded in 1997, Viking was a river cruise line offering European and United States itineraries. In 2015, the company expanded to ocean cruising with the Viking Sea. In the next few years, sister ships Viking Sky, Viking Jupiter, and Viking Venus joined its fleet.

It also began focusing on expedition cruises. As of June 2023, Viking had nine ocean-going vessels and 80 river ships. Their vessels feature smaller builds that offer better access to ports than the larger vessels of its competitors.

In May 2024, Viking leveraged the strong resurgence of the cruising industry with its initial public offering (IPO). It was considerably oversubscribed and valued at $10.4 billion. Viking has become one of the largest and most valuable companies to go public this year.