Strong Demand Leads to Release of Additional 2024 Departure Dates on Viking's Newest Nile River Ship
LOS ANGELES,June 1, 2023/PRNewswire/ -- Viking® (www.viking.com) today announced voyages on its newest Nile River ship, theViking Hathor,are now available for booking. Set to debut in 2024, theViking Hathorwill join the company's growing fleet of purpose-built ships on the Nile River, which sail the popular 12-day法老和金字塔itinerary. Demand inEgyptremains strong, with Viking's 2023 season sold out and some sailings into 2025 already selling out.
"Egyptcontinues to be one of our most popular destinations," saidTorstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. "As a country rich with history and culture, we are pleased to bring the Viking way of exploration toEgyptfor our guests. With the addition of theViking Atonthis summer and theViking Hathornext summer, we are looking forward to meeting the growing demand in the region."
The news follows recent accolades for Viking's river fleet inEgypt. In its first year of sailing, theViking Hathor'sidentical sister ship, theViking Osiris,was named as one of the "Best New Cruises" inConde Nast Traveler's"2023 Hot List." Additionally, TIME magazine featured both Giza and Saqqara on its "World's Greatest Places of 2023" list, recommending sailing the Nile River with Viking.TIMEnotes that Viking is among the very few who stop in both Giza and the village of Saqqara, where excavation sites, like the megatombs of animal and human mummies, are active.
TheViking Hathor& Viking's Growing Egypt Fleet
Hosting 82 guests in 41 staterooms, the new, state-of-the-artViking Hathoris inspired by Viking's award-winning river and ocean ships with the elegant Scandinavian design for which Viking is known. TheViking Hathoris the identical sister ship to theViking Aton, which debuts inAugust 2023, and theViking Osiris, which was named in 2022 by Viking's first ceremonial godfather, the 8th Earl of Carnarvon. The sister ships feature several aspects familiar to Viking guests, such as a distinctive square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace. In addition to theViking Atonand theViking Osiris, theViking Hathorwill join the other ships in theEgyptfleet, theViking Raand theMS Antares. In response to strong demand, Viking will have six ships sailing the Nile by 2025 with the addition of a new sister ship, theViking Sobek, which is also under construction and will be delivered in 2025.
Viking's法老和金字塔Itinerary
During the 12-day法老和金字塔itinerary, guests begin with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel inCairo, where they can visit iconic sites such as the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Saqqara (also known as "Sakkara") and the Mosque ofMuhammad Ali. 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 Privileged Access to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings, and 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. Finally, the journey concludes with a flight back toCairofor a final night in the ancient city.
For guests looking to extend their journey, Viking also offers Pre and Post Extensions that provide Privileged Access to archives and exhibits. Guests on the five-dayBritish Collections of Ancient Egyptextension will begin the journey inLondon, where they will meet their Viking Tour Director, an expert Egyptologist, and experience Privileged Access to two museums: first a private, early morning visit to the Egyptian Collection at the British Museum before it opens to the general public – and then a visit to the home and personal museum of world-renowned architect, SirJohn Soane, where the tour will be illuminated by candlelight, a re-enactment of how Soane entertained guests and showcased his exquisite collection of Egyptian antiquities, including a 3,000-year-old Egyptian sarcophagus. Guests will also visitLondon'sPetrie Museum, which houses more than 80,000 artifacts from ancientEgyptandSudan. InOxford, guests will visit the Ashmolean Museum, one of the oldest in the world, and home to a varied collection of Egyptian mummies and art—and go behind the scenes atOxford University'sGriffith Institute, where they will enjoy a Privileged Access visit to seeHoward Carter'sarchives, which detail the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. Lastly, guests will have further Privileged Access with an exclusive visit to Highclere Castle to view the Earl's magnificent private collection of Egyptian artifacts, as well as archives and exhibits not normally accessible to the public.
Additional offerings include a new three-night Pre-Extension inIstanbul, where guests can visit the timeless city and important religious sites including the "Blue Mosque" and the legendaryHagia Sophia. Before their voyage, guests can also choose to extend their journey inJerusalem, exploring the ancient history and vibrant culture ofIsrael's迷人的资本。在结束签证官yage, guests can also extend the journey with a 4-night Post-Extension toJordan– Petra, Dead Sea & Ammanto view Roman antiquities at Jerash, Crusader-era castles at Kerak or Shobak and experience the lost city of Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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About Viking
Viking was founded in 1997 and provides destination-focused journeys on rivers, oceans and lakes around the world. Designed for experienced travelers with interests in science, history, culture and cuisine, ChairmanTorstein Hagen经常说认为海盗提供了经验ing Person™. Viking has more than 250 awards to its name, including being the first cruise line to ever be named both the #1 Ocean Line and the #1River Linein a single year inTravel + Leisure's2022 "World's Best" Awards. Viking has also been rated the #1River Lineand #1 Ocean Line byCondé Nast Travelerin the publication's 2022 and 2021 Readers' Choice Awards. For additional information, contact Viking at 1-800-2-VIKING (1-800-284-5464) or visitwww.viking.com. For Viking's award-winning enrichment channel, visitwww.viking.tv.
SOURCE Viking
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