Viking Ocean Cruises has officially welcomed its second ship, Viking Sea, to its fleet during a celebration on the Thames River in Greenwich.
Though Viking’s ocean ships are classified as “small ships” by Cruise Critic, the 930-guest, 47,800-ton Viking Sea is the largest ship ever launched in London.
After passing through the Thames Barrier, the ship received a warm welcome by 28 able sea men, who manned the yardarms of the Cutty Sark – the iconic 19th Century British clipper ship – and saluted Viking Sea as she arrived in Greenwich.
“It is is a proud day for our Viking family. London is one of my favorite cities, and Greenwich is a significant port for Viking. We look forward to bringing more guests here this spring and in future years,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking Cruises.
“Our ships are built for exploration; they are vessels that help our guests spend more time immersed in and surrounded by their destination. With the arrival of our second ship – and with four more sister ships on the way – we are focused on introducing travellers to the Viking way of destination-centered cruising.”
After arriving in Greenwich, Viking Sea was positioned in the River Thames with decorated pontoons nearby to welcome guests for various shore excursions around the city.
During Viking Sea’s christening ceremony, Karine Hagen, Viking’s senior vice president and daughter of Torstein Hagen, served as ceremonial godmother and offered a blessing of good fortune and safe sailing for Viking Sea.
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