Viking will be the most recent cruise operator to use hydrogen to partially power its next cruise ships.
The announcement that the cruise line has exercised the option for further cruise ships in their enduring class of ocean cruise ships that they started presenting in 2015 coincided with Fincantieri’s confirmation of the company’s long-planned transition to alternative fuel.
As part of a six-ship option they committed to in March 2018, Viking has reportedly put into force the contracts for the third and fourth ships, according to Fincantieri. The cruise company has also signed contracts for the final two ships in the 2018 deal, subject to finance. This occurs when Fincantieri is ready to deliver the tenth and last ship under a 2012 deal.
The latest technology is said to have been enhanced and used to the successful characteristics of the old ships to create the new ones.
The first of the already purchased new ships are scheduled to arrive in December 2024 and July 2025, while the remaining four options, which are now being exercised, are scheduled to arrive in 2026, 2027, and two ships in 2028.
Additionally, compared to Viking’s previous cruise ships, the new class of ships will be bigger. The new power plant will need the ships to be longer, and as a result, there will be room for more people.
According to Fincantieri, the new contracts are worth roughly €1.7 billion. The Viking Mars, the eighth ship in the class, was delivered by the shipyard in May 2022, while the Viking Neptune, the ninth ship, is scheduled to be delivered in late 2022. The Viking Saturn, the last vessel in the class, was floated out at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard in late June, and delivery is planned for early 2023. The Viking oceangoing cruise ships have a total length of 745 feet and a gross tonnage of 47,800. There are 930 seats available in the current class.
