The official steel cutting ceremony of the 7th ship that Fincantieri is building for Viking Cruises, took place on Monday, March 18, at the shipyard in Ancona, Italy. The newbuild (Viking Saturn) is scheduled for delivery in 2021, together with the sistership Viking Venus. Like all Viking Ocean vessels, they both have GT tonnage around 47,800 tons, a total of 465 staterooms and passenger capacity 930.
Fincantieri began its partnership with Viking Cruises in 2012, trusting the shipowner entering the ocean market as a start-up. Currently, the cooperation that first started with an order for a couple of ships, has reached 20 units, including the order awarded to Vard for 2 special ships and the options. It is an all-time record, the biggest number of units constructed by a shipbuilder for a sole shipowner.
The first of the series, Viking Star, was built at Marghera and delivered in 2015. The other units were delivered in 2016, 2017, 2018, all built at Ancona shipyard. Viking Jupiter joined the fleet in February 2019. Other ten units (options included) for Viking Ocean will be constructed between 2021-2027.