Viking Mars

The 2022-built MS Viking Mars cruise ship is the 8th in a 10-unit series of identical vessels built for Viking Ocean Cruises. Viking OCEAN's current plans are for a fleet of 16 sisterships, all of which are Fincantieri-built and Norway-flagged.

The vessel (IMO number 9833187) is currently Norway-flagged (MMSI 257800000) and registered in Bergen.

History - construction and ownership

The 930-passenger ship Viking Mars offers destination-oriented cruising experience, with few at-sea days, long in-ports days and more exciting overnights in key spots. Onboard amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi, free shore excursions, wine and beer with no charge at dinner and lunch.

Each of the Viking Ocean ships offers many ticket price-inclusive / complimentary amenities and services, such as all shore excursions, transfers, Wi-Fi, wine and beer (at lunches and dinners), access to Nordic Spa (steam room, thalassotherapy pool, hot tub, snow room / grotto, sauna, cold plunge pool). The infinity pool (resistance swimming pool located aft on Deck 7 / at the ship's stern) is another unique and complimentary facility.

All Viking Ocean liners were built according to the latest maritime navigation regulations and equipped with latest marine safety systems, including "safe return to port". The ships also implement some of the maritime industry's latest technologies, including energy-saving hybrid engines (diesel generators and gas turbines), optimized hulls and bulbous bows for max fuel efficiency. Ship design also features the common for Viking River Cruises longships solar panels (installed on the Magradome pool cover) additionally minimizing the vessel's exhaust pollution.

Decks and Cabins

Viking Mars staterooms (465 total) include 47x Suites, 32x Penthouses and 386x Veranda/Balcony cabins in 18 grades.

All passenger cabins are balconied and offer all the industry's modern amenities and services, including King-size beds ("Viking Explorer", deluxe mattresses and linens, Cashmere blankets), en suite bathroom (heated floor, heated mirror, glass-door shower, hairdryer, premium bath products and toiletries /by Freyja, bathrobes, slippers, towel warmers), seating area (sofa, coffee table, vanity desk with chair, wardrobe, full-length mirror with mini lights), satellite phone, smart HDTV (3D, Infotainment / interactive TV system for Internet access, room service ordering, movies-on-demand, live webcams views, Viking Cruises channel for news, enrichment lectures and port talks), in-room binoculars, electronic safe box, individual air-conditioning, coffee machine, mini-bar (replenished daily with bottled water, soft drinks, snacks).

The boat has 10 decks, of which 6 are with passenger cabins.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

Viking Mars offers the following dining venues: Restaurant (dining room), buffets (Viking Deli, World Cafe), Aquavit Terrace (alfresco), specialty (Italian Grill, Chef's Table), Private Dining (2 rooms). Viking Neptune deals are inclusive of shore excursions, complimentary alcohol (wine and beer at lunch and dinner) and Wi-Fi.

Viking OCEAN's Mars ship has as signature facilities two swimming pools (Main Pool and Aft Infinity Pool), a covered pool deck (with Jacuzzi, Bar & Grill), Viking Living Room (Atrium Lobby Lounge), two Cinemas, a modern wellness complex (Spa & Fitness Center, Beauty Salon), Wintergarden (poolside area), Aquavit Terrace (aft outdoor bar lounge with Infinity Pool and Hot Tub), Piano Bar Lounge (Torshavn), dedicated sports deck (deck 9/with a Walking Track and Outdoor Gym/Yoga area), Theatre Lounge & Bar, Lobby Bar, various shops and brand boutiques.

The walk-around Lanai/Promenade Deck fully encircles the boat (deck 2). The two-deck Explorer's Lounge has a huge bow-facing observation area which is a unique feature that lots of modern cruise vessels lack. Many of the ship's features reflect a boutique hotel feel.

All Viking Ocean ships have an onboard "snow room". Viking's "Snow Grotto" is a spa retreat with powdery snow falling down from the ceiling. The experience (touted beneficial to the body's blood circulation) includes heating in a sauna (steam bath), then walking into this small room fitted with benches and with dark stone walls illuminated by blue light. The snow on the floor is kept at sub-freezing temperatures. This Arctic-themed facility is part of the ship's thermal suite (within the spa complex). This relaxation area has also 1 hot tub, sauna room, heated ceramic loungers, therapeutic showers, salt-water thermal pool. Snow Grotto access is complimentary to all passengers.

Itineraries

Viking Mars itinerary program was officially announced in December 2020 and started in 2022-Q2. The ship's inaugural cruise season was in Northern Europe. The maiden voyages (Baltic Sea, Norwegian Fjords and Iceland itineraries) ranged between 12-14-28 days.

The inaugural cruise (May 28, 2022) was a 14-day relocation itinerary from the Mediterranean to the Baltic (Barcelona to Bergen). On September 27th, Viking Mars repositioned back to the Meditterreana with a 14-day voyage from Bergen to Barcelona.

In the UK, Viking Ocean ships are homeported in London-Greenwich England.

All Viking OCEAN ships offer destination-rich itineraries featured with the brand's new "small ship cruise" tour and onboard experience. Compared to similar class vessels operated by other companies, Viking OCEAN's itineraries feature fewer sea days and longer port days, with a lot of overnight port stays.

The vessel (Fincantieri Ancona yard/hull number 6284) has volume 47842 GT-tons, DWT-deadweight tonnage 4912 tons, max draught 6,3 m. The powerplant is based on MAN marine diesel engines (model 12V32/9L32/44) with combined output 23,52 MW (22000 hp). The registered shipowner is VIKING OCEAN CRUISES SHIP VIII, while the registered manager is VIKING OCEAN CRUISES LTD.

Among the vessel's innovative marine technologies are its energy-saving hybrid engines, top-deck solar panels, pollution-minimizing exhaust system. This ship also uses seawater as a lubricant for its propeller shaft bearings. This technology lowers the vessel's maintenance costs and also the risk of pollution. Replacing the biodegradable oils, the water is being directly discharged into the ocean.

Viking OCEAN represents a "smaller ship" cruising concept. The vessel's relatively shallow draft (21 ft / 6,3 m), design (hull and superstructure) and technology allow direct access to even small ports and harbors. The ship's smaller size also guarantees an easy and faster passenger embarkation/debarkation process. Another unique feature for the "affordable luxury" ocean cruising market is that regardless of cabin categories, all Viking Ocean deals are price-inclusive of the shore excursions in all ports in the cruise ship itinerary.

All passenger cabins are with private step-out verandas, and ~1/5th larger than average standard staterooms on the ocean cruising market. An interesting feature of the ship is the dining room. This venue could be transformed into an outdoor casual dining place thanks to its floor-to-ceiling sliding windows. For Viking Ocean ships' interiors were contracted SMC Design (London-based interior design company) and Rottet Studios (LA-based hotel design company).

Viking Cruises deals (on all river and ocean liners) are inclusive of shore excursions (land tours), onboard entertainment and dining (including at speciality restaurants), drinks and alcohol (beer, wine /at lunch and dinner), 24-hour room service, Wi-Fi.

In April 2018, Fincantieri contracted the Norwegian marine company Scanship to supply all the liner's cleaning systems - food waste processing, waste incineration, garbage handling, wastewater treatment plants. Scanship's wastewater purification system treats both greywater (sullage/sinks, showers, baths) and blackwater (toilets).

In February 2019, Fincantieri contracted the Canadian company Thordon Bearings Inc to provide newbuild's bearings for the propeller shaft. Ship's propeller shaft system (Thordon COMPAC) is seawater-lubricated and based on 100% grease-oil-free bearings. The innovative propeller shaft system was also installed on all the following Viking OCEAN units (on order or under construction) with scheduled deliveries between 2021-2027. These systems are supplied and installed by Pedrotec (Thordon's authorized distributor in Italy).

Viking Mars (yard/hull number 6285) is the 8th in the Viking Ocean series and is currently under construction at Fincantieri's shipyard in Ancona Italy.

The keel-laying ceremony was held on February 4, 2021. The vessel was launched (floated out from drydock) on July 15, 2021, and delivered by Fincantieri to Viking OCEAN on May 12, 2022. The christening ceremony was on May 17th, held dockside in Valletta Malta's Grand Harbour. The ship's godmother is the 8th Countess of Carnarvon (1964-born as Fiona Jane Mary Aitken). She is the wife (since 1999) of George Herbert (1956-born as George Reginald Oliver Molyneux Herbert) who was Lord Porchester (1987-2001) and since 2001 is the 8th Earl of Carnarvon. The private naming ceremony was attended by Torstein Hagen (Viking's Chairman), Karine Hagen (Viking's Executive Vice President), VIP guests (friends and business partners, Maltese officials), and featured a live performance by Sissel Kyrkjebo (crossover soprano singer, Viking Jupiter's godmother). The godmother Lady Fiona Carnarvon blessed Viking Mars via live streaming from Highclere Castle (1679-built estate in Highclere, Hampshire England, Earls of Carnarvon's country seat).

The ship's first Master was Captain Atle Knutsen.

Commemorating the company’s 25th anniversary, on September 30, 2022, in Amsterdam (Netherlands) was Viking's ever-first meeting of three different types of vessels - ocean ship (Viking Mars), expedition ship (Viking Polaris) and riverboat (Viking Mani). Following Viking Polaris' naming ceremony, the three vessels sailed in a convoy from Amsterdam to IJmuiden.

Inaugural itineraries 2021

Viking Ocean's Mars ship cruise itineraries were open for booking in December 2020.

Next tables show all maiden voyages (in 2022) by destination and homeport, with lowest prices per person (in USD, Balcony Cabin rates with double occupancy).

14-day Inaugural Cruise (Maiden Voyage/relocation) from the Mediterranean to the Baltic UK (from $5000 pp)

14-day inaugural Norwegian Fjords cruise from Norway to the UK (from $6500 pp)

28-day inaugural Baltic cruise from the UK to Sweden (from $13500 pp)

12-day inaugural cruise to Iceland from Norway (from $5800 pp)

14-day inaugural Around Britain cruise (from $7300 pp)

Godspeed!