Viking Neptune

The 2022-built MS Viking Neptune cruise ship is the 9th 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 9845910) is currently Norway-flagged (MMSI 257850000) and registered in Bergen.

History - construction and ownership

The 930-passenger ship Viking Neptune 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 Neptune 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 Neptune 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 Neptune 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 Neptune itinerary program was announced by VIKING OCEAN in late-December 2020. The new ship is currently scheduled to start operations with a new Viking World Cruise 2022-2023. The 138-day itinerary visits ports in 28 countries (total 58 cruise ports) with overnights in 11 port cities.

• Departing on December 22, 2022, from Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale Florida), Viking World Voyage 2022 visits ports in Central America, follows Panama Canal transit and sailing up North America's West Coast. A 121-day segment (Viking World Journeys) allows travelers to join the cruise ship in Los Angeles CA, from where the itinerary continues to Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East, and Europe (Mediterranean and Atlantic Coastal) to end in London-Greenwich, England UK.
• Viking Neptune's World Cruise itinerary offers overnights (also double overnights) in 11 ports, including Auckland New Zealand, Sydney NSW Australia, Benoa Bali Indonesia, Saigon Vietnam, Singapore, Yangon Burma, Colombo Sri Lanka, Mumbai India, Haifa Israel, Istanbul Turkey and London-Greenwich (before the debarkation). Note: For the itinerary's all call ports see at the ship's Wiki section here.

Curiously, in August 2021, Viking OCEAN announced a "double world cruise 2023-2024" with two ships (Neptune and Sky) sailing on an identical itinerary from Florida. While Viking Neptune departs on December 23 (2023), Viking Sky departs earlier (on December 20, 2023), sailing in parallel with Neptune.

• Departing from Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale Florida USA) and ending in London-Greenwich, "Viking World Voyage 2023-2024" prices started from USD 60,000 (EUR 51015) on Viking Sky/Dec 20, and from USD 55,000 (EUR 46760) on Viking Neptune/Dec 23.
• An Early Booking promo (for bookings made for September 30, 2021) offered USD 2000 pp (shore excursions credit), USD 1000 pp (OBC-onboard credit) and an additional USD 1000 pp OBC (for Viking Explorer Society/loyalty program members).

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 6285) 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 IX, 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" travel concept. The relatively shallow draft (21 ft / 6,3 m), design (hull and superstructure) and technology allow the ship to directly access even small ports. 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 about 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 riverboats and ocean liners) are inclusive of shore excursions (land tours), onboard entertainment and dining (including at specialty 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 will be also installed on all the following Viking Ocean liners (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).

The ship (yard/hull number 6285) is the 10th in the Viking OCEAN series. The launch/float out at Fincantieri's shipyard in Ancona Italy was on January 13, 2021. Fincantieri officially delivered the ship to Viking OCEAN on November 10, 2022. The christening ceremony was on January 8, 2023, held dockside in Port Los Angeles. The naming event was led by godmother Nicole Marie Passonno Stott (1962-born engineer and retired NASA astronaut and aquanaut) and attended by Torstein Hagen (Viking's Chairman). Traditionally for the travel brand, Nicole Stott as the godmother used a historic Viking axe (presented by the Norwegian soprano Sissel Kyrkjebo/godmother of Viking Jupiter) to cut the ribbon that released a bottle of aquavit (Norwegian distilled spirit) to break on the hull. The special event featured a live performance by Sissel Kyrkjebo accompanied by Tor Jaran Apold (Norwegian violinist).

Unlike the sisterships, Viking Neptune was originally fitted with a hydrogen fuel cell module (max power capacity 100 KW).

Maiden Voyage (2022)

Next table shows Viking Neptune's inaugural cruise (very first voyage) in 2022.

7-day "Ancient Mediterranean Treasures" itinerary (from US$2600 pp)

(inaugural Transatlantic crossing) 14-day from Europe to the USA (Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale, from US$3000 pp)

Godspeed!

Inaugural (Viking World Cruise 2022-2023) itinerary

The unique voyage featured 11 overnight port stays and (as "sea days") cruising in Gulf of Mexico (day 2), Caribbean Sea (days 4-5), Pacific Ocean (9, 12-14, 16-17, 20-24, 27-31, 35-39, 47), NZ's Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound (48), Tasman Sea (49-50, 54), Coral Sea (60), Arafura Sea (65-66), Timor Sea (67), Java Sea (72), South China Sea (75-76, 80), Gulf of Thailand (82), Strait of Malacca (85), Andaman Sea (87), Bay of Bengal (91-93), Laccadive Sea (96), Arabian Sea (98, 103-104), Gulf of Suez (112), Mediterranean Sea (116, 123), Aegean Sea (121), Balearic Sea (128), Atlantic Ocean coastal navigation (133), English Channel (134).

Next table shows Viking Neptune's 2022-2023 World Voyage (138-day itinerary) as dates and call ports.

The 120-day World Cruise segment from Los Angeles to London (Jan 8 - May 8) was priced from USD 47K pp.

Full World Cruise prices started from USD 50K per person (with double occupancy). Viking World Journeys 2023 itinerary prices started from USD 47K pp. Early bookings received up to US$50K per stateroom in Viking Value package inclusive of Business Class international flights, transfers (to/from the ship), complimentary Visa services, shipboard gratuities, service fees, Silver Spirits Beverage Package, free luggage shipping services (upon embarkation).

Bookings made by February 28, 2021, received additional USD 2000 pp in shore excursion credit (used for booking optional land tours) and USD 1000 pp in OBC (onboard credit used toward optional tours, shipboard shopping, beverages and spa services). Viking Explorer Society members additionally received USD 1000 pp in OBC.