New cruise ships for 2015: Viking Star
Four major cruise lines that market to North Americans are rolling out new ships this year. Here, Paste BN profiles one of the new offerings: Viking's Viking Star. For information on the year's other new vessels, click HERE to return to the main page of Paste BN's Guide to the New Cruise Ships of 2015.
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VIKING STAR
Line: Viking Ocean Cruises
Maiden voyage: April 11
Home ports: Various
Size (in tons): 47,800
Passengers: 930
The buzz: River cruise giant Viking is getting into ocean cruising for the first time with this relatively small, upscale vessel, which initially will sail in the Mediterranean and the Baltic.
Less than a third the size of the latest megaships from the likes of Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, it'll mix onboard elegance with a focus on destinations that executives say has been lost across much of the cruise industry in recent years. Itineraries will feature more time in ports than at many other lines, and in a relatively rare twist, shore excursions will be included in the price (as will beer and wine with lunch and dinner; and even wi-fi access -- something that can cost up to 75 cents a minute at other lines).
The Viking Star also will be able to access smaller ports that often are off limits to today's megaships, thanks to its smaller size. It'll have a modern Scandinavian design, and cabins will be large for a cruise ship, with the smallest of five cabin categories having 270 square feet of space. In addition, every cabin will have a balcony. Fourteen two-room suites on the ship will range from 757 to 1,448 square feet and offer sweeping views from wrap-around private balconies.
Itineraries: A diverse range of eight- to 50-day sailings around the Baltic and Mediterranean starting at $2,499 per person.
Information: 866-984-5464; vikingcruises.com.
For a deck-by-deck look at a Viking vessel, click through the carousel below.
More on Viking Star
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Fast-growing Viking orders two more ocean ships
Viking cuts steel for new ocean ship
A sneak peek at plans for new Viking ship
New upscale line to debut in 2015
Head of new line: We won't nickel-and-dime