57 Viking

Ocean’s away

Viking has the newest ocean fleet, introducing its first ocean ship in 2015, the all-veranda, 930-guest Viking Star. The Viking Sea joined her in 2016, with six more ships sailing the seas by 2022, with Viking Mars and Viking Neptune the newest additions. Viking Saturn will be introduced in early 2023. These beautiful ships sail on enriching itineraries around the globe, with a focus on Scandinavia and Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, Asia, Alaska, North and South America and Africa.

All the ocean and expedition ships offer complimentary access to the Nordic Spa – embrace cold therapy in the Scandinavian Snow Grotto, relax in the steam room, nap on a heated bed or de-stress in the hydrotherapy pool all at no cost.

Expedite to an Expedition

Viking explores near and far with the new Polar-class ships – Viking Octantis, launched in 2021 and Viking Polaris launched in 2022 – both carrying 378 guests and purpose-built for expeditions in remote destinations like Antarctica, the Chilean Fjords, Patagonia, and the Great Lakes of the USA and Canada. A standout factor of these ships is The Hangar, an industry-first state-of-the-art, in-ship marina making it easy to get on and off the Special Operations Boats as it is sheltered from the weather. Another wonderful feature is that every room has floor-to-ceiling, distortion-free glass so you can totally binge on the views over the landscape or ocean. The Finse Terrace is also a hotspot for views – literally – it is an outdoor lounge area just above sea level with recessed seating and lava rock “firepits”.

“We loved the fact that a shore tour was included in each destination, and the fact that the included tours were only half day, meaning we had free time for the other half of the day. We also loved the all-inclusive pricing. Our bill when we got off the ship was $0! Best for: Great for foodies as the variety and quality is great with specialty restaurants also included in the price.” JONATHAN HOUSE | TRAVEL ASSOCIATES RUNAWAY BAY, QLD

An itinerary you’ll love

The 12-day ‘Pharaohs and Pyramids’ itinerary showcases the best of Egypt with three days in Cairo before flying to Luxor to board your Viking River Cruise. Explore the Temple of Luxor and the Temple of Karnak with its 136 pillars, visit Queen Nefertari’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings, and in Aswan, ride a traditional felucca on the Nile and visit the spice market. Discover more from Viking

HIDDEN GEM Guests love that there are no kids and no casinos, and that there are no hidden fees. One price covers port charges, Wi-Fi, meals, lectures, activities and shore excursions, plus hotel accommodations on cruise tours. On Viking expedition ships the fleet of military pro zodiacs, convertible RIBs (rigid inflatable boats), two-seater kayaks and two submarines are complimentary for all guests to use throughout their voyage.

ALL ABOARD FOR SUSTAINABLE CRUISING

With sustainability now a key focus for travellers, cruising is stepping up to the plate with innovative technologies and other measures. Here are just some of the initiatives afloat from our recommended cruise lines.

Gassed up

It is one thing to cruise to the world’s most beautiful places where nature rules in all her splendour. The key is to protect the ecosystems of these destinations and the local communities that reside there. PONANT’s latest addition to the fleet, Le Commandant Charcot, is the first luxury hybrid electric polar exploration ship powered by liquified natural gas. Safe and low impact polar navigation is her area of expertise, taking advantage of the latest innovations and even developing new, market-leading technologies and solutions to make Le Commandant Charcot one of the most advanced polar vessels at sea today. Then there is Le Ponant, the stunning sailing yacht powered by the wind, and equipped with the latest technological innovations. PONANT is also implementing state-of-the-art technologies aboard her ships, with improved waste and wastewater treatment. Eco-Connect with Regent

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has introduced 150 Eco-Connect tours around the world, where guests can engage with local groups and businesses to learn about how they are working to conserve and sustain their surrounding environment. The tours offer guests the opportunity to participate in a variety of experiences including sampling organic wine at a sustainable vineyard in Bordeaux, France. Guests will discover how converting to biodynamic and organic farming has further elevated the quality of the wines at Château de La Dauphine. In Puntarenas, Costa Rica, guests visit a sanctuary for sloths that have been orphaned or injured or have lost their habitat due to deforestation. In Hue, Vietnam, guests gain a new appreciation for the diverse flora and fauna as they hike around the beautiful Bach Ma National Park with a naturalist.

Project Evolution with Silversea

Silversea will be introducing the world’s first low-emissions luxury cruise liner with advanced hybrid technology that utilises fuel cells, emitting zero harmful emissions while in port. This is an industry first. Silver Nova, the first of the Nova Class ships – with Silver Ray coming in 2024 – will feature hybrid technology for the vessel’s engines, which will be able to reduce carbon emissions through not only the use of LNG, but also by charging fuel cells and batteries to reduce the consumption of fuel whenever possible. Silver Nova will have three fuel sources, including a fuel cell system, battery technology, and dual-fuel engines that use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the main fuel. The new hybrid technology also allows Silver Nova to achieve a 40 per cent overall reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions per double suite. Eating green with Oceania CrUISES

Known for the finest cuisine at sea, Oceania Cruises also leads with the most extensive and creative plant-based menus. Take your pick of more than 200 healthy, bold and flavourful dishes on the menu – an OceaniaNEXT innovation. The plant-based dishes have been developed by Oceania Cruises’ culinary leadership team in concert with world-renowned chef, culinary instructor, and author Christophe Berg. These are in addition to their renowned vegetarian and Canyon Ranch selections and are available on all of Oceania Cruises’ ships. The range of cuisines spans the globe, including Italian, Greek, Middle Eastern, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican, Italian, Malaysian and more. Choose from healthy Power Bowls and Poke Bowls, hearty pastas and pad Thai, light and refreshing salads and soups and even a variety of surprisingly decadent items including an Apple-Oatmeal Crumble with plant-based Vanilla Ice Cream.