Viking Ocean Cruises® has celebrated the maiden voyage of its third ship, Viking Sky®, from Rome’s Civitavecchia port to Barcelona.

Sister ship to the Viking Star® and Viking Sea®, Viking Sky will begin her maiden season sailing itineraries throughout the Western and Eastern Mediterranean before heading north to sail Scandinavian and Baltic itineraries in the summer.

The ship will cross the Atlantic this Autumn and will finish the year sailing itineraries in the Americas and the Caribbean.

“As we officially welcome our third ship to the fleet, it is a proud moment for the entire Viking family. We continue to see a positive response from our guests and the industry, which makes us confident in our future growth,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. “We started in the cruise business 20 years ago, and our philosophy is still the same – we do not try to be everything to everyone. We are a destination-oriented small ship cruise line, and as we prepare to introduce a fourth ocean ship by the end of 2017, we look forward to introducing even more guests to The Viking Way of exploration.”

All cruise fares include a guided excursion in each port. Example excursions including:
· The Hermitage Behind Closed Doors, St. Petersburg, Russia – Offered on the 15-day Viking Homelands itinerary, guests receive a privileged access view of the vaults of one of the world’s greatest art collections at the Hermitage Museum.
· Vistas, Vikings & The Village Woodturner, Torshavn, Faroe Islands – Available on the 15-day In the Wake of the Vikings itinerary, guests can gain insight into daily village life and Viking heritage as they explore the village of Kvivik, site of a 10th-century Viking settlement.
· A Taste of Provence, Toulon, France – Guests on the 17-day Catalonia to Greece itinerary can enjoy a private cooking lesson at a 19th-century house in the Provençal countryside from Michelin-star rated Master Chef of France, Monsieur Bérard.
· Nazareth & The Sea of Galilee, Haifa, Israel – Offered on the 15-day Cities of Antiquity & the Holy Land itinerary, guests can choose to visit some of the most important places in the life of Jesus on this fascinating excursion through Canaan, Nazareth, Cana, Capernaum and Tabgha.
· King Crab Safari, Honningsvåg, Norway – Available on the 15-day Into the Midnight Sun itinerary, guests can set off in a deep-sea raft into the waters of Sarnesfjorden to catch their own king crab.
· Evening Concert on the Island of Our Lady of the Rocks, Kotor, Montenegro – On the 10-day Empires of the Mediterranean itinerary, guests can embark on a boat for the island of Gospa od Škrpjela, or Our Lady of the Rocks, to enjoy an intimate guitar recital by two eminent Montenegrin musicians, Darko Nikcevic and Srdjan Bultaovic.

The Viking Inclusive Value fare includes flights, a veranda stateroom, shore excursions in each port of call, all onboard meals, and all port charges and government taxes. Also included are beer and wine with lunch and dinner service; premium dining reservations; wifi; self-service laundry; access to the Thermal Suite in the LivNordic Spa; and 24-hour room.