Viking® (www.viking.com) has taken delivery of the company’s newest ocean ship, the Viking Saturn®. The delivery ceremony took place this morning when the ship was presented at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, Italy. Viking also announced that the Viking Saturn will be officially named in New York City on June 6, 2023, by her ceremonial godmother, Ann Ziff, the esteemed philanthropist and Chairman of the Metropolitan Opera—a longtime Viking cultural partner. Following the naming ceremony, the ship will spend her inaugural summer sailing two new Viking voyages: Iconic Iceland, Greenland & Canada, between New York City and Reykjavík, and Iceland & Norway’s Arctic Explorer, between Reykjavík and Bergen.
“We are very proud to welcome the newest sister ship to our award-winning ocean fleet,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “We are also grateful that Ann Ziff has honored us by serving as godmother of the Viking Saturn. Having traveled with us for years, Ann is a loyal Viking guest, and she shares our commitment to the arts and cultural enrichment. Her contributions to the Metropolitan Opera, one of our longtime cultural partners, as well as many other important causes are truly impressive.”
“I am delighted to serve as godmother of the Viking Saturn,” said Ann Ziff. “For those who are curious about the world, there is no better way to explore and immerse yourself than from the comfort of a Viking ship.”
Ann Ziff, Godmother of the Viking Saturn
A dedicated philanthropist focused on the arts, education, culture and environmental conservation, Ann Ziff is Chairman of the Metropolitan Opera and serves on several boards, including the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Sing for Hope, the World Science Festival and the Los Angeles Opera. Passionate about bringing culture and arts into the lives of children in need, she co-founded Smile Train and was a board member at Maloto, an organization that provides education and housing for abused and abandoned girls in Malawi. Ms. Ziff also has an eponymous fine jewelry brand, Tamsen Z, where she designs and creates one-of-a-kind pieces inspired by her love of culture, art and music as well as her travels as a loyal Viking guest.
Viking and the Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is home to the most creative and talented musicians around the world and has been a Viking cultural partner since 2016. On board Viking’s ocean ships, guests are treated to the Metropolitan Opera’s award-winning Live in HD series, including an exclusive viewing of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. As part of Viking’s continued commitment to support enriching cultural programming, other premier partnerships and sponsorships include Ballet Sun Valley, BBC, Highclere Castle, Los Angeles Philharmonic, PBS’ MASTERPIECE, RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Oslo’s Munch Museum, TED and many others.
The Viking Saturn
The Viking Saturn is the newest ship in Viking’s award-winning ocean fleet of identical sister ships. Classified by Cruise Critic as “small ships,” Viking’s ocean vessels have a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons, with 465 staterooms that host 930 guests; the ships feature all veranda staterooms, Scandinavian design, light-filled public spaces and abundant al fresco dining options.
The delivery of the Viking Saturn comes as Viking continues celebrating its 25th anniversary. In January 2023, the company had its most successful single month of bookings following recent years of strong growth. Since 2020, Viking has welcomed 17 new ships to its fleet—including eight new Viking Longships on the rivers of Europe; new purpose-built vessels on the Mekong, Nile and Mississippi rivers; four new, identical ocean ships; and two Polar Class expedition vessels. Most recently, Viking was voted “Best Cruise Line” by Food & Wine readers in the publication’s inaugural Global Tastemakers Awards. In March 2023, the company dominated Cruise Critic’s Cruisers’ Choice Awards, receiving top honors in six categories including “Best Overall Line,” “Best River Line,” and “Best Dining” for its ocean and expedition voyages. Additionally, Viking has been named both the #1 Ocean Line and #1 River Line by both Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler, making it the first line ever to simultaneously earn #1 in its categories from both publications.
