VIKING’S newest Nile ship has been named in Aswan by acclaimed architect Richard Riveire, with the 82-guest Viking Aton (pictured inset) joining the cruise line’s growing Egypt fleet. The ship was named on Sat, with Reveire, designer of Viking’s river, ocean and expedition vessels, offering the vessel a blessing of...
VIKING’S newest Nile ship has been named in Aswan by acclaimed architect Richard Riveire, with the 82-guest Viking Aton (pictured inset) joining the cruise line’s growing Egypt fleet.
The ship was named on Sat, with Reveire, designer of Viking’s river, ocean and expedition vessels, offering the vessel a blessing of good fortune.
Aton is an identical sister ship of Viking Osiris, a state-of-the-art vessel specifically built to navigate the Nile.
She will sail Viking’s popular Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, an eight-day round trip, featuring access to the Tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the Tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings.
The sister ships feature several familiar Viking aspects, such as a distinctive square bow, and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace.
In addition to Aton and Osiris, identical sister ships Viking Hathor and Viking Sobek are under construction, and will be delivered in 2024 and 2025 respectively, by which time the cruise line will have six ships sailing the Nile.
“We are pleased to welcome Viking Aton to our growing fleet,” Chair Torstein Hagen said.
“Together with her sister ship, the Viking Osiris, they are the newest and most elegant vessels on the Nile, by far.
“With extraordinarily strong interest in Egypt among our guests, we are proud to bring another state-of-the-art vessel to this region, and we look forward to introducing even more curious travellers to the country’s rich cultural treasures.”
Riveire said it is an honour to be Aton’s godfather.
“For well over a decade, I have been proud to work alongside Tor, Karine and the Viking team to help design how the Viking brand comes to life on board,” he said.
“Together, we share the belief that the design of each Viking ship should showcase the destination, wherever you may be in the world.”
Pictured top at the christening are British photographer Alastair Miller; Senior Vice President Passenger Operations River Harald Seebacher; Aton Captain Adb El Fattah; Viking Egyptian partner Sherif El Bana; Vice Minister for Tourism Ghada Shalaby; Hagen; Viking Egyptian Partner Mohamed El Bana; The Arab Contractors board member Ayman Attya; and Riveire.
