In a ceremony held in Basel, Switzerland, Viking celebrated the christening of its 100th ship, Viking Honir, marking a major milestone in the company’s 3-decade evolution from a river cruise operator to a global maritime travel brand.
The event formed part of a coordinated celebration across 6 countries and 3 continents on October 21st, during which 9 new riverboats were officially welcomed into the fleet.
Founded in 1997, Viking has become known for its large-scale naming ceremonies. In 2014, it set a Guinness World Record by christening 16 ships in 24 hours and subsequently inaugurating two more in Portugal, bringing its total to 52 vessels at that time. Since then, the fleet has nearly doubled, spanning river, ocean, and expedition categories, with a robust pipeline that includes 35 river ships and 14 oceangoing vessels currently on order or under option.
Chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen stated that as of late September, 64% of Viking’s 2026 capacity had already been sold, a figure that he said supports confidence in the company’s ongoing expansion. He noted that Viking’s growth on rivers continues to match demand, while the pace of expansion at sea is tailored to what he calls “thinking travelers” — a demographic seeking culturally focused, destination-driven voyages rather than resort-style cruising.
Viking’s European presence remains strong, with control or priority access to 110 docking stations across the continent. However, the line is steadily expanding its reach beyond Europe. Of the 9 ships named during the ceremony, two are based in Vietnam, two in Egypt — where Viking expects to operate 12 ships by 2027 — and two are destined for India.
The Viking Honir, named in Basel, will operate itineraries on the Rhine and Danube. The ship’s godmother, Michele Saegesser, Viking’s vice president of trade development and training, bestowed the traditional blessing before launching a bottle of Norwegian aquavit against the hull.
The multinational ceremony, linked via livestream to other shipyards including Germany’s Neptun Werft, underscored Viking’s continued commitment to steady expansion and consistency in its ship design, service philosophy, and cultural focus — principles that have defined the company since its earliest days on Europe’s rivers.