Viking Cruises has announced the float-out of Viking Astrea, its second hydrogen-powered cruise ship, at Fincantieri’s Ancona Shipyard in Italy. The milestone marked the first time the vessel was placed in the water as construction progresses toward her scheduled delivery in May 2027.
The float-out operation began with a ceremonial cord-cutting that allowed water to enter the building dock. The process took ~2 days, after which Viking Astrea was moved to an adjacent outfitting dock for interior installation and completion of the remaining construction work.
The 54,300-gross-ton ship will feature 499 staterooms and accommodate up to 998 guests. Her propulsion system will combine conventional technology with liquefied hydrogen and fuel cells, with the fuel-cell system capable of generating up to 6 megawatts of power.
The hydrogen and fuel-cell propulsion technology has been supplied by Fincantieri subsidiary Isotta Fraschini Motori, which specializes in advanced fuel-cell systems.
Following delivery, Viking Astrea will spend her inaugural season operating itineraries in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.
Viking’s first hydrogen-powered cruise ship, Viking Libra, remains scheduled for delivery in November 2026.