Viking Mars

MS Viking Mars cruise ship (scheduled inauguration in 2022 May) is the 9th in a series of 10 identical vessels built for Viking Ocean Cruises. In 2017, having already 4 operational liners (Star, Sea, Sky, Sun), VIKING OCEAN announced a fleet-expansion to total 10 vessels (6 more newbuilds on order), with scheduled deliveries in 2018 (Orion), 2019 (Jupiter), 2021 (Tellus and Venus) and 2022 (Neptune and Mars).

History - construction and ownership

The 930-passenger cruise ship Viking Mars offers destination-oriented cruising experience, with few at-sea days, long in-ports days and more exciting overnights in key spots. Ship's amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi, free shore excursions, wine and beer with no charge at dinner and lunch.

Each of the Viking Ocean ships offers many ticket price-inclusive / complimentary amenities and services, such as all shore excursions, transfers, Wi-Fi, wine and beer (at lunches and dinners), access to Nordic Spa (steam room, thalassotherapy pool, hot tub, snow room / grotto, sauna, cold plunge pool). The infinity pool (resistance swimming pool located aft on Deck 7 / at the ship's stern) is another unique and complimentary facility.

All Viking Ocean liners were built according to the latest maritime navigation regulations and equipped with latest marine safety systems, including "safe return to port". The ships also implement some of the maritime industry's latest technologies, including energy-saving hybrid engines (diesel generators and gas turbines), optimized hulls and bulbous bows for max fuel efficiency. Ship design also features the common for Viking River Cruises longships solar panels (installed on the Magradome pool cover) additionally minimizing the vessel's exhaust pollution.

Cruise itinerary program

Viking Mars itinerary program was officially announced in December 2020 and starts in 2022-Q2. The ship's inaugural cruise season is in Northern Europe. The maiden voyages (Baltic Sea, Norwegian Fjords and Iceland itineraries) range between 12-14-28 days.

The inaugural cruise is currently scheduled for May 28 (2022) with the following 14-day relocation itinerary from the Mediterranean to the Baltic.

On September 27 (2022) Viking Mars repositions back to the Meditterreana with a 14-day voyage from Bergen to Barcelona. In the UK, Viking Ocean ships are homeported in London-Greenwich England.

All Viking Ocean ships offer destination-rich itineraries featured with the line's new "small ship cruise" tour and onboard experience. Compared to similar class ships operated by other lines, Viking Ocean itineraries feature fewer sea days and longer port days, with a lot of overnight port stays.

Cabins

Viking Mars staterooms (465 total) include 47x Suites, 32x Penthouses and 386x Veranda/Balcony cabins in 18 grades.

All passenger cabins are balconied and offering all the industry's modern amenities and services, including King-size beds ("Viking Explorer", deluxe mattresses and linens, Cashmere blankets), en suite bathroom (heated floor, heated mirror, glass-door shower, hairdryer, premium bath products and toiletries /by Freyja, bathrobes, slippers, towel warmers), seating area (sofa, coffee table, vanity desk with chair, wardrobe, full-length mirror with mini lights), satellite phone, HDTV (3D, Infotainment / interactive TV system for Internet access, room service ordering, movies-on-demand, live webcams views, Viking Cruises channel for news, enrichment lectures and port talks), in-room binoculars, electronic safe box, individual air-conditioning, coffee machine, mini-bar (replenished daily with bottled water, soft drinks, snacks).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Viking Mars offers the following dining venues: Restaurant (dining room), buffets (Viking Deli, World Cafe), Aquavit Terrace (al fresco), speciality (Italian Grill, Chef's Table), Private Dining (2 rooms). Viking Neptune deals are inclusive of shore excursions, complimentary alcohol (wine and beer at lunch and dinner) and Wi-Fi.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

MS Viking Mars facilities include Neptune Lounge (theater), Explorers Lounge (observation), Atrium (Lobby and Lounge), Shops, Bar, Piano Bar, Wintergarden (poolside area), Walking Track, walkaround Promenade (deck 2), covered pool area (with jacuzzi, bar & grill), infinity pool (jacuzzi), Spa & Fitness, Beauty Salon, The Dome (planetarium with portable telescope).

Onboard, Viking Cruises Viking Mars ship offers two swimming pools - the main and Infinity Pool, spa and fitness centre. The Sea also features a piano lounge, winter garden and aquavit terrace. Not to forget the sports deck, star theatre and bar, lobby bar, various shops. The walk-around promenade deck fully encircles the ship. The two-deck airy Explorer's Lounge offers observation area which is a feature that lots of today's cruise ships lack. Many of the new features reflect a boutique hotel feel - the fire pit and Nordic-influenced spa offering sauna and snow room are an example.

Next YouTube video is a Viking Ocean cruise ship review (by Jim Zimmerlin). It shows all the ship's main onboard facilities and also provides information on most amenities.

All Viking Ocean ships have an onboard "snow room". The 2013-launched Viking Grace (2800-passenger ferry ship operated by VIKING LINE) was the ever first vessel with a snow room. Viking Cruises' "Snow Grotto" is a spa retreat with powdery snow falling down from the ceiling. The experience (touted beneficial to the body's blood circulation) includes heating in a sauna (steam bath), then walking into this small room fitted with benches and with dark stone walls illuminated by blue light. The snow on the floor is kept at sub-freezing temperatures. This Arctic-themed facility is part of the ship's thermal suite (within the spa complex). This relaxation area has also 1 hot tub, sauna room, heated ceramic loungers, therapeutic showers, salt-water thermal pool. Snow Grotto access is complimentary to all passengers.

Among the vessel's innovative marine technologies are its energy-saving hybrid engines, top-deck solar panels, pollution-minimizing exhaust system. This ship also uses seawater as a lubricant for its propeller shaft bearings. This technology lowers the vessel's maintenance costs and also the risk of pollution. Replacing the biodegradable oils, the water is being directly discharged into the ocean.

Viking Ocean ships represent a "smaller ship" concept. The relatively shallow draft (21 ft / 6,3 m), design (hull and superstructure) and technology allow the ship to directly access even small ports. The ship's smaller size also guarantees an easy and faster passenger embarkation/debarkation process. Another unique feature for the "affordable luxury" ocean cruising market is that regardless of cabin categories, all Viking Ocean deals are price-inclusive of the shore excursions in all ports in the cruise ship itinerary.

All passenger cabins are with private step-out verandas, and about 1/5th larger than average standard staterooms on the ocean cruising market. An interesting feature of the ship is the dining room. This venue could be transformed into an outdoor casual dining place thanks to its floor-to-ceiling sliding windows. For Viking Ocean ships' interiors were contracted SMC Design (London-based interior design company) and Rottet Studios (LA-based hotel design company).

Viking Cruises deals (on all river and ocean liners) are inclusive of shore excursions (land tours), onboard entertainment and dining (including at speciality restaurants), drinks and alcohol (beer, wine /at lunch and dinner), 24-hour room service, Wi-Fi.

In April 2018, Fincantieri contracted the Norwegian marine company Scanship to supply all the liner's cleaning systems - food waste processing, waste incineration, garbage handling, wastewater treatment plants. Scanship's wastewater purification system treats both greywater (sullage/sinks, showers, baths) and blackwater (toilets).

In February 2019, Fincantieri contracted the Canadian company Thordon Bearings Inc to provide newbuild's bearings for the propeller shaft. Ship's propeller shaft system (Thordon COMPAC) is seawater-lubricated and based on 100% grease-oil free bearings. The innovative propeller shaft system will be also installed on all the following Viking Ocean liners (on order or under construction) with scheduled deliveries between 2021-2027. These systems are supplied and installed by Pedrotec (Thordon's authorized distributor in Italy).

The vessel Viking Mars is the 9th in the Viking Ocean series and currently under construction at Fincantieri's shipyard in Ancona Italy.

Inaugural cruise itineraries 2021

Viking Ocean's Mars ship cruise itineraries were opened for booking in December 2020. Next tables show all maiden voyages (in 2022) by destination and homeport, with lowest prices per person (in USD, Balcony Cabin rates with double occupancy).

14-day Inaugural Cruise (Maiden Voyage/relocation) from the Mediterranean to the Baltic UK (from $5000 pp)

14-day inaugural Norwegian Fjords cruise from Norway to the UK (from $6500 pp)

28-day inaugural Baltic cruise from the UK to Sweden (from $13500 pp)

12-day inaugural cruise to Iceland from Norway (from $5800 pp)

14-day inaugural Around Britain cruise (from $7300 pp)

Godspeed to the new ship!