Viking Saturn

The 2023-built MS Viking Saturn cruise ship (fka “Viking Tellus”) is the 10th and final vessel in a 10-unit series of identical ships built for Viking Ocean Cruises.

Viking OCEAN’s current plans are for a fleet of 16 sisterships, all of which are built by Fincantieri and flagged in Norway.

The vessel (IMO number 9845922) is currently Norway-flagged (MMSI 258024000) and registered in Bergen.

History - construction and ownership

The 930-passenger ship Viking Saturn offers a destination-focused cruising experience, with fewer days at sea, longer stays in port, and more overnight calls in key destinations. Onboard amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi, free shore excursions, and beer and wine served at lunch and dinner at no extra charge.

Each Viking Ocean ship offers a wide range of price-inclusive amenities and services, including all shore excursions, transfers, Wi-Fi, and beer and wine at lunch and dinner, as well as access to the Nordic Spa (steam room, thalassotherapy pool, hot tub, snow room/grotto, sauna, cold plunge pool). The infinity pool (a resistance pool located aft on Deck 7) is another distinctive complimentary feature.

All Viking Ocean ships are built in accordance with the latest maritime navigation regulations and are equipped with advanced marine safety systems, including “safe return to port.” They also incorporate some of the industry’s latest technologies, such as energy-efficient hybrid engines (diesel generators and gas turbines), optimized hull forms, and bulbous bows for maximum fuel efficiency. The design also includes solar panels (installed on the Magradome pool cover), further reducing exhaust emissions.

Decks and Cabins

Viking Saturn staterooms (465 total) include 47 Suites, 32 Penthouses, and 386 Veranda/Balcony cabins across 18 categories.

All passenger cabins feature private verandas and offer modern amenities and services, including king-size “Viking Explorer” beds (with deluxe mattresses and linens, cashmere blankets), en-suite bathrooms (heated floors and mirrors, glass-door showers, hairdryers, premium Freyja bath products, bathrobes, slippers, towel warmers), seating areas (sofa, coffee table, vanity desk with chair, wardrobe, full-length mirror with lighting), satellite phone, smart HDTV (infotainment system with Internet access, room service ordering, on-demand movies, live webcam views, and Viking Cruises channels), in-room binoculars, electronic safe, individual climate control, coffee machine, and a mini-bar (replenished daily with bottled water, soft drinks, and snacks).

The vessel has 10 decks, 6 of which accommodate passenger cabins.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

Viking Saturn offers the following dining venues: Restaurant (main dining room), buffets (Viking Deli, World Cafe), Aquavit Terrace (alfresco dining), specialty venues (Italian Grill, Chef’s Table), and Private Dining rooms (2). Viking OCEAN cruise fares include shore excursions, complimentary beverages (beer and wine at lunch and dinner), and Wi-Fi.

Signature facilities onboard Viking Saturn include two swimming pools (Main Pool and aft Infinity Pool), a covered pool deck (with Jacuzzi and Bar & Grill), Viking Living Room (Atrium Lobby Lounge), two cinemas, a modern wellness complex (Spa & Fitness Center, Beauty Salon), Wintergarden (poolside relaxation area), Aquavit Terrace (aft outdoor bar lounge with Infinity Pool and hot tub), Piano Bar Lounge (Torshavn), a dedicated sports deck (Deck 9, featuring a walking track and outdoor gym/yoga area), Theatre Lounge & Bar, Lobby Bar, and various shops and boutiques.

The walk-around Lanai/Promenade Deck (Deck 2) fully encircles the ship. The two-deck Explorer’s Lounge features a large bow-facing observation area—an increasingly rare feature on modern cruise ships. Many onboard spaces are designed to reflect a boutique hotel ambiance.

All Viking Ocean ships feature an onboard “snow room.” The 2013-built Viking Grace (a 2,800-passenger ferry operated by VIKING LINE) was the first vessel to introduce this feature. Viking’s “Snow Grotto” is a spa retreat where snow gently falls from the ceiling. The experience, believed to benefit circulation, involves warming up in a sauna or steam room before entering a chilled environment with benches and softly illuminated stone walls. The snow-covered floor is kept below freezing. This Arctic-themed feature is part of the ship’s thermal suite, which also includes a hot tub, sauna, heated loungers, therapeutic showers, and a saltwater thermal pool. Access to the Snow Grotto is complimentary for all passengers.

Itineraries

Viking Saturn’s itinerary program opened for booking in October 2021, when Viking OCEAN also announced that the ship’s maiden season would include three new itineraries visiting Baltic, Scandinavian, and Nordic destinations.

Two of the new itineraries are 15-day voyages: “Iconic Iceland, Greenland & Canada” (a North Atlantic crossing from New York City to Reykjavik) and “Iceland & Norway’s Arctic Explorer” (from Bergen to Nordkapp and Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen Island). The third itinerary is a 29-day voyage, “Greenland, Iceland, Norway & Beyond,” a transatlantic crossing from Bergen to New York City.

Starting in August 2023, the ship also operates the Viking brand’s signature itinerary, “Iceland’s Natural Beauty” (an 8-day roundtrip from Reykjavik).

Viking Saturn’s inaugural cruise is scheduled for May 2, 2023—a 7-day Mediterranean voyage from Civitavecchia (Rome) to Barcelona.

All Viking OCEAN ships offer destination-focused itineraries designed around immersive travel experiences. Compared to similar vessels operated by other cruise lines, Viking’s itineraries typically feature fewer sea days, longer port stays, and more overnight calls.

The vessel (Fincantieri Ancona yard/hull number 6286) has a volume of 47,842 GT (gross tonnage), DWT (deadweight tonnage) of 4,912 tons, and a maximum draft of 6.3 m. Her powerplant is based on MAN marine diesel engines (model 12V32/9L32/44) with a combined output of 23.52 MW (22,000 hp). The registered shipowner is VIKING OCEAN CRUISES SHIP X, while the registered manager is VIKING OCEAN CRUISES LTD.

A notable fact is that Viking OCEAN’s ship Saturn was initially planned to be named “Viking Tellus” (yard/hull number 6286), according to the IMO listing by the shipbuilder. The name “Saturn” was officially announced on October 14, 2021.

Among the vessel’s innovative marine technologies are energy-efficient hybrid engines, top-deck solar panels, and a pollution-minimizing exhaust system. The ship also uses seawater as a lubricant for its propeller shaft bearings. This technology reduces maintenance costs and minimizes pollution risk. By replacing biodegradable oils, seawater is discharged directly into the ocean.

Viking OCEAN represents a “small ship” travel concept. The vessels’ relatively shallow draft (21 ft / 6.3 m), combined with their hull design and advanced technology, allows direct access even to smaller ports and harbors. The smaller size also ensures easier and faster passenger embarkation and disembarkation. Another key feature of Viking’s “affordable luxury” concept is that all cruise fares include shore excursions in every port, regardless of cabin category.

All passenger cabins feature private verandas and are approximately 20% larger than the average standard staterooms in the ocean cruising market. A distinctive feature of the ship is the main dining room, which can be transformed into an outdoor casual dining venue via floor-to-ceiling sliding windows. The interiors of Viking Ocean ships were designed by SMC Design (London-based) and Rottet Studios (Los Angeles-based).

Viking Cruises deals (on both river and ocean vessels) are inclusive of shore excursions (land tours), onboard entertainment and dining (including specialty restaurants), beverages (beer and wine at lunch and dinner), 24-hour room service, and Wi-Fi.

In April 2018, Fincantieri contracted the Norwegian marine company Scanship to supply the vessel’s environmental systems, including food waste processing, waste incineration, garbage handling, and wastewater treatment plants. Scanship’s purification system treats both greywater (from sinks, showers, baths) and blackwater (from toilets).

In February 2019, Fincantieri contracted the Canadian company Thordon Bearings Inc. to provide the vessel’s propeller shaft bearings. The Thordon COMPAC system is seawater-lubricated and uses 100% oil- and grease-free bearings. This innovative system was also specified for subsequent Viking OCEAN vessels (on order or under construction) scheduled for delivery between 2021 and 2027. These systems are supplied and installed by Pedrotec (Thordon’s authorized distributor in Italy).

The vessel (Fincantieri Ancona yard/hull number 6286) was launched (floated out) from drydock on June 23, 2022. The ceremony was led by godmother Elena Del Mastro (an Ancona shipyard employee) and attended by Torstein Hagen (Viking’s Chairman) and Pierroberto Folgiero (Fincantieri’s CEO).

Viking Saturn was officially delivered by Fincantieri on April 26, 2023, at the Ancona shipyard. The christening ceremony was held on June 6 in New York City. The naming event was led by godmother Ann Ziff (born 1954), co-founder and Chairman of Smile Train (the world’s largest cleft charity), Chairman of the Metropolitan Opera, and founder of the Caribbean Community Theater (St. Croix). She also serves on several boards, including Sing for Hope, the World Science Festival, the Los Angeles Opera, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Ann Ziff also owns the fine jewelry brand Tamsen Z.

The ceremony was attended by Torstein Hagen and Lady Fiona Carnarvon (Countess of Carnarvon, godmother of Viking Mars and Viking Skadi longship). The event featured live performances by Sissel Kyrkjebo (crossover soprano singer and godmother of Viking Jupiter) and violinist Tor Jaran Apold, as well as opera performances by Metropolitan Opera stars, including Susanna Phillips (soprano), Charles Castronovo (tenor), and Quinn Kelsey (baritone).

Inaugural cruise itineraries 2023

Viking Saturn’s itineraries opened for booking in October 2021.

The following are the maiden voyages (2023), listed by destination and homeport, with starting prices per person (USD, Balcony Cabin, double occupancy):

(May 2, US$3,600 pp) 7-day “Iconic Western Mediterranean” itinerary

(May 9, US$5,600 pp) 14-day “Iceland, British Isles and Iberia” itinerary

(May 23, US$7,000 pp) 14-day transatlantic crossing “Iconic Iceland, Greenland and Canada” itinerary

(June 7, US$14,000 pp) 28-day transatlantic crossing “Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Beyond” itinerary

Godspeed!