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.