Viking Sky

The 2017-built MS Viking Sky cruise ship is the third in a 10-unit series of identical vessels built for Viking Ocean Cruises. Viking OCEAN’s current plans are for a fleet of 16 sisterships, all of which are Fincantieri-built and Norway-flagged.

The vessel (IMO number 9650420) is currently Norway-flagged (MMSI 259186000) and registered in Bergen.

History - construction and ownership

The 930-passenger ship Viking Sky offers a destination-oriented cruising experience, with fewer sea days, longer port stays, and more overnight calls in key destinations. The ship’s features include complimentary Wi-Fi, included shore excursions, and complimentary wine and beer at lunch and dinner.

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

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

Decks and Cabins

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

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

The ship has 10 decks, of which 6 contain passenger cabins.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

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

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

The walk-around Lanai/Promenade Deck (Deck 2) fully encircles the ship. The two-deck Explorer’s Lounge features a large forward-facing observation area, a distinctive feature not commonly found on modern cruise ships. Many of the vessel’s amenities are designed to replicate a boutique hotel atmosphere.

All Viking Ocean ships feature a “snow room.” Viking’s Snow Grotto is a spa retreat where powdery snow falls from the ceiling. The experience, considered beneficial for circulation, typically involves warming up in a sauna or steam room before entering the cold chamber. The room is fitted with benches and dark stone walls illuminated by blue light, with snow maintained at sub-freezing temperatures. This Arctic-themed facility is part of the thermal suite and also includes a hot tub, sauna, heated ceramic loungers, therapeutic showers, and a saltwater thermal pool. Access to the Snow Grotto is complimentary for all passengers.

Itineraries

Viking Sky’s itinerary program focuses on European cruises (Baltic and Mediterranean), complemented by seasonal Atlantic repositioning voyages in spring and fall. Key destinations include the Norwegian Fjords, Russia, Scandinavia, the Eastern Mediterranean (Greece, Turkey), and the Central Mediterranean (France, Italy, Spain, Monaco, Tunisia).

Following the Coronavirus crisis, in summer 2021, Viking Ocean resumed passenger operations with Viking Venus (“England’s Scenic Shores,” UK coastal roundtrips from Liverpool and Portsmouth, from May 22), Viking Orion (“Bermuda Escape,” 8-day roundtrips from Hamilton, from June 15), and Viking Sky (“Iceland’s Natural Beauty,” 8-day roundtrips from Reykjavik, from June 26). These voyages were initially open only to UK residents.

In August 2021, Viking OCEAN announced a “double world cruise 2023-2024,” with two ships (Neptune and Sky) sailing identical itineraries from Florida. While Viking Neptune departs on December 23, 2023, Viking Sky departs earlier (December 20, 2023), sailing in parallel. The 138-day itinerary visits 58 ports in 28 countries, including overnight stays in 11 cities.

• Departing from Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale Florida USA) and ending in London-Greenwich, the “Viking World Voyage 2023-2024” was priced from USD 60,000 (EUR 51,015) on Viking Sky (Dec 20 departure) and from USD 55,000 (EUR 46,760) on Viking Neptune (Dec 23 departure).
• An Early Booking promotion (for reservations made by September 30, 2021) offered USD 2,000 per person in shore excursion credit, USD 1,000 per person onboard credit (OBC), and an additional USD 1,000 OBC for Viking Explorer Society members.

All Viking OCEAN ships offer destination-rich itineraries centered on the brand’s “small ship cruise” concept. Compared to similar vessels operated by other lines, Viking’s itineraries feature fewer sea days, longer port stays, and more frequent overnight calls.

The vessel (Fincantieri Trieste yard/hull number 6237) has a volume of 47,842 GT, deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 4,826 tons, and a maximum draft of 6.3 m. The powerplant is based on MAN marine diesel engines (models 12V32/9L32/44) with a combined output of 23.52 MW (22,000 hp). The registered shipowner is VIKING OCEAN CRUISES SHIP II, while the registered manager is VIKING OCEAN CRUISES LTD.

Viking OCEAN offers destination-rich itineraries featuring the brand’s “small ship cruise” concept and onboard experience. Compared to similar-class ships operated by other lines, Viking Ocean itineraries include fewer sea days and longer port stays, often with overnight calls.

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, as water replaces biodegradable oils and is discharged directly back into the ocean.

Viking OCEAN delivers a new-style vacation cruising experience based on the “smaller ship” concept. The relatively shallow draft (21 ft / 6.3 m), combined with advanced hull and superstructure design, allows the vessel to access smaller ports. The ship’s size also ensures faster and more efficient passenger embarkation and disembarkation. Another key feature of Viking’s “affordable luxury” concept is that, regardless of cabin category, all cruise fares include shore excursions in every port along the itinerary.

All passenger cabins feature private balconies and are approximately 20% larger than the industry average for standard ocean cruise staterooms. A notable feature is the main dining room, which can be transformed into an outdoor casual dining venue thanks to its floor-to-ceiling sliding windows. The ship’s interiors were designed by SMC Design (London-based) and Rottet Studios (Los Angeles-based).

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

On March 23, 2016, the ship (yard/hull number 6237) was launched (floated out) from drydock at Ancona shipyard. She was initially scheduled to enter service in 2016, but delivery was delayed until 2017. The official delivery ceremony took place on January 26, 2017. The inaugural cruise (maiden voyage) departed on February 25 (a 7-night itinerary from Rome-Civitavecchia to Barcelona). Following her inaugural European season (Mediterranean and Baltic), she operated a 14-night Transatlantic repositioning cruise from Bergen, Norway, to Montreal, Canada (September 10–23), after which she was deployed to the Caribbean.

On June 22, 2017, in Tromso Norway, the ship’s christening ceremony was held. The event was led by godmother Marit Barstad (sister of Torstein Hagen, Viking Cruises’ Chairman and founder). The ceremony featured live performances by Norwegian artists (Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska, Lisa Stokke, Jorn Hoel, and the folk-rock band Violet Road), accompanied by the Norwegian Arctic Philharmonic Orchestra. A gilded Viking axe was used to cut the cord of the champagne bottle.

Pre-scheduled 2016 cruise itineraries

The itineraries listed below were originally scheduled for 2016 departures from Venice Italy and Istanbul Turkey. However, Viking Ocean later announced that the ship’s delivery would be delayed by the shipbuilder Fincantieri.

8-day "Empires of the Mediterranean" from Venice (Jun 24) to Pula, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Santorini, Piraeus-Athens, Kusadasi-Ephesus, ending in Istanbul (Jul 2)

20-day "Catalonia to Constantinople" from Istanbul (Jul 4) to Kusadasi, Piraeus-Athens, Santorini, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Pula, Venice (overnight), Split, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Naples, Civitavecchia-Rome, Livorno, Monaco, Toulon, arriving in Barcelona (Jul 23)

11-day "Mediterranean Odyssey" from Venice (Jul 13) to Split, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Naples, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Monaco, Toulon, arriving in Barcelona (Jul 23)

11-day "Mediterranean Odyssey" from Barcelona (Jul 25) to Toulon, Monaco, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Split, arriving in Venice (Aug 4)

8-day "Empires of the Mediterranean" from Venice (Aug 5) to Pula, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Santorini, Piraeus-Athens, Kusadasi, arriving in Istanbul (Aug 13)

9-day "Empires of the Mediterranean" from Istanbul (Aug 15) to Kusadasi, Piraeus, Santorini, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Pula, arriving in Venice (Aug 24)

11-day "Mediterranean Odyssey" from Venice (Aug 24) to Split, Dubrovnik, Corfu, Naples, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Monaco, Toulon, arriving in Barcelona (Sep 3)

11-day "Mediterranean Odyssey" from Barcelona (Sep 5) to Toulon, Monaco, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples, Corfu, Dubrovnik, Split, arriving in Venice (Sep 15)

8-day "Empires of the Mediterranean" from Venice (Sep 16) to Pula, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Santorini, Piraeus, Kusadasi, arriving in Istanbul (Sep 24)

Inaugural itineraries 2017

Viking Sky’s inaugural cruise was rescheduled for February 25, 2017 (8-day itinerary from Civitavecchia-Rome to Barcelona). All European itineraries include overnight stays in both embarkation and disembarkation ports.

Next is the inaugural Transatlantic crossing (14 nights / 15-day repositioning itinerary from Bergen to Montreal).

World Cruise 2024-2025

The next table shows Viking Sky’s “Viking World Voyage 2025,” sailing from Florida (USA) to the UK.

The 138-day itinerary visits 85 ports (including 13 overnight stays) in 37 countries, with 57 guided shore excursions (complimentary land tours).

Full-itinerary early booking prices started at GBP 49,055 (EUR 55,310 / USD 60,000) per person.

Early bookings (reservations made by March 31, 2023) included perks such as one-way business-class flights (UK–Florida), all shipboard gratuities/service fees, a complimentary visa service, and an all-inclusive beverage package. All bookings also received GBP 1,600 in shore excursion credit and GBP 800 onboard credit (OBC). Members of the Viking Explorer Society loyalty program additionally received GBP 800 per person in OBC.

Other World Voyage 2025 itinerary segments available for booking included: 17 days (Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles), 180 days (Fort Lauderdale to NYC), 32 days (Los Angeles to Sydney NSW), 121 days (Los Angeles to London), 163 days (Los Angeles to NYC), 23 days (Sydney to Singapore), 34 days (Singapore to Cape Town), and 32 days (Cape Town to London).