Viking Venus

MS Viking Venus cruise ship (launched in 2020, scheduled for inauguration in 2021) is the 7th in a series of 10 identical vessels built for Viking Ocean Cruises. in 2017, with 5 already built sisterships, Viking Ocean planned a fleet-expansion to 10 vessels, with scheduled deliveries Orion (2018), Jupiter (2019), Tellus and Venus (2021), TBN1 (2022) and TBN2 (2023).

History - construction and ownership

The 930-passenger cruise ship Viking Venus offers destination-oriented cruising experience, with few at-sea days, long in-ports days and more exciting overnights in key spots. Ship’s features 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 vessel’s exhaust pollution.

Cruise itinerary program

Viking Venus itinerary program (like all Viking Ocean ships) offers destination-rich itineraries with "small ship cruise" tour programs (complimentary) and unique onboard experiences. Compared to similar class ships operated by other companies, Viking Ocean itineraries feature fewer sea days and longer port days, with much overnight port stays.

In late-September 2020, Viking Ocean released a new departure for Viking Venus. The 29-day "Baltic Jewels and The Midnight Sun" itinerary (London-Greenwich to Stockholm Sweden) is scheduled to depart on July 22 (2023), visits 10 countries and includes 19 guided (complimentary to all passengers) shore excursions. Prices start from USD 18500 (~EUR 15830) per person for Veranda stateroom (double occupancy).

Cabins

Viking Venus has a total of 465 cabins (of which 47 Suite, 32 Penthouse, 386 Balcony rooms) in 10 grades. All cabins are balconied and at 270 sq.feet, are 20 % larger than the average standard staterooms. The new all-veranda ship is engineered for easy embarkation and debarkation.

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

Viking Venus 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 Venus deals are inclusive of shore excursions, complimentary alcohol (wine and beer at lunch and dinner) and Wi-Fi.

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

Viking Venus facilities include Venus 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 Venus ship offers two 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 (currently 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 (7th in the Viking Ocean series) was launched (floated out from drydock) on June 11, 2020, at Fincantieri's shipyard in Ancona Italy.

Inaugural cruise itineraries 2021

Viking Ocean's Venus ship cruise itineraries were officially announced in late July 2019. Next tables show all maiden voyages by destination and homeport, with lowest prices per person (in USD) based on Balcony Cabin double occupancy rates.

7 day Inaugural Cruise (maiden voyage/relocation) from the Mediterranean to UK (from $2000 pp)

12-day inaugural Norwegian Fjords cruise from UK (from $4800 pp)

14-day inaugural Around Britain cruise from UK (from $5700 pp)

14-day inaugural Baltic cruise from Sweden (from $6200 pp)

Godspeed to the new ship!