Viking® announced its newest ocean ship, the Viking Vesta®, was “floated out,” marking a major construction milestone and the first time the ship has touched water. Classified as a small ship, as are all Viking ocean ships, the Viking Vesta has a gross tonnage of 54,300 tons, with 499 staterooms that can host 998 guests. The ship is scheduled to debut in July 2025 and will spend her inaugural season sailing itineraries in the Mediterranean and in Northern Europe.

The traditional float out ceremony took place at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona and is significant because it denotes a ship moving into its final stage of construction. The float out of the Viking Vesta began on July 4 at approximately 11:00 a.m. local time when the Viking team cut a cord that signaled water to flow into the ship’s building dock. Following a two-day process that will set the Viking Vesta afloat, she will then be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out.

With a clear focus on creating experiences for The Thinking Person, Viking does not try to be all things to all people. This approach has resonated with guests, and in 2023, Viking was rated #1 for Oceans, as well as #1 for Rivers and #1 for Expeditions by Condé Nast Traveler in the most recent Readers’ Choice Awards.