Viking Star

Viking Star is the lead ship of the Viking Star class and the first cruise ship operated by Viking Ocean Cruises. She entered service in April 2015, carrying 930 passengers and placing her in the small-to-mid-sized category. Two sister ships, Viking Sea and Viking Sky, joined the fleet in 2016.

Viking Star was designed by SMC Design of London, with exterior styling from Clifford Denn Design and interiors created by Rottet Studio in Los Angeles. Her modern Scandinavian design echoes Viking's river cruisers and was built to blend onboard elegance with a focus on destinations. As a relatively small vessel, she can access most ports directly, keeping embarkation and disembarkation straightforward.

She was christened on 17 May 2015 in Bergen, at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bryggen, with Bergen's mayor Trude Drevland serving as her godmother. Each of Viking Ocean's first four vessels was named after one of the original four ships of Royal Viking Line, the company Viking founder Torstein Hagen led as CEO from 1980 to 1985.

Many design elements lean into a boutique hotel ambiance. Onboard are two pools, the main pool and the Infinity Pool, along with a spa and fitness centre. The two-deck Explorer's Lounge offers a large forward-facing observation area, an increasingly rare feature on modern cruise ships. Viking Star was the first ocean cruise ship to feature a snow grotto, where snow falls from the ceiling in a sub-freezing room beside the adjacent sauna and thermal facilities. All Viking Ocean fares include complimentary shore excursions, transfers, Wi-Fi, beer and wine with lunch and dinner, and access to the Nordic Spa.

All 465 cabins run spacious for a cruise ship, with the smallest staterooms at 25 square metres. Two-room suites range from 70.3 to 134.5 square metres and come with wrap-around private balconies offering sweeping views. The ship is fitted with energy-efficient hybrid engines, onboard solar panels and pollution-minimising exhaust equipment to meet strict environmental standards.

Viking Star suits couples and solo travellers seeking a smaller, more intimate ship with Scandinavian design, easy access ashore, and inclusive amenities built into the fare.

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