NEPTUN WERFT to build ten more innovative vessels
Rostock, 05.12.2012 - Viking River Cruises in Basle (Switzerland) placed an order for 10 new river cruise vessels of the Viking Longship class with the NEPTUN WERFT in Rostock-Warnemünde. Two of the ships will be delivered in August and September 2013, the other new builds will be delivered by April 2014.
This order brings the total number of new vessels to be delivered to Viking to 10 in 2013 and eight in 2014. In addition options for a further eight Viking Longships with delivery in the spring 2015 have been signed.
"We are very happy to continue our excellent partnership with Viking River Cruises and look forward to a long-lasting relationship in building these luxurious river cruise vessels" so Manfred Müller-Fahrenholz, managing director of NEPTUN WERFT.
The new Viking Longships will sail Viking's most popular European itineraries on inland rivers that include the Rhine, the Main, and the Moselle and the Danube, as well as Dutch waterways. Two of the vessels to be delivered in 2014 will operate on the Rhône.
Recently named Best New River Ships of 2012 in Cruise Critic's® Editors' Picks Awards, Viking Longships integrate patent-pending* design and cutting-edge technology with comfortable amenities that reflect guest preferences and current travel trends. These new features include a revolutionary new all-weather indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace that reinvents the onboard lounge experience by bringing the panoramic outdoor river scenery indoors with retractable floor-to-ceiling glass doors and allows guests to enjoy the views and dine al fresco.
Accommodating 190 passengers in 95 staterooms, Viking Longships feature two Explorer Suites - the largest river cruise suites in Europe - as well as seven tworoom Veranda Suites with a full-size veranda in the living room and a French balcony in the bedroom, 39 Veranda Staterooms with full-size verandas and 22 French Balcony Staterooms.
Additionally, Viking Longships have sustainability upgrades, such as onboard solar panels and organic herb gardens, as well as energy-efficient hybrid engines that reduce vibrations for a remarkably smooth ride. The vessels have a length of 135 m, a beam of 11.45 m and a draft of 1.60 m. Viking has applied for a number of patents for various aspects of the Longship design. For more information about Viking Long ships, visit www.vikingrivercruises.com.
These orders are a crucial element in securing the employment not only on the NEPTUN WERFT but also for the huge number of workers at the regional suppliers engaged in building these vessels.
Since 2002 the NEPTUN WERFT has delivered 23 river cruise vessels to different owners and thus is one of the leading yards and specialist in this field.
