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22 March, 2024

Viking Hathor hits the water for first time ahead of Nile River voyages

Viking Cruises has unveiled its newest ship for the Nile River, the 82-guest Viking Hathor, which was “floated out,” this week, marking a major construction milestone and the first time the ship has touched water.

Set to debut in August 2024, the Viking Hathor will join the company’s growing fleet of state-of-the-art ships for the Nile River and will sail Viking’s popular 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary.

“Egypt is a phenomenal destination, and we are pleased with the continued interest in our Nile River voyages,” chairman, Viking Cruise Line, Torstein Hagen, said.

“Our guests are thinking people who are curious about the world—and Egypt, with its cultural treasures and ancient antiquities, remains at the top of the travel list for many of them.

“With the float out of the Viking Hathor, we look forward to welcoming more guests to experience this fantastic region.”

The traditional float-out ceremony of the Viking Hathor took place at Massara shipyard in Cairo and is significant because it denotes a ship moving into its final stage of construction. She will now be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out.

The Viking Hathor & Viking’s Growing Egypt Fleet

Hosting 82 guests in 41 staterooms, the new, state-of-the-art Viking Hathor is inspired by Viking’s award-winning river and ocean ships with the elegant Scandinavian design for which Viking is known. An identical sister ship to the Viking Osiris and the Viking Aton, the Viking Hathor features several aspects familiar to Viking guests, such as a distinctive square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace. Viking will have six ships sailing the Nile by 2025 with the addition of another sister ship, the Viking Sobek, which is already under construction and will be delivered next year. Additional ships in the Egypt fleet currently include the Viking Ra and the MS Antares.

Viking’s Pharaohs & Pyramids Itinerary

During the 12-day, Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, guests begin with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo, where they can visit iconic sites such as the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Sakkara, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, or the Grand Egyptian Museum. Guests then fly to Luxor, where they visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before boarding a Viking river ship for an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile River, featuring visits to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, and excursions to the Temple of Khnum in Esna, the Dendera Temple complex in Qena, the temples at Abu Simbel and the High Dam in Aswan, and a visit to a colourful Nubian village, where guests can experience a traditional elementary school. Finally, the journey concludes with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in the ancient city.

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Egypt Cruises Torstein Hagen viking cruises