the theatrical release of Death of the Nilebased on the popular Agatha Christie novel of the same name, ignited a revival of river cruise travel in the region earlier this year.
Viking Cruises is preparing to expand its existing fleet on the Nile and launch a new vessel billed as Egypt’s most exclusive commercial passenger vessel. Viking currently operates three of her ships on the Nile, with three more set to sail in the next few years.
Completed this year at Massala Yard in Cairo, osiris A state-of-the-art ship designed in the same style as its sister ships. Atton, and the brand’s traditional clean and elegant Scandinavian aesthetic. At 236 feet long, osiris Accommodates just 82 guests and 65 crew, making it an ideal choice for travelers (whether experienced cruisers or not) who want to travel on the water but avoid overcrowded vessels. increase.
“It’s often said that Viking is the travel company of the thinkers,” Viking Chairman Thorstein Hagen said in a media briefing about the ship’s launch. “And I don’t think I could be more inspiring to thinking people than to come here and see all this history being told to you.”
Most Viking 12-day itineraries start and end in Cairo. Guests will spend their first few days in Cairo visiting some of the most iconic and historical sites on earth, especially the Giza Plateau, the Great Sphinx and the Great Pyramids. Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure. Guests then hop on a short flight to Luxor, also known as the ancient city of Thebes, where they embark on a cruise with stops in Qena, Esna, Aswan, and Edfu to travel down the Nile. (Guests can also extend their Viking trip to her four nights in Jordan and see the ancient city of Petra.)
Courtesy of Viking Cruises
of osiris has 41 outdoor staterooms. Both the Explorer Suite and the Verandah Suite offer two full-sized rooms with verandahs, and guests of these cabins enjoy complimentary laundry and shoeshine services. Our Explorer Suites feature large bathrooms with separate bathtubs and glass-enclosed showers, options for private arrival and departure transfers at your destination, and complimentary in-room breakfast service.
All private rooms and suites feature a queen-size bed (with the option to book a two-twin bed configuration instead), 40″ HDTV with access to major news stations (CNN, BBC, CBC, etc.), multiple 110/ 220 equipped. Volt outlets and USB ports, individual climate control (both heating and air conditioning), bottled water (refilled daily or on request), private bathroom with Freyja toiletries, free WIFI ( But keep in mind that the speed is constantly changing and can be unstable while sailing ) ).
Viking cabins also generally feature a fair amount of personal storage space across their fleet, with spacious wardrobes, dresser drawers, and under-bed storage.
Courtesy of Viking Cruises
of osiris There are several social spaces, including a lounge and bar with floor-to-ceiling glass doors and plenty of comfortable seating to enjoy the views, a full-service white tablecloth fine dining restaurant, a library, and a gift shop.
Courtesy of Viking Cruises
A standout spot to know about is the sundeck at the top of the ship, with 360-degree views and shaded sitting areas above. The Aquavit Terrace and Lounge is an indoor and outdoor viewing area for alfresco dining dotted with cushioned lounge chairs for sunbathing, located just in front of the aft outdoor pool deck.
Courtesy of Viking Cruises
2022, Viking’s 25th year in operation, was a monumental year for the Basel, Switzerland-based business. Earlier this year, Viking debuted a new quartet of longships built specifically for France’s famous River Seine. The company resumed planning expeditionary voyages, exploring Antarctica, the Arctic and the Great Lakes of North America. These itineraries were announced in January 2020, pre-pandemic, but were quickly put on hold.
“We are going through a terrible time with COVID and how it has affected Egypt, which relies heavily on the demand for cruising and, of course, tourism on companies like ours. It’s been hell for many of us, but at least I think there’s a light at the end of the tunnel now.”
Viking is the first major international cruise company to suspend operations during the pandemic. The company has resumed his excursions in the summer of 2021. In his 2019, his last year of pre-pandemic travel, Viking made his $3 billion in revenue and is on pace to surpass those figures in 2022, with annual revenue growth. is predicted. 47% this year. With approximately 10,000 employees, Viking serves an average of 500,000 guests annually.
Since launching in 1997 with four ships, Viking’s fleet has grown to 80 ships and is stationed around the world.
By the end of the year, Viking plans to launch new dedicated vessels for the Mekong and Mississippi rivers, more new longships in Europe, and two new identical ocean vessels, in addition to the Nile.
Viking has already sold out most of its Nile cruise reservations for the rest of the year (and 2023, and even 2024), although there are still cabins available for September and October. It expects to carry around 10,000 passengers in Egypt alone next year and says it has already filled 9,000 spots.
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