Demand has prompted Viking to open ocean voyage bookings for 2026 after many of its 2024 dates sold out, with plenty of its 2025 departures also selling fast.

The strong demand for Viking ocean voyages led to the early opening of 2026 departures across all the company’s ocean fleet, including newest ship, Viking Vesta, which is scheduled to join the fleet in July 2025.

Classified as a small ship, Viking Vesta has a gross tonnage of 54,300 tons, with 499 staterooms. She will join sister ships Vikings Star, Sea, Sky, Orion, Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Neptune and Viking Saturn.

The 998-guest Vesta will spend her inaugural season sailing popular itineraries in the Mediterranean and Scandinavia. She will joining new sister ship Viking Vela, also with a 998-guest capacity, which is scheduled to debut this December.

“We have always done things a bit differently. At Viking, we are contrarians. We design travel experiences for thinking people, with no children and no casinos,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking.

“We are pleased that our approach has resonated with so many – and with the addition of the Viking Vesta to our ocean fleet, we look forward to introducing even more curious travellers to the Viking way of exploration.”

More than 80 Viking ocean voyages

The line offers more than 80 ocean itineraries including popular Viking ocean voyages:

Viking Homelands (15 days; Stockholm-Bergen) – Sail historic waters and discover more of Scandinavia with overnights in Stockholm, Oslo and scenic Bergen. See charming Ålborg and Gdańsk, and visit the grand cities of Berlin and Copenhagen. Witness breathtaking scenery from your ship as she glides through majestic Norwegian fjords in the legendary homelands of the Vikings.

Iconic Western Mediterranean (8 days; Barcelona-Rome) – France’s famed southern coast and Italy’s Renaissance treasures take centre stage on this eight-day Mediterranean sojourn. Immerse yourself in Catalonian and Tuscan art, architecture and history during overnights in Barcelona and Tuscany. In the South of France, call on historic Montpellier and picturesque Marseille, and visit Monte Carlo, Monaco’s glamorous city by the sea.

Empires of the Mediterranean (10 days; Venice-Athens) – Ten days. Nine magnificent destinations. One epic journey. Sail the Adriatic and Aegean, taking in all the riches of this fabled region. On an exploration bookended by iconic Venice and Athens, discover the ancient ruins of Olympia and the Acropolis. Explore the medieval warrens of Zadar and Dubrovnik, and admire the famed whitewashed villages of Santorini. Delight in the beauty of Corfu and be captivated by Koper, the gateway to picturesque Slovenia.

British Isles Explorer (15 days; Bergen-London) – Immerse yourself in the British Isles with overnight stays in Bergen, Norway, and Greenwich, England. Discover the legendary Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland and its capital, Edinburgh. Visit the Shetland and Orkney Islands, and contrast modern Belfast with traditional Dublin. Witness Welsh culture in Snowdonia. In England, visit maritime Liverpool, see historic Dover and enjoy a tour of London.

Viking’s Iconic Western Mediterranean Itinerary from Barcelona to Rome.

Viking’s new immersive extensions

The line has also announced six new immersive Pre and Post Extensions beginning in 2024 and 2025 which are also proving increasingly popular. More than 45 per cent of all Viking guests are now choosing to extensions to their voyage.

The new, fully guided, three-night extensions are offered in Barcelona, Istanbul, London, Rome, Stockholm and Venice and feature “Privileged Access” to museums, local cuisine for lunches and dinners, local market visits and cooking classes – as well as more time to personalise the journey with optional excursions.

From now through March 28, 2024, Viking’s Explorer Sale is offering Australian and New Zealand travellers:

Included return economy flights* to Europe on 2025 and 2026 river journeys and to Southeast Asia on 15-day river journeys;
Up to $3,000 flight credit per couple* on 2025 & 2026 ocean voyages;
Savings of up to $4,000 per couple* on select 2025 & 2026 expedition voyages.