Viking River Cruises has announced that it has ordered two more Viking Longships class vessels, bringing the number of new vessels scheduled for delivery in 2012 to six (see Viking promises more).

“Ever since we announced the introduction of the Viking Longships earlier this year, the response has been overwhelming,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking River Cruises. “To accommodate the demand, we have decided to accelerate the new builds schedule and bring two more Viking Longships into the fleet in 2012.”

Viking Embla will christened in July 2012, Viking Aegir in August 2012, while the four other ships, Viking Freya , Viking Idun, Viking Njord and Viking Odin, are scheduled to debut in March 2012.

Modeled on the graceful Longships of old, the new vessels are 135 metres long and feature 95 staterooms, an asymmetrical corridor configuration to add space and various technological innovations to improve energy efficiency.

Which do you prefer, the modern or the ancient Longships?