Viking becomes largest cruise ship operator with addition of nine new river vessels

The only one of the nine new ships present at the ceremony was Viking Honir, a 190-passenger vessel that will operate on the Rhine between Basel and Amsterdam. The other new ships were either located on rivers where they will operate, such as the Nile, Douro, Mekong, and Seine, or were completing construction at the Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock, Germany.

The ceremony included the captains and godmothers or godfathers of all nine vessels. Each ship was officially named with a bottle of Norwegian aquavit, reflecting Viking's Norwegian heritage.

Viking now operates 88 river ships globally, along with 12 ocean ships and two expedition vessels. The company also markets a chartered river vessel on the Mississippi River. In 2012, Viking had just 29 ships, highlighting its rapid expansion.

The company currently employs 12,000 people and has 31 more river ships scheduled for delivery by 2030, as well as 14 ocean ships by 2033. This planned growth is expected to increase Viking's passenger capacity by more than 50% by 2030, compared to less than 10% for Carnival Corporation and about 20% for Royal Caribbean Group, which currently operates 68 ships across its brands.

Despite having more ships than Carnival Corporation or Royal Caribbean Group, Viking carries fewer passengers due to its smaller average ship size. However, Viking's return on invested capital is around 40%, making it more profitable by some measures than its larger competitors.

Of the nine new ships, four will operate on popular European routes along the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers. Three will sail the Seine, Douro, and Mekong rivers, while two will operate on the Nile.