Viking River Cruises has added two new ships to the line’s order book for 2014. The two new orders will bring Viking’s fleet delivery number for 2014 from 12 to 14.
The new orders come at a time of tremendous growth in the river cruise industry. The addition of new Longships to the fleet will allow Viking to expand its presence throughout river cruising destinations and add new berths to both new and existing markets.
“We are working hard to match supply with demand, and with these new builds, we have the best designed, newest and most extensive offer of ships on the rivers – more than double all our competitors combined,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. “More than ever, travelers want experiences that bring them closer to the destination, which is why we continue to design ships and itineraries with destinations and enrichment as the focus.”
According to Viking Cruises, river cruising has recently grown at an average annual rate of about nine percent. Viking alone has grown at an average of 22 percent each year, which is about 450 percent more than other river cruise lines.
