Viking “floated out” its newest ship for the Nile River – the 82-guest Viking Hathor— late last week, marking a major construction milestone and the first time the ship has touched water. Set to debut in August, the Viking Hathor will join the company’s growing fleet of state-of-the-art ships for the Nile River and will sail Viking’s popular 12-day ‘Pharaohs & Pyramids’ itinerary.

“Egypt is a phenomenal destination, and we are pleased with the continued interest for our Nile River voyages. Our guests are thinking people who are curious about the world – and Egypt, with its cultural treasures and ancient antiquities, remains at the top of the travel list for many of them,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking.

The traditional float-out ceremony of the Viking Hathor took place at Massara shipyard in Cairo and she will now be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out.

Growing Egypt fleet

Hosting 82 guests in 41 staterooms, the new, state-of-the-art Viking Hathor is an identical sister ship to the Viking Osiris and the Viking Aton and features several aspects familiar to Viking guests, such as a distinctive square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace.

Viking will have six ships sailing the Nile by 2025 with the addition of another sister ship, the Viking Sobek, which is already under construction and will be delivered next year. Additional ships in the Egypt fleet currently include the Viking Ra and the MS Antares.

Viking’s ‘Pharaohs & Pyramids’ itinerary

During the 12-day, Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, guests begin with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo, where they can visit iconic sites such as the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Sakkara, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, or the Grand Egyptian Museum. Guests then fly to Luxor, where they visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before boarding a Viking river ship for an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile River, featuring visits to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, and excursions to the Temple of Khnum in Esna, the Dendera Temple complex in Qena, the temples at Abu Simbel and the High Dam in Aswan, and a visit to a colorful Nubian village, where guests can experience a traditional elementary school. Finally, the journey concludes with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in the ancient city.

Extensions

For guests looking to extend their journey in Egypt, Viking also offers Pre and Post Extensions that provide Privileged Access to archives and exhibits. Guests on the five-day British Collections of Ancient Egypt extension will begin the journey in London, where they will meet their Viking Tour Director, an expert Egyptologist, and experience Privileged Access to two museums: first a private, early morning visit to the Egyptian Collection at the British Museum before it opens to the general public – and then a visit to the home and personal museum of renowned architect, Sir John Soane, where the tour will be illuminated by candlelight, a re-enactment of how Soane entertained guests and showcased his exquisite collection of Egyptian antiquities, including a 3,000-year-old Egyptian sarcophagus.

Guests will also visit London’s Petrie Museum, which houses more than 80,000 artifacts from ancient Egypt and Sudan. In Oxford, guests will visit the Ashmolean Museum, one of the oldest in the world, and home to a varied collection of Egyptian mummies and art—and go behind the scenes at Oxford University’s Griffith Institute, where they will enjoy a Privileged Access visit to see Howard Carter’s archives, which detail the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. Lastly, guests will have further Privileged Access with an exclusive visit to Highclere Castle to view the Earl of Carnarvon’s magnificent private collection of Egyptian artifacts, as well as archives and exhibits not normally accessible to the public.

Additional offerings include a three-night Pre-Extension in Istanbul, where guests can visit the timeless city and important religious sites including the “Blue Mosque” and the legendary Hagia Sophia. After concluding the river voyage, guests can also extend the journey with a 4-night Post-Extension to Jordan—Petra, Dead Sea & Amman to view Roman antiquities at Jerash, Crusader-era castles at Kerak or Shobak and experience the lost city of Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.