First look: Inside the year's hottest new cruise ship
ISTANBUL, Turkey — Eager for a glimpse of Viking Star -- the much-awaited first ocean ship from river giant Viking? USA TODAY Cruise this week is getting early access to the 930-passenger vessel as it sets sail on its maiden voyage, and we're posting photos in the carousel above and at our Twitter page and Facebook page.
Click HERE to see the photos above in larger format.
Scheduled to be christened in May in Bergen, Norway, Viking Star is being billed by some as the most significant new cruise ship of the year -- the prototype for at least two and likely many more new ocean vessels to come from fast-growing Viking.
A third the size of the latest megaships from the likes of Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, the Viking Star is designed to mix onboard elegance with a focus on destinations that Viking executives say has been lost across much of the cruise industry in recent years.
The Viking Star's itineraries will feature more time in ports than at many other lines, and in a relatively rare twist, shore excursions will be included in the price (as will beer and wine with lunch and dinner; and even wi-fi access -- something that can cost up to 75 cents a minute at other lines).
The Viking Star also will be able to access smaller ports that often are off limits to today's megaships, thanks to its smaller size.
As can be seen in the photos, the Viking Star has a modern Scandinavian design that echoes what is found on Viking's river ships. Cabins are large for a cruise ship, with the smallest of five cabin categories having 270 square feet of space. In addition, every cabin has a balcony. Fourteen two-room suites on the ship range from 757 to 1,448 square feet and offer sweeping views from wrap-around private balconies.
The Viking Star's inaugural season features eight- to 50-day sailings around the Baltic and Mediterranean starting at $2,499 per person.
Viking's move into ocean cruising comes as the company increasingly dominates the world of river cruising. The line last month christened 12 new river ships, on top of 18 vessels added in 2014. The company now has 64 river ships in all. For a deck-by-deck look at one of Viking's 12 new river vessels, click through the carousel below.
More on Viking Star
First Viking ocean ship takes to water
And the godmother for Viking Star is ...
Fast-growing Viking orders two more ocean ships
Viking cuts steel for new ocean ship
A sneak peek at plans for new Viking ship
New upscale line to debut in 2015
Head of new line: We won't nickel-and-dime