Topic starter
17/04/2012 2:02 pm
Steamboating colleagues:
Another pesky business B=mail fluttered in focusing on Europe's rapdily expanding VIKING RIVER CRUISES with additions of their new, larger river vessels termed 'Longships' with 12 schedled on the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers between now and year 2014. All this to the astronomical tune of $400 million. 'Longships' being constructed by Germany's 'Neptune Yard.' New builds will increase VIKING's fleet to 31 ships. Interest in river cruising increasing world-wide with other companies. VIKING states, "If we didn't have the demand, we wouldn't be building them." Designers are 'Yran & Storbraaten' of Oslo, Norway and Los Angeles based 'Rottet Studios.'
Vessels are all new, luxury, up-to-date with added amenities now demanded by the cruising public with personal discretionary financial resources. Some of VIKING's older vessels to be retired and they aren't looking 'back' to a rehash of old steam technology. Economics, efficiency are the guiding factors. VIKING enters the ocean-cruising market under their 'brand' with two 888-passenger luxury ships contructed by 'STX FRANCE' for 2014/2015 with option for an additional ship. German and other yards there have the capacity, technology, skills for such constructions. The cruise market is highly competitive.
Meanwhile, ACL had announced their designs for QUEEN OF THE MISSISSIPPI also with modern, efficient, economical propulsion without steam. Other than for a marketing image and 'hook,' I'm surprised ACL adopted the older style/design look. Well, what do I know?
R. Dale Flick, Coal Haven Landing, Ohio River, Cincinnati
17/04/2012 3:10 pm
Dale, you left out the "U" in your heading, making it Viking River CRISES". A Freudian slip, perhaps? 🙂
Topic starter
17/04/2012 4:30 pm
Hi, Bob,
Yep, thanks for drawing my attention to the missing 'U' in CRUISES. Haste makes waste and when I 'let my fingers do the walking' over the computer keys things bound to happen. I don't think Freud would peg me in one of his 'slips' over that. Ha, Ha! Years back I made an even worse 'typo' on here and the word came out very, very nasty.
R. Dale Flick
18/04/2012 6:39 am
Dale,
4 ships have been christened already but only 2 of them are running (Idun and Odin). The other 2 ones (Freya and Njord) are still at the Neptun shipyard and were christened there. Viking had to cancel a couple of cruises and latest news it that the Njord will be delayed for another week (so another trip cancelled). Freya will be running by the end of next week, Njord a week later in early May. Another 2 ships are coming in July (Embla) and August (Aegir).
Another six longships are coming in 2013, names are out for two of them Viking Skadi and Viking Bradi. The other 4 still have to be named.
And they have an option for another 6 longships coming in 2014!! Which would be a total of 18 new longships.
Besides that Viking did have plans to build two small ocean going vessels (app. 400 passengers). But latest news are that STX France (there was a letter of intent) won´t build them. No word about which shipyard is still in... rumors are Fincantieri in Italy or Meyer in Germany (Neptun is owned by Meyer). Rumors are that there are problems in financing all this.
Carmen
Topic starter
18/04/2012 10:48 am
Hi, Carmen,
Yes, my sources go on further with much of the added facts you mention above with me being as brief as possible. I find VIKING's river vessels striking in design/appearance in spite of their 'low' clearances due to bridges there. People may decry the designs, cabins, fixtures etc., but that's how the market is and has been progressing for some years. Would I be investing $400 million on a fleet of new river boats here, I wouln't waste money re-creating in pseudo form a design from the past. How was your explorer cruise to the South Pole? Cheers!
R. Dale Flick