​Viking Orion Named By Retired NASA Astronaut

Viking Ocean Cruises latest new cruise ship was officially named by retired NASA Astronaut Dr. Anna Fisher in Livorno, Italy on 14 June 2018.
 
Named Viking Orion after the prominent constellation, the 930-passenger new ship is the fifth new build cruise ship in the ever-growing Viking Ocean Cruises fleet.

Torstein Hagen, Chairman, Viking, said: "Today is a proud day for the entire Viking family. Just three years ago we launched our first ocean ship, and now we are welcoming our fifth ship, whose name was selected to honor both the original Viking explorers who used the constellations for long-distance navigation, as well as the great space explorers of our time. We are grateful for Dr. Fisher’s many contributions to the scientific community, and we are humbled that she is godmother to Viking Orion. The spirit of exploration is at the heart of the Viking way of travel, and we look forward to welcoming guests on board our newest ship, which has been designed to offer opportunities for learning about the great history of space exploration.”
 
Unlike her sister ships, the 47,800 gross tonne Viking Orion features a Planetarium.  It is located in the Explorers’ Dome. The state-of-the-art planetarium features 7K resolution and five laser-beam projectors. Viking Orion is one of just two cruise ships in the world to feature an on board Planetarium.
 
During the naming ceremony guests enjoyed a high-tech show and musical concert which paid tribute to the Nordic mythology and spirit of explorations.
 
The ceremony also included a performance from Norwegian singer Sissel Kyrkjebø who will be Godmother to the sixth Viking Ocean Cruises ship, Viking Jupiter, which is expected to debut in early 2019.