News

Viking names seven new river ships, honoring valued travel advisor partners

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 20 October 2026 20 October 2026

Viking announced last week the naming of its seven newest river ships during a simultaneous ceremony in Amsterdam that virtually connected locations across Europe and Egypt. The celebration honored seven distinguished travel advisors and industry leaders who served as godparents, recognizing their longstanding relationships with Viking and contributions to the company’s success.

Of the seven new river ships, the Viking Haki, the Viking Halogi, the Viking Sjofn and the Viking Rota will sail Viking’s most popular itineraries along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. The Viking Ptah operates on the Nile River, where the Viking Sekhmet will also begin sailing in 2027. The Viking Fjolvar explores the Seine River.

“Throughout history, rivers have inspired exploration, connecting people, cultures and civilizations. For nearly 30 years, Viking has carried forward that spirit of discovery, introducing curious travelers to the world’s most remarkable destinations,” said Leah Talactac, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viking. “As we name our seven newest river ships, we are especially proud to honor travel advisor partners who have been an integral part of our journey. It is a privilege to recognize seven of these exceptional partners as godparents in gratitude for their meaningful contributions to Viking’s success.”

Viking naming ceremony

For thousands of years, maritime tradition has called for new ships to be ceremonially named by a godmother. Viking has adapted this custom and extended the tradition to include godfathers, appointing individuals who have made an impact either in the world or in the life of Viking. During the ceremony, each godparent offered good wishes for the safety of their ship’s guests and crew.

The seven travel advisors and industry leaders honored as godparents represent some of Viking’s most valued relationships across the global travel advisor community:

– Shelby Steudle, President, Pavlus Travel – Godmother of the Viking Fjolvar. During Pavlus Travel’s more than 20-year partnership with Viking, Shelby has been a valued advocate for Viking and has helped drive the company’s continued growth.
– Michael Londregan, Senior Vice President, Global Markets, Virtuoso – Godfather of the Viking Ptah. Michael has been a valued partner to Viking, helping strengthen the company’s presence through the Virtuoso network in Australia and New Zealand.
– Ealeen Wong, Senior Director of Strategy, Partnerships & Sales for Expedia Group’s Global Cruise Business – Godmother of the Viking Rota. Ealeen has played an important role in expanding Viking’s relationship with Expedia Cruises across the U.S. and Canada.
– Michael Consoli, Owner, Cruise Planners – Godfather of the Viking Sekhmet. A longtime champion of Viking since 2010, Michael is the company’s top-producing global travel advisor.
– Carol Porter, Co-Owner, The Roaming Boomers – Godmother of the Viking Haki. Carol and her husband are Viking advocates and have become the company’s top-producing travel advisors within the Virtuoso network.
– Carol Shaddix, Owner, Imagine Going There Travel – Godmother of the Viking Halogi. A dedicated advocate for Viking, Carol has grown Imagine Going There to become the company’s second-highest-producing travel advisor globally.
– Danielle “Dani” Galloway, Global Managing Director, Luxury and Independent, Flight Centre Travel Group – Godmother of the Viking Sjofn. Dani helped establish Viking as the #1 cruise line within Flight Centre’s Travel Associates brand.

The ceremony, hosted in Amsterdam alongside the Viking Rota and the Viking Haki, was connected virtually to the five other new ships across three additional countries. The Viking Fjolvar was in Les Andelys, France; the Viking Halogi and the Viking Sjofn were in Rostock, Germany; and the Viking Ptah and the Viking Sekhmet were in Luxor, Egypt.

Viking Executive Chairman Torstein Hagen welcomed guests to the celebration, which featured performances by Sissel Kyrkjebø, one of the world’s leading crossover sopranos and godmother of the Viking Jupiter, and Norwegian violinist Tor Jaran Apold.

Photo: Viking Executive Vice President of Product Karine Hagen, Executive Chairman Torstein Hagen and President and CEO Leah Talactac alongside the godparents and captains. Credit: Viking

Norwegian Cruise Line names the last Prima-class ship as Norwegian Bella

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 20 October 2026 20 October 2026

Norwegian Cruise Line today opened for sale its next cutting-edge vessel, Norwegian Bella, which will offer 7-night round-trip Mediterranean itineraries from Barcelona, Spain beginning in May 2028.

At approximately 1,129 feet long and 170,000 gross tons, Norwegian Bella will accommodate 3,921 guests at double occupancy and will join Norwegian Aura as the largest ships in the NCL fleet. Her inaugural season of voyages will include an unparalleled way for guests to experience Europe's most captivating destinations, including Rome, Florence and Salerno, Italy; Marseille, France; and Palma de Mallorca, Spain.

On board, Norwegian Bella will offer similar experiences to Norwegian Aura, the company’s latest vessel due for delivery in May 2027. With Norwegian Bella sailing in Europe and Norwegian Aura in the Caribbean, NCL will bring its newest guest experiences to two of the world’s top cruise destinations. Both vessels are currently being built by renowned Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, with interior designs created by world-class architects AD Associates, Piero Lissoni, Rockwell Group, SMC Design, and Studio Dado.

"Norwegian Bella marks a milestone moment in our fleet as the culmination of our award-winning Prima Class,” said Marc Kazlauskas, president of Norwegian Cruise Line. “Drawing on the innovations and guest feedback that have shaped the class from the very beginning, Norwegian Bella brings together our most sought-after experiences in one extraordinary ship. From enhanced outdoor spaces and family-friendly attractions to elevated venues for relaxation and connection, every detail has been thoughtfully designed to give guests the freedom and flexibility to vacation exactly how they want to, without anyone having to compromise. We look forward to welcoming guests to discover the Mediterranean with us aboard Norwegian Bella.”

Rendering of the Daybreak Bar

Record cruise season in Vancouver delivers local billion-dollar economic boost

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Top Headlines Top Headlines; Published: 10 October 2026 10 October 2026

The final ship of the Port of Vancouver’s 2026 cruise season arrives at Canada Place on Monday, October 12, with Norwegian Encore bringing a record-setting year to an end.

Passenger and cruise ship visits to the award-winning Canada Place terminal at the Port of Vancouver both surged almost 20% this year, with 1.4 million passenger visits and 358 cruise ship calls between February and October.

“We are thrilled to celebrate another successful cruise season, with more than $1 billion injected into the local economy as cruise lines and passengers increasingly make Vancouver a core part of their Alaska adventure,” said Jeff Scott, Vice President of Operations and Supply Chain at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority.

“Vancouver’s cruise sector continues to thrive as an economic engine that drives local tourism, brings countless visitors to our beautiful city, and supports businesses and jobs across the region thanks to the hard work and dedication of all those involved. I want to acknowledge the significant collaboration required to deliver a growing and sustainable local cruise sector, from our cruise, municipal, government and destination partners to longshore workers and local tourism operators.”

Looking towards next cruise season, work to expand shore power capacity at Canada Place is scheduled to start in coming months and will enable more visiting cruise ships to plug in to B.C.’s low-carbon electrical grid while at berth. The expanded shore power is expected to prevent an additional 3,300 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions each cruise season, the equivalent to removing 770 gasoline-powered cars from the road every year.

The shore power expansion comes alongside other initiatives at Canada Place to ensure the cruise terminal can sustainably handle growing passenger and ship volumes. Cutting-edge facial biometric processing technology has significantly cut passenger embarkation times, while new elevators at key arrival locations will soon help passengers seamlessly navigate the terminal.

Average embarkation times for passengers boarding a cruise ship in Vancouver has shrunk to under 30 minutes since the introduction of facial biometric scanning in 2024.

“Managing Canada Place through a record cruise season has demonstrated what can be accomplished when everyone works together,” said Elise Ferguson, Vice President of Cruise Operations at Canada Place for SSA Marine, which manages the day-to-day terminal operations on the port authority’s behalf.

“I’m incredibly proud of the safe, efficient and welcoming experience we delivered for guests. No one stands alone in that success—it reflects the incredible collaboration of SSA Marine, cruise lines, ILWU workforce, government agencies and the port authority.”

The latest Cruise Passenger Survey, conducted by the Pacific Rim Cruise Association, found that beyond the economic benefits generated by cruise passengers flying through Vancouver International Airport, spending additional time in Vancouver before or after a cruise has become an increasingly important part of many traveller's itineraries:

– 76% of cruise passengers now spend time locally before or after their cruise (up from 70% in 2023)
– Cruise passengers are spending an average of $1,144 each locally on hotels, restaurants, shopping, tours and local attractions, and more
– Cruise passengers are staying an average of 1.4 nights in Vancouver before or after their cruise, with passengers from outside North America spending an average of 2.6 nights in the city

“We are incredibly grateful for our continued partnership with the Port of Vancouver and congratulate the entire team on another successful cruise season,” said Marc Kazlauskas, president of Norwegian Cruise Line.

“We look forward to continuing our collaboration in 2027, when Norwegian Jade sails 7-night Alaska voyages from May through September, embarking and disembarking guests in Vancouver. Homeporting in this remarkable city gives our guests the freedom and flexibility to extend their vacation and immerse themselves in everything Vancouver has to offer, from its spectacular natural beauty to its vibrant culture and world-class attractions.”

Preliminary bookings for 2027 point to another robust year, with strong numbers of cruise ships and passengers expected at the Port of Vancouver.

“Cruise passengers are making Vancouver part of their journey, not simply the place where it begins or ends,” said Royce Chwin, President and CEO of Destination Vancouver. “With three-quarters spending time in the city before or after their sailing, that activity reaches well beyond the waterfront into our hotels, restaurants, attractions, shops and neighbourhoods. This record season is a significant boost for Vancouver’s visitor economy and an opportunity to give more travellers reasons to stay longer and return.”