Viking Orion is a cruise ship operated by Viking Ocean Cruises. The ship was built by Fincantieri at its yard in Ancona, Italy. It was delivered to Viking Cruises on June 7, 2018.[1] The ship was christened by NASA astronaut Anna Fisher in a ceremony at Livorno, Italy.[2] The ship was named after Orion the Hunter, a constellation[3] and has the unique feature of a planetarium.[4]

Viking Orion in Osaka, Japan.
History
Norway
NameViking Orion
OperatorViking Ocean Cruises
Port of registryBergen, Norway
BuilderFincantieri
Yard number6253
Christened2018-06-14
Completed2018
Maiden voyage2018-06-14
In service2018–present
Identification
General characteristics
TypeCruise ship
Tonnage
Length228.2 m (748 ft 8 in)
Beam28.8 m (94 ft 6 in)
Draught6.45 m (21 ft 2 in)
Decks14
Ice class1C
PropulsionPropulsion Electric Motors 2 x 7250 kW
Speed
  • 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph) (service)
  • 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) (maximum)
Capacity930 passengers in 465 cabins

265 crew cabins

Max persons on board 1,443
Crew550

Operational history

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The ship's maiden voyage was a 'shakedown cruise' (not open to the public) which departed from Rome, Italy and ended in Barcelona, Spain.[5] The first commercial voyage departed Barcelona on June 19, 2018.[6]

On January 2, 2023, the ship was asked to leave New Zealand waters due to excess algae and barnacles.[7] The ship was subsequently prohibited from docking in Adelaide, Australia due to the same issues, causing passengers to be stranded onboard.[8] Four port stops were missed. The cruise line hired divers to clean the hull whilst it was in international waters.

References

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  1. ^ "Viking Orion Delivered by Fincantieri - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News". cruiseindustrynews. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  2. ^ Sloan, Gene. "Astronaut christens new Viking Cruises ship, Viking Orion, in elaborate ceremony". USA Today. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  3. ^ Samantha Mathewson (2018-06-14). "Cruising Constellations: Sailing the Maiden Voyage of 'Viking Orion'". Space.com. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  4. ^ Marcellin, Frances (2018-10-15). "A tour de force of Viking Orion's maiden voyage". Ship Technology. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  5. ^ Marcellin, Frances (2018-10-15). "A tour de force of Viking Orion's maiden voyage". Ship Technology. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  6. ^ Marcellin, Frances (2018-10-15). "A tour de force of Viking Orion's maiden voyage". Ship Technology. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  7. ^ "Algae-ridden cruise ship asked to leave NZ waters". Otago Daily Times Online News. 2023-01-02. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  8. ^ "Viking Orion: Cruise passengers stranded after marine growth halts ship". BBC News. 2023-01-01. Retrieved 2023-01-10.