What Happened To Royal Viking Cruise Line?

Kristian Stensby, former treasurer for Kloster Cruise Ltd., the parent of Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Cruise Line, and Royal Viking Line, is creating a new residential ship Njord and has revived the original Royal Viking Line logo. Royal Viking Line initially operated three ships: Royal Viking Star, Royal Viking Sky, and Royal Viking Sea. The ships were known for their high level of luxury and personalized MV Boudicca, which was a Royal Viking Star-class cruise ship that last served as Royal Viking Sky.

In 1994, when Kloster Cruise was in financial difficulties, the Royal Viking Line was dissolved. Royal Viking Queen was transferred to Royal Cruise Line as Queen Odyssey, while Royal Viking Sun and the Royal Viking brand were sold to Cunard Line Ltd. Royal Viking Line was dissolved in 1996, and the ship continued operating under the same name for NCL. In 1997, it was sold to Actinor Cruise, Nassau, renamed NORWEGIAN STAR.

Klozette Cruise was declared bankrupt in 1994, leading to the discontinuation of both Royal Viking Line and Royal Cruise Line. Norwegian Cruise Line survived, but A.F. Klaveness withdrew from the consortium in 1975, leaving Royal Viking Sea jointly owned by Bergen Line and Nordenfjeldske until both sold. The ship was delivered to Royal Viking Line in 1974 as the third ship in the Royal Viking Star Class and has since been rechristened on five occasions.

Viking (formerly Viking Cruises) is a cruise line providing river, ocean, and expedition cruises. Its operating headquarters are in Basel, Switzerland. Royal Viking Line ceased operations many years ago, and the ships have passed through different corporate hands over the years. In 1996, Cunard sent three ships off on a world cruise at the same time: QE2, Sagafjord, and Royal Viking Sun, with only one returning.

Is Viking owned by Royal Caribbean?

When it comes to ownership, most cruise lines with the notable exceptions of MSC Cruises, which is privately owned by the family of Italian billionaire Gianluigi Aponte; Viking Cruises, which is privately held and overseen by founder Torstein Hagen; and Windstar Cruises, owned by Xanterra Parks and Resorts, a division of the Anschutz Company are publicly traded, which means they are owned by their parent companies’ shareholders. Below, we break down which cruise line parent companies own which cruise line brands, as well as where those parent companies are domiciled. We also list the stock symbols and presidents or CEOs for each.

Carnival: Carnival Corporation & plc (Christine Duffy, president)

Celebrity: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO)

What happened in the Viking Sky incident?

The Viking Sky was carrying 1,374 passengers when it lost power and became stranded in a notoriously rough stretch of water in the Norwegian Sea. The ship came close to crashing into Norway’s rocky coast, and hundreds of people were evacuated over the course of several hours.

The blackout meant the ship could not move forward or be steered, according to the report from the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority. The accident was caused by insufficient lubricating oil in all of the operating diesel generators’ lubricating oil sump tanks, the agency said, which combined with rough waters meant the ship could not operate.

The investigation found that one of the vessel’s four diesel generators was “unavailable” when it left port, the agency said, meaning that the cruise ship was not in compliance with safety standards and should have never sailed. The design of the sump tank on the working generators was also “non-compliant with applicable regulations,” the investigation found.

What cruise ship flipped over?

Costa Concordia disaster, the capsizing of an Italian cruise ship on January 13, 2012, after it struck rocks off the coast of Giglio Island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. More than 4,200 people were rescued, though 32 people died in the disaster. Several of the ship’s crew, notably Capt. Francesco Schettino, were charged with various crimes.

The Costa Concordia was owned by Costa Crociere, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & PLC. When launched in 2005, it was Italy’s largest cruise ship, measuring 951 feet (290 metres) long with a passenger capacity of 3,780; by comparison, the Titanic was 882.5 feet (269 metres) long and could accommodate up to 2,435 passengers. The Concordia was known for its luxuries. It featured four swimming pools, a casino, and reportedly the largest spa on a ship. In July 2006 the vessel undertook its maiden voyage, a seven-day cruise of the Mediterranean Sea, with stops in Italy, France, and Spain. That became its standard route.

On January 13, 2012, the Concordia left Civitavecchia, Italy, at approximately 7:18 pm. On board were 1,023 crew members and 3,206 passengers. As the Concordia approached Giglio Island several hours later, it deviated from its standard course, moving closer to the small Tuscan island for a maritime “salute,” a common practice that included the cruise ship sounding its horn; the Concordia had performed several in the past. The area was known for rock outcroppings, and at some point, such a formation was noticed in the ship’s path. Schettino, a captain of more than seven years, ordered a change in course, but due to language issues, the Indonesian helmsman steered the boat in the opposite direction. It reportedly took 13 seconds to correct the maneuver. The boat’s bow ultimately swung clear, but the stern collided with the reef at approximately 9:45 pm. Confusion on the bridge resulted in conflicting orders, but the damage had been done: the Concordia’s port (left) side had suffered a 174-foot (53-metre) tear.

What happened to Royal Viking Cruise Lines?

End of Royal Viking In 1994, when Kloster Cruise was in financial difficulties, the Royal Viking Line was dissolved. Royal Viking Queen was transferred to Royal Cruise Line as Queen Odyssey, while Royal Viking Sun and the Royal Viking brand were sold to Cunard Line Ltd.

The Royal Viking Line was a luxury cruise line that operated from 1972 until 1998. The company was the brainchild of Warren Titus and had its headquarters at One Embarcadero Center in San Francisco.

Each of the line’s initial three vessels was owned by one of its initial investing partners. The first, the Royal Viking Star, was completed in July, 1972. Its owner was Bergenske Dampskibsselskab (Bergen Line). The second, the Royal Viking Sky, was owned by Nordenfjeldske Dampskibsselskab of Trondheim. She was completed in July 1973. The third ship, the Royal Viking Sea, was ready in December of the same year. Her owner was A. F. Klaveness & Co, Oslo.

Warren S. Titus became the first president of Royal Viking Line, which established its US head office in San Francisco.

What is the average age on Viking Cruises?

• Transportation from and to the airport is arranged. If you book your airfare through Viking (we got free airfare as part of one of their regular promotions), then Viking will send you a baggage tag and a sticker for your shirt before you leave, and someone will greet you at the airport upon arrival, take you to the boat and put your luggage in your room. This was especially welcome during our unexpectedly arduous trip overseas. The same works in reverse: When it was time to leave, Viking took us by bus to the airport, helped us with our luggage and showed us to check-in.
• You can get help during your flights. If you book your airfare through Viking and you run into travel snags, then you can call a number that they supply exclusively for flight issues and someone will guide you to solutions, as well as notify the boat.
• Drinking water is abundant and free. They’ll give you a bottle of water when they pick you up from the airport. There’s always a large glass bottle in your room. When you depart for an included excursion, they’ll provide a bottle of water. I drink a lot of water all day long. In some places where I’ve traveled, tap water is unsafe, and drinking water is scarce. In others, it’s a matter of buying, carrying and keeping enough on hand to feel hydrated. On this cruise, someone made sure that I always had drinking water. I’d say it’s the little things, but this was huge for me.
• The boat is luxurious. It’s not big, but it’s modern, bright, very clean and sleek, reflecting the Scandanavian design aesthetic of its country of origin. There are floor-to-ceiling windows nearly everywhere in the shared spaces, making it feel open and airy and allowing for great views of the passing scenery.
• The service is exceptional. Thanks to my work as a food and wine writer, I’ve enjoyed some amazing service, and the people working on our Viking River Cruise were on par. They lead with enthusiastic welcomes, gracious offers of help and hard work.
• The food is fantastic. There’s a huge selection of menu items at every meal, including dishes local to the region that you’re visiting each night at dinner. There were two coffee stations on our boat with cappuccino machines, hot tea and cookies available all day. The lounge had a full bar and, if you have the Silver Spirits package, premium cocktails, beer and wine are free. (Otherwise, a nice selection of wine and beer is free at lunch and dinner.) Breakfast and lunch include both a self-service buffet area, and sit-down, full-service options. Dinner is full service. SIDENOTE: In honor of Viking’s Norwegian heritage, Viking gives guests a glass of Aquavit, a Scandinavian-distilled beverage. Tradition dictates that the Linie Aquavit they serve must be carried in oak casks on ships that cross the equator twice on a four-month voyage spanning 35 countries. It’s believed that the moving seas and temperature changes allow more flavor to be extracted from the casks. How specific and charming is that?
• The included excursions are phenomenal. I pride myself on comprehensively canvassing a city when I visit. I do a ton of research beforehand to identify places to see and to get a sense of the vibe and history. I map out routes and plan how to get around, whether by foot, public transportation or even a Hop-On Hop-Off bus. The basic tours included in our Viking River Cruise each morning eliminated all of that legwork — I could simply show up, look and learn.
• There are spaces to tuck away. The boat includes a tiny library space and workspace at one end of the upper level where you can read, write or go online if you need a bit of a break from all the people-ing. (See the people-ing and wifi cons below.)
• There is community. If you’re traveling solo and can swing the single supplement, this is a brilliant way to feel a part of a group. People grow familiar very quickly, and they’re quite friendly, adept at making interesting conversation. Many are avid travelers with good stories. The average age of the population on a Viking River Cruise is probably 70. And it’s a largely lovely group of well-traveled people who know how to make small talk and do a good job of it. If you’re traveling solo, you’ll have ample opportunities to make friends and share conversation.
• It can be very affordable. If you have a traveling companion, and you take advantage of one of the specials — such as free airfare — you will likely beat the cost of a self-organized trip by a mile.

• The Cons of a Viking River Cruise. There’s no space to work out. Yes, I know. It’s vacation. But after sitting on an airplane for hours (or days) and eating and drinking so much, I wished for a small gym. The upper deck of the ship is an open-air seating area with a walking track. But depending on the time of year in which you cruise, it could be a really brisk walk, as in blustery.
• I felt like a conspicuous tourist. During our excursions, we were shuttled to our walking tours in giant motorcoaches. We wore listening devices on bright red lanyards. We followed our guide, who was bearing a sign, in a slow-moving cluster. This all eliminates the opportunity to observe a place unnoticed. It makes you a more obvious target to vendors or pickpockets who follow travelers like bees on honey. And we were sometimes noticeably annoying to local residents.
• Your time is not entirely your own. There’s not always a chance to linger at something you want to explore further when you’re on an excursion, or to venture further in a place. It’s the tradeoff for being free of planning responsibilities.
• An introvert could be overwhelmed. If you dine in the restaurant, you’ll share a table with a group. When you go to the mandatory safety presentation, or the cultural presentations and port talks, or the captain’s welcome, you’ll need to continue chatting with other people. Sometimes it’s a lot of people-ing. And on a small boat, you’re not anonymous for long. The good news: The people on my cruise knew very well how to dip into a conversation and dip right back out.
• For the solo traveler, it’s expensive. The solo supplement turns an affordable trip into an extravagance.
• For a pair, the cheapest rooms are tight. It’s entirely manageable to share one of the lower-deck rooms. They’re well-designed, making the most of the teeny, tiny space. Your two twin beds are pushed together or separated, and there is space under the beds for luggage. But there isn’t enough room for two people to pass each other at the foot of the beds
• it’s a bit of a dance to navigate. And any time that you have a suitcase out, it consumes all of the floor space.
• The internet is unreliable. I was able to work extra before and after my trip and avoid long days or late nights on the laptop during my cruise. But I did need to send some emails and make some social posts, and I was dead in the water, so to speak, for several days. Our service was extra bad — they even brought in a tech team in Vienna, but the service failed again the next day.
• You lose the sense of place that comes with staying in a destination. On a Viking River Cruise, you’re somewhat esconsed in typical American culture, far more than if you were staying in a local hotel for a few days.

The Boat. Viking has a fleet of river and ocean cruise ships. Ours was the Viking Jarl, built in 2013. It holds as many as 190 guests. There are three levels on the ship, plus an open-air deck on top. The lower level includes guest rooms and crew areas. The middle level includes guest rooms, guest services and the restaurant, plus a dining terrace. The third level includes guest rooms, a library and other seating, and the lounge. The top level is an open-air deck with a walking track, herb garden, solar panels, shuffleboard and a golf putting area.

What cruise line just shut down?

River cruise line American Queen Voyages has shut down, canceling all future cruises and instructing future guests to apply for refunds.

The cruise line posted the news to an official website created to provide information in the aftermath of the shut down. Travelers who were set to go on a now-canceled voyage with the company were instructed to request a refund online by filling out a claim form.

“Despite great efforts by our team, crew and partners, American Queen Voyages (AQV) unfortunately has been unable to rebound from the effects of the pandemic,” the company shared with Travel + Leisure on Wednesday. “The overnight cruise industry was especially affected by changes in travel preferences and, as a result, AQV has become financially unsustainable.”

What Viking cruise ship almost sank?

Five years after Viking’s cruise ship Viking Sky blacked out during a storm and came within a ship’s length of a disastrous grounding, the Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority (NSIA) issued a highly critical report of the cruise line and the operational managers while also saying the design, shipyard, and classification society also have a role in the incident. The NSIA report agrees with the earlier finding of the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) that the root cause was an insufficient level of oil in the ship’s tanks, but in disputed finding cites likely possible SOLAS violations, saying the ship should never have departed Tromso, Norway two days earlier.

The Viking Sky (47,800 gross tons) entered service in 2017 as one of the class of new Fincantieri-built cruise ships for Viking’s ocean cruise line. The two-year-old cruise ship departed Tromso on March 21, 2019, and two days later on the afternoon of March 23 blacked out with 1,374 people aboard losing all propulsion and steering while in a severe Norwegian coastal storm.

Conditions were too bad to evacuate the ship which drifted helplessly and nearly grounded in what NSIA calls an accident that “had the potential to develop into one of the worst disasters at sea in modern times.” The captain was able to maneuver the ship into deeper water when power was restored while more than 400 passengers were removed by helicopter. As many as 900 people remained aboard the ship, many with broken bones and injuries, while the Viking Sky eventually was able to limp into port.

Is Viking Cruises having financial problems?

It has about $4.7 billion in debt, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The company is backed by private equity firm TPG and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, which together invested about $500 million in additional capital in November 2020, after first investing in 2016.

Is Viking Sky safe?

On 23 March 2019 Viking Sky was less than a ship length from running aground during a storm in Hustadvika, Norway. With more than 1,300 persons on board, the cruise ship suffered a blackout due to loss of lubricating oil pressure caused by insufficient lube oil in the engines’ sump tanks. The investigation has shown that the lube oil sump tank design did not comply with SOLAS II-1, Part C, Regulation 26.6 and LR Class Rules Part 5, Chapter 1, Section 3.7 on safe operation under dynamic inclination nor with the recommendations of the engine manufacturer. The sump tank design is critical to safe engine operation, yet the shipyard’s design process did not effectively ensure that the lube oil sump tanks complied with the SOLAS requirement for safe operation under dynamic inclination. The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that Fincantieri review and strengthen the design process to ensure that lube oil sump tanks are designed and built in compliance with the SOLAS regulation and Class Rules in the future. Fincantieri is also recommended to investigate if any other ships designed at the yard may have non-compliant lube oil sump tanks and take necessary action if relevant.

On 23 March 2019 Viking Sky was less than a ship length from running aground during a storm in Hustadvika, Norway. With more than 1,300 persons on board, the cruise ship suffered a blackout due to loss of lubricating oil pressure caused by insufficient lube oil in the engines’ sump tanks. The investigation has shown that the lube oil sump tank design did not comply with SOLAS II-1, Part C, Regulation 26.6 and LR Class Rules Part 5, Chapter 1, Section 3.7 on safe operation under dynamic inclination nor with the recommendations of the engine manufacturer. The sump tank design is critical to safe engine operation, yet Lloyd’s Register did not independently verify compliance with either the engine manufacturer’s instructions, the SOLAS regulation or LR’s own Class Rules. The Norwegian Safety Investigation Authority recommends that Lloyd’s Register review and strengthen the plan approval process to ensure that lube oil sump tanks are designed and built in compliance with the SOLAS regulation and Class Rules.

On 23 March 2019 Viking Sky was less than a ship length from running aground during a storm in Hustadvika, Norway. With more than 1,300 persons on board, the cruise ship suffered a blackout due to loss of lubricating oil pressure caused by insufficient lube oil in the engines’ sump tanks. The investigation has shown that the lube oil sump tank design did not comply with the SOLAS II-1, Part C, Regulation 26.6 and LR Class Rules Part 5, Chapter 1, Section 3.7 on safe operation under dynamic inclination nor with the recommendations of the engine manufacturer. The operational limitations associated with the tank design in terms of dynamic inclination angles or corresponding sea conditions have not been calculated. The crew on board the vessels therefore didn’t have the safety critical information necessary to know the limits of safe operation.

What is the 3 biggest cruise ship in the world?

In serviceRankShip nameGross tonnage1Icon of the Seas248,6632Utopia of the Seas236,4733Wonder of the Seas235,600.

Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, passenger ships primarily used for transportation across seas or oceans, they typically embark on round-trip voyages to various attractive ports of call. There passengers may go on organized tours known as “shore excursions”. The largest may carry thousands of passengers in a single trip, and are some of the largest ships in the world by gross tonnage(GT), bigger than many large cargo ships. Cruise ships started to exceed ocean liners in size and capacity in the mid-1990s; before then, few were more than 50,000GT. In the decades since the size of the largest vessels has more than doubled. There have been nine or more new cruise ships added every year since 2001, most of which are 100,000GT or greater. In the two decades between 1988 and 2009, the largest cruise ships grew a third longer (268 to 360m (879 to 1,181ft)), almost doubled their widths (32.2 to 60.5m (106 to 198ft)), doubled the total passengers (2,744 to 5,400), and tripled in volume (73,000 GT to 225,000 GT). The largest have grown considerably since, particularly in passenger capacity; As of December2023, the largest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, has a gross tonnage of 248,336, is 365m (1,198ft) long and holds up to 7,600 passengers.

Cruise ships are organized much like floating hotels, with a complete hospitality staff in addition to the usual ship’s crew. They cater to nautical tourists, with recent vessels being described as “balcony-laden floating condominiums”. The “megaships” went from a single deck with verandas to all decks with verandas, and feature ameneties such as theaters, fine-dining and chain restaurants, spas, fitness centers, casinos, sports facilities, and even amusement park attractions.

Cruise ships require electricity both for propulsion and onboard power. As with cargo ships, cruise vessels are designed with all the heavy machinery at the bottom of the hull and lightweight materials where feasible at the top, making them inherently stable even as passenger ships are getting ever taller, and most supplement design with stabilizer fins to further reduce rolling in heavy weather. While some cruise ships use traditional fixed propellers and rudders to steer, most larger ships use azimuth thrusters that can swivel left and right to steer, vastly improving vessel maneuverability.

Which cruise line has gone bust?

Pullmantur Cruises filed for bankruptcy protection in Spain in June 2020. Two of its’ ships, former Royal Caribbean ships, Monarch of the Seas and Sovereign of the Seas, were sold and scrapped in Aliağa, Turkey. Pullmantur Cruises officially folded in 2021.

COVID-19 Cruise Line Bankruptcies – Cruising Earth.

The cruise and travel industry has taken a huge hit during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Among the casualties lies numerous cruise lines that have gone bankrupt and will likely never return to cruising operations again.

Founded: 2009Headquarters: Essex, United KingdomParent Company: Cruise & Maritime Services International.

Is Viking considered a luxury cruise line?

Whilst designated as an Upper Premium brand, Viking has all the hallmarks of a Luxury Ocean Cruise Line. From the tastefully appointed, modern, beautifully designed, Scandinavian ships to the luxurious all-inclusive amenities, Viking are recognised as a Luxury Brand within the industry.

Formerly known as Viking Cruises, the brand was launched in 1997 by Torstein Hagen in St. Petersburg, Russia and went from strength to strength. The Viking Ocean Cruises division was formed in 2013, and now has a fleet of six ocean cruise ships.

In 2020 the company rebranded as Viking and established itself as a luxury cruise line with the emphasis on destination-oriented enrichment and experiences. There are a further nine ocean cruise ships on the books and Viking has also announced the development of two Expedition ships debuting in early 2022.