Sarah Bretz, ContributorViking announced on Thursday that its newest Nile River ship, Viking Amun, was floated out at the shipyard. A vessel’s float out is a major construction milestone, marking the first time it touches water.
The float out ceremony took place at the Massara shipyard in Cairo. The vessel is now moving to the final stage of construction at an outfitting dock for more work — including interior build-out. Set to debut in September, Viking Amun will join the company’s growing fleet of Nile River ships and will operate Viking’s popular 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary.
“We are very proud of our growing fleet in Egypt, which we consider to be by far the most elegant vessels on the Nile,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking. “Egypt is one of the world’s most captivating destinations, and we look forward to introducing even more curious travelers to this extraordinary region in the coming years.”
About Viking Amun
Holding up to 82 guests in 41 staterooms, the new Viking Amun is inspired by Viking’s other river and ocean ships. An identical sister ship to Viking Osiris, Viking Aton, Viking Sobek, and Viking Hathor, Viking Amun has several features that are familiar to Viking guests such as a distinctive square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace.
Other vessels in Viking’s Egypt fleet include Viking Ra and MS Antares. In addition to Viking Amun, the line plans to welcome five new ships to Egypt in the next two years, which will bring its total to 12 vessels on the Nile River by 2027.
Pharaohs & Pyramids Itinerary
During the 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, travelers begin with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo, where they can visit iconic sites such as the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Sakkara, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali or the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Guests then fly to Luxor, where they visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before boarding a Viking river ship for an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile River, featuring visits to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings, and excursions to the Temple of Khnum in Esna, the Dendera Temple complex in Qena, the temples at Abu Simbel and the High Dam in Aswan and a visit to a colorful Nubian village, where guests can experience a traditional elementary school.
The journey concludes with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in the ancient city.
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