HOUMA, La. — Viking's highly-anticipated voyages on the Mississippi River, between New Orleans and St. Paul, Minnesota, are a step closer to reality.
The company on Monday celebrated the “float out” of its new 386-guest Viking Mississippi ship, marking a major construction milestone and the first time the ship has touched water. The event happened at Edison Chouest Offshore's LaShip shipyard in Houma, Louisiana, and denotes a ship moving into its final stage of construction, the company said in a news release.
“It is a proud moment that this new ship has met an American waterway for the first time,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking. “Our guests have long wanted to sail the Mississippi River with Viking, and we very much look forward to welcoming them on board this summer."
The ship is set to debut in June, bringing more than 7,500 guests to the region and more than 17,600 during the first full sailing season in 2023, company officials said.
Currently scheduled ports of call on Viking’s Mississippi River itineraries include seven states: Louisiana (Baton Rouge, Darrow, New Orleans and St. Francisville); Mississippi (Natchez and Vicksburg); Tennessee (Memphis); Missouri (Hannibal, St. Louis); Iowa (Burlington, Dubuque and Davenport); Wisconsin (La Crosse); and Minnesota (Red Wing, St. Paul).
Viking Cruises said the new Mississippi is a five-deck ship that can host 386 guests. All staterooms are outside, offering a view of the river. For more on the ship and what a cruise will entail, check out the Viking website.
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