THUNDER BAY – Business – Over the past several years, Viking Cruise liners have been making their way to Lake Superior and Thunder Bay.
This week, Viking Cruises has welcomed the latest addition to its fleet, the Viking Vela, with a traditional naming ceremony in Trieste, Italy. The event also marked a celebration of Viking’s ongoing partnership with Fincantieri, the shipbuilder behind Viking’s ocean vessels.
“We are proud to welcome the Viking Vela to our growing fleet,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking. “With Fincantieri as our partner, we believe we have built the world’s most elegant fleet of small ocean ships.”
Ivana Elice, Vice President and Project Manager of the Fincantieri Cruise Business Unit, served as the ship’s godmother. Elice has played a key role in the design and construction of Viking’s ocean ships for the past 12 years.
The Viking Vela boasts 499 staterooms, all with verandas, and can accommodate 998 guests. The ship features Scandinavian design, spacious public areas, and ample outdoor dining options. It will sail in the Mediterranean during its inaugural season before heading to Northern Europe.
Viking is also investing in sustainable technologies. The Viking Vela is designed to be retrofitted with a hybrid propulsion system that utilizes liquid hydrogen and fuel cells, aiming for zero-emission operations in environmentally sensitive areas.
This launch follows a series of accolades for Viking, including top rankings in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2024 Readers’ Choice Awards and U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best Cruise Lines.
