Viking celebrates the 25th anniversary of the company and its leadership in travel. To commemorate the anniversary, Viking has released a new video message from Chairman Torstein Hagen as he reflects on the company's key milestones since its founding on August 5, 1997. The new video can be viewed here on Viking's website, as well as here on Viking's award-winning enrichment channel , Viking.TV. All this week, Viking.TV's daytime programming has focused on Norwegian culture and history as a tribute to the Hagen family's Norwegian heritage.
"I am proud of everything we have achieved in these 25 years. We first invented modern river travel; then we reinvented ocean travel with our destination-focused approach; now we're perfecting expedition travel and exploring all seven continents – in comfort,” said Thorstein Hagen, president of Viking. "To every member of our extended Viking family of guests and employees: happy anniversary and thank you." These first 25 years have been very good, but we are just getting started."
The anniversary comes on the heels of Viking being named the #1 Ocean Line and #1 River Line in Travel + Leisure's 2022 "World's Best" awards, in which the company became the first cruise line ever to top both categories in the same year. Viking is also rated #1 for Rivers and Oceans by Conde Nast Traveler, making it the first cruise line to simultaneously earn #1 in its categories from both publications.
This milestone was also one of the company's significant launches. In January, the company debuted Viking Expeditions and the first of two dedicated expedition ships, the Viking Octantis, currently sailing its inaugural Great Lakes season. In the spring, the company welcomed eight new Viking Longships and its newest identical ocean liner, the Viking Mars. This month, Viking launched three dedicated vessels for the Mekong, Nile and Mississippi rivers, and by the end of the year will also welcome a second identical expedition vessel, the Viking Polaris, and another identical ocean vessel, the Viking Neptun.
