Viking will homeport a third ship in Malta this summer, with the Viking Star joining the Viking Venus and the Viking Sea in the capital, Valletta, between July and October.
The Star will sail 11-day, roundtrip itineraries for vaccinated guests that overnight in Valletta and then visit Italy and Spain, calling in Messina, Naples (Pompeii), Civitavecchia (Rome), Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Genoa and Barcelona. Itineraries on the other two ships go to Montenegro, Croatia and Greece.Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking, said in a statement that the line was "pleased with the response we have received thus far" to its Malta itineraries.
"Malta's central position in the Mediterranean as well as its historic sites and many cultural experiences make it an ideal destination for travelers who want to explore the Mediterranean from the comfort of a Viking vessel," said Hagen.
The news comes on the same day that Malta said it had reached herd immunity ahead of its
June 1 reopening. The country said 70% of adults have had at least one
dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, and 42% of the population is fully
vaccinated. Malta was the first EU country to start vaccinating
residents.
Viking will also launch cruises this spring and summer in England, Iceland and Bermuda, also open only to fully vaccinated adults.
Jeri Clausing contributed to this report.