Viking River Cruises has acquired a vessel in Egypt that it
has stripped down to the steel and will rebuild as the 48-passenger Viking Ra,
launching in March 2018.
Viking has offered itineraries in Egypt for years, but is
now investing in its own vessel.
The Viking Ra will be an all-suite vessel with three suite
categories. Each suite will be 291 square feet, and of the 24 suites, 20 will
be veranda suites with a full-size balcony off the living room and a French
balcony off the bedroom.
The Viking Ra will be designed by the same team that oversaw
the building of the Viking Longship fleet in Europe. The ship will have a clean
and modern Scandinavian design blended with local influences like traditional
geometric Arabic patterns and terrazzo floors.
The ship will feature a pool and two Jacuzzis, a spa, a
restaurant, a bar and a lounge area.
The Ra will sail Viking’s 12-day "Pharaohs &
Pyramids" itinerary, a cruise-tour that will begin with a three-night stay
in Cairo. Guests will then fly to Luxor, where they will visit the Temples of
Luxor and Karnak before boarding the Viking Ra for an eight-day roundtrip cruise
on the Nile to Aswan and back.