Viking is expanding its Egypt options next year with the
launch of a second ship on the Nile and two new land packages offering special
access to British exhibits on Egyptian history.
The Viking Osiris will debut in September 2020, joining the
Viking Ra, which launched in 2018.
Viking's five-day pre-cruise extensions are designed to
retrace the steps of archaeologist Howard Carter and his benefactor George
Herbert, the 5th earl of Carnarvon. Carter achieved fame for discovering the
intact tomb of King Tut in 1922.
The "British Collections of Ancient Egypt"
extension includes a private, early morning visit to the Egyptian Collection at
the British Museum, followed by a visit to the home and personal Egyptian
antiquities museum of world-renowned architect John Soane. Guests will also
visit London's Petrie Museum, which houses more than 80,000 artifacts from
ancient Egypt and Sudan.
The "King Tut & the UK's Egyptian Collections"
package includes a visit to the Ashmolean Museum, which is home to a varied
collection of Egyptian mummies and art, and behind-the-scenes access to Oxford
University's Griffith Institute, which houses the archives detailing Carter's
discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. Guests will also visit Highclere Castle, the
country seat of the earl and countess of Carnarvon, to view the earl's private
collection of Egyptian artifacts.