BASEL, Switzerland -- With a push of a button and a smash of Norwegian aquavit, Viking named its 100th ship.
It was one of nine river vessels Viking welcomed into its fleet on Oct. 21, in ceremonies across six countries and three continents. The company now has 100-plus ships across its river, ocean and expedition categories.
Viking is known for its big, multi-ship naming ceremonies. In 2014 Viking broke its own Guinness World Record when it christened 16 ships in a 24-hour period -- and then inaugurated two more in Portugal.
At the time of that 18-ship naming, Viking had 52 vessels. And it isn't backing away from further growth: Including both firm orders and options, there are 35 Viking river ships and 14 oceangoing vessels in the pipeline.
"We have a big order book," CEO and chairman Torstein Hagen said during a media presentation at Viking's headquarters in Basel.
As of Sept. 21, Hagen said, Viking had sold 64% of its capacity for 2026. "So we are highly confident [in] that whole newbuilding program. We need more ships."
"I think on the rivers, our rate of growth has defined the demand," he added. "On the oceans, I think our rate of growth is probably higher than the demand for ocean cruises, but it's not higher than ocean cruises for thinking people."
"Thinking people" is a way Hagen describes Viking's target demographic. The line has a very clear proposition for travelers: It offers a quiet, relaxed onboard experience and focuses on the destinations visited (Hagen specifically pointed out that Viking is not building private islands).
The line's stronghold is still central Europe, and Hagen's presentation said Viking controls or has priority access to 110 docking stations in Europe. And Viking is increasingly investing elsewhere. Of the nine ships named on Oct. 21, two were in Vietnam and two were in Egypt, where Viking expects to have 12 ships by 2027. Two ships will soon operate in India.
Viking's naming ceremony
The 100th ship, named in Basel, is the Viking Honir, which will sail Rhine and Danube cruises.
For seven of the nine ships named in this ceremony, Viking chose godmothers from within its executive team; two godfathers were chosen for the Egypt ships. As each godparent gave their ship blessing and pressed their button on a platform on the top deck of the Honir, a livestream cut to festivities on that ship (including three finishing construction at the Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock, Germany.)
The Honir's godmother was Michele Saegesser, who stepped down earlier this year as Viking's vice president of sales and national accounts but has returned as vice president of trade development and training.
When it came time for Saegesser to push the button releasing the bottle against the Honir's hull, she amended the standard blessing slightly.
"May your passengers, crew -- and travel agents -- always be safe," she proclaimed.
This report was updated to add more details about the naming ceremony.