Viking has sold the majority of its capacity for next year, as the company continues to expand its fleet.
The cruise line has already sold 55% of next year's capacity, said chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen on the company's second-quarter earnings call Tuesday. Capacity for this year is effectively sold out at 96%.
Forty-five percent of capacity for 2026 river cruises has sold, equal to $1.56 billion in advance bookings, while 64% of ocean cruise capacity has been booked, equal to almost $2 billion.
Viking has completed $3.9 billion in advance bookings for next year as of Aug. 10, 13% higher than for the 2025 season at this time last year. Passengers have bought $5.6 billion in advance bookings for the 2025 season, a 21% jump year over year.
"Our positive momentum is reflected by the advance bookings, with 96% of our 2025 capacity of our core products already sold and 55% for 2026," said president and CFO Leah Talactac.
The cruise line's total revenue for the second quarter was $1.88 billion, a year-over-year increase of 18.5%, or $293 million.
Capacity increased by nearly 9% during the second quarter, thanks to the growth of Viking's fleet, which included three new river vessels and one ocean ship. Operating capacity is 12% higher for 2025 compared to 2024 and will be 9% higher for 2026 compared to this year.
Viking fleet expansion
Viking expects to take delivery of six river ships this year, adding to its 85 river vessels. The line also has 12 ocean ships and two expedition ships. The cruise line plans to add an additional 11 ocean ships by 2031. Including additional river ships joining the fleet this year, the company expects to add 27 river ships by 2028, including two in India.
"Our river strategy is built on selective expansion, focusing on destinations that align with the Viking brand and resonate with culturally curious travelers," Hagen said. "This means going beyond our well-traveled European routes and deepening our presence in high-value, less-explored regions."
The line will debut on the Brahmaputra River in India in 2027. Already, itineraries for India have sold out, Hagen said.
"The India offering is not large in terms of immediate scale," he said, "but this addition is not about volume, it's about providing our guests with culturally-immersive, destination-focused travel that can enrich our portfolio and offer our loyal guests even more ways to explore the world with Viking."