Viking Aton, Viking’s newest Nile River cruise ship, has been christened by godfather Richard Riveire at a ceremony in Aswan, Egypt.
On August 19, cruise line Viking named their newest river ship, the Viking Aton, during a ceremony in Aswan, Egypt. Richard Riveire, the designer of Viking’s river, ocean, and expedition ships, offered the ship a blessing of good fortune and safe sailing—an evolution of a naval tradition dating back thousands of years.
The Viking Aton, an identical sister ship to the Viking Osiris, is a cutting-edge vessel designed for Nile navigation and will sail Viking’s popular Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary.
“Today, we are pleased to welcome Viking Aton to our growing fleet. Together with her sister ship, the Viking Osiris, they are the newest and most elegant vessels on the Nile, by far,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking.
“With extraordinarily strong interest in Egypt among our guests, we are proud to bring another state-of-the-art vessel to this region, and we look forward to introducing even more curious travelers to the country’s rich cultural treasures. I am also thankful to my friend, Richard Riveire, for his tremendous contributions to Viking, including the design of this new vessel and our other award-winning river, ocean, and expedition ships,” Hagen continued.
Richard Riveire, godfather of the Viking Aton
Richard Riveire is a co-founder of Rottet Studio, an internationally respected interior architecture and design firm. He is well-known for designing dynamic interiors that prioritize human comfort and visual inspiration. He has garnered multiple design excellence awards from organizations such as the American Institute of Architects, Interior Design Magazine, and the International Interior Design Association during his 30-plus-year career.
Riveire has also overseen a number of high-profile hospitality and entertainment projects, including the Presidential Bungalows at The Beverly Hills Hotel, the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago, and The Ritz-Carlton Hotel & Residences at LA Live.
“It is an incredible honor to be the godfather of the Viking Aton and to celebrate the growing Viking fleet,” Riveire said. “For well over a decade, I have been proud to work alongside Tor, Karine, and the Viking team to help design how the Viking brand comes to life on board. Together, we share the belief that the design of each Viking ship should showcase the destination, wherever you may be in the world.”
Related: What Is a Cruise Ship Godmother (or Godfather)?
The Viking Aton and Viking’s growing Egypt fleet
The new Viking Aton, which can accommodate 82 passengers in 41 staterooms, is inspired by Viking’s award-winning river and ocean ships and features the elegant Scandinavian style Viking is known for.
The Viking Aton is the sister ship to the Viking Osiris, which was named in 2022 by the 8th Earl of Carnarvon, Viking’s first ceremonial godfather. The sister ships both include features that Viking cruisers will be familiar with, including a distinctive square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace.
Viking Aton joins Viking’s increasing fleet of Nile-specific vessels. Along with Aton and Osiris, new sister ships Viking Hathor and Viking Sobek are under construction and will be delivered in 2024 and 2025.
The Viking Ra and the MS Antares are also currently among the ships in Viking’s Egypt fleet. By 2025, Viking will have six ships sailing the Nile.
Viking’s Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary
During the 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, cruisers will begin with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo, where they can visit iconic sites including the Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Saqqara, and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali.
Guests then fly to Luxor to visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before boarding a Viking river ship for an eight-day roundtrip Nile River cruise. Cruises include Viking’s “Privileged Access” to the tombs of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, as well as excursions to the Temple of Khnum in Esna, the Dendera Temple complex in Qena, the temples at Abu Simbel and the High Dam in Aswan, and a visit to a colorful Nubian village.
The Egyptian journey concludes with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in the ancient city.
Extension tours for Viking Nile cruises
If you want to extend your Nile River cruise, Viking provides Pre- and Post-Extensions which include Privileged Access to archives and exhibits.
Guests on the five-day British Collections of Ancient Egypt extension will begin their journey in London where they will meet their Viking Tour Director, an expert Egyptologist, and enjoy Privileged Access to two museums: a private visit to the Egyptian Collection at the British Museum before it opens to the general public followed by a tour of Sir John Soane’s home and personal museum. The candlelight tour will recreate how Soane entertained guests and displayed his collection of Egyptian antiquities, including a 3,000-year-old sarcophagus.
Participants will also visit the Petrie Museum in London, which includes over 80,000 antiquities from ancient Egypt and Sudan. In Oxford, guests will visit the Ashmolean Museum and go behind the scenes at Oxford University’s Griffith Institute, where they will enjoy a Privileged Access visit to Howard Carter’s archives that detail the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Cruisers will also receive Privileged Access during an exclusive tour to Highclere Castle (the setting for Downton Abbey) to see the Earl’s amazing private collection of Egyptian artifacts, as well as documents and displays not generally accessible to the public.
Additional extensions for Viking Nile cruisers include:
- A new three-night Pre-Extension in Istanbul, where guests can visit the timeless city and important religious sites including the Blue Mosque and the legendary Hagia Sophia.
- Before the voyage, guests can extend their journey in Jerusalem, exploring the ancient history and vibrant culture of Israel’s fascinating capital.
- After the river voyage, guests can choose the Jordan – Petra, Dead Sea & Amman extension to view Roman antiquities at Jerash, Crusader-era castles at Kerak or Shobak, and experience the lost city of Petra.
More news about Viking
- Viking’s Newest Ship Viking Vela Floats Out
- Viking’s Newest Nile River Ship Viking Aton Named In Aswan
- Viking Announces New Treasures of the Rhine Itinerary and Extra Christmas Market Dates
- Viking Announces 2024-2025 World Cruise Itineraries on Viking Sky
- Viking Neptune Named by NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott
Have you ever taken a Nile River cruise with Viking? Or are you planning a journey aboard the new Viking Aton? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
