Viking Ocean Cruises has today announced it has taken delivery of Viking Star, marking the company’s official arrival into the ocean cruise industry.

The delivery ceremony saw the ship presented at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard outside of Venice, Italy.

On April 11th, Viking Star will set sail from Istanbul making her way through the Mediterranean into the Atlantic on her way to be officially christened in Bergen, Norway on May 17th.

“This has been a remarkable journey, and I am grateful to everyone at Viking and Fincantieri who has worked tirelessly to turn our vision into reality,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking Cruises.

“With Viking Star’s maiden voyage and christening now within sight, we are ready to bring our destination-focused experiences to ocean cruising.”

Classified by Cruise Critic as a “small ship,” the all-veranda Viking Star has a gross tonnage of 47,800 tons, 465 cabins and will accommodate 930 passengers.

It is engineered to allow direct access into most ports, so guests have an easy and efficient embark and debark.

Filled with modern Scandinavian décor, the ship was designed by experienced nautical architects and engineers, including the same interior design team responsible for the award-winning fleet of Viking Longships.

The Viking Star is one of three ocean cruise ships on order; the remaining two ships, Viking Sea and Viking Sky, are currently under construction.

Viking Ocean Cruises guests will enjoy curated itineraries designed to showcase the destinations that they visit, with a complimentary excursion in each port and an on-board cultural enrichment program that includes academic lecturers, local speakers and interactive demonstrations.