Viking Ocean Cruises has seen its third ship - the 930-passenger Viking Sky - “floated out,” marking a major construction milestone and the first time that the new ship touches water. The traditional ceremony took place today at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard just one day before the company will take delivery of its second ship, Viking Sea, which will officially debut to guests next month.

Viking Cruises has released a new online video documenting the recent successful sea trials of its first ship – the 930-passenger Viking Star – set to debut in April. The trials, which took place in the Aegean Sea in mid-December, represented the vessel’s first voyage in open water. During nearly a week of intense diagnostics, maritime experts executed more than 80 different tests designed to evaluate everything from Viking Star’s engine and propulsion performance to her navigation systems and cabin acoustics.

As a result of strong customer demand, Viking Ocean Cruises today announced it will launch two additional ocean ships, bringing the total number of ships in its new fleet to three. Viking Sea and Viking Sky will both debut in 2016 and will be sister ships to the 930-passenger Viking Star, which is currently under construction and will set sail in early 2015.

Viking Cruises today announced it has set a new world record with the inauguration of its newest Viking Longships™. In a multi-phased event taking place over 24 hours, the company christened 16 of its award-winning Viking Longships – nine were christened in Amsterdam; four were christened in Rostock, Germany; and three were christened in Avignon, France.

Amid record levels of consumer interest in river cruising, Viking Cruises has announced it has increased its order for additional Viking Longships, bringing the total number of new ships launching in 2014 from 12 to 14 vessels. The increased order reflects the popularity of river cruising as the fastest growing-segment of the travel industry and the leadership position of Viking, the world’s leading river cruise line.

Viking Cruises today announced the launch of its ocean product line, Viking Ocean Cruises, marking the introduction of the travel industry’s first new cruise line in nearly a decade. Developed from the ground up to return the focus of cruising to the destination, Viking Ocean Cruises will begin sailing in May 2015 with its first vessel—Viking Star—embarking on maiden voyages in Scandinavia and the Baltic; and the Western and Eastern Mediterranean.