VESSEL REVIEW | Viking Nerthus – Viking's new river cruise ship to serve French itineraries
Switzerland-based Viking River Cruises has taken delivery of a new river cruise ship from German shipbuilder Neptun Werft.
Named after a deity in Scandinavian mythology, Viking Nerthus is equipped with a hybrid system that consists of a diesel-electric drive and a battery pack. Nepturn Werft said this will absorb peak loads and save fuel, in addition to generating significantly reduced vibrations for improved onboard comfort.
The ship is also equipped with a number of technical innovations, such as a compact system for wastewater treatment. This helps reduce the ship’s environmental impact, which is especially crucial since it operates in sensitive European inland waters.
The DNV-classed Viking Nerthus has an LOA of 124.99 metres (410 feet), a beam of 11.09 metres (36.38 feet), a draught of only 2.01 metres (6.59 feet), a depth of 2.95 metres (9.68 feet), a gross tonnage of 2,800, and space for 168 guests and 46 crewmembers.
The dimensions are optimised for river navigation as well as safe passage underneath bridges.
Full range of amenities
The guest cabin options include 84 outside single staterooms and suites, some of which have their own balconies. Each suite features two full-size rooms with a veranda off the living room and a French balcony in the bedroom.
The other onboard facilities include a sun deck with 360-degree views and a walking track, lounges, a bar, a restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows, a library, and a retail shop. The selection of facilities ensures guests have ample options for leisure and relaxation during multi-day itineraries.
Similar to the company's other cruise ships, the inclusion of a library on board Viking Nerthus is in line with Viking's aim of being "the thinking person's cruise line," with the focus on educating rather than entertaining guests during each voyage.
Spacious, ergonomic interiors laid out to ensure energy conservation
As with the guest cabins, the spaces of the interior facilities have been configured to permit free movement, to provide guests with unobstructed views of the outside, and to let in as much natural light as possible – an energy-saving measure to help reduce reliance on interior lighting during daylight hours.
Viking Nerthus’ initial sailings are in France, particularly within Paris and the Normandy region via the Seine River. Future itineraries may also cover other areas throughout Western Europe alongside the other long ships in the Viking River Cruises fleet.
Viking Nerthus is a near-identical sister of the earlier ships Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid, Viking Skaga and Viking Fjorgyn, which were delivered in 2020 and 2021.
