Viking Glory christened with champagne – first passengers to board on Tuesday
Shards from a bottle of champagne will bring good luck to Viking Line’s new vessel, Viking Glory, on its future journeys. The vessel was christened today in the Port of Turku. The company’s new flagship will sail for the first time to Mariehamn and Stockholm on Tuesday, March 1.
Viking Glory was ceremoniously christened today with traditional festivities in the Port of Turku. Jewellery designer Isabel Lennse from Stockholm smashed the bottle of champagne against the vessel’s shining new hull. She is the wife of Jakob Johansson, a member of Viking Line’s Board of Directors and the company’s largest shareholder.
The name Glory was chosen in a vessel-naming contest held three years ago. A total of 22,500 names were submitted from Finland, Sweden and other countries. More than 450 participants suggested the name Glory.
“I am grateful to be the godmother of this beautiful vessel. Being godmother also reinforces my family’s long-standing commitment to Viking Line. It is important to me that Viking Glory is one of the world’s most climate-smart passenger ships – the archipelago is very dear to our family,” says Isabel Lennse.
For more than a century, a bottle of champagne has been crushed against the hull of a vessel to keep it safe as it journeys across the world’s seas. Some believe the sparkling wine will placate the sea gods. This time, the sea gods will taste champagne that Essi Avellan, Master of Wine, has developed for Viking Line in partnership with the world-famous champagne house Piper-Heidsieck.
In another tradition associated with the christening of ships, Viking Line is commemorating the ship’s godmother with a piece of jewellery. Isabel Lennse received a Glory pendant made of gold designed by goldsmith Maria Karlström from the Åland-based firm Guldviva expressly for the christening. This timeless piece of Glory jewellery, with its maritime theme, is sold in silver on board Viking Glory.
In conjunction with the christening of the ship, Stefan Lindfors’ sculpture Under Ytan (‘Under the Surface’) was also unveiled. The work is part of the sculpture trilogy Havets teater (‘The Theatre of the Sea’), which is an homage to life at sea.
For Viking Line, the christening of the company’s new flagship is the happy culmination of a years-long project largely carried out under exceptional circumstances. The total price of the vessel, which was ordered in April 2017, is about 225 million euros.
“We succeeded in bringing home Viking Glory although there was also doubt in the air. This fantastic vessel exceeds all my expectations. It represents a brand-new generation of vessels and highlights the company’s origins in the archipelago in a fine way,” said Viking Line’s CEO, Jan Hanses.
Viking Glory
Mar 2016 Letter of intent with the Chinese shipyard Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry signed
Apr 2017 Viking Line signs a shipbuilding contract with XSI
Aug 2018 Construction of the vessel begins in Xiamen, China
May 2019 The new vessel is given the name Glory, chosen in a naming contest open to the public
Jun 2019 Keel-laying ceremony at the shipyard
Jan 2021 Viking Glory is launched
Jun 2021 The vessel passes its first test run at sea
Nov 2021 The vessel passes its second test run at sea
Dec 2021 Viking Glory departs from China bound for its home port of Turku
Jan 2021 The vessel moors in the Port of Turku
Feb 2022 The vessel is christened in the Port of Turku
Mar 2022 Viking Glory launches service on the Turku–Mariehamn–Stockholm route
Film from Viking Glorys christening ceremony
Read more about Viking Glory
Video Viking Glory visiting Åland for the first time
