It already has the biggest fleet currently cruising some of the world’s most celebrated rivers, but that didn’t stop Viking River Cruises from christening another 12 brand new vessels recently, bringing the line’s total number of ships to 60.

Rain certainly couldn’t dampen spirits in Amsterdam on Tuesday March 24, where eight of the ships were named at a glittering ceremony involving music, fireworks and of course, a Champagne bottle to welcome each new ship into the river cruising world. The other four vessels were christened at the same time but in Rostock’s Neptun Werft shipyard.

Of the 12 ships christened, 10 were the line’s signature Viking Longships, but two were smaller versions – termed “baby longships” by Viking CEO Torstein Hagen – designed to cater for just 98 passengers, much lighter and aimed specifically at exploring the relatively shallow Elbe River. The remaining 10 vessels will operate itineraries along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers.

Of course, there’s never a christening without a godmother, or in this case godmothers, and this year’s ceremony saw 12 non-executive employees of Viking serve as godmothers to the vessels. The ceremony was the fourth consecutive one for Viking, after it introduced six new ships in 2012, 10 in 2013 and 18 last year. The world’s largest river cruise operator certainly has no plans to leave it there either, with another six new vessels planned for 2016.

More ships means more choice when it comes to itineraries and if you’re interested in experiencing one of Viking’s state-of-the-art Longships for yourself, you’ll be pleased to know that we have an excellent selection of Viking River cruises available.

Pic: Tom Stieghorst