Neptun to build four more Viking cruise ships

Our correspondent Tom Todd says that according to a yard spokesman, options placed Tuesday with Germany’s Meyer subsidiary Neptun Werft for four more luxury inland cruise ships for Viking River Cruises will “shortly” be converted.

Meyer’s Peter Hackmann said the options “are due to be converted into firm orders shortly”. They were announced at the keel-laying of the 135 m long, 11.45 m wide Viking Prestige in Rostock and will, according to Hackmann, bring to five the number of cruise ships being built by Neptun for the Swiss owner up to 2012. Viking Prestige, the first Neptun ship for Viking, is for delivery in June next year.

Meyer Werft head Bernard Meyer was quoted as saying the latest order was worth more than €100 m but no technical details of the new ships were initially revealed. Hackmann said they would be announced next year.

However a statement said the four new ships were “a logical further development of our already successful newbuilding concept” and Torsten Hagen, chairman of Basle-based Viking Cruises said they would be “capable of flexible operation on the Rhine, Main, Mosel and Danube”.

That indicated they will not differ greatly from the 188 passenger, 1.65m draught, Diesel-electric

Viking Prestige,

which is also being built for operation on those rivers and on Dutch waterways.