The An identical 82-Visitor Viking Hathor and Viking Sobek Be a part of the Firm’s Award-Profitable Fleet in Egypt
Viking® (www.viking.com) (NYSE: VIK) at this time named its latest river ships, the Viking Hathorand the Viking Sobek, with a particular celebration in Luxor, Egypt. The Hon. Edward Herbert, served as ceremonial godfather of the Viking Hathor; his great-great-grandfather, the fifth Earl of Carnarvon, was Howard Carter’s benefactor and co-explorer, whose excavation uncovered the tomb of King Tutankhamen close to Luxor virtually precisely 102 years in the past on November 4, 1922. Mohamed El Banna, founding father of Cosmos Egypt and a member of the Egyptian Senate, served because the ceremonial godfather of the Viking Sobek.
The Viking Hathor and the Viking Sobek are similar sister ships to the Viking Aton and the Viking Osiris and are state-of-the-art vessels designed particularly to navigate the Nile River on Viking’s common 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary and constructed at Massara shipyard in Cairo.
“Immediately, we’re proud to welcome the Viking Hathor and the Viking Sobek to our rising fleet in Egypt. Together with their sister ships, we imagine they’re by far probably the most elegant vessels on the Nile,” mentioned Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking. “We’re very grateful for our continued shut friendship with the Carnarvon household and that Eddie has honored us by serving as godfather of the Viking Hathor. For greater than 15 years, Mohamed El Banna has been part of the prolonged Viking household, serving to to take excellent care of our company in Egypt, and it’s a nice honor that he’s serving as godfather of the Viking Sobek. As our award-winning fleet on the Nile continues to develop, we look ahead to introducing much more curious vacationers to this phenomenal vacation spot.”
The naming ceremony of the Viking Hathor and the Viking Sobek occurred at Viking’s unique docking location in Luxor and was adopted by a celebratory dinner contained in the close by Karnak Temple. Viking’s company additionally loved a efficiency by Sissel Kyrkjebø, one of many world’s main crossover sopranos and godmother of the Viking Jupiter®, who sang the Egyptian, Norwegian and United Kingdom’s nationwide anthems of their native languages.
The Hon. Edward Herbert, Godfather of the Viking Hathor
The Hon. Edward Herbert is the son of George Herbert, the 8th Earl of Carnarvon, and Fiona Carnarvon, the Countess of Carnarvon. In his new godfather function, Edward joins his father and mom, who’re additionally Viking’s first “godparents.” In 2022, Lord Carnarvon turned Viking’s first godfather, fulfilling the function for the Viking Osiris. Woman Carnarvon is the godmother of a Viking Longship, the Viking Skadi and an ocean ship, the Viking Mars®. Edward’s great-great-grandfather, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, spent 16 years working in Luxor and later in 1922, together with his colleague Howard Carter, found the tomb of King Tutankhamen. In Woman Carnarvon’s latest ebook, The Earl and the Pharaoh: From the Actual Downton Abbey to the Discovery of Tutankhamun, she explores the unparalleled lifetime of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon and tells the behind-the-scenes story of the historic discovery.
Highclere Fort, Egypt & Viking
For years Viking has provided a wide range of methods for its company to expertise life at Highclere Fort, which is the house of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon and the historic property greatest generally known as the filming location of Downton Abbey. Among the many 5th Earl’s many abilities, he was an avid beginner photographer with a creative eye for composition. His images are at Highclere Fort presently, saved in photograph albums in The Library, and present the method of discovering and excavating the tomb of Tutankhamen, in addition to scenes of every day life in Egypt of the interval. With type permission, the Carnarvons have allowed Viking to share this non-public assortment for company crusing on board the Viking Hathor and the Viking Sobek, in addition to their sister ships, the Viking Osiris and the Viking Aton.
For company who’re concerned with extending their exploration of Egypt, Viking provides Pre and Submit Extensions that present Privileged Entry® to archives and displays. Visitors on the five-day British Collections of Historic Egypt extension will start the journey in London, the place they may meet their Viking Tour Director, an skilled Egyptologist, and expertise Privileged Entry to 2 museums: first a personal, early morning go to to the Egyptian Assortment on the British Museum earlier than it opens to most of the people —after which a go to to the house and private museum of world-renowned architect, Sir John Soane, the place the tour will likely be illuminated by candlelight, a re-enactment of how Soane entertained company and showcased his beautiful assortment of Egyptian antiquities, together with a 3,000-year-old Egyptian sarcophagus.
Visitors may also go to London’s Petrie Museum, which homes greater than 80,000 artifacts from historical Egypt and Sudan. In Oxford, company will go to the Ashmolean Museum, one of many oldest on the planet, and residential to a different assortment of Egyptian mummies and artwork—and go behind the scenes at Oxford College’s Griffith Institute, the place they may take pleasure in a Privileged Entry go to to see Howard Carter’s archives, which element the invention of Tutankhamen’s tomb. Lastly, company can have additional Privileged Entry with an unique go to to Highclere Fort to view the Earl of Carnarvon’s magnificent non-public assortment of Egyptian artifacts, in addition to archives and displays not usually accessible to the general public.
Mohamed El Banna, Godfather of the Viking Sobek
Together with his distinctive communication and interpersonal expertise and deep curiosity in world cultures, Mohamed El Banna was destined for a profession within the journey trade. He accomplished a bachelor’s diploma in commerce and started working in tourism in 1970. Seven years later, he based Cosmos Tourism Firm—now Cosmos Egypt—a Cairo-based tour operator and the nation’s oldest vacation spot administration firm. He continues to run the enterprise together with his son, Sherif El Banna, who serves as CEO. Viking has proudly partnered with Cosmos Egypt and Mr. El Banna for greater than 15 years to advertise exploration alongside the Nile River. As Viking’s unique tour operator in Egypt, the corporate continues to deal with all floor operations and transportation for shore excursions and helps supply English-speaking tour guides and Egyptologists. Mr. El Banna additionally helped Viking create its operational division in Egypt, which now consists of greater than 500 firm staff that work within the nation. By way of these in depth partnerships, Viking constantly offers its company with an award-winning and seamless journey expertise in Egypt. As one in every of Egypt’s most devoted ambassadors for journey, Mr. El Banna has held a number of influential authorities positions all through his distinguished profession. Beforehand, he was a member of the Chamber of Tourism from 1986 to 1994 and served two phrases because the Deputy of the Tourism and Antiquities Committee within the Home of Representatives from 2005 to 2015. Presently, he’s a senator within the Egyptian Senate, a task he’ll fulfill by way of the top of his five-year time period in 2025.
The Viking Hathor, the Viking Sobek & Viking’s Rising Egypt Fleet
Internet hosting 82 company in 41 staterooms, the brand new Viking Hathor and Viking Sobek are impressed by Viking’s award-winning river and ocean ships with the elegant Scandinavian design for which Viking is understood. An similar sister ship to the Viking Osiris and the Viking Aton, the Viking Hathor and Viking Sobek function a number of elements acquainted to Viking company, similar to a particular sq. bow and an indoor/outside Aquavit Terrace. Different ships within the Egypt fleet embody the Viking Ra and the MS Antares. Viking plans to welcome 4 further ships within the subsequent two years—the Viking Amun and the Viking Thoth in 2025 and the Viking Sekhmet and the Viking Ptah in 2026—which might deliver Viking’s fleet to 10 vessels on the Nile River.
Viking was rated #1 for Rivers, in addition to #1 for Oceans and #1 for Expeditions, by Condé Nast Traveler within the 2024 Readers’ Alternative Awards for the second consecutive yr. This achievement marked the primary time a journey firm gained these three classes in back-to-back years. Viking’s Egypt ships have additionally been included in Condé Nast Traveler’s “Scorching Checklist” the final two years. Viking was additionally named a “Greatest Luxurious River Cruise of 2024” in Forbes’ “Greatest Luxurious Cruises” checklist. Moreover, TIME journal featured each Giza and Saqqara on its “World’s Biggest Locations” 2023 checklist, mentioning crusing the Nile River with Viking. TIME notes that Viking is among the many only a few who cease in each Giza and the village of Sakkara, the place excavation websites, just like the megatombs of animal and human mummies, are energetic.
Viking’s Pharaohs & Pyramids Itinerary
In the course of the 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary, company start with a three-night keep at a first-class lodge in Cairo, the place they will go to iconic websites such because the Nice Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Sakkara, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, or the Grand Egyptian Museum. Visitors then fly to Luxor, the place they go to the Temples of Luxor and Karnak earlier than boarding a Viking river ship for an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile River, that includes visits to the tomb of Nefertari within the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamen within the Valley of the Kings, and excursions to the Temple of Khnum in Esna, the Dendera Temple advanced in Qena, the temples at Abu Simbel and the Excessive Dam in Aswan, and a go to to a colourful Nubian village, the place company can expertise a standard elementary college. Lastly, the journey concludes with a flight again to Cairo for a closing night time within the historical metropolis.
About Viking
Viking (NYSE: VIK) was based in 1997 and offers destination-focused journeys on rivers, oceans, and lakes world wide. Designed for curious vacationers with pursuits in science, historical past, tradition and delicacies, Chairman and CEO Torstein Hagen typically says Viking provides experiences For The Pondering Individual™. Viking has greater than 450 awards to its identify, together with being rated #1 for Rivers, #1 for Oceans and #1 for Expeditions by Condé Nast Traveler within the 2023 and 2024 Readers’ Alternative Awards. Viking can also be rated a “World’s Greatest” for rivers, oceans and expeditions by Journey + Leisure. No different journey firm has concurrently acquired the identical honors by each publications. For added info, contact Viking at 1-800-2-VIKING (1-800-284-5464) or go to www.viking.com. For Viking’s award-winning enrichment channel, go to www.viking.television.