Viking christens the Osiris in a ceremony on the Nile
Viking officially named its newest ship to join its growing fleet in Egypt in a ceremony held in Cairo on Aug. 22.
The 82-passenger Viking Osiris will sail the company’s existing 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary and will join the Viking Ra on the Nile River.
The ship was christened by Viking's first-ever godfather, George Herbert, the 8th Earl of Carnarvon. He is the great-grandson of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, who is best remembered for financing and participating in the search for and excavation of Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings.
Herbert's wife -- Lady Fiona, the Countess of Carnarvon -- served as godmother of Viking's newest ocean ship, the Viking Mars, as well as the river ship Viking Skadi. He said it was an honor to be Viking’s first godfather.
“This is especially the case in the centenary year of my great-grandfather’s discovery of the tomb of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun,” he said. “No doubt he and my great-grandmother, Lady Almina, would have been delighted to board the Viking Osiris had it been sailing in their day.”
• Related: A growing list of Nile cruising options
Viking plans to introduce three more ships on the Nile as part of its continued expansion in Egypt. The Viking Aton will set sail on the Nile in 2023, and the construction of the Viking Hathor and Viking Sobek is underway, with the ships set to debut in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
Guests who sail the Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary can expect to experience the iconic sights of Egypt, including visits to the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Sakkara and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. Later in 2022, guests will also enjoy visits to the new Grand Egyptian Museum, which is slated to open in November.
