Viking reached a major milestone in October, debuting nine new river ships and expanding its fleet to more than 100 ships across its river, ocean and expedition fleet.
Following this major accomplishment, Recommend reached out to Viking’s Executive VP of Marketing, Richard Marnell, to learn how this notable moment fits into the company’s long-term growth strategy and how Viking continues to meet the expectations of discerning clients 55 and older who are looking for a tailored cruise experience.
Recommend: October’s naming ceremony marks Viking’s 100th+ ship—how significant is this milestone for the brand? How does Viking’s current expansion fit into the company’s long-term growth strategy?
Richard Marnell: For more than 28 years, we have done things differently from others in the travel industry by providing enriching destination-focused travel experiences across river, ocean and expedition voyages that allow our guests to explore the world in comfort. We do not try to be all things to all people and it is clear that our contrarian approach has resonated with our guests with this latest milestone. Growing from just four ships in Europe to more than 100 with a fleet reaching all seven continents—a fleet size that no other line has achieved—underscores the strength of our model.
Since 2015, we have grown rapidly to become the market leader in the river and luxury ocean segments, maintaining our leading market share in 2024 with 52 percent of the North American outbound river market and 24 percent of the luxury ocean segment. We believe the market for curious, affluent travelers aged 55 years and older continues to be underserved. We believe our successful track record positions us well to continue growing market share by expanding our fleet, launching new products and broadening our presence in source markets.
And we are not stopping: We expect to take delivery of two additional river vessels this year, with an additional 21 river vessels to be delivered between 2026-2028 and 10 ocean ships by 2031. In the next five years we will almost double our ocean fleet.
Recommend: With 21 additional river ships and 10 ocean ships on order, how is Viking maintaining quality and consistency across such a large fleet?
Richard Marnell: Our continued success across the fleet stems from the fact that Viking is truly different from others in the travel industry—and that strength lies in our well-defined and consistent business model. Even as we grow, our ability to deliver the same exceptional experience to every guest remains unwavering because we are intentional about doing things differently.
Each of our ships features Viking’s signature Scandinavian design, creating sister ships that feel both elegant and comfortably familiar—a true “home” on the water. Around the world, our exceptional team members—on board and on shore—deliver the award-winning service that our guests have come to expect. We believe our 80 percent crew retention rate is the highest in the industry, which is a source of great pride.
Our itineraries stay true to the Viking way of exploration and provide our guests with enriching, destination-focused journeys. Our itineraries strive to bring guests closer to the culture of a destination through onboard lectures and regional cuisine, as well as shore excursions that explore more of its history and unique offerings. Our guests know they can expect a consistent, excellent experience on every voyage they take with us and this has led to strong brand loyalty.
By focusing on precision and consistency rather than constant reinvention, we ensure that no matter where in the world guests sail with us, they experience the same high level of understated elegance and destination-focused travel that has defined Viking for the past 28 years.
Recommend: How do you see Viking balancing demand between river, ocean and expedition cruising in the coming years?
Richard Marnell: As our Chairman and CEO has said, “right now, our focus is on building ships so they can enter service as quickly as possible to meet the demand.”
We have robust orderbooks across our fleet and continue to take a thoughtful, measured approach to expansion. Each new ship is an opportunity to bring the Viking experience to more curious travelers while maintaining the quality, consistency and destination focus that define us.
As we grow, our priority remains the same—to ensure every aspect of the Viking experience reflects the same high standards that have guided us for nearly three decades across both rivers and oceans.
