Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1516046
T H E V I K I N G S T O R Y How one man's vision led to a new way to sail WHEN TORSTEIN HAGEN FOUNDED VIKING in 1997 with four river ships, he had few supporters and even fewer who believed in his vision. He was 54 years old and had spent much of his career in Norway in shipping, bearing witness to an industry that was ripe for change. Our Norwegian-born patriarch had a deep desire to create something different – and as anyone who has travelled with us will tell you, different is exactly what you get on a Viking voyage. For more than 26 years our Chairman Torstein – who the Viking family knows simply as 'Tor' – has built an award-winning fleet of over 80 state-of-the- art river, ocean and expedition ships. Our fleet of over 70 river ships, comprised predominantly of our Viking Longships, continues to expand, with new custom-built ships set to sail the waterways of Europe, South East Asia and Egypt. First we set the standard for modern river cruises, then we reinvented ocean cruises and in 2022, we ushered in a new era of exploration as we welcomed our first expedition ships Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris to the fleet. A family-owned and operated business when it began, Viking remains a family-owned business to TO R S T E I N H AG E N , BA S E L , S W I T Z E R L A N D "When we founded Viking with four river vessels in 1997, we had a vision that travel could be more destination focused and culturally immersive." To r s t e i n H a g e n , C h a i r m a n , V i k i n g Viking River Cruises established by Torstein Hagen with the purchase of four Russian river ships 1998 With the purchase of KD River Cruises, Viking becomes the largest river cruise operator in Europe 2005 Viking is the first to use hybrid diesel electric engines 2012 1997 Viking purchases nine additional ships and expands operations into the rivers of Europe 2000 Viking introduces French balconies — the first river cruise line to do so 2009 Four state-of-the- art Viking Longships launched, with patented layout and largest river cruise suites in Europe 6