Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1534783
destination. Torstein's favourite, the Chairman's Choice dish, is offered across the entire fleet, comprising of delicious poached salmon accompanied by a fresh cucumber salad. The signature Bistecca Fiorentina at Manfredi's – on ocean and expedition voyages – is a sure favourite. Just as the ancient Vikings decorated their boats with gods and battle scenes, each Viking ship features its own unique artwork collection, much of which is by Norwegian artists. But nothing is more Nordic than the fleet's understated chic interiors. All spaces, from the Explorers' Lounge to the private staterooms, radiate the unmistakable Scandinavian aesthetics of blonde woods, soft hues and minimalistic yet comfortable spaces. From the comfort of your stateroom or suite, view the world from your private balcony or through the large windows as it glides past – from Europe's historic cities and towns to the towering glaciers of Antarctica and the unspoiled wonderland of North America's Great Lakes. Or absorb the vistas from the Explorers' Lounge where massive windows welcome in natural light – solar, lunar and even the aurora borealis. And these stellar phenomena continue. This year, as Viking reaches 25 years, they welcome new ships to the river fleet: four Longships in Europe, plus Viking Mississippi in the USA, Viking Saigon on the Mekong in South East Asia and Viking Osiris on the Nile, Egypt. The year also sees two new ocean ships, Viking Mars and Viking Neptune. And that's not all. VIKING'S 25 YEARS OF ACHIEVEMENTS Viking has more than 250 awards to its name, including being the first company ever to be simultaneously named the #1 Ocean Line and #1 River Line in Travel + Leisure's 2022 "World's Best" Awards. Viking was also rated the #1 River Line and #1 Ocean Line by Condé Nast Traveler in the publication's 2021 Readers' Choice Awards. In January 2022, expedition ship Viking Octantis, part of their newly-launched expedition fleet, hit the waters (with second expedition vessel, Viking Polaris launching later in the year). Viking Octantis currently cruises the waters of Antarctica and North America's Great Lakes, merging comfort and exploration in an unprecedented way. Passengers, science aficionados or otherwise, can work alongside onboard academics, learning such things as how to filter water for microplastics. They set a new standard in expeditions with a number of innovative industry firsts including The Hangar, an in-ship marina allowing guests to board expedition equipment easily from inside the ship, plus a scientific laboratory, floor-to-ceiling windows throughout the ship and a fleet of sophisticated equipment including two submarines, two 12-seater Special Operations Boats plus a fleet of Zodiacs and kayaks – all at no extra charge. Like the ancient Vikings, Viking has built their empire on the back of a key piece of technology, the Longship. But it didn't take 300 years to achieve its growth and success. After a mere quarter of a century, Viking now explores all seven continents of the world via the Earth's waterways across three cutting-edge categories of ships. Viking keeps you, the curious individual, exploring, learning, expanding your horizons and moving onwards. Now that's the Viking spirit indeed. This page: Torstein Hagen inspecting the construction of Viking's ocean ship in Trieste, Italy; family history shown in the mural wall inside Mamsen's Norwegian Deli onboard all Viking ocean ships viking.com 11