Viking reports its newest ship for the Nile River – the 82-guest Viking Aton – has been “floated out,” marking a major construction milestone and the first time the ship has touched water. Set to debut in August, the Viking Aton will help serve surging demand for the destination, resulting in the cruise company selling out its 2023 season.

Viking adds that many 2024 sailing dates already sold out, prompting the cruise line to open 2025 sailing dates sooner than originally expected.

The Viking Aton will join the company’s growing fleet of state-of-the-art ships purpose-built for the Nile River and sail Viking’s bestselling 12-day ‘Pharaohs & Pyramids’ itinerary.

The traditional float out ceremony took place at Massara shipyard in Cairo on April 4 and is significant because it denotes a ship moving into its final stage of construction. She will now be moved to a nearby outfitting dock for final construction and interior build-out.

Hosting 82 guests in 41 staterooms, the new, state-of-the-art Viking Aton is an identical sister ship to the Viking Osiris, which was named in 2022 and features several aspects familiar to Viking guests, such as a distinctive square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace.

In addition to the Viking Osiris, the Viking Aton will join the Viking Ra, which launched in 2018.

In response to strong demand, Viking will have six ships sailing the Nile by 2025 with the addition of two new sister ships – the Viking Hathor and the Viking Sobek, which are already under construction and will be delivered in 2024 and 2025, respectively.

“We are pleased with the continued strong interest for our Nile River voyages. Our guests are curious explorers, and Egypt remains a destination of great interest for its many cultural treasures,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “We are proud to be the only western company to build, own and operate ships on the Nile, and with the float out of the Viking Aton, we look forward to welcoming more guests to experience this fantastic region.”