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‘That’s A Lot Of Bottles’ & Other Tales Of 12 Ship Christenings This Week

Ralph Grizzle

champagne for christening
A dozen new vessels will be christened this week, heralding a new era for river cruises in Europe.

Arriving at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport before 7 a.m. on a dreary winter’s day, one should not expect to be greeted with enthusiasm or humor. And thus that is the reason I was caught by surprise when after asking the purpose of my visit, the young Dutch border official checking my passport replied, “That’s a lot of bottles.”

I had told him that I had crossed the Atlantic (from New Amsterdam, a.k.a. New York) to witness 10 Viking River Cruises’ vessels get christened in Amsterdam this coming Wednesday.

Indeed, 10 new ships awes even the most avid of cruisers. Not since the Spanish Armada has Europe — or the world for that matter — seen so many ships take to the water in one go. Yes, in a nod to the young border official, it will take a lot of bottles to christen all of those Viking Longships, and indeed, the breaking of those bottles heralds a new era for river cruises in Europe.

The christening doesn’t stop with 10 ships either. In fact, this week ends with the number of new river cruise vessels entering service at an even dozen. In addition to the Longships, two vessels are being inaugurated along the Iberian coast — and in a new development for river cruising, both vessels are being blessed by some big-name celebrities.

Celebrity Sightings Ahead

Sharon Stone will crack a bottle of bubbly across the hull of AmaWaterway’s new AmaVida in Porto, Portugal on March 22. Just a few steps away, actress Andie MacDowell will christen Uniworld’s Queen Isabel. An aside, Andie hails from Asheville, North Carolina, my hometown.

The Longships christening event is set for Wednesday, March 20, which my Apple iPhone weather app tells me will be sunny and 39°F  (4°C). Thus informed, I am wishing Torstein Hagen, chairman and CEO of Viking River Cruises, good luck with the weather gods. Being Norwegian should help Tor keep Thor (the Norwegian weather god) from acting up on that day.

Truth is, it’s a big week for Tor, and he’s intent on making the most of it. He’s even scheduled a “mini event” within the larger event, and it certainly has the makings of an exciting day. I was delighted to receive an invitation to travel by private jet for a sneak preview of the Viking Longships under construction at the Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock, Germany. On Tuesday, along with Tor, his daughter Karine, other Viking execs, godmothers and VIPs, I’ll jet off for the beginning of what surely will go down as one of my most memorable weeks.

The next day we watch bottles break against the hulls of Tor’s new ships, a “lot of bottles,” as any Dutchman clearly knows. Stay tuned.

More from my site

  • From Amsterdam To Paris On An Avalon Waterways’ Active Discovery CruiseFrom Amsterdam To Paris On An Avalon Waterways’ Active Discovery Cruise
  • 12 new ships, two new Rhine itineraries for Viking River Cruises in 201512 new ships, two new Rhine itineraries for Viking River Cruises in 2015
  • River Cruising with Scenic Tours – An in depth lookRiver Cruising with Scenic Tours – An in depth look
  • AMA Waterways Europe River Cruise ReviewAMA Waterways Europe River Cruise Review

River Cruises river cruises in europe

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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Maggie Blehert

Her ideal travel day: venturing to a new place, learning something interesting and sharing a smile.
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Steve and Wendy Bodenheimer
Cruise Specialists Voyage Hosts reporting on their round the world journeys.
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Ralph Grizzle

The Avid Cruiser. Well-traveled and insightful. Helping you make informed cruise decisions.
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