The first cruise liner to cease voyages at the start of the coronavirus pandemic will not set sail again until at least the end of the year.
All departures by Viking Cruises remain suspended until December 31, said the firm's chairman Torstein Hagen.
He said: “We are committed to maintaining the safest and healthiest fleet in the industry. We are fortunate to have a fleet of small, Norwegian-registered ocean ships with only 930 guests, and Switzerland-registered river ships with only 190 guests.
“We believe that our smaller ships – which feature spacious public areas and staterooms – provide a much safer environment than mega liners.
“We have always had the highest standards for health and cleanliness – and we are currently finalising additional protocols to make Viking safer, in co-operation with leading international experts. We will be sharing more information about this very soon.”
The cruise line is continuing its fleet expansion next year with the launch of its seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus, as well as a new river vessel on the Mekong, Viking Saigon.
New expedition vessels, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, are expected for delivery next year for trips in Antarctica, the Arctic and North America’s Great Lakes.
The cruise line's first American river vessel Viking Mississippi will also come into service in 2022, along with its eighth ocean ship, Viking Mars.
Mr Hagen thanked customers for their support during the pandemic. He said: "From all of us here at Viking, thank you for your loyalty and support —a nd we look forward to sharing more milestones with you in the coming months.
“I have said before that we will only sail again when it is safe to do so. We are a private, closely-held company, which means we do not have to rush the decision to return to service.”
