{"url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-19/viking-seven-ships-advisor-godparents","markdown_url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-19/viking-seven-ships-advisor-godparents.md","title":"Viking Names Seven Ships With Advisor Godparents","headline":"Viking Christens Seven New Ships and Names Two Travel Advisors as Godparents","description":"Viking named seven new ships in Amsterdam, honoring travel advisors as godparents as 53% of its 2027 inventory sold for $4.7 billion.","section":"Product Launches","published_at":"2026-10-19T12:07:47+00:00","modified_at":"2026-10-19T12:07:47+00:00","author":"News Desk","key_takeaways":["Viking welcomed seven new ships, five in Europe and two in Egypt, at a ceremony on the Amsterdam waterfront.","Cruise Planners franchise owner Michael Consoli and Imagine Going There Travel owner Carol Shaddix were named godparents.","Viking executive chairman Tor Hagen said the company has one brand, calling that important to its long-term health.","Viking president and CEO Leah Talactac said 53% of 2027 inventory has sold for a total of $4.7 billion."],"companies":[{"name":"Viking Holdings","is_primary":true,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00syk5o/viking-holdings","website":"https://www.viking.com"},{"name":"Cruise Planners","is_primary":false,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00023qb/cruise-planners","website":"http://www.cruiseplanners.com"},{"name":"Pavlus Travel","is_primary":false,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000jekt/pavlus-travel","website":"https://pavlus.com"}],"source":{"publisher":"EIN Presswire","title":"Key Takeaways as Viking Rolls Out Seven Ships with Seven Travel Advisor Godparents","url":"https://www.einnews.com/article/950682889/live"},"other_sources":[],"tags":["Product Launches","Viking Holdings","Cruise Planners","Pavlus Travel"],"body_markdown":"[Viking](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00syk5o/viking-holdings) named seven new ships at a ceremony on the Amsterdam waterfront, appointing travel advisors Michael Consoli and Carol Shaddix as godparents, [EIN Presswire](https://www.einnews.com/article/950682889/live) reported on October 19, 2026. The fleet addition covers five ships in Europe and two in Egypt.\n\n## Viking's Amsterdam Ceremony and Advisor Godparents\n\nFive more travel advisors were honored alongside Consoli and Shaddix: Shelby Steudle of [Pavlus Travel](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/000jekt/pavlus-travel), Michael Londregan of Virtuoso, Ealeen Wong of Expedia Group, Carol Porter of The Roaming Brothers, and Danielle Galloway of Flight Centre Travel Group. Consoli, a [Cruise Planners](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00023qb/cruise-planners) franchise owner, was a new franchisee when he won a Viking cruise and came home determined to sell them, focusing on five cruise brands; his agency now sells about $50 million worth of travel. Shaddix, owner of Imagine Going There Travel, concentrates on active community centers, sponsoring cruise nights or speaking engagements three weeks a month.\n\nViking executive chairman Tor Hagen said at the onboard press conference: \"Typically, when companies have many brands and many products, that's not a good sign for long-term health. We have one brand, and that's been very, very important to us.\" President and CEO Leah Talactac said the company is \"laser-focused on consumers who are 55+ and English-speaking, and who understand that the ship is not the destination. The destination is the destination.\" Talactac said Viking's marketing has two components, direct marketing to customers and depending heavily on the travel trade, and that advisors can take over direct bookings up to 30 days before departure. In 20 years Viking has spent about $3 billion in marketing and built a fleet of 98 ships today, with 53% of its 2027 inventory sold for a total of $4.7 billion.\n\n## Viking's Fleet and Financial Records\n\nAccording to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data), Viking delivered the Viking Eldir river ship in March 2026, the Viking Mira ocean ship in May 2026, and the Viking Annar and Viking Fjolvar river ships in June 2026, with plans for 114 river ships by 2028 and 26 ocean and expedition ships by 2031. The same records show Viking Libra, described as the world's first hydrogen-powered cruise ship at about 54,300 tons and 998 guests, was floated out at Fincantieri's Ancona shipyard in March 2026 and is scheduled for delivery in November 2026. Viking's river ships are built at Meyer's Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock-Warnemünde, Germany.\n\n## Earlier Ship Additions and Awards\n\nViking added seven new river cruise ships in Amsterdam, bringing its fleet to 109 vessels, The Points Guy reported in October 2026. Stock Titan reported in October 2026 that Viking named seven new river ships in a simultaneous ceremony in Amsterdam, honoring travel advisor partners as godparents, with the ships to sail on the Rhine, Main, Danube, Nile, and Seine and the Viking Sekhmet beginning service in 2027. Viking was voted number one for Rivers and number one for Oceans by Condé Nast Traveler in its 2026 Readers' Choice Awards, marking the sixth consecutive year, Stock Titan reported in October 2026.\n\n## Viking Libra Delivery Schedule\n\nViking Libra is scheduled for delivery in November 2026, according to akta.pro company records.\n","publisher":{"name":"News for Agent","url":"https://newsforagent.com"}}