Viking honours travel advisors at naming ceremony for seven new river cruise ships in Amsterdam

Travel advisors and industry leaders were honoured during the special international naming ceremony for seven new Viking river cruise ships held in Amsterdam yesterday. While all seven godmothers and godfathers were on location in the Netherlands to release bottles of Norwegian aquavit against the respective ship’s hulls, the celebration simultaneously featured ships joining the fleet from Les Andelys, France; Rostock, Germany; and Luxor, Egypt.

“Throughout Viking’s history, travel advisors have been among our most important partners. In a world where travellers have endless choices, your personal recommendation carries tremendous weight,” shared Leah Talactac, President and Chief Executive Officer of Viking. “When you recommend Viking, you are putting your own reputation behind us, and that trust is something that we will never take for granted. We would not be who we are and where we are today without your partnership and the confidence your clients place in us, and for that we are sincerely grateful.”

The naming ceremony took place pier side between Viking Rota and Viking Haki, which are set to take on Viking’s most popular itineraries along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers alongside Viking Halogi and Viking Sjofn. Meanwhile, Viking Ptah operates on the Nile River, where the Viking Sekhmet will also begin sailing in 2027, and Viking Fjolvar sets sail on the Seine River.

“We feel that the travel agent community is a strong partner for us,” added Talactac. “You’ve been our partners for 30 years that we’ve been in business, and we’re looking forward to doing even more business in the next 30 years or more.”

Notably, Viking now has 109+ vessels across its river cruises, cruise ships and expedition ships, with more on order.

Meet the godparents

The seven travel advisors and industry leaders honoured as godparents represent some of Viking’s most valued relationships across the global travel advisor community:

• Michael Londregan, Senior Vice President, Global Markets, Virtuoso – Godfather of Viking Ptah. Londregan has been a valued partner to Viking, helping strengthen the company’s presence through the Virtuoso network in Australia and New Zealand.
• Ealeen Wong, Senior Director of Strategy, Partnerships & Sales for Expedia Group’s Global Cruise Business – Godmother of Viking Rota. Wong has played an important role in expanding Viking’s relationship with Expedia Cruises across the U.S. and Canada.
• Danielle ‘Dani’ Galloway, Global Managing Director, Luxury and Independent, Flight Centre Travel Group – Godmother of Viking Sjofn. Galloway helped establish Viking as the #1 cruise line within Flight Centre’s Travel Associates brand.
• Michael Consoli, Owner, Cruise Planners – Godfather of Viking Sekhmet. A longtime champion of Viking since 2010, Consoli is the company’s top-producing global travel advisor.
• Shelby Steudle, President, Pavlus Travel – Godmother of Viking Fjolvar. During Pavlus Travel’s more than 20-year partnership with Viking, Steudle has been a valued advocate for Viking and has helped drive the company’s continued growth.
• Carol Porter, Co-Owner, The Roaming Boomers – Godmother of Viking Haki. Porter and her husband are Viking advocates and have become the company’s top-producing travel advisors within the Virtuoso network.
• Carol Shaddix, Owner, Imagine Going There Travel – Godmother of the Viking Halogi. A dedicated advocate for Viking, Shaddix has grown Imagine Going There to become the company’s second-highest-producing travel advisor globally.

“Throughout history, rivers have inspired exploration, connecting people, cultures and civilizations. For nearly 30 years, Viking has carried forward that spirit of discovery, introducing curious travellers to the world’s most remarkable destinations,” noted Talactac. “As we name our seven newest river ships, we are especially proud to honour travel advisor partners who have been an integral part of our journey. It is a privilege to recognize seven of these exceptional partners as godparents in gratitude for their meaningful contributions to Viking’s success.”