Norwegian Maritime Authority's Finding on Viking Sky

After an intense investigation, to complete its work as quickly as possible, the Norwegian Maritime Authority has determined at this point, they believe Viking Sky's engine failure during the extremely rough weather/sea conditions on Saturday was due to low oil pressure.

The Authority found that the levels of lubricating oil were within the limits set by the manufacturer, but they were at the lower end of the limit. The rolling of the ship in the heavy seas was so extreme that as the oil moved in the tanks, the oil too rolled so much that it triggered a low oil level alarm and that triggered an automatic shutdown of the engine.

The complete story appeared in the March 27 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Viking Sky Loses Power in Rough Seas

Tragedy was averted on Saturday when Viking Ocean Cruises' Viking Sky sailed into a powerful storm off Norway's west coast and then lost power. The ship was traveling from Tromso to Stavanger at the time of the incident which occurred about 2pm local time when the ship was off the coast of Molde.

As can be seen in news footage, the ship was being tossed about badly, and passengers feared the ship would capsize. Video from inside the ship showed passengers sitting in life vests as water washed across the floor in some parts of the ship. Surprisingly, there is a lengthy piece of video that shows large pieces of furniture sliding back and forth across the room as passengers dodge it and ceiling panels fall as the ship is obviously rolling to a great degree. It's unexplained why the large furniture wasn't secured.

The complete story appeared in the March 25 issue of Cruise News Daily. 

Waiting until the Stars Aligned

Even though it was delivered back in January and entered service at the end of February, Viking Ocean Cruises' third ship, Viking Sky, was christened today, on the Summer Equinox in Tromso, Norway. The port is north of the Arctic Circle, and that, of course, allowed the ship to be christened under the Midnight Sun.

Details appeared in the June 22 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Other Things You'll Want to Know - February 28, 2017

CND subscribers also read about:

• Seabourn choosing their experienced expedition team for Seabourn Sojourn 2017 Alaska season (below)
• Viking Sky embarked on its maiden voyage from Civitavecchia to Barcelona.

Details appeared in the February 28 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Seabourn Sojourn's Alaskan expedition team for 2017 will be headed by Robin West. A veteran of more than 40 Antarctic voyages to date, West led the expedition team during Seabourn's highly successful first season in Antarctica in 2013. With wide-ranging experience gained along the way, he is now in charge of all aspects of expedition operations for Seabourn.

Members of Seabourn's handpicked expedition team for Alaska this season include:

• Peter Damisch, Historian & Lecturer - Beyond explorations of polar, temperate and tropical regions, Damisch has written about ancient civilizations, sailing, navigation, weather, leadership and world explorers. A former president and CEO of several NASDAQ publically traded corporations as well as a retired U.S. Navy Captain, he is a licensed Master Captain of more than 190 sail and motor vessels.

• Greg Horn, Naturalist & Zodiac Driver - Following his schooling and military service, Horn fueled his dual interests in business and adventure by starting a SCUBA diving center along South Africa's famed Garden Route and later running a bush camp and dive resort in Mozambique. A certified diving guide, he has completed over 5,000 dives in the Indian Ocean and Red Sea.

• Paul Lazarski, Kayak Guide & Zodiac Driver - Ever drawn to nature, Lazarski  has worked and explored some of the world's most scenic locations, including both Poles. For the past 30 years he has been working as a wilderness and wildlife guide, outdoor educator, historian, naturalist and Wilderness First Aid Instructor.

• Moira Le Patourel, Naturalist & Zodiac Driver - With her diploma in Renewable Resources, Le Patourel has carved out a niche as an adventure guide and naturalist on the coast of British Columbia, including seven years guiding in the Great Bear Rainforest.

• Kate Rannaste, Naturalist & Zodiac Driver - Having spent her youth exploring wilderness and wildlife in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales Australia, Rannaste was bound for the adventure industry. A seasoned explorer of the Polar Regions, she spends most of the year on expedition ships sharing her passion as a general naturalist.

• Juan Carlos Restrepo, Expedition Leader - Hailing from the coffee-growing region of Colombia, Restrepo has a graduate degree in geology and is a certified Dive Master. Spending three months of the year in the Arctic and three months in Antarctica, his various expedition experiences include the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe and Australia, and sailing throughout the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

• Richard Sidey, Photographer, Videographer & Filmmaker - An award-winning environmental filmmaker and international nature photographer, Sidey has spent more than a decade documenting the profound beauty of the world's Polar Regions. His poignant nature documentary, Speechless - The Polar Realm (2015) won multiple awards and was hailed as "a transcendent cinematic experience."

• Chris Srigley, Assistant Expedition Leader - Drawn to extreme weather conditions, Srigley spends up to nine months a year on expedition ships, including full seasons in Antarctica and the Arctic. Along with regular duties on the expedition team, he serves as a Polar Bear Guard advancing landing parties and keeping a watchful eye while guests experience natural wonders around them.

• Rachel Sullivan-Lord, Marine Biologist & Lecturer - An avid scuba diver and sailor, Sullivan-Lord has studied critters both small and large from coral to blue whales. When not working in research labs, she divides time as a whale watch naturalist, whale skeleton articulator and more.

• Dr. Sean Todd, Whale Expert & Lecturer - A marine mammal researcher for nearly 30 years, Todd's areas of focus are human-marine mammal interactions. He has enjoyed a long career as a professional guide and naturalist, and has worked in a variety of polar and sub-polar regions, including 10 seasons in the Antarctic and 10 years in the Canadian sub-Arctic.

• Kirstie Yeager, Researcher & Lecturer - Yeager has spent more than two decades studying and working in natural resource management and wildlife research. Her extensive background includes studying grizzly bears in Montana, Steller sea lions in Alaska, and several species at McMurdo and Palmer Stations in Antarctica.

• Aliscia Young, Photographer & Videographer - An award-winning photographer and videographer, Young is inspired by her love of photographing nature, indigenous communities and ancient traditions. She has worked on expedition vessels from Antarctica to the Arctic, and her photography has been featured in galleries worldwide.

Fincantieri Delivers Viking Sky

Fincantieri delivered Viking Sky to Viking Ocean Cruises today at their Ancona yard on the Adriatic in central Italy. The 47,800-ton vessel is the third of six in the series ordered by Viking.

Details appeared in the January 26 edition of Cruise News Daily. 

Viking Doubles Fleet Size

Viking Ocean Cruises said yesterday they have ordered three additional sister ships to the three they already have or are under construction at Fincantieri. The three in the new order will be delivered by 2020.

The announcement came at the float out of Viking Sky, the third ship in Viking’s ocean fleet, at Fincantieri’s Ancona yard. Viking Sky is expected to be delivered in early 2017.

The complete story appeared in the March 23 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Photo courtesy of Fincantieri. All rights reserved. May not be copied or used without express permission.