In Brief: Viking Sun in Shanghai, new river ships, and more….

News Briefs – Mar. 9, 2018

• Viking Ocean Cruises christened its fourth ship, Viking Sun, at a ceremony on The Bund in the heart of Shanghai. The ship was in the middle of sailing a sold-out 141-day World Cruise from Miami to London, and the naming marked the first time a Viking ocean ship called in China. The master of ceremonies was television personality Michelle Wang, with entertainment provided by the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra with tenor Dai Yuqiang and Norwegian soprano Sissel Kyrkjebø. Shanghai native Yi Lou served as godmother to the 930-guest, 47,800-ton vessel.
  Viking Ocean Cruises also made waves this week by placing an order for six more ships from Fincantieri, bringing the size of their total order to 16 – the largest ever for any shipyard from a single owner.
• Avalon Waterways has announced plans for a new Suite Ship, Avalon Envision, to start cruising the Danube in 2019. The line’s 16^th Suite Ship will feature Panorama Suites and Open-Air Balconies with wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows that open 7 feet wide, with large, marble bathrooms and beds facing the views.
• Crystal River Cruises welcomed Crystal Debussy to its fleet at a handover ceremony in Wismar, Germany. The 106-guest vessel will travel on the Rhine River, beginning with an April 9 maiden voyage round-trip from Amsterdam. Future itineraries will take guests on 7- to 10-day voyages between Amsterdam and Basel, visiting Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
  This week, Crystal Cruises also revealed details of Crystal Symphony’s upcoming three-week refurbishment, receiving 36 new Penthouses and two new Penthouse Suites, reducing the number of guests on board from 1,070 to 980.

^{Photos: Viking Ocean Cruises, Crystal Cruises}