The Viking Neptune made her maiden call in Toulon Bay on Dec. 3, 2023. Also marking the end of this year’s cruise season at the French port, the Viking Ocean Cruises vessel arrived as part of a 12-night cruise to the Western Mediterranean.

To mark the maiden call, a special ceremony was held onboard the 930-guest vessel, which included a traditional plaque exchange between the ship officers and local authorities.

“This cruise season allowed us to reach the pre-Covid period volumes with an average 100 calls and about 200,000 cruise guests welcomed,” said Delphine Beudin, Head of Business Development of Ports of Toulon Bay.

In addition to the Viking Neptune, the port also received other 14 maiden calls from a wide range of brands and markets segments, she added.

Sailing from Italy to Portugal, Viking Neptune’s itinerary also featured visits to two additional destinations in France: Marseille and Villefranche.

Other ports of call of the 12-night cruise include Barcelona, Valencia and Cartagena, in Spain; Livorno, in Italy; and more.

Toulon Bay is set for a strong season in 2024 with over 100 scheduled calls from different cruise lines, including Saga Cruises, TUI Cruises, Marella Cruises, Virgin Voyages, Royal Caribbean International, and Costa Cruises.

The port is expecting several upscale brands, such as Azamara, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line and Silversea Cruises.

After resuming service under a new ownership earlier this year, Crystal Cruises is also scheduled to visit Toulon in 2024, with the Crystal Serenity and the Crystal Symphony.

The Serenity is set to visit the French port on May 25, as part of the last leg of a 141-night world cruise, while the Symphony returns to Toulon during a Western Mediterranean cruise on June 3.

Photo Credit: Nicolas Nogues, Toulon Bay.