Viking has recently named its two newest river ships, the Viking Hathor and Viking Sobek, with a special celebration in Luxor, Egypt.

Designed specifically for the Nile River, the ships were built at the Massara shipyard in Cairo and will sail Viking’s popular 12-day Pharaohs and Pyramids itinerary.

Edward Herbert, whose great-great-grandfather helped uncover King Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, served as the ceremonial godfather of the Viking Hathor. Mohamed El Banna, the founder of Cosmos Egypt and Egyptian Senate member, was the ceremonial godfather for the Viking Sobek.

“Today, we are proud to welcome the Viking Hathor and the Viking Sobek to our growing fleet in Egypt. Along with their sister ships, we believe they are by far the most elegant vessels on the Nile,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman and CEO of Viking.

“We are very grateful for our continued close friendship with the Carnarvon family and that Eddie has honored us by serving as godfather of the Viking Hathor. For more than 15 years, Mohamed El Banna has been a part of the extended Viking family, helping to take good care of our guests in Egypt, and it is a great honor that he is serving as the godfather of the Viking Sobek. As our award-winning fleet on the Nile continues to grow, we look forward to introducing even more curious travelers to this phenomenal destination.”

The naming ceremony for the Viking Hathor and Viking Sobek was held at Viking’s private docking area in Luxor, followed by a celebratory dinner at Karnak Temple. Guests enjoyed a performance by renowned soprano Sissel Kyrkjebø, godmother of the Viking Jupiter, who sang the national anthems of Egypt, Norway and the United Kingdom in their respective languages.