Viking’s newly announced 2027-28 deployment includes six ships operating winter itineraries in Europe.

Nearly half of the company’s fleet will sail in the region, offering itineraries in Northern Europe and the Mediterranean.

The lineup includes the company’s newest ships, the Viking Libra and the Viking Astrea, which are scheduled to enter service in 2026 and 2027, respectively.

The hydrogen-powered ships will spend the winter sailing from homeports in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Norway and the UK..

One of the highlights of the deployment is the 12-night “In Search of Northern Lights” itinerary, which sails from the United Kingdom to Scandinavia.

Viking’s expansive winter offerings in Europe follow a recent trend in the luxury market, which is gradually increasing off-season capacity in the region.

Other brands that recently added or increased their winter deployments in either the Mediterranean or Northern Europe include Windstar, Oceania and Explora.

The trend is continuingin the premium market, with brands like Celebrity Cruises operating year-round in the region.

Viking’s 2027-28 winter season also includes itineraries in South America with the Viking Jupiter and in the Caribbean with the Viking Mars, the Viking Sea and the Viking Sky.

Two vessels, the Viking Orion and the Viking Venus, will sail to destinations in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

While no itineraries were announced for the Viking Neptune at press time, the Viking Vesta is scheduled to offer a world cruise during the 2027-28 season.

The 142-night itinerary departs from Port Everglades in late December 2027 and includes visits to 62 destinations in 31 countries.

Viking’s fleet also includes the former Viking Sun, which is currently operated in a joint venture with China Merchants as the Zhao Shang Yi Dun.

The 2017-built vessel is expected to continue to operate in the Far East during the 2027-28 winter season.