Viking Astrea Floats Out Ahead of 2027 Hydrogen Cruise Debut
The 54,300-gross-ton ship will carry 998 guests in 499 staterooms, with fuel cells capable of producing up to six megawatts of power.
Updated September 23, 2026
Viking Astrea has moved to a nearby outfitting dock at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard, where final construction and interior work are underway. Viking’s second hydrogen-powered cruise ship entered the water on September 11, 2026, and is scheduled for delivery in May 2027.
The 54,300-gross-ton ship will accommodate 998 guests in 499 staterooms. Its inaugural season will include Mediterranean and Northern European itineraries. Fares start at £1,995 per person.
Final construction underway at outfitting dock
The floatout began with the cutting of a ceremonial cord, allowing water to enter the building dock.
“From the beginning, we have sought thoughtful ways to design more efficient ships,” said Leah Talactac, Viking’s president and chief executive officer.
Francesca Baldinelli, who works in production control at the Ancona yard, served as godmother for the ceremony. Ancona Shipyard Director Gilberto Tobaldi and Ghislain Lemarie, Viking’s vice president of ship development and construction, also attended.
Viking Astrea is approximately 239 meters long, with a beam of about 31 meters and an expected crew complement of roughly 465. The ship will have Nordic and Scandinavian design features, including large replicas of the Bayeux Tapestry along its staircases.
Hydrogen system designed for partial-voyage operation
Viking Astrea’s hybrid diesel and liquefied-hydrogen propulsion system will use polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells capable of producing up to six megawatts of power. Fincantieri subsidiary Isotta Fraschini Motori developed the system.
The company opened an EU-subsidized fuel-cell manufacturing and testing line in Bari, Italy, in 2025. Sister ship Viking Libra was among its initial marine applications.
The hydrogen supply will support zero-exhaust-emission operation during parts of a voyage rather than across an entire itinerary. Viking says this capability will help Astrea enter environmentally sensitive areas such as the Norwegian fjords without exhaust emissions. The company has not specified the source of the liquefied hydrogen or the production pathway that will supply the fuel.
Viking Libra was floated out at the Ancona yard in March and is scheduled for delivery in November 2026. Viking describes it as the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise vessel capable of zero-emission operation.
Other lower-emission sailings
Other cruise operators have also completed sailings using alternative fuels. Hurtigruten completed a climate-neutral sailing in Norway using biodiesel in October 2025. The following month, Havila Voyages sailed in the region using biogas. Havila’s ships also have battery packs capable of supplying power for up to four hours. Viking Astrea’s maiden cruise is scheduled for June 2027.
See current Viking Astrea fares and itineraries on Cruise Lookup.
