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.
Viking’s second hydrogen-powered cruise ship, Viking Astrea, entered the water at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard on September 11, 2026. Delivery is scheduled for May 2027. Its inaugural season will include Mediterranean and Northern European itineraries.
The 54,300-gross-ton ship will accommodate 998 guests in 499 staterooms. Its hybrid diesel and liquefied-hydrogen propulsion system will use fuel cells capable of producing up to six megawatts of power, according to Viking.
Final construction moves to outfitting dock
The floatout began with the cutting of a ceremonial cord, allowing water to enter the building dock. The flooding process was expected to take two days, after which Viking Astrea will move to a nearby outfitting dock for interior work and the remaining stages of construction.
“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. Attendees also included Ancona Shipyard Director Gilberto Tobaldi and Ghislain Lemarie, Viking’s vice president of ship development and construction.
Viking Astrea is approximately 239 meters long with a beam of about 31 meters and an expected crew complement of roughly 465. The vessel is a sister ship to Viking Libra, the first of Viking’s two announced hydrogen-powered ocean ships.
Fuel cells to support zero-emission operation
Fincantieri subsidiary Isotta Fraschini Motori developed the proton-exchange membrane fuel-cell system. The company opened an EU-subsidized fuel-cell manufacturing and testing line in Bari, Italy, in 2025, with Viking Libra among its initial marine applications.
Viking said the propulsion arrangement will allow Astrea to operate in environmentally sensitive areas without 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 that ship as the world’s first hydrogen-powered cruise vessel capable of zero-emission operation.
Astrea’s maiden cruise is scheduled for June 2027.
See current Viking Astrea fares and itineraries on Cruise Lookup.
