Viking Taps Agents for Longship Godmothers

When Viking Cruises christens 18 longships in Europe next month, the cruise line is expected to honor at least seven members of the travel agency community by naming them as godmothers of the vessels.

Viking isn’t naming names and is holding back on publicizing the ceremonial nod to its travel agent partners, but an insider source confirmed the plan.

Two travel agents already have received word that they are among those to be honored – Cruise Planners COO Vicky Garcia and Anne Morgan Scully, president of McCabe World Travel.

Long-term partnership
“Viking believes in agents. The fact that they still pay agent commissions on NCFs shows it,” said Garcia, who will be named godmother of the Viking Magni.

“Viking is an amazing partner and we’ve been working with them for years,” Garcia added.

“The effort they have made to grow the river cruising market has been great.”

Christening schedule
Viking’s March christenings will begin in Amsterdam, where nine ships, including the Viking Magni, will be christened. Three more Viking longships will be christened the following day in Avignon, France.

Four will be christened on March 18 in Rostock, Germany, and two will be christened on March 21 in Porto, Portugal.

“These events send a strong message about the cruise industry,” said Garcia. “And we as agents win because there is more space to fill.”

Garcia says Cruise Planners agents are actively booking clients on 2015 Viking cruises as most of the line’s 2014 capacity has already been filled.

Word’s getting around
Both Garcia and McCabe World Travel posted on Facebook about the honor of being selected by Viking.

“We are SO proud of our president Anne Scully, named Godmother of one of Viking River Cruises’ new longships!!” a posting on McCabe World Travel’s page exclaimed.

Wrote Garcia: “I’m soooo very honored, thrilled, excited . . . and even a little nervous!”

But Viking was being coy.

“I understand that some agents have issued their own releases, but Viking has not made any announcements that contain details surrounding the christening of its newest ships,” a spokesperson said.

Garcia said she got the impression that all 18 ships will be christened by representatives of the travel agency community.

Viking set a world record in March 2013, as certified by Guinness World Records, by simultaneously christening 10 ships in Amsterdam. Following the christenings next month, the cruise line will have launched 30 new longships over three years.