The 998-Guest Viking Mira Welcomed into Award-Winning Ocean Fleet with Naming Ceremony in Venice

Viking®announced its newest ocean ship, the Viking Mira®, was officially named during a traditional ceremony in Venice, Italy. Rebecca “Becky” Webb Wilson, an accomplished attorney, author, photographer and philanthropist, served as ceremonial godmother. The Viking Mira will now continue her inaugural season sailing in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

“We are proud to welcome the new Viking Mira to our award-winning fleet of elegant sister ships,” said Torstein Hagen, Executive Chairman of Viking. “We are also very honored to have Rebecca as our newest Viking godmother. Her lifelong commitment to public service, exploration and cultural understanding is an inspiration to all of us.”

During the naming ceremony, Rebecca used a Viking broad axe to cut a ribbon that released a bottle of Norwegian aquavit to break on the ship’s hull. Guests also enjoyed performances by Sissel Kyrkjebø, one of the world’s leading crossover sopranos and godmother of the Viking Jupiter®.

Rebecca Webb Wilson, Godmother of the Viking Mira

Rebecca Webb Wilson has dedicated her career to public service, philanthropy and cultural engagement. A graduate of Vanderbilt University and the University of Memphis School of Law, she began her career as a flight attendant with Pan American World Airways, where she developed a lifelong passion for travel and learning about the world. Later, Rebecca served as an Assistant United States Attorney and has held leadership roles with educational, healthcare and civic organizations. An avid traveler and accomplished nature photographer, she is also the founder of youth leadership initiatives focused on bridging social and cultural divides. She was behind Bridge Builders, a youth leadership program whose aim continues to overcome prejudice and foster meaningful connections among students from different backgrounds, and which has so far had over 20,000 participants.

The Viking Mira

The Viking Mira is the newest ship in Viking’s award-winning fleet of ocean ships and features all veranda staterooms, elegant Scandinavian design, light-filled public spaces and abundant al fresco dining options. Classified as a small ship, as are all Viking ocean ships, the Viking Mira has a gross tonnage of 54,300 tons, with 499 staterooms that can host 998 guests.

Viking’s Award-Winning Fleet

Viking continues to receive top honors from leading travel publications and industry organizations around the world. Viking was recently named to TIME’s 2026 TIME100 Most Influential Companies list, recognizing companies making an extraordinary impact around the world. Viking was also rated #1 for Oceans and #1 for Rivers by Condé Nast Traveler for the fifth consecutive year in the 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards. In addition, Viking was named “World’s Best” by Travel + Leisure—no other travel company has simultaneously received such honors by both publications. Recently, the Viking Vesta® was also named to Condé Nast Traveler’s 2026 Hot List. Additional recognition includes ranking #1 in seven categories in USA TODAY 10BEST 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards, earning top honors from Southern Living for both its river and ocean voyages in the publication’s 2026 cruise rankings, receiving eight awards in Cruise Critic’s 2025 Best in Cruise Awards and, for the fifth year in a row, earning top rankings from U.S. News & World Report as “Best Luxury Line,” “Best Line for Couples” and “Best Line in the Mediterranean.” Viking also earned AOL’s Best Cruise Line for 2025 and continues to receive “Recommended” ratings for its ocean ships in Forbes Travel Guide.

Source:BusinessWire