Viking Ocean, the new ocean cruise operator, is experiencing a major operational setback in the Baltic on account of a mechanical issue occurred on board Viking Star, forcing the company to cancel the remaining portion of a cruise itinerary. Alan Lam reports.

According to the company, the highly unusual mechanical issue is related to the electric transformers in one particular part of the ship’s propulsion system. The malfunction has no impact on the engines or generators, but it requires effort to repair. While the work continues, the operator is unable to continue with the cruise. After a considerable deliberation, Viking Ocean made the difficult but necessary decision to cancel the remaining portion of the itinerary, citing safety and customer enjoyment as being its paramount concern.

The ship has been docked in Tallinn since Thursday, the 30th of July, five days after its departure from Stockholm on the 15-day Viking Homelands itinerary.

The company has offered two alternatives to its more than 900 guests on board: 1) for guests who decide to return home, Viking will make flight arrangement 
from Tallinn in the timeliest manner possible; 2) for those who wish to remain in the Baltic for as long as they have planned, the company will host them onboard the ship until Tuesday, the 4th of August, and then fly them to Bergen, where they will be accommodated in a local hotel for the remainder of the scheduled cruise period and they will be offered local excursions.

The 47,800 gross ton Viking Star is the first vessel in the company’s emerging fleet. Between now and the end of the next year the line expects deliveries of two more units of similar capacities - Viking Sky and Viking Sea.