LOS ANGELES — Fresh off the christening of its first ship, the 930-passenger Viking Star, Viking Ocean Cruises is now selling four new itineraries and 2017 departures for Viking Star and sister ships Viking Sea and Viking Sky.

The 2017 program includes sailings on Viking’s most popular itineraries in the Mediterranean, Western Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic. Viking’s guests now have even more opportunities for destination-focused cruises in 2016 and 2017 that span from ancient empires to the towering fjords of Norway and beyond.

“We are encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive response Viking Star has generated among our guests and travel industry partners,” said Torstein Hagen, chairman of Viking Cruises. “We made a commitment to reinvent ocean cruising, and we are well on our way. By 2017 we will have two more ships designed to enable our guests to better experience their destination. We will also have four new itineraries that offer our guests more time in port and enriching, cultural experiences at a better value than our competitors.”

Not only is Viking adding sailing dates to existing itineraries, but the company has also created four new enrichment-filled programs that will take guests from the sun-soaked region of the Mediterranean to the cultural capital of St. Petersburg.

• New for 2016: Ancient Empires & Holy Lands (15 days; Rome to Istanbul) – This 15-day itinerary offers the opportunity to explore historic destinations in the Eastern Mediterranean and experience some of the sacred sights of the Middle East while travelling through the heart of the Holy Land. Guests will have the chance to spend three days in Israel, making stops in Jerusalem and Haifa, gateways to Bethlehem and Nazareth, and will also be able to explore the ancient cities of Rome, Athens and Istanbul. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at US$4,199 per person with discounted airfares from $695 per person.
• New for 2016: Bergen to the Bosphorus (15 days; Bergen to Istanbul) – This epic journey begins in Bergen before cruising south to the Mediterranean, stopping in Paris and Lisbon along the way. Once in the Mediterranean, travellers visit Tunis, Valletta and Athens before concluding the trip in the ancient cosmopolitan city of Istanbul. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $3,699 per person with discounted airfares from $895 per person.
• New for 2017: Secrets of the Southern Mediterranean (eight days; Rome to Barcelona) – Guests will set sail through the southern Mediterranean, departing from Rome and continuing on to some of North Africa’s most historically significant destinations, including Tunis and Algiers, home of the Notre Dame d’Afrique. The itinerary also stops in Valletta, Sardinia and Valencia before concluding the trip in Barcelona. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $1,999 per person with discounted airfares from $595 per person.
• New for 2017: Barcelona, the Baltic & Beyond (22 days; Barcelona to Stockholm) – This voyage travels through the waterways of Western Europe and the Baltic, giving guests the opportunity to explore iconic world-class cities such as Barcelona, Lisbon, Paris, Amsterdam and St. Petersburg. Introductory 2-for-1 pricing starts at $5,999 per person with discounted airfares from $695 per person.