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Viking Cruises names first US home port
Luxury river cruise operator Viking Cruises has chosen New Orleans for its first home port in the US.
The company said it will operate Mississippi cruises from late 2017 and plans to build another six ships to support its anticipated US expansion.
Each new boat will accommodate about 300 passengers.
Cruises will depart from a dock near the French Quarter of New Orleans and head north to Memphis, St. Louis and St. Paul, Minnesota.
"New Orleans is on a roll, and this investment is yet another example of the continued growth across industries in our city," said New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu.
Established in 1997, Viking now operates 60 ships on rivers in Europe, Egypt, China and Southeast Asia.
State officials began wooing Viking in 2013 and have offered $4.5 million in grants.
"The typical passenger on a Viking River cruise has a good net income, so they will probably have a strong economic impact on the city" said port chief executive Gary LaGrange.
"Nothing against the ports of Long Beach, Miami or New Jersey, but they don’t offer direct access to a 14,500-mile Mississippi River tributary system. Viking made a smart choice," he added.
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Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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