跟豪華遊輪“維京之星”來一趟歷史文化之旅
More than a thousand years since they last sailed up the Thames, the vikings are back in instead of threatening pillage, these Scandinavians are bringing the latest word in cruise ship design to the capital. Viking Cruises' first ever ocean-going cruise ship, Viking Star, sailed through the Thames barrier on 12, May during its maiden voyage.
1000多年後，維京海盜再次回到倫敦泰晤士河。不同於過去帶來的掠奪威脅，這些斯堪的納維亞人這次給倫敦展示了最新的豪華遊輪設計。維京遊艇的首個遠洋航行遊輪：維京之星，於5月12日駛過泰晤士港口，這是其處女航線路上的一站。
The nine-deck passenger ship sailed past London landmarks including Canary Wharf, the O2 Arena, and Greenwich's Royal Naval College. It was anchored overnight at Greenwich, before continuing its journey to the Norwegian city of Bergen where it was christened during the country's Constitution Day Celebrations on May 17.
維京之星擁有9層甲板，駛過了倫敦地標，包括金絲雀港口、O2競技場和格林威治皇家海軍學院。海盜之星在格林威治停留一整晚後，繼續其行程開往挪威城市卑爾根，在那裏參加5月17日舉行的國家憲法日慶祝活動，並接受洗禮。
Viking Star marks the travel industry's first entirely new cruise line in a decade and is among the largest to sail up the Thames. After being formally launched, the ship will take passengers on voyages from the brand's homeland in Scandinavia and the Baltic through to the Western and Eastern Mediterranean - mapping the path of Viking traders and warriors who journeyed as far as Istanbul. Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises, said he aimed to buck the trend for building bigger cruise liners by creating a smaller ship that can easily access its historic destinations.
維京之星標誌着旅遊行業十年來的首個全新郵輪階段，並且是在泰晤士航行的最大遊輪之一。在正式首航之後，維京之星將會搭載遊客從維京遊輪公司所在的斯堪的納維亞出發，穿過波羅的海，抵達西地中海和東地中海，重走曾經到達伊斯坦布爾的維京商人和戰士之路。維京遊輪主席托爾斯泰·哈根說他想要一反建造大型豪華遊輪的潮流，轉而建造能輕鬆抵達歷史目的地的小型船舶。
The brand provides more overnight stays in important ports and fewer days at sea, giving passengers more time to enjoy the behind the scenes tours of world class museums it offers. Mr Hagen said: 'We have always believed that cruising should be about connecting you to your destination – not just taking you to places on a map. It is our view that in the race to build bigger ships, many cruise lines have lost sight of the destinations to which they sail.'
維京之星會安排較少的海上航行時間，在重要港口停留過夜的機會則將多安排一些，好讓遊客們可以有更多時間享受精彩旅行中的世界級博物館。哈根先生說：“我們一直認爲遊輪應該連接你和目的地，而並不是僅僅像走馬觀花一樣將你帶到那裏。在我們看來，大家都在競相建造更大的遊艇，但是很多郵輪航線已經無法讓遊客享受到他們航行目的地的美麗風景了。”
What is available on board Viking star?
海盜之星上面提供些什麼呢？
Weighing nearly half-a-million tons, the ship accommodates 930 passengers in 465 staterooms – each with its own veranda and king sized bed. So everyone can enjoy the view from a balcony, along with king-size beds, large showers, and LCD TVs. Explorer Suites: Viking Star features 14 Explorer Suites, which are two-room suites ranging from 757 to 1,163 sq. ft. that offer sweeping views from wrap-around private verandas. As well as the main pool with a retractable dome, there is also a glass-backed infinity pool. The Spa embraces the centuries-old tradition of the sauna and even has a 'snow grotto' where snowflakes gently descend from the ceiling.
近50萬噸重的海盜之星的465個客艙可接待930名遊客。每個艙房都配有超大尺寸的牀和陽臺，因此每個遊客都可以在陽臺上充分享受美景，同時還有大牀、大浴室和LCD電視可供使用。探險家套房：海盜之星有14間探險家套房，套房擁有2間臥室，面積從757到1163平方英尺不等，環形陽臺能爲遊客提供全景視野。另外，船上還有配有可伸縮穹頂的主泳池和一個玻璃底的大泳池。水療區設有依照古老傳統建造的桑拿間，還有冰雪洞穴，會有雪花慢慢地從頂上飄落下來。
So, enjoy our trip. Meanwhile, Viking Cruises is aiming to launch nine more ocean liners in the next few years, with Viking Sea being released in 2016 and Viking Sky coming in 2017.
那麼，好好享受你的旅程吧。另外，維京遊輪還打算在未來幾年裏建造9艘遠洋遊艇，包括即將在2016年公佈的“維京之海”和2017年的“維京之天”。
