Responding to growing interest in the luxury cruise yacht sector, Viken Group is entering the warmer seasons with its brand-new, 196 meter sustainable cruise yacht concept REI. Developed collaboratively by the Viken Group’s three brands consisting of TDoS (Tillberg Design of Sweden) with 6 decades of high-end cruise ship design experience alongside Hot Lab and Thalia Marine, she will further cement the Group’s status as a genuine luxury cruise yacht segment pioneer. Boasting a truly revolutionary design akin to a space-faring star cruiser right out of science fiction’s most iconic stories, while incorporating design features inspired by the superyacht realm, she will combine adventure, exclusivity and sustainability to offer a diversely evolving guest experience. Her multi–faceted name even references Japanese values including ‘beauty’ and ‘grace’.
Viken Group co-founder and TDoS Executive Director Fredrik Johansson said, “We are thrilled to introduce REI. The 196-metre project is the perfect illustration of the combined offerings of the Viken Group, where we manage exterior styling, engineering, master planning and interior under one umbrella. We can there-by help our clients in streamlining the process dramatically, controlling the investment, and optimising the outcome for both the guest and the operator. The yacht will come out and make money much sooner – and be far more successful and prosperous during its lifespan.
Speaking about REI’s design, TDoS’ Creative Director Martin Butler added, “With her streamlined lines creating an understated yet striking impression on the water, REI’s exteriors draw their inspiration from nature: a protective and hard outer shell encasing a soft, cosy interior. The purposeful exterior design, with its dynamic and progressive curves, nods towards a technical, industrial and automotive aesthetic.”
Inside, REI’s contemporary interior contrasts this with balanced tactile materials and warm lighting that adjusts to provide guests their desired atmospheric experience. With 10 spacious decks laid out over 196 meters and a generous 28 meter beam, she will accommodate a maximum of 112 guests, with 125 crew members providing impressive levels of personalized service.
With her internal design layout being laser focused on efficiently enhancing the guest experience, all of REI’s different on-board entertainment areas are intelligently connected by a single main avenue. She also embodies an ideal balance between communal and private areas, with many spaces dedicated for exclusive enjoyment. Hot Lab’s Co-Founder and Design Director Enrico Lumini explains, “Exterior deck spaces can be booked for private functions, and guests can enjoy relaxing in private pools connected to the suites’ beautiful terraces as well as letting off steam in semi-private spas.”
For a truly exceptional luxury cruising experience, each guest duplex suite comes with its own private winter garden, plus pools and massage areas. Double-height glazing showcases seamless panoramic views of the nautical environment around her, while more social pursuits are well catered for by the observation lounge, and stunning forward infinity pool.
A range of sustainable propulsion possibilities comprising electric, hydrogen, solar and wind solutions mean that REI is more than ready for world spanning yet ecologically friendly adventures. Driven by electric or solar power, her 27 meter secondary expedition vessel facilitates easy embarkation and disembarkation via the adaptable multi-purpose beach club that also serves as a sea courtyard.
This will be part of a uniquely experiential guest itinerary that is without equal. REI’s dynamic on-board experience will be constantly evolving, with her general entertainment and activities adapting according to the year’s seasons and areas that are visited, providing a fully immersive and interactive experience for her guests.
Even the food reflects this lively ethos: her exploratory dining experience carries the theme ‘from sea, to land, to sky’ and will enable guests to enjoy a delectably diverse range of cuisines. REI’s constant adaptations will therefore provide a genuinely unforgettable experience for individuals fortunate enough to journey aboard her, with every day dawning with the potential to enrich or mellow them in remarkable new ways.
