Ocean City, Md (Aug. 8, 2018): Norwegian viking ship Draken Harald Hårfagre — the largest of its kind in modern times — has announced Ocean City as the ninth stop on its Expedition America: East Coast Tour 2018 “presented by Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky.” The ship began its tour in July. It will be docked in Ocean City for eight days, from Aug. 22 – 29, beginning with an arrival ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 22 at 6:30 p.m. and continuing with seven days of ship tours and activities in the Draken Village. The Draken visit promises visitors an engaging look at the modern-day Viking spirit.
“We are very much looking forward to welcoming the Draken ship to Ocean City this August,” said Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan. “As a family-friendly destination that strives to offer a wide variety of events and features for our visitors to enjoy, we feel the Draken ship will provide vacationers with a unique opportunity to experience a piece of Viking history while staying here in Ocean City.”
Hosted in partnership with the Town of Ocean City, the Draken will dock at 3rd Street and Chicago Avenue on the bay and will offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for visitors to relive history in a way never experienced before. The Draken will allow guests to not only marvel at this stunning Viking ship, but also to interact with the crew as they share their personal experiences of thrill, fear, and exhilaration while enduring the ship’s 2016 transatlantic crossing – reliving the Viking discovery of the New World more than 1,000 years ago.
The Draken Experience in Ocean City (dates and times subject to weather)
Wednesday, Aug. 22 at 6:30 p.m.
Draken Arrival Ceremony
Guests are invited to greet the Draken ship as it sails into port with a display of Viking valor and excitement. Captain Björn Ahlander and his crew will step ashore to welcome the crowd and introduce the Draken. This event is free and open to the public. A small, private welcome reception will follow.
Thursday, Aug. 23 – Wednesday, Aug. 29 from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Draken Village & Deck Tours
Beginning daily at 10 a.m., Draken will be open for timed and ticketed deck tours. Tour tickets, which run $6 for kids (ages 5 to 15, free admission for ages 4 and under); $12 for adults (ages 16 and over); and $30 for a family pack (includes two adults, and up to three children) can be purchased online at www.drakenhh.com now, or on-site at the Draken Village. During each 30-minute tour, guests are guided through the ship and offered a look at a day-in-the-life of the crew and the historic craftsmanship used to build the ship with oak, tar, hemp, iron, and silk.
Within the Draken Village, which is free and open to the public, guests can experience a photo and video exhibition illustrating Viking history, modern explorers, and the adventures of the Draken; land-side views of the ship; the Highland Park Whisky hospitality tent; local food and beverage vendors; official Draken merchandise, and more.
Additional ticketed Draken events include a lecture with Captain Björn Ahlander outlining the adventurous expeditions of the Draken (Friday, Aug. 24 at 7 p.m., $25) and a screening of the newly released Draken documentary: Expedition America – a Modern Viking Adventure (Saturday, Aug. 25 at 7 p.m., $20).
“The Vikings were accomplished navigators, artisans, traders and storytellers, but their greatest triumph was the ships they built,” said Captain Björn Ahlander. “Each Draken stopover offers guests a tangible tie to history. We hope our visitors are inspired by the vigor of the Viking spirit and our modern-day adventures.”
Following the overwhelming response from the 2016 tour, the next leg of the Draken Harald Hårfagre North American tour will consist of stopovers across the U.S. East Coast states of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Virginia and more. The final tour schedule and all stopover ports are set to be announced in the coming weeks.
The crew on board Draken is a team of 35 men and women from all over the world, representing a diverse mix of age, gender, nationality, and background. The Draken is now accepting applications for public volunteer crew positions. To take part in this rare opportunity visit: www.drakenhh.com/join-the-crew.
