How strong is cruise demand? It is so strong that Viking CEO Tor Hagen said the company's highest-grossing sales week -- and its best individual day -- happened at the end of July.
The second quarter was pretty good, too. Viking's Q2 revenue rose 9.1% year over year, to $1.59 billion. The company's net income was $155.8 million.
Viking conducted its second earnings call as a public company on Aug. 22, during which Hagen said cruises are 95% booked for 2024 and 55% booked for 2025 as of Aug. 11. Advanced sales for next year's cruises are up 20% compared with a year ago, Hagen said.
"These results speak to the strength of our one Viking brand and give us confidence that our core consumer demographic continues to show financial resiliency, prioritizing travel and actively seeking enriching memorable experiences," Hagen said.
The company said its core demographic, affluent travelers age 55 and over who have the time to travel multiple times a year, is a fast-growing segment that is expected to increase 13% by 2030. Hagen added that this demographic holds 73% of the wealth in the U.S.
"It is one thing to have a clear profile of the consumer we are targeting, and it's another to align our product and deliver a great experience," Hagen said. "We believe we are winning on both fronts."