Captain Atle H. Knutsen saw his first cruise ship at age six and knew that he was destined to be a sea captain. He learned how to navigate in the local fjords, and trained and earned his nautical degrees at Norwegian maritime academies. During his 30-plus years on cruise ships, he worked his way up the ranks from deckhand on board Royal Viking Sea to master and enjoyed a diverse maritime career. In addition to his vast experience in the cruise industry, he has worked on ferries, served in the Royal Norwegian Navy, and commanded the private yacht Rising Sun and Sea Launch’s Odyssey.

Captain Knutsen is particularly proud to have been with Viking since the company launched its ocean fleet, with which he also shares the same home port—Bergen, Norway. He has served as master on nearly every Viking ocean ship and will soon be heading to the shipyard in Ancona, Italy, to prepare for the 2021 debut of the fleet’s newest addition, Viking Venus.