Viking Received its First Expedition Ship, Viking Octantis

Viking has received its first expedition ship, the Viking Octantis, which will travel to Antarctica and the Great Lakes next year.

At Fincantieri’s Vard shipyard in Soviknes, Norway, a delivery ceremony for the vessel — the first of two expedition ships for Viking – was held.

Octantis, which will accommodate 378 passengers, has set sail for South America, where passengers will be welcomed in January for Viking’s inaugural journeys to Antarctica.

In April, the ship will be named by Norwegian explorer and educator Liv Arnesen in New York, and it will sail to the Great Lakes for a series of excursions during the spring and summer.

In August 2022, a second, identical sister ship, Viking Polaris, will join the Viking fleet for Arctic and Antarctic cruises.

Torstein Hagen, the chairman of the Vikings, said: “Today is a proud day for the entire Viking family as we welcome our first expedition ship to the fleet and usher in a new era of exploration.

“Our guests have asked us to build on our award-winning river and ocean voyages to take them further, and that is just what we have done. Leveraging our long history of destination-focused travel, enrichment and innovative ship design, we are now perfecting expedition voyages and offering curious travellers the opportunity to visit some of the world’s most pristine destinations in the most responsible way possible.

“With the arrival of Viking Octantis, Viking is now exploring all seven continents, and we look forward to welcoming her first guests on board in the coming weeks.”