In a substantial addition to its sailing routes as it heads to the Arctic and Antarctica, Viking cruise line has just taken delivery of its new Viking Octantis, while an identical sister ship, Viking Polaris, is scheduled to join the fleet in August, 2022. The ships’ respective names represent the Southern and Northern Stars.

Rendering of a Viking Expedition Ship in Antarctica.

Soon to celebrate twenty-five years of sailing rivers, lakes and most recently oceans, Viking held a ceremony last week for the new Viking Octantis at Fincantieri’s Vard Søviknes shipyard on the west coast of Norway. The ship’s keel was laid and the ship floated out at the Vard Tulcea shipyards on Romania’s Danube, while the hull was then sailed into the Black Sea, and through the Mediterranean, before heading on up to Norway for its outfitting over nine months. The ship’s godmother, Norwegian explorer Liv Arnesen, will officially name the Viking Octantis in New York City in April, 2022.

The Octantis has just departed toward South America in order for guests to sail in January on Viking’s first voyages to Antarctica. The addition of the Octantis means that the cruise line now sails to seven continents. For a number of spring and summer voyages, the ship will next head way up to the Great Lakes.

Viking’s new Expedition ships were designed by Los Angeles interior design firm Rottet Studio who designed Viking’s Longships and Ocean ships, while London-based SMC Design contributed.

A rendering shows how RIB boats access the Viking Expedition ships' Hangar.

Both the Octantis and the upcoming Polaris have Polar Class hulls that are ice-strengthened for safety. Other adaptions from the Ocean line of ships include a longer waterline in the Expedition ships and calmer fin stabilizers that decrease rolling significantly in stationary ships. Importantly too for propulsion in polar waters, the ships have the industry’s highest-level certification for reducing underwater noise pollution.

Both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris welcome 378 guests in their 189 staterooms. Other significant new features that Viking has announced follow below.

An in-ship marina called the Hangar protects passengers from the elements when craft embark and disembark for excursions. Among technical additions, a set of instruments called FerryBox monitor vitals in real time such as water quality, oxygen content, even plankton composition.

Each ship carries state-of-the-art-expedition equipment, most dramatic of which are two submarines that hold six passengers who can peer through 270-degree spherical windows. Kits include boots, binoculars and waterproof pants, as well as gear such as trekking poles, snowshoes and skis.

A rendering of Finse Terrace, Deck 2 Aft.

Viking Expedition Teams of dozens of experts will sail along with research scientists, naturalists, mountain and kayak guides and other specialists in disciplines such as biology, geology and ornithology.

During landings, guests can follow the lead of a professional photographer in learning the tricks to shooting extreme landscapes. Guests can also participate in activities such as monitoring birds and collecting samples.

Most apropos for ships sailing to the far ends of the earth, Viking has introduced in each a ventilated Science Lab for research, with a sample processing area, cool storage, and microscope optics.

Rendering of the Viking Expedition ship's Penthouse Junior Suite—Polar Option.

Located at the ship’s stern, the Aula auditorium for daily briefings, entertainment and lectures by specialists was designed in homage to the University of Oslo hall where the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded at various times of its history. When briefings, films and lectures are not being presented, its 4K floor-to-ceiling screen retracts to reveal panoramic views of the world outside.

On the Octantis and Polaris, passengers will be surrounded by fine art on every deck and in public spaces (as seen here in the earlier Viking Sky ship). Book shelves with all manner of tomes on art, history, culture and more are found in all manner of spaces onboard. Passengers familiar with earlier Viking Ocean ships will know of the line’s Explorers Lounges which in Expedition ships have become even more of a socializing focal point with a semicircle bar.

Staterooms on the Expedition line include a Nordic Balcony which is a floor-to-ceiling glass sunroom that opens into an outdoor viewing platform. King-size beds, glass-enclosed showers and heated bathroom floors are hallmarks of Viking rooms. Every stateroom comes with a drying closet in which to store clothing and expedition gear. Explorer Suites feature full outdoor verandas to go along with their Nordic Balconies.

With all that stimulation and exhilaration over exploring the polar regions, you will need some serious relaxation time. On the Expedition ships’ Finse Terrace, which looks out from a low deck right over the sea, guests lounge on recessed couches around rock “firepits” in order to regain their expedition strength for their next icy adventure.

Equally restorative, the indoor-outdoor Aquavit Terrace & The Pools under a retractable glass dome at the stern consist of three pools, in which fans of old Roman times will be right at home in their warm middle tepidarium, flanked by the hot caldarium and the cold frigidarium. And then you’ll be good to go for another day of conquering the ends of world.

Health Protocols on Viking require that all crew and guests be vaccinated, while ships have PCR laboratories on board. A new air purification system has also been installed on all the line’s ships. COVID-19 testing before U.S. flights takes place onboard as well.