In January 2022, Viking launched new expedition voyages with the arrival of its first vessel, the 378-guest Polar Class Viking Octantis. A second, identical sister ship, the Viking Polaris, joined in September 2022. Both ships sail expedition itineraries in Antarctica and North America’s Great Lakes.
Designed by the same experienced nautical architects and engineers that designed Viking’s Longships and ocean ships, the ships are optimally sized and built for expeditions, at an ideal size for safety, comfort and onboard amenities in remote destinations. An integrated bow creates a longer waterline for the ships; state-of-the-art fin stabilizers allow the ships to glide over the waves for the calmest possible journey; ice-strengthened Polar Class hulls provide the safest way to explore; and U-tank stabilizers significantly decrease rolling by up to 50 percent when the ships are stationary. The ships feature the company’s signature Scandinavian design, with public areas that are favorites on Viking’s ocean ships, as well as new spaces created specifically for expeditions.
Viking has also created the world’s leading scientific enrichment environment in an expedition setting. Exclusive partnerships with the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge University, The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—as well as other prestigious scientific institutions—match leading researchers and educators with each expedition.
Viking’s new expedition vessels have set a new standard for responsible travel, with an energy-efficient design that exceeds the EEDI* requirements by nearly 38 percent—more than any other expedition ship. In addition to an integrated bow, engines with heat recovery systems and Azipod® Electric Propulsion, the Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris have received one of the industry’s first SILENT-E notations – the highest-level certification for quiet ship propulsion, minimizing underwater noise pollution.
SHIPS IN FLEET: 2
Viking Octantis
Viking Polaris
