With the debut of its first two dedicated polar expedition cruise ships in 2022, Viking will officially make the transition from offering river and ocean cruises to being able to provide passengers with dedicated expedition voyages to the Arctic and Antarctic.
Initially, the Viking Expeditions fleet will consist of two ships: the 378-passenger Viking Octantis and its sister ship, Viking Polaris. Though nearly the same size as the ships in Viking's current oceangoing fleet, Viking's expedition vessels will carry a fraction of the passengers, resulting in one of the industry's highest passenger-to-space ratios.
In addition to a full expedition program that includes adventures ashore by inflatable motorized Zodiac rafts and more durable rigid skiffs, Viking Expeditions also plans to offer a number of familiar creature comforts onboard Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris. These include the popular specialty restaurants Manfredi's (Italian cuisine) and Mamsen's (Norwegian comfort food), the Explorers' observation lounge and other niceties that passengers who have sailed on the line's existing ocean (and river) ships will come to appreciate.
Viking plans on starting its expedition operations in early 2022 aboard Viking Octantis in the Antarctic, followed by Viking Polaris, which will debut on sailings between Tromso, Norway, and Arctic Svalbard in summer 2022.
Further details regarding Viking Expeditions are expected to be unveiled in mid-January 2020.
