Viking Octantis

Viking Octantis is a Polar Class 6 purpose-built expedition ship completed in December 2021 for Viking Expeditions Cruises, a subdivision of Viking Cruises. The ship carries 378 passengers with 189 staterooms. This makes her a small ship, built to suit serious explorers rather than crowds. Named after Sigma Octantis, the south star, the ship's routes centre on Antarctica and the Great Lakes, where she carries out scientific research during cruises. She was joined by an identical sister ship, Viking Polaris, in fall of 2022.

The ship was designed with dimensions to fit through the Welland Canal, opening routes that bigger vessels cannot take. Her design balances purpose with comfort. Signature spaces include the two-deck Explorers Lounge, an observatory-style venue with wide views, the Aquavit Terrace with its retractable glass roof, dedicated wildlife viewing areas like The Hide and The Bow, and The Laboratory for scientific work. The Aula is a two-deck auditorium with glass windows on three sides, inspired by the University of Oslo's ceremonial hall, the former Nobel Peace Prize venue, complete with replica drop murals.

The ship has four restaurants including a dining room, world café buffet, Italian speciality restaurant and a Nordic spot, plus a 12-seat private dining room. Most cabins feature French balconies, except for the suites on deck six. The wellness complex includes a Nordic Spa with a hot tub room, sauna, treatment rooms for massage and a hydrotherapy pool.

What sets her apart is the expedition kit. Equipment provided free to all passengers includes zodiacs, two-seater sea kayaks, rigid inflatable boats, two mini-submarines with 6-seat capacity and 270-degree viewing, plus cold-weather boots, waterproof trousers, snowshoes and trekking poles. The Hangar, an aft bay, holds all the expedition equipment including a 26-metre custom stern slipway for safe embarkation onto boats inside the ship. The ship works with the University of Cambridge's Scott Polar Research Institute, Cornell Lab of Ornithology and NOAA, and is the first civilian ship sanctioned by the National Weather Service to launch weather balloons.

Explorer Liv Arnesen was named the ship's godmother, a fitting choice given her feat as the first woman to ski solo to the South Pole. The ship received her official naming in September 2022 in a virtual dual christening with her sister ship, with Liv Arnesen blessing the bow in Amsterdam while a crew member released the champagne in Toronto.

Viking Octantis suits curious travellers, scientists and armchair explorers who want serious expedition credentials, personal attention, and a vessel built to go where most cruise ships cannot.