Viking’s next frontier—the expedition cruise market—got a bit closer last week with the delivery of Viking Octantis, the first of a fleet of purpose-built ships designed for adventure cruises including Antarctica and the Arctic.
The 378-passenger ship, built in Norway, is on its way to South America for a new season of Antarctic voyages. By spring, it will move on to New York for another naming ceremony, and then provide Great Lakes cruises over the summer before returning to the colder regions. The ship is specially-designed for quick loading and return of its smaller expedition boats.
In more Viking expansion plans, Octantis will be joined in August by a second expedition ship, Viking Polaris, and over the course of the year two more of its Ocean vessels, named Mars and Neptune. Also in August, it will begin its first Mississippi River cruises aboard the purpose-built Viking Mississippi.
